discompose my duty or turn me from the wayes of thy Commandements O let thy Spirit dwell with me for ever and make my soul just and charitable full of honesty full of religion resolute and constant in holy purposes but inflexible to evil Make me humble and obedient peaceable and pious let me never envy any mans good nor deserve to be despised my self and if I be teach me to bear it with meeknesse and charity V. GIve me a tender conscience a conversation discreet and aâ—fable modest and patient liberal and obliging body a chaste and healthful competency of living according to my condition contentednesse in all estates a resigned will and mortified affections that I may be as thou wouldst have me and my portion may be in the lot of the righteous in the brightnesse of thy countenance and the glories of eternity Amen Holy is our God * Holy is the Almighty * Holy is the Immortal Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath have mercy upon me A form of Prayer for the evening to be said by such who have not time or opportunity to say the publick prayers appointed for this office I. O Eternal God Great Father of Men and Angels who hast established the Heavens and the Earth in a wonderful order making day and night to succeed each other I make my humble addresse to thy Divine Majesty begging of thee mercy protection this night ever O Lord pardon all my sins my light and rash words the vanity and impiety of my thoughts my unjust and uncharitable actions and whatsoever I have transgressed against thee this day or at any time before Behold O God my soul is troubled in the remembrance of my sins in the frailty and sinfulnesse of my flesh exposed to every temptation and of it self not able to resist any Lord God of mercy I earnestly beg of thee to give me a great portion of thy grace such as may be sufficient and effectual for the mortification of all my sins and vanities and disorders that as I have formerly served my lust and unworthy desires so now I may give my self up wholly to thy service and the studies of a holy life II. BLessed Lord teach me frequently and sadly to remember my sins and be thou pleased to remember them no more let me never forget thy mercies and do thou still remember to do me good Teach me to walk alwayes as in thy presence Ennoble my soul with great degrees of love to thee and configne my spirit with great fear religion and veneration of thy holy Name and laws that it may become the great imployment of my whole life to serve thee to advance thy glory to root out all the accursed habits of sin that in holinesse of life in humility in charity in chastity and all the ornaments of grace I may by patience wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Amen III. Teach me O Lord to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto wisdom ever to remember my last end that I may not dare to sin against thee Let thy holy Angels be ever present with me to keep me in all my wayes from the malice and violence of the spirits of darknesse from evil company and the occasions and opportunities of evil from perishing in popular judgements from all the wayes of sinful shame from the hands of all mine enemies from a sinful life and from despair in the day of my death Then O brightest Jesu shine gloriously upon me let thy mercies and the light of thy Countenance sustain me in all my agonies weaknesses and temptations Give me opportunity of a prudent and spiritual Guide and of receiving the holy Sacrament let thy loving spirit so guide me in the wayes of peace and safety that with the testimony of a good conscience and the sense of thy mercies and refreshment I may depart this life in the unity of the Church in the love of God and a certain hope of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and most blessed Saviour Amen Our Father c. Another form of Evening Prayer which may also be used at bed-time Our Father c. I Will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help My help cometh of the Lord which made heaven and earth He will not suffer thy foot to be moved he that keepeth thee will not slumber Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord is thy keeper the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand The sun shall not smite thee by day neither the moon by night The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore Glory be to the Father c. I. VIsit I beseech thee O Lord this habitation with thy mercy and me with thy grace and salvation Let thy holy Angels pitch their tents round about and dwell here that no illusion of the night may abuse me the spirits of darknesse may not come neer to hurt me no evil or sad accident oppresse me and let the eternal spirit of the Father dwell in my soul and body filling every corner of my heart with light and grace Let no deed of darknesse overtake me and thy blessing most blessed God be upon me for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen II. INto thy hands most blessed Jesu I commend my soul and body for thou hast redeemed both with thy most precious blood So blesse and sanctifie my sleep unto me that it may be temperate holy and safe a refreshment to my wearied body to enable it so to serve my soul that both may serve thee with a never failing duty O let me never sleep in sin or death eternal but give me a watchful a prudent spirit that I may omit no oportunity of serving thee that whether I sleep or wake live or die I may be thy servant and thy childe that when the work of my life is done I may rest in the bosom of my Lord till by the voice of the Archangel the trump of God I shall be awakened and called to sit down and feast in the eternal supper of the Lamb. Grant this O Lamb of God for the honour of thy mercies and the glory of thy name O most merciful Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Amen III. BLessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus who hath sent his Angels and kept me this day from the destruction that walketh at noon and the arrow that flyeth by day and hath given me his Spirit to restrain me from those evils to which my own weaknesses and my evil habits and my unquiet enemies would easily betray me Blessed and for ever hallowed be thy name for that never ceasing showre os blessing by which I live and am content and blessed and provided for in all necessities and set forward in my duty and way to heaven * Blessing honour
and will save such as are of an humble spirit Psal. 34.17 Thou Lord shalt save both man and beast how excellent is thy mercy O God and the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Psal. 36.7 They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house and thou shalt give them to drink of thy pleasures as out of the rivers v. 8. For with thee is the well of life and in thy light we shall see light v. 9. Commit thy way unto the Lord and put thy trust in him he shall bring it to passe Ps. 37.5 But the salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord who is also their strength in the time of trouble v. 40. So that a Man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth Psal. 58.10 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and receivest unto thee he shall dwell in thy court and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house even of thy holy temple Psal. 65.4 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Psal. 126.6 It is written I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shal be forgiven Iam. 5.15 Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will binde us up Hos. 6.1 If we sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Iohn 2.2 If we confesse our sins he is faithful righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse 1 Iohn 1.9 He that forgives shall be forgiven Luke 6.37 And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 Iohn 5 14. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins 1 Iohn 3.5 If ye being evil know to give good things to your children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him Matth. 7.11 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners * He that hath given us his Son how should not he with him give us all things else Acts of hope to be used by sick persons after a pious life I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto all them also that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.7 Blessed be the God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comforts who comforts us in all our tribulation 2 Cor. 1.3 A prayer to be said in behalf of a sick or dying person O Lord God there is no number of thy dayes nor of thy mercies and the sins and sorrowes of thy servant also are multiplied Lord look upon him with much mercy and pity forgive him all his sinnes comfort his sorrowes ease his pain satisfie his doubts relieve his feares instruct his ignorances strengthen his understanding take from him all disorders of spirit weaknesse and abuse of fancy Restraine the malice and power of the spirits of darknesse and suffer him to be injured neither by his ghostly enemies nor his own infirmities and let a holy and a just peace the peace of God be within his conscience Lord preserve his senses till the last of his time strengthen his faith confirm his hope and give him a never ceasing charity to thee our God and to all the world stir up in him a great and proportionable contrition for all the evils he hath done and give him a just measure of patience for all he suffers give him prudence memory and consideration rightly to state the accounts of his soul and do thou remind him of all his duty that when it shall please thee that his soul goes out from the prison of his body it may be receiv'd by Angels and preserved from the surprize of evil spirits and from the horrors and amazements of new and stranger Regions and be laid up in the bosom of our Lord till at the day of thy second coming it shall be reunited to the body which is now to be laid down in weaknes and dishonour but we humbly beg may then be raised up with glory power for ever to live and to behold the face of God in the glories of the Lord Jesus who is our hope our resurrection and our life the light of our eyes and the joy of our soules our blessed and ever glorious Redeemer Amen Hither the sick person may draw in and use the acts of several vertues respersed in the several parts of this book the several Letanies viz. of repentance of the passion and the single prayâ—rs according to his present needs A prayer to be said in a storm at Sea O my God thou didst create the earth and the Sea for thy glory and the use of Man and doest daily shew wonders in the deep look upon the danger and fear of thy servant my sins have taken hold upon me and without the supporting arm of thy mercy I cannot look up but my trust is in thee Do thou O Lord rebuke the Sea and make it calm for to thee the windes and the sea obey let not the waters swallow me up but let thy Spirit the Spirit of gentlenesse and mercy move upon the waters Be thou reconcil'd unto thy servants and then the face of the waters will be smooth I fear that my sinnes make me like Ionas the cause of the tempest Cast out all my sins and throw not thy servants away from thy presence and from the land of the living into the depths where all things are forgotten But if it be thy wil that we shall go down into the waters Lord receive my soul into thy holy hands and preserve it in mercy and safety till the day of restitution of all things and be pleased to unite my death to the death of thy Son and to accept of it so united as a punishment for all my sinnes that thou mayest forget all thine anger and blot my sinnes out of thy book and write my soul there for Jesus Christ his sake our dearest Lord and most mighty Redeemer Amen Then make an act of resignation thus To God pertain the issues of life and death It is the Lord let him do
table hereafter at the Eternal supper of the Lamb to sing an Allelujah to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen For Chastity to be said especially by unmarried persons ALmighty God our most holy and eternal Father who art of pure eyes and canst behold no uncleannesse let thy gracious and holy Spirit descend upon thy servant and reprove the spirit of Fornication and Uncleannesse and cast him out that my body may be a holy Temple and my soul a Sanctuary to entertain the Prince of purities the holy and eternal Spirit of God O let no impure thoughts pollute that soul which God hath sanctified no unclean words pollute that tongue which God hath commanded to be an Organ of his praises no unholy and unchaste action rend the vail of that Temple where the holy JESUS hath been pleased to enter and hath chosen for his habitation but seal up all my senses from all vain objects and let them be intirely possessed with Religion and fortified with prudence watchfulnesse and mortification that I possessing my vessel in holiness may lay it down with a holy hope and receive it again in a joyful resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the love of God to be said by Virgins and Widows professed or resolved so to live and may be used by any one O Holy and purest Jesus who wert pleased to espouse every holy soul and joyn it to thee with a holy union and mysterious instruments of religious society and communications O fill my soul with Religion and desires holy as the thoughts of Cherubim passionate beyond the love of women that I may love thee as much as ever any creature loved thee even with all my soul and all my faculties and all the degrees of every faculty let me know no loves but those of duty and charity obedience and devotion that I may for ever run after thee who art the King of Virgins and with whom whole kingdoms are in love for whose sake Queens have dyed and at whose feet Kings with joy have laid their Crowns and Scepters My soul is thine O dearest Jesu thou art my Lord and hast bound up my eyes and heart from all stranger affections give me for my dowry purity and humility modesâ—y and devotion charity and patience at last bring me into the Bride-chamber to partake of the felicities and to lye in the bosome of the Bride-groom to eternal ages O holy and sweetest Saviour Jesus Amen A Prayer to be said by married persons in behalf of themselves and each other O Eternal and gracious Father who hast consecrated the holy estate of marriage to become mysterious and to represent the union of Christ and his Church let thy holy Spirit so guide me in the doing the duties of this state that it may not become a sin unto me nor that liberty which thou hast hallowed by the holy Jesus become an occasion of licentiousnesse by my own weaknesse and sensuality and do thou forgive all those irregularities and too sensual applications which may have in any degree discomposed my spirit and the severity of a Christian. Let me in all accidents and circumstances be severe in my duty towards thee affectionate and dear to my wife or Husband a guide and good example to my family and in all quietnesse sobriety prudence and peace a follower of those holy pairs who have served thee with godlinesse and a good testimony and the blessings of the eternal God blessings of the right hand and of the left be upon the body and soul of thy servant my Wife or Husband and abide upon her or him till the end of a holy and happy life and grant that both of us may live together for ever in the embraces of the holy and eternal Jesus our Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer for the grace of Humility O Holy and most gracious Master and Saviour Jesus who by thy example and by thy precept by the practise of a whole life and frequent discourses didst command us to be meek and humble in imitation of thy incomparable sweetnesse and great humility be pleased to give me the grace as thou hast given me the commandment enable me to do whatsoever thou commandest and command whatsoever thou pleasest O mortifie in me all proud thoughts and vain opinions of my self let me return to thee the acknowledgement and the sruits of all those good things thou hast given me that by confessing I am wholly in debt to thee for them I may not boast my self for what I have received and for what I am highly accountable and for what is my own teach me to be asham d and humbled it being nothing but sin and misery weaknesse uncleannesse Let me go before my brethren in nothing but in striving to do them honour and thee glory never to seek my own praise never to delight in it when it is offered that despising my self I may be accepted by thee in the honours with which thou shalt crown thy humble despised servants for Jesus's sake in the kingdom of eternal glory Amen Acts of Humility and modesty by way of prayer and meditation 1. Lord I know that my spirit is light and thorny my body is bruitish and expos'd to sicknesse I am constant to folly and inconstant in holy purposes My labours are vain and fruitlesse my fortune full of change and trouble seldome pleasing never perfect My wisdom is folly being ignorant even of the parts and passions of my own body and what am I O Lord before thee but a miserable person hugely in debt not able to pay 2. Lord I am nothing and I have nothing of my self I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies 3. What was I before my birth First nothing and then uncleannesse What during my childehood weaknesse and folly What in my youth folly still and passion lust and wildenesse What in my whole life a great sinner a deceived and an abused person Lord pity me for it is thy goodnesse that I am kept from confusion and amazement when I consider the misery and shame of my person and the defilements of my nature 4. Lord what am I and Lord what art thou What is man that thou art mindeful of him and the son of Man that thou so regardest him 5. How can Man be justified with God or how can he be clean that is born of a Woman Behold even to the Moon and it shineth not yea the Stars are not pure in his sight How much lesse Man that is a Worm and the son of Man which is a Worm Iob 25. A Prayer for a contented spirit and the grace of moderation and patience O Almighty God Father and Lord of all the Creatures who hast disposed all things and all chances so as may best glorifie thy wisdom and serve the ends of thy justice and magnifie thy mercy by secret and undiscernable wayes bringing good out of evil
