death to redeem his enemies from bondage and death and Hell 3. Learn of the frugal man and only avoid sordid actions and turn good husband and change your arts of getting into providence for the poor and we shall soon become rich in good works and why should we not do â—s much for charity as for covetousness for Heaven as for the fading world for God and the Holy Jesus as for the needless superfluities of back and belly 14. In giving 〈◊〉 to beggers and persons of that low â—ank it is better to give little to each that we may give to the more so extending our almes to many persons but in charities of religion as building Hospitals Colleges and houses for devotion and in supplying the accidental wants of decayed persons fallen from great plenty to great necessity it is better to uâ—ite our almes then to disâ—erse them to make a noble relief or maintenance to one and to restore him to comfort then to support only his natural needs and keep him alive only unrescued from sad discomforts 15. The Precept of almes or charity bindes not indefinitely to all the instances and kindes of charity for he that delights to feed the poor and spends all his portion that way is not bound to enter into prisons and redeem captives but we are obliged by the presence of circumstances and the special disposition of providence and the pityablenesse of an object to this or that particular act of charity The eye is the sense of mercy and the bowels are its organ and that enkindles pity and pity produces almes when the eye sees what it never saw the heart will think what it never thought but when we have an object present to our eye then we must â—iâ—y for theâ—e the providence of God hath fiâ—ted our charity with circumstances He that is in thy sight or in thy Neitâ—â—â— who 〈◊〉 is fallen into the lot of thy charity Luk â—1 2 Acts. 3.6 Chi ti da un ossa non ti vorrebbe mortâ— 2 Cor 8 12 1 P. 1.1 22. 16. If thou hast no money yet thou must have mercy and art bound to pity the poor and pray for them and throw thy holy desires and devotions into the treasure of the Church and if thou doest what thou art able be it little or great corporal or spiritual the charity of almes or the charity of prayers a cup of wine or a cup of water if it be but love to the brethren or a desire to help all or any of Christs poor it shall be accepted according to what a man hath not according to what he hath not For Love is all this and all the other Commandments and it will expresse it self where it can and where it cannot yet it is love still and it is also sorrow that it cannot Motives to Charity Math. 6.4 Math. 13.12.33 â—5 30 Luk. 11.41 The motives to this duty are such as holy Scripture hath propounded to us by way of consideration and proposition of its excellencies and consequent reward 1. There is no one duty which our blessed Saviour did recommend to his Disciples with so repeated an injunction as this of charity and Almes 1 Tim 1. To which add the words spoken by our Lord It is betâ—er to give then to receive and when we consider how great a blessing it is that we beg not from door to door it is a ready instance of our thankfulnesse to God for his sake to relieve them that do 2. This duty is that alone whereby the future day of judgment shall be transacted For nothing but charity and almes is that whereby Câ—rist shall declare the justice and mercy of the eternal sentence Martyrdome it self is not there expressed and no otherwise involved but as it is the greatest charity 3. Câ—rist made himself the greatest and daily example of almes or charity He went up and down doing good preaching the Gospel and healing all diseases and God the Father is imitable by us in nothing but in puâ—iâ—y and in mercy â—hilip â— 17 4. Almes given to the poor redound to the emolument of the Giver both temporal and eternal Acts. 10.4 Heb. 13.6 Eccles. 3.1 Dan 4.27 5. They are instrumental to the remission of siâ—s Our forgiveness and mercy to others being made the very rule and proportion 〈◊〉 â—ur confidence and hope and our prayer to be forgiveâ— our selves 6. It is a treasure in Heaven it procures friends when we dye It is reckoned aâ— done to Christ whatsoever we doe to our poor brother and therefore when a poor man begs for Christ his sake if he have reasâ—n to ask for Christ his sake give it him if thou canst Now every man hath title to ask for Christs sake whose need is great and himselfe unable to cure it and if the man be a Christian. Whatsoever charity Christ will reward all that is given for Christs sake and therefore it may be asked in his name but every man that uses that sacred name for an endearment hath not a title to it either he nor his need 7. It is one of the wings of prayer by which it flyes to the throne of grace 8. It crowns all the works of piety 9. It causes thanksgiving to God on our behalf 10. And the bowels of the poor blesse us and they pray for us 11. And that portion of our estate out of which a tenth or a fifth or a twentieth or some offering to God for religion and the poor goes forth certainly returns with a greater blessing upon all the rest It is like the effusion of oyl by the Sidonian woman as long as she poures into empty vessels Nunquam memini me lâ—gisse ma à morte mortâ—um qui libenter â—yera charitaâ—â—â— exercuit S. Hieron Ep. ad Nepot it could never cease running or like the Widows barrel of meal it consumes not as long as she fed the Prophet 12. The summe of all is contained in the words of our blessed Saviour Give almes of such things as you have and behold all things are clean unto you 13. To which may be added that charity or mercy is the peculiar character of Gods Elect and a signe of predestination which advantage we are taught by S. Paul Put on therefore as the elect of God Coloss 3 12. holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindnesse c. forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any The result of all which we may read in the words of S. Chrysostome To know the art of almes is greater then to be crowned with the Diadem of Kings And yet to convert one soul is greater then to poure out ten thousand talents into the baskets of the poor But because giving almes is an act of the virtue of mercifulnesse our endevour must be by proper arts to mortifie the parents of unmercifulnesse which are 1. Envy 2. Anger 3. Covetousnesse in which we may be
may be used upon our own Birth day or day of our Baptism adding the following prayer A Prayer to be said upon our Birth-day or day of Baptisme O Blessed and Eternall God I give thee praie and glory for thy great mercy to me in causing me to be born of Christian parents and didst not allot to me a portion with Misbelievers and Heathen that have not known thee thou didst not suffer me to be strangled at the gate of the womb but thy hand sustained brought me to the light of the world and the illumination of baptisme with thy grace preventing my election and by an artificiall necessity and holy prevention engaging me to the profession and practises of Christianity Lord since that I have broken the promises made in my behalf and which I confirmed by my after act I went back from them by an evil life and yet thou hast still continued to me life and time of repentance and didst not cut me off in the beginning of my dayes and the progress of my sins O Dearest God pardon the errours and ignorances the vices and vanities of my youth and the faults of my more forward years and let me never more stain the whiteness of my baptismal robe and now that by thy grace I still persist in the purposes of obedience and do give up my name to Christ and glory to be a Disciple of thy institution and a servant of Jesus let me never fail of thy grace let no root of bitterness spring up and disorder my purposes and defile my spirit O let my years be so many degrees of neerer approach to thee and forsake me not O God in my old age when I am gray-headed and when my strength faileth me be thou my strength and my guide unto death that I may reckon my years and apply my heart unto wisdom and at last after the spending a holy and a blessed life I may be brought unto a glorious eternity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then adde the form of thanksgiving formerly described A prayer to be said upon the dayes of the memory of Apostles Martyrs c O Eternal God to whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord and in whom the souls of them that be elected after they be delivered from the burden of the flesh be in peace and rest from their labours and their works follow them and their memory is blessed I blesse and magnifie thy holy and ever glorious name for the great grace and blessing manifested to thy Apostles and Martyrs and other holy persons who have glorified thy name in the dayes of their flesh and have served the interest of religion and of thy service and this day we have thy servant name the Apostle or Martyr c. in remembrance whom thou hast lead through the troubles and temptations of this World and now hast lodged in the bosome of a certain hope and great beatitude until the day of restitution of all things Blessed be the mercy and eternal goodness of God and the memory of all thy Saints is blessed Teach me to practise their doctrine to imitate their lives following their example and being united as a part of the same mysticall body by the band of the same faith and a holy hope and a never ceasing charity and may it please thee of thy gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect and to hasten thy Kingdom that we with thy servant * and all others departed in the true faith and fear of thy holy Name may have our perfect consummation and bliss in body and soul in thy eternall and everlasting kingdom Amen A form of prayer recording all the parts and mysteries of Christs passion being a short history of it to be used especially in the week of the passion and before the receiving the blessed Sacrament ALl praise honour and glory be to the holy and eternal Jesus I adore thee O blessed Redeemer eternall God the light of the Gentiles and the glory of Israel for thou hast done and suffered for me more then I could wish more then I could think of even all that a lost and a miserable perishing sinner could possibly need Thou wert afflicted with thirst and hunger with heat and cold with labours and sorrows with hard journeys and restless nights and when thou wert contriving all the mysterious and admirable wayes of paying our scores thou didst suffer thy self to be designed to slaughter by those for whom in love thou were ready to dye What is man that thou art mindfull of him the Son of man that thou thus visitest him Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus for thou wentest about doing good working miracles of mercy healing the sick comforting the distressed instructing the ignorant raising the dead inlightning the blinde strengthning the lame streightening the crooked relieving the poor preaching the Gospel and reconciling sinners by the mightiness of thy power by the wisdom of thy Spirit by the Word of God and the merits of thy Passion thy healthfull and bitter passion Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus who wert content to be conspired against by the Jews to be sold by thy servant for a vile price to wash the feet of him that took money for thy life and to give to him and to all thy Apostles thy most holy Body and Blood o become a Sacrifice for their sins even for their betraying and denying thee and for all my sins even for my crucifying thee a fresh and for such sins which I am ashamed to think but that the greatness of my sins magnifie the infiniteness of thy mercies who didst so great things for so vile a person Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus who being to depart the world didst comfort thy Apostles powring out into their ears hearts treasures of admirable discourses who didst recommend them to thy Father with a mighty charity and then didst enter into the Garden set with nothing but Bryers â—orrows where thou didst suffer a most unspeakable agony untill the sweat strain'd through thy pure skin like drops of blood and there didst sigh and groan and fall flat upon the earth and pray and submit to the intolerable burden of thy fathers wrath which I had deserved and thou sufferedst Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus who hast sanctified to us all our natural infirmities and passions by vouchsafing to be in fear and trembling and sore amazement by being bound and imprisoned by being harrassed and drag'd with cords of violence and rude hands by being quench'd in the brook in the way by being sought after like a theif and us'd like a sinner who wert the most holy and the most innocent cleaner then an Angel and brighter then the Morning-Star Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus and
are check'd from violence and misdemeanour 4. In your retirement make frequent Colloquies or short discoursings between GOD and thy own soul. Seven times a day doe I praise thee and in the night season also I thought upon thee when I was waking So did David and every act of complaint or thanksgiving every act of rejoicing or of mourning every petition and every returne of the heart in these entercourses is a going to GOD an appearing in his presence and a representing him present to thy spirit and to thy necessity And this was long since by a spiritual person called a building to GOD a Chappel in our heart It reconciles Martha's imployment with Mary's Devotion Charity and Religion the necessities of our calling and the imployments of devotion For thus in the midst of the works of your Trade you may retire into your Chappel your Heart and converse with GOD by frequent addresses and returnes 5. Represent and offer to GOD acts of love and fear which are the proper effects of this apprehension and the proper exercise of this consideration For as GOD is every where present by his power he calls for reverence and godly fear As he is present to thee in all thy needs and relieves them he deserves thy love and since in every accident of our lives we finde one or other of these apparent and in most things we see both it is a proper and proportionate return that to every such demonstration of GOD we expresse our selves sensible of it by admiring the divine goodness or trembling at his presence ever obeying him because we love him and ever obeying him because we fear to offend him This is that which Enoch did who thus walked with God 6. Let us remember that God is in us and that we are in him we are his workmanship let us not deface it we are in his presence let us not pollute it by unholy and impure actions Isa 26.12 God hath also wrought all our works in us and because he rejoices in his own works if we defile them and make them unpleasant to him we walk perversly with God and he will walk crookedly toward us 7. God is in the bowels of thy brother refresh them when he needs it and then you give your alms in the presence of God and to God and he feels the relief which thou prouidest for thy brother 8. God is in every place suppose it therefore to be a Church and that decency of deportment and piety of carriage which you are taught by religion or by custome or by civility and publick manners to use in Churches the same use in all places with this difference only that in churches let your deportment be religious in external forms and circumstances also but there and every