Father c. Evening Prayer O Lord God Almighty the Great and Supream Being before whom the Blessed and Glorious Angels cover their faces thou art a God terrible in Wrath and Vengeance against all obstinate wicked men but infinite in Mercy and endless in Compassion to all poor sinners that with unfeigned Repentance truly turn unto thee thou keepest Covenant and Mercy for ever for all who desire to fear thy great Name and walk humbly before thee I Vile Earth and Ashes miserable Creature laden with Sin might justly fear to lift up my Eyes to Heaven but since thou art so far from despising and driving from thee a Weak and Vile Sinful Wretch as I am that thou callest and drawest such unto thee I am bold to approach the Throne of thy Grace in the name of thy dear Son my Lord Jesus Christ whom thou hast given for Sinners not only a Saviour but also an Advocate and Intercessor to put up our Suits and make our Prayers accepted Through him Lord admit me into thy Presence and hold forth unto me the Golden Scepter of thy Grace let not thy Power dismay but strengthen my Weakness thy Glory not confound but cover my Vileness thy Purity not pursue but purge my Wickedness I can plead nothing but Misery in my self to make way unto thy Mercy from thee alone must all motives unto compassion be drawn I beseech thee O Lord be not ashamed of my Poverty be not weary of my Importunity but as the Sense of my misery leads me unto thee so let the Pity and Commiseration of the same incline thy Merciful Heart towards me I brought with me a World of Sin into this thy World I have derived from my first Parents not only the Guilt of their Sin but also the Corruption of their Nature that Leprosy of Adam cleaves unto me and has overspread all the Powers and Parts both of Soul and Body darkening and misleading my Vnderstanding benumming and abusing my Conscience inthralling and hardening my Will disturbing and disordering my Affections and making my Bodily Senses and Members either as Porters to let in Sin or as Instruments to execute it And from this cursed Root have sprung all those Actual Transgressions which in Imitation of Adam's Sin I have committed and multiply'd against thy Majesty by breaking every one of thy Commands in Thought Word and Deed even from the beginning of my life unto this present time So that there is scarce any Sin but I have been guilty of it one time of my life or other nay this very day how miserably have I departed from thee how frequently and sadly have I backslid in what Liberty have I allow'd my self how heedlessly have I conversed I have walked at a meer peradventure with thee my God And here O Lord I desire to confess with shame unto thee not only the Sin of this Day but those great and notorious Offences of all my sinful life past with all those heinous Circumstances whereby my Sins have been made out of measure sinful as the abuse of thy Patience the quenching thy Spirit despising thy Gospel unthankfulness for thy Mercies unfaithfulness in thy Covenant These and many more are the Mischiefs with which my Nature is blemished my Life filled my Conscience hardned and thy heavy Wrath most justly deserved yet because thou hast out of thy free Grace given thy Son Jesus Christ the Lord a means of Propitiation in whom thou reconcilest the World to thy self I humbly beg of thee through him Grace and Pardon O let his sufferings satisfie thy Justice for all my Sins and procure favour and forgiveness from thee let thy Christ be my Jesus to save and deliver me from wrath to come And whereas thou hast not only promised to deal thus with me but commanded me to believe that promise of thine Lord I desire to obey thy Command and Seal to thy Truth yet privy to the weakness of my Faith I pray thee help my unbelief Behold not my Iniquities O Lord as a severe Judge to be avenged of them but as a Sovereign Physician to cure and heal them Shew me my Pollutions by Sin in the Glass of thy World and by the Lamp thereof help me to search and know how wicked I am that Judging and condemning my self I may avoid thy Judgment and heavy Sentence and may so hate abhor and be avenged of my self as that I may avoid thy Wrath and Punishment O let Sin be as bitter to me in the attempting as in the repenting at leastwise more bitter in the repenting than ever it was sweet in the committing Grant me thy Grace to overcome my special Lusts at least alwaies to strive against them Subdue my proud haughty and vain Thoughts and straiten my crooked and distorted Affections Let me look on the Pleasures and Profits of life not only as thy liberal allowances unto me but also as Satan's Baits avoiding all excess and abuse and using them with thankfulness moderation and as things that must shortly leave me or I them Let me not value Pleasure Honor Profit Ease or any thing whatsoever at so high a rate as for the love thereof to make shipwrack of a good Conscience Let me measure my self not by what others Judge me or I feel my self to be but by that I desire and labour to be Teach me to keep a diligent account of what I receive from thee remembring there will be a day of Reckoning and grant