duty the greatest love that God requires of Man And yet he that is the most imperfect must have this love also in preparation of minde and must differ from another in nothing except in the degrees of promptnesse and alacrity And in this sense he that loves God truly though but with a beginning and tender love yet he loves God with all his heart that is with that degree of love which is the highest point of duty and of Gods charge upon us and he that loves God with all his heart may yet increase with the increase of God just as there are degrees of love to God among the Saints and yet each of them love him with all their powers and capacities 2. But the greater state of love is the zeal of love which runs out into excrescencies and suckers like a fruitful and pleasant tree or bursting into gums and producing fruits not of a monstrous but of an extraordinary and heroical greatnesse Concerning which these cautions are to be observed Cautions and rules concerning zeal 1. If zeal be in the beginnings of our spiritual birth or be short sudden and transient or be a consequent of a mans natural temper or come upon any cause but after a long growth of a temperate and well regulated love it is to be suspected for passion and forwardnesse rather then the vertical point of love 2. That zeal onely is good which in a fervent love hath temperate expressions For let the affection boyl as high as it can yet if it boyl over into irregular and strange actions it will have but few but will need many excuses Elijah was zealous for the Lord of Hosts and yet he was so transported with it that he could not receive answer from God till by Musick he was recompos d and tam'd and Moses broke both the Tables of the Law by being passionately zealous against them that brake the first 3. Zeal must spend its greatest heat principally in those things that concern our selves but with great care and restraint in those that concern others 4. Remember that zeal being an excrescence of Divine love must in no sense contradict any action of love Love to God includes love to our Neighbour and therefore no pretence of zeal for Gods glory must make us uncharitable to our brother for that is just so pleasing to God as hatred is an act of love 5. That zeal that concernes others can spend it self in nothing but arts and actions and charitable instruments for their good and when it concernes the good of many that one should suffer it must bee done by persons of a competent authority and in great necessity in seldom instances according to the Law of God or Man but never by private right or for trifling accidents or in mistaken propositions The Zealots in the Old Law had authority to transfix and stab some certain persons but GOD gave them warrant it was in the case of Idolatry or such notorious huge crimes the danger of which was insuportable and the cognizance of which was infallible And yet that warrant expired with the Synagogue 6. Zeal in the instances of our own duty and personal deportment is more safe then in matters of counsel and actions besides our just duty and tending towards perfection Though in these instances there is not a direct sin even where the zeal is lesse wary yet there is much trouble and some danger as if it be spent in the too forward vowes of Chastity and restraints of natural and innocent liberties 7. Zeal may be let loose in the instances of internal personal and spiritual actions that are matters of direct duty as in prayers and acts of adoration and thanksgiving and frequent addresses provided that no indirect act passe upon them to defile them such as complacency and opinions of sanctity censuring others scruples and opinions of necessity unnecessary fears superstitious numbrings of times and houres but let the zeal be as forward as it will as devout as it will as Seraphicall as it will in the direct addresse and entercourse with God there is no danger no transgression Do all the parts of your duty as earnestly as if the salvation of all the world and the whole glory of God and the confusion of all Devils and all that you hope or desire did depend upon every one action 8. Let zeal be seated in the will and choice and regulated with prudence and a sober understanding not in the fancies and affections for these will make it full of noise and empty of profit but that will make it deep and smooth material and devout The summe is this That zeal is not a direct duty no where commanded for it self and is nothing but a forwardnesse and circumstance of another duty and therfore is then onely acceptable when it advances the love of God and our Neighbours whose circumstance it is That zeal is onely safe onely acceptable which increases charity directly and because love to our Neighbour and obedience to God are the two great portions of charity we must never account our zeal to be good but as it advances both these if it be in a matter that relates to both or severally if it relates severally S. Pauls zeal was expressed in preaching without any offerings or stipend in travelling in spending and being spent for his flock in suffering in being willing to be accursed for love of the people of God and his Countreymen Let our zeal be as great as his was so it be in affections to others but not at all in angers against them In the first then is no danger in the second there is no safety In brief let your zeal if it must be expressed in anger be alwayes more severe against thy self then against others The other part of Love to God is Love to our Neighbour for which I have reserved the Paragraph of Alms. Of the external actions of Religion Religion teaches us to present to God our bodies as well as our souls for God is the Lord of both and if the body serves the soul in actions natural and civil and intellectual it must not be eased in the onely offices of Religion unlesâ—e the body shall expect no portion of the rewards of Religion such as are resurrection reunion and glorification Our bodies are to God a living sacrifice and to present them to God is holy and acceptable The actions of the body as it serves to religion and as it is distinguished from Sobriety and Justice either relate to the word of God or to prayer or to repentance and make these kindes of external actions of religion 1. Reading and hearing the word of God 2. Fasting and corporal austerities called by S. Paul bodily exercise 3. Feasting or keeping dayes of publick joy and thanksgiving SECT IV. Of Reading or Hearing the Word of God REading and Hearing the word of God are but the several circumstances of the same duty instrumental
of secular imployments must come onely they must leave their secular thoughts and affections behinde them and then come and converse with God If any man be well grown in grace he must needs come because he is excellently disposed to so holy a feast but he that is but in the infancy of piety had need to come that so he may grow in grace The strong must come lest they become weak the weak that they may become strong The sick must come to be cured the healthful to be preserved They that have leisure must come because they have no excuse They that have no leisure must come hither that by so excellent religion they may sanctifie their businesse The penitent sinners must come that they may be justified and they that are justified that they may be justified still They that have fears and great reverence to these mysteries and think no preparation to be sufficient must receive that they may learn how to receive the more worthily and they that have a lesse degree of reverence must come often to have it heightned that as those Creatures that live amongst the snowes of the Mountains turne white with their food and conversation with such perpetual whitenesses so our souls may be transformed into the similitude and union with Christ by our perpetual feeding on him and conversation not onely in his Courts but in his very heart and most secret affections and incomparable purities Prayers for all sorts of Men and all necessities relating to the several parts of the vertue of Religion A Prayer for the Graces of Faith Hope Charity O Lord God of infinite mercy of infinite excellency who hast sent thy holy Son into the world to redeem us from an intolerable misery and to teach us a holy religion and to forgive us an infinite debt give me thy holy Spirit that my understanding and all my faculties may be so resigned to the discipline and doctrine of my Lord that I may be prepared in minde and will to dye for the testimony of Jesus and to suffer any affliction or calamity that shall offer to hinder my duty or tempt me to shame or sin or apostacy and let my faith be the parent of a good life a strong shield to repell the fiery darts of the Devil and the Author of a holy hope of modest desires of confidence in God and of a never failing charity to thee my God and to all the world that I may never have my portion with the unbelievers or uncharitable and desperate persons but may be supported by the strengths of faith in all temptations and may be refreshed with the comforts of a holy hope in all my sorrows and may bear the burden of the Lord and the infirmities of my neighbour by the support of charity that the yoak of Jesus may become easy to me and my love may do all the miracles of grace till from grace it swell to glory from earth to heaven from duty to reward from the imperfections of a beginning and little growing love it may arrive to the consummation of an eternal and never ceasing charity through Jesus Christ the Son of thy love the Anchor of our hope and the Author and finisher of our faith to whom with thee O Lord God Father of Heaven and Earth and with thy holy Spirit be all glory and love and obedience and dominion now and for ever Amen Acts of love by way of prayer and ejaculation to be used in private O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary because thy loving kindnes is better then life my lips shall praise thee Psal. 63. I am ready not only to be bound but to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus Acts 23. How amiable are thy Tabernacles thou 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 still be praising thee Psal. 84. O blessed Jesu thou art worthy of all adoration and all honour and all love Thou art the Wondeâ—ful the Counsellor the mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of peace of thy government and peace there shall be no end thou art the brightnesse of thy Fathers glory the expresse image of his person the appointed Heir of all things Thou upholdest all things by the word of thy power Thou didst by thy self purge our sins Thou art set on the right hand of the Majesty on high Thou art made better then the Angels thou hast by inheritance obtain'd a more excellent name then they Thou O dearest Jesus art the head of the Church the beginning and the first born from the dead in all things thou hast the preheminence and it pleased the Father that in thee should all fulnesse dwell Kingdoms are in love with thee Kings lay their crowns and scepters at thy feet and Queens are thy handmaids and wash the feet of thy servants A Prayer to be said in any affliction as death of children of husband or wife in great poverty in imprisonment in a sad and disconsolate spirit in temptations to despair O Eternal God Father of Mercyes and God of all comfort with much mercy look upon the sadnesses and sorrowes of thy servant My sins lye heavy upon me and presse me sore and there is no health in my bones by reason of thy displeasure and my sin The waters are gone over me and I stick fast in the deep mire and my miseries are without comfort because they are punishments of my sin and I am so evil and unworthy a person that though I have great desires yet I have no dispositions or worthiness towards receiving comfort My sins have caused my sorrow and my sorrow does not cure my sins and unless for thy own sake and merely because thou art good thou shalt pity me relieve me I am as much without remedy as now I am without comfort Lord pity me Lord let thy grace refresh my Spirit Let thy comforts support me thy mercy pardon me and never let my portion be amongst hopelesse and accursed spirits for thou art good and gracious and I throw my self upon thy mercy Let me never let my hold go do thou with me what seems good in thy own eyes I cannot suffer more then I have deserved and yet I can need no relief so great as thy mercy is for thou art infinitely more merciful then I can be miserable and thy mercy which is above all thy own works must needs be far above all my sin and all my misery Dearest Jesus let me trust in thee for ever and let me never be confounded Amen Ejaculations and short meditations to be used in time of sickness and sorrow or danger of
