of his self-exaltation so he that humbles himself will be exalted according to the measure of his Humiliation So far shall we be from doubting that when we are most out of conceit with our own value Cod respects us most Whâ—…n we' are placed by oâ—…r selves so low that we think we cannot go lower then indeed as we may be sure we cannot fall so nothing is so sure as that we shall rise To learn this excellent lesson shall we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by God himself and hear how he expresseth it in his holy word Upon whom shall I loâ—…k but upon him that is of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word I sai 66. 2. A troubled spirit is a Sacrifice to God A broken and contrite heart he will not despise Psal. 51. 17. Nay it is in the plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifices that is a Sacrifice equivalent to many other A Sacrifice that goes beyond all the Sacrifices of the Law The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a â—…ontrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit Psal. 34. 17. King Hâ—…zekiah found this true as well as David in that ready answer from God I have heard thy prayers I have seen thy tears Isai. 38. 5. So did Daniel in the Angel's report that srom the first day that he set his â—…eart to understand and chasten himself before God his words were heard And so will all other that make tryal of Gods infinite mercy IX Another sure way of Preparation from our Love of God and our Delight in Him BEside that sad way of Humiliation we have another more chearful way of promoting our Prayers We may take it from holy David a man after Gods own Heart that had made great use of it How dear and sweet the very mâ—…ntion of God or his holy word or any thing of his was to David's tongue and heart he hath sufficiently expressed in many Psalmes especially in the 119 and 145. both of them Alphabeticall Psalmes that they might be the easier committed to memory and the latter so highly esteemed by the Jewes that R Kimchi tells us the Rabbines had a saying that whosoever heartily recited the 145 Psal thrice a day needed not doubt of his eâ—…ernal Fâ—…licity As if they thought it the best Psalme to increase the love of God in us and so to fit us fâ—…r the Beatificall Vision and the heavâ—…nly quire above Yet how easily or how much soever the Jewish Church was taken with emphatical expressions of that Divine Love many in the Christian Church that should be more affected with it do seem to dote so much upon somewhat here below that they cannot hear with that ear and wish to go along with the Psalmist charme he never so wisely Therein they are rather like those Idols that have ears and hear not But if I should tell them how advantageous holy David saith that our love of God may prove to our obtaining of what we pray for I hope they would listen a little better to that Therefore I will keep them no longer from it They may see it Psal. 37. 4. in these words Delight thy self in the Lord and he will give thee thy heart's desire Which is made good in another Psalme that speakes in the person of God Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him He shall call upon me and I will hear him Now though this be the reward of Divine Love yet it were a shame that we should need much to be incited to it to love him whose creatures we are and on whose mercy and goodness depends all our Felicity X. Other Means to facilitate our accesse to God by Prayer NOt only our love to God but our love and respect to others too may procure a good successe of our Prayers As 1. Mercy in forgiving them Hence is that Evangelicall advise When thou prayest lift up holy hands without wrath 1 Tim. 2. 8. that is be in Charity when thou prayest If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there rememberest that thy Brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift go first be reconciled to thy Brother Mat. 5. 24. Forgive thy neighbour so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest Ecclus. 28. 2. 2. Mercy in relieving them Old Tobit made it his advise to his son Turne not thy face away from the poor and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee c. 4. 7. Solomon had said it before him in other termes He that stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himself but shal not be heard Prov. 21. 19. King Nebuchadnezer was therefore put in a fair way of preventing a sad punishment by Daniel's good counsel to break off his sins by alms-deeds and mercy to the poor Dan. 4. 27. And Cornelius found the vertue of this when he had the honour to be told by an Angel that his prayers were heard and his Almes-deeds were had in remembrance in the sight of God Act. 10. 31. Ecclus 3. 30. 4. 10. 3. Due respect to Parents Who so honoureth his Father makes an atonement for his sins Ecclus. 3. 3. He shall be heard when he makes his prayer v. 5. v. 15. Thus in all things our Christian and virtuous demeanour of our selves hath the force of letters of recommendation to promote our cause to the throne of grace And we have our Saviour's own word for it that If we abide in him and his words abide in us Ask what we will it shall be done unto us Joh. 15. 