a Spear came water and blood Have mercy on us Jesu the good Shepherd who laidest down thy life for thy sheep who lovedst us and washedst us from our sins in thine own blood Have mercy on us Jesu who wast not left in Hell neither did thy flesh see corruption who wast raised from the grave the bonds thereof being loosed for that it was impossible for thee to be holden with them Have mercy on us Jesu who art ascended into heaven and seated at the right hand of God crowned with glory and honor King of Kings and Lord of Lords Have mercy on us Jesu who hast prepared a place for us in thy Father's house who art our Advocate with the Father who sentst the Holy Ghost the Paraclete upon thy Apostles Have mercy on us Jesu who shalt come to judge the living and the dead who shalt send the reprobate into everlasting fire and upon the elect shalt bestow the kingdome prepared for them Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Jesus From all evil from the snares of the devil and from a sudden death Be merciful and spare us O Jesus From anger hatred and malice and all uncharitableness and from eternal death Spare us O Jesus By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation by thy Nativity and Circumcision by the imposition of thy holy Name Jesus Be merciful and spare us O Jesus By thy Baptisme Fasting and Temptation by thy labours and watchings Be merciful and spare us O Jesus By thine agony and bloody sweat by thy buffeting and scourging by thy crown of thorns and purple garments by thy cruel mockings and reeden scepter Be merciful and spare us O Jesus By thy Cross and Passion by thy five sacred wounds by thy Death and Burial Spare us O Jesus By thy glorious Resurrection and by thine admirable Ascension and by the sending of the Holy Ghost Be merciful and spare us O Jesus In the day of Judgment Spare us O Jesus We Sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Jesus That looking to the pattern of thy most admirable life which thou hast left us we may follow thy footsteps that we may be holy as thou wert holy that when thou shalt appear we may be made like unto thee We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That following thee we may not walk in darkness and that we may think the same things that are in Christ Jesus We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may learn of thee who wast meek and humble in heart that looking up to thee the author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before thee enduredst the Cross despising the shame and art now set down at the right hand of the throne of God we be not wearied or faint in our minds We sinners beseech c. That we may desire to know nothing but Jesus crucified that we may take up our Cross daily and follow thee that we may crucify the flesh and the lusts and desires thereof We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That thy blood may cleanse us from dead works to serve the living Lord that dying to sin and being buried with thee we may henceforth walk with thee in newness of life We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being purged from dead works we never crucify to our selves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being bought with an inestimable price we may glorify God in our bodies and as we have been partakers of thy sufferings so we may be of thy consolations We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may know thee and the power of thy resurrection and the fellowship of thy sufferings being made conformable unto thy death if by any means we may attain unto the resurrection of the dead We sinners c. That we may count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord for whom we may suffer the loss of all things and count them but dung that we may gain Christ We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That our conversation may be in heaven from whence we look for our Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Spare us good Jesu O Lamb of God that takest c. Hear us good Jesus O Lamb of God that takest c. Have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Collect. O Lord Jesus we beseech thee by that love wherewith thou lovedst thine own unto the end by that bloody sweat and agony which thou sufferedst in the Garden and by the injuries and sorrows which thou feltst by being betrayed and sold by thine own Disciple and bound and led away by the Jews absolve us from the bonds of our sins and bind our Souls to thee by the strongest cords of love which can never be loosed O dear Saviour who wast whipped with Rods and crowned with Thorns grant unto us thy servants that we subduing our bodies with voluntary chastisements may be made worthy members under such an Head And thou O dearest Lord who by thy death hast breathed into dying man whom thou at first createdst a new breath of life vouchsafe we beseech thee that we who owed our whole selves to thee for our Creation and again owe all we are to thee for our Redemption may no longer now live to our selves but unto thee who diedst for us To whom with the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all Praise and Glory for ever and ever Amen LITANIES of the Blessed Virgin O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the World Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Holy Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Holy Mary the chosen and beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father Pray for us Holy Mary the Daughter of David Aaron's budding Rod Virgin of Virgins the Garden enclosed the Fountain sealed the flaming Bush unconsumed Pray for us Holy Mary Mother of God Mother of the Word made flesh who broughtest the Son of Justice into the world to them that sate in darkness Pray for us Holy Mary Spouse of the Holy Ghost and overshadowed by him the Woman cloathed with the Sun the Tabernacle of the Sacred Trinity Pray for us Holy Mary ordained from all eternity promised to the Fathers prefigured in mystical types and foretold by the Oracles of the Prophets who keptst inviolably the Vow of thy Virginity Pray for us Holy Mary full of Grace blessed amongst Women whose great Humility the most High had respect unto professing thy self the Handmaid of the Lord in all obedience whom all generations call Blessed Pray for
that of possession which makes holy men have mortem in desiderio which others so fear vitam in patientia which others so value 7. Consider all the temporal blessings of holy and orderly living more health of body longer life serenity of mind a pleasure sedate pure and constant but at no time violent itching or discomposing the subject of it and rendring mirth uncapable of continuance or also declining suddenly into pain or anguish A joy not dwelling in the sense and lower felicities of beasts in eating and drinking and marriage these when it useth and rejoyceth in it is as though it used and rejoyced not but in more Angelick and Spiritual complacencies not consisting in having its carnal desires satiated but rather in not having and being freed from such desires which is a content equal to the enjoyment of them Cui Deus haec fecit Supervacua dedit A pleasure more retired and internal of the mind and spirit arising out of several noble considerations of the Soul which have no intercourse with or help from Sense A joy well consisting with and many times very great when the sense is in pain and of sense little or nothing perceived Nay A joying in grief and pains Rom. 5.31 and proportioned to them more joy to counterpoise them as the pains are more And Gaudet minus si minus dolet because the Soul cannot have those special considerations and passions which give it such a goust and delight but from such sufferings So St. Paul's joys still flowed the higher the greater his tribulations were And see a resemblance tho a very faint one of it in Seneca's Philosophy Ep. 18. Summa voluptas saith he in victa tenui Voluptaes autem non illa levis fugax subinde reficienda sed stabilis certa Non enim jucunda res est aqua polenta sed summa voluptas est adidse reduxisse ut c. Quanta enim animi magnitudo c. Digr Of the great blessing of long life 8. The blessings on their Posterity Associates c. for their sakes in all the contraries to those Judgments mentioned before § 3. n. 11. c. which are brought upon others for the sinners sake God not going less in his mercies than in his judgments Digr Of the great efficacy and benefit of the Communion of Saints 9. From doing to others all good and returning no evil much peace and a good name amongst the most or the best of men 1 Pet. 3 13. Matt. 5.5 And again when from contrary manners to and non-compaliance with the world he incurrs the hate and ill report thereof in lieu of the worldly a spiritual peace and divine consolations more abundant So that a good man suffers some trouble from humane and temporal solaces and endeavors to avoid them And every one as he groweth perfecter and deeplier wounded with the divine love and desire of conformity to his Good Lord takes a far greater delight in their contraries in sufferings persecutions injuries retiredness long devotions and hard mortification as being then most replenished with spiritual Consolations after the tasting of which already all the world's delights are become bitter and sowre These therefore he chooseth armeth for impatiently expects arrived to glories in wondring they are no greater which are to save such a sinner so well meriting damnation from such infinite torments to come and which are to gain to so vile a person such infinite joys and honor to come §. 9. 2 The great reward of it for the future 1. The happiness of the Souls of Saints immediately after Death Exemplified in the Soul of the H. Thief accompanying the Soul of our Lord in Paradise the same day he suffered In that of the H. Beggar Lazarus receiving in Abraham's bosome Consolations for his former sufferings in the life-time of Dives his Brethren as the Parable represents it wherein we may presume our Lord would hint to the people no mistaken Notions of the future life Who also elsewhere opposing the Sadduces that denied Spirits argues Abraham to live still at this present because God after his death stiled himself his God Again Exemplified in the Souls of the Martyrs who Rev. 6.9 10 11. 7.9.15 are clothed in white Robes and attending on the Lamb till the residue of the Saints their like sufferings for Christ being fulfilled they should all at once resume from present corruption their bodies glorified The same happiness of separated Souls instanced-in by St. Paul Heb. 12.23 where he numbers standing in the Divine presence amongst Angels the Souls also of just men consummate Therefore our Lord commends his spirit into the hands of his Father and St. Stephen again dying recommends his into the hands of Jesus And St. Peter 1. Ep. 3 4. chap. constitutes the hidden man of the heart or the righteousness of the Soul in that which is not corruptible Lastly this future happy State frequently represented in the joys which holy Souls sometimes receive in this life in the loss of the senses and cessation of the animal-functions and particularly shewed in that rapt of St. Paul into the third Heaven and Paradise and there receiving those unutterable Caresses from whose doubting language whether in or out of the Body I know not may be gathered that if his Soul did not yet it might have visited those places when it was separate from the Body Which Apostle after this short experiment of those other blisses pronounceth it much better to have this earthly tabernacle dissolved so to put on another celestial an house not made with hands a building of God eternal in the Heavens and much better to be absent from the Body so to be present with Christ And St. Peter using much what the same language speaks of deposing his present tabernacle or changing his habitation at his death 2. Ep. 1.14 As also he makes mention of Souls in Prison who were preached-to in the days of Noah 1. Pet. 3.19 2. The happiness of Soul and Body after the day of Judgment where you may entertain your thoughts on such contemplations as these promised in his word who is faithful and true The then renewed youth vigor beauty and agility of the Body The purity of the Soul from all Sin Our glorious Habitation Celestial The most amiable Society of the Saints Our vision and familiar acquaintance and conversation with Angels and Spirits One Holy Spirit and an ardent and mutual love flaming in all Christ our Spouse God our Father All Temples of the Holy Ghost Members of Christ Sons of God The heavenly City and Temple Kings and Preists White Robes Crowns and Palms Harps Songs and Festivals Life Rest and Peace for ever and ever Heu mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est Non sunt condignae passiones hujus Saeculi c. Momentaneum hoc leve Tribulationis quod in praesenti est operatur immensum supra modum gloriae pondus in sublimitate 3. The several Degrees of Glory
obtain pardon and forgiveness of all our sins We sinners c. That the receiving thy Body and Blood may not be to us to judgment and condemnation but to life and salvation and that worthily receiving thy Body and Blood we hunger nor thirst any more nor dy eternally We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That through the worthy participation of thy Body and Blood thou in us and we in thee may abide for ever and that as many as eat of this Bread may be made one in peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That in innocence we may compass thine Altar O Lord and together with thy unspotted Sacrifice offer up our selves a living holy and acceptable Sacrifice to God We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That whom we believe to be in this holy Mystery really present tho veiled under the external elements we may behold at length with open face in everlasting glory We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. Son of God who takest away the sins of the world Hear us good Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy on us He gave us food from heaven Man did eat Angels Bread Our Father which art Heaven c. O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray WE adore thee O Lord Jesus with a true and lively faith in the Sacrament of the Altar with thy body and soul thy flesh and blood by the ineffable power of thy wisdome and goodness really present who at thy departure out of this world to the Father left us this Sacrament as a pledge of thy love that by a new and admirable way thou mightst still remain with us whose delight is to be with the Sons of men Cleanse our souls we beseech thee from all our sins and infirmities and feed them with the crums which fall from thy table that we may be filled with the marrow and fatness of thy heavenly blessings Come unto us dear Saviour and heal our sinful souls feed the hungry and refresh the weak Deliver us from all evil make us always adhere to thy commandements and never suffer us to be separated from thee Who livest and reignest one God world without end Amen O God who in this admirable Sacrament hast left us a memorial of thy Passion grant us we beseech thee so worthily to reverence the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood that we may daily find in us the fruit of thy Redemption Who livest and reignest in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen WE adore thee O Saviour of our Souls eternal word of the Father true Sacrifice offered for the sins of the whole world O most precious treasure replenished with all delight the resting place of pure and clean hearts O Angelical viand O Celestial bread O Eternal word of the Father which art for us made flesh and yet remainest God in the self same person We confess Thee most undoubtedly true God and Man consecrated in a most miraculous manner on our Altars to be there given to us and offered to thy Father for us Thou art the assured hope and only Salvation of sinners Thou art the Sovereign restorative of those that languish and the inexhaustible treasure of the poor distressed Pilgrims Hallowed be thy name O most sweet Saviour Jesus Christ may all thy Creatures sing forth praises and thanksgivings unto thee for the love wherewith thou tendrest our welfare by descending from heaven and offering up thy pure and innocent Body on the Cross for our Redemption Hallowed be thy name most blessed Jesus that after thy Resurrection and Ascension since thou wast to ascend into heaven there to sit at the right hand of the Father thou vouchsafest to leave us the self same immortal Body as a memorial of thy departure and a pledge of thy infinite love thou bearest us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy on us and grant us thy peace refresh our Souls with this spiritual and heavenly food and comfort us continually with thy graces that neither in life nor death we may depart from thee nor be deprived at any time of thy celestial benedictions who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost in all Eternity Amen O Most loving Father who sparedst not thy own Son but deliveredst him to death for us all who if we ask thee Bread will not give us a Stone or for an Egg a Scorpion Behold we offer up unto thee Eternal Father this Lamb thy only Son and the infinite merits of his Sacrifice performed on the Cross and beseech thee to give us this day our daily bread bread for the body and all necessaries for this present life whereby we may be the better enabled to serve thee but especially the bread of our Souls the gifts and graces of thy Holy Spirit and whatsoever is necessary to strengthen them lest we faint in the way that we are walking in toward our heavenly country where we shall be abundantly satisfied with the pleasures of thy heavenly table who livest and reignest with the Son and the Holy Ghost one God for ever and ever Amen O Most bountiful Father who givest us from heaven the corn of thine Elect and bread of Life who hast sowed them on earth and laid them up in the Granary of thy Church for the feeding of thy children Grant us frequently to be refreshed with this bread yea spiritually at least to receive it daily which is so useful for us every day and that we may be sustained by this heavenly Viaticum in this our Pilgrimage that in the strength of that food we may travel on to the Mount of God by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen O Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation who in the abundance of thy infinite Charity hath given us thy only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but inherit eternal Life and that our necessities may be relieved out of the immense treasure of his Merits Behold me a wretched Sinner tho called by thy mercy into the Society of your Son now also partaking of his Body and Blood and therefore at this instant embracing him in my Breast and possessing him as my very self and what 's intimately united to me And as such in union of that love wherewith heretofore He gave himself for us on the Altar of the Cross and now communicates himself to us in the Sacrament of the Altar I offer Him to thee with all his merits and virtues to thine everlasting praise and glory that thou may'st be perfectly pleased in him and that we who by no action of our own can by the merits and patronage of thy most beloved Son may be compleatly acceptable to thee I present thee O Holy Father with that entire Charity Religion Humility Meekness
