set before us We sinners c. That according to the multitude of the sorrows in our souls and bodies thy comforts may refresh our hearts that as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so also our consolation may abound by Christ We sinners c. That our diseases and all our bodily sufferings may work together for good to us that love God that these momentany and light afflictions here may work in us an eternal weight of glory We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That whether we live we may live unto God or whether we dye we may dye unto God that Christ may be glorified in our bodies whether we live or dye that neither life nor death nor any other creature may be able to separate us from Christ Jesus We sinners beseech c. That the earthly house of this our tabernacle being dissolved we may possess an eternal habitation not made with hands in heaven that walking in the midst of the shadow of death we may fear no evil because thou art with us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Spare us c. An Exercise of CONTRITION HAve mercy upon us O Lord for we are weak O Lord heal us for our bones are vexed Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou us O Lord from our secret sins and preserve us thy servants from other mens sins O Remember not the sins and offences of our youth but according to thy mercy look upon us O Lord for thy goodness for thy Name 's sake O Lord be merciful to our sins for they are very great Behold our sorrow and affliction and forgive us all our sins O Lord our desire is before thee and our sorrow is not hid from thee O Lord take not thy mercy away from us let thy loving kindness and truth always preserve us For innumerable troubles are come upon us our sins have taken such hold upon us that we are not able to look up Have mercy upon us after thy great mercy Remember not Lord our offences but let thy loving mercies prevent us for we are brought very low Help us O Lord of our Salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver us and be merciful to our sins for thy Name 's sake Shew us thy mercy O Lord and grant us thy Salvation Enter not into judgment with thy servants for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Out of the depths have we called unto thee O Lord. If thou Lord should'st mark our iniquities O Lord who can endure it Let us pray O God who by the patience of thy only begotten Son hast broken the pride of the old Enemy grant us we beseech thee worthily to celebrate what he suffered for us and by his example patiently undergo all adversities thro the same Jesus Christ thy dear Son our Saviour Amen A Collect. O God the most gracious Maker and merciful Redeemer of Mankind fill us whom thou hast laid upon the bed of sickness with gladness of heart and contentedness of Spirit expel all the wiles of our enemy and send us the Physitian of health the Angel of peace who may raise us by thy consolations that are cast down with great afflictions that in this world we may receive succour and in the world to come everlasting reward thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The LITANY for the Dead Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Jesu receive our Prayers Lord Jesu grant our Petitions O God the Father Creator of the world Have mercy on the Souls of all the Faithful departed O God the Son Redeemer of Mankind Deliver the Souls of the Faithful departed O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect Accomplish the Bliss of the Faithful departed O Sacred Trinity three Persons and one God Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed Blessed Virgin Mary who by the special priviledge of Grace wast triumphantly assumed into the Kingdome of thy Son Pray for the Souls of the Faithful departed Blessed Patriarchs and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs Confessors and Virgins all ye holy and pure Saints who retaining at your deaths no irregular adherence to any creature were become of perfect capacity for immediate union to the Creator Pray for the Souls of the Faithful departed Be merciful O Lord and pardon their sins Be merciful O Lord and hear our Prayers From the shades of death where their imperfect Penance of their sins have deprived them for a time of the blessed light of thy countenance Deliver them O Lord. From all the evil to which their defective mortifications in this world have exposed them in the other Deliver them O Lord. From any bonds of sin wherein they remain entangled by their disorderly affections here and from thy anger which now they grieve to have provoked by their negligence and ingratitude Deliver them O Lord. From any pains now justly inflicted on them as the proper effects of their sins Deliver them O Lord. By the multitude of thy mercies which have always shewed compassion on the frailties of humane nature Deliver them O Lord. By the infinite merits of thy death upon the Cross when thou reconciledst the world to thy Father Deliver them O Lord. By thy victorious descent into Hell to break a sunder the chains of death and let the Prisoners go free Deliver them O Lord. By thy glorious Resurrection from the Grave when thou openedst the kingdome of Heaven to all Believers Deliver them O Lord. By thy triumphant Ascension into heaven when thou ledst Captivity captive and promisedst to prepare a place for thy Servants Deliver them O Lord. By thy dreadful coming to judge the world when the works of every one shall be tried by fire Deliver them c. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That it may please thee to visit such faithful as are detained in any receptacles of sorrow or privation of bliss and transport them to the City of eternal peace We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That it would please thee graciously to admit them into thy holy Sanctuary where no unclean thing can enter and to crown their hopes with everlasting fruition We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That thy beatifical Vision O Jesus may comfort them and the glorious light of thy Cross shine upon them We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That thy holy Angels and beatifical Saints may bring them into the land of the living and present them before thy throne We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That they may with Hymns of Joy and Triumph adore the glorious Author of their happiness and eternally sing Hallelujah's unto thee We sinners beseech c. Son of God fountain of Pity We beseech Thee to hear us King of dreadful Majesty who hast the keys of Death and Hell We beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God who shalt come with glory to
more punctually in Mat. 7.13 14. Strait the Gate narrow the way and few that find it Few that enter in at it But that may be meant in comparison of Heathens and Infidels No. Matt. 22.14 Of those that are called i. e. of Christians few chosen To which add what is said by the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. Not many wife after the flesh not many mighty not many noble chosen And particularly concerning rich men by reason of the many partly temptations partly secular cares thereof what is said by our Lord Matt. 19.23 Verily I say unto you a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of God An easier matter for a Camel to go through a Needle 's eye which yet with God is a thing possible 4. The Messias his first coming into the world for judgment as well as for mercy and to require a more diligent observance of God's Commandments than was yeilded in former ages In which Observance Consider 5. 1. The necessity that we attain Salvation of not living in the custome and habit of any one great or mortal sin whatever and the certain damnation that is from them if unquitted before our death 1. Cor. 6.9 Eph. 5.5 6. Digr How habits may be discerned Chiefly by the frequency facility and much delight taken in the Acts. 2. Some Reluctance to sin which is in all men from nature less or more and so long as notwithstanding this we act it no sufficient ground of hoping pardon §. 5. Par. 2. Digr An Explication of the seventh Chapter to the Romans That it must necessarily be understood either as describing the condition of a person as yet irregenerate and so as yet out of the State of Salvation One that is awakened indeed by the knowledge of the Law either written or that of nature but yet hath received no ability from Grace to keep it In whom therefore is a striving between the sensitive appetite and reason or the mind their mind necessarily by reason of the Light and Law of Nature or of the Law written being not quite darkned in the Soul dictating contrary to their practice So that they may rightly be said to follow their lusts with some unwillingness and against their mind But in this strife either reason the better part is not exactly rectified and consentient to the law of God or of Nature as appears in those Heathens who seem to have followed it yet have not been excused from sin or else at least no power they have to shake off the bands of their lusts and follow their Reason when right being destitute of grace See Rom. 8.7 8. So every one hath less or more Rom. 2.15 an inward man warring against the law of his members by which mind also he serves i. e. delights in the law of God consenting unto it that it is good and so hating that evil which the tyranny and power of the habit of sin ruling in him forceth him still to practice which are the Expressions in this Chapter Such was her case in the Tragedy Video meliora proboque Such the Heathens Rom. 2.15 Such the Jews Rom. 10.2 2.17 18. Such St. Paul's when a Pharisee Act. 22.3 Gal. 1.14 Rom. 8.3 And this Interpretation seems more proper to the place than to expound it of the State of the Regenerate as may be seen by comparing the contradictions between some passages in this 7th Chapter and others in the 5th 6th and 8th Chapters where the State of the Regenerate is described as the contradiction between Rom. 7. chap. 14. ver and 8. chap. 9. ver between 7.24 and 7.6.6.6 between 7.23.7.5 and 8.2 3 4. 5.15 6.2.14 between 7.25.18 and 6.13.12.1 and therefore these Texts speak not of the same but several persons §. 5. Par. 3. Or if this Chapter be understood as describing the State of the Regenerate it must be explained as speaking only of lesser sins of Infirmity which all the Regenerate less or more remain still liable to or of Concupiscence still remaining as St. Austine expounds it but this Concupiscence not consented-to as to the committing of any great or mortal Sin See St. Austine Contraduas Epistolas Pelagii 1. l. 10. ch In Jo. Tract 41. De Tempore Serm. 43. For there is indeed a strife in the Regenerate also and this not only between their appetite and reason but between their appetite or flesh and the spirit of Grace and this sometimes to the doing evil what they would not and to the committing of sins of Infirmity See Jam. 3 2. 1. Jo. 1.8 Gal. 5.17 in the reform'd Translation so that ye cannot do but the Original is so that ye do not do the things that ye would Sometimes and most frequently to the doing good so as according to the Spirit they would not that is to have their actions mixt with some imperfection and faultiness See Jam. 3.2 1. Jo. 1.8 Either peccant in the Substance or in some Circumstance or in some mixture of a contrary velleity Gal. 5.17 But the Expressions of this Chapter may not be applied to the Regenerate's committing or consenting to any greater sin whilst they remain Regenerate and still in the friendship and favour of God or have any more than sins of only totally unavoidable Infirmity This Digression I have made to prevent the patronizing of your faults under the imagined like failings of an Apostle But that if you find the law in your members so powerful as to produce your commission of or consent to any greater sin you may as suspecting such a condition not good make all hast to change it till you resemble the Apostle not in the 7th Chap. Rom. but in the 8th ver 2 c. 3. Not doing evil no service rewardable Where remember these Texts Matt. 25.41 42. Depart from me ye Cursed the Reason For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat naked and ye cloathed me not c. Matt. 3.10 Every Tree which not only bringeth evil or none but bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cast into the Fire Matt 25.24 c. Then he which had received the one Talent came and said Lord loe there thou hast what is thine His Lord answered Thou slothful servant c. Take the talent from him and cast the unprofitable servant into outward durkness 6. 1. The necessity for salvation of an universal and sincere obedience though every way perfect in this life it cannot be to God's Commandments in the habitual and diligent practice of holy Duties and good works which are required of you Digr Of the Reward its being promised to good works 2. No Acceptance of the Will in omission of the Deed when faisible 3. The Danger of sins of omission 4. The Hypocrisy of partial Holiness 7. To make our good works acceptable there must be innocency from other sins 8. The inutility also as for attaining eternal life of good works as of loving giving alms c. where mutual lending to be paid again Or of acts of
freed from cares and attent to their Devotions why may it not be enlarged to others besides these Younger I mean such as shall contribute the value of their charges without damaging the Foundation Which also may occasion to the wealthy a pious distribution of what they have superfluous Always provided that besides the practice of their Devotions they have some imployment for spending their time profitably for themselves or others and be observant of the laws of the place and the Injunctions of their Governours there in whose power it may be to eject the disorderly 4. Erecting Hospitals for the sick Or among these for the Incurable For the decrepit lame blind For the distracted For poor children orphans or abandoned or not maintainable by their poor Parents These to be taught to write and read and their Catechisme and afterward to be bound apprentices Or those of better parts and more capable of learning to be maintained in the University and fitted for the Clergy For poor Girls after their education to be provided of a Dowry for their Marriage For poor women with Child in order to their decent lying in and delivery For Widows For Wives ill married forsaken and undone For Infants exposed c. 5. Endowing Religious single-persons for visiting the sick poor imprisoned and relieving their wants for attending Hospitals Women for teaching Children gratis to read 6. Setting up Monte-Pios Banks of Money to be lent out to poor Tradesmen or others with pawns or other securities given that the Stock be not lost 7. Employing the Idle in setting up Manufactures and working-houses for them 8. Putting forth Children to honest Trades and binding them Apprentices 9. Paying Dowries for poor maids marriageable especially those more comely or beautiful and so providing for their Chastity 10. Translating printing publishing and bestowing on the necessitous Books of more singular Piety and Devotion Digr 1. Of the great benefit as the advancing and improving of Charity in any of the Kinds forementioned of Sodalities or Confraternities of pious and devout persons Clergy or Laicks and especially of those that have a nearer relation and correspondence with one another in being of the same Office Trade or Profession Which association may many ways more promote the foresaid pious design than single persons can by making a greater stock of Charity-monies by having many eyes to see and hands to relieve the necessitous by inviting and incouraging and countenancing one another in such acts of Mercy and attracting those who are led by example more than their own choice and affection thereto By having meetings at certain times for consulting about such affairs wherein the prudence of a few may be serviceable to the whole and electing out of their number certain persons more intelligent and fit and disengaged for the distribution of their Alms Such a Body being also more obvious for the distressed their making known their wants and more secure to whose care and overseeing the charitable may commit and leave their benefactions Of the like Sodalities of Ladies and Gentlewomen usually the more compassionate and tender-hearted Sex And the Graces and Virtues of a few thus diffusing themselves and alluring many others into the same charitable engagements Of Confraternities in several Trades for relieving the necessities of those of the same company who through many Crosses happen to be decayed in their Estates Digr 2. Of the many opportunities that Divines Physitians and Lawyers more especially have for helping and assisting their poor Neighbours as to their Souls Bodies and Estates The first in catechising the ignorant visiting and comforting the sick or imprisoned especially when near their end instructing them administring to them the Sacraments and preparing them for a good departure out of this world The second in gratis affording them his advice and remedies for their Diseases and especially making known to them the state of their sickness if dangerous or hopeless for their better preparation for death The third in affording his Patronage to and gratis pleading and defending their cause when just and when it otherwise disswading them from contention and in arbitrating differences among Neighbours and preventing Suits and expences at Law And that these Professions are much recommendable to the Nobility and Gentry not in order to gain but to such deeds of Charity Digr 3. Of the nobleness of Charities done not only to the present but future Generations and perhaps lasting to the end of the world Digr 4. Of the great power with God of all good deeds done to our Neighbour whether it be in our remitting their trespasses or relieving their necessities And of the special promises made to these Duties in the Scriptures God making our goodness a rule unto his and doing unto us at the same time as we do or wish unto them Promises of 1. Remission of our Sins 2. Deliverance from Evils as from Sickness Want Enemies c. 3. Temporal happiness to us to our seed Amongst other Benefits the Alms given of some portion of God's gifts sanctifying to us the use of the rest Luk. 11.41 4. Life Eternal Digr 5. Contrary Of God's shewing no mercy to those who shew no mercy to others Digr 6. Of the unacceptableness with God and inutility of the good deeds of those who do not purify themselves from the continuance in any mortal sin §. 