where let it be religious in abstaining from spiritual undecencies and in readiness to doe good actions Jer. 11.15 secund vulg Edit that it may not be said of us as God once complained of his people Why hath my beloved done wickedness in my house 9. God is in every creature be cruel towards none neither abuse any by intemperance Remember that the creatures and every member of thy own body is one of the lesser cabinets and receptacles of God They are such which God hath blessed with his presence hallowed by his touch and separated from unholy use by making them to belong to his dwelling 10. He walks as in the presence of God that converses with him in frequent prayer and frequent communion that runs to him in all his necessities that asks counsel of him in all his doubtings that opens all his wants to him that weeps before him for his sins that asks remedy and support for his weakness that fears him as a Judge reverences him as a Lord obeys him as a Father and loves him as a Patron The Benefits of this exercise The benefit of this consideration and exercise being universal upon all the parts of piety I shall lesse need to specifie any particulars but yet most properly this exercise of considering the divine presence is 1. an excellent help to prayer producing in us reverence and awfulness to the divine Majesty of God and actual devotion in our offices 2. It produces a confidence in God and fearlesness of our enemies patience in trouble and hope of remedy since God is so nigh in all our sad accidents he is a disposer of the hearts of men and the events of things he proportions out our trials and supplies us with remedy and where his rod strikes us his staf supports us To which we may adde this that God who is alwaies with us is especially by promise with us in tribulation to turn the misery into a mercy and that our greatest trouble may become our advantage by intitling us to a new manner of the Divine presence 3. It is apt to produce joy and rejoicing in God we being more apt to delight in the partners and witnesses of our conversation every degree of mutuall abiding and conversing being a relation and an endearment we are of the same houshold with God he is with us in our natural actions to preserve us in our recreations to restrain us in our publick actions to applaud or reprove us in our private to observe us in our sleeps to watch by us in our watchings to refresh us and if we walk with God in all his waies as he walks with us in all ours we shall find perpetual reasons to enable us to keep that rule of God Rejoice in the Lord alwaies and again I say rejoyce And this puts me in minde of a saying of an old religious person In vitam S. Antho. There is one way of overcoming our ghostly enemies spiritual mirth and a perpetual bearing of GOD in our mindes This effectively resists the Devil and suffers us ro receive no hurt from him 4. This exercise is apt also to enkindle holy desires of the enjoyment of God because it produces joy when we doe enjoy him The same desires that a weak man hath for a Defender the sick man for a Physician the poor for a Patron the childe for his Father the espoused Lover for her betrothed 5 From the same fountain are apt to issue humility of spirit apprehensions of our great distance and our great needs our daily wants and houâ—ly supplies admiration of Gods unspeakable mercies It is the cause of great modesty and decency in our actions it helps to recollection of minde and restrains the scatterings and loosness of wandring thoughts it establishes the heart in good purposes and leadeth on to perseverance it gains purity perfection according to the saying of God to Abraham Walk before me and be perfect holy fear and holy love and indeed every thing that pertains to holy living when we see our selves placed in the Eye of God who sets us on work and will reward us plentiously to serve him with an Eye service iâ—â—ery pleasing for he also sees
purposes as thou shalt choose for me or imploy me in Releive me in all my sadnesses make my bed in my sicknesse give me patience in my sorrows confidence in thee and grace to call upon thee in all temptations O be thou my guide in all my actions my Protector in all dangers give me a healthful body and a clear understanding a sanctified and just a charitable and humble a religious and a contented spirit let not my life be miserable and wretched nor my name stained with sin and shame nor my condition lifted up to a tempting and dangerous fortune but let my condition be blessed my conversation usefull to my Neighbours and pleasing to thee that when my body shall lie down in its bed of darkness my soul may passe into the Regions of light and live with thee for ever through Jesus Christ. Amen VI. An act of intercession or prayer for others to be added to this or any other office as our devotion or duty or their needs shall determine us O GOD of infinite mercy who hast compassion on all men and relievest the necessities of all that call to thee for help hear the prayers of thy servant who is unworthy to ask any petition for himself yet in humility and duty is bound to pray for others For the Church O let thy mercy descend upon the whole Church preserve her in truth and peace in unity and safety in all stormes and against â—ll temptations and enemies that she offering to thy glory the never ceasing sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving may advance the honour of her Lord and be filled with his Spirit and partake of his glory Amen For the King In mercy remember the King preserve his person in health and honour his crown in wealth and dignity his kingdoms in peace and plenty and Churches under his protection in piety and knowledge and a strict and holy religion keep him perpetually in thy fear and favour and crown him with glory and immortality Amen For the Clergy Remember them that minister about holy things let them be clothed with righteousness and sing with joyfulness Amen For Wife or Husband Blesse thy servant my Wife or Husband with health of body and of spirit O let the hand of thy blessing be upon his or her head night and day and support him in all necessities strengthen him in all temptations comfort him in all his sorrows and let him be thy servant in all changes and make us both to dwell with thee for ever in thy favour in the light of thy countenance and in thy glories Amen For our Children Blesse my children with healthful bodies with good understandings with the graces and gifts of thy Spirit with sweet dispositions and holy habits and sanctifie them throughout in their bodies and souls and spirits and keep them unblameable to the comming of the â—ord Jesus Amen For Freinds and Benefactors Be pleased O Lord to remember my friends all that have prayed for me and all that have done me good here name such whom you would specially recommend Doe thou good to them and return all their kindness double into their own bosome rewarding them with blessings and sanctifying them with thy graces and bringing them to glory For our Family Let all my family and kindred my neighbours and acquaintance here name what other relation you please receive the benefit of my prayers and the blessings of God the comforts and supports of thy providence and the sanctification of thy spirit For all in misery Relieve and comfort all the persecuted and afflicted speak peace to troubled consciences strengthen the weak confirm the strong i◠〈◊〉 the ignorant deliver the oppressed 1. 〈◊〉 that spoileth him and relieve the needy that hath no helper and brings us all by the waters of comfort and in the waies of righteousness to the kingdom of rest and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen To God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ To the eternal Son that was incarnate and born of a Virgin To the Spirit of the Father and the Son be all honour and glory worship and thanksgiving now and for ever Amen Another form of prayer for the Morning In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Our Father c. I MOst glorious and eternal God Father of mercy and God of all comfort I worship and adore thee with the lowest humility of my soul and body and give thee all thanks and praise for thy infinite and essential gâ—â—ries and perfections and for the continual demonstration of thy mercies upon me upon all mine and upon thy holy Catholick Church II. I Acknowledge dear God that I have deserved the greatest of thy wrath and indignation and that if thou hadst dealt with me according to my deserving I had now at this instant been desperately bewailing my miseries in the sorrows and horrors of a sad eternity But thy mercy triumphing over thy justice and my sins thou hast still continued to me life and time of repentance thou hast opened to me the gates of grace and mercy and perpetually callest upon me to enter in and to walk in the paths of a holy life that I might glorifie thee and be glorified of thee eternally III. BEhold O God for this thy great and unspeakable goodness for the preservation of me this night and for all other thy graces and blessings I offer up my soul and body all that I am and all that I have as a Sacrifice to thee and thy service humbly begging of thee to pardon all my sins to defend me from all evil to lead me into all good and let my portion be amongst thy redeemed ones in the gathering together of the Saints in the Kingdom of grace and glory IV. GUide me O Lord in all the changes and varities of the world that in all things that shall happen I may have an evenness 〈◊〉 â—â—anquility of spirit that my soule may be wholly resigned to thy Divinest will and pleasure never murmuring at thy gentle chastisements and fatherly correction never waxing proud and insolent though I feel a torrent of comforts and prosperous successes V. FIx my thoughts my hopes and my desires upon Heaven and heavenly things teach me to despise the world to repent me deeply for my sins give me holy purposes of amendment and ghostly strength and assistances to perform faithfully whatsoever I shall intend piously Enrich my understanding with an eternal treasure of Divine truths that I may know thy will and thou who workest in us to will and to doe of thy good pleasure teach me to obey all thy Commandments to believe all thy Revelations and make me partaker of all thy gracious promises VI. TEach me to watch over all my waies that I may never be surprised by sudden temtations or a careless spirit nor ever return to folly and vanity Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the
against me but thy rod gently correct my follies and guide me in thy waies and thy staffe support me in all sufferings and changes Preserve me from fracture of bones from noisâ—me infectious and sharp sicknesses from great violences of Fortune and sudden surprises keep all my senses intire till the day of my death and let my death be neither sudden untimely nor unprovided let it be after the common manner of men having in it nothing extraordinary but an extraordinary piety and the manifestation of thy great and miraculous mercy IV. LEt no riches make me ever forget my self no poverty ever make me to forget thee Let no hope or fear no pleasure or pain no accident without no weakness within hinder or discompose my duty or turn me from the waies of thy Commandements O let thy spirit dwell with me for ever and make my soul just and charitable full oâ— honesty full of religion resolute and constant in holy purposes but inflexible to evil Make me humble and obedient peaceable and pious let me never envy any mans good nor deserve to be despised my self and if I be teach me to bear it with meekness and charity V. GIve me a tender conscience a conversation discreet and affable modest and patient liberal and obliging a body chaste and healthful compitency of living according to my condition contentedness in all estates a resigned will and mortified affections that I may be as thou wouldest have me and my portion may be in the lot of the righteous in the brightness of thy countenance and the glories of eternity Amen Holy is our God Holy is the Almighty * Holy is the immortal Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth have mercy upon me A form of Prayer for the Evening to be said by such who have not time or opportunity to say the publick Prayers appointed for this office I. Evening Prayer O Eternal God Great Father of Men and Angels who hast established the Heavens and the Earth in a wonderful order making day and night to exceed each other I make my humble addresse to thy Divine Majestie begging of thee mercy and protection this night and ever O Lord pardon all my sins my light and rash words the vanity and impiety of my thoughts my unjust and uncharitable actions and whatsoever I have transgressed against thee this day or at any time before Behold O God my soul is troubled in the remembrance of my sins in the frailty and sinfulness of my flesh exposed to every temptation and of it self not able to resist any Lord God of mercy I earnestly beg of thee to give me a great portion of thy grace such as may be sufficient and effectual for the mortification of all my sins and vanities and disorders that as I have formerly served my lust and unworthy desires so now I may give my self up wholly to thy service and the studies of a holy life II. BLessed Lord teach me frequently and sadly to remember my sins and be thou pleased to remember them no more let me never forget thy mercies and doe thou still remember to doe me good Teach me to walk alwaies as in thy presence Ennoble my soule with great degrees of love to thee and consigne my spirit with great fear religion and veneration of thy holy Name and laws that it may become the great imployment of my whole life to serve thee to advance thy glory to root out all the accursed habits of sin that in holiness of life in humility in charity in chastity and all the ornaments of grace I may by patience wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Amen III. TEach me O Lord to number my daies that I may apply my heart unto wisdom ever to remember my last end that I may not dare to sin against thee Let thy holy Angels be ever present with me to keep me in all my waies from the malice and violence of the spirits of darkness from evil company and the occasions and opportunities of evil from perishing in popular judgments from all the waies of sinfull shame from the hands of all mine enemies from a sinful life and from despair in the day of my death Then O brightest Jesu shine gloriously upon me let thy mercies and the light of thy countenance sustain me in all my agonies weaknesses and temptations Give me opportunity of a prudent and spiritual Guide and of receiving the holy Sacrament and let thy loving Spirit so guide me in the waies of peace and safety that with the testimony of a good conscience and the sense of thy mercies and refreshment I may depart this life in the unity of the Church in the love of God and a certain hope of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and most blessed Saviour Amen Our Father c. Another form of Evening Prayer which may also be used at bed-time Our Father c. Psal. 121. I Will lift up my eyes unto the hils from whence cometh my help My help cometh of the Lord which made heaven and earth He will not suffer thy foot to be moved he that keepeth thee will not slumber Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord is thy keeper the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand The sun shall not smite thee by day neither the moon by night The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore Glory be to the Father c. I. VIsit I beseech thee O Lord this habitation with thy mercy and me with thy grace and salvation Let thy holy Angels pitch their tents round about and dwel here that no illusion of the night may abuse me the spirits of darkness may not come neer to hurt me no evil or sad accident oppresse me and let the eternall spirit of the father dwell in my soul and body filling every corner of my heart with light and grace Let no deed of darkness overtake me and thy blessing most blessed GOD be upon me for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen II. INto thy hands most blessed Jesu I commend my soul and body for thou hast redeemed both with thy most precious blood So blesse and sanctifie my sleep unto me that it may be temperate holy and safe a refreshment to my wearied body to enable it so to serve my soul that both may serve thee with a never failing duty O let me never sleep in sin or death eternal but give me a watchfull and a prudent spirit that I may omit no opportunity of serving thee that whether I sleep or wake live or die I may be thy servant and thy childe that when the work of my life is done I may rest in the bosome of my Lord till by the voice of the Archangel the tâ—ump of God I shall be awakened and called to sit down and feast in the eternal supper of