Temperance and modesty sobriety and chastity a true love of thee and our neighbours the contempt of our selves and the things of this world bounty and compassionate affections Grant us O Lord Diligence and constant vigilancy a hunger and thirst after Holiness zeal and fervour of spirit Christian fortitude and perseverance to the end Grant us c. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord That being reconciled to God by the death of Christ we may present our selves holy unspotted and unblameable before him that we may walk worthy of God in all things well-pleasing fruitful in good works and increasing in the knowledge of God We sinners c. That whatsoever we do in word or deed we may do all to the glory of God that we make not void thy grace or receive it in vain We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we be careful to sanctify our Lord Jesus Christ always in our hearts that we seek not our own things but before all the things of Jesus Christ We sinners c. That looking up to Jesus who suffered we be not wearied and faint in our minds but considering the conversation of the Saints imitate their faith and patience We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That as his Souldiers we entangle not our selves in the things of this world but having food and raiment we be content therewith We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That by good works we make our faith and election sure that we do good whilst we have time and faint not for that we shall reap in due season We sinners c. That we forbear one another in love being careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace that we bear one another's burthens and so fulfil the law of God We sinners beseech Thee c. That being strengthened in all virtue thro the power of his grace we give thanks to God with all patience and long-suffering We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That waiting for the coming of our Lord we be careful to be found in him pure and unspotted in peace that we may receive the end of our faith even the salvation of our Souls and in the mean time work out our Salvation with fear and trembling We sinners beseech Thee c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Increase our Faith O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Infuse Hope O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Enkindle Charity O Christ hear us Christ give Ear unto us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Let us pray IN flame O Lord our reins and heart with the fire of thy holy Spirit that we may serve thee with a chast body and please thee with a pure heart O Most gracious Lord vouchsafe we beseech thee to direct and order all our thoughts words and works according to thy blessed will and to the praise of thy great Name conform them according to the perfect example of thy most holy life and conversation Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen O God which justifiest the ungodly we humbly beseech thy Majesty graciously to defend with thy heavenly grace and assist with thy continual protection us thy servants relying on thy mercy that constantly running in the course of virtue we may at length receive the crown thereof and by no temptations be withdrawn from serving thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Father of mercies and God of all consolations propitiously regard the frailty of our condition and by thy grace strengthen our endeavours that thro thy mercy we may at length obtain plenary remission of our sins constancy in thy holy service and the reward promised to perseverance thro Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord. Amen Concerning our SPEECH For Governing our Words O Almighty Judge of men who hast declared that for every idle word we must give account in the day of Judgment and by our words we must be justified or condemned and hast taught us by thy Holy Scriptures that he that keepeth his tongue keepeth his life and that if any offend not in word the same is a perfect man We beseech thee to set a continual watch before our mouth and keep the door of our lips that we may ever take heed unto our ways that we offend not in our tongue that unruly member which defileth the whole Body and setteth on fire the whole course of Nature O Lord protect and deliver thy servants by thy restraining Grace and by thy fear from the many evil and bitter fruits of this so small a member from blasphemy swearing or taking thy name in vain from lying slandering backbiting and speaking evil of our neighbour from railing reviling flattery tale-bearing or disclosing secrets from vain-glory and boasting from praising our selves or disparaging others from ostentation of our own science and wit from all filthy and corrupt communication from jesting foolish froward and idle words and unprofitable discourse And Thou who hast given this Member c. Thou knowest O Lord who knowest all our infirmities how slippery a member the Tongue is and how liable we are to some abuse of it which we are necessitated so often to use and have so often occasions ministred unto us of using it amiss which also it is not in another's power easily to restrain Grant that we may employ our uttermost endeavours to prevent the manifold evils thereof that we may not desire to speak where we may without loss be silent nor utter any thing which becomes not thy servants for fear of seeming stupid or ignorant melancholick or unsociable make us swift to hear and learn but slow to speak not intermedling in every discourse nor speaking at all times what we know but what is necessary remembring that a prudent man concealeth knowledge and that there is more hopes of a fool than of one hasty in his words And good Lord endue with such peaceableness and calmness of spirit that we may never passionately contend or dispute to maintain an unnecessary truth or to vindicate a small right or to justify our selves in slight defamations or affronts but may follow the pattern of thy most admirable silence O Lord even in the questioning of thy most innocent life and on all occasions vilifying and humbling our selves may in our hearts give the glory only to Thee Who livest and reignest c. But thou who hast given this member to thy creature Man as a special instrument of thy Praise grant that we may zealously employ it to promote thy glory and when ever occasion is given to vindicate thy honor to joyn in thy praises and to give thanks and to speak good of thy Name O Lord open thou our lips and let our mouth ever shew forth thy Praise And be pleased also so to sanctify us in our worldly converse that our Speech may be always
all sins past as present and always before him whilst to the sinner himself many are never known many once known quite forgotten Again He as being the person wronged by sin who is always a higher valuer of the offence than is the party offending justly aggravating it from the supreme dignity of his person his infinite love and numberless benefactions to the Sinner his former long patience toward Him his exceeding holiness and purity so opposite to its filthiness c. See Gen. 6.6 Where 't is said That man's sin grieved him at his heart and it repented our Lord that ever he had made him on the earth And again Mar. 3.5 That our most meek Lord Jesus was so provoked by it That he looked round about on them with anger being grieved for the hardness of their hearts But especially the hainousness of sins may be learnt from the many experienced stupendious Judgments upon them at which man is much troubled how to make them bear any just proportion to his Faults Which dreadful revenges upon Sin you may consider 1. In the faln Angels for one sin exiled from heaven and held in chains of darkness near upon ever since the Creation of the world besides what is to come made also for ever uncapable of any means of Reconciliation 2. In Adam for one sin ejected out of his most pleasant Habitation apparrel'd with the covering of Beasts condemned to eat his Bread in labour and sorrow and penance for near a 1000 years and then to return to Putrefaction and a curse laid on all his Posterity and on the ground they lived on for his sake 3. In the drowning at one time for their lusts and oppressions of all the men in the world except Eight persons their children and infants and all other living creatures for their sake 4. In the storm of Fire and Brimstone rained upon the five Cities for their Lusts and those pleasant Plains turned to a dead Lake till this day and yet these Cities to undergo a new Damnation at the day of Judgment as if they had as yet suffered nothing See Mat. 11.22 Where our Lord aggravating the punishment of Bethsaida saith it shall be then more intolerable than that of Sodome 5. In the severe punishments of David though otherwise a most holy person the sad story of which you may read in the 13.15 and 24. Chapters of 2. Sam. Concerning all which forenamed punishments this is a sufficient evidence that the sins deserved them because he who is Justice it self and from whom man learns the true notions of it inflicted them 6. Lastly In the precious Sacrifice of the only Son of God required by his Father for the Expiation of Sin This of the present temporal punishments But then consider also 2ly The future punishment for all sin here unrepented of and unforsaken before death in the world to come 27. 1 Immediately after death Of the Soul Exemplified in the deceased rich man tormented in fire whilst his brethren yet living in their jollity here on earth Luk. 16.24 And in the Beast and false Prophet their being cast into the Lake of fire before the Invasion of Gog and Magog and before Satan's being shut up there See Rev. 19 20. Comp. 20.8.10 Which also appears from our Lord 's declaring that a temporal death kills the Body but not the Soul Matt. 10.28 And St. Pet. 1. Ep. 3 4. adviseth the adorning of the hidden man of the heart because this not corruptible And Ibid. ver 19. makes mention of Spirits in Prison viz. the spirits of such persons as were preached-to in the days of Noah And if the Souls of the Righteous be then presently in Paradise Luk. 23.43 and with Christ their Lord and partake of God's mercy and glory the Souls of the Wicked must be then presently imprisoned and remain with the Devil their Master feel the lashes of God's Justice and begin their never ending misery and ignominy Whilst the Body descends into the Grave the poor Soul by the strength of Angels being forced downward into a far lower Dungeon an infernum inferius in the most innermost bowels of the earth from whence it shall never return again nor see light save at the last day that which flasheth from the face of the angry Judge when it is brought to his Bar to receive its last doom doubled torments and to make it much more sensible of them forc'd to take along with it its loathed Mate the Body into the same profound pit Who then can tell the agony of such person now come to the end of his days when scorched with Feavers he desires to dye and by death can remove only into a bed of fire when he cannot endure his present pains and hath no change save to far greater these he cannot suffer and the other if ceasing to suffer these he can no way avoid nor knows he what way to turn himself in this Labyrinth of Despairs These sufferings of the Soul having been by some endured already above 5000 years and those of the rich glutton in flames if this not made wholly a Parable suffered now above sixteen Centuries though he lived here not one 28. 2 After Dooms-day Of Soul and Body Where also weigh well the terrible description of these punishments mentioned in his Word who cannot lye The Body raised in dishonour A Carcass deformed stinking Chains binding hand and foot Prison depth of the Earth Dungeon Bottomless Pit A Fire and Brimstone-Lake Immobility Suffocation Worm or Serpent gnawing Fire devouring Thirst never refreshed Body never consumed Sense never stupified Weeping wailing gnashing the teeth Society of wicked men and Devils ugly stinking All hating cursing one another hating cursing God cast into a land of Oblivion Psal 88.12 None to comfort none to bemoan The ancient Compassion of Saints and Angels and God now turned into Hate and Derision No Mediator no Redeemer The Soul always in an Agony and sick to death restless hopeless despairing wounded to the heart with the sense of lost happiness as well as present misery And all her sufferings eternal eternal Eternal these pains God in his upright Justice not being so indulgent as to grant to that his wretched Creature the relief of an Annihilation And these pains unremitting the rich man sparingly begging of the beggar that before wanted his relief but only one drop of water falling from the dipped tip of his finger Luk. 16.24 and it would not be granted him The greatness of God's vengeance then answering the greatness of his person and of his patience when yet for the present so much hating sin which Patience abused at last turns to Fury and no wrath comparable to the wrath of the Lamb. See Rev. 6.6 Rom. 2.5 And from the magnitude of this wrath and punishment is chiefly learnt the magnitude of sin and what a Monster that must be that deserves such Torments for ever and ever from him that cannot do the least Injustice Digr Of the Degrees
to their Superior Potestates or to God who tho in himself Omnipotent yet is thus pleased by many Subordinations of Agents to govern the Universe but especially to provide all manner of Protection for his Servants in it And if for nothing else yet what a sad thing were it to be wicked for this that we should thus contristate so many near tho not seen Friends and Patrons labouring our Salvation in vain For these see Ezech. 10 11 12. 6.50 2. Pet. 2.11 comp 10. Job 1.6 Dan. 4.13.17 Rev. 8.3 4 5. 5 6. Zech. 4.10 Luk. 1.19 Tobit 12.15 1. Kin. 22.19 Psal 84.7 12. The Prayers and Intercessions of the beatified Saints in Heaven for us here on Earth secure of their own Salvation still solicitous for ours and the many Benefits that are received thereby 13. The Good growing better by perseverance in well-doing from custome and a former habit as the wicked by continuing in sin grow daily worse Digr Of the great Power of Custome 14. That as it is a very dangerous condition if any after having begun in a more special manner to serve God and after much well-doing shall fall away and abandon themselves to sin so it is no easy matter for nor often happens to those who are once truly converted to God after they have found such a difference in their Satisfaction and comfort in serving God from what they had in serving the World and after their tast of earthly pleasures is so much altered Rom. 6.21 so to fall-away but that falling they easily and quickly rise again and are very unquiet and discontented whilst they live in their sin Digr Of the great folly of not undertaking a strict and holy life out of fear of inability to persevere 15. The great retardements he receives who hath made some Progress in Holiness and Mortification for the committing any single act of any greater sin from the fears he hath 1 Of loosing all his former pains and holy endeavors of the Reformation of himself Ne perdat quod operatus est 2. Jo. 8. I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Cant. 5.3 2 Of the after-long griefs and self-afflictions he knows he shall suffer for such an act 3 Of his being though pardoned yet set so much backward in his love to God and the love of God to him 4 And of his being denied those great visitations and consolations of the Holy Spirit 16. The certain addition of new and greater Graces upon former well managed Habenti dabitur Matt. 11 12. 17. The chiefest Graces of God's Spirit ordinarily not meerly gratuital but rewards of former service and nothing given that is not first laboured for except the ability to labour for them The Grace little in comparison which is bestowed at the first And this little again from the unprofiting withdrawn Non habenti auferetur quod habet Regnum coelorum patitur vim violenti rapiunt 18. Our Preparations necessary for attaining Grace and that it ordinarily worketh in us according to each man's capacity and his former natural and acquired parts neither usually changeth it in us all natural imperfections 19. The accesses and recesses and the vicissitudes of the Influences and Actings of the Holy Spirit in us according to the more or less exercise of our Devotions the several preparations and elevations of the heart towards God and Divine things and also according to the present needs of our imployments sufferings and that it is excited and improved by our fervency and care and cooled by our neglect grieved affronted quenched by our resistance See 1. Cor. 12.31 2. Tim. 1.16 1. Tim. 4.12 13 14 15. 2. Tim. 2.1 Apocal. 3.19 Rom. 12.11 2. Cor. 6.1 2. 8.7 Gal. 5.25 Eph. 5.17 18. Col. 3.14 15 16. Col. 4 5 6. Heb. 12.28 Eph. 4.30 Matt. 25.8 1. Thes 5.19 Heb. 10.29 1. Cor. 3.17 Most of which Texts are Exhortations concerning husbanding and improving the Graces received of God and not resisting the Spirit Therefore not to incur such hazard the internal motions of this Spirit whether operating in the Understanding or the Will are to be very diligently attended-on expected hearkned to especially in time of Prayer with much silencing of our own reason and passions and among other things its unity carefully to be preserved in a bond of Peace with all our Fellow-members Eph. 4.3 25. Col. 3.14 15. Phil. 1.27 20. God's Spirit working less or more in all the Regenerate Gal. 5.17 and all those Acts mentioned Gal. 5 22 23 its Fruits And therefore we obliged to a reverent entertaining and prosecuting of all those illuminations and motions that arise in us which we think tend to any good though many times the Spirit to advance our co-operation and reward in doing well upon less assurance gives no evident testimony to its self this pious resentment of the Celestial Influence that we dayly receive much encouraging us to go forward in Piety and to return our thanks Digr Of the well keeping and preserving Graces given 21. Internal Consolations much more abounding by external and secular avoided 22. By more holiness a ready assent to more illuminations qui sequitur me non ambulat in tenebris and Christianity not so much a Science but Experience sentitur antequam discitur nor do they though much learned who serve not truly know God i. e. in his chiefest Excellencies He being so intelligible only by this Experience but they do remain still in darkness and Wisdome is justified only of her children 23. By practising and exercising of things better the speedy attainment to a perfect dis-affection and contempt of things worse and nothing worth So by purging our selves from those works which are opposite to the doctrine of true Faith we procure a true Faith see Jo. 3.19 20. Jo. 5.44 Quod nolumus difficile credimus from working believing and from working loving 24. The great vertue and efficacy of the most excellent Grace of Charity or Love which once possessed doth the work and effect of all other Graces by its own power and cureth all Sins better than their proper remedies whilst it seeks in all things punctually to observe and conform-to the Will of him and in no small thing to displease him with whom this ravished Soul is sick of Love Whilst she careth only for the things of the Lord how she may please the Lord 1 Cor. 7.23 and languishing with a perpetual desire of two things 1. Prayer 2. Mortifications and Sufferings the last the more to shew her love to God the other always in some manner to enjoy it And this love of God also infers that of our Neighbour in respect of the many near relations he hath to God and besides the Precept of it And this love of our Neighbour again in its doing them no manner of ill compendiously fulfills all the other laws of our Duty towards them as is observed by the Apostle Rom. 13.9 10. 1. Cor. 13.4 25. The excellent degrees of Perfection that
which you must be accountable Because of the multiplied cares thereof leaving you less vacancy for attendance on Prayer and Celestial things which vacancy you ought by all means you can to preserve for the doing your chiefest business that of the next World for it may well be applied to this secular engagement what the Apostle adviseth concerning another 1. Cor. 7.33 Qui sine uxore est read it sine officio solicitus est quae Domini sunt quomodo placeat Deo qui autem cum uxore solicitus est quae sunt mundi quomodo placeat uxori divisus est And ver 35. Hoc ad utilitatem vestram dico quod facultatem praebeat sine impedimento Dominum obsecrandi The Apostles frequently advising us to whatever may further disswading from whatever may hinder Prayer the chief business in this life See this ch v. 5. 1. Pet. 3.7 Matt. 5.23 24. 1. Tim. 2.8 Jam. 1.6 And ver 32. Volo autem vos sine solicitudine esse Again Because of the many Temptations and great Sins to which secular Greatness and State joined with Wealth and Applause its two ordinary Hand-maids exposeth you Concerning which Temptations and Sins the former Counsels and Texts being as applicable to an honourable and a low condition as before to a rich and a poor need not here be repeated Lastly Because of the many changes to which secular Greatness is liable and from which though no condition whatever in this world is freed yet much the more stedfast and fixt and always equal are the lowest As for the invitement to all these hazards the doing more good consider that it is also most what a temptation proceeding from too much self-self-love and self-esteem that if indeed you be not so worthy and fit for the right discharge of such Office as some others your procuring it doth for so much hinder and diminish the publick Good Again being exposed to so many more Temptations by it your Humility ought to fear that the Sins you shall commit are likely to o're count the Good you may perform and that in this case you ought to prefer your own Innocence before your neighbour's Benefit and the not offending God by Sin before your pleasing him with some good Work he requiring Purity before Charity and Obedience before Sacrifice 2. Refusing also such Honors and Preferments when offered preserving due obedience to those who may command you because there are persons enow fitter than your self as you ought to think to possess them 3. Prescinding at once all ambitious desires and designs and the many vices that attend them after a due respect had to the sufficiency of your present condition by passing a firm Resolution never to solicite for or accept when freely offered unless constrained to it by authority not to be opposed any higher place or preferment in this world men much more freely and devoutly attending to their spiritual Progress when they have concluded their secular Recommendation of Humiliations and of a low Condition 4. Diligently practising frequent Humiliations of your self to mean persons and services below your condition See Rom. 12.10 16. Jam. 1.10 considering the many Vertues and Graces in us that receive great growth thereby and rise still higher as our Humility can descend still lower and this is the proper effect of such Humiliations considering also the Tranquility and Peace enjoyed by it whilst we seek that wherein we have no Competitor but wherein all are ready rather to further our design But especially imitating the Pattern of our great Lord in this Practice Matt. 20.28 And Jo. 13.4 c. where he professeth he did it for a Pattern ver 14 15. And obeying his Lessons Luk. 14.10 9.46 Matt. 18.2 23.12 Mar. 9.35 36. where he directs the Guest to take the lowest place that so he might be called higher and by an humble Child brought in amongst them teacheth his ambitious Disciples that the true way to be greatest was to be least and first was to be last Greatest for the present i. e. in Vertue and in the esteem of God and his good Angels even whilst he is last in Place and mens esteem But greatest too for the future this being in the rule of God's Oeconomy the only posture for Preferment he depressing the high and exalting the low and so such a State if it were only out of ambition to be chosen which God and Men love to advance §. 16. 2. And Reputation 1. And as for Honors Preferments and Offices so for Reputation and a Name which we may seek also even in the not-seeking the other Keeping ever a strict watch of not being tainted at least with this most subtle Evil never suffering the praise of men to be a motive to you of undertaking any Action The praise of men a thing so little worth which is but of a few of them only in some Corner only of this lower world most of these too of little judgment and this perhaps mis-informed or partial as is the praise of friends or dissembling and praising only from the lips outward when the heart despiseth and very mutable commending to Day condemning to Morrow See how it went with our Lord himself Benedictus qui venit on Palm-Sunday and Crucifige Crucifige within five days after the most being of a perverted judgment and commending things no way praise-worthy and so this drawing aside the ambitious thereof from doing what his conscience would tell him is most fit to what is most applauded the occasion of the Pharisees great miscarriage in their actions Jo. 12.43.5.44 And see Jo. 5.41 Lastly all in a short time swept away from the earth the praiser and praised and both forgotten and unknown to Posterity This praise of men therefore always rejected let your only motive be the Praise you shall have with God 2. Cor. 10.18 Rom. 2.29 1. Cor. 4.7 and with his Holy Angels infinitely more numerous persons more honourable of a constant being and in the next world our near Acquaintance and Associates never lost but to whom now also we are a spectacle as well as to men 1. Cor. 4.9 1. Tim. 5.21 and our present Actions discoursed of in the Court of heaven and laid up in their Memories Job 1.8 Zechar. 1.12 13. 3.2 Who see and rejoice for any good done to us Luk. 2.14 or done by us Luk. 15.7 and this our Reputation with them declared by our Lord to be worth the valuing See Luk 12.8.9 Rev 3.5 14.10 Matt. 25.31 Eccl. 6.5 1. Tim. 3.16 Who considers much and often that all his Virtues are seen and registred in the Court of heaven will little care to be applauded or known in the Village of this world or rather in but one Cottage of it Mihi pro minimo est ut judicer ab humana die 1. Cor. 4.3 Nay Si hominibus i. e. mundi placeo Christi servus non sum Gal. 1.10 This then often meditated on will animate you to worthy performances with
