very well one for every severall Day of thâ—… Weeke And they may help on the Worke 〈◊〉 our Repentance if we will so often use thâ—… words of those pious Men that made them with their spirit And all the helps in thaâ—… worke are as necessary as they will be advanâ—… tageous For We are charged often and seriously to reâ—…member how we have provoked the Lorâ—… our God to wrath more then once Deu. 9 7 8â—… And the Lord our God is a consuming fireâ—… and a jealous God Deut 4. 24. Thereforâ—… humble thy selfe greatly For the vengeanâ—… of the ungodly is Fire and Wormes Ecclus. 7â—… 17. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where will the ungodly and sinner appeare 1 Pet 4. 18. The Meditation of these places of holâ—… Writ were enough to fright the Impenitenâ—… and make them long to be better acquainteâ—… with Penitentiall Psalmes Then may they heare more comfortablâ—… words For If wee confesse our fins God is faithfuâ—… and just to forgive us our sins 1 Joh. 1. 9. Noâ—… is not the voice of the Gospell only Solomon could put us in that hope long before thâ—… Gospel was sully revealed He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. And others before him have said the like It was God's mercy ever of old Hos. 14. 2 3 4. Hos. 6. 1 2. But we must lay hold on it while it is called to day Hebr. 3. 13 15. There is a long night coming when nothing can be done John 9. 4. And there is no relying or boasting of the little day of our life Prov. 27. 1. We know not how soon the Sun may set for ever upon us and we be conveyed out of the way into our everlasting House Eccles 12. 5. Therefore let us not put off from Day to Day to turne to the Lord. For suddainly his wrath may breake forth and in our security we may be destroyed and so perish in the day of Vengeance Ecclus 5. 7. But God is never so ready to punish as he is to pardon The Royall Prophet that had experience of that mercy tells us that when but he resolved to confes his transgressions unto the Lord the Lord forgave the iniquity of his Sin Psal. 32. 5. And if we would have it confirmed by the Evangelicall Prophet he could tell us God is so mercifull that upon our resolution before we call he will answer and while we are yet speaking He will heare Isay 65. 24. How then can they think to escape that neglect so great Salvation Hebr. 2. 3. After this so needfull and gainfull a Service of Confession As our Church doth so we should do well to addresse our selves to another Confession that of Praise and Thanksgiving In imitation of the Invitatory Psalme and the Te Deum and the like Hymnes in publicke we should have somewhat ready for that purpose in private Such as what now followes XV. A Morning Devotion framed according to St Basil's direction Constitut. Monast. c. 1 and the rare Patterne of the sweet Singer of Israel in many Psalmes PRaise the Lord O my Soul While I live will I praise the Lord yea as long as I have any being will I sing praises unto my God Psal. 146. 1. As long as I live will I magnify him on this manner and lift up my hands in his Name Ps. 63. 5. Every day will I give thanks unto Him and praise his Name for ever and ever Ps. 145. 2. Every day with all readines and thankfulnes of heart I will worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord my God my Maker Psal. 95. 6. By whom I was fearfully and wonderfully made Psal. 139 13 14. My soul cannot but be affected with that curious workmanship even to astonishment and amazement To consider how there is not the least bone or member in my body but tooke along with it an apparent stamp and impression of Divine Power and Wisdome While my whole Body to say nothing of the rate Faculties of the Soule was so cunningly and secretly wrought and embroidered with veines sinewes arteries and other incomparable varieties of necessary parts that as they were first framed and molded secretly in my Mothers wombe so they are not now all of them exposed to the view of every eye but show themselves onely by the use that is made of them Such are the wonders of my Creation How shall I then be able to expresse or conceive how mercifully and freely I was redeemed with a costly and mighty salvation 1 Cor 6. 20. Luc 1. 69. and by no lesse Providence and Goodnes miraculously preserved in fad and perilous times unto this day Therefore shall the first Fruits of every Day be Hâ—…s and the first opening of my mouth the serving and blessing of his holy Name My hearty Prayers and Praises shall come daily before Him like the Incense Psal. 141. 2. ascen ding upward and seasoning and sweetening my thoughts here for the whole day In this manner and for ever Praise the Lord O my Soule and all that is within mee praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soule and forget not all his Benefits Ps 103. 1. c. Which forgiveth all thy sinnes thy great sinnes and healeth all thy Infirmities thy manifold infirmities Which satisfieth thy Body and Soule with variety of good things and so often after a sweet and quiet sleep reneweth thy strength in the Morning and returneth thee to thy Friends and thy own imployments Young and lusty as an Eagle v. 5. that appeares in her fresh plumes vigorous and youthfull againe For this shall my mouth every morning be filled with thy praise O Lord and my Soule make her boast of Thee Ps. 34. 