people so long GOD would have that to be the solemn manner of confessing these attributes but when the Priesthood being changed there was a change also of the Law the great dutie remain'd unalterable in changed circumstances We are eternally bound to confess God Almightie to bee the Maker of Heaven and Earth but the manner of confessing it is chang'd from a rest or a doing nothing to a speaking somthing from a day to a symbol from a ceremonie to a substance from a Jewish rite to a Christian dutie wee profess it in our Creed wee confess it in our lives wee describe it by every line of our life by every action of dutie by faith and trust and obedience and wee do also upon great reason complie with the Jewish manner of câ—nfessing the Creation so far as it is instrumental to a real dutie Wee keep one day in seven and so confess the manner and circumstance of the Creation and wee rest also that wee may tend holie duties so imitating God's rest better then the Jew in Synesius who lay upon his face from evening to evening and could not by stripes or wounds bee raised up to steer the ship in a great storm God's rest was not a natural cessation hee who could not labor could not bee said to rest but God's rest is to bee understood to bee a beholding and a rejoicing in his work finished and therefore wee truly represent God's rest when wee confess and rejoice in God's Works and God's glorie This the Christian Church does upon every day but especially upon the Lord's day which she hath set apart for this and all other Offices of Religion being determined to this day by the Resurrection of her dearest Lord it beeing the first day of joy the Church ever had And now upon the Lord's day wee are not tied to the rest of the Sabbath but to all the work of the Sabbath wee are to abstain from bodily labour not because it is a direct dutie to us as it was to the Jews but because it is necessarie in order to our dutie that wee attend to the Offices of Religion The observatioâ— of the Lord's daie differs nothing from the observation of the Sabbath in the matter of Religion but in the manner They differ in the ceremony and external rite Rest with them was the principal with us it is the accessory They differ in the office or forms of worship For they were then to worship God as a Creator and a gentle Father we are to adde to that Our Redeemer and all his other excellencies and mercies and though we have more natural and proper reason to keep the Lords day then the Sabbath yet the Jews had a divine Commandement for their day which we have not for ours but we have many Commandements to do all that honour to GOD which was intended in the fourth Commandement and the Apostles appointed the first day of the week for doing it in solemn Assemblies and the manner of worshipping God and doing him solemn honour and service upon this day we may best observe in the following measures Rules for keeping the Lords day â—nd other Christian festivals 1. When you go about to distinguish Festival daies from common do it not by lessening the devotions of ordinary daies that the common devotion may seem bigger upon Festivals but on every day keep your ordinary devotions intire and enlarge upon the Holy day 2. Upon the Lords day wee must abstain from all servile and laborous works except such which are matters of necessity of common life or of great charity for these are permitted by that authoritie which hath separated the day for holy uses The Sabbath of the Jewes though consisting principally in rest and established by God did yeeld to these The labour of Love and the labours of Religion were not against the reason and the spirit of the Commandement for which the Letter was decreed and to which it ought to minister And therefore much more is it so on the Lords day where the Letter is wholly turned into Spirit and there is no Commandement of God but of spiritual and holy actions The Priests might kill their beasts and dress them for sacrifice and Châ—ist though born under the Law might heal a sick man and the sick man might carry his bed to witness his recovery and confess the mercy and leap and dance to God for joy and an Ox might be led to water and an Ass be haled out of a ditch a man may take physick and he may eat meat and therefore there were of necessity some to prepare and minister it and the performing these labours did not consist in minutes and just determined stages but they had even then a reasonable latitude so onely as to exclude unnecessary labour or such as did not minister to charity or religion And therefore this is to be enlarged in the Gospel whose Sabbath or rest is but a circumstance and accessory to the principal and spiritual duties Upon the Christian Sabbath necessity is to be served first then charity then religion for this is to give place to charity in great instances and the second to the fiâ—st in all and in all cases God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth 3. The Lords day being the remembâ—ance of a great blessing must be a day of joy festivitie spiritual â—ejâ—icing and thanksgiving and therefore it is a proper work of the day to let your devotions spend themselves in singing or reading Psalms in recounting the great works of God in remembring his mercies in worshipping his excellencâ—es in celebrating his attributes in admiâ—ing his person in sending portions of pleasant meat to them for whom nothing is provided and in all the arts and instruments of advancing God's glorie and the reputation of Religion in which it were a great decencie that a memorial of the resurrection should be inserted that the particular religion of the day bee not swallowed up in the general And of this wee may the more easily serve our selvs by rising seasonably in the morning to private devotion and by retiring at the leisures and spaces of the day not imploied in publick offices 4. Fail not to be present at the publick hours and places of praier entring early and cheerfully attending reverently and devoutly abiding patiently during the whole office piously assisting at the praiers and gladly also hearing the Sermon and at no hand omitting to receive the holy Communion when it is offered unless some great reason excuse it this being the great solemnitie of thanksgiving and a proper work of the day 5. After the solemnities are past and in the intervalls between the morning and evening devotion as you shall finde opportunitie visit sick persons reconcile differences do offices of neighbâ—uâ—hâ—od â—nquire into the needs of the poor especially house keepers relieve them as they shall need and as you are able for then wee truly rejoice in God when we make
to satisfie whom we have injur'd and to forgive them who have injur'd us without thoughts of resuming the quarrel when the solemnity is over for that is but to rake the embers in light and phantastick ashes it must be quenched and a holy flame enkindled no fires must be at all but the fires of love and zeal and the altar of incense will send up a sweet perfume and make atonement for us 7. When the day of the feast is come lay aside all cares and impertinencies of the World and remember that this is thy Souls day a day of traffique and entercourse with Heaven Arise early in the morning 1. Give God thanks for the approach of so great a blessing 2. Confess thy own unworthiness to admit so Divine a Guest 3 Then remember and deplore thy sins which have made thee so unworthy 4. Then confess Gods goodness and take sanctuary there and upon him place thy hopes 5. And invite him to thee with renewed acts of love of holy desire of hatred of his enemy sin 6. Make oblation of thy self wholy to be disposed by him to the obedience of him to his providence and possession and pray him to enter and dwell there for ever And after this with joy and holy fear and the forwardness of love address thy self to the receiving of him to whom by whom and for whom all faiths and all hope and all love in the whole Catholick Church both in Heaven and Earth is designed him whom Kings and Queens and whole Kingdomes are inlove with and count it the greatest honour in the World that their Crowns and Scepters are laid at his holy feet 8. When the holy man stands at the Table of blessing and ministers the rite of consecration then do as the Angels do who behold and love and wonder that the Son of God should become food to the souls of his servants that he who cannot suffer any change of â—essening should be broken into pieces enter into the body to support and nourish the spirit and yet at the same time remain in Heaven while he descends to thee upon Earth that he who hath essential felicity should become miserable and dye for thee and then give himself to thee for ever to redeem thee from sin and misery that by his wounds he should procure health to thee by his affronts he should entitle thee to glory by his death he should bring thee to life and by becoming a man he should make thee partaker of the Divine nature These are such glories that although they are made so obvious that each eye may behold them yet they are also so deep that no thought can fathome them But so it hath pleased him to make these mysteries to be sensible because the excellency and depth of the mercy is not intelligible that while we are ravished and comprehended within the infiniteness of so vast and mysterious a mercy yet we may be as sure of it as of that thing we see and feel smell and taste but yet is so great that we cannot understand it 9. These holy mysteries are offered to our senses but not to be placed under our feet they are sensible but not common and therefore as the weakness of the Elements adds wonder to the excellency of the Sacrament so let our reverence and venerable usages of them adde honour to the Elements and acknowledge the glory of he mysterie and the Divinity of the mercy Let us receive the consecrated Elements with all devotion and humility of body and spirits and do this honour to it that it be the first food we eat and the first beverage we drink that day unless it be in case of sickness or other great necessity and that your body and soul both be prepared to its reception with abstinence from secular pleasures Disâ—â—diâ—e alia is Qums tuliâ— hâ—stemaÌ„ gaudia necâ—e Venuâ— that you may better have attended fastings and preparatory prayers For if ever it be seasonable to observe the counsell of Saint Paul that married person by consent should abstain foâ— a time that they may attend to solemn Religion it is now It was not by Saint Paul nor the after ages of the Church called a duty so to do but it is most reasonable that the more solemn actions of Religion should be attended to without the mixture of any thing that may discompose the minde and make it more secular or less religious 10. In the act of receiving exercise acts of Faith with much confidence and resignation believing it not to be common bread and wine but holy in their use holy in their signification holy in their change and holy in their effect and believe if thou art a worthy Communicant thou dost as verily receive Christs body and blood to all effects and purposes of the spirit Cruci haremus sanguinem sugimus inâ—er ipsa Redemptoriâ— nostri vulnera figimus linguam Cyprian de caena Dom. as thou doest receive the blessed elements into thy mouth that thou puttest thy finger to his hand and thy hand into his side and thy lips into his fontinel of blood sucking life from his heart and yet if thou doest communicate unworthily thou eatest and drinkest Christ to thy danger and death and destruction Dispute not concerning the secret of the mystery and the nicety of the manner of Christs presence it is sufficient to thee that Christ shall be present to thy soul as an instrument of grace a pledge of the resurrection as the earnest of glory and immortality and a meanes of many intermediall blessings even all such as are necessary for thee and are in order to thy salvation and to make all this good to thee there is nothing necessary on thy part but a holy life and a true belief of all the sayings of Christ amongst which indefinitely assent to the words of institution and beleive that Christ in the holy Sacrament gives thee his body and his blood He that believes not this is not a Christian He that believes so much needs not to enquire further nor to intangle his faith by disbelieving his sense 11. Fail not this solemnity according to the custom of pious devout people to make an offering to God for the uses of religion the poor according to thy ability For when Christ feasts his body let us also feast our fellow members who have right to the same promises and are partakers of the same Sacrament and partners of the same hope and cared for under the same providence and descended from the same common parents and whose Father God is and Christ is their Elder brother If thou chancest to communicate where this holy custom is not observed publickly supply that want by thy private charity but offer it to God at his holy Table at least by thy private designing it there 11. When you have received pray and give thanks Pray for all estates of men for they also have an interest in the body