Death Hear my Prayer O Lord and let my crying come unto thee * Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble incline thine ear unto me when I call O hear me and that right soon * For my dayes are consumed like smoaâ— my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand * My heart is smitten down withered like grass so that I forget to eat my bread that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me up cast me down * Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin * My wickednesâ—es are gone over my head and are a sore burden too heavy for me to bear * But I will confesse my wickednesse and be sorry for my sin * O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure * Lord be merciful unto me heal my soul for I have sinned against thee Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences * O remember not the sins and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodnesse * Wash me thoroughly from my wickednesse and cleanse me from my sin * Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me * Cast me not away from thy presence from thy all-hallowing and life-giving presence and take not thy holy Spirit thy sanctifying thy guiding thy comforting thy supporting and confirming Spirit from me O God thou art my God for ever and ever thou shalt be my guide unto death * Lord comfort me now that I lye sick upon my bed make thou my bed in all my sicknesse * O deliver my soul from the place of Hell and do thou receive me * My heart is disquieted within me and the fear of death is falen upon me * Behold thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee and verily every man living is altogether vanity * When thou with rebukes doest chasten man for sin thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth fretting a garment every man therefore is but vanity And now Lord what is my hope truly my hope is even in thee * Hear my prayer O Lord and with thine ears consider my calling hold not thy peace at my tears * Take this plague away from me I am consumed by the means of thy heavy hand * I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my Fathers were * O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen * My soul cleaveth unto the dust O quicken me according to thy word * And when the snares of death compasse me round about let not the pains of hell take hold upon me An Act of Faith concerning resurrection and the day of judgment to be said by sick persons or meditated I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self mine eyes shal behold though my reins be consumed within me Iob 19. God shall come and shall not keep silence there shall go before him a consuming fire and a mighty tempest shall be stirred up round about him he shall call the heaven from above and the earth that he may judge his people * O blessed Jesu thou art my judge and thou art my Advocate have mercy upon me in the hour of my death and in the day of judgment See Iohn 5.28 1 Thessal 4.15 Short Prayers to be said by sick persons O Holy Jesus thou art a merciful High Priest and touched with the sense of our infirmities thou knowest the sharpnesse of my sicknesse and the weaknesse of my person The clouds are gathered about me and thou hast covered me with thy storm My understanding hath not such apprehension of things as formerly Lord let thy mercy support me thy spirit guide me and lead me through the valley of this death safely that I may passe it patiently holily with perfect resignation and let me rejoyce in the Lord in the hopes of pardon in the expectation of glory in the sence of thy mercies in the refreshments of thy spirit in a victory over all temptations Thou hast promised to be with us in tribulation Lord my soul is troubled and my body is weak and my hope is in thee and my enemies are busy and mighty now make good thy holy promise Now O holy Jesus now let thy hand of grace be upon me restrain my ghostly enemies and give me all sorts of spiritual assistances Lord remember thy servant in the day when thou bindest up thy Jewels O take from me all tediousnesse of Spirit all impatience and unquietnesse let me possesse my soul in patience and resigne my soul and body into thy hands as into the hands of a faithful Creator and a blessed Redeemer O holy Jesu thou didst dye for us by thy sad pungent intolerable pains which thou enduredst for me have pity on me ease my pain or increase my patience Lay on me no more then thou shalt enable me to bear I have deserv'd it all more and infinitely more Lord I am weak and ignorant timerous and inconstant and I feâ—r lest something should happen that may discompose the state of my soul that may displease thee Do what thou wilt with me so thou doest but preserve me in thy fear and favour Thou knowest that it is my great â—ear but let thy Spirit secure that nothing may be able to separate me from the love of God in Jesus Christ then smite me here that thou mayest spare me for ever and yet O Lord smite me friendly for thou knowest my infirmities Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth * Come holy Spirit help me in this conflict Come Lord Jesus come quickly Let the sick person often meditate upon these following promises and gracious words of God My help cometh of the Lord who preserveth them that are true of heart Psal. 7.11 And all they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee Psal. 9.10 O how plentiful is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee and that thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in thee even before the sons of men Psal. 31. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that put their trust in his mercy to deliver their souls from death Ps. 33. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart
in thy hands They are those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zech. 13.6 Immediately before the receiving say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof But do thou speak the word onely and thy servant shall be healed Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew thy praise O God make speed to save me O Lord make hasâ—e to help me Come Lord Iesus come quickly After receiving the consecrated and blessed bread say O taste and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him * The beasts do lack and suffer hunger but they which seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good Lord what am I that my Saviour should become my food that the Son of God should be the meat of Wormes of dust and ashes of a sinner of him that was his enemy But this thou hast done to me because thou art infinitely good and wonderfully gracious and lovest to blesse every one of us in turning us from the evil of our wayes Enter into me blessed Jesus let no root of bitternesse spring up in my heart but be thou Lord of all my faculties O let me feed on thee by faith and grow up by the increase of God to a perfect man in Christ Jesus Amen Lord I believe help mine unbelief Glory be to God the Father Son c. After the receiving the cup of blessing It is finished Blessed be the mercies of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ. O blessed and eternal high Priest let the sacrifice of the Crosse which thou didst once offer for the sinnes of the whole World and which thou doest now and alwayes represent in Heaven to thy Father by thy never ceasing intercession and which this day hath been exhibited on thy holy Table Sacramentally obtain mercy and peace faith and charity safety and establishment to thy holy Church which thou hast founded upon a Rock the Rock of a holy Faith and let not the gates of Hell prevail against her nor the enemy of mankinde take any soul out of thy hand whom thou hast purchased with thy blood and sanctified by thy Spirit Preserve all thy people from Heresie and division of spirit from scandal and the spirit of delusion from sacriledge and hurtful persecutions Thou O blessed Jesus didst dye for us keep me for ever in holy living from sin and sinful shame in the communion of thy Church and thy Church in safety and grace in truth and peace unto thy second coming Amen Dearest Jesu since thou art pleased to enter into me O be jealous of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth suffer no unclean spirit or unholy thought to come near thy dwelling lest it defile the ground where thy holy feet have trod O teach me so to walk that I may never disrepute the honour of my Religion nor stain the holy Robe which thou hast now put upon my soul nor break my holy Vows which I have made and thou hast sealed nor lose my right of inheritance my priviledge of being coheir with Jesus into the hope of which I have now further entred but be thou pleased to love me with the love of a Father and a Brother and a Husband and a Lord and make me to serve thee in the communion of Saints in receiving the Sacrament in the practise of all holy vertues in the imitation of thy life and conformity to thy sufferings that I having now put on the Lord Jesus may marry his loves and his enmities may desire his glory may obey his laws and be united to his Spirit and in the day of the LORD I may be found having on the Wedding Garment and bearing in my body and soul the marks of the LORD JESUS that I may enter into the joy of my LORD and partake of his glories for ever and ever Amen Ejaculations to be used any time that day after the solemnity is ended Lord if I had lived innocently I could not have deserved to receive the crumbs that fall from thy Table How great is thy mercy who hast feasted me with the Bread of Virgins with the Wine of Angels with Manna from Heaven O when shall I passe from this dark glasse from this vail of Sacraments to the vision of thy eternal clarity from eating thy Body to beholding thy face in thy eternal Kingdom Let not my sins crucifie the Lord of life again Let it never be said concerning me the hand of him that betraieth me is with me on the Table O that I might love thee as well as ever any creature lov d thee Let me think nothing but thee desire nothing but thee enjoy nothing but thee O Jesus be a Jesus unto me Thou art all things unto me Let nothing ever please me but what favours of thee and thy miraculous sweetnesse Blessed be the mercies of our Lord who of God is made unto me Wisdom and Righteousnesse and Sanctification and Redemption He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Amen The End LONDON Printed by R. Norton MDCL 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian Epict. l. 1. c. 13. Ezekiel 16.49 Sâ—nec * â—ee Chap. 4. â—â—ct 6. S. Bern. de tripli ci custodia Laudatur Augustus Caesar apud Lucanum media inter praelia semper stellaâ—um caelique plagiâ— superisque vacabat Casâ—â—an Collâ—â— 24 c. â—1 Jerem. 48.10 Plutarch â—e Curioâ—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—rocop 2. Vandal 1 Cor. 7.5 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. Carm. 1 Cor. 1â— 31. Seneca â—ui furatur ut â—â—â—chetur moechus est tragis quam fur Arist. Eth. See Sect. 1. of this Chapt. Rule 18. Seneca Ep. 113. S. Chrys. l. 2. de compan cordis S. Greg. moral 8. cap. 25. S. â—ern lib. de praecept Publius Mimuâ—â—â— Jer. 23.24 Hebr. 4. â—3 Acts. 17.28 Lib 7. de Civit. â—â—p 3â— Mat. 18.20 Heb. 10.25 1 King 5 9. Psal. 138 â— 2 1 Cor. 3 16. 2 Cor. 6 16. S. Aug. de verbis Don. c. 3 Psâ—l 13â— 7. ◠〈…〉 de conâ—ol â—sa 26..12 Jâ—â—em â—1 15 Secâ—nd 〈◊〉 Edic â—n vitâ—â— S. 〈◊〉 Ezek. 9.9 Psal. 10. â—â— Rev. 11. â—7 â— 5.10.13 Revel â— â— 3 For the Chuâ—ch For the Glory For wife or husband For our children For Friends Benefaâ—tors For our family For al in misery Evening prayer Psal. 121 Psal. 4. 〈◊〉 2.11 12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian c. 2. l. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epist. c. 34 1 Cor. 9.25 Apoc. 2.17 〈…〉 tum 〈…〉 desinant 〈◊〉 L. 3 〈◊〉 c. 12. Facâ—llus 〈…〉 qua◠〈…〉 86. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluptateâ— abâ—untes feâ—laâ— paenitentia plenas animis nostris natâ—â—a â—ubiâ—cit quo minus câ—pide repetantur Senec. Lâ—ta veniâ—e Venâ—s trisâ—is abire so â—et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Foâ—lix initium prior aetas contenta dâ—lcibus arvis Facileque seâ—a solebat jejunia solvere glande â—oeth l. 1. de consol Arbuteos â—erus montanaque fragâ—a legeâ—
the being of a society and a Government yet they are not of its constitution as it is Christian and hopes to be saved And now the case is so with us that we are reduced to that Religion which no Man can forbid which we can keep in the midst of a persecution by which the Martyrs in the dayes of our Fathers went to Heaven that by which we can be servants of God and receive the Spirit of Christ and make use of his comforts and live in his love and in charity with all men and they that do so cannot perish My Lord I have now described some general lines and features of that Religion which I have more particularly set down in the following pages in which I have neither served nor disserved the interest of any party of Christians as they are divided by uncharitable names from the rest of their brethren and no Man will have reason to be angry with me for refusing to mingle in his unnecessary or vitious quarrels especially while I study to doe him good by conducting him in the narrow way to Heaven without intricating him in the Labyrinths and wilde turnings of Questions and uncertaine talkings I have told what Men ought to do and by what means they may be assisted and in most cases I have also told them why and yet with as much quicknesse as I could thinke necessary to establish a Rule and not to ingage in Homily or Discourse In the use of which Rules although they are plain useful and fitted for the best and for the worst understandings and for the needs of all men yet I shall desire the Reader to proceed with the following advices 1. They that will with profit make use of the proper instruments of vertue must so live as if they were alwayes under the Physicians hand For the Counsels of Religion are not to be applyed to the distempers of the soul as men use to take Hellebore but they must dwell together with the Spirit of a man and be twisted about his understanding for ever They must be used like nourishment that is by a daily care and meditation not like a single medicine and upon the actual pressure of a present necessity For counsels and wise discourses applyed to an actual distemper at the best are but like strong smels to an Epileptick person sometimes they may raise him but they never cure him The following rules if they be made familiar to our natures and the thoughts of every day may make Vertue and Religion become easy and habitual but when the temptation is present and hath already seized upon some portions of our consent we are not so apt to be counsel'd and we finde no gust or relish in the Precept the lessons are the same but the instrument is unstrung or out of tune 2. In using the instruments of vertue we must be curious to distinguish instruments from duties and prudent advices from necessary injunctions and if by any other means the duty can be secured let there be no scruples stirred concerning any other helps onely if they can in that case strengthen and secure the duty or help towards perseverance let let them serve in that station in which they can be placed For there are some persons in whom the Spirit of God hath breathed so bright a flame of love that they do all their acts of vertue by perfect choice and without objection and their zeal is warmer then that it will be allayed by temptation and to such persons mortification by Philosophical instruments as fasting sackcloth and other rudenesses to the body is wholly useless It is alwayes a more uncertain means to acquire any vertue or secure any duty if love hath filled all the corners of our soul it alone is able to do all the work of God 3. Be not nice in stating the obligations of Religion but where the duty is necessary and the means very reasonable in it self dispute not too busily whether in all Circumstances it can fit thy particular but super totam materiam upon the whole make use of it For it is a good signe of a great Religion and no imprudence when we have sufficiently considered the substance of affairs then to be easy humble obedient apt and credulous in the circumstances which are appointed to us in particular by our spiritual Guides or in general by all wise men in cases not unlike He that gives Almes does best not alwayes to consider the minutes and strict measures of his ability but to give freely incuriously and abundantly A man must not weigh grains in the accounts of his repentance but for a great sinne have a great sorrow and a great severity and in this take the ordinary advices though it may be a lesse rigour might not be insufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Arithmeticall measures especially of our own proportioning are but arguments of want of Love and of forwardnesse in Religion or else are instruments of scruple and then become dangerous Use the rule heartily and enough and there will be no harme in thy errour if any should happen 4. If thou intendest heartily to serve God and avoid sinne in any one instance refuse not the hardest and most severe advice that is prescribed in order to it though possibly it be a stranger to thee for whatsoever it be custome will make it easy 5. When many instruments for the obtaining any vertue or restraining any vice are propounded observe which of them fits thy person or the circumstances of thy need and use it rather then the other that by this means thou may'st be engaged to watch and use spiritual arts and observation about thy soul. Concerning the managing of which as the interest is greater so the necessities are more and the cases more intricate and the accidents and dangers greater and more importunate and there is greater skill required then in the securing an estate or restoring health to an infirme body I wish all men in the world did heartily believe so much of this as is true it would very much help to do the work of God Thus My Lord I have made bold by your hand to reach out this little scroll of cautions to all those who by seeing your honour'd name set before my Book shall by the fairnes of such a Frontispiece be invited to look into it I must confess it cannot but look like a designe in me to borrow your name and beg your Patronage to my book that if there be no other worth in it yet at least it may have the splendour and warmth of a burning glasse which borrowing a flame from the Eye of Heaven shines and burns by the rayes of the Sun its patron I will not quit my self from the suspicion for I cannot pretend it to be a present either of it self fit to be offered to such a Personage or any part of a just return but I humbly desire you would own it for an acknowledgement of those great