7. Out of these and the like Institutions which we take out of the holy Scriptures and wherein we perceive what preparation fits us best for the attaining of our humble suits of the hand of God every man should select some above the rest as most peculiar to himself and wherein his present care should make some amends for his former neglect remembring the advise of Baruch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. As it was your mind to go astray from God so being returned seek him ten times more Baruch 4. 28. by humble and hearty obedience as well as by earnest supplication XI Caveats for the Matter and Manner of Prayer THat our Prayers may be succcessesull it will be further necessary to take order that they may be ever attended with those Cautions Virtues and Graces which are most conducible to that end Such as these are 1. Not to ask amisse for any thing either in the scope and matter or in the method and order of of our Prayers For many ask and receive not because they ask a miss Jam. 4. 3. that they may consume it upon their own pleasures and fancies In such cases we must not expect to be heard unlesse it be to the punishment of our folly and presumption And otherwise we must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our prayers must be grounded upon
suck it in at the other senses and make our selves senseles by the organ of sense When our wild apprehensions expose us to scorn and contempt if not to the danger of Schism and Heresy or what else may proceed from the rash and disordered notions of the weak brain of man When we make our selves sick of the Epidemical diseases of self-discontent and the desire of change though a thousand to one for that which is far worse We can pick misery out of others seeming Felicity and like all but what we have â—…ot And when we have got what we longâ—…d for we can long as much to be rid of that 〈◊〉 exchange for a new Vanity of another â—…ame Thus we tire our selves out of one â—…ish into another and through severall Emâ—…loyments run our selves out of breath As if â—…ur short miserable life had not shortnes and â—…isery enough of it selfe but we must catch â—…t all meanes and devises that may shorten the â—…ne and fill up the other If all that we have hitherto said be not eâ—…ough to fill the bosome with excesse of miseâ—…y there is nothing about us but is able to â—…rompt our memories with the sad accesses that â—…re often made to all the former dangers by â—…ome heavy and disastrous event The Earth we tread on hath often deceived â—…er inhabitants and devoured whole Cities on 〈◊〉 suddain The Air we live by hath often infected â—…hole whole Countries anf made the most â—…opulous places a solitary wildernes Fire and Water that we refresh our selves â—…ithall have been the unexpected destructiâ—…n and ruine of many healthy bodies and â—…ourishing states The like may be said of other Creatures â—…at some time or other seem to conspire â—…gainst us But from no Creature do we sufâ—…er more then we do from those of our own â—…ind Man's greatest â—…isery is to fall into the hands of man Homo homini Daemon Nature hath not armed any one Creature with such shrewd weapons to fight against menâ—… as we have invented engines and stratagems and malititious devises to make away one another by whole troupes And yet forsooth Man is he that is naturally Animal politicum a lover of society Man is he that Nature brings forth unarmed as if she intended him for Peace and Charity How many of us then are very unnatural For we find it too true there is no such cruelty as the cruelty of one man to another No such variance as that between man and maâ—… between brother and brother Nay I may come nearer No such variance no such civil wars 〈◊〉 those which we have within our selves 〈◊〉 own Affections and Reason are at the greateâ—… oddes The Body and Soul are not so united but that their dissentions are as great 〈◊〉 any Therefore no wonder if we are often affâ—…cted and vext with other men with our beâ—… friends and kindred For we seldome continue long in peace and good termes with ouâ—…selves And which of us is not conscious of somâ—… bitter conflicts that we have had with ouâ—… own passions if we be not ruled by them which is far worse To say nothing of the cruel whippes and lashes that some have had from their own conscience too This is the top of all the misery that can fall upon man Hardly can we adde any thing to this fulnes Put altogether you will say we have heard enough in confirmation of this truth though only by way of Instance and Induction Where the very reckoning up of the Particulars is able to tire and convince us and make us willing to be freed from any further proof XX. The close and fruit of the former Meditations I Hope the pious and heedfull Reader will find out sometime seriously to weigh the former Advertisements which are fit and proper Motives not onely to humble us but to weane us from too much love of a short and miserable life and from doting upon wealth and honour which may leave us or we them we know not soone For our life is so uncertaine that in our greatest strength and hope it is but a puff of breath in our nostrels that puts a difference between our estate and the estate of the dead And againe in this little uncertaine time so full of trouble that every particular Day hath his full measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sufficient to the day is the evill thereof saith our blessed Saviour himself Mat 6. 34. And if that move us not yet remember that while we procrastinate and spin out the time that spends so fast of it self Vengeance and Damnation do not sleep 2 Pet. 2. 