75. 3. To God III. DVTIES to God 1. Honouring and loving Him above all things and doing every thing you do for his glory and to please Him 1. Honouring and loving Him above all things 2. Exciting this Divine passion of Love towards God the Father and our Saviour especially by the frequent contemplation of his perfections beauty wisdome goodness love and mercy to you and that in as many particulars as you can remember Digr 1. Of the beneficial alternation of the Acts of Fear and Love to be prevalent in us according to the often change of our present condition which is variously affected towards God and now terrified by his justice now caressed by his mercies 2. Cor. 5.11 Heb. 12.28 Phil. 2.12 3. Never speaking of or naming him but in serious matters with great reverence Ecclesiasticus 23.9 and retaining still a spiritual bashfulness and modesty toward the heavenly Majesty 4. Reading hearing whether this in publick or in private discourse reciting his Word with a special devotion and affection 5. Doing all your things as much as you can only for his glory and this with the more readiness when things seem in any opposition to any your temporal good for this is thank-worthy Or when they are not yet then having no regard as much as you can to your own temporal benefit Else other ends of your own being joyned with that of his glory are commonly tho unobserved by us preferred before it and such means are oftner chosen that conduce more to this than to that tho this foolishly for whilst we look only after God's good he takes so much more care and
thy Saints we may also imitate their faith and patience We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may keep inviolably the Catholick Faith so stoutly maintained by them that like as thine Elect in heaven so we may readily do thy will on earth that we may hate our own Souls in this world that we may preserve them to eternal life that thou wouldst vouchsafe to admit us into the inheritance of thy chosen in light We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may continually praise thee in thy Saints that we may laud thee with thy Saints in Heaven and magnify thee for ever We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Our Father which art in Heaven c. PRaise the Name of our Lord praise him ye Servants of our Lord. Who stand in the house of our Lord in the courts of the house of our God Praise our Lord for he is good sing unto his Name for it is sweet Sing unto our Lord a new Song his Praise in the congregation of his Saints For our Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will magnify the meek with Salvation Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high Praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged Sword in their hand To execute vengeance upon the Nations and punishment upon the people To bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron To execute upon them the Judgment written This Honor have all his Saints Hallelujah Let us pray WE give thee thanks O Lord with all our hearts for that thou hast chosen thy Saints and justified them by thy infinite grace for that thou hast prevented them with the blessings of thy sweetness and preserved them in their way thro all the impediments of their Salvation We give thee infinite thanks O God for all the Graces and Benefits which thou hast bestowed upon them in time and reserved for them to Eternity O ye blessed Servants and Friends of God who confirmed in all Grace and now have received the Crown of heavenly Glory and with joy behold the Sacred Trinity face to face praising him with unspeakable gladness everlastingly obtain for us your Supplicants free pardon of our sins and a perfect denial of our selves that we may follow your steps thro the narrow way as also an intimate and sincere love of God wherewith you being enflamed have valiantly and gloriously overcome the world the flesh and the devil with all the crosses of this present life pray for us now and at the hour of our death that when we are to pass hence and to appear before the fearful Tribunal of the great Judge he would not enter into judgment with us but judge us according to his infinite mercy that so at length we may be admitted into the blessed Fellowship in that supernal Jerusalem where we altogether may praise extol and magnify our Lord God for ever and ever Amen O Lord God multiply upon us thy Grace and grant us to follow in a holy profession the joy of thy Saints whose memories we celebrate through Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord. Amen MOst gracious God the Author of all Sanctity and lover of Unity whose wisdome hath established an admirable communion between thy Church triumphant in heaven and militant on earth as members of the same mystical Body whereof thy Son Christ Jesus is the Head mercifully grant that as thy Blessed without ceasing pray to thee for us we may continually praise thee for them and in correspondence to their perfect Charity with pious observance celebrate their memories till we all meet before thy glorious Throne and with one heart adore the Saviour of us all who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen O All ye blessed Saints of heaven and Spirits Angelical whom God with the brightness of his presence makes everlastingly joyful pray for us We salute and honour you we give praise and thanks to our Lord who hath chosen you and made you eternally happy with his benedictions obtain from him for us forgiveness obtain for us grace that at the end of this frail life we may be admitted to the fruition of your heavenly Society thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God and most merciful Father favourably regard the imperfect Prayers of thy servants here on earth which we present unto thee by the most efficacious intercession of our fellow members the Saints in heaven and grant that as their Sanctity is exalted by thee to a supreme degree of glory so their Charity may obtain for us the especial assistance of thy Grace thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen GRant O Almighty God that we who celebrate the Memories and reverence the Holiness of all thy Saints may be assisted with Thee by their intercession and rejoyce in their protection thro Jesus Christ Amen O Almighty and Eternal God who vouchsafest us the Grace to reverence the Holiness of all thy Saints Grant us we beseech Thee the desired plenty of thy mercy by their multiplied intercessions thro our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The LITANY of Penitents O God the Father of heaven our Creator Have mercy on us O God the Son our Redeemer Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier Have mercy c. O strong just and jealous God taking revenge upon all sin and iniquity who sparedst not the Angels that sinned but castedst them down into hell to be tormented From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who hast appointed death the stipend of Sin who didst shut Adam after he had sinned out of Paradise and subjectedst him to many Curses From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who sparedst not the old world but punishedst it overwhelmed in sin by the flood From thy great wrath c. Who utterly consumedst Sodom and Gomorrah burnt to ashes and miraculously punishedst Pharoah and the Aegyptians hardening their hearts against thee From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who sparedst not thine ancient people the Jews rebelling against thee but deliveredst them up into the hands of their enemies and into the Babylonish Captivity From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who at last scatteredst them throughout all the world whilst persevering in their sins and gavest thy beloved City and thy Sanctuary to be trodden under foot of the Enemy From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us O God to the relenting and penitent gracious and merciful long-suffering and abundant in mercy and repenting thee of evil who lovest every thing and hatest nothing that thou hast made From thy great wrath c. Who pitiest all and winkest at the sins of men for their amendment of life who wouldst have none to perish but all be converted and in whose presence there is joy over one sinner that doth penance From all thy great wrath c. Who calledst
to do well And this dedicating and consecrating of such our service to God with a Vow and the greater firmness and resolution of mind wherewith such duty is performed the offering of the tree it self as well as the fruit the will it self and the freedome wherewith God hath endowed it as well as its action this internal voluntarily contracted necessity of well doing doth as the Schoolmen observe set a much higher value on such action and render it of a far greater merit and worth with God As also the same Vows do more strongly fortify the mind against future temptations whilst it suffers not that to re-enter so easily again into deliberation which it hath already put out of its power and our former lusts or also Satan despairing as it were now to be heard makes no more assaults But these Vows or Resolutions at first are to be made only for a short time and so that with some tolerable penalty you may redeem your former liberty by obliging your self only either to do such an Act or suffer such a Mortification So often fast a meal say so many Prayers give so much Alms c. Which Penances if you do indispensably exact of your self when relaxing good Resolves you will wonder to see how small a forfeiture many times breaks-of the custome of a fault from which neither Hell could affright nor Heaven allure But at the first take heed of making any absolute and perpetual engagement for performing things that are of more perfection least Satan tempt you beyond your power of resistance when as you have not as yet gotten a perfect command over your will nor sate down first as our Lord adviseth you Luk. 14.28 c. to consult your strength whether you have forces enough to conquer your Enemy and materials enough to finish your Building and least you thus render the doing of that a sin to you which before was innocent at least and by your soaring higher than your weak wings will yet carry you you fall below your former Station and inherit a Curse from our Lord instead of a Blessing Let not thine heart be hasty saith the wise-man Eccl. 5.2.4 5. to utter any thing before God i. e. by way of promise in matters not of necessary Duty For God hath no pleasure in fools and thou must pay that which thou hast vowed Therefore better it is that thou shouldest not vow than that thou shouldest vow and not pay Which in the first verse he calls a Sacrifice of Fools But a Vow releasable toties quoties upon a forfeiture especially for new beginners in a course of Piety cures all this §. 32. 18. Imposing voluntary Mortifications 1. Imposing voluntary Mortifications on your self and that for many ends 1. For a Sin committed or Duty omitted 1. To mind you more of such a sin and to help to dispose you to that contrition and affliction of spirit which is required for it and which whenever it is sincere and true doth also produce some of these external penitencies of the Body in some degree 2. To appease upon the sight of these humiliations testifying your sorrow God's present or future wrath towards it and to divert his eternal judgments and prevent also his temporal many times very heavy ones for greater sins and these judgments inflicted on sinners penitent and already reconciled See 2. Sam. 12.10 Deut. 3.25 26. 2. Chron. 16.7 8 9. 20.37 35.22 23. 2. King 20.17 18. comp 2. Chron. 32.31 c. 1. Cor. 11.30 2. Sam. 24.13 1. King 21.2 2. Chron. 33.12 Jo. 3.10 comp 7. 2. Chron. 34.17 Jer. 26.19 3. And to deter your self by these your sufferings for the past from committing the like sin for the future Thus not laying hold only on God's mercy to Sin but voluntarily siding and taking part with his justice against it not wishing or thinking fit that so much wickedness should be altogether gratis and painless remitted but for the honor of the divine justice vehemently desiring and adjudging your self to undergo some proportion of sufferings for them 2. For bringing your flesh customarily severely and hardly used to yield more facile obedience to the Spirit for the present or for the future in things of duty and times of need for he only startles not when afflictions come who doth praeoccupare tela fortunae and whose body suffers from himself what the world can threaten to it 3. For obtaining from God the gift of any spiritual Grace or temporal favour Esra 8.21 Hester 4.16 For obtaining his resolutions of our consultations doubts c. For which divine favours these rigorous Mortifications excellently prepare us and are with him most forcible 4 For obtaining the pardon of other mens Sins to whom we have relation and of whose punishments also we may and are likely to partake or relief of their miseries Psal 35.13 14. or supply of their necessities 2. In the several ways and manners of Mortifications guiding your self rather by the Example of Holy men who by the practice thereof have arrived to great Piety and from Experience recommended them than by your own Judgment which experience shews many things to operate much contrary to our former opination 3. Ingaging if need be to others your performance of these voluntary Penances and of your Vows and paying to them your forfeitures c. 4. Often melting and softening of your heart with sighs and tears Act. 20.19.31 Phil. 3 18. 2. Tim. 1.4 This is a great benefit that accrews to us from afflictions and crosses Digr The benefit of tears upon the Soul and of not restraining but cherishing the effluxes of our Compassion for our selves or for others The many several kinds of them all profitable §. 33. A Catalogue of several Mortifications A Catalogue of several sorts of Mortifications c. Digr Whereof in respect of several persons some have much greater effects than others and are also by them more willingly entertained and therefore it seems not amiss to hint some variety Humiliations of the Body by so many Meals fasting Harder cloathing as sack-cloth Lodging as lying on the ground on boards on ashes on straw In their cloaths to be the readier for rising and for their Devotions and to save the time of dressing and undressing 2. Sam. 12.16 Going bare-foot 2. Sam. 15.30 None or short Recreations Abridging the hours of rest Sleeping in our cloaths or in a seat not bed to be readier for imposed duties Punishing the Body with scourges weights hard labours c. Denying our selves for a time of what we find the occasion of a former Sin Crossing indifferent desires to learn our Sense obedience Enjoining our selves so much solitude and retirement The abstaining from such company Silence for such a time Such a proportion of alms Sending Alms abroad to Religious to the poor desiring their prayers for you in relation to such necessities as press you Sickness Persecution c. Reading so many Chapters in the Scriptures or other pious Books Meditating