many times things of the greatest consequence and no external sins occur so often as those of the tongue knowing that there are two fountains within us of our thoughts and speeches Nature and Grace or the Spirit and their Dictates contrary and nature commonly preventing the other in her Suggestions and our second our better thoughts Weigh thy words in a ballance and make a door and a bar for thy mouth Prepare what to say and then shalt thou be heard bind up instruction and then make answer Ecclesiasticus 28.25 33.4 And The words of such as have understanding are weighed in a ballance Ecclesiasticus 21.25 And The heart of the Righteous studieth to answer saith the wise man Prov. 15.28 And lastly Seest thou a man saith he that is hasty in his words there is more hopes of a fool than of him Prov. 29.20 6. Not speaking verbously but as much as you can contracting your sense If silence ordinarily makes none less talk makes fewer oversights Let thy speech be short comprehending much in few words and be as one that knoweth and yet holdeth his peace Ecclesiasticus 32.8 And A fool is known by multitude of words Ecclesiasticus 5.3 7. Not speaking vehemently or passionately but so as it may be accompanied with and mastered or checked by your judgment which much passion clouds and troubles Not using your self to exaggerate any thing to hyberbolize and exceed the truth though a common custome but moderating your expressions and rather speaking the least Not delivering things with much asseveration by this as it were to add more weight and authority to your words which if there be any fault in what we say makes it much greater All these things savour of pride self-self-love vain glory men-pleasing and the contrary of discretion moderation and humility For this often remembring our Lord's holy Lesson Matt. 5.37 Let your Communication be yea yea nay nay and his note upon it Quod autem his abundantius est a Malo est Iterated also by St. James 5. c. 12. v. with this Caveat least you fall into condemnation i. e. some guilt or other condemnable 8. Avoiding much ceremony and dissimulation and compliance the later corruptions of Christian simplicity When our words swerve from our hearts our actions again do so from our words and so we only fall at last into the more shame and confusion Avoiding these I say so far as this may expose you to any temptation or peril of offending God your best your highest friend and always one of your company not professing your self to be what you are not which is lying or what you ought not to be which is disloyalty to God to be loyal to your Friend Nihil deformius quam Scenam in vitam transferre especially for a Christian Membra Christi Templa Spiritus Sancti Filii Dei Nolite fieri servi hominum 1. Cor. 7.23 If we have so little esteem for the world within why shew we so much without or any further than Christian duty and charity obligeth us for God's sake See Jo. 5.41.44 12.43 Rom. 12.2 Jud. 1.6 v. Jam. 1.10 1. Cor. 7.22 2. Cor. 11.20 1. Cor. 9.19 St. Paul's becoming omnia omnibus was only omnia licita and not this done on any terms but first being a perfect Saint and running no hazard in using these licita ut plures lucrifaceret But we that are unperfect may not venter so far when we hazard instead of gaining others the losing our selves 9. 1 In company forbearing the relating or inquiring after news stories other-mens affairs impertinent and no way concerning us distractions of the mind and commonly ending in censure and detraction especially concerning great persons and publick Magistrates of whom we ought to think and speak with great reverence Carefully avoiding the first engagement in such discourses easilier wholly abstained from than discreetly moderated See 1. Tim. 5.13 1. Pet. 4.15 Psal 73.9 Meddle not with many matters for in medling much thou shalt not be innocent Ecclesiasticus 11.10 And If thou hast heard a word let it dye with thee and be bold it will not burst thee 9. 2 Forbearing any presaging of future events and reverencing in all things God's Counsels and Providence which often works contrary to probable conjectures and likeliest appearances of things 10. Not speaking reprehending or contradicting and disputing in your own or others anger or when you or they are any other way distempered 1. Not in your own anger because then you are apt to make a false judgment of things neither will your reprehension or contradiction be performed with that moderation and discretion it should be Nor if it be so yet doth it appear so to or hath the same weight with the reprehended because they see you angry but stay a little in silence and let your passion cool and by and by things will have another appearance and faults seem now of a less magnitude than they did before so that he who resolves not to find fault in his anger will much seldomer find fault and when he doth will do it more moderately and his reproof be more justly proportioned to the Sin 2. Nor replying or reprehending in anothers anger For neither then do their errors faults or oversights appear to them so great as they are and besides your reproofs at such time receive ill answers from them and these serve to kindle anger in your self also where there was none before But when their passion is cooled they more clearly see the greatness of their fault and so more profitably and patiently receive your reproof and counsel Much caution therefore hath the wiseman given concerning this passion The discretion of a man saith he deferreth his anger and it is his glory to pass over a transgression Psal 19.11 And He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his Spirit than he that takes a City Prov. 16.32 14.29 And on the other side A fool's wrath is presently known Ps 12.16 11. Not contending and striving in words with any one for any thing but abstaining from second answers and replies though most reasonable after that by some resistance made the person at that time seems indisposed and imagining that we look after victory hath shut the Gate to Reason It is not passion but gentleness on truth's side that overcomes passion on the other and in such meekness the victory is only deferred not lost And this to suffer our selves to be overborne when Reason is on our side rather than contend especially in truths not so necessary to be maintained is an act of great mortification and humility and whilst you yield to another the getting a great victory over your self and we shall receive that praise from God which we willingly for peace-sake lose with men Yielding to all the world as much as you can in point of opinion and doing their will sooner than your own 12. Not
speaking any thing tending directly or indirectly to your own praise in earnest or in jest for greater matters or for trifles and such things as are by you thought contemptible For many times there lies herein a feather of vain glory tho not discerned by us and many times to others it appears and gives offence Not doing this I say unless when some extraordinary good may come thereby and then delivering the matter spoken with much moderation apology and humility acknowledging the true author of it and qualifiing it with relating your faults always immediately repelling any praise given you by others God being only to be praised so long as he is the Author of all Good So generally speaking little of your self in any kind of your business of your sufferings c. savouring of self-love and tedious to others But upon any good occasion given despising vilifying condemning your self especially when commended from which thing you will find much benefit and were it worth any thing or might you seek for it more reputation and a great deal more esteem with those that hear you 13. Not vindicating or justifying your self when receiving from your company some slight defamations and affronts nor excusing your self when blamed and that as you think unjustly because self-self-love may blind you not to see a true fault or if it doth not yet some other way you deserve more blame than that laid on you to which for mortification sake you may apply it always remembering the most admirable silence of our Lord in the questioning of his most innocent life This practice will incourage your friends the more to mind you of your faults And God undertakes our Justification when innocent much more effectually than we can do it when we for humility peace and good Example desist from it 14. Speaking of particular persons as little as may be a thing seldome done without some wrong to them It being more pleasant to speak of other men's faults than virtues because by the one we seem to our selves advanced by the other depressed Whether it be to friend or foe talk not of other men's lives saith a wise man But rather when there is occasion to speak of any vice speak what you have to say of it in general and without application to persons or else in the first person I or We speaking evil of no man absent though a truth though a truth well known Excusing any as much as you can when evil spoken of from their ignorance good intentions strong temptations or the like Always signifying an unwillingness to hear them ill spoken of which may perhaps discourage and rectify the Relator men usually forbearing to speak what they think doth not please or at least may preserve your own innocence Making no comparisons between persons for seldome is the one of them praised but that the other is depressed Especially speaking always reverently of holy things and persons and generally of all persons in authority being our publick Parents and Benefactors for whom we are obliged particularly to pray 1. Tim. 2.2 and who to us are in the place of God Taking heed of censuring their actions which being publick are more talked of and so we here to stand more upon our guard and the true circumstances of them by inferiors many times little understood and as being the actions of persons above us apt to be maligned and envyed and mis-related Remembering the terribledoom of those in 2. Pet. 10.11 and Jude 8 9. who are not afraid to speak evil of Majesty and Dignities when as God's Officers and Ministers the Angels themselves for all their higher place forbear to do it 15. As much as you can abstaining from secular discourse and guiding or diverting it to or at least mixing it with something of Piety of Spiritual matters which matters most concern all persons whatever of God's honor and praise in some or other of his Attributes his wisdome mercy justice providence omnipotency to several of which every action in the world that we can talk of hath some near relation Knowing that the glorifying God on this manner is one of the chiefest ends of God's Creation of us and Ordination of them Remembring the Apostle's Exhortation Let such speech proceed out of your mouth as is good to the edifying of Faith that it may minister Grace to the Hearers and contristate not the Holy Spirit of God that continually inspires such good motions into you Eph. 4.29 30. by talking secular impertinencies And again Let the Word of Christ dwell in you abundantly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord and whatsoever ye do in word or work do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Col. 3.16 17. And Non stultiloquium aut scurrâ—litas quae ad rem non pertinet sed magis gratiarum actio Domine totus mundus plenus est Te nescimus loqui de Te vel ad Te. Recommendation of Silence 16. Lastly in much company so far as it may consist with your duty and charity accustoming your self to Silence not caring to be accounted therefore stupid or ignorant melancholick or unsociable by which Silence we escape many sins of the tongue and keep more calm our passions and an entire peace within our selves as being free from others contradictions pax animi silâ—ntium Tace paulisper tumultus animi cito pertranseunt whereby we better examine the cogitations and fancies that are continually springing within us before they pass the gate of our lips and judge many fit to be suppressed and stifled in the conception whereby we better hearken to the internal whispers and motions of God's Spirit and uningaged can better discern the value of others discourse Lastly holding our peace furnisheth the Soul with good thoughts and is the way not to want that which may be said profitably and to purpose 17. In Silence not suffering your mind to lye idle or to dwell too much in your ear where the discourse of others is not pertinent For he that will be dumb must also be deaf or to wander whither it listeth to other matters no less vain than those you avoid but keeping it at work and putting your self in another and better company I mean conversing in your heart with God who is still with us when we turn unto him and goes not from us at all but as we recede from him Reciting in your mind some Psalms or other ready devotions which will presently stop the course of your passion or your ears from your Companion 's impertinencies To which purpose are those Scripture-Exhortations of praying continually with perseverance always in all things giving thanks rejoycing always i. e. in the Lord singing and making Melody in our hearts to the Lord not quenching the Spirit 1. Thes 5.16 17 18 19. Phil. 4.4 Eph. 6.18 Col. 4.2 Eph. 5.20
Of the heinous crime of lying and deceiving 1. Th. 4.6 2. Of the heinousness of perjury and breach of promises covenants c. Even those 1. Made out of fear 2. Or which others have compassed by fraud See Josh 9.3 comp 2. Sam. 21.1 2. 3. Or where others do violate their faith to us 3. Of God's special vengeance as it is specially invoked in making them upon violation of solemn Covenants Secondly MERCY And Thirdly LOVE §. 66. 1. In doing no hurt 1. Reverencing the absent and being very jealous of your behaviour concerning them 1. Not speaking evil of them tho a truth unless notoriously known and in a case of some necessity Not doing it always then even when it may seem some way to tend either to their amendment we speak of Or theirs we speak to for this pretence mostwhat is only a temptation 2 Lastly when the faults are such as for the offendors or also for the common good are not to be concealed speaking of them only to those who can remedy them i. e. to the person that offends or to the Superior and this with all humility but not speaking of them to others least so be introduced a custome of detracting Of which much silence is an happy cure Indeavouring still in part to excuse them when you are forced to relate their faults or when you hear them blamed by others for so those do who truly love another for charitable affections have always a charitable judgment and if we pretend to love our Neighbour as our selves we ought to excuse him because we usually do excuse our selves And so those do who constantly remember their own infirmities Besides that a custome of excusing much checks anothers male-dicency and men do not so freely blame and censure where they perceive it doth not please and so covering the others fault rectifies also theirs 3. When you must speak of them imagining them present and hearing you or that you speak to another to relate it unto them In general approaching when people are absent as it were nearer to flattery when present to detraction 2. Not discommending other men's works and doings Especially not those of Governors Jam. 4.11 Jude 8.9 not diminishing or dissembling their good parts c. 3. Not censuring c. Especially in the points of God's Judgments Remembring Job the Galileans and the born-blind Digr That ordinarily no good man is so good nor wicked man so bad 1. Cor. 13. Charity thinketh no evil rejoiceth not in iniquity hopeth all things believeth all good things as men commonly imagine As is experienced by much conversation with either after such an opinion first had of them 4. 1. Not enquiring into avoiding the knowledge of the defects c. of your Neighbour who is busy to mark can hardly abstain from censuring 2. thinking no ill 1. Cor. 23.3 Not hearing willingly 4. Not believing ill reports of them 5. Excusing 6. Especially never ill interpreting their intentions never saying they did such a thing out of pure wilfulness despite and malice Mat. 7.1 7. Forgiving and not returning evil for evil 8. Praying for their forgiveness from God 9. Loving and Praying for them this being a more special duty of the Gospel 10. Especially forgiving Errors and being charitable to other mens contrary opinions and judgment which charitableness cannot well be without an humble and mean conceit of our own wisdome therefore towards this difference in opinion we use to be far more uncharitable than towards vice Because who agree not in opinion seem to disparage our judgment and upbraid us of Error But the vicious render us appearing to our selves the more righteous Now we naturally tolerate any thing that advanceth us in our own conceit nothing that depresseth us 11. Not requiring satisfaction for losses Seek◠not her own beareth all things 12. In smaller matters not vindicating your innocency aspersed by them 13. Not relating their faults against you for their disgrace this being one kind of revenge talking afterward of mens trespasses is a manifest imperfection in our forgiveness 14. Preparing your self to receive more injury and loss rather than contend with them 15. Seeking for peace to those who have injured you with telling them privately their fault 16. Not envying them 1. Cor. 13.4 17. Esteeming them better than your self Envieth not is not puffed up 18. Submitting not only to Magistrates but even to one another out of pure humility Eph. 5.21 1. Pet. 5.5 Rom. 12.10 Digr 1. Recommendation of forbearing just suits and contentions for our right 1. Cor. 6.7 Psal 69.4 especially in smaller matters being sure that God will make us amends some other way This rule obligatory to Kingdomes and States one towards another as well as to private men As likewise States and Magistrates to shew all mercy in inflicting of punishments §. 67. 2. In doing all Good 1. There being two grounds of doing good and exercising charity to your Neighbour 1. The love of God to whom our Neighbour hath relation and whom God hath a care of and so we also are taking care of him to please God 2. And particular affections to our Neighbour from the relations we have to him or qualities we approve in him Building your well doing chiefly upon the first of these for so it will be more sure and more universal And this ground ought often to be meditated on to excite you to well-doing and to teach you to love them as his friends rather than your own 2. Returning 1. good for good for this is gratitude 2. Good from whence no Evil Humanity 3. Good for Evil Christianity and the first trial whether our Love to our Neighbour be for God's sake and such as is commanded 4. When another's good and yours cross preferring their good when considerably greater before your own persection As your Neighbors great benefit in his goods or affairs before a smaller loss and hinderance in your own your Neighbors life before your own goods your Neighbours Salvation before your life c. 1. Jo. 3.16 Of Alms and Deeds of CHARITY §. 68. 3. Shewing Mercy to all Creatures whatsoever capable of it particularly those under your command in using them kindly providing for them c. See Lev. 25.53 22.24.28 Deut. 25.3 4. 4. Shewing Mercy to your Neighbour not only for his body and his estate but above all to his Soul in any kind you may 5. Shewing what Mercy you can to the faulty in not punishing them when you are forced to it with rigour See Zech. 1.15 2. Chron. 28.9 Esay 47.6 Ps 69.26.27 Amos 1.3.6.19.13 nor adding more affliction to misery Ps 109.16 Phil. 1.16 Jer. 48.27 6. Shewing Charity and Mercy especially to Saints in a more careful manner than to others Since all poor do not equally bear the image of Christ and God's providence is especially sollicitous for his servants Matt. 35.43 1. Tim. 4.10 Deut. 11.21 Matt. 10.42 whose Mercies we are in every thing to imitate Gal. 6.10