indifferent actions to be adopted into the family of religion 2. That there are some actions which are usually reckoned as parts of our religion which yet of themselves are so relative and imperfect that without the purity of intention they degenerate and unlesse they be directed and proceed on to those purposes which God designed them to they return into the family of common secular or sinful actions Thus almes are for charity fasting for temperance prayer is for religion humiliation is for humility austerity or sufferance is in order to the vertue of patience and when these actions fail of their several ends or are not directed to their own purposes alms are mispent fasting is an impertinent trouble prayer is but lip-labour humiliation is but hypocrisie sufferance is but vexation for such were the alms of the Pharisee the fast of Iezabel the prayer of Iudah reproved by the Prophet Isaiah the humiliation of Ahab the martyrdome of Hereticks in which nothing is given to God but the body or the forms of religion but the soul and the power of godlinesse is wholly wanting 3. We are to confider that no intention can sanctifie an unholy or unlawful action Saul the King disobeyed Gods commandment and spared the cattel of Amalek to reserve the best for sacrifice And Saul the Pharisee persecuted the Church of God with a designe to do God service and they that kild the Apostles had also good purposes but they had unhallowed actions When there is both truth in election and charity in the intention when we go to God in wayes of his own choosing or approving then our eye is single and our hands are clean and our hearts are pure But when a man does evil that good may come of it or good to an evil purpose that man does like him that rowls himself in thorns that he may sleep easily he rosts himself in the fire that he may quench his thirst with his own sweat he turns his face to the East that he may go to bed with the Sun I end this with the saying of a wise Heathen He is to be called evil that is good onely for his own sake Regard not how full hands you bring to God but how pure Many cease from sin out of fear alone not out of innocence or love of vertue and they as yet are not to be called innocent but timerous SECT III The third general instrument of holy living or the practise of the presence of God THat God is present in all places that he sees every action hears all discourses and understands every thought is no strange thing to a Christian ear who hath been taught this doctrine not onely by right reason and the consent of all the wise men in the world but also by God himself in holy Scripture Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and earth Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do for in him we live and move and have our being God is wholly in every place included in no place not bound with cords except those of love not divided into parts not changeable into several shapes filling heaven and earth with his present power and with his never absent nature So S. Augustine expresses this article So that we may imagine God to be as the Aire and the Sea and we all inclos'd in his circle wrapt up in the lap of his infinite nature or as infants in the wombs of their pregnant Mothers and we can no more be removed from the presence of God than from our own being Several manners of the divine presence The presence of God is understood by us in several manners and to several purposes 1. God is present by his essence which because it is infinite cannot be contained within the limits of any place and because he is of an essential purity and spiritual nature he cannot be undervalued by being supposed present in the places of unnatural uncleannesse because as the sun reflecting upon the mud of strands and shores is unpolluted in its beams so is God not dishonoured when we suppose him in every of his Creaturer and in every part of every one of them and is still as unmixt with any unhandfome adherence as is the soul in the bowels of the body 2. God is every where present by his power He roules the Orbs of Heaven with his hand he fixes the Earth with his Foot he guides all the Creatures with his Eye and refreshes them with his influence He makes the powers of Hell to shake with his terrours and binds the Devils with his Word and throws them out with his command and sends the Angels on Embaâ—â—ies with his decrees He hardens the joynts of Infants and confirms the bones when they are fashioned beneath secretly in the earth He it is that assists at the numerous productions of fishes and there is not one hollownesse in the bottom of the sea but he shows himself to be Lord of it by sustaining these the Creatures that come to dwell in it And in the wildernesse the Bittern and the Stork the Dragon and the Satyr the Unicorn and the Elk live upon his provisions and revere his power and feel the force of his Almightinesse 3. God is more specially present in some places by the several and more special manifestations of himself to extraordinary purposes 1. By glory Thus his fear is in Heaven because there he fits incircled with all the outward demonstrations of his glory which he is pleased to show to all the inhabitants of those his inward and secret Courts And thus they that die in the Lord may be properly said to be gone to God with whom although they were before yet now they enter into his Courts into the secret of his Tabernacle into the retinue and splendor of his glory That is called walking with God but this is dwelling or being with him I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ so said Paul But this manner of the Divine presence is reserved for the elect people of God and for their portion in their countrey 4. God is by grace and benediction specially present in holy places and in the solemn assemblies of his servants If holy people meet in grots and dens of the earth when persecution or a publick necessity disturbs the publick order circumstance and convenience God fails not to come thither to them but God is also by the same or a greater reason present there where they meet ordinarily by order and publick authority There God is present ordinarily that is at every such meeting God will go out of his way to meet his Saints when themselves are forced out of their way of order by
thy own soul. Seven times a day do I praise thee and in the night season also I thought upon thee when I was waking So did David and every act of complaint or thanksgiving every act of rejoycing or of mourning every petition and every return of the heart in these entercourses is a going to God an appearing in his presence and a representing him present to thy spirit and to thy necessity And this was long since by a spiritual person called a building to GOD a Chappell in our heart It reconciles Martha's im ployment with Maries Devotion Charity and Religion the necessities of our calling and the imployments of devotion For thus in the midst of the works of your Trade you may retire into your Chappel your Heart and converse with GOD by frequent addresses and returns 5. Represent and offer to GOD acts of love and fear which are the proper effects of this apprehension and the proper exercise of this consideration For as GOD is every where present by his power he calls for reverence and godly fear As he is present to thee in all thy needs and relieves them he deserves thy love and since in every accident of our lives we finde one or other of these apparent and in most things we see both it is a proper and proportionate return that to every such demonstration of God we expresse our selves sensible of it by admiring the Divine goodnesse or trembling at his presence ever obeying him because we love him and ever obeying him because we fear to offend him This is that which Enoch did who thus walked with God 6. Let us remember that God is in us and that we are in him we are his workmanship let us not deface it we are in his presence let us not pollute it by unholy and impure actions God hath also wrought all our works in us and because he rejoyces in his own workes if we defile them and make them unpleasant to him we walk perversly with GOD and he will walk crookedly toward us 7. God is in the bowels of thy brother refresh them when he needs it and then you give your almes in the presence of God and to God and he feels the relief which thou providest for thy brother 8. God is in every place suppose it therefore to be a Church and that decency of deportment and piety of carriage which you are taught by religion or by custome or by civility and publick manners to use in Churches the same use in all places with this difference onely that in Churches let your deportment be religious in external forms and circumstances also but there and every where let it be religious in abstaining from spiritual undecencies and in readinesse to do good actions that it may not be said of us as God once complained of his people Why hath my beloved done wickednesse in my house 9. God is in every creature be cruel towards none neither abuse any by intemperance Remember that the creatures and every member of thy own body is one of the lesser cabinets and receptacles of God They are such which God hath blessed with his presence hallowed by his touch and separated from unholy use by making them to belong to his dwelling 10. He walks as in the presence of God that converses with him in frequent prayer and frequent communion that runs to him in all his necessities that asks counsel of him in all his doubtings that opens all his wants to him that weeps before him for his sins that asks remedy and support for his weaknesse that fears him as a Judge reverences him as a Lord obeyes him as a Father and loves him as a Patron The Benefits of this exercise The benefit of this consideration and exerâ—ise being universal upon all the parts of piety I shall lesse need to speciâ—ie any particulars but yet most properly this exercise of considering the divine presence is 1. an excellent help to prayer producing in us reverence and awfulnesse to the divine Majesty of God and actual devotion in our offices 2. It produces a confidence in God and fearlessenesse of our enemies patience in trouble and hope of remedie since God is so nigh in all our sad accidents he is a disposer of the hearts of men and the events of things he proportions out our tryals and supplyes us with remedie and where his rod strikes us his staffe supports us To which we may adde this that God who is alwayes with us is especially by promise with us in tribulation to turn the misery into a mercy and that our greatest trouble may become our advantage by intitling us to a new manner of the Divine presence 3. It is apt to produce joy and rejoycing in God we being more apt to delight in the partners and witnesses of our conversation every degree of mutual abiding and conversing being a relation and an endearment we are of the same houshold with God he is with us in our natural actions to preserve us in our recreations to restrain us in our publick actions to applaud or reprove us in our private to observe us in our sleeps to watch by us in our watchings to refresh us and if we walk with God in all his wayes as he walks with us in all ours we shall finde perpetual reasons to enable us to keep that rule of God Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and again I say rejoyce And this puts me in minde of a saying of an old religious person There is one way of overcoming our ghostly enemies spiritual mirth and a perpetual bearing of God in our mindes This effectively refists the Devil and suffers us to receive no hurt from him 4. This exercise is apt also to enkindle holy desires of the enjoyment of God because it produces joy when we do enjoy him The same desires that a weak man hath for a Defender the sick man for a Physitian the poor for a Patron the childe for his Father the espoused Lover for her betrothed 5. From the same fountain are apt to issue humility of spirit apprehensions of our great distance and our great needs our daily wants and hourly supplies admiration of Gods unspeakable mercies It is the cause of great modesty and decency in our actions it helps to recollection of minde and restrains the scatterings and loosnesse of wandring thoughts it establishes the heart in good purposes and leadeth on to perseverance it gains purity and perfection according to the saying of God to Abraham Walk before me and be perfect holy fear and holy love and indeed every thing that pertains to holy living when we see our selves placed in the Eye of God who sets us on work and will reward us plenteously to serve him with an Eye-service is very pleasing for he also sees the heart and the want of this consideration was declared to be the cause why Israel sinned so grievously For they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord
of charity that this day and ever I may serve thee according to all my opportunities and capacities growing from grace to grace till at last by thy mercies I shall receive the consummation and perfection of grace even the glories of thy Kingdom in the full fruition of the face and excellencies of God the Father the Son and the holy Ghost to whom be glory and praise honour and adoration given by all Angels and all Men and all Creatures now and to all eternity Amen To this may be added the prayer of intercession for others whom we are bound to remember which is at the end of the foregoing prayer or else you may take such special prayers which follow at the end of the fourth Chapter for parents for children c. After which conclude with this ejaculation Now and in all tribulation and anguish of spirit in all dangers of soul and body in prosperity and adversity in the hour of death and in the day of judgement holy and most blessed Saviour Jesus have mercy upon me save me and deliver me and all faithful people Amen Between this and Noâ—n usually are said the publick prayers appointed by Authority to which all the Clergy are obliged and other devout persons that have leisure do accompany them Afternoon or at any time of the day when a devout person retires into his closer for private prayer or spiritual exercises he may say the following devotions An exercise to be used at any time of the day In the name of the Father and of the Son c. Our Father c. The hymn collected out of the Psalms recounting the excellencies and greatnesse of God O be joyful in God all ye lands sing praises unto the honour of his Name make his Name to be glorious * O Come hither behold the works of God how wonderful he is in his doings toward the children of men He ruleth with his power for ever He is the Father of the fatherlesse and defendeth the cause of the widow even God in his holy habitation He is the God that maketh men to be of one minde in a house and bringeth the prisoners out of captivity but letteth the runnagates continue in scarcenesse It is the Lord that commandeth the warers it is the glorious God that maketh the thunder * It is the Lord that ruleth the sea the voice of the Lord is mighty in operation the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice Let all the Earth fear the Lord stand in awe of him all ye that dwell in the world Thou shalt shew us wonderful things in thy righteousnesse O God of our salvation thou that art the hope of all the ends of the Earth and of them that remaine in the broad Sea Glory be to the Father c. Or this O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name for thou hast done wonderful things thy counsels of old are faithfulnesse and truth Isay 25.1 Thou in thy strength â—etst fast the Mountains and art girded about with power Thou stillest the raging of the Sea and the noise of his waves and the madnesse of his people They also that remain in the uttermost parts of the Earth shall be afraid at thy tokens thou that makest the out-goings of the morning and evening to praise thee O Lord God of Hosts who is like unto thee thy truth most mighty Lord is on every side Among the gods there is none like unto thee O Lord there is none that can do as thou doest * For thou art great doest wondrous things thou art God alone God is very greatly to be feared in the counsel of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him Righteousnesse and equity is in the habitation of thy seat mercy and truth shall go before thy face * Glory and worship are before him power and honour are in his Sanctuary Thou Lord art the thing that I long for thou art my hope even from my youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be alwayes of thee Glory be to the Father c. After this may be read some portion of holy Scripture out of the New Testament or out of the sapiential bookes of the Old viz. Proverbs Ecclesiastes c. because these are of great use to piety and to civil conversation Vpon which when you have a while meditated humbly composing your self upon your knees say as followeth Ejaculations My help standeth in the Name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth Shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servant and I shall be safe Do well O Lord to them that be true of heart and evermore mightily defend them Direct me in thy truth and teach me for thou art my Saviour and my great Master Keep me from sin and death eternal and from my enemies visible and invisible Give me grace to live a holy life and thy favour that I may dye a godly and happy death Lord hear the prayer of thy servant and give me thy holy Spirit The prayer O Eternal God mercifull and gracious vouchsafe thy favour and thy blessing to thy servant let the love of thy mercies and the dread and fear of thy Majesty make me careful and inquisitive to search thy will and diligent to perform it and to persevere in the practises of a holy life even till the last of my dayes II. KEep me O Lord for I am thine by creation guide me for I am thine by purchase thou hast redeemed me by the blood of thy Son and love me with the love of a Father for I am thy childe by adoption and grace let thy mercy pardon my sins thy providence secure me from the punishments and evils I have deserved and thy care watch over me that I may never any more offend thee make me in malice to be a childe but in understanding piety and the fear of God let me be a perfect man in Christ innocent and prudent readily furnished and instructed to every good work III. KEep me O Lord from the destroying Angel and from the wrath of God let thy anger never rise against mee but thy rod gently correct my follies and guide me in thy ways and thy staffe support me in all sufferings and changes Preserve me from fracture of bones from noisome infections and sharp sicknesses from great violences of Fortune and sudden surprizes keep all my senses intire till the day of my death and let my death be neither sudden untimely nor unprovided let it be after the common manner of men having in it nothing extraordinary but an extraordinary piety and the manifestation of thy great and miraculous mercy IV. LEt no riches ever make me forget my self no poverty ever make me to forget thee Let no hope or fear no pleasure or pain no accident without no weaknesse within hinder or
the duties of 1. Temperance 2. Chastity 3. Humility 4. Modesty 5. Content It is a using severity denial and frustration of our appetite when it growes unreasonable in any of these instances the necessity of which we shall to best purpose understand by considering the evil consequences of sensuality effeminacy or fondnesse after carnal pleasures Evil consequents of voluptuousnesse or sensuality 1. A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man and makes it loose soft and wandring unapt for noble wise or spiritual imployments because the principles upon which pleasure is chosen and pursued are sottish weak and unlearned such as prefer the body before the soul the appetite before reason sense before the Spirit the pleasures of a short abode before the pleasures of eternity 2. The nature of sensual pleasure is vain empty and unsatisfying biggest alwayes in expectation and a meer vanity in the enjoying and leaves a sting and thorn behinde it when it goes off Our laughing if it be loud and high commonly ends in a deep sigh and all the înstances of pleasure have a sting in the tayl though they carry beauty on the face and sweetnesse on the lip 3. Sensual pleasure is a great abuse to the Spirit of a man being a kinde of fascination or witchcraft blinding the understanding and enslaving the will And he that knowes he is free-born or redeemed with the blood of the Sonne of God will not easily suffer the freedom of his soul to be entangled and rifled 4. It is most contrary to the state of a Christian whose life is a perpetual exercise a wrastling and a warfare to which sensual pleasure disables him by yeilding to that enemy with whom he must strive if ever he will be crown'd And this argument the Apostle intimated He that striveth for masteries is temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible 5. It is by a certain consequence the greatest impediment in the world to martyrdom that being a fondnesse this being a cruelty to the flesh to which a Christian man arriving by degrees must first have crucified the lesâ—er affections for he that is overcome by little arguments of pain will hardly consent to lose his life with torments Degrees of sobriety Against this voluptuousnesse sobriety is opposed in three degrees 1. A despite or disaffection to pleasures or a resolving against all entertainment of the instances and temptations of sensuality and it consists in the internal faculties of will and understanding decreeing and declaring against them disapproving and disliking them upon good reason and strong resolution 2. A fight and actual war against all the temptations and offers of sensual pleasure in all evil instances and degrees and it consists in prayer in fasting in cheap diet and hard lodging and laborious exercises and avoiding occasions and using all arts industry of fortifying the Spirit and making it â—evere manly and Christian. 3. Spiritual pleasure is the highest degree of Sobriety and in the same degree in which we relish and are in love with spiritual delights the hidden Manna with the sweetnesses of devotion with the joyes of thanksgiving with rejoycings in the Lord with the comsorts of hope with the delitiousnesse of charity and almes-deeds with the sweetnesse of a good conscience with the peace of meeknesse and the felicities of a contented spirit in the same degree we disrelish and loath the husks of swinish lusts and the parings of the apples of Sodom and the taste of sinful pleasures is unsavoury as the Drunkards vomit Rules for suppressing voluptuousnesse The precepts and advices which are of best and of general use in the curing of sensuality are these 1. Accustom thy self to cut off all superfluity in the provisions of thy life for our desires will enlarge beyond the present possession so long as all the things of this world are unsatisfying if therefore you sufâ—er them to extend beyond the measures of necessity or moderated conveniency they will still swell but you reduce them to a little compasse when you make nature to be your limit We must more take care that our desires should ceasâ— then that they should be satisfied and therefore reducing them to narrow scantlings and small proportions is the best instrument to redeem their trouble and prevent the dropsie because that is next to an universal denying them it is certainly a paring off from them all unreasonablenesse and irregularity For whatsoever covets unseemly things and is apt to swell to an inconvenient bulk is to be chastened and tempered and such are sensuality and a Boy said the Philosopher 2. Suppresse your sensuall desires in their first approach for then they are least and thy faculties and election are stronger but if they in their weaknesse prevail upon thy strengths there will be no resisting them when they are increased and thy abilities lessened you shall scarce obtain of them to end if you suffer them to begin 3. Divert them with some laudable imployment and take off their edge by inadvertency or a not attending to them For since the faculties of a man cannot at the same time with any sharpnesse attend to two objects if you imploy your spirit upon a book or a bodily labour or any innocent and indifferent imployment you have no room left for the present trouble of a sensual temptation For to this sense it was that Alexander told the Queen of Caria that his Tutor Leonidas had provided two Cooks for him Hard marches all night and a small dinner the next day these tam'd his youthful aptnesses to dissolution so long as he eat of their provisions 4. Look upon pleasures not upon that side that is next the Sunne or where they look beauteously that is as they come towards you to be enjoyed for then they paint and smile and dresse themselves up in tinsel glasse gems and counterfeit imagery but when thou hast rifled and discomposed them with enjoying their false beauties that they begin to go ofâ— then behold them in their nakednesse and wearinesse See what a sigh and sorrow what naked unhandsome proportions and a filthy carkasse they discover and the next time they counterfeit remember what you have already discovered be no more abused And I have known some wise persons have advised to cure the passions and longings of their children by letting them taste of every thing they passionately fancied for they should be sure to find lesse in it then they looked for and the impatience of their being denied would be loosened and made slack and when our wishings are no bigger then the thing deserves and our usages of them according to our needs which may be obtain'd by tryâ—ng what they are and whaâ— good they can do us we shall finde in all pleasâ—res so little entertainment that the vanity of the possession will soon reprove the violence of the
to their own voluntary concessions and ingagements their promises and Oathes when once they are passed from them The Duty of Superiours as they are Iudges 1. Princes in judgement and their Delegate Judges must judge the causes of all persons uprightly and impartially without any personal consideration of the power of the mighty or the bribe of the rich or the needs of the poor For although the poor must fare no worse for his poverty yet in justice he must fare no better for it And although the rich must be no more regarded yet he must not be lesse And to this purpose the Tutor of Cyrus instructed him when in a controversie where a great Boy would have taken a large coat from a little Boy because his own was too little for him and the others was too big hee adjudged the great coat to the great Boy his Tutor answered Sir If you were made a Judge of decency or fitnesse you had judged well in giving the biggest to the biggest but when you were appointed Judge not whom the coat did fit but whose it was you should have considered the title and the possession who did the violence and who made it or who bought it And so it must be in judgements between the rich and the poor it is not to be considered what the poor Man needs but what is his own 2. A Prince may not much lesse may inferiour Judges deny justice when it is legally and competently demanded and if the Prince will use his Prerogative in pardoning an offender against whom justice is required he must be carefull to give satisfaction to the injured person or his Relatives by some other instrument and be watchful to take away the scandal that is lest such indulgence might make persons more bold to do injury and if hee spares the life let him change the punishment into that which may make the offender if not suffer justice yet doe justice and more real advantage to the injured person These rules concern Princes and their Delegates in the making or administring Laws in the appointing rules of justice and doing acts of judgement The duty of Parents to their Children and Nephews is briefly described by S. Paul The Duty of Parents to their Children 1. Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath that is be tender boweld pitiful and gentle complying with all the infirmities of the Children and in their several ages proportioning to them several usages according to their needs and their capacities 2. Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord that is secure their religion season their younger years with prudent and pious principles make them in love with vertue and make them habitually so before they come to choose or to discern good from evil that their choice may be with lesse difficulty and danger For while they are under discipline they suck in all that they are first taught and believe it infinitely provide for them wise learned and vertuous Tutors good company and discipline seasonable baptism catechism and confirmation For it is a great folly to heap up much wealth for our Children and not to take care concerning the Children for whom we get it It is as if a man should take more care about his shooe then about his foot 3. Parents must shew piety at home that is they must give good example and reverent deportment in the face of their children and all those instances of charity which usualy endear each other sweetnesse of conversation afâ—ability frequent admonition all significations of love and tendernesse care and watchfulnesse must be expressed towards Children that they may look upon their Parents as their friends and patrons their defence and sanctuary their treasure and their Guide Hither is to be reduced the nursing of Children which is the first and most natural and necessary instance of piety which Mothers can shew to their Babes a dutie from which nothing will excuse but a disability sicknesse danger or publick necessitie 4. Parents must provide for their own according to their condition education and imployment called by S. Paul a laying up for the Children that is an enabling them by competent portions or good trades arts or learning to defend themselves against the chances of the world that they may not be exposed to temptation to beggery or unworthy arts and although this must be done without covetousnesse without impatient and greedy desires of making them rich yet it must be done with much care and great affection with all reasonable provision and according to our power and if we can without sin improve our estates for them that also is part of the duty we owe to God for them and this rule is to extend to all that descend from us although we have been overtaken in a fault and have unlawfull issue they also become part of our care yet so as not to injure the production of the lawful bed 5. This duty is to extend to a provision of conditions and an estate of life Parents must according to their power and reason provide Husbands or Wives for their children In which they must secure piety and Religion and the affection and love of the interested persons and after these let them make what provisions they can for other conveniences or advantages Ever remembring that they can do no injury more afflictive to the children then to joyn them with cords of a disagreeing affection It is like tying a Wolf and a Lamb or planting the Vine in a Garden of Coleworts Let them be perswaded with reasonable inducements to make them willing and to choose according to the parents wish but at no hand let them be forced Better to sit up all night then to go to bed with a Dragon The duty of Husbands c. See Chapt. 2. Sect. 3. Rules for married persons 1 Husbands must give to their wives love maintenance duty and the sweetnesses of conversation and wives must pay to them all they have or can with the interest of obedience and reverence and they must be complicated in affections and interest that there be no distinction between them of Mine and Thine And if the title be the mans or the womans yet the use must be common onely the wisdom of the man is to regulate all extravagancies and indiscretions in other things no question is to be made and their goods should be as their children not to be divided but of one possession and provision whatsoever is otherwise is not marriage but merchandise And upon this ground I suppose it was that S. Basil commended that woman who took part of her Husbands goods to do good works withall for supposing him to be unwilling and that the work was his duty or hers alone or both theirs in conjunction or of great advantage to either of their souls and no violence to the support of their families she hath right to all that And Abigail of her own