things to which we are neither affectioned nor yet indifferent but which are things expensive or things painful amongst which the most precious in God's sight are alms and sufferings And if in all things deliberated on which of them you should do the same rule be observed you shall seldome err whilst that which is only by the inclinations of sense to it commended and made equiballancing to the other ought to be counted always of it self too light and at length procure a perfect mortification both of your lusts and will 6. Not relying wholly on the practice of the exterior acts and that of some virtues that are more plausible to the world in which there may be some secret ingredient of vain glory and to be seen of men Nor looking more diligently to your words and actions which may partly come from some awe and reverence to your company your profession or fame c. whilst you give more liberty to your thoughts which defile the soul But taking more special care of doing your duty in those acts thereof which are contrary to your reputation some acts of the same virtue being honourable others disgraceful As in charity honourable to give an almes but to put up an injury base 7. Not practising them partially much addicted to some wholly neglecting others The Pharisees not others-but self-deceiving hypocrysy Luk. 18.11 As to be so great a servant to several works of charity to your neighbor as not to borrow any time from these for your own more necessary Devotions or for the service of God Again so constant at your devotions as to neglect your vocation and the duties you owe to your Family or the Common-wealth But striving as far as possible to be eminent in many things setting before you the lives of the Saints 8. Nor yet despising others who practice not the same things with you tho they be perchance in some other more worthy Grace far more eminent as the Publican was than the Pharisee paying so much tithe and eating so little c. in humility Digr Of our Hypocrisies unknown to us and wherein not others but our selves are deceived As other Hypocrisies are so called because we are not what we seem to others so this because we are not what we seem to our selves The others estate may be more sinful but this more incurable See Examples of such Luk. 18.9.11 Matt. 15.14 7.3 Jo. 9.41 Apoc. 3.1.17 Prov. 14.12 30.12 9. Not being so ambitious to do some great good as to neglect a little aspiring to do some good you cannot and neglecting the good you can do Very valiant about things future and vanquished by things present Earnest to do some great services to God but such still as are out of our reach and meanwhile omitting those which are offered to and ready for us Whereas desiring to perform all good according to what present talent you have is the direct way to have what you farther desire and he that is not faithful first in a little shall never be trusted with much Luk. 16.10 11 12. 1. Cor. 7.24.27 10. Being very studious of and circumspectly practising those virtues whose use is more common and general and therefore they are less admired or regarded in our practice as mildness humble behaviour contentedness smaller temperances and charities and offices of Love admonitions silence and modesty diligence in business exact fidelity Christian simplicity entire patience in petty injuries in lesser pains in smaller losses dedicating to God's service and resigning to his good pleasure your smallest actions 1. Cor. 10.31 In the smallest matters not giving scandal c because the occasions of such virtues often return and the greater number of these equals the greater magnitude of some others in acquiring of heaven 11. Not for doing what may seem a greater good that is impertinent to you neglecting a lesser your duty As a Clergy-man following lay-business The Apostles serving Tables Our Saviour dividing land doing rather what is conformable to your Calling than agreeable to your Will 12. Not prosecuting what you conceive good or avoiding what is evil with too much passion All vehement desires tho seeming good that discompose the mind and breed inquietude hastiness and discontent are temptations and much hinder the judgment in the prudence it should use in the prosecution of its work Action therefore is to be deferred till these heats are a little overpast He that though in good things is governed by his passions is subject to many errors Using therefore ordinarily in good designs also a suppression of the excess of your affections As not rebuking your self or others too angrily for a fault Not being too angry against your self for being angry Least from this indulgence your passions sometimes debord where you would not have them and lest from this custome where they are more innocent you use the same when faulty 13. Never doing the least evil that appears so that good may come of it for more evil than good comes to us of every evil not omitting any good of obligation lest evil should come of it 14. In all things avoiding extreams neither affirming nor denying neither commending nor condemning all Nor always at your Devotions nor always at your Works 15. Towards all worldly things trespassing rather in the defect than in the excess the contrary in spiritual and divine 16. In all those actions which cannot utterly be forborn and quitted and yet an excess in them is a sin and the same action that is now lawful if continued presently becomes unlawful As Eating going-on to intemperance providing for your self or family into covetousness particular affection into concupiscence recreations into voluptuosity c. Keeping ever a more strict watch over your self leaning rather to the defects and never wholly justifying your self in using them where it is so easy to transgress 17. Not judging of your spiritual condition your religion c by your coolness or fervency in Devotion by God's ways towards you of mercy or judgments prosperity or afflictions the Book of Job was written to undeceive us in this by your former sins by quietness of conscience which is many times caused by a faulty ignorance but only by the fruits of godliness and that not some partial holiness in some one or few duties but universal sincere constant nor yet in freedome from the acts of any vice when no occasions offered but in conquering these when tempted Digr Of a certain quietness of conscience common to the Orthodox and erroneous to good men and bad so far as they are either ignorant or forgetful and not considering and so undoing most men who instead of labouring out of a pious fear a reform or better information of their conscience judge only of their condition by its present perswasions and presume of safety in not going against it This of a right ordering of our Judgment as to Good and Evil. §. 45. 2. Right ordering of the Judgment concerning Truth and Error
such Prayer for it is a thing too painful and toilsome By this means of using a Book I began to recollect these powers of my Soul and as it were with such enticements alluring on my Soul I proceeded in my Prayer And oftentimes but opening the Book I needed no more and sometimes I read little other times much according to the favour that our Lord pleased to do me Thus she with great assiduity in Prayer and it seems not without using much pains and diligence and suffering of some aridities at the first in recollecting her faculties and shutting out by-thoughts and removing their occasions attained afterward to so high and frequent unions of her Soul with God and to such a perfection in this holy art of Prayer as to become a most famous Pattern therein to all ensuing Generations You may find also an eminent proficiency and the like experiences therein of the Holy Father Balthasar Alvarez sometimes Confessor to St. Tereza as is storied in the 13 14 15.40 41. Chapters of his Life And the reason why there are so few of those who possess great purity of Conscience and Conversation that attain to the like divine favours and supernatural effects of Prayer seems to be the not using the same frequency of Prayer and the like couragious diligence and resolute patience in encountring all difficulties therein at the beginning See her Life Cap. 8. as this great St. Teresa and some others have done §. 110. When any thing in Prayer extraordinarily affects you staying and spending so much more of the time alotted for your devotions upon it causing your reason to observe and the set method of your Prayers to yield to if I may so say the lusts of the Spirit which if at all other times it causeth all good motions in us certainly operates them more especially in Prayer See Rom. 8.26 and doubtless hence will arise as more content so more profit to the Soul Here then the longer you fix in any one point of Prayer the brieflier running over the rest §. 111. 17. There are two acts of Prayer Meditation and Contemplation One the discoursive part thereof performed more by the Vnderstanding and used more in the beginning of Prayer the other the more enjoying and passionative part performed chiefly by the will and happening more in the end of Prayer at least to those not much practised Of these the second ordinarily is produced by the first the working of the brain by degrees kindling passions in the heart and long meditation of God and his perfections c enflaming our affections towards him and the Holy Spirit operateth in both in one by illumination and in the other by love but more chiefly in the second Sometimes the vehement inclinations of the will by a more immediate power of grace preceding the acts of the Vnderstanding and forcing it to follow them but more commonly the intellect by reasoning exciting the will and the passions You therefore here are to use the fore-named acts of the Soul interchangeably only the first yielding to the second as it grows to any strength but then when the second languisheth it is to be excited again by the first for we are neither to think we pray best when we think of nothing at all nor when we are most full of loquacity For the brain being wholly idle the affections go out for want of fuel nor is there any operation of the passions without some using at the same time of the imagination And again the affections not operating the speculations of the intellect are fruitless and comfortless But if at the first also the understanding happen to be dull sluggish and unoperative as is usual to new beginners and to the same persons at some times much more than at others you are to excite both it and the affections by reading some select book of devotion taken with you to Prayer till you find your self able without its help to proceed Teresa in the 4th Chapter of her Life reports of her self that for eighteen years she never durst betake her self to mental Prayer without a Book in her hand that she might still repair to reading in case of any distraction from impertinent thoughts or aridity and barrenness of Soul §. 112. Digr 1. Of the great effects which the affections thus enflamed in Prayer with the love of God c work in the Soul and the influence they have afterward upon its actions causing in it a greater vilifying of the world and abhorrence of all sin and displeasing God and of tepidity in his service and raising a love to mortifications and sufferings freeing it from melancholy for the absence of some worldly conveniences or delights and making it valiant against all impediments of Piety and against the flesh and vigorous to all good works and amongst other effects much illuminating the understanding Digr 2. That tho by Prayer we may dispose our selves tho this disposing also is from God in some manner for those spiritual graces and influences supernatural which some Saints of God enjoy in some extatical raptures and unions with God and that to him that hath is given yet that these are supernatural always and for their efficiency clearly independent on our art or endeavours and that God only gives them when and where he pleaseth tho mostwhat he pleaseth to give them upon our much endeavours for them §. 113. Imaginary place of address 18. Ordering and fashioning in your thoughts and this without much curiosity or trouble to your fancy an imagined place of your addresses to God or our Saviour and a several manner of his presence and appearance to you such as may make most impression upon you and may suit best with the subject of your present meditations and devotions whether it be Confession or Thanksgiving or Petition or Doxology c. Which composition of place will make you more sensible what you are who and what He to whom you speak and breed high degrees of humility love resignation shame compassion and tenderness according to the business you then negotiate with him As representing to your self God in his Majesty according to the visions of Ezechiel c. 1. Esai c. 6. Dan. c. 7. St. John Apoc. c. 4. c. Our Saviour in his gentleness and familiarity and readiness to help according to some of those postures you read in the Gospel Or in his Glory according to Rev. 1. or 19. Chapters §. 114. In confessing of and beging mercy and pardon for your sins imagining your self appearing as a poor prisoner in shackles haled before him sitting in Judgment Or as the prodigal Son returning with shame before his Father Or as one full of Vlcers and Sores before a Physitian that can certainly cure him Or as one taken prisoner and kept in chains by his enemy and begging his freedome from his own Prince passing-by in triumph Or presenting your self to him as if you lay on your death-bed Or as when you were in
all your Fathers were before you occasioning Charities always in this employment meditating on some portion of Ecclesiastes Forbearing as much as may be the entertainment of any long and entangled designs so that you cannot so contentedly go off the stage of this world and say a Nunc dimittis in pace when God calleth for it Carefully from time to time discharging all debts 2. For your behaviour in sickness in doing the duties proper to it First when sickness comes not being ashamed to shew fear and imagining it always more dangerous than it is and preparing your self always though in likelihood it is not as if it were a sickness to death gladly then taking occasion to reconcile your self fully to God and to conclude with the world that your recovery may more perfectly begin a new and better life or your end not surprise you unprepared In this not fearing so much the harm which melancholy and sadness may do to your Body as the mischief which security may do to your Soul and knowing that such sadness through obtaining of God remission of sin c is the readiest way also to procure your health and in the time of your sickness also ends in more joy For making this reconciliation Examining your self by what sin it is likely you have lately most displeased God and doing repentance and humiliation for it as if it had caused your sickness Jo. 5.14 Matt. 9.2 Examining your self more specially concerning sins towards your neighbour those chiefly against the 5 6 7 8 9. Commandments in which man's laws also enjoyn reparation And making restitution satisfactions Asking forgiveness c. Forgiving and declaring your forgiveness towards any that have so trespassed against you Confessing all your sins to God and endeavouring to do this as particularly as if all confessed were presently to be pardoned and all forgot to be answered for at the day of judgment Sending early for the Priest and confessing your sins to him as it is recommended to your practice by the Church in case of a troubled conscience and if your Conscience be not troubled for your sin then know you have yet more need to do it Receiving absolution and the Communion making then a singular Confession and Thanksgiving to God for all the greater mercies received through your whole life Giving alms to some poor and desiring especially their prayers for you Making resolutions and vows but not rash ones and if it may be with the advice of your spiritual Father and with making your professions also to him as a witness of them concerning reformation upon your recovery Avoiding much especially secular conversation and removing company from you Entertaining an attendant that can read holy things to you such as you shall direct and have provided in your health at that time to be administred unto you Praying extraordinarily if your pains permit Using and in all things obeying the Physitian Offering up a contented patience of these sufferings to God in regard of the far greater desert of your sins and that to your Saviour in regard of his far greater sufferings for you §. 160. Digr 1. Of the many times great uncharitableness and mischief of encouraging sick persons with hopes of recovery at sometimes making them omit the necessary preparations for death and at other times loose the many great benefits of sickness in humiliations confessions c. Digr 2. Of some necessary questions to be proposed to the sick See Notes of Sick Digr 3. Of various admonitions necessary to be used to the sick as they happen to be found in an ignorant or a sensless or a presuming or a despairing condition Digr 4. Of Psalms and other Scriptures proper to be read to the Sick As Psal 6.22 23.32.38.57.86.88 90.102 103.107.130.142 143. Job 1 2. Ezech. 