this surely more effectual to ours 6. Doing which necessarily follows from the former of many things that which still tends to his greater glory whilst you endeavour to make all things besides his glory indifferent to you 7. Renewing an actual intention of his glory before every particular action else notwithstanding a general devotement of all your works to him at the beginning of the day nature will frequently relapse to minding her own good which actual intention will help us to undertake still greater things for his glory and to desert all those actions which serve not or less unto it 8. Procuring his praise from others in shewing or proclaiming any part of his wisdome or his works and in accustoming your self to attribute constantly all good things and that in the smallest as well as greater matters unto him since he certainly doth all good And especially since in this his dayly working all good in and by us many yet do rob him of his due glory to get some to themselves taking heed in your doing any thing commended to procure his praise always rather than your own and when any applause comes to you presently to offer it up to him remembring how Herod was stricken for not giving God the glory the people gave to him Acts. 12.23 9. Procuring his outward and visible glory in reverently observing celebrating adorning things amongst us that have more special relation and dedication unto him as places times persons holy and the publick service of him in and by them for all these things excessive love naturally doth 10. Often comparing the acts of your love to him with those of his love to you and the meanness of your service with the greatness of your Lord comparing his perfections and your defects Considering what a thing any man is to Angels what Angels to him what you amongst those multitudes of worthies amongst men on whom he may place his love and then concluding with St. Austine Quid tibi sum ipse ut amari te jubeas a me nisi faciam irascaris mihi §. 76. II. Believing and Hoping in him II. 1. Believing and hoping in Him In all purposes honest though temporal and those of small consequence But especially in spiritual whether concerning God your Self or your Neighbour See Ps 37.3.5.7 55.22 9 10. 27.14 Where you have no private secular interest and purity of conscience And in matters of greater difficulty and where as there is great reason to undertake so little humane likelihood to effect them For to hope in him where affairs are prosperous and where there is another hope besides is also the worldlings hope Job 13.15 Ps 27.3 Digr 1. Some degree of want of Faith the chief obstruction of all good and heroical resolutions §. 77. III. Wershipping him III. 2. Worshipping him First with Prayer In which 1. For our selves 1. Confession of Sins 1. With Prayer 1. Confession 1. Meditating on hell the punishment thereof and imploring pordon 2. Making your Confession of Sins very particular and not such and so general as the most righteous person in the world may truly say it after you Canfessing more specially your last sins after more promises of reformation The sins of the present day Some former greater sins of your life that more burden your conscience which ought continually to be remembred before the Lord Psal 51.3 Not only known sins forsaken but all those actions in which for the present by some excess or other vicious circumstances you doubt whether you may not have offended him desiring his further illumination and remembring Eccl. 9.1 and 1. Cor. 4.4 and professing a ready mind to alter what in them you shall know to be displeasing unto him 3. Begging grace of God to know all your sins and defects that you may remove out of his sight whatever offends him 4. Using several ways of helping to call them to mind By running over and examining 1. The Ten Commandments 2. The Apostles Catalogue of Sins Gal. 5.19 Rom. 1.29 Rev. 21.8 c. 3. The three faculties of the Soul Memory Vnderstanding Will and Affections 4. The five Senses and the Tongue 5. The three ways of sinning thought word deed 6. Against God our Neighbour our selves By reviewing the whole course of our life according to the time year after year places of our abode Societies we lived in imployments we have followed c. 5. Staying our meditation longer on those heads which have been more transgressed by us 6. Reviewing at certain times the greater sins of our former life written down and afflicting our Souls for them Digr Of the benefit of the often remembrance and re confession of old sins §. 78. 2. Thanksgiving 2. Thanksgiving and Confession of God's mercies 1. Meditating on paradise the purchase of Christ's merits for those who serve him and giving thanks 2. Imagining all God's and our Saviours benefits as particularly done for you Or considering them to you comparatively to many others who enjoy a less portion of them or perhaps suffer things contrary unto them 3. Considering our Lord not only as man but as God in all things he did and suffered for you which will make them still greater unto you as his person is and will produce great reverence adoration fear love admiration and praise in you 4. Dedicating some of his benefits still to his service in giving something to his poor or using some other acts of Charity Especially after any extraordinary favour received 2. Sam. 24.24 Digr Of the horrible crime of Sacriledge or robbing God of that which others have given unto him §. 79. 3 Petition 3. Petition Confessing to him 1. your necessities and wants spiritual and temporal your infirmities and present condition for every thing even as if he knew them not except from your relation but indeed that you may the better know them and may become affected accordingly Psal 142.2 Jer. 11.20 2. King 19.14 and so imploring his grace speedy assistance succour c. 2. In these requests remembring and repeating unto our Lord his own words his promises his life he led here as if he had forgot them but indeed to strengthen more your faith in them and adherence unto him Thus Nazianzen Orat. 11. describes the earnest devotion of his sick Sister Gorgonia Ad altare cum fide procumbit eumque qui super ipso honoratur cum ingenti clamore invocat omnibusque nominibus appellat atque omnia ea quae unquam mirifice gesserat velut in memoriam ei revocat c. 3. Beseeching him as for external necessities so for your internal for the good motions of our Soul which seem most in our own power but in which indeed we no less depend on his help 2. Cor. 3.5 for giving us affections suting to our present duty joy sorrow tears praying against our will to be made willing and to wish first that we may will Imagining our understanding as that of a natural fool's and every moment receiving new
my self that for that reason I have here so long stood upon it §. 105. I conclude He who would attain this profitable way of recollection because as I say with the help of God it lies in our own power let him not be weary to practice himself in what is here spoken because it is by little and little the getting the Mastership of himself he not thus losing his liberty in vain but rather gaining himself wholly to himself that is the having his faculties at command for interior matters If he will speak he must procure to remind himself that he hath one to speak-with within him if he hearken he hath to consider that he ought to hear one who speaks the most intimately to him in summe to make account that he may if he will never dis-joyn himself from so good company and to lament himself when for any long time he hath left there alone this his Father of whom he hath always so great need §. 106. If he can do this many times in a day let him do it and if not at least a few times because when he hath contracted a custome thereof he shall find himself much a gainer thereby either presently or within no long time And after our Lord hath granted it him he will not exchange it for any treasure whatsoever but nothing is acquired without some pains §. 107. For the love of God my Sisters count that endeavor well imployed which ye shall spend in this thing she saith of her self that in her first practice thereof few days passed that she made not many hours of Prayer but these I suppose more in affective than discoursive Prayer assisted with reading in Sterilities unless hindred by sickness or much business and she adviseth others to practice it at least for two hours every day in her Life Chap. 8th for I know that if you shall intend in one year and perhaps a half with the favour of God ye shall attain it Behold how small a time for so great a gain as this is to lay a good foundation that if the Lord will exalt you to greater matters he may see in you a good disposition in finding you so nigh unto him May his Divine Majesty never permit that we far-remove our selves from his most amiable presence Amen The same thing much-what is said Ibid. ch 26. §. 108. To the same purpose she speaketh also in the 13th Ch. of her Life Let them saith she set themselves in the presence of Christ and without tiring the understanding let them be discoursing and delighting themselves with him not wearying themselves in framing reasons and handsome expressions but in simplicity represent their needs and the reason he hath not to endure them before him One thing at one time and another thing at another time to the end the Soul be not cloyed with feeding always on one Dish When we set our selves to meditate on some passage of the Passion of Christ our Lord as for Example of his being bound to the Pillar here the Understanding goes searching out the reasons and ways whereby it may apprehend the excessive pains and torments that our Lord suffered in that Posture finding himself alone and forsaken of his friends and many other things which if the Understanding be active or the person learned may be drawn thence And thus it is good to discourse thereon a while thinking on the pains he suffered there and for whom he suffered them and who he is that suffered them and the love wherewith he suffered them but withal let not the Soul tire her self by going continually in quest of such discourse but stay her self there with Christ keeping the Understanding silent And if she can let her imploy it in thinking that he stands beholding her let her accompany him petition him abase her self before and solace her self with him and let her remember her self that she is unworthy to be there When she can do this tho it be in the beginning of her Prayer she will find great advantage thereby and this later kind of Prayer affords many benefits at least my Soul hath found it so §. 109. Thus she in that 13th Chapter and if you have now any further curiosity to know her first 1 beginnings in the practice of this Prayer 2 after her having read D' Ossuna's third Abecedary she describes them before in the 4th Chapter of her Life on this manner 3 I endeavoured saith she the best I could to carry Jesus Christ our Sovereign good and our Lord always present within me and this was my manner of Prayer If I meditated on any passage of his Passion I represented it to my self in my interior altho I spent most of the time in reading good Books wherein was all my recreation for God had not given me the talent of discoursing with my Understanding or of helping my self with the imagination which in me is so gross that when I have set my self to do it I could never obtain of it so much as perfectly to conceive or represent within my self the Humanity of our Lord. And altho some by this way that they cannot discourse with the understanding do sooner attain to contemplation if they persevere yet is it a thing very painful and of great difficulty especially to those who are not content with common and obvious matter of Devotion i. e. such as a Book or our memony easily affords but seek after subtiler Discourses For if the employment of the will by having no object present where her love may busy it self happen to fail the Soul is left as it were without a stay and exercise and her solitude and aridity do put her to great pain and likewise her wandring thoughts to a sore encounter For persons of this temper it is requisite to have greater purity of conscience than those who can discourse with the Understanding For he who can discourse What a thing the world is and how deeply he is obliged to God The great pains Christ hath suffered for him and the little service he doth his Majesty and What reward our Lord gives to him that loves him draweth matter from thence to defend himself from thoughts from occasions and from dangers but he that cannot help himself herewith is in greater peril and it is fit that he should employ himself much in reading since of himself he knows not how to draw out such Arguments For this manner of proceeding is so painful that if the Master who hath the guidance of such a Soul should restrain it to exercise Prayer without reading I say it is impossible it should continue therein very long being so deprived of this help of reading for reading helps him much to recollect himself who proceeds after this sort and is necessary for him tho it be but little which he reads and that only in the room of that mental Prayer which he cannot make Yea also it will much prejudice his health if he persist obstinately in
some danger of your life In an extraordinary storm of Thunder Earthquake Shipwrack in your last sickness Or as if the trumpet were sounding and the dreadful day of Judgment had surprized you Or as if you suffered the torments which Dives doth yet with some hopes of being delivered And such passion for pardon and resolutions for amendment as you would put on in such a case those presently entertain and so bespeak God for such things are no fictions but one day will come upon you Again addressing your self to our Saviour as Peter cryed out when sinking in the waves Or when he cryed Lord not my feet only Jo. 13.9 Or weeping as he when his good Master looked back upon him after he had denyed him Or as blind Bartimeus importuning him for the restoring of his sight Or as the Paralitick expecting that good word thy sins are forgiven thee c for instances are infinite such like addresses may profitably be used for acts of Confession and beging pardon §. 115. 2. Again in thanksgiving for his benefits and especially that of your redemption imagining your self standing before the Emperor of the whole world condemned to dye the most horrible death for treason against him and then this Emperor sending his onely Son that justice may not be defeated all others refusing to dye for you one of the vilest of all his subjects and then being thus delivered say to him what your heart shall tell you Or imagining your self to accompany our Saviour having first charged himself with your guilt and to answer justice for it quite through his passion Being behind him in the Garden at the time of his Agony and sweating of Blood When He tyed with cords and carried away Prisoner you with Peter and John following and beholding his usage in the Judgment-hall and weeping with Peter when he looks on you the Sinner he so suffers for Beholding his cruel whipping at a Post following him from thence and helping him with Simon when he faints with their hard usage to bear his Cross Then with his distressed Mother and Disciple standing before him hanging and bleeding on the Cross and then drawing nearer and with great compassion to his innocence and grief for your sins that caused such his pains desiring to bear part of his sorrows and resolving also to suffer all things for him say further what your heart shall teach you But then finding him after he is risen again and exalted over all still at his Prayers and Intercessions to the Father for you Say again and resolve what your heart shall teach you So also for other benefits imagining God sitting on the top of heaven compassed with all Celestial Courtiers looking down on millions of men and dispensing here judgments there mercies and amongst so many millions taking notice of you and before his Angels testifying his good will unto you and desire of your Salvation and sending by the chiefest of his train many gifts and tokens of his love and withal diverting his judgments from coming nigh your dwelling and then falling down see whether your heart can thank him §. 116. 3. In praising or giving glory to God or our Saviour imagining the Show Rev. 4.8 or 5.9 7.10.12 and your self amongst that Heavenly Quire crying Holy Holy c. Es 6.3 Or Bless the Lord with me all ye his Angels c. Psal 103.20 Or crying Glory in the highest with the multitude at our Saviours triumph Luk. 19.37 c. Or with Mary giving Glory to and worshipping him leading Captivity captive upon his Resurrection-day Or with Stephen him standing at the right hand of God §. 117. 4 In petitioning him for spiritual graces or temporal necessities Imagining our Saviour as at his last Supper giving his Body c or as sitting on Jacob's Well and you beging of him with the Samaritan Sinner Lord give me that water or with the Canaanitish Woman asking for some crums that may fall from the Childrens table or patiently sitting with Mary at his feet to receive his gracious answer or the unum necessarium So for making intercession for others Imagining a friend in prison or torments crying out for your aid as you pass by and that some few words spoken by you may procure his liberty or save his life Or some part of your body wounded and pained and that you are going to seek help for it Or rather that some member of your blessed Saviour as all true Christians are was some way distressed and that he after so much kindness shewed to and intercessions made for you would try now the return of your love to him in interceding for it c. Now who thinks such acts of imagination useless let him only consider the great effects of Imagination in another kind which he hath experienced in advancing his lusts and many false pleasures and conceited felicities sometimes in sometimes before the acting of a sin §. 118. Frequency of Prayer 19. Not omitting your Prayers when you find in your self little devotion or also much distraction of thoughts c. For if it be a fault to do them slightly it is a greater not to do them at all And God many times gives unexpected grace to those who endeavor and devotion is often acquired by entring into Prayer when we had it not before 20. Not omitting and thinking your self excused from your private dayly devotions by your presence at some common For besides that those are many times a necessitated these a more free will offering and worship who is there that hath not particular sins necessities mercies which are not in the publick prayers confessed or petitioned for 21. Vsing many times or hours of Prayer or Meditation in the day and that rather upon your knees for so you will be more observant what you are doing according to the best permittance of your ordinary employments custome of praying at length will make you in love with praying i. e. conversing with God Frater eamus paulisper precatum Aloys Gonzaga 22. Not omitting your set devotions for the intervening of ordinary business or ordinary works of Charity Because you stand more obliged in this duty towards God and greatest Charity towards your Soul than in some lesser towards your own or towards your neighbours temporal affairs And because also whether our own or our neighbours business it is much more furthered by our prayers procuring God's blessing than by our labours and indeed when we have most business then have we most use of Prayer 23. Vsing some set times annual monthly or weekly for your extraordinary devotions Confessions and reviewing your Spiritual Condition 24. Using extraordinary times of Prayer before and after extraordinary employments 25. Avoiding Taedium mentis as in all things so in your devotions For such who delight not in their work cannot long persevere in it This taedium is always relieved by variety of employment According to the old rule of the Religious Nunc lege nunc ora nunc cum
unto God for any mercies received c. God being pleased with nothing that we can render unto him but only in his Son so often iterated Matt. 3.17 17.5 12.18 and in what is offered unto him by and through and upon the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God through whom be all praise and thanks to God for ever Heb. 13.12.15 Levit. 3.5 Col. 3.17 §. 156. The danger and loss inneglecting the use of these Holy Mysteries Digr I. Of the great danger and loss of infinite benefits by neglecting the use of these holy Mysteries Numb 9.13 Act. 20.27 Which being the Holy Sacrament and instrument of the most intimate union between Christ and the Soul many times the devout Soul is replenished with an extraordinary sence and ravishing delight of this union at the time of the using them Digr Recommendation of frequentation 2. Using the help and seeking the benefit of this holy mystery upon any special occasion and with relation to some particular end As for remission of your sin for obtaining a remedy of some infirmity deliverance out of some affliction for receiving some grace and benefit for a thanksgiving for some benefit received for the helping your neighbour in some necessity for the increasing the Spirit and the love of God in you 1. Cor. 12 13. 3. Seting apart an hour or some good space of time immediately after your Communion to abide with and entertain our Lord in Prayer now entred in Person into your house and present to the Soul in so extraordinary a manner Using the acts of Mary Magdalen in lamenting your self to him and kissing his feet and attentively hearkning what then he shall say to you For this seems the least duty and observance you can pay to so divine a Guest to stay with him in your devotions and shut out all other thoughts and business for so small a season 4. Often examining your self concerning the fruits which only can be wanting by your default of your having so many times received it §. 157. The danger of using them unworthily Digr 2. Of the great danger of using them without due preparation 2. Chron. 30.20 Exod. 12.3.6 Jo. 15.5 1. Cor. 11.28 29. 1. Sam. 11.4 Matt. 22.12 Digr That the conditions and preparations required to make us partakers of the benefit of Christ's death and passion are also required to make us partakers of the benefit of this Sacrament Thus much of our diligent practising all Christian Duties whether towards God our Neighbor or our Selves Or doing good and what Actions are required of us §. 158. Of the Four Sufferings Now in the last place concerning our passive duty and suffering Evils 1. Exercising Christian Patience 1. Sanctifying with our willingness and concurrence with God's pleasure all those sufferings and judgments for our sins which we undergo upon necessity Levit. 26.41 As being all sent by God much greater than these deserved by us effective instruments and inducements to God's pardoning our former offences and averting his eternal wrath from us All redounding if it be not our fault to our further benefit and to God's greater Glory in and by us Heb. 12.11 Lastly in all ability being given us to endure according to the intenseness of the sufferings Dum auget Dolorem auget patientiam Offering them up unto God to be accepted through the more perfect sufferings of Christ This was Job's patience so much celebrated 2. Since God useth out of Evil to bring some greater good especially for those who fear and serve him when any cross and afflictive Accident happens to you considering presently what greater good may possibly come to you from it which thing will set your heart much at rest and facilitate your due correspondence with the Divine good pleasure As also the imagining that God sends every cross whoever is the instrument thereof on purpose to try your patience and behaviour in receiving it will suddenly change your anger against such instrument into thanksgiving and the practice of this virtue For indeed Crosses are great favours if well-husbanded 3. Not complaining nor bemoaning your self of them This being a lesser degree of impatience 4. Patiently undergoing any natural infirmities or defects and the shame that accompanies them according to which being not in our power God and his Angels whose praise only we ought to look after make no estimate of us but according to our virtues which by their growing out of infirmity become so much more praise-worthy Meanwhile our defects being the best preservers of humility 5. Patiently undergoing and not disquieting your self for any shame coming from some otherwise harmless deficiencies or also avoidable faults As some ignorances fooleries and incivilities undiscreet words or actions Separating as it were the shame from the defect and whilst you implore God's pardon and endeavour to redress and to prevent for the future the one accepting and thanking God and pardoning your self for the other Contrary to the custome of men who are angry at themselves only in respect of the shame not the fault or no less for the shame where they are not all faulty But know that all such anger and impatience proceeds from some degree of pride Digr Of all mens some or other infirmities which may make us more contented with our own 6. Chiefly arming your self with patience against such Crosses which no honor accompanies but shame and infamy and that with good men for honorable calamity any one can endure as disgraces contempts c either for your natural infirmities or also misdeserts Whoever hath perfectly quitted the solicitude of worldly reputation hath took away the sting of the most of mishaps 7. Not too solicitously avoiding and striving to remove afflictions incumbent both for the former considerations Numb 12.14 and also because that many times by humane wisdome avoiding one tolerable by God's judgment we fall into another worse 8. Advices concerning Sickness the most common and ordinarily the greatest and the last of all evils that happen to men §. 159. 1. For your behaviour before sickness in preparing for it Often premeditating of it which makes all Evils easier and not surprizing Often making your will and disposing of your temporals in which special care to be taken of dedicating some particular proportion thereof for the poor and setting in order your affairs in your intention at least as if you were then warned like Aaron or Moses or Hezekiah to leave the world And doing these not only That being in perfect health and use of faculties you may better perform this great duty of your stewardship in disposing more wisely of your Master's Goods for which disposal you must be called to account or That you may be eased of such a trouble in your sickness when most unfit for it and then may be wholly vacant for spiritual affairs But also undertaking it as an exercise most beneficial for quenching worldly cares Quantulumcunque ut relicturus satis habet minding you of your being a stranger here as