no impure thoughts pollute that soul which God hath sanctified no unclean words pollute that tongue which God hath commanded to be an Organ of his praises no unholy and unchaste action rend the vail of that Temple where the holy JESUS hath been pleased to enter and hath chosen for his habitation but seal up all my senses from all vain objects and let them be intirely possessed with Religion and fortified with prudence watchfulness and mortification that I possessing my vessel in holiness may lay it down with a holy hope and receive it again in a joyful resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the love of God to be said by Virgins and Widows professed or resolved so to live and may be used by any one O Holy and purest Jesus who wert pleased to espouse every holy soul and joyn it to thee with a holy union and mysterious instruments of religious society and communications O fill my soul with Religion and desires holy as the thoughts of Cherubim passionate beyond the love of women that I may love thee as much as ever any creature loved thee even with all my soul and all my faculties and all the degrees of every faculty let me know no loves but those of duty and charity obedience and devotion that I may for ever run after thee who art the King of Virgins and with whom whole kingdoms are in love and for whose sake Queens have died and at whose feet Kings with joy have laid their Crowns and Scepters My soul is thine O dearest Jesu thou art my Lord and hast bound up my eyes and heart from all strange affections give me for my dowry purity and humility modesty and devotion charity and patience and at last bring me into the Bride-chamber to partake of the felicities and to lie in the bosome of the Bride-groom to eternal ages O holy and sweetest Saviour Jesus Amen A Prayer to be said by married persons in behalf of themselves and each other O Eternal and gracious Father who hast consecrated the holy estate of marriage to become mysterious and to represent the union of Christ and his church let thy holy Spirit so guide me in the doing the duties of this state that it may not became a sin unto me nor that liberty which thou hast hallowed by the holy Jesus become an occasion of licentiousness by my own weakness and sensuality and doe thou forgive all those irregularities and too sensual applications which may have in any degree discomposed my spirit and the severity of a Christian. Let me in all accidents and circumstances be severe in my duty towards thee affectionate and dear to my Wife or Husband a guide and good example to my family and in all quietness sobriety prudence and peace a follower of those holy pairs who have served thee with godliness and a good testimony and the blessings of the eternal God blessings of the right hand and of the left be upon the body and soul of thy servant my Wife or Husband and abide upon her or him till the end of a holy and happy life and grant that both of us may live together for ever in the embraces of the holy and eternal Jesus our Lord and saviour Amen A prayer for the grace of Humility O Holy and most gracious Master and Saviour Jesus who by thy example and by thy precept by the practise of a whole life and frequent discourses didst command us to be meek and humble in imitation of thy incomparable sweetness and great humility be pleased to give me the grace as thou hast given me the commandment enable me to doe whatsoever thou commandest and command whatsoever thou pleasest O mortifie in me all proud thoughts and vain opinions of my self let me return to thee acknowledgment and the fruits of all those good things thou hast given me that by confessing I am wholly in debt to thee for them I may not boast my self for what I have received and for what I am highly accountable and for what is my own teach me to be ashamed and humbled it being nothing but sin and misery weakness and uncleanness Let me go before my brethren in nothing but in striving to doe them honour and thee glory never to seek my own praise never to delight in it when it is offered that despising my self I may be accepted by thee in the honours with which thou shalt crown thy humble and despised servants for Jesus his sake in the kingdome of eternal glory Amen Acts of Humility and Modesty by way of prayer and meditation I. Lord I know that my spirit is light and thorny my body is brutish and exposed to sickness I am constant to folly and inconstant in holy purposes My labours are vain and fruitless my fortune full of change and trouble seldom pleasing never perfect My wisdom is holly being ignorant even of the parts and passions of my own body and what am I O Lord before thee but a miserable person hugely in debt not able to pay II. Lord I am nothing and I have nothing of my self I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies III. What was I before my birth First nothing and then uncleanness What during my childehood weakness and folly What in my youth folly still and passion lust and wildness What in my whole life a great sinner a deceived and an abused person Lord pity me for it is thy goodness that I am kept from confusion and amazement when I consider the misery and shame of my person and the defilements of my nature IV. Lord what am I and Lord what art thou What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou so regardest him V. How can Man be justified with God or how can he be clean that is born of a Woman Behold even to the Moon and it shineth not yea the Starres are not pure in his sight How much lesse Man that is a Worm and the son of Man which is a Worm Job 25. A Prayer for a contented spirit and the grace of moderation and patience O Almighty God Father and Lord of all the creatures who hast disposed al things and all chances so as may best glorifie thy wisdom and serve the ends of thy justice and magnifie thy mercy by secret and undiscernible waies bringing good out of evil I most humbly beseech thee to give me wisdome from above that I may adore thee and admire thy waies and footsteps which are in the great Deep and not to be searched out teach me to submit to thy providence in all things to be content in all changes of person and condition to be temperate in prosperity and to read my duty in the lines of thy mercy and in adversity to be meek patient and resigned and to look through the cloud that I may wait for the consolation of the Lord and the day of redemption in the mean time doing my duty with an
obliged person to whom it is more natural to love his friend and to doe good for good then to return evil for evil because a man may forgive an injury but he must never forget a good turn For every thing that is excellent and every thing that is profitable whatsoever is good in it self or good to me cannot but be beloved and what we love we naturally cherish and doe good to He therefore that reâ—uses to doe good to them whom he is bound to love or to love that which did him good is unnatural and monstrous in his affections and thinks all the world born to minister to him with a greediness worse then that of the sea which although it receives all rivers into it self yet it furnishes the clouds and springs with a returne of all thy need Our duty of benefactors is to esteem and love their persons to make them proportionable returns of service or duty or profit according as we can or as they need or as opportunity presents it self and according to the greatnesses of their kindnesses and to pray to God to make them recompense for all the good they have done to us which last office is also requisite to be done for our Creditors who in charity have releiv'd our wants Prayers to be said in relation to the several Obligations and Offices of Justice A Prayer for the Grace of Obedience to be said by all persons under Command O Eteâ—nal GOD Great Ruler of Men and Angels who hast constituted all things in a wonderful order making all the creatures subject to man and one man to another and all to thee the last link of this admirable chain being fastned to the foot of thy throne teach me to obey all those whom thou hast set over me reverencing their persons submitting indifferently to all their lawful commands cheerfully undergoing those burdens which the publick wisdome and necessity shall impose upon me at no hand murmuring against government lest the Spirit of pride and mutiny of murmur and disorder enter into me and consigne me to the portion of the disobedient and rebellious of the despisers of dominion and revilers of dignity Grant this O holy God for his sake who for his obedience to the Father hath obtained the glorification of eternall ages our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Prayers for Kings and all Magistrates for our Parents spiritual and natural are in the following Letanies at the end of the fourth Chapter A prayer to be said by Subâ—ects when their Land is invaded and overran by barbarous or wicked people enemies of the Religion or the Government I. O Eternal God thou alone rulest in the Kingdoms of men thou 〈◊〉 the great God of battels and recompences and by thy glorious wisdom by thy Almighty power and by thy secret providence doest determine the events of warre and the issues of humane counsels and the returns of peace and victory now at last be pleased to let the light of thy countenance and the effects of a glorious mercy and a gracious pardon return to this Land Thou seest how great evils we suffer under the power and tyranny of warre and although we submit to and adore thy justice in our sufferings yet be pleased to pity our misery to hear our complaints to provide us of remedy against our present calamities let not the defendors of a righteous cause go away ashamed nor our counsels be for ever confounded nor our parties deâ—eated nor religion suppressed nor learning discountenanced and we be spoiled of all the exteriour ornaments instruments and advantages of piety which thou hast been pleased formerly to minister to our infirmities for the interests of learning and religion Amen II. WE confesse dear God that we have deserved to be totally extinct and separate from the Communion of Saints and the comforts of Religion to be made servants to ignorant unjust and inferiour persons or to suffer any other calamity which thou shalt allot us as the instrument of thy anger whom we have so often provoked to wrath and jealousie Lord we humbly lie down under the burden of thy rod begging of thee to remember our infirmities and no more to remember our sins to support us with thy staff to lift us up with thy hand to refresh us with thy gracious eye and if a sad cloud of temporal infelicities must still encircle us open unto us the window of Heaven that with an eye of faith and hope we may see beyond the cloud looking upon those mercies which in thy secret providence and admirable wisdom thou designest to all thy servants from such unlikely and sad beginnings Teach us diligently to doe all our duty and cheerfully to submit to all thy will and at last be gracious to thy people that call upon thee that put their trust in thee that have laid up all their hopes in the bosome of God that besides thee have no helper Amen III. PLace a Guard of Angels about the person of the KING and immure him with the defence of thy right hand that no unhallowed arm may doe violence to him Support him with aids from Heaven in all his battels trials and dangers that he may in every instant of his temptation become dearer to thee and doe then return to him with mercy and deliverance Give uâ—to him the hearts of all his people and put into his hand a prevailing rod of iron a scepter of power and a sword of justice and enable him to defend and comfort the Churches under his protection IV. BLesse all his Friends Relatives Confederates and Leiges direct their Counsels unite their hearts strengthen their hands blesse their actions Give unto them holiness of intention that they may with much candor and ingenuity pursue the cause of God and the King Sanctifie all the means and instruments of their purposes that they may not with cruelty injustice or oppression proceed towards the end of their just desires and doe thou crown all their endevours with a prosperous event that all may cooperate to and actuaâ—ly produce those great mercies which we beg of thee Honour and safety to our Soveraign defence of his just rights peace to his people establishment and promotion to religion advantages and encouragement to learning and holy living deliverance to all the oppressed comfort to all thy faithful people and from all these glory to thy holy Name Grant this O KING of Kings for his sake by whom thou hast consigned us to all thy mercies and promises and to whom thou hast given all power in Heaven and Earth our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen A Prayer to be said by Kings or Magistrates for themselves and their People O My God and King thou rulest in the Kingdoms of men by thee Kings reign and Princes decâ—ee justice thou hast appointed me under thy self * These words to be added by a Delegate or inferiour and under my Prince to govern this portion of thy Church according to the
Laws of Religion and the Common-wealth O Lord I am but an infirm man and know not how to decree certain sentences without erring in judgment but doe thou give to thy servant an understanding heart to judge this people that I may discern between good and evil Cause me to walk before thee and all the people in truth and righteousness and in sincerity of heart that I may not regard the person of the mighty nor be afraid of his terrour nor despise the person of the poor and reject his petition but that doing justice to all men I and my people may receive mercy of thee peace and plenty in our daies and mutual love duty and correspondence that there be no leading into captivity no complaining in our streets but we may see the Church in prosperity all our daies and religion established and increasing Doe thou establish the house of thy servant and bring me to a participation of the glories of thy kingdom for his sake who is my Lord and King the holy and ever blessed Saviour of the world our Redeemer Jesus Amen A Prayer to be said by Parents for their Children O Almighty and most merciful Father who hast pâ—omised children as a reward to the righteous 〈◊〉 hast given them to me as a testimony of thy mercy and an ingagement of my duty be pleased to be a Father unto them give them healthful bodies understanding souls and sanctified spirits that they may be thy servants and thy children all their daies Let a great mercy and providence lead them through the dangers and temptations and ignorances of their youth that they may never run into folly and the evils of an unbridled appetite So order the accidents of their livâ—s that by good education careful Tutors holy example innocent company prudent counsel and thy restraining grace their duty to thee may be secured in the midst of a crooked and untoward generation and if it seem good in thy eyes let me be enabled to provide conveniently for the support of their persons that they may not be destitute and miserable in my death or if thou shalt call me off from this World by a more timely summons let their portion be thy care mercy and providence over their bodies and souls and may they never live vitious lives nor die violent or untimely deaths but let them glorifie thee here with a free obedience and the duties of a whole life that when they have served thee in their generations and have profited the Christian Common-wealth they may be coheirs with Jesus in the glories of thy eternal Kingdom through the same our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen A prayer to be said by Masters of Families Curats Tutors or other obliged persons for their charger O Almighty God merciful and gracious have mercy upon my Family or Pupils or Parishioners c. and all committed to my charge sanctifie them with thy grace preserve them with thy providence guard them from all evil by the custody of Angels direct them in the waies of peace and holy Religion by my Ministery and the conduct of thy most holy Spirit and consigne them all with the participation of thy blessings and graces in this World with healthful bodies with good understandings and