18. The passion of our Saviour in one of the Gospels beginning at his Prayer in the Garden Jo. 17. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thess 4. Rev. 21 22. Digr 5. Of short Scripture-Ejaculations proper to be used by them See Notes of Sick Digr 6. Directions for the behaviour of the Visitors of or Attendants upon the sick Non consolari eos spe recuperandae sanitatis See before § 161. n. 1. Non plorare Non ridere Non alienos sermones miscere Non multum loqui necsubtilia Sancto silentio Deum precari See Vita Camelli De Lellis §. 161. 2. Exercising Christian Fortitude 1. Joyfully entertaining all those temporal miseries which happen to you for your sin which many other servants of God have both earnestly begged of God and not obtaining this have voluntarily infliected upon themselves and desiring that you may suffer here yet more for them Hic ure seca c. and not seeking too passionately to diminish them and whilst much grieving and humbling your self for the cause thereof yet accepting and rejoycing in the punishment and hoping in the execution of some part of God's righteous justice upon you in this world to find through Christ's merits the more mercy in the next Lam. 33.9 Jer. 30.15 2. Joyfully embracing the favour Phil. 1.29 of all those afflictions which happen unto you for doing your duty and for refusing to sin especially of persecutions Matt. 5.10 11. saying such words as these This is painful to me but acceptable to God and he will love me for it This thy will I willingly suffer and much more for thy sake O my Saviour who sufferedst so much for me 3. Yet taking great care that you mistake not God's judgments upon your sins for tryals only of your holiness bringing forth presumption instead of humiliation Digr That there is required a holy life and purity of conscience not only for the particular cause for which we suffer but general to entertain our sufferings with true comfort and joy Else you ought to bear them with great sorrow not for them but for your sins as God's true judgments upon you in relation to them tho executed as 't is usual through man's injustice God ordinarily punishing our innocence in one thing for our guilt in another thus making his scourges more bitter unto us 4. Not shunning nor preventing any disgraces by foregoing the smallest duty Using no compliance no diffimulation no flattery no timidity modesty or being ashamed of good but rather provoking evil and exposing your self on all occasions in any thing for Christ's sake to scorn hate danger c. without fear in thus doing of seeming proud or contemptuous Rev. 21 8. But the fearful 5. Vndertaking voluntarily and with all alacrity such sufferings tho easily avoidable by the enduring of which you may any way do the more good which troubles though it is lawful to decline yet it is more expedient for benefitting others to entertain Such were our Saviour's such St. Paul's Sufferings so much gloried of 1. Cor. 9. 6. One degree higher Out of the pure imitation of our Saviour and to be made in all things here more conformable to him Phil. 3.10 that
forewarned us like a thief at a time when we are asleep and think less of it than at other times we do Now this imagined great distance still from our death chiefly ariseth from every ones reckoning his own end only from deficiency of nature which yet not one of 1000 dyes of and not from accidental distempers when as most commonly this our lamp goes out either choaked with its own nourishment or violently extinguished by some external accident before its Oyl is half consumed And since nothing is more common then example of this in others on every side what self love and dotage is it to promise our selves a better destiny till we also surprized become the like example to others 23. And consider likewise and think with your self how many are dying in that very time you are thinking and meditating of it 24. 2 When this time shall come your impotency and unfitness from your fears your pains and many times the want of your senses that will then be to order either the matter of your Soul or of your worldly affairs to do any thing with sufficient devotion or prudence and also your friends at that time hiding from you as much as they can the danger of your sickness Nay your self perhaps when decumbent under the stroke of death yet removing it a far off still and certainly presuming being loath to imagine the worst of a recovery only because some few so sick have not dyed of whom your unkind friends will not be wanting to mind you also because your self formerly have recovered 25. For exciting your resolutions and affections Indeavour to make the same judgment of things for the present and to have the same opinion now of your sins of the world and its pleasures and its cares and your designs in it and what you imagine you should in such a case at such a time purpose now resolve upon 26. Prepare your self for that terrible and dreadful hour in some of those Duties set down before 27. Avoid not but use and seek out all the sad memorials of death that may be as visiting Hospitals the sick sore and putrifying dying persons hearing their speeches their groans looking on the skeletons of the dead frequenting funerals Making many reflections on the passing of time decays of your own Body or other mens c. Remembring often Eccl. 7.2 3 4. Repeating often the 90 Psalm Recalling to mind and keeping a Catalogue sometimes to be reviewed of your friends and acquaintance deceased Considering what they were did are Thus much for Sickness and Death §. 169. For Consideration of the General day of Judgment some more particulars may yet be added Consider 1. That that is the proper day of justice and wrath as the present is of Grace and Mercy See Rom. 2.5.8 9. 2. Thes 1.7 8. Rev. 11.18 6.16 Luk. 18.7 2. Cor. 5.11 God's justice upon sin by Christ's Mediation being delayed till that time that many might come to repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 and these his present temporal punishments being inflicted chiefly not for vengeance but for other ends either for their good that suffer or other mens that behold it Therefore the present called our day Luk. 19.42 2. Cor. 6.2 wherein our free will doth as it pleaseth That the day of the Lord 2. Pet. 3.10 1. Thes 5.2 wherein removing this free power we yet enjoy God will gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and all that do iniquity and cast them into the furnace Matt. 13.41 2. The dreadful signs that shall be then of God's wrath and the terribleness of the appearance of that day beyond all other terrors and the alteration of Heaven and Earth and putting out of the Sun before the sitting in judgment Rev. 20.11 comp 12. tho not till after the resurrection 1. Thes 4.16 See 2. Pet. 3.10.12 Psal 18.7 c. Nahum 1.3 c. Esai 30.27 c. Matt. 24.29 c. Rev. 20.11 Joel 3.2.12 c. to 17. Zechariah 14.4 Luk. 21.36 3. As the Bodies of the righteous raised in great beauty and glory so those of the wicked in great filthiness and deformity 4. The horrible fear and trembling of the wicked then living Matt. 30. Luk. 21.25 26. Rev. 1.7 6.16 11.18 Rev. 1.7 this day coming upon them when full of sin and security Matt. 24.12.38 Luk. 18.8 21.35 1. Thes 5.3 2. Thes 2 3. And of the Souls of the formerly dead then being brought out of their prisons 1. Pet. 3.19 and reunited to their loathsome companion the Body Now to be sentenced together with the devil to eternal torments whom also we may suppose deprecating as the Devils Luk. 8.31 5. The confidence and joy of the righteous then living and of the Souls of the dead then coming out of the place of rest and bliss and reunited to their Bodies their Bodies carefully gathered up and brought together by the Angels and such as they are described 1. Cor. 15.42 c. 2. Thes 1.10 both these being then caught up in the clouds and having their ascension like our Saviour's and meeting the Lord coming in his Glory with his Blessed Angels to Judgment in the air 1. Thes 4.17 Luk. 21.28 1. Jo. 2.28 1. Cor. 7.7 2 Tim. 4.8 Tit. 2.13 1. Thes 5.4 2. Pet. 3.12 whom we may suppose singing together as in Rev. 19.6 7 8. 6. A particular appearance and examination of all the Sons of Adam assembled together Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham's time then confronting Corazin and Bethsaida in Christ's time c. And every one giving account of himself to God the Counsels of all their hearts being made manifest and secrets divulged Rom. 14.10.12 1. Cor. 4.5 Matt. 10.15 Rev. 20.12 Rom. 2.16 Ecclesiastes 12.14 7. Books kept containing all mens works then brought forth and opened Rev. 12.20 In which how many sins never thought of for Repentance shall be then brought to our Remembrance for Condemnation And besides them a peculiar Book of life called also a Book of remembrance Mal. 3.16 being not of actions but only of names i. e. of those who have here served and pleased God that none of them might be forgotten or unrewarded in that day All the rest who are not writ in that happy book being abandoned to eternal destruction Exod. 32.32 33. Phil. 4.3 Rev. 3.5 20.15 Luk. 10.20 Jo. 10.28 29. 8. The manifestation at that time of God's just judgment the manner whereof is set down by St. Paul Rom. 2. from 6. to 17. verse which shall be upon no other point but down-right according to works Rom. 2.6 Rev. 20.12 Matt. 16.27 c. In which works words Matt. 12.37 Jud. 15. and thoughts Rom. 2.16 are contained According to works either those that men have persevered in without any repentance of them at all or where any repentance of them hath been which cancels all the work before it Ezech. 18.21 22. according to the works done after it whether these be good or whether they be evil which being evil
who healest the broken in heart and bindest up their wounds God of the Fatherless and Judge of the Widows which loosest the Prisoners and openest the eyes of the blind Have mercy on us The Lord God that killest and makest alive who sendest to the grave and bringest back again who increasest the nations and destroyest them who enlargest the nations and straightenest them Have mercy on us God who takest no pleasure in iniquity with whom is no accepting of persons terrible in thy Counsels concerning the Sons of men the strong and jealous God visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children Have mercy on us God whose anger none can withstand the just Judge strong and long-suffering and a consuming fire Have mercy on us The Lord who liftest up the meek and humblest the wicked down to the ground who hast power to cast body and soul into Hell who takest the wily in their own craftiness and scatterest the counsel of the wicked Have mercy on us The Lord compassionate long-suffering of great mercy and truth our Protector and exceeding great Reward Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Sacred Trinity Be merciful and hear us O Sacred Trinity From all evil Deliver us O Lord. From all pride and loftiness of mind from gluttony and surfeiting and all intemperance Deliver us O Lord. From envy hatred and malice from luxury and uncleanness from sloth and inordinate heaviness and anxiety Deliver us O Lord. By the Eternity of thy Glory and Majesty by the infiniteness of thy power by the abundance of thy goodness by the unspeakable greatness of thy love and mercy and by the abysse of thy justice and judgments Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may adore our Lord God and serve thee only in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may never take thy holy Name in vain that we may keep holy the Festivals of thy Church in exercises of religion and devotion We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may obey and reverence with due honor our Parents Prelates Superiors and all thou hast set over us We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we injure no man's life good name or honor out of anger hatred or envy We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we keep our hearts clean from all inordinate lustings of the flesh and impure affections That we hurt none by stealing damage or any other wrong through cousinage or violence That we never speak a ly or bear false witness against our Neighbour nor covet his goods We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we love thee O God with all our heart with all our soul and with all our strength and that we do to others as we would should be done to our selves We c. That thou wouldest make us grow in all grace that we despise not the riches of thy bounty patience and long-suffering We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we present our bodies a living and holy Sacrifice well-pleasing to Thee that at length we may attain to that kingdome which thou hast prepared for us from the beginning of the world We sinners beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pacify thy Father towards us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world By thy merits and sufferings redeem us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send thy holy Spirit into us O Blessed Trinity hear us O Adored Sacred Trinity hear us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Blessed art thou O God the God of our Fathers Praise-worthy and glorious for ever All the Angels and Saints bless thee Praise and magnify thee for ever Bless we the Father Son and Holy Ghost Praise him and exalt him for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty and everlasting God from whom descends every good and perfect gift mercifully grant that the serious consideration of thy incomprehensible Majesty may beget in us profound humility and constant obedience and the frequent meditation of thy infinite goodness may move our wills to love thee above all things that we may here in reverence to thy word believe what we do not see and may hereafter in the blissful Vision of thy glory see what now we cannot comprehend thro Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen The LITANY to God the Father O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Father which art in Heaven Father of Glory whose face the holy Angels behold continually in heaven who hast life in thy self Have mercy on us Father of whom are all things who hast made us after thine own Image and gavest us dominion over the rest of thy Creatures Have mercy on us Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom all paternity is called and derived in heaven and in earth Have mercy on us Who art well pleased in thy Son who lovest him and hast given all things into his hands And who by a voice from heaven didst glorify Him Have mercy on us Who so lovedst the world that thou gavest thy only begotten Son that we should have life by him and would'st have thy Son take upon him the form of a Servant to redeem us that were in bondage Have mercy c. Who by thy Son hast predestinated us into the Adoption of Sons and hast elected us in him before the foundation of the world that we might be holy and unspotted before thee Have mercy on us Who would'st have us conformable to the Image of thy Son and hast called us into Fellowship with him and hast made us acceptable in thy beloved Son without whom none cometh to the Son unless thou O Father drawest him Have mercy on us O Father who sendest out thy Spirit and they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth who fillest the world with thy spirit and givest it to them that ask it of thee Have mercy on us Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth who hidest thy mysteries from the wise and revealest them to little ones Have mercy on us Father of mercies and God of all consolation by whom all the hairs of our head are numbred who comfortest us in all our tribulations and hast blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Have mercy on us Who out of thy abundant charity hast vouchsafed to make us partakers of the inheritance of thy Saints and