2 3. For this I will remember Thee in my Bed and when I awake Ps. 71. 7. And upon all opportunities sing of thy Honour and Glory all the day long So shall my Soule be more and more satisfied as it were with marrow and fatnes while I thus endeavour to praise Thee with joyfull lips Ps 63. 5. Here we may tender a particular recognition of some speciall mercy and favour showed to us or ours After which we may take others into our Confession of Praise And O that all others might joyn with me in the close of my thankful acknowledgments O that they would praise the Lord with me and let us magnify his Name together Psal ' 34. 3. Though not in the same place yet with the same heart and affection bearing a part in the Angels and our Churches Hymne Glory be to God on high and in earth Peace good will towards men We praise Thee O God we blesse Thee we worship Thee We laud and magnifie thy glorious name evermore praising Thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to Thee O Lord most high O that men would thus praise the Lord for his goodnesse
Redemptione Regeneratione Catechismo Vocatione Patientia tua Compunctione meâ Preventione tua Curatione Parentibus bonis Magistris doctis Benefactoribus Amicis Domesticis fidelibus Beneficiis quae accepi Siquid benè egi Consolatione praesenti Fiducia futura Donis Naturae Fortunae Gratiae Omnibus qui mihi Scriptis Concionibus profuerunt Precibus Colloquiis Reprehensione Exemplis Jnjuriis Liberatione à Periculo Ab Insania Inquietudine Sanitate Mentis Corporis Statu competenti Hisce omnibus omnibusque aliis Cognitis vel Incognitis Quae Recordor vel obliviscor Confiteor tibi confitebor Benedico benedicam Gratias ago Gratias agam Omnibus diebus Vitae meae Haec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 graecè paulò alitèr se habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aliud gratissimae devotissimae Animae Sacrificium Eucharisticum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But what if I should not deliver this in Latine or Greek which two languages the learned Bishop was commonly wont to use in his Closet and to whom all usefull languages were as familiar as his own tongue Methinks I should speak a little English in love to my Countrymen and to let them see how easily by the help of some linguist and the use of their Bibles they might partake of some of these and other-like Devotions to the great benefit of themselves and their Interpreters and all their Friends Blessed be God the Creator Preserver and Governour of all things Whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion from Generation to generation Dan. 4. 3. He is the blessed and only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords Who only hath Immortlity dwelling in a light which no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6. 15. And though He hath his dwelling so high yet he humbles Himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and Earth Psal. 113. 5. Takeing the Wise in their own craftiness Job 5. 13. Pulling down the Mighty from their seats and exalting them of low degree Filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich empty away Luke 1. 52. Lord what is man that thou hast such respect unto him and the Son of man that Thou dost so regard him Psal. 144. 3. Blessed be the God of the Spirits of all flesh Numb 16. 22. In whom we live and move and have our being Act. 17. 23. Who would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2. 4. Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9 For his thoughts are not our thoughts nor our wayes His wayes Isai. 55. 8. He being God and not man i. e. As God exceeds man so doe His mercies exceed the mercyes of man Hos. 11. 9. O that men wonld therefore praise the Lord for his goodness And offer unto him the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and tell out His works with gladness Psal. 107. 21. O give thanks unto the Lord For He is gratious and his Mercy endureth for ever Psal. 106. 1. Who can express the noble acts of the Lord but who would not desire to express them It 's good to keep close the secrets of a King but it 's Honorable to declare the works of God Tobit 12. 11. Let 's all be glad and rejoyce and give Honour to Him Apoc. 19. 7. As for my soul It shall be satisfied as it were with marrow and fatness Psal. 63. 6. Therefore let my mouth be filled wirh thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honor All the day long Psal. 71. 7. This is the happiness of the 4 Creatures in the Revelation They rest not day nor night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Apoc. 4. 