3. While we go on securely live as we list and rant it we know not who sets all upon the score Therefore let us not defer our amendment and reconcilement to God and our selves Let us quickly make sure for those Cordials and Supports that will stand us in most stead when the cup of our Affliction is fullest and the tide of our miseries begin to overflow And withall Let the short continuance of us and our misery here teach us not only to be the more patient our short sufferings working an eternal weight of Glory but the more valiant too and the more desirous of employment wherein to expresse our selves In other cases the more the hazard is the more we rouse up and are pleased with the fair occasions that we have to show our Valour Optat Aprum aut fulvum descendere monte leonem i e. the love of our credit will make us slight all danger But in all cases we take good encouragement from the thought of the reward And why should we not here For If shortnes of time and fulnes of misery cannot awake us this I hope will that they which live well shall have them both answered with length of time and fulnes of joy in the presence of God where there are pleasures for evermore I intend to say more of that fulnes but first I will conclude what hath been said with this Morning prayer following that may help to prepare us for the busines of the day A Morning Prayer IN all that we shall do this day prosper thou O Lord the work of our hands O prosper thou our handy-work Ps. 90. 17. In all that we shall think or say let the words of our mouth and the Meditations of our heart be such as may be ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our Redeemer Ps. 19. 14. that thou maist for ever vouchsafe to be with us both in life and death Wherein for the short time of our life here give us grace so to behave our selves as in thy presence fearing nothing so much as thy displeasure hating and sorrowing for nothing so much as our sins loving and joying in nothing so much as in Thee and thy glory And for the time of our Death wee beseech thee in thy good providence and mercy so to order it that we be not found either unprovided or unwilling to
not that sinne up by the rootes For there are some sinnes rooted and grounded in other sinnes as Envy and Contention in Pride and Vain glory In all such till the root be quite pulled up and Humility set in the place of it cut the branches as you please some what will bud up and appear again And as some sinnes are the root of others so some sinnes are the food of others as we use to say sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus Lust useth to feed well to fare deliciously and plentifully Therefore there is a Devil that cannor be cast out but by prayer and Fasting And we may safely say that Fulness of Bread and Idleness as they are the Sepulchers of many Virtues so they are the Cherishers of most Vices But when we know the true Root and Cause and Food of a Disease it is half cured It grows late and we need say no more of this Verbum sapienti You may think that I am ready to take my leave of you and bid you Good night adding not a word more of that hard Scrutiny or what else belonging to it may fit it for a happy conclusion And indeed I and all the world must leave you when you are for that business which though it be most profitable is the most unpleasing to us all that are great sinners Yet that I may take my leave the more charitable and that you may find the better night I will say one word more a word of Comfort If in the foot of your accompt you find sinnes so great and so many that great and many terrours begin to disturb you Strive to arm your selves with all the armour of God and be not so much affrighted as incouraged to goe on For if your inward eyes with the use of your best optick Instruments have found out so many of your own sinnes or multitudes of your worst enemies let your other eyes by the help of your prayers furnish you with as good store of the best weapons that can be used in your defence Lachrimae arma Prayers and Teares are the weapons that David used so long that he washed his bed with them Psal. 6 6 7. Teares are the weapons that Mary Magdalen's Eyes had such plenty of that she could wash our Saviors feet with them Bitter Teares are the weapons made Peter goe out of the place where he denied his Saviour into a fitter place wherein he might presently beg that mercy of God that charmed the Divel from ever haunting of him with the memory of that foul Deniall And if you fain would but cannot weep as they did think of those Prayers without any mention of teares that long before these Weepers were born turned Jacob into Israel and moved God to let him and us know that the Lord of Hostes was overcome with his importunate way of non dimittam nisi which shewed the power of his Prayers that wonne him the Name of Israel And let us prove out selves true Israelites by so following of him if we can extort no Teares or so few dropps as cannot be poured into God's bottle and intitle us to the name of Followers of the other great Champions For if we can begin with no weapons of Tears but without them broken and sorrowfull penitent Hearts yet if we resolve to fight the more valiantly hereafter under Christ's banner in the use of some other spiritual weapons doubt not but the Father of all Mercyes and Mercy it self will gratiously receive us having invited all so freely to come to Him that are weary and heavy laden with the unsupportable