sanctified spirits to a full fruition of thy glories hereafter through Jesus Christ our Lord. A Prayer to be said by Merchants Tradesmen and Handicrafts men O Eternal God thou Fountain of justice mercy and benediction who by my education and other effects of thy Providence hast called me to this profession that by my industry I may in my small proportion work together for the good of my self and others I humbly beg thy grace to guâ—de me in my intention and in the transaction of my affairs that I may be diligent just and faithful and give me thy favour that this my labour may be accepted by thee as a part of my necessary duty and give me thy blessing to assist and prosper me in my Calling to such measures as thou shalt in mercy choose for me and be pleased to let thy holy Spirit be for ever present with me that I may never be given to covetousness and sordid appetites to lying and falshood or any other base indirect and beggerly arts but give me prudence honesty and Christian sinceâ—ity that my trade may be sanctified by my Religion my labour by my intention and thy blessing that when I have done my portion of work thou hast â—llotted me and improved the talent thou hast instrusted to me and served the Common-wealth in my capacity I may receive the mighty price of my high calling which I expect and beg in the portion and inheritance of the ever blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Amen A Prayer to be said by Debtors and all persons obliged whether by crime or contract O Almighty God who art rich unto all the treasurie and fountain of all good of all justice and all mercy and all bounty to whom we owe all that we are and all that we have being thy Debtors by reason of our sins and by thy own gracious contract made with us in Jesus Christ teach me in the first place to perform all my Obligations to thee both of duty and thankfulness and next enable me to pay my duty to all my friends and my debts to all my Creditors that none be made miserable or lessened in his estate by his kindness to me or traffick with me Forgive me all those sins and irregular actions by which I entred into debt further then my necessity required or by which such necessity was brought upon me but let not them suffer by occasion of my sin Lord reward all their kindness into their bosoms make them recompense where I cannot and make me very willing in all that I can and able for all that I am obliged to or if it seem good in thine eyes to afflict me by the continuance of this condition yet make it up by some means to them that the prayer of thy servant may obtain of thee at least to pay my debt in blessings Amen V. LOrd sanctifie and forgive all that I have tempted to evil by my discourse or my example instruct them in the right way whom I have led to errour and let me never run further on the score of sin but doe thou blot out all the evils I have done by the spunge of thy passion and the blood of thy Crosse and give me a deep and an excellent repentance and a free and a gracious pardon that thou may est answer for me O Lord and enable me to stand upright in judgment for in thee O Lord have I trusted let me never be confounded Pity me and instruct me guide me and support me pardon me and save me for my sweet Saviour Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Patron and Benefactors O Almighty GOD thou Fountain of all good of all excellâ—ncy both to Men and Aâ—gels exâ—end thine abundant favour and
upon God but five daies longer But deliverance stayed seven daies and yet came at last and take not every accident for an argument of despair but go on still in hoping and begin again to work if any ill accident have interrupted you Means of Hope and remedies against Despair The means to cuâ—e Despair and to continue or increase Hope are partly by consideration partly by exercise 1. Apply your minde to the cure of all the proper causes of Despair and they are weakness of Spirit or violence of passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that greedily covets is impatient of delay and desperate in contrary accidents and he that is little of heart is also little of hope and apt to sorrow and suspicion 2. Despise the things of the World and be indifferent to all changes and events of providence and for the things of God the promises are certain to be performed in kinde and where there is lesse variety of chance there is lesse possibility of being (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer mocked but he that creates to himself thousands of little hopes uncertain in the promise fallible in the event and depending upon ten thousand circumstances as are all his things of this World shall often fail in the expectations and be used to arguments of distrust in such hopes 3. So long as your hopes are regular and reasonable though in temporal affairs such as are deliverance from enemies escaping a storm or ship wrak recovery from a sickness ability to pay your debts c. remember that there are some things ordinary and some things extraordinary to prevent despaire In ordinary Remember that the very hoping in God is an endearment of him and a meaâ—s to obtain the blessing I will deliver him because he hath put his trust in me 2. There are in GOD all those glorious Attributes and excellencies which in the nature of things can possibly create or confirme Hope GOD is 1. Strong 2. Wise. 3. True 4. Loving There cannot be added another capacity to create a confidence for upon these premises we cannot fail of receiving what is fit for us 3. GOD hath obligâ—d himselfe by promise that wee shall have the good of every thing we desire or even lâ—sses and denials shall work for the good of them that fear God And if we will trust the truth of GOD for performance of the geneâ—al we may well trust his wisdome to choose for us the particular * But the extraordinaries of GOD are apt to supply the deâ—ect of all natural humane possibilities 1. GOD hath in many instances give extraordinary virtue to the active causes and instruments to a jaw-bone to kill a multitude to 300 Men to destroy a great Army to Jonathan and his Armour-bearer to rout a wâ—ole Garrison 2. He hath given excellent sufferance and vigorousness to the sufferers arming them with strange courage heroical fortitude invincible resolution and glorious patience and thus he laies no more upon us then we are able to bear for when he increases our sufferings he lessens them by increasing our patience 3. His providence is extraregular and produces strange things beyond common rules and he that lead Israel through a â—ea and made a Rock powre forth waters and the Heavens to give them bread and flesh and whole Armies to be destroyed with phantastick noiâ—â—s and the fortune of all France to â—e recovered and intirely revolved by the arms and conduct of a Girle against the â—orrent of the English fortune Châ—valâ—y can doe what â—e please and still retains the same affections to his people and the same providence over mankinde as ever and it is impossible for that Man to despair Heb. 2.18 who remembers that his Helper is Omnipotent and can doe what he please let us rest thâ—â—e a while he can if he please And â—e is infinitely loving willing enough and he is infinitely wise choosing better for us then we can doe for our selves This in all ages and chances hath supported the afflicted people of GOD and carried them on drie ground through the Red Sea GOD invites and cherishes the hopes of Men by all the variety of his providence 4. If your case be brought to the last extremity and that you are at the pits brink even the very Margent of the Grave yet then despair not at least put it off a little longer and remember that whatsoever final accident takes away all hope from you if you stay a little longer and in the mean while bear it sweetly it will also take away all despair too For when you enter into the regions of death you rest from all your labours and your fears 5. Let them who are tempted to despair of their salvation consider how much Christ suffered to redeem us from sin and its eternal punishment and he that considers this must needs believe that the desires which God had to save us were not lesse then infinite and therefore not easily to be satisfied without it 6. Let no man despaire of Gods mercies to forgive him unlesse he be sure that his sins are greater then Gods mercies If they be not we have much reason to hope that the stronger ingredient will prevail so long as we are in the time and state of repentance and within the possibilities and latitute of the Covenant and as long as any promise can but reflect upon him with an oblique beam of comfort Possibly the Man may eâ—re in his judgment of circumstances and therefore let him fear but because it is not certain he is mistaken let him not despair 7. Consider that God who knows all the events of Men and what their final condition shall be who shall be saved and who will perish yet he treateth them as his own calls them to be his own offers fair conditions as to his own gives them blessings arguments of mercy and instances of fear to call them off from death and to call them home to life and in all this shows no despaire of happiness to them and therefore much lesse should any Man despaire for himself since he never was able to read the Scroles of the eternal predestination 8. Remember that despair belongs only to passionate Fools or Villains such as were Achitophel and â—udas or else to Devils and damned persons and as the hope of salvation is a good disposition towards it so is despair a certain consignation to eternal ruine A Man may be damned for despairing to be saved Despair is the proper passion of damnation God hath placed truth and felicity in Heaven V. â—eaâ— Curiosity and repentance upon Faith but misery and despaire are the portions of Hell 9. Gather together into your spirit and its treasure-house the Memory not only all the promises of GOD but also the remembrances of experience and the former senses of the Divine favours that from thence you may argue from times past to the present and enlâ—â—gâ— to the 〈◊〉 and to greater blessings
our neighbours the poor members of Christ rejoice together with us 6. Whatsoever you are to do your self as necessarie you are to take care that others also who are under your charge do in their staâ—ion and manner Let your servants bee called to Church and all your familie that can be spared from necessarie and great houshold ministeries those that cannot let them go by turns and be supplied otherwise as well as they may and provide on these daies especially that they be instructed in the articles of faith and necessary parts of their dutie 7. Those who labour hard in the week must bee eased upon the Lord's day such ease beeing a great charity alms but at no hand must they be permitted to use any unlawful games any thing forbidden by the Laws any thing that is scandalous or any thing that is dangerous and apt to mingle sin with it no games prompting to wantonness to drunkenness to quarrelling to ridiculous and superstitious customs but let their refreshments bee innocent and charitable and of good report and not exclusive of the duties of Religion 8. Beyond these bounds because neither God nor man hath passed any obligation upon us wee must preserv our Christian libertie and not suffer our selvs to be intangled with a yoke of bondage for even a good action may become a â—â—are to us if we make it an occasion of scruple by a pretence of necessity binding loads upon the conscience not with the bands of God but of men and of fancy or of opinion or of tyranny Whatsoever is laid upon us by the hands of man must be acted and accounted of by the measures of a man but our best measure is this He keeps the Lords day best that keeps it with most religion and with most charitie 9. What the Church hath done in the article of the resurrection she hath in som measure done in the other articles of the Nativity of the Ascention and of the Descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost and so great blessings deserve an anniversary solemnity since he is a very unthankful person that does not often record them in the whole year and esteem them the ground of his hopes the object of his faith the comfort of his troubles and the great effluxes of the divine mercy greater then all the victories over our temporal enemies for which all glad persons usually give thanks And if with great reason the memory of the resurrection does return solemnly every week it is but reason the other should return once a year * To which I adde that the commemoration of the articles of our Creed in solemn daies and offices is a very excellent instrument to convey and imprint the sense and memory of it upon the spirits of the most ignorant person For as a picture may with more fancie convey a story to a man then a plain narrative either in word or writing so a real representment and an office of remembrance and a day to declare it is far more impressive then a picture or any other art of making and fixing imagery 10. The memories of the Saints are precious to God and therefore they ought also to be so to us and such persons who served God by holy living industrious preaching and religiouâ— dying ought to have their names preserved in honour and God be glorified in them and their holy doctrines and lives published and imitated and we by so doing give testimony to the article of the communion of Saints But in these cases as every Church is to be sparing in the number of daies so also should she be temperate in her injunctions not imposing them but upon voluntary and unbusied persons without snare or burden But the Holy day is best kept by giving God thanks for the excellent persons Apostles or Martyrs we then remember and by imitating their lives this all may do and they that can also keep the solemnity must doe that too when it is publikly enjoyned The mixt actions of Religion are 1. Prayer 2. Alms. 3. Repentance 4. Receiving the blessed Sacrament SECT VII Of Prayer THere is no greater argument in the world of our spiritual danger and unwillingness to religion then the backwardness which most men have alwaies and all men have sometimes to say their praiers so weary of their length so glad when they are done so wittie to â—xcuse and frustrate an opportunitie and yet all is nothing but a desiring of God to give us the greatest and the best things wee can need and which can make us happie it is a work so easie so honorable and to so great purpose that in all the instances of religion and providence except onely the incarnation of his Son God hath not given us a greater argument of his willingness to have us saved and of our unwillingness to accept it his goodness and our gracelesness his infinite condescention and our carelesness and follie then by rewarding so easie a duty with so great blessings Motives tâ— Praier I cannot say any thing beyond this very consideration and its appendages to invite Christian people to pray often But wee may consider That first it is a duty commanded by God his holie Son 2. It is an act of grace and highest honour that wee dust and ashes are admitted to speak to the Eternal God to run to him as to a Father to laie open our wants to complain of our burdens to explicate our scruples to beg remedie and ease support and counsel health and safety deliverance and salvation and 3. God hath invited us to it by many gracious promises of hearing us 4. Hee hath appointed his most glorious Son to bee the President of Praier and to make continual intercession for us to the throne of Grace 5. Hee hath appointed an Angel to present the Praiers of his servants and 6. Christ unites them to his own and sanctifies them and makes them effective and prevalent and 7. Hath put it into the hands of men to rescind or alter all the decrees of God which are of one kinde that is conditional and concerning our selvs and our final estate and many instances of our intermedial or temporal by the power of praiers 8. And the praiers of mâ—n have saved câ—ties and kingdoms from ruine praier hath raiseâ— dead men to life hath stopped the violence of fire shut the mouths of wilde beasts hath altered the course of nature caused rain in Egypt and drought in the sea it made the Sun to go from West to East and the Moon to stand still and rocks and mountains to walk it cures diseases without physick and makes physick to do the work of nature and nature to do the work of grace and grace to do the work of God and it does miracles of accident and event and yet praier that does all this is of it self nothing but an ascent of the minde to God a desiring things fit to bee desired and an expression of this desire to