8. I draw toward the end of my task You have seen the good Bishop's Domesticall Devotions I will now let you see the like before His going out of Town and then how He closed up the day and prepared for Night Oratio peregrè profecturi Qui puerum Abrahae ductu Angeli Qui magorum iter ductu Stellae Qui Petrum fluctuantem Qui Paulum navigantem Adesto Domine mihi Dirige mihi viam Conduc Deduc Reduc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monita Meditationes Praeparatoriae in Vespertinâ ad Deum Elevatione mentis In Bello Cantus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad agendum accōmodatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo palantes revocantur sic Mens humana ut manè excitanda ita ad vesperū quasi Anacletico ad se Ducemque suū revocanda Per Scrutinium Inquisitionem vel examen sui Preces Gratiarum Actiones 1. Scrutinium Inquisitio vel Examen Aug. Vir bonus praeponit scire infirmitatem suam magis quam scire fundamenta terrae fastigia coeli Illa verò scientia infirmitatis suae non paratur absque inquisitione diligenti sine qua coecus plerumque est animus atque in propriis nihil videt Cicero Multae sunt in animo latebrae multique recessus Seneca Deprehendas te oportet antequam emendes Ignotum ulcus in deterius abit curatione destituitur Jer. 17. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cor profundum est tortuosum Homo vetus mille involucris obtegitur Itaque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Attende Tibi ipsi Hoc autem maximè inquirendum Quid hodie Egeris Dixeris Legeris Scripseris quod deceat Christianum Sacerdotem Patrem c. confirmet fidem obedientiam augeat Scientiam vel Regimen animi corporis operetur Salutem tuum aliorum Deum ipsum videmus singulos primae Creationis dies non aliter claudentem quà m per recognitionem operum cujusque diei Et vidit quod bona essent Gen. 1. Cicero Cato diurni negotii à se rationem exigebat Pythagoras etiam Ausonius ex Pythag. Nec prius in dulcem declinent lumina somnū Omnia quam longi repetiveris acta die Rex David exacto die meditabatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In hoc Areopagitico nocturno Examine Vide ne Patronum te ostendas peccatorum sed judicem Et in tribunali mentis Tuae dic Dic cum dolore indignatione Iniquitatem meum agnosco Domine Psal. 51. O! Quis dabit menti meae flagella Quae peccatis meis non parcant Ecclus. 23. 2. ' El 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11 31 Oratio est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dormientiū custos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vigilantiū fidueia Gr. Nys Neque eum tutum arbitramur qui non fueric Orationis armis praesidioque munitus Rectè igitur Rab. J. de poenitentiâ non in crastinum differendâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Ecce spes fructus salutis falsa tibi erit in aeternum nisi animam tuam etiam hac nocte eripueris Et hujusmodi examen si per aliquot dies
of his self-exaltation so he that humbles himself will be exalted according to the measure of his Humiliation So far shall we be from doubting that when we are most out of conceit with our own value Cod respects us most Whâ—…n we' are placed by oâ—…r selves so low that we think we cannot go lower then indeed as we may be sure we cannot fall so nothing is so sure as that we shall rise To learn this excellent lesson shall we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by God himself and hear how he expresseth it in his holy word Upon whom shall I loâ—…k but upon him that is of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word I sai 66. 2. A troubled spirit is a Sacrifice to God A broken and contrite heart he will not despise Psal. 51. 17. Nay it is in the plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifices that is a Sacrifice equivalent to many other A Sacrifice that goes beyond all the Sacrifices of the Law The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a â—…ontrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit Psal. 34. 17. King Hâ—…zekiah found this true as well as David in that ready answer from God I have heard thy prayers I have seen thy tears Isai. 38. 5. So did Daniel in the Angel's report that srom the first day that he set his â—…eart to understand and chasten himself before God his words were heard And so will all other that make tryal of Gods infinite mercy IX Another sure way of Preparation from our Love of God and our Delight in Him BEside that sad way of Humiliation we have another more chearful way of promoting our Prayers We may take it from holy David a man after Gods own Heart that had made great use of it How dear and sweet the very mâ—…ntion of God or his holy word or any thing of his was to David's tongue and heart he hath sufficiently expressed in many Psalmes especially in the 119 and 145. both of them Alphabeticall Psalmes that they might be the easier committed to memory and the latter so highly esteemed by the Jewes that R Kimchi tells us the Rabbines had a saying that whosoever heartily recited the 145 Psal thrice a day needed not doubt of his eâ—…ernal Fâ—…licity As if they thought it the best Psalme to increase the love of God in us and so to fit us fâ—…r the Beatificall Vision and the heavâ—…nly quire above Yet how easily or how much soever the Jewish Church was taken with emphatical expressions of that Divine Love many in the Christian Church that should be more affected with it do seem to dote so much upon somewhat here below that they cannot hear with that ear and wish to go along with the Psalmist charme he never so wisely Therein they are rather like those Idols that have ears and hear not But if I should tell them how advantageous holy David saith that our love of God may prove to our obtaining of what we pray for I hope they would listen a little better to that Therefore I will keep them no longer from it They may see it Psal. 37. 