burden of their sinnes and haveing not by his teares only but by his pretious blood so fully satisfied for poor penitent sinners I am not sorry that I have shewed you the way how to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and use such weapons in your prayers since God Himself hath shewed us the way how he may be overcome And I hope you are not sorry that I have shewed you the way how to make the night of your Scrutiny whensoever you make choice of it a happy and joyfull night in the close But when you have well passed over the time of your Scrutiny in all the nights after a short Meditation of the Affinity that is between Sleep and Death will easily produce a Prayer and Resolution with an eye to that before you make to much haste to lye down and rest in your bed betweèn those sheets that may prove your winding sheets for ought you know A further supply for the Evening you may take out of the pious Bishops Devotions which shall now follow that you may see how he usually prepared himself for his quiet sleep and rest after his daily labours I wish all may use them whith his spirit and remember that like the winding up again of the Clock such is the necessary Recollection of our selves at night after the disturbances and discomposing of our selves in the day time by the ordinary employment and duties of our Calling and our occasional Commerce with other men In this task our best method will be 1. First to reflect upon our sinnes of the day 2. Then upon the hazard of the night against which we had need to be armed by our prayers 3. Then upon the blessing and praising of God for his former works of mercy and providence and the confidence which we have in his custody of us this night and for ever In this part I find no papers of the good Bishop but only in Greek which I shall re-represent in that order 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amongst theâ—…e preparations for night the very thoughts of the affinity betwixt Sleep and Death or the Bed and the
same mystical body of whose sufferings he should have a quick sense and expresse it in his good wishes and Prayers wrastling with God for them as an earnest coadjutor and fellow-intercessor the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15. 30. He that will give ear to the many Evangelical exhortations to daily and instant prayer Luc. 18. 1. 1 Thes. 5. 17 c. He that believeth God's omnipotence and all-sufficiency as being the Well of life the Father of lights and giver of every good thing the Lord of Hosts whom all creatures serve and obey He that hath acquainted himselfe with God's Fatherly promises to hear and grant our humble petitions Ask and you shall have Mat. 7. 7. Ioh 16 23. Psal 34. 6 50 15. 103. 13. 81. 11. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it He that will not deny or forget all these must necessarily acknowledg how foolish and carelesse he is that will rather want then seek that by Prayer which may be so easily purchased VII Other preparatory Meditations before prayers in the morning or at any other time BEfore thou prayest prepare thy self and be not as one that tempts the Lord. Ecclus. 18. 23. And let the first preparation be made in the Heart that thou maist with those in Ier. lift up thy Heart together with thy Hands to God in the Heavens Lam 3. 4. For Prayer is too great a businesse to be committed onely to the Tongue Nor can we expect that He which calls for the heart and directs us to seek him with all the heart and with all the soul Deut. 4. 29. will be any thing moved with the sound of our lips when the heart is silent or that he will be found of those that seek him carelesly Such as those in Isay 29. that draw nigh to God with their mouths and honour him with their lips but their heart is far from him Of whom our Saviour saith that they worship him in vain Mat. 15. 8 9. Now he that would prepare his heart must be told that a sinful impenitent Heart shall have no acceptance It must be such a one as will depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. We may learn that from Zohar the Naamathite if thou preparest thy Heart saith he and stretchest out thy hands towards God if iniquity be in thy hands put it far away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy Tabernacles Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot and without fear Iob. 11. 13. Zohar would have thee come with a pure heart and clean hands and not to forget the reformation of thy Tabernacles that is of thy House and Family too as well as of thy self If Zohar be thought of no great Authority let the Prophet Micah propose a question to this purpose VVherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God saith he Micah 66. and his answer would be out of the highest oracle v. 8. He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God VVhat Micah saith the Royal Prophet that had best skill in praying resolved long before If I incline to wickednesse with my heart the Lord will not hear me Ps. 66. 16. And the reason of it we may have in his own words elsewhere For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their Prayers But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil Psal. 34. 14. The wisest of Kings doth but comment upon those his Father's words when he tells us that a good man obtains favour of the Lord but the prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov 12. 2. and c. 15. 8. 