this life were not the least worthy of 2. Cor. 14.17 There to possess all Riches Without fear of Moth or rust or thief Matt. 6.19 Having in Heaven an induring substance Heb. 10.34 Receiving for all our former Losses an hundred fold Matt. 19.29 To enjoy all Honour To be made Kings Coheirs of God's heavenly Kingdome with his only Son Possessed of an exceeding eternal weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 Shining as the brightness of the Firmament as the Stars Dan. 12.3 as the Sun Matt. 13.43 having Crowns Palms Thrones Rev. 7.9 sitting with Christ in his Throne Rev. 3.21 Judging the Nations Angels 1. Cor. 6.3 ruling over the Nations Rev. 2.26 27. Made like unto the Son of God our B. Saviour 1. Jo. 3.6 To enjoy all Pleasures Arrayed in fine linnen clean and white Rev. 19.8 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Rev. 21.2 And there married unto the Lamb Rev. 19.7 The ravished spouse shall cry out I have found him whom my Soul loveth I will hold him and will not let him go Cant. 3.4 Blessed are they who are called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb Apoc. 19.9 Blessed be those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Luk. 12.37 They shall come from the East and from the West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Matt. 8.11 I will drink no more of this fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my fathers Kingdome Matt. 26.29 On either side of the River was the tree of life which had twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month c. Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Apoc. 22.2 17. Entring into the never-ending joy of our Lord Matt. 25.23 In whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Whether St. Paul was caught up and there heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter and of such a one saith he may I glory 2. Cor. 12.1 c. Where their Soul is to be satisfied with marrow and fatness that their month is still praising with joyful lips Psal 63.5 Where they are so ravished with his beauty and holiness that for ever they are doing nothing but gazing in his face Matt. 18.10 Rev. 22.4 and celebrating it and crying holy holy holy Rev. 4.8 Hallelujah Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb. Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Amen Blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen Rev. 4.11 7.10.12 15.3 19.6 Happy are the men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdome 1. King 10.8.1 Thou hast ravished mine heart thou hast ravished mine heart Tell my Beloved that I am sick of Love One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord c. Psal 27.4 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Blessed are they that dwell in thy house and are still praising thee Psal 84.1 2.4 Lastly filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.19 For Christ ascended into Heaven that so he might fill all things Eph. 4.10 Made all one with Christ and with God As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Jo. 17.21.23 That God may be all in all 1. Cor. 15.28 Next view the City where this Society of Saints live A City of most firm Foundations not to be shaken whose builder and maker is God himself Heb. 11.10 12.28 8.2.5 In a better country the heavens Heb. 11.16 And those made anew for the purpose Rev. 21.1 Allusively described and painted to our imaginations by the most glorious and perfect things that here fall under the knowledge of sense Rev. 21 and 22. Chapters The City made in fashion of a Cube the most stable figure Rev. 21.16 The streets of it pure Gold as it were transparent Chrystal Rev. 21.21.11 4.6 The Foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones See Rev. 4.3 Jasper Saphire Emerald c. ver 19. The walls of Jasper clear as Chrystal c. ver 18.11 these stones too having the glory of God ver 11. shining upon them The 12. Gates 12. Pearls Every several Gate of one Pearl These always standing open because never night freely to receive all nations ver 24 25. And at the 12 Gates 12 Angels to guard them that nothing abominable or defiling enter in there at But only those that are written in the Lambs Book of Life Rev. 21.27 1. Within it a pure river of water of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Rev. 22.1 In the Piazza of the City Paradise watered with its streams ver 2. and in it the tree of life exposed always bearing fruit and ever flourishing with an unfading leaf having the cure of all evils in the leaves the yieldance of all delicacies in the fruits and variety of these for every month See ver 2. 2. The Glory of God and of the lamb not resident in one part of the Temple as formerly but the Temple thereof Rev. 21 22. And the glory of them likewise the Sun thereof ver 23. For what other light can transcend that of the glorified Saints who themselves shine as the Sun All things there Holy Nothing that defileth entring into it nothing wicked or abominable Rev. 21.8 27. No more Curse or Malediction there Rev. 22.3 And when you have viewed the City then look into it and view once more the inhabitants thereof All Sons of Nobles Kings with Crowns Triumphant with Palms Cloathed all in white bright radiating Robes and shining as the Sun Wonder at their endless inviolable Concord A City at unity in it self More united than Friends being all Brethren Then Brethren being Fellow-members all of one and the same Body And more united yet than Members In as much as the Spirit of God by which they are joyned hath a more excellent power and vertue in compacting the Members of Christ then the Soul hath in those of the Body By which union it is that all the honour glory inheritance in the
Heavens which to all of them is but one is all of it unto every one of them Then behold because the more pleasure ariseth from the variety of the Object not all these Stars of an equal magnitude but after that nothing seems addible to the splendor of the first yet continual ascendent degrees in this sphere of glory and other yet higher lights far transcending the former in their lustre yet so as the glory of the highest is also challenged and owned by the lowest as all being but the same Body without all schisme or knowledge of envy no more than the foot doth the higher place or offices of the hand or the eye Behold then here a rising Throne 1. Of an innumerable company of the common People of Saints yet all glorious in Majesty Advanced above them caeteris paribus the Quire of pure Virgins that have remained holy in Body as well as Spirit 1. Cor. 7.34 See 1. Cor. 6.13 Rev. 14.4.1 Above these higher yet Holy Confessors Above them the White Army of Martyrs Yet higher the Society of the Luk. 13.28 Holy Prophets Matt. 10.41 Evangelists Patriarchs Apostles Luk. 22.28 with their Seats round about the throne of God Rev. 44. Higher yet the Blessed Virgin Mother of God and the most highly favoured amongst all Creatures Luk. 28.30 Then see the domestick attendance of the Almighty Beside his Throne Rev. 5.11 that winged Host of heavenly Ministers all distinguished in a wonderful Order Angels Arch-Angels Powers Dominions Thrones Cherubims Seraphims And the seven Spirits of God the seven Lamps of Fire burning always before the throne always standing in his presence Zach. 4.10 Rev. 4 5. 5 6. Luk. 1.19 Dan. 10.13 Rev. 1.4 8.2 Lo yet higher in the midst of the Throne of the Almighty Rev. 5 6. above all the family of Heaven and Earth sitting on the right hand of the Majesty in the highest far above every name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come Eph. 1.21 Upon whose Vesture is written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 at whose name the knees of all things bow c. Phil. 2.10 Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 1. Pet. 3.22 to whom it was an honour to see him and who had a great desire to look into the mystery of his Redemption being God manifested in the flesh in whom the manifold wisdome of God before hidden was made known unto them by the Church And lastly who gave them a nearer and more honourable relation unto the Divinity being now gathered together with us into one Body under him their Head 1 Pet. 1.12 1. Tim. 3.16 Eph. 3.10 Col. 1.20 2.10 Behold this Person I say not an Angel but a Man Jesus our Glorious Redeemer making us now equal to those perfect Spirits our flesh nature image above them Him glorious and admired by all his Saints in that day 2. Thess 1.10 Described Dan. 10.6 Rev. 1.13 14. Rev. 4.8 Shining as fine mettal burning in a Furnace his countenance as the Sun shining in his strength Blessed are they of whom in that day of his Glory he will not be ashamed And lastly see the employment and action of this heavenly Quire mixed of Men and Angels but under the presidence of a man 'T is perpetual musick and singing new Hymns of Victory and Triumph Rev. 5.8 9. 14.3 15.3 Every day a Sabbath and they in it resting from all labour and celebrating Divine Service Never ceasing all this long day of Eternity for there is no night Apoc. 21.15 22.5 from their Doxologies holy holy holy c. They rest not day and night saying c. Apoc. 4.8 for what can they do that are always ravished with joy but always praise the Author thereof falling down and worshipping Rev. 5.14 and casting down their Crowns before the Almighty with a Dignus es c. in admiration of his wisdome and thankfulness for this their happiness Rev. 4.11 Ravished with the sight of their God and burning with an equal love one toward another O how shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land Psal 137.4 O si vidisses sanctorum in coelo coronas perpetuas c. Scribe lege canta geme tace ora sustine contraria Digna est his omnibus majoribus praeliis vita aeterna Kempis 3. l. 47. c. §. 172. V. HEADS for the Meditation on the BENEFITS of Almighty God to YOU and to all MANKIND V. Psal 40 5. Many O Lord c. They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee 1. First consider the greatness of his person his infinite majesty glory beauty power wisdome mighty works helping your thoughts with some description or vision of him in the Old or New Testament This consideration of his greatness with a little reflection on your vileness Psal 8. 3 4. 144.3 4. 113 5 6 7. 1. Chron. 16 17. will make much for aggrandizing of any favours from him such a one to such a one as you 2. Consider his Benefits His Creating you so perfect in Body and Soul In his own image and likeness The noblest but one of all his other Creatures 3. Creating all other Creatures for your use and in them abundant sufficiency for all your needs Even the Angels more excellent than you for your guard Heb. 1.14 and protection 4. Preserving you thus created in your being Act. 17.28 5 Giving you 1 many particular deliverances and preservations temporal from many evils happening to others as diseases poverty many casual and quotidian dangers c. Here calling diligently to mind any misery lying upon any of your acquaintance and remembring that your sins have also perhaps more deserved it thanking God that you are preserved from it 6. 2 Many particular blessings temporal denied to many others as health riches honour long life c. he having provided all necessaries for you and doing good to you all the while that you have done nothing but offended him even perhaps as long as those Psal 95.10 7. 3 Deliverances and preservations spiritual from the Devil and his evil Angels day and night seeking your destruction and that by the continual defence of the Good From many great temptations Preserving you in your right wits Keeping you from despair 8. 4 Blessings Spiritual such as follow Memorandum in these four last That you exact of your memory a very particular account Reviewing very narrowly your life past passing orderly through your childhood youth from the time of your first remembrance and confessing unto him §. 173. 1. Giving you laws wherein he only commanded you things exceeding beneficial and forbad you things exceedingly hurtful to your publick and private good Laws not grievous but an easy yoke and a light burthen 1. Jo. 5.3 Matt. 11.30 to those that are exercised therein Teaching you in all things out of his infinite wisdome what you should do and what you should refrain and giving you within you a vigilant and tender Conscience to accuse
or approve you according to your doings 2. Making you most gracious promises upon obedience to his will and following his counsels and again grievously threatning you upon contempt of his laws and these promises And using all possible means your liberty being reserved and your will not forced to wean and fright you from the ways of death and allure you to the ways of life 3. Redeeming you after that in your natural condition you became dis-obedient when without strength Rom. 5 6 when a sinner ver 8. when an enemy ver 10. from sin death satan hell into whose cruel hands you were fallen by his own Son Him that was brought up with him his dayly delight Prov. 8.30 sent out of his own bosome Jo. 1.18 Even by him God that made the world to be given up to death to be hanged on the tree for you and in your stead Remitting all your Sin gratis for his sufferings without requiring of you so strict an account for offences how grievous soever committed in the time past before you were by the receit of the stronger iluminations of his Spirit converted unto him 4. Calling you by being born according to his good pleasure in a Christian Common-wealth to Grace i. e. To the hearing of his holy word To the use and benefit of his holy Sacraments the sure pledges of his love and seals of the future performance of all his promises of remission of sin of increase of Grace c. _____ To the guidance and assistance of his holy Clergy To the Example of many holy Saints 5. Having long patience and forbearance with you whilst notwithstanding these you continued still vicious ready to be reconciled whenever you would return unto him and with all patience waiting for your repentance and himself practising most exactly towards you all the rules of long-suffering and forgiveness which he hath enjoyned you towards others 6. In your Conversion preventing you with his Grace regenerating and making you a new Creature after the image of his Son by infusing into you a new principle the Spirit which remains in you during your whole life and sufficiently enabling you in all the parts of holiness if you be not wanting to it on your part 7. Giving you day by day many illuminations divine inspirations and admonitions and by his Grace in you making you capable of and rewardable with new mercies unto you 8. Ordaining you after a few days spent here on earth to an immortal condition and unconceivable joys in heaven and to have this your vile Body after its corruption raised again in great glory and beauty §. 174. 9. Affections and Resolutions Such as these 1. Admiring his Goodness Your Ingratitude 2. Sorrow for ever having offended him 3. Re-loving him 4. Indeavouring hereafter to serve him 5. Suffering any misery for him 6. Imitating his goodness to you in yours to others c. For Considerations are easily multiplied §. 175. VI. HEADS for Meditation on the Several Offices and Benefits to Mankind of Jesus Christ our Lord extracted out of the larger Discourse of our Saviour's Benefits Consider 1. The world being full of ignorance and sin Jesus Christ 1. Law giver and Apostle The Truth the holy one of God in the fulness of time anointed by the Father and sent into the world A new Law-giver ministring not the letter of the law but the Spirit An Apostle preaching the Gospel Remitting Sins Conferring the Holy Ghost having the Keys of and admitting some into and shutting others out of the Kingdome of Heaven And who before his necessary departure ordained others by succession of Ordination to be continued to the world's end Sending them as the Father sent him delivering over his doctrine and delegating his authority and embassy and keys unto them and unto the end of the world from heaven assisting their Ministry Matt. 28.20 Appellations relating unto this Office Shepherd Pastour Bishop 1. Pet. 2.25 1. Pet. 5.4 §. 176. 2. After thus teaching the Way of life Christ the Exemplar and Pattern to mankind in his life and death The Way 2. Exemplar of all obedience to God's commands and of all suffering for righteousness sake which God hath here required And in his Resurrection and Ascension of the reward which God hath for hereafter promised §. 177. 3. God's former Covenant of Works being found unprofitable unto us 3. Mediatour upon the breach thereof now liable to God's wrath and eternal death Jesus Christ the Mediator of a new Covenant and Testament founded in remission of sins reconciling sinners to God Sealing this Covenant with his Blood the blood of the New Testament Luk. 22.20 and ratifying this Testament with his death and after his Resurrection having put into his own hands by the Father the donation of the rewards promised to those that keep the conditions of this Covenant §. 178. 4. God's justice not pardoning Sin gratis Christ the Sacrifice 4. Sacrifice the lamb of God the true sin-offering for the world expiating our guilt and our passover delivering us sprinkled with his blood Heb. 12.24 from the destroying Angel And our peace-offering by eating whereof we have Communion with God with his Son and all that is his with the Saints and all that is theirs Lastly by eating whereof being the Bread of Life our Souls and Bodies are preserved unto everlasting life as in paradise they should have been by the tree of life §. 179. 5. Man being indebted to God's justice by him unsatisfiable and in bondage to sin 5. Redeemer to the law to death and to Satan the grand Executioner of God's justice and Prince of this lower world Jesus Christ the Redeemer by paying a ransome freeing us from our debt and by making a conquest delivering us out of our slavery By whom we are freed already from the dominion of sin from the condemnation of the law from the chains of Satan from the approach of death eternal from the hurt and therefore from the fear of death temporal that being now only a passage to happiness But when the good time is come shall be by the same Redeemer yet more perfectly freed from all these than as yet we are namely from any adherence or possibility of sin from any temptation of Satan from being restrained to any law from being capable of any mortality through Jesus Christ our Lord. §. 180. 6. God making a Covenant with the first Adam made of the earth involving his seed 6. Second Adam The Life 1. Cor. 15.45 and he by his pride transgressing it so both losing the reward and bringing death both on himself and his posterity Jesus Christ the second Adam descending from heaven assuming our nature entring a Covenant involving his seed fulfilling it by walking a contrary way to the first i. e. by humility and so receiving the reward for himself and for his seed Both the holy spirit and immortality which were lost by the first Adam being now in their due time