hast translated us into the kingdome of the Son of thy love Have mercy on us Who without accepting of persons judgest every man according to his work Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. Be merciful and deliver us O Lord. From all evil and from the power of Satan Deliver us O Lord. From anger hatred and malice from the imminent mischiefs of sin and from everlasting death Deliver c. By thine infinite wisdome whereby thou seest the most secret things by thine endless power by which out of nothing thou createdst all things by thy infinite goodness whereby thou filledst all things by thy gracious providence whereby thou sweetly governest and disposest all things and by thine eternal charity wherewith thou lovest the world Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners do beseech thee to hear us O Lord. That thy name may be always and every where sanctified that thy Kingdome may come into us that thy Will may be done in and by us in earth as it is in heaven by the holy Angels We beseech thee to hear us That thou would'st vouchsafe to give us this day our dayly bread to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and to defend us under the shadow of thy wings and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil We beseech thee to hear us That our works may so shine before men that they may glorify thee our Father which art in heaven We beseech thee to hear us That what we faithfully ask may effectually be obtained We beseech thee to hear us O Father in the name of thy Son We beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away sins Have mercy c. O Lord our Protector behold us And look upon the face of thy Christ Remember us O Lord with thy good pleasure And visit us with thy Salvation Convert us O Lord God of Hosts Shew thy face and countenance upon us and we shall be saved O Lord hear our Prayer And let our cry come unto thee See the Prayer Pag. 277. LITANIES to God the Son O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O only begotten Son of God who art in the bosome of thy Father the beloved Son of God in whom the Father is well pleased in whom the fulness of the Trinity inhabiteth bodily Have mercy on us Arm of God upholding all things by the word of thy power God by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made Father of the world to come Have mercy on us The splendor of eternal light the brightness of the glory of God and the express image of his person whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Have mercy on us Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge the way the truth and the life the Sun of Justice and bright Morning-Star Have mercy on us The Alpha and Omega the beginning and end the first and the last who art who wast and art to come the Heir of all things the beginning and first-born of every creature Have mercy on us The Word made Flesh full of grace and truth Immanuel our God seen on earth and conversant with men the Messias the expectation of all Nations Have mercy on us The true light which enlightenest every man that cometh into the world the righteous branch of God truth sprung out of the earth Have mercy on us The great Prophet that was to come upon the earth mighty in word and deed before God and all the People Have mercy on us The anointed of God by the Holy Ghost with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Have mercy on us O Son of God who emptiedst thy self taking upon thee the form of a servant who wast sent to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken in heart and to publish freedome to the captives Have mercy on us O Son of Man meek and humble in heart who camest to seek and save Sinners that were lost who camest not to be ministred unto but to minister a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmities Have mercy on us O Son of God made obedient to thy Father even to the death of the Cross that wast led like a sheep to the slaughter and dumb before the shearers the good Shepherd that layedst down thy life for thy sheep Have mercy on us Who lovedst us and washedst us from our sins in thy own blood on whom was laid by thy Father the iniquities of all Have mercy on us Who truly barest our infirmities and by whose stripes we were healed who wast wounded for our trangressions and broken for our offences Have mercy on us O immaculate Lamb slain from the beginning of the world who takest away the sins of the world the propitiation for our sins the author and finisher of our faith the Mediator and Angel of the New Testament the faithful and true Witness Have mercy on us The Stone which the Builders refused and yet made the head of the corner who wast delivered for our offences and didst rise again for our justification who art the resurrection and the life and the first-born from the dead Have mercy on us Who art made unto us by God wisdome justice sanctification and redemption the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls the Apostle of our profession and High-Priest of good things to come Have mercy on us Our Peace who hast made of two one Nation who hast made us Kings and Priests to God and the Father the Bridegroom of the Church beloved fair and ruddy chosen amongst thousands Have mercy on us Who art ascended above all Heavens a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech an High-Priest holy innocent unspotted and separate from Sinners one Mediator betwixt God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Have mercy on us Who sittest at the right hand of his Majesty in the highest at whose Name every knee doth bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth to whom a Name is given above all Names Have mercy c. The Head of all Principalities and Powers the Lord of Lords and Prince over the Kings of the earth who hast the keys of hell and death who are constituted by God Judge of the living and the dead Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. From all evil Deliver us O Lord. By thy eternal generation of the Father by thy Nativity in the fulness of time of thy Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary by thy most holy life and conversation and by thy death and most bitter
O Holy Spirit the Comforter in all afflictions and sufferings giving ability to bear them internal peace and spiritual joy in them and who art the author of a constant lively hope and confidence in God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who distributest and dividest thy gifts and graces variously to every one according to thy good pleasure Have mercy on us The Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of knowledge and truth the Spirit of counsel and fortitude Have mercy on us The Spirit of sobriety chastity and temperance the Spirit of modesty patience and prayer Have mercy on us The Spirit of humility benignity and meekness the Spirit of compunction sanctification and the fear of God the Spirit of peace and love Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart and reproving the World of sin of justice and of judgment Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Holy Spirit Be merciful and hear us O Holy Spirit From all temptations and deceits of the Devil from all sin and every evil Spirit Deliver us O Holy Spirit From all filthiness and uncleanness of soul and body from the Spirit of fornication from the Spirit of anger strife contention and envy and all uncharitableness Deliver us O holy Spirit From all presumption and despair from opposing the known truth from hardness of heart and final impenitency Deliver us O holy Spirit By thy eternal procession from the Father and the Son by the miraculous conception of the Son of God by thy operation by thy descent upon our Saviour at his Baptisme and by thy sitting upon his Apostles Deliver us O holy Spirit In the day of Judgment Deliver us O holy Spirit We Sinners beseech Thee to hear us O holy Spirit That thou would'st spare us That thou wouldst keep us from blaspheming thee O Holy Ghost and from doing any contumely to the Spirit of Grace We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may never quench grieve or neglect this Holy Spirit but may prepare our hearts for thy holy inspirations and may diligently hearken to discover and obey thy godly motions which lead us to all perfection We sinners beseech Thee c. That remembring how we are the Temples of the Holy Ghost we may take heed of violating them and that as we live by the Spirit we may walk in the Spirit and fulfil no more the lusts of the flesh but by the Spirit mortify the deeds thereof so that sowing in the Spirit we may of the Spirit reap life eternal We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to stir up and cherish in us poverty of Spirit and enkindle in us a hunger and thirst after Justice that we may be peaceable and worthy to be called the Sons of God We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou wouldest infuse into us perfect charity and mercy and that we may constantly and manfully endure persecution for Justice sake We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou would'st vouchasafe us to continue unto the end in faith hope and charity and that we may be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit that is in all thy servants in the bond of peace We sinners beseech Thee c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pour on us the holy Spirit O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send us the promised Spirit from the Father O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us the Spirit of Peace Our Father which art Heaven c. Create in us clean hearts O God And renew right Spirits in our Bowels Cast us not away from thy face O Lord And take not thy holy Spirit from us Restore unto us the joy of thy Salvation And confirm us with thy principal Spirit The Grace of thy Holy Spirit Enlighten our senses and hearts O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray O Holy Ghost the Comforter we commend to thee our souls and bodies the beginning and the end of our lives give us grace to be heartily sorry for our sins for the love of God and to do true penance for them that we may be perfectly purified from them before we depart hence out of this mortal body Of our selves O Lord we are corrupt and blind in our affections and desires if we rely on our own judgments easily seduced into error easily overcome by temptation Wherefore to thee O Holy Spirit we wholly offer and commit the guidance of our Souls defend and keep us thy servants from all evil teach and illuminate our minds strengthen our weak Spirits against inordinate pusillanimity and superfluous scruples of conscience and keep us humble that we fall not into presumption Give us a right faith unmovable hope and perfect charity that we may sweetly delight in thee and every-where fulfil thy will and pleasure who livest and reignest with the Father and Son one God world without end Amen O Eternal God who didst send thy Holy Spirit upon thy Church and didst promise that he should abide with it for ever let the same Spirit lead us to all truth defend us from all sin enrich us with his gifts refresh us with his comforts and rule in our hearts for ever And grant O bountiful Lord the Doner of every good and perfect gift that we may prepare our hearts for his holy inspirations may diligently hearken to clearly discover believe and obey his godly motions may never quench never grieve this Holy Spirit but living in him may by him be sealed to the day of redemption through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth world without end Amen O Blessed Spirit the Almighty Paraclete the communication bond and union of the Father and Son the conduit conveying to us all that we receive from the Father and the Son The dear pledge and token of our absent Lord until his blessed return by whose power all things are enlivened which do truly live and whose delight is to reside and converse in the hearts of the simple which thou vouchsafest to consecrate as Temples to thy self Come gracious Spirit have mercy upon us descend from heaven into our hearts waiting for thy comfort and so fit us for thine own self that through the multitude of thy compassions our meanness may be accepted of thy greatness and our weakness of thy strength Sanctify the temples of our bodies and consecrate them for thy own habitation Make glad with thy presence our Souls that long after thee make ready a mansion fit for thy self adorn thy bride-chamber furnish thy resting place with the variety of thy own gifts and graces drive out from thence whatsoever is old and fading renew in us thy own workman-ship with beauty incorruptible for ever convey into us heavenly light heat and motion that having tasted of the heavenly gift and the powers of the
Poverty Patience and with all other Graces wherein He excell'd that whatsoever I want and what do I not want may be thro these supplied And since I am unable to return fit thanks for the Favours conferred upon me I bring thee all the Praises which He offer'd whilst he converst here visibly amongst men and which he now tenders thee in glory But whereas I can never satisfy for the Guilts nor discharge the Debts contracted by me in lieu thereof I present thee all his labours fastings watchings weariness devotions and every thing in fine He hath done or suffer'd from the minute of his Conception in the Womb to that of his expiring on the Cross the distresses dolors and torments of his Passion the Blood spilt the Wounds received and the Death endured for me Lo This is the Treasure most compassionate Father wherein I repose my whole hope and heart These are the Riches that must compound for what I owe thee O pious Father regard the face of thy Christ and seeing thy beloved Son in whom thou hast been always well pleased is now intimately mine I humbly entreat thee to respect me too with the eyes of your mercy I approach you under his protection and defence under the shadow of his merits do I address unto you that you reflecting chiefly on him may behold me his slave and properly with a benign and clement aspect Permit not I beseech you the Soul to perish which so often hath in it self entertain'd your Son sent into the world to seek and save what had been lost Grant me this thro your infinite mercy Amen LITANIES of the Life and Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us Jesu the desired of all nations who when thou wast equal with God emptiedst thy self taking upon Thee the form of Man and descendedst from heaven not to do thy own will but the will of thy Father Have mercy on us Jesu that tookest upon thee the form of a Servant despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Have mercy on us Jesu conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary Have mercy on us Jesu that wast laid in a Manger because there was no room for thee in the Inn manifested there to the Shepherds watching their flocks and worshiped by the Wisemen Have mercy on us Jesu sought for by Herod to slay thee and who an Infant and in great danger of thy life didst fly out of thine own Country and wast carried into Aegypt Have mercy c. Jesu the Wisdome of God subject to thy Parents who when twelve years old wast found in the Temple disputing with the Doctors and intent about thy Fathers business Have mercy on us Jesu who that thou mightest fulfil all Justice wast circumcised and afterward baptized by John Have mercy on us Jesu who livedst forty days in the Wilderness in Fasting and Prayer who wast there tempted of the Devil and thrice overcamest the Enemy of Mankind and after the temptation ministred unto by Angels Have mercy c. Jesu who chusedst for thy Disciples mean and poor men who wentest thro Cities and Towns preaching the Kingdome of God who passedst on doing good and healing all by whose bounty the blind saw the lame walked the lepers were cleansed the dead raised and the poor received the Gospel Have mercy on us Jesu who travelledst on foot thro heat and cold hungry and thirsty and hadst not where to lay thy head Have mercy on us Jesu who rising very early wentest into a desert place to pray who wentest out into the mountain and there continuedst all night in Prayer Have mercy on us Jesu meek and humble in heart patient and obedient benign and merciful chast and holy who knewest no sin nor was guile found in thy mouth who when thou wast reviled reviledst not again and when thou sufferedst threatenedst not Have mercy on us Jesu who out of compassion weptst over Jerusalem most meek King just and a Saviour poor and riding upon an Ass Have mercy on us Jesu whom the zeal of thy Fathers house had eaten up who dravest the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Have mercy on us Jesu who to give us an Example didst stoop down and wash thy Disciples feet Have mercy on us Jesu who gavest us thy Body for food and thy Blood for drink Have mercy on us Jesu who layedst prostrate at thy Prayer in the garden and in thine Agony wast covered all over with a bloody sweat and wast comforted by an Angel Have mercy c. Jesu who wast betrayed with a Kiss by thy Disciple Judas and sold for thirty pieces of Silver Have mercy c. Jesu who healedst Malchus's Ear and forbadest Peter the use of the Sword and when thine enemies fell back upon the ground raisedst them up and yieldest thy self freely to be bound Have mercy on us Jesu who wast forsaken by all thy Disciples and denied thrice by Peter the chief of them Have mercy c. Jesu who wast falsly accused before Annas and Caiphas and struck on the face before the Judge and who sufferedst such contradiction of sinners against thee Have mercy c. Jesu who wast blind-folded bound spit upon and buffeted hated without a cause who gavest thy back to the smiters and thy cheeks to them that plucked off the hair and hidst not thy face from shame and spitting Have mercy on us Jesu who wast bound by thine own people the Jews delivered unto Pilate despised and mocked by Herod and given up by Pilate to the will of the Jews Have mercy on us Jesu who wast whipped at the Pillar crowned with Thorns strucken with a Reed Have mercy on us Jesu condemned to a most shameful death and led as a sheep to the slaughter dumb and not opening thy mouth Have mercy on us Jesu who faintedst under the burthen of thy Cross and in thy great thirst hadst wine mingled with myrrhe and gall and vinegar given thee to drink Have mercy on us Jesu who wast stripped of thy cloaths and with nails fastened naked on the Cross Have mercy on us Jesu who wast reckoned with trangressors and crucified betwixt two Thieves made the scorn of men and blasphemed by those that passed by derided by the Jews mocked by the Souldiers and reviled by the Malefactors Have mercy on us Jesu who prayedst to thy Father for thine enemies and freely promisedst Paradise to the penitent Thief Have mercy on us Jesu who offeredst up prayers and supplications to God the Father with strong crys and tears saying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Have mercy on us Jesu who dying commendest thy Spirit into the hands of thy Father who wast obedient to death even the death of the Cross Have mercy on us Jesu out of whose side pierced with