me so to manage and employ thy Talents that thou mayest receive thy own with advantage Let my whole Life be a preparation to Death And the Meditation of Death the Rule of my Life Vnto my old and gray head O Lord forsake me not and let thy Fear keep me from forsaking thee let me be amongst those that are planted in thy House and flourish in thy Courts who bring forth most fruit in their old age Help me often to consider the danger I stand in through the Multitude Power and Subtilty of my Spiritual Enemies And to my Faith in thee let me always joyn Fear not only of Satan with whom I am continually to Fight but also of the slippery paths of this sinful World and the Frailty and Treachery of my deceitful Heart and Sinful Nature ever running after Satan's allurements and conspiring with him my utter ruin Let me ever remember how Satan shews only the fair side of Sin and chooses the fittest Instruments to deceive and knows how to sute his Temptation and also of the Scourges which follow after Sin the bitter Fruits thereof how it unfits me for any Service makes me miserable what ever my condition be And how thou wilt most certainly make those that belong to thee to feel the smart thereof especially if it be against Conscience Lord let me never forget Satan's deadly malice against thy best Servants how few of them have ever escaped to the end of their lives without some grievous Wounds Let me not O Lord be drowsy
such words as may administer Grace unto the hearers to be sober in Diet wary in Disports moderate in Apparel choice in my Company and ever to practice that continual Fear which has a promise of Blessing especially watching against those Sins I am most inclined to and those Temptations that are most likely to assault me Plant in me Faith without Presumption Love without Dissimulation Fear without Infidelity Zeal without Hypocrisy Knowledge without Pride Purity without Judging Wisdom joyn'd with Simplicity Courage accompany'd with Meekness Cheerfulness with Sobriety and let every Grace be graced with Humility And be thou pleased so to bless all my Studies and Actions that they may tend to thy Glory the good of others and comfort of my own Soul in that day when I shall make my final Accompt unto thee for them O my God keep thy Servant that I do no Evil unto any man this Day and suffer neither the Devil nor his wicked Angels nor any of his evil Members or my malicious Enemies to have any Power to do me any hurt or violence But defend me from the Power Malice and Multitude of them all both in my going out and coming in with the impregnable defence of thy Providence and Guard of thy holy Angels whom thou hast said should to this end pitch their Tents about those that fear thy Name For into thy Hands I do here O Father commend my Soul Body and all that I have to be guided and protected by thee being assured That whatsoever thou takest into thy Custody cannot suffer any harm seeing thou Rulest all things to thine own Glory and the greatest good of thy Children and because thou hast assured me that thus begging I shall receive that I may set forth thy Glory whereunto I do here bind my self And if at any time I shall this day forget thee my God I beseeh thee do thou in mercy remember me and suffer not Sin to swallow me up or grow strong upon me lest I perish And now may it please thee to receive at the hands of me thy unworthy Servant this my Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for all thy Mercies both for my Being and Well-being for the Means of Grace and Hopes of Glory c. By thee at first I was fearfully and wonderfully made thou did'st cover me in my Mothers Womb and gavest me the shape of a Man when it was free for thee to have equalled me with the basest Creatures Thou hast made me Perfect in shape and not a Monster Sensible and of understanding not a Fool Thou didst preserve me in the Womb nourish'd me when I hung upon the Breasts provided means of Education fitted me for an honest Employment and compassed me with many particular Mercies which others want That I am now alive that Satan has not had his will upon me that I know the way and the means unto a better Life that I have been protected and refreshed the night past when for the Sins of the Day thou mightest justly in the dead of sleep have called for my Soul and that I have daily access unto thy glorious Presence Whence are all these but from the freedom of thy Grace If thou shouldest have given me my desert I should have perished long ago Father I defire to remember with a thankful heart all thy Mercies at any time bestowed upon me or continued to me My Health Peace Liberty Maintenance Credit Fellowship Success in my Affairs Preservation from Dangers delivery from Troubles Recovery out of Sickness Consolation in Afflictions c. But above all for the magnifying thy Mercy to me in the great work of Redemption and Salvation by Jesus Christ for thy Christ thy Spirit thy Word thy Sacraments thy Sabbaths and the Assemblies of thy Saints with all the helps of Example Instruction Admonition and Fatherly Correction by which thou hast indeavour'd to farther me in the way of my