Governour and the Holy Ghost ever illuminating and sanctifying the members thereof With which Church was always established the same Covenant of Grace in Christ the same Sacraments for the substance the same way of Salvation under the same precepts through the like obedience and sufferings upon the same promises and threats of the same rewards and punishments See Heb. 11. Hence ever since the fall we find in the sacred Story as one Generation the Children of Works and born after the flesh as Cain Lamech Cam Canaan Aegypt Babylon c. so another the Children of Faith first Abel Martyr then Seth Father of the whole Race Enos Enoch Noah Shem Abraham to whom the Gospel was more fully preached and the Covenant of Faith published 430 years before the promulgation of the Law c. See all these things prosecuted at large in the forementioned Discourse §. 185. The Love and Power of the Father and the Son VII HEADS for Meditation on the several Offices and Benefits to MANKIND of the HOLY-GHOST The Holy-Ghost the Eternal Spirit of God The intimate Communion and Love of the Father and the Son the Finger of God the Strength and Power of the Father as the Son is the Wisdome of the Father the omnipotent worker of all that which the Father decrees and which the Son the word of the Father commands §. 186. The Spirit of Promise The Holy-Ghost the Holy Spirit of Promise who as the Son was a long time the Promise of the Father to this lower world so after the exhibition of our Saviour this Holy Spirit was a further promise unto it both of the Father and of the Son and at last upon the departure of the Son came down from heaven to abide and dwell with us here on earth in our Lord's absence until his second coming who as the Son was sent by the Father into the world to glorify the Father and to teach men what he had received and heard from the Father so the Holy Spirit descended to glorify the Son and to teach and bring to our remembrance to confirm and bear witness here on earth to all things that were taught and heard and received from the Son who was here pleased not only to be cohabitant with us but an inhabitant within us and vouchsafed to lodge in our persons as the Son did before to dwell in our nature making these our Bodies now the Temples of the Holy-Ghost By whom also both the Father and the Son do dwell with us and in us who put the last hand unto the great affair of our Salvation finishing the internal work thereof upon us in our Sanctification as our Saviour did before the external for us in our Redemption §. 187. The Spirit of Regeneration The Holy Ghost the Spirit of Regeneration who by his unspeakable power doth work the strange work of our second Nativity who is the seed of God by whom we are new Creatures by whom we are begotten and born again born of God and made partakers of the Divine Nature and Sons of God who is the heavenly principle derived into us from the second Adam Lord from Heaven conveying into our Soul Holiness and into our Body Immortality and Life as the flesh we received from the first Adam conveyed unto us sin and death Who being the same Spirit in us that also is in Christ is the bond of that mystical union between Jesus the Head and us the members and between us and all other fellow-members making all Christians but one and the same Body of the same temper of the same inclinations of one heart and one mind amongst our selves and with the head as being all actuated and moved by one and the same Spirit §. 188. The Spirit of Illumination The Holy-Ghost conveying its gracious Influences and Effects both into our Souls and into our Bodies Into our Souls both in our Vnderstanding and Memory and in our Will and Affections In our Vnderstanding and Memory The Spirit of Illumination who being the Spirit of God and knowing all the deep things of God as a man's Spirit doth the things of a man when as we by Adam's fall do remain miserably blinded and darkned in our Vnderstanding doth reveal unto us all the supernatural mysteries of our Redemption and Salvation and produceth in us a lively faith and credence of things not seen who beareth witness within us to all the doctrine of Christ to the truth of the Gospel and to all the promises and threats thereof by whom it is that we call Jesus Lord who is the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all Truth by whose unction we know all things beneficial to us and are every one taught of God from whom those who are his more diligent and worthy servants receive manifold revelations visions illuminations both in things of spiritual and temporal concernment both for their own edification and the edification of others knowledge of the mysteries of Religion and of the deeper sence of the word of God knowledge of things to come of the secrets of the heart of things done in absence and at the remotest distance The word of Wisdome and Counsel the gift of Eloquence and powerful perswasion Wisdome in Offices and Governments The Holy Spirit distributing unto men these several Gifts as seemeth good unto him and fit for the work wherein he imploys them And all our science being much perfecter and directed to nobler ends when this conferred by the Holy Spirit §. 189. The Spirit of Love Toward God The Holy Ghost in our Will and Affections the Spirit of Love Of Love first toward God and also towards our Neighbour Towards God who doth inflame us with an impatient love of God and things Divine who according to the promise under the Gospel writeth all God's laws in our heart and inclineth our will to obey his Commandments no more out of constraint and fear but out of choice and affection who dictateth to us all our acceptable prayers to and acceptable praises of God and leadeth the greater proficients in God's service into a perfect contemplation of and union with him Elevating them with rapts and extasies and consuming the Soul with the flames of Divine Love §. 190. Towards our Brethren The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of love to our Neighbour Who doth enflame us with a most ardent love towards our Brethren whose blessed fruits are love peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness by whom the Saints are rendred kind not envying not vaunting themselves above others not seeking their own not easily provoked thinking no evil bearing all things believing all things hoping all things enduring all things Who teacheth us to keep our Saviour's new Commandment of Love and bestoweth on us this most excellent gift of Charity §. 191. The Spirit of Corporal Parity and Mortification The Holy-Ghost conferring its gracious effects and influences as on the Soul so on the Body In it The Spirit of Mortification and Chastity Who continually warreth against
who healest the broken in heart and bindest up their wounds God of the Fatherless and Judge of the Widows which loosest the Prisoners and openest the eyes of the blind Have mercy on us The Lord God that killest and makest alive who sendest to the grave and bringest back again who increasest the nations and destroyest them who enlargest the nations and straightenest them Have mercy on us God who takest no pleasure in iniquity with whom is no accepting of persons terrible in thy Counsels concerning the Sons of men the strong and jealous God visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children Have mercy on us God whose anger none can withstand the just Judge strong and long-suffering and a consuming fire Have mercy on us The Lord who liftest up the meek and humblest the wicked down to the ground who hast power to cast body and soul into Hell who takest the wily in their own craftiness and scatterest the counsel of the wicked Have mercy on us The Lord compassionate long-suffering of great mercy and truth our Protector and exceeding great Reward Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Sacred Trinity Be merciful and hear us O Sacred Trinity From all evil Deliver us O Lord. From all pride and loftiness of mind from gluttony and surfeiting and all intemperance Deliver us O Lord. From envy hatred and malice from luxury and uncleanness from sloth and inordinate heaviness and anxiety Deliver us O Lord. By the Eternity of thy Glory and Majesty by the infiniteness of thy power by the abundance of thy goodness by the unspeakable greatness of thy love and mercy and by the abysse of thy justice and judgments Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may adore our Lord God and serve thee only in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may never take thy holy Name in vain that we may keep holy the Festivals of thy Church in exercises of religion and devotion We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may obey and reverence with due honor our Parents Prelates Superiors and all thou hast set over us We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we injure no man's life good name or honor out of anger hatred or envy We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we keep our hearts clean from all inordinate lustings of the flesh and impure affections That we hurt none by stealing damage or any other wrong through cousinage or violence That we never speak a ly or bear false witness against our Neighbour nor covet his goods We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we love thee O God with all our heart with all our soul and with all our strength and that we do to others as we would should be done to our selves We c. That thou wouldest make us grow in all grace that we despise not the riches of thy bounty patience and long-suffering We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we present our bodies a living and holy Sacrifice well-pleasing to Thee that at length we may attain to that kingdome which thou hast prepared for us from the beginning of the world We sinners beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pacify thy Father towards us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world By thy merits and sufferings redeem us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send thy holy Spirit into us O Blessed Trinity hear us O Adored Sacred Trinity hear us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Blessed art thou O God the God of our Fathers Praise-worthy and glorious for ever All the Angels and Saints bless thee Praise and magnify thee for ever Bless we the Father Son and Holy Ghost Praise him and exalt him for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty and everlasting God from whom descends every good and perfect gift mercifully grant that the serious consideration of thy incomprehensible Majesty may beget in us profound humility and constant obedience and the frequent meditation of thy infinite goodness may move our wills to love thee above all things that we may here in reverence to thy word believe what we do not see and may hereafter in the blissful Vision of thy glory see what now we cannot comprehend thro Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen The LITANY to God the Father O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Father which art in Heaven Father of Glory whose face the holy Angels behold continually in heaven who hast life in thy self Have mercy on us Father of whom are all things who hast made us after thine own Image and gavest us dominion over the rest of thy Creatures Have mercy on us Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom all paternity is called and derived in heaven and in earth Have mercy on us Who art well pleased in thy Son who lovest him and hast given all things into his hands And who by a voice from heaven didst glorify Him Have mercy on us Who so lovedst the world that thou gavest thy only begotten Son that we should have life by him and would'st have thy Son take upon him the form of a Servant to redeem us that were in bondage Have mercy c. Who by thy Son hast predestinated us into the Adoption of Sons and hast elected us in him before the foundation of the world that we might be holy and unspotted before thee Have mercy on us Who would'st have us conformable to the Image of thy Son and hast called us into Fellowship with him and hast made us acceptable in thy beloved Son without whom none cometh to the Son unless thou O Father drawest him Have mercy on us O Father who sendest out thy Spirit and they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth who fillest the world with thy spirit and givest it to them that ask it of thee Have mercy on us Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth who hidest thy mysteries from the wise and revealest them to little ones Have mercy on us Father of mercies and God of all consolation by whom all the hairs of our head are numbred who comfortest us in all our tribulations and hast blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Have mercy on us Who out of thy abundant charity hast vouchsafed to make us partakers of the inheritance of thy Saints and
hast translated us into the kingdome of the Son of thy love Have mercy on us Who without accepting of persons judgest every man according to his work Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. Be merciful and deliver us O Lord. From all evil and from the power of Satan Deliver us O Lord. From anger hatred and malice from the imminent mischiefs of sin and from everlasting death Deliver c. By thine infinite wisdome whereby thou seest the most secret things by thine endless power by which out of nothing thou createdst all things by thy infinite goodness whereby thou filledst all things by thy gracious providence whereby thou sweetly governest and disposest all things and by thine eternal charity wherewith thou lovest the world Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners do beseech thee to hear us O Lord. That thy name may be always and every where sanctified that thy Kingdome may come into us that thy Will may be done in and by us in earth as it is in heaven by the holy Angels We beseech thee to hear us That thou would'st vouchsafe to give us this day our dayly bread to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and to defend us under the shadow of thy wings and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil We beseech thee to hear us That our works may so shine before men that they may glorify thee our Father which art in heaven We beseech thee to hear us That what we faithfully ask may effectually be obtained We beseech thee to hear us O Father in the name of thy Son We beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away sins Have mercy c. O Lord our Protector behold us And look upon the face of thy Christ Remember us O Lord with thy good pleasure And visit us with thy Salvation Convert us O Lord God of Hosts Shew thy face and countenance upon us and we shall be saved O Lord hear our Prayer And let our cry come unto thee See the Prayer Pag. 277. LITANIES to God the Son O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O only begotten Son of God who art in the bosome of thy Father the beloved Son of God in whom the Father is well pleased in whom the fulness of the Trinity inhabiteth bodily Have mercy on us Arm of God upholding all things by the word of thy power God by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made Father of the world to come Have mercy on us The splendor of eternal light the brightness of the glory of God and the express image of his person whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Have mercy on us Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge the way the truth and the life the Sun of Justice and bright Morning-Star Have mercy on us The Alpha and Omega the beginning and end the first and the last who art who wast and art to come the Heir of all things the beginning and first-born of every creature Have mercy on us The Word made Flesh full of grace and truth Immanuel our God seen on earth and conversant with men the Messias the expectation of all Nations Have mercy on us The true light which enlightenest every man that cometh into the world the righteous branch of God truth sprung out of the earth Have mercy on us The great Prophet that was to come upon the earth mighty in word and deed before God and all the People Have mercy on us The anointed of God by the Holy Ghost with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Have mercy on us O Son of God who emptiedst thy self taking upon thee the form of a servant who wast sent to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken in heart and to publish freedome to the captives Have mercy on us O Son of Man meek and humble in heart who camest to seek and save Sinners that were lost who camest not to be ministred unto but to minister a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmities Have mercy on us O Son of God made obedient to thy Father even to the death of the Cross that wast led like a sheep to the slaughter and dumb before the shearers the good Shepherd that layedst down thy life for thy sheep Have mercy on us Who lovedst us and washedst us from our sins in thy own blood on whom was laid by thy Father the iniquities of all Have mercy on us Who truly barest our infirmities and by whose stripes we were healed who wast wounded for our trangressions and broken for our offences Have mercy on us O immaculate Lamb slain from the beginning of the world who takest away the sins of the world the propitiation for our sins the author and finisher of our faith the Mediator and Angel of the New Testament the faithful and true Witness Have mercy on us The Stone which the Builders refused and yet made the head of the corner who wast delivered for our offences and didst rise again for our justification who art the resurrection and the life and the first-born from the dead Have mercy on us Who art made unto us by God wisdome justice sanctification and redemption the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls the Apostle of our profession and High-Priest of good things to come Have mercy on us Our Peace who hast made of two one Nation who hast made us Kings and Priests to God and the Father the Bridegroom of the Church beloved fair and ruddy chosen amongst thousands Have mercy on us Who art ascended above all Heavens a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech an High-Priest holy innocent unspotted and separate from Sinners one Mediator betwixt God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Have mercy on us Who sittest at the right hand of his Majesty in the highest at whose Name every knee doth bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth to whom a Name is given above all Names Have mercy c. The Head of all Principalities and Powers the Lord of Lords and Prince over the Kings of the earth who hast the keys of hell and death who are constituted by God Judge of the living and the dead Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. From all evil Deliver us O Lord. By thy eternal generation of the Father by thy Nativity in the fulness of time of thy Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary by thy most holy life and conversation and by thy death and most bitter
passion Deliver us O Lord. By thy glorious resurrection and ascension by thy coming to judgment by thy coeternal glory with the Father Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may learn of thee who wast meek and humble in heart that we may deny our selves and take up our Cross and follow thee We beseech thee to hear us That we lay not up treasures for our selves on earth but in heaven that we may lose our lives in this world that we may preserve them to eternal life and fear not those that can kill the body only but him that can throw both Body and Soul into hell-fire We sinners beseech c. That we freely and willingly take up thy easy yoke and light burthen that with all diligence we put out to usury our talents we receive from thee and receiving thy word into honest and good hearts may bring forth much fruit with patience We sinners beseech Thee c. That whatsoever we would that men should do unto us we do so unto them that we judge none rashly but love one another and do good to those that hate us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That being uncertain of the hour of death and thy coming to judgment we endeavour to watch and be always ready that we seriously provide to give up the account of our Stewardship We sinners beseech Thee c. That persevering thro thy grace unto the end we may be saved We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That asking the Father in thy name we may be worthy to be heard according to thy promise We sinners c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Spare us c. Hear us c. Have mercy upon us Every day will we repeat thy perfections O glorious Jesus that every day we may grow in esteem of thee every day will we attentively reckon over thy mercies that every day we may still increase in thy love We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. All that we have and are we received from thy grace All we desire and hope we expect in thy glory O Lord hear our prayers And let our supplication come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty God and most merciful Saviour the light of this world and glory of the next vouchsafe we beseech thee to illuminate our understandings enflame our Wills and sanctify all the faculties of our Souls that whilst with our lips we recite thy praises we may inwardly with our hearts adore thy person and admire thy goodness and conform our lives to thy holy example till at length by frequent meditation on the bliss thou hast prepared for us hereafter we break off our affections from all irregular adherence to this world and place them intirely on the enjoyment of thee who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God world without end Amen See the other Litany and Commemorations below LITANIES to God the Holy Spirit O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son who art the intimate love communion and complacency of the Father and the Son Have mercy on us Who art the finger strength and power of God the omnipotent worker of what the Father decrees and the Son the Word of God commands Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit by whose inspiration the holy men of God formerly spake Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit by whose admirable vertue the Incarnation of our Lord was wrought in the Virgins womb and who descendedst in the likeness of a Dove upon our Blessed Saviour Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit who at Pentecost appearedst resting upon the Disciples in cloven tongues of fire and with whom the Apostles being replenished boldly confessed and preached our Saviour Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Promise of the Father and the Son who descendedst to abide with us and in us here on earth in the absence of our Lord until his second coming Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who having cast out the strong one Satan and possessed his house vouchsafest to inhabit in our persons as the Son of God in our nature and to make us thy Temples Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who finishest the internal work of our Salvation by our Sanctification as the Son of God did the external by our Redemption Have mercy on us Who descendedst to glorify our Lord to bring to our remembrance testify and confirm all his heavenly doctrine to us Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Paraclete abiding with us for ever our Intercessor and Advocate here on earth within us to the Father as the Son now is for us in heaven Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who art the Seed of God in us by whom we are born again and made new creatures partakers of the Divine nature and Sons of God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the earnest and first fruits and pledge of our future inheritance the foretast of the good word and promise of God and of the power of Christ's Kingdome and of the World to come Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry Abba Father bearing witness to our Spirits that we are the Sons of God and by whom we are sealed to the day of Redemption Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit the Seed of Immortality in our corruptible bodies by whose vertue and power after sown in dishonour they shall be raised again in glory Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit who guidest and preservest the Church of God in all truth illuminating its Doctors strengthening its Martyrs and perfecting its Saints Have mercy c. O Holy Spirit the bond of the mystical union between Christ our Head and us his Members and between all the fellow-members making them all of one heart and one soul as being all actuated by one and the same Spirit Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who enlightenest and leadest us into all truth by whom the Charity of God is poured forth in our hearts who writest the laws of God within us and inclinest our wills not out of servile fear but love and choice to obey his commands Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who helpest our infirmities we not knowing what to pray for as we ought and makest intercession for us with groans that cannot be uttered Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who knowest all the hidden things of God and makest intercession according to his will and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth there the mind of the Spirit Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who revealest the mysteries of Religion the secrets of men's hearts and things to come Have mercy on us