a Spear came water and blood Have mercy on us Jesu the good Shepherd who laidest down thy life for thy sheep who lovedst us and washedst us from our sins in thine own blood Have mercy on us Jesu who wast not left in Hell neither did thy flesh see corruption who wast raised from the grave the bonds thereof being loosed for that it was impossible for thee to be holden with them Have mercy on us Jesu who art ascended into heaven and seated at the right hand of God crowned with glory and honor King of Kings and Lord of Lords Have mercy on us Jesu who hast prepared a place for us in thy Father's house who art our Advocate with the Father who sentst the Holy Ghost the Paraclete upon thy Apostles Have mercy on us Jesu who shalt come to judge the living and the dead who shalt send the reprobate into everlasting fire and upon the elect shalt bestow the kingdome prepared for them Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Jesus From all evil from the snares of the devil and from a sudden death Be merciful and spare us O Jesus From anger hatred and malice and all uncharitableness and from eternal death Spare us O Jesus By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation by thy Nativity and Circumcision by the imposition of thy holy Name Jesus Be merciful and spare us O Jesus By thy Baptisme Fasting and Temptation by thy labours and watchings Be merciful and spare us O Jesus By thine agony and bloody sweat by thy buffeting and scourging by thy crown of thorns and purple garments by thy cruel mockings and reeden scepter Be merciful and spare us O Jesus By thy Cross and Passion by thy five sacred wounds by thy Death and Burial Spare us O Jesus By thy glorious Resurrection and by thine admirable Ascension and by the sending of the Holy Ghost Be merciful and spare us O Jesus In the day of Judgment Spare us O Jesus We Sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Jesus That looking to the pattern of thy most admirable life which thou hast left us we may follow thy footsteps that we may be holy as thou wert holy that when thou shalt appear we may be made like unto thee We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That following thee we may not walk in darkness and that we may think the same things that are in Christ Jesus We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may learn of thee who wast meek and humble in heart that looking up to thee the author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before thee enduredst the Cross despising the shame and art now set down at the right hand of the throne of God we be not wearied or faint in our minds We sinners beseech c. That we may desire to know nothing but Jesus crucified that we may take up our Cross daily and follow thee that we may crucify the flesh and the lusts and desires thereof We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That thy blood may cleanse us from dead works to serve the living Lord that dying to sin and being buried with thee we may henceforth walk with thee in newness of life We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being purged from dead works we never crucify to our selves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being bought with an inestimable price we may glorify God in our bodies and as we have been partakers of thy sufferings so we may be of thy consolations We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may know thee and the power of thy resurrection and the fellowship of thy sufferings being made conformable unto thy death if by any means we may attain unto the resurrection of the dead We sinners c. That we may count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord for whom we may suffer the loss of all things and count them but dung that we may gain Christ We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That our conversation may be in heaven from whence we look for our Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Spare us good Jesu O Lamb of God that takest c. Hear us good Jesus O Lamb of God that takest c. Have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Collect. O Lord Jesus we beseech thee by that love wherewith thou lovedst thine own unto the end by that bloody sweat and agony which thou sufferedst in the Garden and by the injuries and sorrows which thou feltst by being betrayed and sold by thine own Disciple and bound and led away by the Jews absolve us from the bonds of our sins and bind our Souls to thee by the strongest cords of love which can never be loosed O dear Saviour who wast whipped with Rods and crowned with Thorns grant unto us thy servants that we subduing our bodies with voluntary chastisements may be made worthy members under such an Head And thou O dearest Lord who by thy death hast breathed into dying man whom thou at first createdst a new breath of life vouchsafe we beseech thee that we who owed our whole selves to thee for our Creation and again owe all we are to thee for our Redemption may no longer now live to our selves but unto thee who diedst for us To whom with the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all Praise and Glory for ever and ever Amen LITANIES of the Blessed Virgin O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the World Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Holy Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Holy Mary the chosen and beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father Pray for us Holy Mary the Daughter of David Aaron's budding Rod Virgin of Virgins the Garden enclosed the Fountain sealed the flaming Bush unconsumed Pray for us Holy Mary Mother of God Mother of the Word made flesh who broughtest the Son of Justice into the world to them that sate in darkness Pray for us Holy Mary Spouse of the Holy Ghost and overshadowed by him the Woman cloathed with the Sun the Tabernacle of the Sacred Trinity Pray for us Holy Mary ordained from all eternity promised to the Fathers prefigured in mystical types and foretold by the Oracles of the Prophets who keptst inviolably the Vow of thy Virginity Pray for us Holy Mary full of Grace blessed amongst Women whose great Humility the most High had respect unto professing thy self the Handmaid of the Lord in all obedience whom all generations call Blessed Pray for
us Holy Mary whose voice made St. John Baptist leap in his Mother's Womb who when being found great with Child barest patiently the purpose of putting thee away Pray for us Holy Mary a Virgin conceiving and bringing forth a Son Immanuel who in one receivedst many Sons and thereby wast made the Mother of us all Pray for us Holy Mary that was turned out of the Inn and laid'st the Saviour of the world in a Manger Pray for us Holy Mary who at the Circumcision of thy only Son gavedst him that sweet and amiable Name JESUS Pray for us Holy Mary who most thankfully presentedst in the Temple that ever Blessed Jesus as a most precious Oblation to God his Father Pray for us Holy Mary that fled'st into Aegypt with thy new-born Babe and thy Husband St. Joseph Pray for us Holy Mary who soughtst thy lost Son three days sorrowing and with great joy foundst him in the Temple so early employed in his Father's business Pray for us Holy Mary who laidst up in thy heart all thou heardst spoken of thy Son Pray for us Holy Mary whose life was intirely dedicated to the constant serving of Jesus with the tenderness of a Mother the duty of a Handmaid and religion of a Votary Pray c. Holy Mary whose Soul was pierced as with a Sword at the crucifying of thy Son Pray for us We beseech thee By thy eternal Election to be the Mother of God Pray for us By the sweetness of thy love whereby thou embracedst thy Infant Son and suckledst him with thy Virgin Breasts Pray for us By the joy of the Angels rejoycing at the Nativity of thy Son Pray for us By the affections of love joy gratitude admiration and praise which thou conceivedst at the beholding of so many Miracles wrought by him Pray for us By all the hardships fears troubles and discommodities which thou didst undergo at Bethlehem in thy flight into Egypt and return from thence to Nazareth Pray for us By the sorrow of a heart of a Mother wherewith thou followedst thy Son going to Mount Calvary by the Sword of most bitter sorrow which pierced thy Soul standing by the Cross of thy Son Pray for us By that joy conceived at the Resurrection of thy Son and which now thou enjoyest for ever Pray for us We beseech Thee That thou wouldest vouchsafe to commend and reconcile us to thy Son Pray for us We c. That thou would'st help comfort and protect us like tender Sons with thy Motherly and most prevalent Intercessions Pray for us We c. That in all our necessities and straits especially at the hour of our deaths thou wouldst obtain for us the clemency of thy Son Pray for us We c. O Son of the B. Virgin which takest away the sins c. Have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest c. Have mercy on us Our Father c. Hail MARY full of Grace c. Blessed is the Womb that bare thee and the Breasts that gave thee suck Blessed are they that hear thy Word and faithfully in their lives observe it O Lord hear our Prayers And let our supplications come unto thee MY Soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Because he hath regarded the humility of his hand-maid Holy Virgin all generations shall call thee Blessed For he that is mighty hath done to thee great things and holy is his Name And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations He hath shewed strength in his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted the humble He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy As he spake to their Fathers Abraham and to his seed for ever Let us pray DEfend O Lord with the protection of peace thy servants trusting in the merits of Jesus and the patronage of the Blessed Virgin his Mother and keep us from all our enemies and from all dangers Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen GRant to thy servants O Lord to enjoy continual health of body and mind and that by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary we may be delivered from present sorrows and obtain eternal felicity thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God and most merciful Father who gavest thy only begotten Son to be born of an humble Virgin that we might be advanced to the adoption of thy children favourably regard the imperfect Prayers of thy servants which we here present unto thee by the efficacious intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary and grant that as her Purity is exalted by thee to the highest degree of glory so her Charity may obtain for us the especial assistance of thy grace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Almighty Eternal God who didst so prepare the Body and Soul of the glorious Virgin Mary by the eo-operation of the Holy Ghost that it became a worthy habitation for thy Son Grant that in whose commemoration we rejoyce by her pious and prevalent intercession we may be delivered both from present evils and everlasting death thro Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen LITANIES of the Holy Angels O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the World Have c. O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son Have mercy on us Holy Mary Mother of God and Queen of Angels Pray for us Holy Angels who standing before the high and mighty Throne of God sing continually Holy Holy Holy Pray for us Holy Angels who always behold the face of God in Heaven and serve before his Throne and who always obey his word and do his will Pray for us Holy Angels who have committed to you from God the care and custody of Man ministring Spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of Salvation Pray for us Holy Angels Governors of Provinces Protectors of Kingdomes Defenders of the Church Conservators of the Elect Pray for us Holy Angels carrying up the prayers and services of men to God and bringing down God's blessings unto men Pray for us Holy Angels that excel in strength restraining the power of evil Spirits and malice of wicked men Pray for us Holy Angels that rejoyce in the Conversion of any one Sinner that doth penance Pray for us St. Michael Prince of the heavenly Host who castedst out of heaven the Dragon with his Apostate Angels mighty Prince who always standest to help the people of God Pray for us St. Michael the Receiver of the Souls of the faithful and Conducter of them into Paradise Pray for us St. Gabriel who revealedst to Daniel the sacred Visions who warredst against the Prince of the Persians for the people of
just judgments We sinners c. That we may chastise our bodies and bring them into subjection and that we may no more live after the flesh but by the spirit mortify the deeds thereof We sinners c. That we may voluntarily forbear the pleasures and customes of this life to the end that we may give our selves without interruption to the painful exercises of penance We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may bewail our sins in sackcloth and ashes and humble our Souls before thee in watchings and prayers weeping and mourning night-exercises and solitude We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That taking revenge on our selves we may break off our sins by fastings and abstain from things grateful and pleasant to our senses We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may readily expose our selves to contempt and disgrace from men thereby to take revenge upon our pride and wickedness against thee We sinners c. That to the glory of thy name and shame and confusion of our own faces we may confess our sins to the Ministers thou hast appointed that we may more easily obtain pardon from thee We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may freely confess to our neighbours the wrong we have done them and humbly beg pardon of them restore what we have wrongfully taken or withheld from them and make reparation for any losses thereby to escape thy just revenge upon us We sinners c. That we may freely forgive others trespasses against us or any satisfactions due from them to us whereby we may have hope that thou wilt forgive ours against thee We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may break off our sins by alms and our transgressions by shewing mercy to the poor that we feed the hungry cloath the naked visit the sick forgive our enemies and shew mercy to all whereby we may the more easily obtain mercy from thee We sinners c. That putting on the whole armour of God we may hereafter be able to stand against all the wiles of the Devil We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may bring forth fruits worthy of Penance in due season and that we may work out our Salvation with fear and trembling We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That thou wouldst be pleased to afflict and purge us here and spare us eternally hereafter We sinners c. That going with confidence unto the throne of Grace we may obtain mercy and find it in an acceptable time We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world Spare us good Lord. O Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world Hear us good Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy upon us