am bound to restitution that is to restore her to a right understanding of things and to a full liberty by taking from her the deceit or the violence 9. An Adulterous person is tyed to restitu of the injury so far as it is reparable and can be made to the wronged person that is to make provision for the children begotten in unlawful embraces that they may do no injury to the legitimate by receiving a common portion and if the injured person do account of it he must satisfie him with money for the wrong done to his bed He is not tyed to offer this because it is no proper exchange but he is bound to pay it if it be reasonably demanded for every man hath justice done him when himself is satisfyed though by a word or an action or a peny 10. He that hath kild a man is bound to restitution by allowing such a maintenance to the children and neer relatives of the deceased as they have lost by his death considering and allowing for all circumstances of the mans age and health and probability of living And thus Hercules is said to have made expiation for the death of Iphitus whom he slew by paying a mulct to his children 11. He that hath really lessened the same of his neighbour by fraud or violence is bound to restore it by its proper instruments such as are confession of his fault giving testimony of his innocence or worth doing him honour or if that will do it and both parties agree by money which answers all things 12. He that hath wounded his neighbour is tyed to the expences of the Surgeon other incidences and to repair whatever loss he sustains by his disability to work or trade the same is in the case of false imprisonment in which cases onely the real eâ—fect and remaining detriment are to be mended and repaired for the action it self is to be punished or repented of and enters not into the question of restitution But in these and all other cases the injured person is to be restor'd to that perfect and good condition from which he was removed by my fraud or violence so far as is possible Thus a ravisher must repair the temporal detriment of injury done to the maid and give her a dowry or marry her if she desire it For this restores her into that capacity of being a good wife which by the injury was lost as far as it can be done 13. He that robbeth his Neighbour of his goods or detains any thing violently or fraudulently is bound not onely to restore the principall but all its fruits and emoluments which would have accrued to the right owner during the time of their being detained * By proportion to these rules we may judge of the obligation that lyes upon all sorts of injurious persons that sacrilegious the detainers of tithes cheaters of mens inheritances unjust Judges false witnesses and accusers those that do fraudulently or violently bring men to sin that force men to drink that laugh at and disgrace vertue that perswade servants to run away or commend such purposes violent persecutors of religion in any instance and all of the same nature 14. He that hath wronged so many or in that manner as in the way of daily trade that he knows not in what measure he hath done it or who they are must redeem his fault by alms and largesses to the poor according to the value of his wrongful dealing as neer as he can proportion it Better it is to go begging to Heaven then to go to Hell laden with the spoils of rapine and injustice 15. The order of paying the debts of contract or restitution are in some instances set down by the civil laws of a kingdom in which cases their rule is to be observed In destitution or want of such rules we are 1. to observe the necessity of the Creditor 2. Then the time of the delay and 3. The special obligations of friendship or kindenesse and according to these in their several degrees make our restitution if we be not able to do all that we should but if we be the best rule is to do it as soon as we can taking our accounts in this as in our humane actions according to prudence and civil or natural conveniences or possibilities onely securing these two things 1. That the duty be not wholly omitted and 2. That it be not deferred at all out of covetousnesse or any other principle that is vitious Remember that the same day in which Zacheus made restitution to all whom he had injured the same day Christ himself pronounced that salvation was come to his house *** 16. But besides the obligation arising from contract or default there is one of another sort which comes from kindenesse and the acts of charity and friendship He that does me a favour hath bound me to make him a return of thankfulnesse The obligation comes not by covenant not by his own expresse intention but by the nature of the thing and is a duty springing up within the spirit of the obliged person to whom it is more natural to love his friend and to do good for good then to return evil for evil because a man may forgive an injury but he must never forget a good turne For every thing that is excellent and every thing that is profitable whatsoever is good in it self or good to me cannot but be beloved and what we love we naturally cherish and do good to He therefore that refuses to do good to them whom he is bound to love or to love that which did him good is unnatural and monstrous in his affections and thinks all the world borne to minister to him with a greedinesse worse then that of the sea which although it receives all rivers into it self yet it furnishes the clouds and springs with a return of all thy need Our duty to benefactors is to esteem and love their persons to make them proportionable returns of service or duty or profit according as we can or as they need or as opportunity presents it self and according to the greatnesses of their kindnesses and to pray to God to make them recompence for all the good they they have done to us which last office is also requisite to be done for our Creditors who in charity have relieved our wants Prayers to be said in relation to the several Obligations and Ofces of Iustice. A Prayer for the Grace of Obedience to be said by all persons under Coâ—mand O Eternal God Great Ruler of Men and Angels who hast constituted all things in â— wonderful order making all the creatures subject to man and one man to another and all to thee the last link of this admirable chain being fastned to the foot of thy throne teach me to obey all those whom thou hast set over me reverencing their persons submitting indifferently to all their lawful commands cheerfully undergoing those burdens which
entertainment of the first there is in God an infinite nature immensity or vastnesse without extension or limit Immutability Eternity Omnipotence Omniscience Holinesse Dominion Providence Bounty Mercy Justice Perfection in himself and the end to which all things and all actions must be directed and will at last arrive The consideration of which may be heightened if we consider our distance from all these glories Our smallnesse and limited nature our nothing our inconstancy our age like a span our weaknesse and ignorance our poverty our inadvertency and inconsideration our disabilities and disaffections to do good our harsh natures and unmerciful inclinations our universal iniquitie and our necessities dependencies not onely on God originally and essentially but even our need of the meanest of Gods creatures and our being obnoxious to the weakest and the most contemptible But for the entertainment of the second we may consider that in him is a torrent of pleasure for the voluptuous he is the fountain of honour for the ambitious an inexhaustible treasure for the covetous our vices are in love with phantastick pleasures and images of perfection which are truely and really to be found no where but in God And therefore our vertues have such proper objects that it is but reasonable they should all turn into love for certain it is that this love will turn all into vertue For in the scrutinies for righteousnesse and judgement when it is inquired whether such a person be a good man or no the meaning is not what does â—e believe or what does he hope but what he loves The acts of Love to God are 1. Love does all things which may please the beloved person it performs all his commandments and this is one of the greatest instances and arguments of our love that God requires of us This is love that we keep his commandments Loue is obedient 2. It does all the intimations and secret significations of his pleasure whom we love and this is an argument of a great degree of it The first instance is it that makes the love accepted but this gives a greatnesse and singularity to it The first is the least and lesse then it cannot do our duty but without this second we cannot come to perfection Great love is also plyant and inquisitive in the instances of its expression 3. Love gives away all things that so he may advance the interest of the beloved person it relieves all that he would have relieved and spends it self in such real significations as it is enabled withall He never loved God that will quit any thing of his Religion to save his money Love is alwayes liberal and communicative 4. It suffers all things that are imposed by its beloved or that can happen for his sake or that intervenes in his service cheerfully sweetly willingly expecting that God should turn them into good and instruments of â—elicity Charity hopeth all things endureth all things Love is patient and content with any thing so it be together with its beloved 5. Love is also impatient of any thing that may displease the beloved person hating all â—in as the enemy of its friend for love contracts all the same relations and marries the same friendships and the same hatreds and all affection to a sin is perfectly inconsistent with the love of God love is not divided between God and Gods enemy we must love God with all our heart that is give him a whole and undivided affection having love for nothing els but such things which he allows and which he commands or loves himself 6. Love endeavours for ever to be present to converse with to enjoy to be united with its object loves to be talking of him reciting his praises telling his stories repeating his words imitating his gestures transcribing his copy in every thing and every degree of union and every degree of likenesse is a degree of love and it can endure any thing but the displeasure and the absence of its beloved For we are not to use God and Religion as men use perfumes with which they are delighted when they have them but can very well be without them True chariâ—y is resâ—lesse till it enjoyes God in such instances in which it wants him it is like hunger and thirst it must be fed or it cannot be answered and nothing can supply the presence or make recompence for the absence of God or of the effects of his favour and the light of his countenance 7. True love in all accidents locks upon the beloved person and observes his countenance and how he approves or disproves it and accordingly looks sad or cheerful He that loves God is not displeased at those accidents which God chooses nor murmurs at those changes which he makes in his family nor envies at those gifts he bestowes but chooses as he likes and is ruled by his judgement and is perfectly of his persuasion loving to learn where God is the Teacher and being content to be ignorant or silent where he is not pleased to open himself 8. Love is curious of little things of circumstances and measures and little accidents not allowing to it self any infirmity which it strives not to master aiming at what it cannot yet reach at desiring to be of an Angelical purity and of a perfect innocence and a Seraphical fervour and fears every image of offence is as much afflicted at an idle word as some at an act of adultery and will not allow to it self so much anger as will disturb a childe nor endure the impurity of a dream and this is the curiosity and nicenesse of divine Love this is the fear of God and is the daughter and production oâ— Love The Measures and Rules of Divine Love But because this passion is pure as the brightest and smoothest mirrour and therefore is apt to be sullyed with every impurer breath we must be careful that our love to God be governed by these measures 1. That our love be sweet even and full of tranquility having in it no violences or transportations but going on in a course of holy actions and duties which are proportionable to our condition and present state not to satisfie all the desire but all the probabilities and measures of our strength A new beginner in religion hath passionate and violent desires but they must not be the measure of his actions But he must consider his strength his late sicknesse and state of death the proper temptations of his condition and stand at first upon his defence not go to storm a strong Fort or attaque a potent enemy or do heroical actions and fitter for gyants in Religion Indiscreet violences and untimely forwardnesse are the rocks of religion against which tender spirits often suffer shipwrack 2. Let our love be prudent and without illusion that is that it expresse it self in such instances which God hath chosen or which we choose our selves by proportion to his rules and measures Love turns into doting