in mind and will to dye for the testimony of Jesus and to suffer any affliction or calamity that shall offer to hinder my duty or tempt me to shame or sin or apostasie and let my faith be the parent of a good life a strong shield to repell the fiery darts of the Devil and the Author of a holy hope of modest desires of confidence in God and of a never failing charity to thee my God and to all the world that I may never have my portion with the unbelievers or uncharitable and desperate persons but may be supported by the strengths of faith in all temptations and may be refreshed with the comforts of a holy hope in all my sorrows and may bear the burden of the Lord and the infirmities of my neighbour by the support of charity that the yoak of Jesus may become easie to me and my love may do all the miracles of grace till from grace it swell to glory from earth to heaven from duty to reward from the imperfections of a beginning and little growing love it may arrive to the consummation of an enternall never ceasing charity through Jesus Christ the Son of thy love the Anchor of our hope and the Author and finisher of our faith to whom with thee O Lord God Father of Heaven and Earth and with thy holy Spirit be all glory and love and obedience and dominion now and for ever Amen Acts of love by way of prayer and ejaculation to be used in private O God thou art my God eaâ—ly will I seek thee my soul tâ—iâ—steâ—h for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary because thy loving kindness is better then life my lips shall praise thee Psal. 63. I am ready not only to be bound but to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus Acts. 23. How amiable are thy tabernacles thou Lord of Hosts my soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will still be praising thee Psal. 84. O blessed Jesu thou art worthy of all adoration and all honour and all love Thou art the Wonderfull the Counsellor the mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of peace of thy goverment and peace there shall be no end thou art the brightness of thy Fathers glory the express image of his person the appointed Heir of all things Thou upholdest all things by the word of thy power Thou didst by thy self purg our sins Thou art set on the right hand of the Majesty on high Thou art made better then the Angels thou hast by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they Thou O dearest Jesus art the head of the Church the beginning and the first-born from the 〈◊〉 in all things thou hast the preheminence and it pleased the Father that in thee should all fulness dwell Kingdomes are in love with thee Kings lay their Crowns and Scepters at thy feet and Queens are thy handmaids and wash the feet of thy servants A Prayer to be said in any affliction as death of children of husband or wife in great poverty in imprisonment in a sad and disconsolate spirit and in temptations to despair O Eternall God Father of Mercies and God of all comfort with much mercy look upon the sadnesses and sorrows of thy servant My sins lye heavy upon me and press me sore and there is no health in my bones by reason of thy displeasure and my sin The waters are gone over me and I stick fast in the deep mire and my miseries are without comfort because they are punishments of my sin and I am so evill and unworthy a person that though I have great desires yet I have no dispositions or worthiness towards receiving comfort My sins have caused my sorrow and my sorrow does not cure my sins and unless for thy own sake and meerly because thou art good thou shalt pity me and relieve me I am as much without remedy as now I am without comfort Lord pity me Lord let thy grace refresh my spirit Let thy comforts support me thy mercy pardon me and never let my portion be amongst hopeless and accursed spirits for thou art good and gracious and I throw my self upon thy mercy Let me never let my hold go and do thou with me what seems good in thy own eyes I cannot suffer more then I have deserved and yet I can need no relief so great as thy mercy is for thou art infinitely more mercifull then I can be miserable and thy mercy which is above all thy own works must needs be far above all my sin and al my misery Dearest Jesus let me trust in thee for ever and let me never be confounded Amen Ejaculations and â—ort meditations to be used in time of sickness and sorrow or danger of Death HEar my Prayer O Lord and let my crying come unto thee * Hide not thy face from me in the time of my trouble incline thine ear unto me when I call O â—eâ—r me that right soon For my dayes are consumed like smoak and my bones are burnt up as it were a fire brand My heart is smitten down and withered like grass so that I forget to eat my bread and that because of tâ—ine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me up and cast me down * Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is â—o health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bonâ—s by reason of my sin * My wicked esses are gone over my head and are a sore burden too heavy for me to bear But I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sin O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure Lord be mercifull unto me heal my soul for I have sinned against thee Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences O remember not the sins and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness * Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin * Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me * Cast me not away from thy presence from thy all-hallowing and life-giving presence and take not thy holy Spirit thy sanctifying thy guiding thy comforting thy supporting and confirming Spirit from me O God thou art my God for ever and ever thou shalt be my guide unto death * Lord comfort me now that I lye sick upon my bed make thou my bed in all my sickness * O deliver my soul from the place of Hell and do thou receive me * My heart is disquieted within me and the fear of death is
Holy and Eternal Jesus who hast begotten us by thy word renewed us by thy Spirit fed us by thy Sacraments and by the daily ministery of thy word still go on to build us up to life eternall Let thy most holy Spirit be present with me and rest upon me in the reading or hearing thy sacred word that I may do it humbly reverently without prejudice with a minde ready and desirous to learn and to obey that I may be readily furnished and instructed to every good work and may practise all thy holy laws and commandments to the glory of thy holy name O holy and eternall Jesus Amen Ad Act. 5.9.10 A form of confession of sins and repentance to be used upon fasting dayes or dayes of humiliation especially in Lent and before the Holy Sacrament HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences For I will confess my wickedness be sorry for my sin * O my dearest Lord I am not worthy to be accounted amongst the meanest of thy servants not worthy to be sustained by the least fragments of thy mercy but to be shut out of thy presence for ever with dogs and unbelievers But for thy names sake O Lord be mercifull unto my sin for it is great I am the vilest of sinners and the worst of men proud and vain-glorious impatient of scorn or of just reproof not enduring to be slighted and yet extremely deserving it I have been cousened by the colours of humility and when I have truly called my self vitious I could not endure any man else should say or think so I have been disobedient to my superiours churlish and ungentle in my behaviour unchristian and unmanly But for thy names sake c. O Just and dear God how can I expect pity or pardon who am so angry peevish with and without cause envious at good rejoycing in the evil of my neighbours negligent of my charge idle and useless timerous and base jealous and impudent ambitious and hard-hearted soft unmortified and effeminate in my life indevout in my prayers without fancie or affection without attendance to them or perseverance in them but passionate and curious in pleasing my appetite of meat and drink and pleasures making matter both for sin and sickness and I have reaped the cursed fruits of such improvidence entertaining undecent and impure thoughts and I have brought them forth in undecent and impure actions and the spirit of uncleanness hath entered in and unhallowed the temple which thou didst consecrate for the habitation of thy Spirit of love and holiness But for thy names sake O Lord be mercifull unto my sin for it is great Thou hast given me a whole life to serve thee in and to advance my hopes of heaven and this precious time I have thrown away upon my sins and vanities being improvident of my time and of my talent and of thy grace and my own advantages resisting thy Spirit and quenching him I have been a great lover of my self and yet used many wayes to destroy my self I have pursued my temporall ends with greediness and indirect means I am revengfull and unthankfull forgetting benefits but not so soon forgetting injuries curious and murmuring a great breaker of promises I have not loved my neighbours good nor advanced it in all things where I could I have been unlike thee in all things I am unmercifull and unjust a sottish admirer of things below and careless of heaven and the wayes that lead thither But for thy names sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great All my senses have been windows to let sin in and death by sin Mine eyes have been adulterous and covetous mine eares open to slander and detraction my tongue and palat loose and wanton intemperate and of foul language talkative and lying rash and malicious false and flattering irreligious and irreverent detracting and censorious My hands have been injurious and unclean my passions violent and rebellious my desires impatient and unreasonable all my members and all my faculties have been servants of sin and my very best actions have more matter of pity then of confidence being imperfect in my best and intolerable in most But for thy names sake O Lord c. Unto this and a far bigger heap of sin I have added also the faults of others to my own score by neglecting to hinder them to sin in all that I could and ought but I also have encouraged them in sin have taken off their feares and hardened their consciences and tempted them directly and prevailed in it to my own ruine and theirs unless thy glorious and unspeakable mercy hath prevented so intolerable a calamity Lord I have abused thy mercy despised thy judgments turned thy grace into wantonness I have been unthankfull for thy infinite loving kindness I have sinned and repented and then sinned again and resolved against it and presently broke it and then I tyed my self up with vows and then was tempted then I yeelded by little and little till I was willingly lost again and my vows fell off like cords of vanity Miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin And yet O Lord I have another heap of sins to be unloaded My secrets sins O Lord are innumerable sins I noted not sins that I willingly neglected sins that I acted upon wilfull ignorance and voluntary mispersuasion sins that I have forgot and sins which a diligent and a watchful spirit might have prevented but I would not Lord I am confounded with the multitude of them and the horrour of their remembrance though I consider them nakedly in their direct appearance without the deformity of their unhandsome and aggravating circumstances but so dressed they are a sight too ugly an instance of amazement infinite in degrees and insufferable in their load And yet thou hast spared me all this while and hast not throwne me into Hell where I have deserved to have been long since and even now to have been shut up to an eternity of torments with insupportable amazement fearing the revelation of thy day Miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin Thou shalt answer for me O Lord my God Thou that prayest for me shalt be my Judge The Prayer THou hast prepared for me a more healthfull sorrow O deny not thy servant when he begs sorrow of thee Give me a deep contrition for my sins a hearty detestation and loathing of them hating them worse then death with torments Give me grace intirely presently and for ever to forsake them to walk with care and prudence with fear and watchfulness all my dayes to doe all my duty with diligence and charity with zeal and a never fainting spirit to redeem the time to trust upon thy mercies to make use of all the instruments of grace to work out my salvation with fear and trembling that thou mayest have