29. VVhen such men pray and spread forth their hands before God he will hide his eyes from them yea though they make many prayers he will not hear saith the Prophet Isaiah c. 1. 15. but he that sets himself to serve the Lord shall be accepted with favour and his Prayers shall reach the clouds saith the son of Sirac Ecclus. 35. 16. And doth not the Gospel speak the same language VVe know that God hears not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he hears saith the blind man in the Gospel Ioh. 9. 31. And if we will hear our Saviour himself we must conclude that every one that asketh as he should do shall receive Mat. 7. 8 21. But not every one that carelesly or hypocritically saith Lord Lord shall have his prayers â—…ound so potent as to pierce the Heavens and make way for them or himself to ascend thither That is a priviledge reserved for him that in preparation of heart is ready to do the will of our Father which is in heaven But he that is otherwise minded may receive his answer before hand from the Prophet Isaiah that though God's hand be not shortned nor his ears heavy yet iniquity will separate between God and such a suiter and make him hide his face from him when he would be looked upon with some favour Is. 59. 2. 1. 17 18. VIII A farther supply of such Preparatory Meditations as may make us fitter to be heard in our Prayers WE have shewed already what need we have to come with a penitent heart and resolutions of a good life and how far that may prevaile Shall I now shew if we would have yet more hope of Audience and be sure to have our prayers more acccepted how we should improve a penitent heart truly prepared with Contrition and Humiliation of spirit for those Prayers are most successful that come up to that In which regard as much as we are affected with the desire of a good issue of our Prayers so much we should endeavour more and more to prostrate and cast down our selves before the throne of Grace For he that in a sense of his own miserable està te esteemes himself the most unworthy to be suffered to look up to Heaven or be admitted to any accesse neer the Mercy-seat he is likely to be the first that shall be looked upon and called nearer He that in his own opinion of himself placeth himself lowest as a worme and no man He that descends so far into the thought of his own vilenes that he sees his soul ready to cleave to the dust and his body so despicable that he thinks it worthy to be trod upon his Petition is not unlikely to be look'd upon in the first place and himself preferred before all those that expected to have an Answer before him I say not this without some reason For then we have the best foundation to build high when we are at the bottom of Humility And if we will hear what God himself saith of this kind of addresse to him we will easily believe that as he which exalts himself will be abased according to the degree
Saint Paul calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He would willingly listen to one that would sometime pray for himselfe as Christ prayed for us with strong cries and teares Hebr. 5. 7. Remembring how Importunity prevailed with the unjust Judge in the Parable of our Saviour and how it may prevaile for them that will give God no rest till he vouchsafe to answer them Such were holy David's prayers wont to be set forth in the sight of God as the incense Ps 14. 2. like frankincense laid upon hot coales So should ours be as if our hearts as well as our tongues were touched with a coale from the Altar mounting upward with that fervour attention and devotion which carries our â—…houghts from earth and presents us as it were for that time before the Throne of God's Royall Majesty in Heaven Now they will more happily and easily compasse this fervency and intention of spirit that are able to follow Saint Peter's advise to joyne Sobriety amd Watchfulnesse unto Prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7. For Sobriety makes us fit to watch and if we bring not a hearty vigilant prayer we may pull a curse upon our selves rather then a blessing We cannot but thinke so if we consider that Prayer is one of the chiefest Services that we performe to God and therefore we must not think that God will indure to have that done coldly and lazily and carelesly Prayer gives us accesse unto the Throne of God and leave to speake and hope to have Audience before his Divine Majesty Therefore should we study to offer it up attended with those graces and virtues and ushered in with that preparation that may put us in further hope of Acceptance after we are heard In that regard the holy Saints of God in all ages being to commence some speciall suit unto God have not been unwilling many times to prepare themselves with Fasting and lay hold of all other good helps whereby they might come as well fitted as they may be for a businesse of so high consequence as that of Prayer XIII The close of this Meditation with a returne to the time ANd now having given a view of most of those helps to conclude this Meditation I will only adde that some advantage to Prayer may be drawne from the very Time which brought us into this discourse Of all other the Morning is the fittest time for Prayer While we are more fresh fasting and sober while our best thoughts affections vigilance intention and fervor not yet taken off or abated with worldly affaires are the more ready to attend our Prayers Therefore let us use the more care not to let that time of our Devotions be passed over but as it should be And both then and ever Let us not presume to pray without some serious preparation or some praevious ejaculation sent before to that purpose For we had better spend lesse time in Prayer then rashly and unpreparedly adventure upon such a worke too soon Preparatory Ejaculations fit to be used when we compose our selves to Prayer OLord all hearts and all things else are naked and manifest in thy sight Hâ—…b 4. 