especially to faith but consequently to all other graces of the Spirit It is all one to us whether by the eye or by the eare the Spirit conveyes his precepts to us If we hear S. Paul saying to us that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge or read it in one of his Epistles in either of them we are equally and sufficiently instructed The Scriptures read are the same thing to us which the same doctrine was when it was preached by the Disciples of our blessed Lord and we are to learn of either with the same dispositions There are many that cannot reade the word and they must take it in by the ear and they that can reade finde the same word of God by the eye It is necessary that all men learn it some way or other and it is sufficient in order to their practise that they learn it any way The word of God is all those Commandments and Revelations those promises and threatnings the stories and sermons recorded in the Bible nothing else is the word of God that we know of by any certain instrument The good books and spiritual discourses the sermons or homilies written or spoken by men are but the word of men or rather explications of and exhortations according to the Word of God but of themselves they are not the Word of God In a Sermon the Text onely is in a proper sence to be called Gods Word and yet good Sermons are of great use and convenience for the advantages of Religion He that preaches an hour together against drunkennesse with the tongue of men or Angels hath spoke no other word of God but this Be not drunk with wine wherein there is excesse and he that writes that Sermon in a book and publishes that book hath preached to all that reade it a louder Sermon then could be spoken in a Church This I say to this purpose that we may separate truth from error popular opinions from substantial Truths For God preaches to us in the Scripture and by his secret assistances and spiritual thoughts and holy motions Good men preach to us when they by popular arguments and humane arts and complyances expound and presse any of those doctrines which God hath preached unto us in his holy Word But 1. The Holy Ghost is certainly the best Preacher in the world and the words of Scripture the best sermons 2. All the doctrine of salvation is plainly set down there that the most unlearned person by hearing it read may understand all his duty What can be plainer spoken then this Thou shalt not kill Be not drunk with wine Husbands love your wives whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye so to them The wit of man cannot more plainly tell us our duty or more fully then the Holy Ghost hath done already 3. Good sermons and good books are of excellent use but yet they can serve no other end but that we practise the plain doctrines of Scripture 4. What Abraham in the parable said concerning the brethren of the rich man is here very proper They have Moses and the Prophets leâ— them hear them But if they refuse to hear these neither will they believe though one should arise from the dead to preach unto them 5. Reading the holy Scriptures is a duty expressely commanded us and is called in Scripture Preaching all other preaching is the effect of humane skill and industry and although of great benefit yet it is but an Ecclesiastical ordinance the Law of God concerning Preaching being expressed in the matter of reading the Scriptures and hearing that word of God which is and as it is there described But this duty is reduced to practise in the following Rules Rules for hearing or reading the word of God 1. Set apart some portion of thy time according to the opportunities of thy calling and necessary imployment for the reading of holy Scripture and if it be possible every day reade or hear some of it read you are sure that book teaches all truth commands all holinesse and promises all happinesse 2. When it is in your power to choose accustome your self to such portions which are most plain and certain duty and which contain the story of the Life and Death of our blessed Saviour Read the Gospels the Psalms of Daâ—id and especially those portions of Scripture which by the wisdom of the Church are appointed to be publikely read upon Sundayes and holy-dayes viz. the Epistles and Gospels In the choice of any other portions you may advise with a Spiritual Guide that you may spend your time with most profit 3. Fail not diligently to attend to the reading of holy Scriptures upon those dayes wherein it is most publickly and solemnly read in Churches for at such times besides the learning our duty we obtain a blessing along with it it becoming to us upon those dayes apart of the solemn Divine worship 4. When the word of God is read or preached to you be sure you be of a ready heart and minde free from worldly cares and thoughts diligent to hear careful to mark studious to remember and desirous to practise all that is commanded and to live according to it Do not hear for any other end but to become better in your life and to be instructed in every good work and to increase in the love and service of God 5. Beg of God by prayer that he would give you the spirit of obedience and profit and that he would by his Spirit write the word in your heart and that you describe it in your life To which purpose serve your self of some affectionate ejaculations to that purpose before and after this duty Concerning spiritual books and ordinary Sermons take in these advices also 6. Let not a prejudice to any mans person hinder thee from receiving good by his doctrine if it be according to godlinesse but if occasion offer it or especially if duty present it to thee that is if it be preached in that assembly where thou art bound to be present accept the word preached as a message from God and the Minister as his Angel in that ministration 7. Consider and remark the doctrine that is represented to thee in any discourse and if the Preacher addes any accidental advantages any thing to comply with thy weaknesse or to put thy spirit into action or holy resolution remember it and make use of it but if the Preacher be a weak person yet the text is the doctrine thou art to remember that contains all thy duty it is worth thy attendance to hear that spoken often â—nd renewed upon thy thoughts and though thou beest a learned man yet the same thing which thou knowest already if spoken by another may be made active by that application I can better be comforted by my own considerations if another hand applyes them then if I do it my self because the word of God does not work as a natural agent but as a
is declared In the fourth Commandement hee proclaims himself the Maker of Heaven and Earth for in memory of Gods rest from the work of six dayes the seventh was hallowed into a Sabbath and the keeping it was a confessing GOD to bee the great Maker of Heaven and Earth and consequently to this it also was a confession of his goodnesse his Omnipotence and his Wisdom all which were written with a Sun beam in the great book of the Creature So long as the Law of the Sabbath was bound upon Gods people so long GOD would have that to be the folemn manner of confessing these attributes but when the Priesthood being changed there was a change also of the Law the great duty remain'd unalterable in changed circumstances We are eternally bound to confesse God Almighty to be the Maker of Heaven and Earth but the manner of confessing it is chang'd from a rest or a doing nothing to a speaking something from a day to a symbol from a ceremony to a substance from a Jewish rite to a Christian duty we professe it in our Creed we confesse it in our lives we describe it by every line of our life by every action of duty by faith and trust and obedience and we do also upon great reason comply with the Jewish manner of confessing the Creation so far as it is instrumental to a real duty We keepe one day in seven and so confesse the manner and circumstance of the Creation and we rest also that we may tend holy duties so imitating Gods rest better then the Jew in Synesius who lay upon his face from evening to evening and could not by stripes or wounds be raised up to steer the ship in a great storm Gods rest was not a natural cessation hee who could not labour could not be said to rest but Gods rest is to be understood to be a beholding and a rejoycing in his work finished and therefore we truly represent Gods rest when we confesse and rejoyce in Gods works and Gods glory This the Christian Church does upon every day but especially upon the Lords day which she hath set apart for this and all other Ofâ—ices of Religion being determined to this day by the Resurrection of her dearest Lord it being the first day of joy the Church ever had And now upon the Lords day we are not tyed to the rest of the Sabbath but to all the work of the Sabbath and we are to abstain from bodily labour not because it is a direct duty to us as it was to the Jews but because it is necessary in order to our duty that we attend to the Offices of Religion The observation of the Lords day differs nothing from the observation of the Sabbath in â—he matter of Religion but in the manner They differ in the ceremony and external rite Rest with them was the principal with us it is the accessory They differ in the office or forms of worship For they were then to worship God as a Creator and a gentle Father we are to adde to that Our Redeemer and all his other excellencies and mercies and though we have more natural and proper reason to keep the Lords day then the Sabbath yet the Jews had a Divine Commandement for their day which we have not for ours but we have many Commandements to do all that honour to GOD which was intended in the fourth Commandement and the Apostles appointed the first day of the week for doing it in solemne Assemblies and the manner of worshipping God and doing him solemn honour and service upon this day we may best observe in the following measures Rules for keeping the Lords day and other Christian Festivals 1. When you go about to distinguish Festival dayes from common do it not by lessening the devotions of ordinary dayes that the common devotion may seem bigger upon Festivals but on every day keep your ordinary devotions intire and enlarge upon the Holy day 2. Upon the Lords day wee must abstaine from all servile and laborious workes except such which are matters of necessity of common life or of great charity for these are permitted by that authority which hath separated the day for holy uses The Sabbath of the Jewes though consisting principally in rest and established by God did yeeld to these The labour of Love and the labours of Religion were not against the reason and the spirit of the Commandement for which the Letter was decreed and to which it ought to minister And therefore much more is it so on the Lords day where the Letter is wholly turned into Spirit and there is no Commandement of God but of spiritual and holy actions The Priests might kill their beasts and dresse them for sacrifice and Christ though born under the law might heal a sick man and the sick man might carry hâ—s bed to witnesse his recovery and confesse the mercy and leap and dance to God for joy and an Ox might be led to water and an Asse be haled ouâ— of a ditch and a man may take physick and he may eat meat and therefore there were of necessity some to prepare and minister it and the performing these labours did not consist in minutes and just determined stages but they had even then a reasonable latitude so onely as to exclude unnecessary labour or such as did not minister to charity or religion And therefore this is to be enlarged in the Gospel whose Sabbath or rest is but a circumstance and accessory to the principal and spiritual duties Upon the Christian Sabbath necessity is to be served first then charity and then religion for this is to give place to charity in great instances and the second to the first in all and in all cases God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth 3. The Lords day being the remembrance of a great blessing must be a day of joy festivity spiritual rejoycing and thanksgiving and therefore it is a proper work of the day to let your devotions spend themselves in singing or reading Psalms in recounting the great works of God in remembring his mercies in worshipping his excellencies in celebrating his attributes in admiring his person in sending portions of pleasant meat to them for whom nothing is provided in all the arts and instruments of advancing Gods glory the reputation of religion in which it were a great decency that a memorial of the resurrection should be inserted that the particular religion of the day be not swallowed up in the general And of this we may the more easily serve our selves by rising seasonably in the morning to private devotion and by retiring at the leisures and spaces of the day not imployed in publick offices 4. Fail not to be present at the publick hours and places of prayer entring early and cheerfully attending reverently and devoutly abiding patiently during the whole office piously assisting at the prayers and gladly also hearing the Sermon and at no hand omitting to
what seemeth good in his own eyes Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven Recite Psalm 107. and 130. A form of a vow to be made in this or the like danger If the Lord will be gracious and hear the prayer of his servant and bring me safe to shore then I will praise him secretly and publickly and pay unto the uses of charity or Religion then name the sum you designe for holy uses O my God my goods are nothing unto thee I will also be thy servant all the dayes of my life and remember this mercy and my present purposes and live more to Gods glory and with a stricter duty And do thou please to accept this vow as an instance of my importunity and the greatnesse of my needs and be thou graciously moved to pity and deliver me Amen This form also may be used in praying for a blessing on an enterprize and may be instanced in actions of devotion as well as of charity A prayer before a journey O Almighty God who fillest all things with thy presence and art a God afar off as well as neer at hand thou didst send thy Angel to blesse Iacob in his journey and didst leade the children of Israel through the Red Sea making it a wall on the right hand and on the left be pleased to let thy Angel go out before me and guide me in my journey preseving me from dangers of robbers from violence of enemies and sudden and sad accidents from falls and errours and prosper my journey to thy glory and to all my innocent purposes and preserve me from all sin that I may return in peace and holinesse with thy favour and thy blessing and may serve thee in thankfulnesse and obedience all the dayes of my pilgrimage and at last bring me to thy countrey to the coelestial Jerusalem there to dwell in thy house and to sing praises to thee for ever Amen Ad Sect. 4 A prayer to be said before hearing or reading the word of God O Holy and Eternal Jesus who hast begotten us by thy word renewed us by thy Spirit fed us by thy Sacraments and by the dayly ministery of thy word still go on to build us up to life eternal Let thy most holy Spirit be present with me and rest upon me in the reading or hearing thy sacred word that I may do it humbly reverently without prejudice with a minde ready and desirous to learn and to obey â—hat I may â—e readily furnished and instructed to every good work and may practise all thy holy laws and commandments to the glory of thy holy name O holy and eternal Jesus Amen Ad Sect. 5 9 10. A form of confession of sins and repentance to be used upon fasting dayes or dayes of humiliation especially in Lent and before the Holy Sacrament Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences For I will conâ—esse my wickednesse and be sorry for my sin * O my Dearest Lord I am not worthy to be accounted amongst the meanest of thy servants not worthy to be sustained by the least fragments of thy mercy but to be shut out of thy presence for ever with dogs unbelievers But for thy names sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great I am the vilest of sinners and the worst of men proud and vain glorious impatient of scorn or of just reproof â—ot enduring to be slighted and yet extreamly deserving it I have been cosened by the colours of humility and when I have truly called my self vitious I could not endure any man else should say so or think so I have been disobedient to my Superiours