the glory of pardoning all my sins and I may reap the fruit of all thy mercies and all thy graces of thy patience and long-suffering even to live a holy life here and to reign with thee for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Ad Sect. 6. Special devotions to be used upon the Lords-day and the great Festvals of Christians In the Morning recite the following form of Thanksgiving upon the special Festivals adding the commēoration of the speciall blessings according to the following prayers adding such prayers as you shall choose out of the foregoing Devotions 2. Besides the ordinary publick duties of the day if you retire into your closet to read and meditate after you have performed that duty say the song of Saint Ambrose commonly called the Te Deum or We praise thee c. then adde the prayers for particular graces which are at the end of the former Chapters such and as many of them as shall fit your present needs and affections ending with the Lords prayer This form of devotion may for variety be indifferently used at other times A form of thanksgiving with a recital of publick and private blessings To be used upon Easter-day Whit-sunday Ascension day and all sundayes of the yeare but the middle part of it may be reserved for the more solemn Festivals and the other used upon the ordinary as every mans affections or leisure shall determine 1. Ex Liturgia S. Basilii magna ex parte O Eternal Essence Lord God Father Almighty maker of all things in Heaven and Earth it is a good thing to give thanks to thee O Lord and to pay to thee all reverence worship and devotion from a clean and prepared heart and with an humble spirit to present a living and reasonable sacrifice to thy holiness and Majesty for thou hast given unto us the knowledge of thy truth and who is able to declare thy greatness and to recount all thy mervellous works which thou hast done in all the generations of the world O Great Lord and Governour of all things Lord and Creator of all things visible and invisible who sittest upon the throne of thy glory and beholdest the secrets of the lowest abysse and darkness thou art without beginning uncircumscribed incomprehensible unalterable and seated for ever unmoveable in thy own essentiall happiness and tranquillity Thou art the Father of our Lord JESUS CHRIST who is Our Deerest and most Gracious Saviour our hope the wisdom of the Father the image of thy goodness the Word eternal and the brightness of thy person the power of God from eternal ages the true light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the World the Redemption of Man and the Sanctification of our Spirits By whom the holy Ghost descended upon the Church the holy Spirit of truth the seal of adoption the earnest of the inheritance of the Saints the first fruits of everlasting felicity the life-giving power the fountain of sanctification the comfort of the Church the ease of the afflicted the support of the weak the wealth of the poor the teacher of the doubtfull scrupulous and ignorant the anchor of the fearfull the infinite reward of all faithfull souls by whom all reasonable understanding creatures serve thee and send up a never-ceasing and a never-rejected sacrifice of prayer and praises and adoration All Angels and Archangels all thrones and Dominions all Principalities and Powers the Cherubims with many eyes and the Seraphims covered with wings from the terror and amazement of thy brightest glory These and all the powers of Heaven do perpetually sing praises and never-ceasing Hymns and eternall Anthems to the glory of the eternall God the Almighty Father of Men and Angels Holy is our God Holy is the Almighty Holy is the Immortal Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory Amen With these holy and blessed Spirits I also thy servant O thou great lover of souls though I be unworthy to offer praise to such a Majesty yet out of my bounden duty humbly offer up my heart and voice to joyn in this blessed quire and confess the glories of the Lord. * For thou art holy and of thy greatness there is no end and in thy justice and goodness thou hast measured out to us all thy works Thou madest man out of the earth and didst form him after thine own image thou didst place him in a garden of pleasure and gavest him laws of righteousness to be to him a seed of immortality O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men For when man sinned and listned to the whispers of a tempting spirit and refused to hear the voice of God thou didst throw him out from Paradise and sentest him to till the Earth but yet left not his condition without remedy but didst provide for him the salvation of a new birth and by the blood of thy Son didst redeem and pay the price to thine own justice for thine own creature lest the work of thine owne hands should perish O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. For thou O Lord in every age didst send testimonies from Heaven blessings and Prophets and fruitfull seasons and preachers of righteousness and miracles of power and mercy thou spakest by thy Prophets and saidst I will help by one that is mighty and in the fulness of time spakest to us by thy Son by whom thou didst make both the Worlds who by the word of his power sustains all things in Heaven and Earth who thought it no robery to be equall to the Father who being before all time was pleased to be born in time to converse with men to be incarnate of a holy Virgin he emptied himself of all his glories took on him the form of a servant in all things being made like unto us in a soul of passions and discourse in a body of humility and sorrow but in all things innocent and in all things afflicted and suffered death for us that we by him might live and be partakers of his nature and his glories of his body and of his Spirit of blessings of earth and of the immortal felicities in Heaven O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. For thou O holy and immortal God O sweetest Saviour Jesus wert made under the Law to condemn sin in the flesh thou who knewest no sin wert made sin for us thou gavest to us righteous Commandements and madest known to us all thy Fathers will thou didst redeem us from our vain conversation and from the vanity of Idols false principles and foolish confidences and broughtest us to the knowledge of the true and onely God and our Father and hast made us to thy self a peculiar people of thy own purchase a royall Priest-hood a holy Nation Thou hast washed our soules in the Laver of Regeneration the Sacrament of
Baptisme Thou hast reconciled us by thy death justified us by thy Resurrection sanctified us by thy Spirit sending him upon thy Church in visible formes and giving him in powers and miracles and mighty signes and continuing this incomparable favour in gifts and sanctifying graces and promising that he shall abide with us for ever thou hast led us with thine own broken body and given drink to our soules out of thine own heart and hast ascended upon high and hast overcome all the powers of Death and Hell and redeemed us from the miseries of a sad eternity and sittest at the right hand of God making intercession for us with a never-ceasing charity O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. The grave could not hold thee long O holy eternal Jesus thy body could not see corruption neither could thy soul be left in Hel thou wert fre among the dead and thou brakest the iron gates of Death and the barrs and chains of the lower prisons Thou broughtest comfort to the souls of the Patriarchs who waited for thy coming who long'd for the redemption of Man and the revelation of thy day Abraham Isac and Jacob saw thy day and rejoyced and when thou didst arise from thy bed of darkness and leftest the grave-clothes behinde thee and put on a robe of glory over which for 40 dayes thou didst wear a veil and then entred into a cloud and then into glory then the powers of Hell were confounded then Death lost its power and was swallowed up into victory and though death is not quite destroyed yet it is made harmless and without a sting and the condition of Humane Nature is made an entrance to eternal glory and art become the Prince of life the first-fruits of the resurrection the first-born from the dead having made the way plain before our faces that we may also rise again in the Resurrection of the last day when thou shalt come again unto us to render to every man according to his works O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for ever O all ye angels of the Lord praise ye the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever O ye spirits and souls of the Righteous praise ye the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever And now O Lord God what shall I render to thy Divine Majesty for all the benefits thou hast done unto thy servant in my personall capacity Thou art my Creator and my Father my Protector and my Guardian thou hast brought me from my Mothers wombe thou hast told all my Joynts and in thy book were all my members written Thou hast given me a comely body Christian and carefull parents holy education Thou hast been my guide and my teacher all my dayes Thou hast given me ready faculties an unloosed tongue a cheerful spirit straight limbs a good reputation and liberty of person a quiet life and a tender conscience a loving wife or husband and hopefull children thou wert my hope from my youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born Thou hast clothed me and fed me given me friends and blessed them given me many dayes of comfort and health free from those sad infirmities with which many of thy Saints and dearest servants are afflicted Thou hast sent thy Angel to snatch me from the violence of fire and water to prevent praecipices fracture of bones to rescue me from thunder and lightning plague and pestilentiall diseases murder and robbery violence of chance and enemies and all the spirits of darkness and in the dayes of sorrow thou hast refreshed me in the destitution of provisions thou hast taken care of me and thou hast said unto me I will never leave thee nor forsake thee I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart secretly among the faithfull and in the congregation Thou O my dearest Lord and Father hast taken care of my soul hast pitied my miseries sustained my infirmities relieved and instructed my ignorances and though I have broken thy righteous Laws and Commandements run passionately after vanities and was in love with Death and was dead in sin and was exposed to thousands of temptations and fell foully and continued in it and lov'd to have it so and hated to be reformed yet thou didst call me with the checks of conscience with daily Sermons and precepts of holiness with fear and shame with benefits and the admonitions of thy most holy Spirit by the counsell of my friends by the example of good persons with holy books and thousands of excellent arts and wouldest not suffer me to perish in my folly but didst force me to attend to thy gracious calling and hast put me into a state of repentance and possibilities of pardon being infinitely desirous I should live and recover and make use of thy grace and partake of thy glories I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart secretly among the faithful and in the congregation For salvation belongeth unto the Lord and thy blessing is upon thy servant But as for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple * For of thee and in thee and through and for thee are all things Blessed be the name of God from generation to generation Amen A short Form of thanksgiving to be said upon any special deliverance as from Child-birth from Sickness from battel or imminent danger at Sea or Land c. O most mercifull and gracious God thou fountain of all mercy and blessing thou hast opened the hand of thy mercy to fill me with blessings and the sweet effects of thy loving kindness thou feedest us like a Shepherd thou governest us as a king thou bearest us in thy arms like a nurse thou dost cover us under the shadow of thy wings and shelter us like a hen thou ô Dearest Lord wakest for us as a Watchman thou providest for us like a Husband thou lovest us as a friend and thinkest on us perpetually as a carefull mother on her helpless babe and art exceeding mercifull to all that fear thee and now O Lord thou hast added this great blessing of deliverance from my late danger here name the blessing it was thy hand and the help of thy mercy that relieved me the waters of affliction had drowned me and the stream had gon over my soul if the spirit of the Lord had not moved upon these waters Thou O Lord didst revoke thy angry sentence which I had deserved and which was gone out against me Unto thee O Lord I ascribe the praise and honour of my redemption I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my soul in adversity As thou hast spred thy hand upon me for a covering so also enlarg my heart with thankfulness and fill my
mouth with praises that my duty and returns to thee may be great as my needs of mercy are and let thy gracious favours and loving kindness endure for ever and ever upon thy servant and grant that what thou hast sown in mercy may spring up in duty and let thy grace so strengthen my purposes that I may sin no more lest thy threatning return upon me in anger and thy anger break me into pieces but let me walk in the light of thy favour and in the paths of thy Commandments that I living here to the glory of thy name may at last enter into the glory of my Lord to spend a whole eternity in giving praise to thy exalted and ever glorious name Amen We praise thee O God we knowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee the Father Everlasting To thee all Angels cry aloud the heauens all the powers therein To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory * Thâ— glorious company of the Apostles praise thee * The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee * The noble army of Martyrs praise thee * The holy Church throughout all the world doth knowledg thee * The Father of an infinite Majesty * Thy honourable true and only Son * Also the Holy Ghost the Comforter * Thou art the King of glory O Christ. * Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father * When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man thou didst not abhor the Virgins womb * Wheâ— thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers * Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father * We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge * We therefore pray thee help thy servants whom thou hast redeem'd with thy precious blood * Make them to be number'd with thy Saints in glory everlasting O Lord save thy people and bless thine heritage Govern them and lift them up for ever Day by day we magnifie thee and we worship thy name ever world without end Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this day without sin O Lord have mercy upon us have mercy upon us O Lord let thy mercy lighten upon us as or trust is in thee O Lord in thee have trusted let me never be confounded Amen A Prayer of thanksgiving after the receiving some great blessing as the birth of an Heir the success of an honest designe a victory a good harvest c. O Lord God Father of mercies the fountain of comfort and blessing of life and peace o plenty and pardon who fillest Heaven with thy glory and earth with thy goodness I give thee the most earnest most humble and most enlarged returns of my glad and thankfull heart for thou hast refreshed me with thy comforts and enlarged me with thy blessing thou hast made my flesh and my bones to rejoyce for besides the blessings of all mankinde the blessings of nature and the blessings of grace the support of every minute and the comforts of every day thou hast opened thy bosom and at this time hast powred out an excellent expression of thy loving kindness here name the blessing What am I O Lord and what is my Fathers house what is the life and what are the capacities of thy servant that thou shoul'd do this unto me * that the great God 〈…〉 and Angels should make a speciall decree in Heaven for me and send out an Angel of blessing and in stead of condemning and ruining me as I miserably have deserved to distinguish me from many my equals and my betters by this and many other speciall acts of Grace and favour Praised be the Lord daily even the Lord that helpeth us and powreth his benefits upon us He is our God even the God of whom cometh salvation God is the Lord by whom we escape death Thou hast brought me to great honour and comforted me on every side Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works I will rejoyce in giving praise for the operation of thy hands O give thanks unto the Lord and call upon his name tell the people what things he hath done As for me I will give great thanks unto the Lord praise him among the multitude Blessed be the Lord God even the Lord God of Israel which only doth wondrous and gracious things And blessed be the name of his Majesty for ever and all the earth shall be filled with his Majesty Amen Amen Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A prayer to be said on the Feast of Christmas or the birth of our blessed Saviour Jesus the same also may be said upon the feast of the Annunciation and Purification of the B. Virgin Mary O Holy and Almighty God Father of mercies Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of thy love and Eternal mercies I adore and praise and glorifie thy infinite and unspeakable love and wisdom who hast sent thy Son from the bosom of felicities to take upon him our nature and our misery and our guilt and hast made the Son of God to become the Son of Man that we might become the Sons of God and partakers of the divine nature since thou hast so exalted humane nature be pleased also to sanctifie my person that by a conformity to the humility and laws and sufferings of my dearest Saviour I may be united to his spirit and be made all one with the most Holy Jesus Amen O holy and Eternal Jesus who didst pity mankinde lying in his blood and sin and misery and didst choose our sadnesses and sorrows that thou mightest make us to partake of thy felicities Let thine eyes pity me thy hands support me thy holy â—eet tread down all the difficulties in my way to Heaven let me dwell in thy heart be instructed with thy wisdom moved by thy affections choose with thy will and be clothed with thy righteousness that in the day of Judgment I may be found having on thy garments sealed with thy impression and that bearing upon every faculty and member the character of my elder brother I may not be cast out with strangers and unbleivers Amen O Holy and ever blessed spirit who didst overshadow the holy Virgin Mother of our Lord and causedst her to conceive by a miraculous and mysterious manner be pleased to overshadow my soul and enlighten my spirit that I may conceive the holy Jesus in my heart and may bear him in my minde and may grow up to the fulness of the stature of Christ to be a perfect man in Christ Jesus Amen To God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. To the eternall Son that was incarnate and born of a virgin To the spirit of the Father and the Son be all honour and glory worship and adoration now and for ever Amen The same Form of Prayer