4. in these words Delight thy self in the Lord and he will give thee thy heart's desire Which is made good in another Psalme that speakes in the person of God Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him He shall call upon me and I will hear him Now though this be the reward of Divine Love yet it were a shame that we should need much to be incited to it to love him whose creatures we are and on whose mercy and goodness depends all our Felicity X. Other Means to facilitate our accesse to God by Prayer NOt only our love to God but our love and respect to others too may procure a good successe of our Prayers As 1. Mercy in forgiving them Hence is that Evangelicall advise When thou prayest lift up holy hands without wrath 1 Tim. 2. 8. that is be in Charity when thou prayest If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there rememberest that thy Brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift go first be reconciled to thy Brother Mat. 5. 24. Forgive thy neighbour so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest Ecclus. 28. 2. 2. Mercy in relieving them Old Tobit made it his advise to his son Turne not thy face away from the poor and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee c. 4. 7. Solomon had said it before him in other termes He that stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himself but shal not be heard Prov. 21. 19. King Nebuchadnezer was therefore put in a fair way of preventing a sad punishment by Daniel's good counsel to break off his sins by alms-deeds and mercy to the poor Dan. 4. 27. And Cornelius found the vertue of this when he had the honour to be told by an Angel that his prayers were heard and his Almes-deeds were had in remembrance in the sight of God Act. 10. 31. Ecclus 3. 30. 4. 10. 3. Due respect to Parents Who so honoureth his Father makes an atonement for his sins Ecclus. 3. 3. He shall be heard when he makes his prayer v. 5. v. 15. Thus in all things our Christian and virtuous demeanour of our selves hath the force of letters of recommendation to promote our cause to the throne of grace And we have our Saviour's own word for it that If we abide in him and his words abide in us Ask what we will it shall be done unto us Joh. 15. 7. Out of these and the like Institutions which we take out of the holy Scriptures and wherein we perceive what preparation fits us best for the attaining of our humble suits of the hand of God every man should select some above the rest as most peculiar to himself and wherein his present care should make some amends for his former neglect remembring the advise of Baruch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. As it was your mind to go astray from God so being returned seek him ten times more Baruch 4. 28. by humble and hearty obedience as well as by earnest supplication XI Caveats for the Matter and Manner of Prayer THat our Prayers may be succcessesull it will be further necessary to take order that they may be ever attended with those Cautions Virtues and Graces which are most conducible to that end Such as these are 1. Not to ask amisse for any thing either in the scope and matter or in the method and order of of our Prayers For many ask and receive not because they ask a miss Jam. 4. 3. that they may consume it upon their own pleasures and fancies In such cases we must not expect to be heard unlesse it be to the punishment of our folly and presumption And otherwise we must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our prayers must be grounded upon
desired For it is supplied with a continual Fervor and dilated with a sweet complacence and pleasing apprehension of the happines we might have in the fruition of what we desire and long for Therefore it doth not much need any Motive or Reward or any thing else to maintain it in vigor but onely the hope of acquiring that which is beloved There 's none of us all but have our share more or lesse in this pleasing Affection And it should be our daily prayer and care that we be not mistaken in the object of the Love we pitch upon To which purpose we should be most vigilant over those parts where Love makes the entrance The ordinary wayes are the Ear and the Eye First the Ear hath a door to admit it A door that no Key opens so well as a good report That will easily make us love those whom we never saw ut eos saepe quos nunquam vidimus diligamus saith the Orator No Musick can set anothers Heart-strings to the same tune with ours so soon as this 2. Beside this of the Ear there 's a second and more frequent passage to Love from the Eye either the Eye of the Body or the Understanding the eye of the Mind For Love hath the same Fountain that our loving Tears have they come out of the Eye and thence fall into the Breast So doth all Love from the Eye slide into the Heart and then it needs no Letters of recommendation there it pleads and conquers for it self So it is in all Love and so it is particularly in Divine love which is an inclination and application of the heart to God 1. First it comes in at the Ear. Fides ex auditu saith the Apostle and so doth Love Amor ex auditu It begins as that Psalm doth Auribus audivimus Ps. 44. 