13. and all at thy disposall O Cleanse the thoughts of my Heart by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit and make it fit for Prayer and other holy Duties Graft in it with the hatrâ—…d of Sinne the love of thy holy namt Give me that Faith that may conduct my selfe and that Charity that may take others along with mee to the Throne of thy grace Teach my Heart the Reverence due to thy Divine Majesty in the presenting of my humble Petitions Make my servent and vigilant Prayer truly expressive of the value of that which I came to begge conformable to thy holy will and in the name and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is enough to be spoken of Prayer in generall in reference to our present purpose From this Digression we will now returne to our particular Morning-Devotions For which we learne of our Mother-Church by what she doth in publick Prayer to begin our private Addresses then too with a form of confession which is to begin with our pardon and peace first humbly begged from Almighty God I shall therefore commend unto you first a Confession and Prayer used by Bishop Andrewes then another used by Archb. Laud. XIV Confessio cum Precatione ALmighty God and most mercifull Father all-mercifull and Mercy it self I have wiâ—…tingly and willingly run from thy wayes erred and strayed from them more like an untamed heifer and wild asse then a lost and wandring sheep I have followed too much or rather altogether the absurd devices and brutish desires of my own heart I have not only offended against but even been offended at thy holy Laws thy most holy Laws I have left undone nay not done all those things which I ought to have done I have done done nothing else but those things which I ought not to have done And there is no health nor hope of health in me But thou O Lord have mercy upon me miserable most miserable sinner the greatest of sinners and the most unthankefull for so great grace as hath been offered to me Spare me and all them O God which confesse their faults Restore thou them that be penitent that desire to be penitent that wish they were so that feare they are not enough that are sorry they are not more penitent for this is according to thy promises thy most gracious most sweet promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord that invites all and promiseth to refresh all that feel the weight and â—…urden of their sins and come to Him for ease Grant therefore O most mercifull Father â—…or his sake who is our Redeemer Advocate Author and Finisher of our Faith Propitiation Righteousness and Justification that I and all penitents may ever hereafter live a Godly Righteous and Sober life Grant that we may do this to the glory of thy Holy Name and the Salvation of our own Soules Amen Pro Remissione Peccatorum O Eternall God and most Mercifull Father Pardon I beseech Thee all the Sins Omissions Commissions Thoughts Words and Deeds by which I have provoked Thee â—…o anger from the time of my birth to this present moment that no one nor all of my â—…ins together may ever be able to cry oftâ—…er or lowder in thine eares for vengeance â—…hen the cry of my Prayers may ascend up to Thee for Mercy and forgivenesse and obâ—…ain what they sue for Particularly I humbly â—…eseech Thee forgive unto me my greater and â—…ore clamorous Sins Such as are O Lord â—…gainst Heaven and against Thee have I â—…nned and committed foul transgressions 〈◊〉 Thy sight But I beseech Thee wipe â—…em all out of the Booke of Thy Remembrance through Jesus Christ our Lord anâ—… onely Saviour Amen To these if you will adde a Penitentiaâ—… Psalme There are seaven of them that is thâ—… 6. 32. 38. 51. 102. 130. 143. They will 〈◊〉
other wings touched each other 2. Chron. â—…1 So the two Testaments touched each other i. e. expounded each other and touched â—…e two sides of the House that is extenâ—…ed from in Principio to Veni Domine â—…esu from the Creation to the End of the â—…orld XLVIII Of short Ejaculations OUr private Reading and Meditation will easily furnish us with many short Ejaculatory Prayers which of all kind of Devotion are freest from the distraction of extravagant thoughts and therefore fittest to be often usedâ—… especially such as are è re nat â that is such aâ—… our severall hints and occasions shall minister unto us from suddaine intensive Affections and quick vehement Desires like Darts thrown out with erect attention of mind or like speedy wings of vigilant prayer happily expressed in a piercing kind of brevitie These are carefully to be cherished and made use of But besides these It will not be amisse to have some praemeditate and in store that may raise our devotion when we are somewhat in disposed of our selves Such as these or the like O Heavenly Father teach me that Reverence Duty and Love that befits one who 〈◊〉 an Enemy is adopted a Son and Heire to a Heavenly crowne Sweet Jesu the life of my Soule by thy gratious indulgence and Interâ—…ession assist me iâ—… following the pattern of thy holy life and teacâ—… me to know Thee and my selfe O holy and blessed Spirit Sanctifie mâ—… Soule and body enlighten my understandinâ—… with thy Truth And enrich my Heart with thy comfortable presence and assistance Most glorious and blessed Trinity Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts whom none can see and not be everlastingly happy Grant that I may so live as longing for the blessed appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by whom only we hope to attaine that happy sight But how long Lord Come Lord Jesu come quickly XLIX The recollection of our selves at Night and preparation to a Scrutinie THe severall dayes of Creation are closed up with God's owne review of the worke â—…f that Day which he saw to be very good Gen 1. 