O Holy Spirit the Comforter in all afflictions and sufferings giving ability to bear them internal peace and spiritual joy in them and who art the author of a constant lively hope and confidence in God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who distributest and dividest thy gifts and graces variously to every one according to thy good pleasure Have mercy on us The Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of knowledge and truth the Spirit of counsel and fortitude Have mercy on us The Spirit of sobriety chastity and temperance the Spirit of modesty patience and prayer Have mercy on us The Spirit of humility benignity and meekness the Spirit of compunction sanctification and the fear of God the Spirit of peace and love Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart and reproving the World of sin of justice and of judgment Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Holy Spirit Be merciful and hear us O Holy Spirit From all temptations and deceits of the Devil from all sin and every evil Spirit Deliver us O Holy Spirit From all filthiness and uncleanness of soul and body from the Spirit of fornication from the Spirit of anger strife contention and envy and all uncharitableness Deliver us O holy Spirit From all presumption and despair from opposing the known truth from hardness of heart and final impenitency Deliver us O holy Spirit By thy eternal procession from the Father and the Son by the miraculous conception of the Son of God by thy operation by thy descent upon our Saviour at his Baptisme and by thy sitting upon his Apostles Deliver us O holy Spirit In the day of Judgment Deliver us O holy Spirit We Sinners beseech Thee to hear us O holy Spirit That thou would'st spare us That thou wouldst keep us from blaspheming thee O Holy Ghost and from doing any contumely to the Spirit of Grace We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may never quench grieve or neglect this Holy Spirit but may prepare our hearts for thy holy inspirations and may diligently hearken to discover and obey thy godly motions which lead us to all perfection We sinners beseech Thee c. That remembring how we are the Temples of the Holy Ghost we may take heed of violating them and that as we live by the Spirit we may walk in the Spirit and fulfil no more the lusts of the flesh but by the Spirit mortify the deeds thereof so that sowing in the Spirit we may of the Spirit reap life eternal We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to stir up and cherish in us poverty of Spirit and enkindle in us a hunger and thirst after Justice that we may be peaceable and worthy to be called the Sons of God We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou wouldest infuse into us perfect charity and mercy and that we may constantly and manfully endure persecution for Justice sake We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou would'st vouchasafe us to continue unto the end in faith hope and charity and that we may be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit that is in all thy servants in the bond of peace We sinners beseech Thee c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pour on us the holy Spirit O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send us the promised Spirit from the Father O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us the Spirit of Peace Our Father which art Heaven c. Create in us clean hearts O God And renew right Spirits in our Bowels Cast us not away from thy face O Lord And take not thy holy Spirit from us Restore unto us the joy of thy Salvation And confirm us with thy principal Spirit The Grace of thy Holy Spirit Enlighten our senses and hearts O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray O Holy Ghost the Comforter we commend to thee our souls and bodies the beginning and the end of our lives give us grace to be heartily sorry for our sins for the love of God and to do true penance for them that we may be perfectly purified from them before we depart hence out of this mortal body Of our selves O Lord we are corrupt and blind in our affections and desires if we rely on our own judgments easily seduced into error easily overcome by temptation Wherefore to thee O Holy Spirit we wholly offer and commit the guidance of our Souls defend and keep us thy servants from all evil teach and illuminate our minds strengthen our weak Spirits against inordinate pusillanimity and superfluous scruples of conscience and keep us humble that we fall not into presumption Give us a right faith unmovable hope and perfect charity that we may sweetly delight in thee and every-where fulfil thy will and pleasure who livest and reignest with the Father and Son one God world without end Amen O Eternal God who didst send thy Holy Spirit upon thy Church and didst promise that he should abide with it for ever let the same Spirit lead us to all truth defend us from all sin enrich us with his gifts refresh us with his comforts and rule in our hearts for ever And grant O bountiful Lord the Doner of every good and perfect gift that we may prepare our hearts for his holy inspirations may diligently hearken to clearly discover believe and obey his godly motions may never quench never grieve this Holy Spirit but living in him may by him be sealed to the day of redemption through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth world without end Amen O Blessed Spirit the Almighty Paraclete the communication bond and union of the Father and Son the conduit conveying to us all that we receive from the Father and the Son The dear pledge and token of our absent Lord until his blessed return by whose power all things are enlivened which do truly live and whose delight is to reside and converse in the hearts of the simple which thou vouchsafest to consecrate as Temples to thy self Come gracious Spirit have mercy upon us descend from heaven into our hearts waiting for thy comfort and so fit us for thine own self that through the multitude of thy compassions our meanness may be accepted of thy greatness and our weakness of thy strength Sanctify the temples of our bodies and consecrate them for thy own habitation Make glad with thy presence our Souls that long after thee make ready a mansion fit for thy self adorn thy bride-chamber furnish thy resting place with the variety of thy own gifts and graces drive out from thence whatsoever is old and fading renew in us thy own workman-ship with beauty incorruptible for ever convey into us heavenly light heat and motion that having tasted of the heavenly gift and the powers of the
set before us We sinners c. That according to the multitude of the sorrows in our souls and bodies thy comforts may refresh our hearts that as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so also our consolation may abound by Christ We sinners c. That our diseases and all our bodily sufferings may work together for good to us that love God that these momentany and light afflictions here may work in us an eternal weight of glory We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That whether we live we may live unto God or whether we dye we may dye unto God that Christ may be glorified in our bodies whether we live or dye that neither life nor death nor any other creature may be able to separate us from Christ Jesus We sinners beseech c. That the earthly house of this our tabernacle being dissolved we may possess an eternal habitation not made with hands in heaven that walking in the midst of the shadow of death we may fear no evil because thou art with us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Spare us c. An Exercise of CONTRITION HAve mercy upon us O Lord for we are weak O Lord heal us for our bones are vexed Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou us O Lord from our secret sins and preserve us thy servants from other mens sins O Remember not the sins and offences of our youth but according to thy mercy look upon us O Lord for thy goodness for thy Name 's sake O Lord be merciful to our sins for they are very great Behold our sorrow and affliction and forgive us all our sins O Lord our desire is before thee and our sorrow is not hid from thee O Lord take not thy mercy away from us let thy loving kindness and truth always preserve us For innumerable troubles are come upon us our sins have taken such hold upon us that we are not able to look up Have mercy upon us after thy great mercy Remember not Lord our offences but let thy loving mercies prevent us for we are brought very low Help us O Lord of our Salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver us and be merciful to our sins for thy Name 's sake Shew us thy mercy O Lord and grant us thy Salvation Enter not into judgment with thy servants for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Out of the depths have we called unto thee O Lord. If thou Lord should'st mark our iniquities O Lord who can endure it Let us pray O God who by the patience of thy only begotten Son hast broken the pride of the old Enemy grant us we beseech thee worthily to celebrate what he suffered for us and by his example patiently undergo all adversities thro the same Jesus Christ thy dear Son our Saviour Amen A Collect. O God the most gracious Maker and merciful Redeemer of Mankind fill us whom thou hast laid upon the bed of sickness with gladness of heart and contentedness of Spirit expel all the wiles of our enemy and send us the Physitian of health the Angel of peace who may raise us by thy consolations that are cast down with great afflictions that in this world we may receive succour and in the world to come everlasting reward thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The LITANY for the Dead Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Jesu receive our Prayers Lord Jesu grant our Petitions O God the Father Creator of the world Have mercy on the Souls of all the Faithful departed O God the Son Redeemer of Mankind Deliver the Souls of the Faithful departed O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect Accomplish the Bliss of the Faithful departed O Sacred Trinity three Persons and one God Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed Blessed Virgin Mary who by the special priviledge of Grace wast triumphantly assumed into the Kingdome of thy Son Pray for the Souls of the Faithful departed Blessed Patriarchs and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs Confessors and Virgins all ye holy and pure Saints who retaining at your deaths no irregular adherence to any creature were become of perfect capacity for immediate union to the Creator Pray for the Souls of the Faithful departed Be merciful O Lord and pardon their sins Be merciful O Lord and hear our Prayers From the shades of death where their imperfect Penance of their sins have deprived them for a time of the blessed light of thy countenance Deliver them O Lord. From all the evil to which their defective mortifications in this world have exposed them in the other Deliver them O Lord. From any bonds of sin wherein they remain entangled by their disorderly affections here and from thy anger which now they grieve to have provoked by their negligence and ingratitude Deliver them O Lord. From any pains now justly inflicted on them as the proper effects of their sins Deliver them O Lord. By the multitude of thy mercies which have always shewed compassion on the frailties of humane nature Deliver them O Lord. By the infinite merits of thy death upon the Cross when thou reconciledst the world to thy Father Deliver them O Lord. By thy victorious descent into Hell to break a sunder the chains of death and let the Prisoners go free Deliver them O Lord. By thy glorious Resurrection from the Grave when thou openedst the kingdome of Heaven to all Believers Deliver them O Lord. By thy triumphant Ascension into heaven when thou ledst Captivity captive and promisedst to prepare a place for thy Servants Deliver them O Lord. By thy dreadful coming to judge the world when the works of every one shall be tried by fire Deliver them c. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That it may please thee to visit such faithful as are detained in any receptacles of sorrow or privation of bliss and transport them to the City of eternal peace We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That it would please thee graciously to admit them into thy holy Sanctuary where no unclean thing can enter and to crown their hopes with everlasting fruition We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That thy beatifical Vision O Jesus may comfort them and the glorious light of thy Cross shine upon them We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That thy holy Angels and beatifical Saints may bring them into the land of the living and present them before thy throne We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That they may with Hymns of Joy and Triumph adore the glorious Author of their happiness and eternally sing Hallelujah's unto thee We sinners beseech c. Son of God fountain of Pity We beseech Thee to hear us King of dreadful Majesty who hast the keys of Death and Hell We beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God who shalt come with glory to
judge the living and the dead Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God at whose presence the earth shall be moved and the heavens melt away Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God in whose blessed book of Life their names are written Give eternal rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed The Antiphon DEliver us O Lord and all thy Faithful in that day of terror when the Sun and Moon shall be darkned and the Stars fall down from heaven in that day of calamity and amazement when heaven it self shall shake and the Pillars of the earth be moved and the glorious Majesty of Jesus come with innumerable Angels to judge the world by fire Deliver us O Lord in that dreadful day And place us with thy blessed at thy right hand for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come to thee ALmighty God with whom do live the Spirits of the perfect and in whose holy custody are deposited the Souls of all those that depart hence in an inferior degree of thy grace who being by their imperfect Charity rendred unworthy thy presence are detained in a state of grief and from thy beatifical sight as we bless thee for the Saints already admitted to thy glory so we humbly offer our Prayers for thy afflicted servants who continually wait and sigh after the day of their deliverance Pardon their sins supply their unpreparedness and wipe away the tears from their eyes that they may see thee and in thy glorious light eternally rejoyce Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Eternal God who besides the general precepts of Charity hast commanded a particular respect to parents kindred and benefactors grant we beseech thee that as they were the instruments by which thy providence bestowed on us our birth education and innumerable other benefits so our Prayers may be a means to obtain for them a speedy delivery from any privation of bliss which they may suffer for their sins and a free admittance to thy infinite joys Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen MOst wise and merciful Lord who hast ordained this life as a passage to the future confining our Conversion to the time of our Pilgrimage here and reserving for hereafter the state of punishment and reward vouchsafe us thy grace who are yet alive and still have opportunity of reconcilement to thee so to watch over all our actions and correct every least deviation from the true way to Heaven that we be neither surprised with our sins uncancelled nor our duties imperfect but when our Bodies go down into the grave our Souls may ascend to thee and dwell for ever in the mansions of eternal felicity Thro Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen The LITANY of Christian Virtues O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Lord just and good and a rewarder of all those that seek thee diligently Have mercy on us Who createdst our first Parents in innocency and holiness after thine own image and gavest a testimony to the offerings of just Abel Have mercy on us Who savedst in the Ark from the Flood Noah a Preacher of Justice and deliveredst from the Fire just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked Have mercy on us Who gavedst the Promise to Abraham found faithful after many trials Have mercy on us Who deliveredst Jacob endued with a wonderful patience and confidence in adversities from all evils and gavest a joyful end to thy servant Job that pattern of patience Have mercy on us Who rewardest the singular modesty and chastity of Joseph with the rule over Aegypt Have mercy on us Who choosest Moses the meekest man upon earth to be Ruler over thy people and electedst Joshuah notable for valour and constancy to lead thy people into the land of Promise Have mercy on us Who gavest the Priesthood to the Sons of Levi for their great courage in vindicating thine honor and deliveredst from all dangers the Prophet Elias for his incomparable Zeal for thy true worship against the false Prophets and at length took'st him up into heaven Have mercy on us Who set'st Samuel Judge over thy people a lover of Justice and free from bribes And liftedst up David a man after thy own heart in the faithful service of thee to be King of Israel Have mercy on us Who replenishedst Solomon humbly begging Wisdome of thee both with it and many other Graces And adornedst Daniel and his Companions being singularly temperate and sober with wisdome and beauty Have mercy c. Who chosest the Blessed Virgin Mary adorned with singular chastity humility obedience and all other Virtues to be the Mother of thy Son Have mercy on us Who sentest John Baptist a fore-runner of thy Son a Preacher of penance and of great austerities and abstinence Have mercy on us Who sentest JESUS Christ thy only begotten Son into the world the pattern of all Holiness that we should follow his example Have mercy on us Who hast chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we also should be holy and unblameable in thy sight Have mercy on us Who hast predestinated us that we should be made conformable to the image of thy Son and hast created us in him to good works which thou hast ordained that we should walk in them Have mercy on us Who hast redeemed us from our vain conversation by the precious blood of Christ and hast regenerated us by thy word unto a lively hope of an eternal inheritance Have mercy on us O Jesu who knewest no sin neither was guile found in thy mouth but appearedst to take away the sins of the world Have mercy on us JESUS who barest our sins in thy body on the Cross that we being dead unto sin may live unto Justice and Holiness Have mercy on us Who hast delivered us out of darkness into light from the power of Satan into thy Kingdome and hast bestowed upon us the remission of sins and an inheritance amongst thy Saints Have mercy on us Who promisedst thy Disciples that forsook all for thee twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel who committedst unto St. Peter notably confessing and loving thee the feeding of thy sheep Have mercy on us Who vouchsafest to St. John notable for chastity the singular priviledge of thy love Have mercy on us Who sendedst thy holy Spirit whereby divine Charity is spread abroad in our hearts Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and grant unto us O Lord The virtue of humility and patience spiritual poverty and meekness longanimity and obedience to those that are set over us Grant unto us O Lord A quiet mind and contented with our present condition true peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Grant us c.