O Christ hear us _____ O Christ hearken to us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy on us Our Father c. A Psalm O Lord deal not with us according to our sins Nor reward us according to our iniquities O Lord remember not our former transgressions Let thy mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low Help us O Lord our Saviour And for the glory of thy Name deliver us and be merciful to our transgressions Cleanse us O Lord from our secret sins And keep us from other mens sins Remember not our offences O Lord nor the offences of our Fore-fathers Neither take thou vengeance on our sins Deliver not our Souls to the devouring Beast And forget not the Souls of thy poor servants for ever O Lord turn away thy face from our sins And blot out all our iniquities Restore unto us the joy of thy Salvation And establish us with thy principal Spirit O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee O Benigne c. Or This. O Lord correct us not in thine anger neither chastise us in thy fury We acknowledge our iniquities against our selves unto thee O Lord that thou may'st forgive the hainousness of our sins O Lord all our desire is before thee and our sighing is not hid from thee Have mercy-upon us O Lord according to thy great mercy And according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out all our transgressions Thou shalt arise O Lord and have mercy upon us for it is time to have mercy upon us yea the time is come If thou shouldst be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who can stand Enter not into judgment with thy servants O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified O Benigne c. Let us pray A Collect. MOst gracious God the Fountain of all mercy and blessing who desirest not the death of a sinner nor despisest the tears of the penitent favourably receive this our confession and effectually move our hearts to a true contrition that being pardoned the evils we have presumed to do we may be delivered from the evils we deserve to suffer and assisted by thy grace may bestow the short remainder of our days in a more perfect denial of our corrupt inclinations and more constant attendance to thy glorious promises thro our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen A Collect. O Benigne Lord pour we beseech thee thy grace into our hearts that we restraining our sins by voluntary chastisements may rather be afflicted with some temporal sufferings than deputed to eternal punishments thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen LITANIES for the Sick and those that are Dying O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation who comfortest us in all our tribulations who sufferest us not to be tempted above that which we are able to bear but with the temptation givest strength that we may be able to sustain Have mercy on us Who chastisest and scourgest those whom thou lovest who judgest and correctest us with weaknesses and sickness and death it self that we may not be condemned with the world Have mercy on us Who breathedst into man newly made after thy own Image the breath of life Have mercy on us Who madest not death nor delightest in the destruction of the living who plantedst in the midst of Paradise the Tree of life against the death of the body Have c. Who after our first Parents had contracted the guilt of death opposedst the seed of the Woman against the malice of the Serpent Have mercy upon us Who createdst Herbs growing out of the earth and innumerable other remedies for the use and necessity of man Have mercy on us Who turnest man to destruction and sayest Return ye children of men who woundest and healest strikest and bindest up with thy hand killest and makest alive
bringest down to the grave and raisest from thence again Have mercy on us Who savedst Noah from drowning in the Flood Lot from burning in Sodom and Isaac from imminent death who slaying all the first-born in Aegypt in one night preservedst safe the Israelites who deliveredst thy People stung with fiery Serpents by looking up to the Brazen one Have mercy on us Who at the Prayer of Elias and Eliseus thy Prophets restoredst the dead to life again who healedst Naaman the Syrian of his Leprosy by Eliseus the Prophet Have mercy on us Who freedst King Ezechias praying unto thee in his weakness with tears from his disease and death who at length restoredst Job most miserably afflicted in his body by Satan Have mercy on us JESU Son of the living God who wast sent to heal the broken in heart to preach enlargement to the captives and to comfort all that mourned who tookest upon thee our infirmities and barest our griefs who wentest about doing good and healing all that were sick and oppressed of the devil by whose power the blind received their sight the lame walked the lepers were cleansed and the dead raised Have mercy on us Who curedst with thy word the man that had been Paralytick eight and thirty years who healedst the woman that had been twelve years sick of her infirmity of blood and spent all she had upon the Physitians by the touch of the hemm of thy garment who restoredst to perfect health the woman vexed with a Spirit of infirmity and bowed down eighteen years Have mercy c. Who restoredst sight to him that had been blind from his birth who absent curedst the servant of the Centurion of eminent faith who deliveredst the woman of Canaan's daughter having respect to the faith of her mother Have mercy on us Who raisedst the daughter of Jairus Ruler of the Synagogue being newly dead who restoredst to life the only Son of his Mother that was dead and carried forth into the street who raisedst Lazarus after he had lain four days from the grave Have mercy on us Who in thine Agony being sorrowful unto death sweatedst drops of blood who praying that the cup of thy Passion and death might pass from thee submittedst thy self to the will of thy Father who dying commendedst thy Spirit into the hands of thy Father Have mercy on us Who by thy death destroyedst him that hath the power of death and diseases who by thy Resurrection procuredst us a lively hope of our rising also from death Have mercy on us Who sending the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles adornedst them with divers gifts of miracles and healings who by the shadow of St. Peter and the handkerchiefs and aprons brought from the body of St. Paul healedst many diseases Who gavest to them that believed on thee power to cast out devils in thy name to take up Serpents to lay their hands upon the sick and heal them Have mercy on us Who ascending into heaven art Lord of life and hast the power of death Have mercy on us O Father of mercies and God of all consolation who comfortest us in all our tribulations who sufferest us not to be tempted above that which we are able to bear but with the temptation makest away to escape Have mercy on us Who chastisest and scourgest those whom thou lovest who judgest and correctest us with weaknesses and sickness and death it self that we may not be condemned with the world Have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest c. From the guilt and burthen of our sins Deliver us c. From all the temptations and wiles from all illusions and assaults of the devil Deliver us O Lord. From all impatience and murmuring against thy providence from all weakness of mind from distrust and despair of thy mercy from the fear of death and too great a desire of life Deliver us c. From distraction of mind about the things of this world and neglect of preparing for life eternal from grievous pain and agony which may withdraw our minds from thee Deliver us c. From thy wrath and heavy indignation from the terrible sentence of the supreme Judge from the gates of hell and powers of darkness from the bitter pains of eternal death Deliver us c. By the infinite and great mercies of God the Father by the infinite and great merits of God the Son by the grace and consolations of God the Holy Ghost Deliver c. By the pains of death which compassed thee about in the Garden at the approach of thy Passion by thine agony and bloody sweat Deliver us c. By thine affliction of heart on the Cross when thou criedst out unto thy Father by the ardency of thy love whereby thou undertookst our sorrows and with thy stripes curedst our wounds Deliver us c. By thy powerful Resurrection and glorious Ascension by thy gracious and most prevalent Intercession and Mediation Deliver us c. In the time of our necessities and straits in the hour of death and day of judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That thou wouldst not enter into judgment with thy servants for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified that thou wouldst not be extreme to mark our iniquities for who can abide it that thou wouldst lighten our eyes that we sleep not in death least at any time our enemy prevail over us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being delivered out of the hand of our enemies we may serve thee without fear in holiness and justice all the days of our life We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being made whole by thy grace from our disease we sin no more lest a worse thing come unto us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being uncertain of the time of our death and thy coming to judgment we may in time set in order our worldly affairs that thou wouldst vouchsafe us the grace to confess intirely and be sincerely contrite for our sins to forgive from our hearts all that have offended us and make satisfaction to all whom we have injured We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That being reconciled to thee and all the world with a constant faith and firm hope we may reverently receive the Viaticum of thy Sacred Body and continue unto the end in thy grace and favour We sinners beseech c. That when and howsoever it shall please thee to dispose of us either for life or death we may most chearfully submit our selves to thy most holy will that as we have received good from the hands of our Lord so we may undergo evil with all patience We sinners beseech c. That we neglect not the chastisement of our Lord nor faint when we are reproved by thee but looking up to the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross may run with patience the race that is
judge the living and the dead Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God at whose presence the earth shall be moved and the heavens melt away Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God in whose blessed book of Life their names are written Give eternal rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed The Antiphon DEliver us O Lord and all thy Faithful in that day of terror when the Sun and Moon shall be darkned and the Stars fall down from heaven in that day of calamity and amazement when heaven it self shall shake and the Pillars of the earth be moved and the glorious Majesty of Jesus come with innumerable Angels to judge the world by fire Deliver us O Lord in that dreadful day And place us with thy blessed at thy right hand for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come to thee ALmighty God with whom do live the Spirits of the perfect and in whose holy custody are deposited the Souls of all those that depart hence in an inferior degree of thy grace who being by their imperfect Charity rendred unworthy thy presence are detained in a state of grief and from thy beatifical sight as we bless thee for the Saints already admitted to thy glory so we humbly offer our Prayers for thy afflicted servants who continually wait and sigh after the day of their deliverance Pardon their sins supply their unpreparedness and wipe away the tears from their eyes that they may see thee and in thy glorious light eternally rejoyce Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Eternal God who besides the general precepts of Charity hast commanded a particular respect to parents kindred and benefactors grant we beseech thee that as they were the instruments by which thy providence bestowed on us our birth education and innumerable other benefits so our Prayers may be a means to obtain for them a speedy delivery from any privation of bliss which they may suffer for their sins and a free admittance to thy infinite joys Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen MOst wise and merciful Lord who hast ordained this life as a passage to the future confining our Conversion to the time of our Pilgrimage here and reserving for hereafter the state of punishment and reward vouchsafe us thy grace who are yet alive and still have opportunity of reconcilement to thee so to watch over all our actions and correct every least deviation from the true way to Heaven that we be neither surprised with our sins uncancelled nor our duties imperfect but when our Bodies go down into the grave our Souls may ascend to thee and dwell for ever in the mansions of eternal felicity Thro Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen The LITANY of Christian Virtues O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Lord just and good and a rewarder of all those that seek thee diligently Have mercy on us Who createdst our first Parents in innocency and holiness after thine own image and gavest a testimony to the offerings of just Abel Have mercy on us Who savedst in the Ark from the Flood Noah a Preacher of Justice and deliveredst from the Fire just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked Have mercy on us Who gavedst the Promise to Abraham found faithful after many trials Have mercy on us Who deliveredst Jacob endued with a wonderful patience and confidence in adversities from all evils and gavest a joyful end to thy servant Job that pattern of patience Have mercy on us Who rewardest the singular modesty and chastity of Joseph with the rule over Aegypt Have mercy on us Who choosest Moses the meekest man upon earth to be Ruler over thy people and electedst Joshuah notable for valour and constancy to lead thy people into the land of Promise Have mercy on us Who gavest the Priesthood to the Sons of Levi for their great courage in vindicating thine honor and deliveredst from all dangers the Prophet Elias for his incomparable Zeal for thy true worship against the false Prophets and at length took'st him up into heaven Have mercy on us Who set'st Samuel Judge over thy people a lover of Justice and free from bribes And liftedst up David a man after thy own heart in the faithful service of thee to be King of Israel Have mercy on us Who replenishedst Solomon humbly begging Wisdome of thee both with it and many other Graces And adornedst Daniel and his Companions being singularly temperate and sober with wisdome and beauty Have mercy c. Who chosest the Blessed Virgin Mary adorned with singular chastity humility obedience and all other Virtues to be the Mother of thy Son Have mercy on us Who sentest John Baptist a fore-runner of thy Son a Preacher of penance and of great austerities and abstinence Have mercy on us Who sentest JESUS Christ thy only begotten Son into the world the pattern of all Holiness that we should follow his example Have mercy on us Who hast chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we also should be holy and unblameable in thy sight Have mercy on us Who hast predestinated us that we should be made conformable to the image of thy Son and hast created us in him to good works which thou hast ordained that we should walk in them Have mercy on us Who hast redeemed us from our vain conversation by the precious blood of Christ and hast regenerated us by thy word unto a lively hope of an eternal inheritance Have mercy on us O Jesu who knewest no sin neither was guile found in thy mouth but appearedst to take away the sins of the world Have mercy on us JESUS who barest our sins in thy body on the Cross that we being dead unto sin may live unto Justice and Holiness Have mercy on us Who hast delivered us out of darkness into light from the power of Satan into thy Kingdome and hast bestowed upon us the remission of sins and an inheritance amongst thy Saints Have mercy on us Who promisedst thy Disciples that forsook all for thee twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel who committedst unto St. Peter notably confessing and loving thee the feeding of thy sheep Have mercy on us Who vouchsafest to St. John notable for chastity the singular priviledge of thy love Have mercy on us Who sendedst thy holy Spirit whereby divine Charity is spread abroad in our hearts Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and grant unto us O Lord The virtue of humility and patience spiritual poverty and meekness longanimity and obedience to those that are set over us Grant unto us O Lord A quiet mind and contented with our present condition true peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Grant us c.