4. 12 31. We should all make such a review every Day that if we have done well we may be â—…hankefull to that grace and mercy of God â—…hat inabled us to do so and if we have done â—…l we may consider what sorrow for the preâ—…nt what resolution befits us for the time to â—…ome Such a review hath been acknowledged very â—…t and practised by the light of Nature Hence have we that advice of Pythagoâ—…as Non priùs in dulceÌ„ declinent lumina somnum Omnia quà m longi repetiveris acta Diei And Tully reports it to have been the practise of Cato Cato quicquid quoquo Die egerat viderat legerat audierat vesperi commemorabat tanquam diuturni negotii à se rationem exigens After this we may recall that which we had in the close of the first Section which gives general advice for every day L. A Preparative Meditation and Exhortation to such an Absteinious life as may fit us for a happy Death THat we be not mistaken when we suppose our selves in a right course of Christianity let us sometimes seriously recall to minde Saint Paul's advise to his beloved Corinthians and propose that question to our selves which he did to them Know you not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize So run that you may obtain And every one that strives for the Mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it for a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible 1 Cor. 9 24 25. Wherein his meaning was that what they knew practised in common races and wrastlings should be applied to a spiritual race and Christian-like combate Which if we will do Three things will appear of apparent necessity 1. He that runs in a race must be admitted in stadium a spectator may run and be never the nearer to the prize 2. So admitted he must resolve of composing himself to run He that will prate or sit or fool away the time may loose the credit and the reward 3. If he aim at the victory he must so run that he may obtain in a right swift and continued course And as a means to all these he must use abstinence abstinere ab omnibus If we apply these to a spiritual race and conflict three things will be needful to a Christian in Analogy to them 1. He must be admitted into the list and number of those that be capable of a Crown incorruptible Which is done by free Justification apprehended by the Faith of a true penitent and afterward confirmed by good works For the Heathens that have no faith and Christians that have a dead faith have no claim to this brabaeum This Holy David expresseth well where he saith I will run the way of thy Command when thou hast set my Heart at liberty That which sets the heart at liberty is that wherein our sinnes are pardoned our persons accepted and so we fitted to a cursus Theologicus and then run where we will in God's Commandements we are still in the way to a heavenly Crowne If it had onely the name of a Crowne there is some Rhetorick in that It is the most eminent kind of reward and set upon the head the most eminent part of the body we may well use all the projects of the head to attaine that which is to compasse the head with honour But it is also Corona incorruptibilis we should not be loth to purchase it with a life uncorrupted 2. When we have thought well of the entrance and Admittance in stadium which makes us capable of that reward we must not stay there It is not called Stadium in that sence It hath another name which implies motion and a painfull motion too It is Curriculum and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place of running and striving a place of sweating and toyling to all that are there without exception Qui in Stadio sunt currunt omnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysâ—…ie Being come in we must be employed in such actions as befit the place Otherwise no priviledges no partaking of holy Mysteries will excuse us more then they excused the Jewes Who were all baptized to Moses in the clouds and in the red Sea and did eate of the same spirituall meate and drinke of the same spirituall Rock-But with many of them God was not well pleased For they were overthrowne in the wildernesse 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 c. And so overthrown were ensamples to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 6. If we exceed them in priviledges we may so in punishments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. Therefore St Paul that had as many priviledges as any saith of himselfe 1 Cor. 9. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he saith to us 1 Cor. 10. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. He that thinkes he stands sure enough intra stadium may be deceived Therefore Let