blessed be that loving kindness and pity by which thou didst neglect thy own sorrows and go to comfort the sadness of thy Disciples quickning their dulness incouraging their duty arming their weakness with excellent precepts against the day of triall Blessed be that humility and sorrow of thine who being Lord of the Angels yet wouldest need and receive comfort from thy servant the Angel who didst offer thy self to thy persecutors and madest them able to seise thee and didst receive the Traytors kiss and sufferedst a veil to be thrown over thy holy face that thy enemies might not presently be confounded by so bright a lustre and wouldest do a miracle to cure a wound of one of thy spitefull enemies and didst reprove a zealous servant in behalf of a malicious adversary and then didst go like a Lamb to the slaughter without noise or violence or resistance when thou couldest have commanded millions of Angels for thy guard and rescue Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus and blessed be that holy sorrow thou didst suffer when thy Disciples fled and thou wert left alone in the hands of cruel men who like evening Wolves thirsted for a draught of thy best blood and thou wert led to the house of Annas and there asked insnaring questions and smitten on the face by him whose ear thou hadst but lately healed and from thence wert dragged to the house of Caiaphas and there all night didst endure spittings affronts scorn contumelies blows and intolerable insolencies and all this for man who was thy enemy and the cause of all thy sorrows Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus and blessed be thy mercy who when thy servant Peter denied thee and forsooke thee forswore thee didst look back upon him and by that gracious and chiding look didst call him back to himself and thee who were accused before the High Priest and rail'd upon and examined to evill purposes and with designes of blood who wert declar'd guilty of death for speaking a most necessary and most profitable truth who wert sent to Pilate and found innocent and sent to Herod and still found innocent and wert arayed in white both to declare thy innocence and yet to deride thy person and wert sent back to Pilate and examined again and yet nothing but innocence found in thee and malice round about thee to devour thy life which yet thou wert more desirous to lay down for them then they were to take it from thee Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus and blessed be that patience charity by which for our sakes thou wert content to be smitten with canes and have that holy face which Angels with joy and wonder do behold be spit upon and be despised when compared with Barabbas and scourg'd most rudely with unhallowed hands till the pavement was purpled with that holy blood and condemned to a sad and shamefull a publick and painfull death and arayed in Scarlet and crown'd with thorns and strip'd naked and then cloathed loaden with the crosse and tormented with a tablet stuck with nails at the fringes of thy garment and bound hard with cords and dragg'd most vilely and most piteously till the load was too great and did sink thy tender and virginal body to the earth and yet didst comfort the weeping women and didst more pity thy persecutors then thy self and wert grieved for the miseries of Jerusalem to come forty yeares after more then for thy present passion Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus and blessed be that incomparable sweetness and holy sorrow which thou sufferedst when thy holy hands and feet were nailed upon the crosse and the crosse being set in a hollowness of the earth did in the fall rend the wounds wider and there naked bleeding sick and faint wounded and despised didst hang upon the weight of thy wounds three long hours praying for thy persecutors satisfying thy Fathers wrath reconciling the penitent thief providing for thy holy and afflicted mother tasting vineger and gall and when the fulness of thy suffering was accomplished didst give thy soul into the hands of God didst descend to the regions of longing souls who waited for the revelatiō of this thy day in their prisons of hope and then thy body was transfixed with a spear and issued forth two Sacraments Water and blood and thy body was compos'd to buriall and dwelt in darkness three dayes and three nights Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Son of man that thou thus visitest him The Prayer THus O blessed Jesu thou didst finish thy holy passion with pain anguish so great that nothing could be greater then it except thy self and thy own infinite mercy and all this for man even for me then whom nothing could be more miserable thy self onely excepted who becamest so by undertaking our guilt and our punishment And now Lord who hast done so much for me be pleased onely to make it effectuall to me that it may not be useless and lost as to my particular lest I become etenally miserable ' and lost to all hopes and possibilities of comfort All this deserves more love then I have to give but Lord do thou turn me all into love and all my love into obedience and let my obedience be without interruption and then I hope thou wilt accept such a return as I can make make me to be something that thou delightest in and thou shalt have all that I am or have from thee even whatsoever thou makest fit for thy self Teach me to live wholly for my Saviour Jesus and to be ready to dye for Jesus and to be conformable to his life and sufferings and to be united to him by inseparable unions and to own no passions but what may be servants to Jesus and Disciples of his institution O sweetest Saviour clothe my soul with thy holy robe hide my sins in thy wounds and bury them in thy grave and let me rise in the life of grace and abide and grow in it till I arrive at the Kingdome of Glory Amen Our Father c. Ad. Sect. 7.8 10. A form of prayer or intercession for all estates of people in the Christian Church The parts of which may be added to any other formes and the whole office intirely as it lyes is proper to be said in our preparation to the holy Sacrament or on the day of celebration 1. For our selves O Thou gracious Father of mercy Father of our Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon thy servants who bow our heads and our knees and our hearts to thee pardon and forgive us all our sins give us the grace of holy repentance and a strict obedience to thy holy word strengthen us in the inner man with the power of the holy Ghost for all the parts and duties of our calling and holy living preserve us for
ever in the unity of the holy Catholick Church and in the integrity of the Christian faith and in the love of God and of our neighbours and in hope of life Eternal Amen 2. For the whole Catholick Church O holy Jesus King of the Saints and Prince of the Catholick Church preserve thy spouse whom thou hast purchased with thy right hand and redeemed and cleansed with thy blood the whole Catholick Church from one end of the Earth to the other she is founded upon a rock but planted in the sea O preserve her safe from schisme heresie and sacrilege Unite all her members with the bands of Faith Hope and Charity and an externall communion when it shall seem good in thine eyes let the daily sacrifice of prayer and Sacramental thanksgiving never cease but be for ever presented to thee and for ever united to the intercession of her dearest Lord and for ever prevaile for the obtaining for every of its membres grace and blessing pardon and salvation Amen 3. For all Christian Kings Princes and Governours O King of Kings and Prince of all the Rulers of the Earth give thy grace and Spirit to all Christian Princes the spirit of wisdom and counsell the spirit of government and godly fear Grant unto them to live in peace and honour that their people may love and fear them and they may love and fear God speak good unto their hearts concerning the Church that they may be nursing Fathers to it Fathers of the Fatherless Judges and Avengers of the cause of Widowes that they may be compassionate to the wants of the poor and the groans of the oppressed that they may not vex or kill the Lords people with unjust or ambitious wars but may feed the flock of God and may inquire after and do all things which may promote peace publick honesty and holy religion so administring things present that they may not fail of the everlasting glories of the world to come where all thy faithfull people shall reign Kings for ever Amen 4. For all the orders of them that minister about H. things O thou great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls Holy and Eternall Jesus give unto thy servants the Ministers of the Mysteries of Christian religion the Spirit of prudence sanctity faith and charity confidence and zeal diligence watchfulnes that they may declare thy will unto the people faithfully dispense thy Sacraments rightly and intercede with thee graciously acceptably for thy servants Grant O Lord that by a holy life and a true belief by well doing and patient suffering when thou shalt call them to it they may glorifie thee the great lover of souls and after a plentifull conversion of sinners from the errour of their wayes they may shine like the stars in glory Amen Give unto thy servants the Bishops a discerning Spirit that they may lay hands suddenly on no man but may depute such persons to the Ministeries of religion who may adorn the Gospel of God and whose lips may preserve knowledge and such who by their good preaching and holy living may advance the service of the Lord Jesus Amen 5. For our neerest relatives as Husband Wife Children Family c. O God of infinite mercy let thy loving mercy and compassion descend upon the head of thy servants my wife or husband children and family be pleased to give them health of body and of spirit a competent portion of temporals so as may with comfort support them in their journey to Heaven preserve them from all evill and sad accidents defend them in all assaults of their enemies direct their persons and their actions sanctifie their hearts and words and purposes that we all may by the bands of obedience and charity be united to our Lord Jesus and alwayes feeling thee our mercifull and gracious Father may become a holy family discharging our whole duty in all our relations that we in this life being thy children by adoption and grace may be admitted into thy holy family hereafter for ever to sing praises to thee in the Church of the first-born in the family of thy redeemed ones Amen 6. For our Parents our Kindred in the flesh our Friends and Benefactors O God merciful and gracious who hast made my Parents my friends and my Benefactors ministers of thy mercy instruments of providence to thy servant I humbly beg a blessing to descend upon the heads of name the persons or the relations Depute thy holy Angels to guard their persons thy holy spirit to guide their souls thy providence to minister to their necessities and let thy grace and mercy preserve them from the bitter pains of eternal death and bring them to everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Amen 7. For all that lye under the rod of war famine pestilence to be said in the time of plague or war c. O Lord God almighty thou art our Father we are thy children thou art our Redeemer we thy people purchased with the price of thy most precious blood be pleased to moderate thy anger towards thy servants let not thy whole displeasure arise lest we be consumed and brought to nothing Let health and peace be within our dwellings let righteousness and holiness dwell for ever in our hearts and be express'd in all our actions and the light of thy countenance be upon us in all sufferings that we may delight in the service and in the mercies of God for ever Amen O gracious Father and mercifull God if it be thy will say unto the destroying Angel it is enough and though we are not better then our brethren who are smitten with the rod of God but much worse yet may it please thee even because thou art good and because we are timerous and sinfull not yet fitted for our appearance to set thy mark upon our foreheads that thy Angel the Minister of thy justice may pass over us hurt us not let thy hand cover thy servants and hide us in the clefts of the rock in the wounds of the holy Jesus from the present anger that is gone out against us that though we walk thorough the valley of the shadow of death we may fear no evill and suffer none and those whom thou hast smitten with thy rod support with thy staff and visit them with thy mercies and salvation through Jesus Christ. Amen 8. For all women with childe and for unborn children O Lord God who art the Father of them that trust in thee and shewest mercy to a thousand generations of them that fear thee have mercy upon all women great with childe * be pleased to give them a joyfull and a safe deliverance and let thy grace preserve the fruit of their wombs and conduct them to the holy Sacrament of Baptisme that they being regenerated by thy spirit and adopted into thy family and the portion and duty of Sons may live to the glory of God to the comfort of their parents and friends to the edification of