Temperance and modesty sobriety and chastity a true love of thee and our neighbours the contempt of our selves and the things of this world bounty and compassionate affections Grant us O Lord Diligence and constant vigilancy a hunger and thirst after Holiness zeal and fervour of spirit Christian fortitude and perseverance to the end Grant us c. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord That being reconciled to God by the death of Christ we may present our selves holy unspotted and unblameable before him that we may walk worthy of God in all things well-pleasing fruitful in good works and increasing in the knowledge of God We sinners c. That whatsoever we do in word or deed we may do all to the glory of God that we make not void thy grace or receive it in vain We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we be careful to sanctify our Lord Jesus Christ always in our hearts that we seek not our own things but before all the things of Jesus Christ We sinners c. That looking up to Jesus who suffered we be not wearied and faint in our minds but considering the conversation of the Saints imitate their faith and patience We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That as his Souldiers we entangle not our selves in the things of this world but having food and raiment we be content therewith We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That by good works we make our faith and election sure that we do good whilst we have time and faint not for that we shall reap in due season We sinners c. That we forbear one another in love being careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace that we bear one another's burthens and so fulfil the law of God We sinners beseech Thee c. That being strengthened in all virtue thro the power of his grace we give thanks to God with all patience and long-suffering We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That waiting for the coming of our Lord we be careful to be found in him pure and unspotted in peace that we may receive the end of our faith even the salvation of our Souls and in the mean time work out our Salvation with fear and trembling We sinners beseech Thee c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Increase our Faith O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Infuse Hope O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Enkindle Charity O Christ hear us Christ give Ear unto us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Let us pray IN flame O Lord our reins and heart with the fire of thy holy Spirit that we may serve thee with a chast body and please thee with a pure heart O Most gracious Lord vouchsafe we beseech thee to direct and order all our thoughts words and works according to thy blessed will and to the praise of thy great Name conform them according to the perfect example of thy most holy life and conversation Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen O God which justifiest the ungodly we humbly beseech thy Majesty graciously to defend with thy heavenly grace and assist with thy continual protection us thy servants relying on thy mercy that constantly running in the course of virtue we may at length receive the crown thereof and by no temptations be withdrawn from serving thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Father of mercies and God of all consolations propitiously regard the frailty of our condition and by thy grace strengthen our endeavours that thro thy mercy we may at length obtain plenary remission of our sins constancy in thy holy service and the reward promised to perseverance thro Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord. Amen Concerning our SPEECH For Governing our Words O Almighty Judge of men who hast declared that for every idle word we must give account in the day of Judgment and by our words we must be justified or condemned and hast taught us by thy Holy Scriptures that he that keepeth his tongue keepeth his life and that if any offend not in word the same is a perfect man We beseech thee to set a continual watch before our mouth and keep the door of our lips that we may ever take heed unto our ways that we offend not in our tongue that unruly member which defileth the whole Body and setteth on fire the whole course of Nature O Lord protect and deliver thy servants by thy restraining Grace and by thy fear from the many evil and bitter fruits of this so small a member from blasphemy swearing or taking thy name in vain from lying slandering backbiting and speaking evil of our neighbour from railing reviling flattery tale-bearing or disclosing secrets from vain-glory and boasting from praising our selves or disparaging others from ostentation of our own science and wit from all filthy and corrupt communication from jesting foolish froward and idle words and unprofitable discourse And Thou who hast given this Member c. Thou knowest O Lord who knowest all our infirmities how slippery a member the Tongue is and how liable we are to some abuse of it which we are necessitated so often to use and have so often occasions ministred unto us of using it amiss which also it is not in another's power easily to restrain Grant that we may employ our uttermost endeavours to prevent the manifold evils thereof that we may not desire to speak where we may without loss be silent nor utter any thing which becomes not thy servants for fear of seeming stupid or ignorant melancholick or unsociable make us swift to hear and learn but slow to speak not intermedling in every discourse nor speaking at all times what we know but what is necessary remembring that a prudent man concealeth knowledge and that there is more hopes of a fool than of one hasty in his words And good Lord endue with such peaceableness and calmness of spirit that we may never passionately contend or dispute to maintain an unnecessary truth or to vindicate a small right or to justify our selves in slight defamations or affronts but may follow the pattern of thy most admirable silence O Lord even in the questioning of thy most innocent life and on all occasions vilifying and humbling our selves may in our hearts give the glory only to Thee Who livest and reignest c. But thou who hast given this member to thy creature Man as a special instrument of thy Praise grant that we may zealously employ it to promote thy glory and when ever occasion is given to vindicate thy honor to joyn in thy praises and to give thanks and to speak good of thy Name O Lord open thou our lips and let our mouth ever shew forth thy Praise And be pleased also so to sanctify us in our worldly converse that our Speech may be always
may be holy both in Body and Spirit which is a transcendent Holiness of the Body beyond the Conjugal And 2. Cor. 7.1 after the Apostle had spoken of their being God's Temples in the 6th Chapter Wherefore saith he let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and of the Spirit so perfecting Holiness And more expresly Flee Fornication saith he 1. Cor. 6.18 Why For every other sin that a man doth is without the Body i. e. without any proper infamy to the Body or giving the power and honour thereof to another besides our Lord Christ but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own Body i. e. in degrading it to so base an alliance as to become the same with that vile creature with which it sinneth Therefore Eph. 5.3 4. the Apostle also peculiarly concerning this sin or any filthy discourse tending to it giveth charge that it should not be once named among such as will go for Saints But Fornication saith he and all Vncleanness or Coveteousness let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints Nor filthiness or foolish talking which are not convenient or which greatly mis-become such as you see the same phrase Rom. 1.28 And as God cast a special shame upon man in the committing of this Sin so in receiving him again after his fall into a new covenant of his Grace made with Abraham the Father of the faithful he caused the Seal thereof to be set particularly on those parts in a circumcision of them which were the instruments of Lust. In Rom. 1.26 c. We find God to abandon those who had otherwise much displeased him in their following Idols c whenas God hath left such manifest testimonies in all his creatures of himself were to the greatest disgrace and dishonour of humane nature that could be called there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in Apocal. 22.15 The Practisers of one Species thereof as if it did utterly depose us from our man-hood are called by the name of Dogs which see also in Deut. 23.18 and Phil. 3.2 for the Gnosticks stood guilty of such impurities And Job 36.14 This is pronounced as a Curse upon a Hypocrite that Vita eorum is inter effeminatos §. 40. n. 5. 3. The wrath also of God towards those Sins above others appears every where in these holy Writings most evident by whose revenge we may most rightly measure the greatness of these faults by many made so natural and excusable In 1. Thess 4.6 the Apostle warns the Thessalonians to abstain from the Fornication of the Gentiles Because the Lord saith he is the avenger of all such And Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable and the Bed undefiled But Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge And in detestation of such unlawful Lusts the Lord appointed Deut. 23.2 That a Bastard should not enter into the Congregation of the Lord until his tenth Generation And for these sins it was that God in the sacred Story inflicted those fearful Judgments to which none other can be compared For these that he drowned the world and washed away its pollution with the Flood Gen. 6.1 2. For these that he rained flaming Brimstone on Sodome and Gomorrah and purified their Land with Fire For these that all those mighty Nations were destroyed out of Canaan and their Land given to the Children of Israel See Levit. Chap. 18. Where after great variety of these sins rehearsed it follows Vers 27. For all these abominations for this name God gives to these Sins for their loathsomness have the men of the Land done that were before you and the Land is defiled and therefore in the Verse following this defiled Land is said to have spued out the inhabitants thereof For such Sin that Twenty three Thousand of the Children of Israel also fell in one day at Baal-peor before they entred Canaan See 1. Cor. 10.8 For such Sin that all the Tribe of Benjamin was cut off except only Six hundred men Judg. 20. I need not mention the Wars and Slaughter that followed upon David's Adultery and the ten Tribes rent from Solomon as a Judgment upon his being seduced to the Toleration of Idolatry by his Lusts and unlawful Marriages This is enough to shew that these Sins tho seeming most excusable and natural to Man are most abominable and loathsome to God especially since the new Contract that is made between Us and our Lord and since our Bodies are become the Temples of the Holy Ghost Which Temples 1. Cor. 3.17 saith the Apostle Whoso defileth him will God destroy §. 41. 3. Humility 2. The Purity and Sanctification of the Soul By 3. Humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mortification of your Reason opposite to all self-conceit of your own perfections and especially that of your Holiness and Mortifications pride hypocrisy ambition envy wrath contentions of Argument disobedience to Superiors curiosity of Science Schism Heresy and what other Vices proceed from high-mindedness §. 42. Of its Opposites 1. Rational Pride of Wit and Judgment 2. Spiritual Pride of Purity and Holiness 3. Anger against Vice aggravating of other mens faults when as Charity covereth them 1. Pet. 4.8 and beareth and hopeth all things 1. Cor. 13.7 and considereth her self lest she also be so tempted Gal. 6.1 4. Anger against Error and contending vehemently to convince those that oppose us for truth when as the wrath of man c. Jam. 1.20 And the wisdome from above is gentle c. Jam. 3.17 And the man of God should not strive 2. Tim. 2.24 And God only in his good time may reveal and convince but ordinarily we cannot Phil. 3.15 2. Tim. 2.25 To prevent which anger not easily engaging your self in every discourse nor engaged contradicting Him with whom you contest in every thing that he saith amiss but only for a very necessary Truth nor seeking any way to exasperate his Spirit or to provoke him to speak something against his conscience or to disparage and shame him §. 43. The means to attain and preserve such Humility and avoid such Pride 1. Often comparing yours with the recorded lives of former Saints or of some persons living who are very eminent in holiness but carefully avoiding any comparison with others inferior 2. Often considering 1 the great imperfection of your holy duties 2 and the good in such imperfection proceeding totally from God we being rather moved than moving as to it 3. Never judging your self by the good opinion others have of you to whom we naturally hide our weaknesses and faults shew our perfections and vertues 4. Often meditating on any singular deformities or infirmities in your body or imbecility of any faculty of your soul fancy memory elocution of any great sins or disgraces of yours past or present or considering what a one you use to be in the times of desolation and the withdrawings of God's Spirit 5. Often comparing your sins with theirs who without like mercy shewed or means for their salvation offered
as you have had suffer some of them temporal some eternal vengeance particularly with the one only fault of the lost Angels or the first sin of Adam so severely vindicated 6. On the contrary hiding from your self as much as you can other mens Infirmities the sight of which is the chief ground of self-conceit and looking upon their perfections there being none but by God's all wise distribution of his gifts have something or other wherein he hath advantage of us that so you may fulfil the Apostle's Rule Phil. 2. ch 3. ver in esteeming others better than your self 7. Not concealing your defects and faults from others 8. Suffering defamations of your innocency or the gainsaying of truths which are not of much moment without much vindicating them other mens opinion of us from which we take the chief estimate of our selves when ill humbling us much and this unsollicitousness of our credit saving much contention 9. On the contrary concealing your good things not desiring to appear wise or learned or holy and favoured of God not speaking truths but upon great necessity which any way tend to your reputation Not making much appearance and outward demonstrations and professions of Humility which when true affects to hide her self as well as to hide other virtues Not doing any thing to gain applause considering that who have their reward here shall not have one or shall have it less hereafter and that God many times humbleth as things that magnify themselves so things magnified of others §. 44. 4 Right ordering of out judgment 4. Prudence and a sober and right ordering of your Judgment 1. Right ordering of the judgment concerning Good and Evil. 1. A right ordering of it concerning Good and Evil. 1. Since many sins proceed after the rectifying in some measure of affections from misperswasions of judgment therefore entertaining a Christian jealousy over your Reason and the suggestions of lying Spirits counterfeiting the Divine lest intending what is good or taking the liberty of what you think indifferent you do instead of it what is evil See Jam. 1.26 Luk. 18.11 See Numb 8. Digr 1. Of the several kinds of the false species of Virtues vulgarly mistaken Digr 2. Of the great danger of following your conscience mis-informed And of the guilt of vicious or faultily-contracted ignorance by how much any sin is lightened for being done out of ignorance by so much the sin of ignorance being aggravated because contracted by your default Sins of ignorance being also many times the punishments when a wicked heart is also justly darkned of former sins of malice Luk. 23.34 Act. 3.17 Jo. 5.45 Matt. 25.44 2. Taking heed of false Humilities As first Of not having confidence in God concerning any affair to shew your humility that either man in general ought not to expect such a particular divine providence over him or that you in particular are not worthy of such a favour Secondly Of not attempting any extraordinary course of Piety lest you should seem ambitious of a greater degree of sanctity than befits your calling or the gifts which God hath given you or as excusing your self therefrom by some natural infirmities and not rather considering that such a resolute course though more imperfect through and notwithstanding these impediments is to God far more acceptable and of greater price and reward Or lest you should seem ambitious of extolling your self above others accounted Holy or should seem by your practice to contemn or condemn theirs or to turn the free Grace of God who can make you better when he pleaseth into humane industry or to undertake to merit your reward or satisfy for your sins Or not daring to be much good lest you should be proud when as true Sanctity grows greater so humility and such person still more discerneth that the good he doth or evil he forbears is by God's special Grace and not his endeavors tho also not without them this happening many times how or when he imagines not such an effect See how God's Grace wrought on St. Paul 1. Cor. 15.9 Eph. 3.8 1. Tim. 1.13.15 1. Cor. 2.3 Or lest you should fall into some great temptations or melancholies as some others have done or should not be able to persevere c. When as all the way except the beginnings only is full of pleasure And God certainly gives in all things of his service ability to perform what we have the courage to attempt dat velle dabit perficere mal delibera chi troppo teme Thirdly Of omitting Piety in publick lest you should seem vain-glorious c. Fourthly Of omitting your devotions at any time because being distracted with business company or in an ill humour you cannot offer them up with the reverence due to them when as a weak performance is always more acceptable than an absolute omission and doing of the thing excites the mind and where it finds not an inclination by degrees effects it 3. Taking heed of dissembling to your self out of a pretence of more humility and not taking strict notice of any gifts graces illuminations or holy inclinations God bestows upon you where you must needs be either ingrateful or acknowledge you are favoured For this acknowledgment of them contrary-wise will both in weighing the disproportion of these graces to your ill deserts produce in you the most profound humiliations Who am I O Lord God 1. Chron. 17.16 Depart from me Luk. 5.8 I am not worthy Gen. 32.10 My Family is poor and I the least in my Father's house Judg. 6.15 I have sinned and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thine hired Servants Luk. 15.21.19 and indignation for your neglect and abuse of them and so ill a requital And also put you continually in mind of the extraordinary service required from you proportionable to them and make you undertake greater matters by seeing how far his goodness hath enabled you For how shall he spend so freely who knows not that he is rich 4. Taking heed of too much scrupulousness and fear of surreptitious temptations so long as they are abhorred which sometimes cannot be avoided and are by Satan when conscience begins to grow tender often raised in us To cure which is to slight them or they growing stronger to declare and confess them 5. Taking heed of the errors of judgment in the choice and practice of virtues Not chusing those most that are more pleasant to sense and less troublesome to the flesh As devotions rather than labours See Jer. 7.22 Esa 58.3 or the contrary sometimes as the person is disposed works of charity rather than temperance and mortifications of the flesh but rather choosing those still to which the flesh is more averse and which seem to you more difficult penal chargable as acts of humiliation abstinence silence solitude liberal Alms c. For the sense and flesh are mostwhat seducers That obedience being far more acceptable wherein we do for God's sake