with Grace seasoned with Salt that we may know how to answer every man and our discourse such as may some-way edify and minister Grace to the hearers that this busy member being defiled with no filthy or vain communication here may be the more hallowed in the world to come to sing Hallelujahs Doxologies and Thanksgivings for ever and ever to the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen A DOXOLOGY to the Blessed Trinity GLory be to the Father of mercies the Father of Men and Angels the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Glory be to the most holy and eternal Son of God the blessed Saviour and Redeemer of the world the Advocate of Sinners the Prince of Peace the Head of the Church and the mighty Deliverer of all them that call upon him Glory be to the holy and eternal Spirit of God that searcheth all things even the depths and hidden things of God the Holy Ghost the Advocate the Comforter the sanctifying and life-giving Spirit All glory and thanks all honour and power all love and obedience be to the blessed and individual Trinity one God Eternal It is most just and right to praise and to glorify to worship and adore to give thanks and to magnify thee the great Maker of all Creatures visible and invisible the Treasure of all good temporal and eternal the Fountain of all life mortal and immortal the Lord and God of all things in heaven and earth the great Father of thy servants the great Master of thy children The Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens and every Power therein the Sun and the Moon and all the Stars of the Sky the Sea and the Earth the heights above all the depths below Jerusalem which is from above the Congregation celestial the Church of the first born written in the heavens the Spirits of the Prophets and just men made perfect the Souls of Apostles and all holy Martyrs Angels and Archangels Thrones and Dominions Principalities and Powers the Spirits of Understanding and the Spirits of Love with never ceasing Hymns and perpetual Anthems cry out night and day and let the humble voice of thy servants also be heard amongst them saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts heaven and earth are full of thy glory The Heavens declare thy glory the Earth confesseth thy providence the Sea manifests thy power and every Spirit and every understanding Creature celebrates thy greatness for ever and ever Especially thy miserable creature Man is bound to praise thee because thou mad'st him according to thy own Image because thou gav'st him the riches and the rest of Paradise and when he fell and broke thy easy Commandment thou didst not despise his folly nor leave him in his Sin but didst chastise him with thy Rod and restrain him by thy law and instruct him by thy Prophets and at last by the coming of the second person God the Son into the world did'st renew and repair this thy broken Image for which praised be the Lord God Almighty good and gracious dreadful and venerable holy and merciful to the works of thy hands Hosannah blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest for ever and ever Amen A DOXOLOGY concerning the Ways of God's Providence § 1 O The depth of thy Knowledge and Wisdome O God! how unsearchable are thy Judgments and thy Ways past finding out O Lord how great are thy works how deep are thy thoughts Who can utter thy mighty Acts O Lord Who can shew forth all thy Praise Even from the Creation thy Power delighteth to manifest it self in high and difficult matters and thou walkest contrary to the wisedome of men Thy whole work is to do wonders and by these thou being invisible in person declarest thy presence on the earth Thou bringest light out of darkness good out of evil and strength out of weakness Content and satiety out of poverty and glory and honour out of humility True wisdome and knowledge out of holy simplicity and self-disesteem the greatest consolations and joys out of adversities and sufferings Thou makest thy foolishness to be wiser then men and thy weaknes stronger then men By the foolish things of this world thou confoundest the wise and by the weak things of the world thou confoundest things that are mighty By the base and despised and things that are not thou bringest to nought things that are On the contrary thou bringest scorn and contempt out of the highest of pride ambition and glory covetousnes and unsatiableness out of plenty and abundance Extreme folly out of secular wisdome and cunning and sudden want out of ill gotten wealth Distraction out of the fulfilling our desires and sighing and mourning out of secular joys and pleasures Thou delightest to take the wily in their own craftiness and to deceive the deceivers To make his own net that he hath hid to catch himself and himself to fall into the same destruction he hath prepared for others Thou lovest to judge men by their own self-condemnation and to make the guilty pronounce sentence upon himself To punish men by their faults and to make their own way and not thy power to overthrow them Out of deep security and confidence thou bringest adversity and trouble and death when men think most enjoying life When they say Peace behold a sudden destruction and in the midst of War behold a sudden Peace Thou shewest strength with thy arm O Lord and scatterest the proud man in the imaginations of his heart Thou puttest down the mighty from their seat and dost exalt the humble and meek Thou fillest the hungry with good things and the rich thou sendest empty away Thou makest him who disperseth his goods to the poor to abound in wealth and those who heap them up to suffer penury The Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the strong nor Bread to the wise nor Favour to the skilful nor Riches to the Understanding but as thou distributest them O Lord to those who depend on thee § 2 The way by which thou appointest man to be happy is that which humane reason judgeth contrary to it Here repeat the Preface and which seemeth to render him most unhappy By his abondoning all things he comes to possess all things and by his desire of nothing he attains to want nothing By his being careful for nothing but the serving of thee he becomes provided of all things by thee and in his flying from the world the good things thereof follow him To cross and forsake his own will he finds the way to true tranquility of mind and to forsake his own reason with dependance on thee the way to true wisdome To be careless of and to lay down his life for thy sake the surest way to save it whilst others by seeking to preserve do lose it By his humility he attaineth to honour and in voluntary poverty he findeth content He taketh pleasure in infirmities in necessities in
more punctually in Mat. 7.13 14. Strait the Gate narrow the way and few that find it Few that enter in at it But that may be meant in comparison of Heathens and Infidels No. Matt. 22.14 Of those that are called i. e. of Christians few chosen To which add what is said by the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. Not many wife after the flesh not many mighty not many noble chosen And particularly concerning rich men by reason of the many partly temptations partly secular cares thereof what is said by our Lord Matt. 19.23 Verily I say unto you a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of God An easier matter for a Camel to go through a Needle 's eye which yet with God is a thing possible 4. The Messias his first coming into the world for judgment as well as for mercy and to require a more diligent observance of God's Commandments than was yeilded in former ages In which Observance Consider 5. 1. The necessity that we attain Salvation of not living in the custome and habit of any one great or mortal sin whatever and the certain damnation that is from them if unquitted before our death 1. Cor. 6.9 Eph. 5.5 6. Digr How habits may be discerned Chiefly by the frequency facility and much delight taken in the Acts. 2. Some Reluctance to sin which is in all men from nature less or more and so long as notwithstanding this we act it no sufficient ground of hoping pardon §. 5. Par. 2. Digr An Explication of the seventh Chapter to the Romans That it must necessarily be understood either as describing the condition of a person as yet irregenerate and so as yet out of the State of Salvation One that is awakened indeed by the knowledge of the Law either written or that of nature but yet hath received no ability from Grace to keep it In whom therefore is a striving between the sensitive appetite and reason or the mind their mind necessarily by reason of the Light and Law of Nature or of the Law written being not quite darkned in the Soul dictating contrary to their practice So that they may rightly be said to follow their lusts with some unwillingness and against their mind But in this strife either reason the better part is not exactly rectified and consentient to the law of God or of Nature as appears in those Heathens who seem to have followed it yet have not been excused from sin or else at least no power they have to shake off the bands of their lusts and follow their Reason when right being destitute of grace See Rom. 8.7 8. So every one hath less or more Rom. 2.15 an inward man warring against the law of his members by which mind also he serves i. e. delights in the law of God consenting unto it that it is good and so hating that evil which the tyranny and power of the habit of sin ruling in him forceth him still to practice which are the Expressions in this Chapter Such was her case in the Tragedy Video meliora proboque Such the Heathens Rom. 2.15 Such the Jews Rom. 10.2 2.17 18. Such St. Paul's when a Pharisee Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.14 Rom. 8.3 And this Interpretation seems more proper to the place than to expound it of the State of the Regenerate as may be seen by comparing the contradictions between some passages in this 7th Chapter and others in the 5th 6th and 8th Chapters where the State of the Regenerate is described as the contradiction between Rom. 7. chap. 14. ver and 8. chap. 9. ver between 7.24 and 7.6.6.6 between 7.23.7.5 and 8.2 3 4. 5.15 6.2.14 between 7.25.18 and 6.13.12.1 and therefore these Texts speak not of the same but several persons §. 5. Par. 3. Or if this Chapter be understood as describing the State of the Regenerate it must be explained as speaking only of lesser sins of Infirmity which all the Regenerate less or more remain still liable to or of Concupiscence still remaining as St. Austine expounds it but this Concupiscence not consented-to as to the committing of any great or mortal Sin See St. Austine Contraduas Epistolas Pelagii 1. l. 10. ch In Jo. Tract 41. De Tempore Serm. 43. For there is indeed a strife in the Regenerate also and this not only between their appetite and reason but between their appetite or flesh and the spirit of Grace and this sometimes to the doing evil what they would not and to the committing of sins of Infirmity See Jam. 3 2. 1. Jo. 1.8 Gal. 5.17 in the reform'd Translation so that ye cannot do but the Original is so that ye do not do the things that ye would Sometimes and most frequently to the doing good so as according to the Spirit they would not that is to have their actions mixt with some imperfection and faultiness See Jam. 3.2 1. Jo. 1.8 Either peccant in the Substance or in some Circumstance or in some mixture of a contrary velleity Gal. 5.17 But the Expressions of this Chapter may not be applied to the Regenerate's committing or consenting to any greater sin whilst they remain Regenerate and still in the friendship and favour of God or have any more than sins of only totally unavoidable Infirmity This Digression I have made to prevent the patronizing of your faults under the imagined like failings of an Apostle But that if you find the law in your members so powerful as to produce your commission of or consent to any greater sin you may as suspecting such a condition not good make all hast to change it till you resemble the Apostle not in the 7th Chap. Rom. but in the 8th ver 2 c. 3. Not doing evil no service rewardable Where remember these Texts Matt. 25.41 42. Depart from me ye Cursed the Reason For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat naked and ye cloathed me not c. Matt. 3.10 Every Tree which not only bringeth evil or none but bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cast into the Fire Matt 25.24 c. Then he which had received the one Talent came and said Lord loe there thou hast what is thine His Lord answered Thou slothful servant c. Take the talent from him and cast the unprofitable servant into outward durkness 6. 1. The necessity for salvation of an universal and sincere obedience though every way perfect in this life it cannot be to God's Commandments in the habitual and diligent practice of holy Duties and good works which are required of you Digr Of the Reward its being promised to good works 2. No Acceptance of the Will in omission of the Deed when faisible 3. The Danger of sins of omission 4. The Hypocrisy of partial Holiness 7. To make our good works acceptable there must be innocency from other sins 8. The inutility also as for attaining eternal life of good works as of loving giving alms c. where mutual lending to be paid again Or of acts of
virtue if done only out of some motives of reason and not out of the love and to the honor of God and in obedience to his commanding them and out of love to Christ and to his Church or Members As if we said before every action of ours this I do for God's this for Christ's sake See Phil. 3.6 comp 9. 1. Cor. 13.3 Rom. 2.14 15. comp 3.9 Jo. 3.5 6. Non collocatur inter fideles propter opus suum qui naturali bono motus facit bonum non propter Deum This right end especially shewed in actions contrary to our own present good 9. The necessity of our improving the several particular talents and gifts received from God in bringing forth fruits proportionable for which gifts we must certainly give account Matt. 23.30 Luk. 16.2 10. The necessity of Perseverance in well-doing and the lapsibility of all conditions 11. The necessity of not deserting any part of our duty for any opposed sufferings which as they are provided by God for exercising our Vertue so are they to be willingly undergone and not we at any time for them to dispense with any part of our obedience 12. That all Christians in the happiest temporal Condition at all times one way or other are to undergo some Crosses if they will not yield unto sin 13. The Example of our Saviour and of the Saints in walking in all God's Commandments and chearfully undergoing all opposition for it Psal 18.21 c. comp 1. King 14.8 Isa 38.3 Neh. 8.19 2. Tim. 4.7 Job 13.10 11 12. comp Job 1.8 Lu. 1.6 Act. 23.1 24.16 §. 6 VI. Concerning the Reasonableness and Benefits of Holiness VI. Concerning the Reasonableness and Benefits of the Service of God and of Holiness Consider 1. Our Obligation to this Service 1 In Duty to God Where Consider 1. The obedience we owe to God's supreme power and dominion 2. The love to his transcendent amiableness and perfections 3. The gratitude to his multiplied mercies Our Creation Redemption continued Providence in all our Affairs our unexpressible dependance on him in our Being Working c. 4. God's Majesty to be contemplated in the several appearances of it to Moses Esay Daniel St. Paul St. John Rev. 1. chap. 5. God's Wisdome Especially to be admired In his conducting all things from the beginning still to more perfection In his alway bringing good out of evil In his ordering all the particular affairs of the world and of every man therein through the greatest seeming casualties in a symmetry as perfect and exact to his own Just ends could we entirely discover and compare all the causes and effects as that which we see in the wonderful natural Fabrick of all the parts of the world and of every man Psal 107.42 43. It a magnus in maximis ut non minor in minimis All which works of his Providence and Conduct at the great day of the consummation of all things his wisdome shall review and pronounce of them as of those of the Creation Gen. 1.31 valde bonn And then all his admiring Saints reiterate this Confession to Him Valde bona Valde bona 6. The excessive and appearingly-causeless Love of God to man 1. In several degrees the Saviour of all men 2. Patient and long suffering toward Sinners 3. Shewing Mercy and pitty according to the creatures greater impotency and misery 4. Rewarding to us the good he produceth in us §. 7. 2 In duty to our Selves 1. The great reasonableness 2 and amiableness of God's Service and of living in all Christian vertue and holiness Ratio perfecta virtus vocatur As when we look with indifferency on another man where Passion swayeth not our Judgment what a sweetness decency honorableness and heavenly peace and tranquility do we judge to be in patience compared to blood-thirsty revenge In meeekness in respect of peevish anger and frowardness In humility in regard of scornful pride and restless ambition In liberality compared to sordid niggardize In charity compared with lean envy In sobriety in respect of beastly and rotten intemperance How divine a thing a Republick of men all entirely honoring and obeying their Superiors who command them still in Charity intimatly loving and in respect preferring one another some patient in poverty others charitable in wealth when any sick all hasting to serve when poor to relieve when sad to comfort him all holy just chast temperate c. In comparison of a tumult of idle drunken debauched and sottish persons loving only from the teeth outward railing at backbiting scorning one another catching at one anothers wealth supplanting one anothers preferments tempting one anothers wives plotting treasons against their Governors lastly such as are described Rom. 1.29 2. Far less trouble and more freedome in it than in Sin Par mundus dat onus gravinsque The Acts thereof leaving behind them a singular delight in the Soul as those of Sin great after-disgust and discontent Vertue pleasing much better after sin before it is committed Only in such vertuous practice and in every good work small or great almost always a little pain felt for a while in the beginning and this to make it more rewardable 3. The great Reward of it § 8. 1 For the present 1. Tim. 4.8 1. A present union of us with Christ and God by the same holy Spirit dwelling in both 1 and quenching the thirst to all worldly things Jo. 4.14 Former sensual pleasures to one acquainted with holiness when he again happens upon them no more seeming what precious things they were but such as to a man do the sports of children contemptible or also to the more confirmed odious Quas Sordes suggerebant quae dedecora said St. Austine reform'd of his former sensual delights 2. Extraordinary illuminations and consolations from this Spirit especially in the time of necessity in extraordinary poverty afflictions persecutions and the excess of joy in the mind rendring little-perceived the pain of sense 1. Thes 1.6 2. Cor. 6.10 2. Cor. 4.8 9. only as it were afflicted poor sorrowful dying but indeed alway rejoycing rich possessing all things 3. Contentedness in all conditions as being always and certainly possessed of that which he only or chiefly loves Jo. 16.22 Jer. 6.16 Matt. 11.29 Phil. 4.7 And for other things less considerable partly by his submission in many of them as purely indifferent to God's will partly by God's condescending in many other unto his See Psal 4.3 Seldome having occasion of discontent Gen. 24.1 4. Tranquility of mind and joy of conscience for past actions and for doing good which joy though serious is very great And as they do greater good so still greater consolations accompanying it 5. Joy of mostwhat attaining their desires and ends because these honest spiritual following the divine not their own Interest 6. Great joy of hope with freedome from anxious fear for all good things to come Joy of Hope which useth to be in all worldly felicities a far greater joy than