1. we have heard with our Ears and our Fathers have told us 2. It comes in at the Eye too For from the eye of the understanding by which we see the worth of what we love it is conveyed by Faith into that welcome which the Heart is easily made ready to embrace it withall Now that we are so taken with love at the Eye t is no wonder since we hear our Saviour himself say to the Church in the Canticles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast struck or affected my very Heart with one of thine eyes Cant. 4. 9. They must be holy and devout eyes that can so take him and we had need to look to it that our eyes may be such And when they are such that God may yet divert them from dangerous objects and vouchsafe his own love to kindle them withall that is the light of his countenance some gracious aspect from him wherein the Soul may see him as the fairest of ten thousand Cant 5. 10. the most amiable of all that can be loved and hear him with that affection which was commonly his that said Thy word is sweeter to me then the hony and the honey comb more to be desired then gold even much fine gold And now I may ask first concerning the Eare the first passage to love who hath not heard of the Majesty Wisdom Goodnes Mercy and other attributes of God that are able to ravish the love of any soul. Dies diei eructat scientiam There is no speech or language but that voice is plainly heard and understood in a l the world If we will make the right use of our Eares we cannot but advance our love to God 2. Then I may ask as much for the eye the other passage Hath not every mans eye the eye of his Body or of his Understanding been so far opened as to discover some clear beams some cast of his love not onely in the general wayes of Providence but in the more particular benefits mercies and indulgencies that are or may be conferred on him and should be the attractives of his love so many wayes doth he display his Amoris insignia his love-tokens And the truth is we should never come to be so happy as to love him if he did not invite and woe our hearts first by his own Favours and preventing love which is the Adamant of Love and was so powerful in him that it should now draw our hearts to heaven as once it brought him from thence to Earth to give us a touch of his ardent love in his humility and Obedience and especially in shedding his dearest bloud for our sakes All this did he to win our love to him without whom we could not love nay live and move and have any being and from whom are all the wonders of our Creation and Preservation and all the promises of future and eternal Happines This preventing love of his is the hand by which he drawes all men to the confession of his goodnes And if we adde to this the particular favours to our own persons we have enough to win our Hearts and fix our love upon him But we notwithstanding are so hard to be won to him and so ready to forsake him upon the allurement of very trifles that we scarce make a stop to ask our selves the question why we tire our love with so many objects so infinitely below the value of this one For what is it that we would have Is it Beauty Then seek the love of him the sweetnes of whose glorious face is the Joy and Rapture of Angels The onely vision of him is complete Happines and full satisfaction Or would we partake of true Riches or knowledg or pleasure Then study the love of him who is the unum necessarium to all these ends and purposes 1. Of whom we are directed to buy that gold that will make us truly rich Apoc. 3. 2. In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom Col. 2. 3. In whose presence is fulnes of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Ps. Is not all this true And yet are not we commonly so far from thinking how to purchase his love that we busy our selves most in that which heaps up the treasure of his wrath and provokes him to plague us with many fearful judgments Into these dangers we plunge our selves in the persuit of our ugly sins but what lovely virtues do we compass with the like hazard for his sake that is Love and Charity it self Or what excuse can we make for our selves that we are not so employ'd Yet if the purchase of other virtuous Duties may find excuse this sure will find none If we are exhorted to Fast or to Relieve the Poor or to any other like Duties we may perhaps think to excuse them by the indisposition of our bodies or our want of means c. But when we are perswaded to love God we are put upon that a ainst which there is no Apolâ—…gie He that loves not the Lord Jesus Let him be Anathema Maran Athah that is liable to the heaviest curse Well then If there be no excuse What kind