churlish and ungentle in my behaviour unchristian and unmanly But for thy names sake c. O Just and Dear God how can I expect pitty or pardon who am so angry and peevish with and without cause envious at good rejoycing in the evil of my neighbours negligent of my charge idle and uselesse timerous and base jealous and impudent ambitious and hard hearted soft unmortified and effeminate in my life indevout in my prayers without fancie or affection without attendance to them or perseverance in them but passionate and curious in pleasing my appetite of meat and drink and pleasures making matter both for sin and sicknesse and I have reâ—ped the cursed fruits of such improvidence entertaining undecent and impure thoughts and I have brought them forth in undecent and impure actions and the spirit of uncleanness hath entred in and unhallowed the temple which thou didst consecrate for the habitation of thy Spirit of love and holinesse But for thy names sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great Thou hast given me a whole life to serve thee in and to advance my hopes of heaven and this pretious time I have thrown away upon my sins and vanities being improvident of my time and of my talent and of thy grace and my own advantages resisting thy Spirit and quenching him I have been a great lover of my self and yet used many wayes to destroy my self I have pursued my temporal ends with greedinesse and indirect means I am revengful and unthankful forgetting benefits but not so soon forgetting injuries curious and murmuring a great breaker of promises I have not loved my neighbours good nor advanced it in all things where I could I have bin unlike thee in all things I am unmerciful and unjust a sottish admirer of things below and careless of heaven and the wayes that lead thither But for thy names sake O Lord be merciful unâ—â— my sin for it is great All my senses have been windows to let sin in and death by sin Mine eyes have been adulterous and covetous mine ears open to slander and detraction my tongue and palate loose and wanton intemperate and of foul language talkative lying rash and malicious false and flattering irreligious and irreverent detracting and censorious My hands have bin injurious and unclean my passions violent and rebellious my desires impatient and unreasonable all my members and all my faculties have been servants of sin and my very besâ— actions have more matter of pity then of confidence being imperfect in my best and intolerable in most But for thy names sake O Lord c. Unto this and a far bigger heap of sin I have added also the faults of others to my own score by neglecting to hinder them to sin in all that I could and ought but I also have encouraged them in sin have taken off their fears and hardened their consciences and tempted them directly and prevailed in it to my own râ—ine and theirs unlesse thy glorious and unspeakable mercy hath prevented so intolerable a calamity Lord I have abused thy mercy despised thy judgements turned thy grace into wantonnesse I have been unthankful for thy infinite loving kindnesse I have sinned and repented and then sinned again and resolved
love then I have to give but Lord do thou turn me all into love and all my love into obedience and let my obedience â—e without interruption and then I hope thou wilt accept such a return as I can make make me to be something that thou delightest in thou shalt have all that I am or have from thee even whatsoever thou makest fit for thy self Teach me to live wholly for my Saviour Jesus and to be ready to dye for Jesus and to be conformable to his life and sufferings and to be united to him by inseparable unions and to own no passions but what may be servants to Jesus and Disciples of his institution O sweetest Saviour clothe my soul with thy holy robe hide my sins in thy wounds and bury them in thy grave and let me rise in the life of grace and abide and grow in it till I arrive at the Kingdom of Glory Amen Our Father c. Ad. Sect. 7 8 10. A â—orm of prayer or intercession for all estates of people in the Christian Church The parts of which may be added to any other formes and the whole office intirely as it lyes is proper to be said in our preparation to the holy Sacrament or oâ— the day of celebration 1. For our selves O thou gracious Father of mercy Father of our Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon thy servants who bow our heads and our knees and our hearts to thee pardon and forgive us all our sins give us the grace of holy repentance and a strict obedience to thy holy word strengthen us in the inner man with the power of the holy Ghost for all the parts and duties of our calling holy living preserve us for ever in the unity of the holy Catholick Church in the integrity of the Chrâ—stian faith and in the love of God and of our neighbours and in hope of life Eternal Amen 2. For the whole Catholick Church O holy Jesus King of the Saints and Prince of the Catholick Church preserve thy spouse whom thoâ— hast purchased with thy right hand and redeemed and cleansed with thy blood the whole Catholick Church from one end of the Earth to the other she is founded upon a rock but planted in the sea O preserve her safe from schisme heresy and sacriledge Unite all her members with the bands of Faith Hope and Charity and an external communion when it shall seem good in thine eyes let the daily sacrifice of prayer and Sacramental thanksgiving never cease but be for ever presented to thee and for ever united to the intercession of her dearest Lord and for ever prevail for the obtaining for every of its members grace and blessing pardon and salvation Amen 3. For all Christian Kings Princes and Governours O King of Kings and Prince of all the Rulers of the Earth give thy grace and Spirit to all Christian Princes the spirit of wisdom and counsel the spirit of government and godly fear Grant unto them to live in peace and honour â—hat their people may love and feare them and they may love and fear God speak good unto their hearts concerning the Church that they may be nursing Fathers to it Fathers of the Fatherlesse Judges and Avengers of the cause of Widowes that they may be compassionate to the wants of the poor and the groans of the oppressed that they may not vex or kill the Lords people with unjust or ambitious wars but may feed the â—lock of God and may inquire after and do all things which may promote peace publick honesty and holy religion so administring things present that they may not fail of the everlasting glories of the world to come where all thy faithful people shall reign Kings for ever Amen 4. For al the orders of them that minister about H. things O thou great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls Holy and Eternal Jesus give unto thy servants the Ministers of the Mysteries of Christian religion the Spirit of prudence and sanctity faith and charity confidence and zeal diligence and watchfulnesse that they may declare thy will unto the people faithfully and dispense the Sacraments rightly and intercede with thee graciously and acceptably for thy servants Grant O Lord that by a holy life and a true beliefe by well doing and patient suffering when thou shalt call them to it they may glorifie thee the great lover of souls and after a plentiful conversion of sinners from the errour of their wayes they may shine like the stars in glory Amen Give unto thy servants the Bishops a discerning Spirit that they may lay hands suddenly on no man but may depute such persons to the Ministeries of religion who may adorn the Gospel of God whose lips may preserve knowledge such who by their good preaching holy living may advance the service of the Lord Jesus Amen 5. For our neerest relatives as Husband Wife Children Family c. O God of infinite mercy let thy loving mercy and compassion descend upon the head of thy servants my wife or huâ—band children and family be pleased to give them health of body and of spirit a competent portion of temporals so as may with comfort support them in their journey to Heaven preserve them from all evil and â—ad accidents defend them in all assaults of their enemies direct their persons their actions sanctify their hearts and words and purposes that we all may by the bands of obedience and charity be united to our Lord Jesus and alwayes feeling thee our merciful and gracious Father may become a holy family discharging our whole duty in all our relations that we in this life being thy children by adoption and grace may be admitted into thy holy family hereafter for ever to sing praises to thee in the Church of the first-born in the family of thy redeemed ones Amen 6. For our Parents our Kinred in the flesh our Friends and Benefactors O God merciful and gracious who hast made my Parents my Friends and my Benefactors ministers of thy mercy and instruments of providence to thy servant I humbly beg a blessing to descend upon the heads of name the persons or thâ— relations Depute thy holy Angels to guard their persons thy holy spirit to guide their souls thy providence to minister to their necessities and let thy grace and mercy preserve them from â—he bitter pains of eternal death and bring them â—o everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Amen 7. For all that lye under the rod of war famine pestilence to be said in the time of plague or war c. O Lord God Almighty thou art our Father we are thy children thou art our Redeemer we thy people purchased with the price of thy most precious blood be pleased to moderate thy anger towards thy servants let not thy whole displeasure arise lest we be consumed and brought to nothing Let health and peace be within our dwellings let righteousness and holyness dwell for ever in our hearts
prayer of preparation or addresse to the holy Sacrament An act of Love O most gracious and eternal God the helper of the helplesse the comforter of the comfortlesse the hope of the afflicted the bread of the hungry the drink of the thirsty and the Saviour of all them that wait upon thee I blesse and glorifie thy Name and adore thy goodnesse and delight in thy love that thou hast once more giveâ— me the opportunity of receiving the greatest favour which I can receive in this World even the body and blood of my dearest Saviour O take from me all affection to sin or vanity let not mâ— affections dwell below but soar upwards to the element of love to the seat of God to â—he Regions of Glory and the inheritance of â—esus that I may hunger and thirst for the bread of life and the wine of â—lect soules and may know no loves but the love of God and the most merciful Jesus Amen An act of Desire O blessed Jesus thou hast used many arts to save mee thou hast given thy life to redeem me thy holy Spirit to sanctifie me thy self for my example thy Word for my Rule thy grace for my guide the fruit of thy body hanging on the tree of the crosse for the sin of my soul and after all this thou hast sent thy Apostles and Ministers of salvation to call me to importune me to constraine me to holinesse and peace and felicity O now come Lord â—esus come quickly my heart is desirous of thy presence and thirsty of thy grace and would fain entertain thee not as a guest but as an inhabitant as the Lord of all my faculties Enter in and take possession and dwell with me for ever that I also may dwell in the heart of my dearest Lord which was opened for me with a spear and love An act of contrition Lord thou shalt finde my heart full of cares and worldly desires cheated with love of riches and neglect of holy things proud unmortified false and crafty to deceive it self intricated and intangled with difficult cases of conscience with knots which my own wildnesse and inconsideration and impatience have tied and shuffled together O my dearest Lord if thou canst behold such an impure seat behold the place to which thou art invited is full of passion and prejudice evil principles and evil habits peevish and disobedient lustful and intemperate and full of sad remembrances that I have often provoked to jealousie and to anger thee my God my dearest Saviour him that dyed for me him that suffered torments sor me that is infinitely good to me and infinitely good and perfect in himself This O dearest Saviour is a sad truâ—h and I am heartily ashamed and truly sorrowful for it and do deeply hate all my fins and am full of indignation against my self for so unworthy so carelesse so continued so great a folly and humbly beg of thee to increase my sorrow and my care and my hatâ—ed against sin and make my love to thee swell up to a great grace and then to glory and immensity An act of Faith This indeed is my condition But I know O blessed Jesus that thou didst take upon thee my nature that thou mightest suffer for my sins and thou didst suffer to deliver me from them and from thy Fathers wrath and I was delivered from this wrath that I might serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all my dayes Lord I am as sure thou didst the great work of Redemption for me and all mankinde as that I am alive This is my hope the strength of my spirit my joy my confidence and do thou never let the spirit of unbelief enter into me and take me from this Rock Here I will dwell for I have a delight therein Here I will live and here I desire to dye The Petition Therefore O blessed Jesu who art my Saviour and my God whose body is my food and thy righteousnesse is my robe thou art the Priest and the Sacrifice the Master of the feast and the Feast it self the Physician of my soul the light of my eyes the purifier of my stains enter into my heart and cast out from thence all impurities all the remains of the Old man and grant I may partake of this holy Sacrament with much reverence and holy relish and great effect receiving hence the communication of thy holy body and blood for the establishment of an unreproveable faith of an unfained love for the fulnesse of wisdom for the healing my soul for the blessing and preservation of my body for the taking out the sting of temporal death and for the assurance of a holy resurrection for the ejection of all evil from within me and the fulfilling all thy righteous Commandements and to procure for me a mercy and a fair reception at the day of judgement through thy mercies O holy and ever blessed Saviour Jesus Amen Here also may be added the prayer after receiving the cup. * Ejaculations to be said before or at the receiving the holy Sacrament Like as the Hart desireth the water-brooks so longeth my soul after thee O God My soul is athirst for God yea even for the living God when shall I come before the presence of God O Lord my God great are thy wondrous works which thou hast done like as be also thy thoughts which are to us-ward and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto thee O send out thy light and thy truth that they may lead me and bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy dwelling And that I may go unto the Altar of God even unto the God of my joy and gladnesse and with my heart will I give thanks to thee O God my God I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord so will I go to thine altar that I may shew the voice of thanksgiving tell of all thy wondrous works Examine me O Lord and prove me try out my reins and my heart For thy loving kindnesse is now and ever before my eyes and I will walk in thy truth Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me thou hast anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full But thy loving kindnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever This is the bread that cometh down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and hath eternal life abiding in him I wil raise him up at the last day Lord whither shall we go but to thee thou hast the words of eternal life If any man thirst let him come unto me drink The bread which we break is it not the communication of the body of Christ and the cup which we drink is it not the communication of the blood of Christ What are those wounds