Salvation yea tho' my provocations have been so many and so grievous yet thy Compassions fail not but are renew'd every Morning For all those Testimonies of thy Bounty thy Pity thy Patience towards me I do according to my poverty offer up unto thee the Calves of my Lips confessing thy Goodness and the Due Service of my Soul and Body as a Living and reasonable Sacrifice And now O Lord I come unto thee in behalf of thy whole Church and chosen People and of all my Brethren wheresoever they live upon the Face of the whole Earth Defend them from the rage and Tyranny of the Devil the World and Antichrist give thy Gospel a free and a joyful Passage through the World for the Conversion of those that belong unto thy Kingdom Judge Babylon and Redeem Sion in thy appointed time Call the uncalled and perfect the called raise up the Fallen strengthen the Weak heal the Sick relieve the Needy and Distressed release such as are in Restraint comfort them that are Comfortless either in Body or Mind especially such as mourn for Sin Strengthen the Hands and Hearts of them that stand in the just defence of Religion and Right and confound every Adversary and Antichristian Power and Policy Especially be favourable to all such a suffer any Trouble or Persecution for the Testimony of thy Truth and holy Gospel support them under and give them a gracious deliverance out of all their Troubles which way it shall seem best to thy Wisdom for the Glory of thy Name the further inlarging of thy Truth and the increase of their Comfort and Consolation Give me a compassionate fellow feeling of the Miseries others suffer and prepare me for the day of Trial. Bless with all sutable Mercies this particular Church forgive the publick Sins heal the publick Calamities and Diseases Bless thy Servant Charles our Sovereign adorn him with all Princely Graces answerable to his high Estate especially with a Spirit of Government Prosper the work of the Gospel and make thy Word to grow by the labours of those thou hast appointed to the Service of the Church give them Sufficiency Fidelity and Success in thy Business Increase Wisdom in our Counsellors and stir up Magistrates and men in Authority to seek the advancement of thy Glory and good of thy People contain the Subjects in their due obedience to Authority bring to naught all Tumultuous and Rebellious Practices Visit all my Kindred Relations and acquaintances and all that are committed to my charge and whosoever may claim an interest in this Duty at my hands with such Blessings as they need Reward a thousand fold all who have shown any kindness to thy Servant forgive and have mercy upon all my Enemies and let not one of them ever fare the worse for any wrong done unto me Finally both to my self and all that desire to fear thy Name grant all the Blessings of Mercy and Peace in Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and the Eternal Spirit be all Honor Obedience and Thanksgiving throughout all Generations Amen Our
we may make known our desires to him as if he were not acquainted with them for he understands our Thoughts afar off neither that we may move him to accept and grant our desires for with him there is no Change or Shadow of turning but that we may by our Prayers obtain that of him which we believe he is willing to bestow Prayer being a necessary means both for God's Glory and our good 1 John 5.14 This is our Confidence which we have towards God that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us When therefore thou art about to pray First look into your present State and inquire how all things stand between God and you mark whatsoever occurs between your set times of Prayer the Providences of God or Sleights of Satan what sins you have committed what Graces you want and what Fresh Favours God has bestowed Tune thy Thoughts and Affections wind and Screw them up when thou comest to Duty This is that Zophar advises Job 11.13 to prepare the Heart and then to stretch forth the Hands When you are about to address your self to God in Prayer Fix your thoughts upon some particular Subject to inlarge upon There is no question if you observe your condition well but you have somtimes one errand to God somtimes another whether it be to confess some predominant Sin to beg Pardon of and Power against You may have in your Eye some Grace which you stand in more than ordinary need of and observe your own weakness and defect in Run not out into Generals only for you cannot speak to God of all things at one time but consider the Present Case of thy Soul and what business you have to go to God about at that time in a particular manner enlarge your thoughts on that Subject and follow it home till you feel your heart warm'd and affected Implore and expect the Spirit 's assistance and let thy whole heart be engaged in this work See what thou dost be according to Gods will and have a Warrant from his Word A Command is our Warrant a Promise is our Incouragement and an Example our Tract the Footsteps of the Flock wherein we must walk Improve your Advocate This is the Principal part of all our Religion and especially of Prayer to depend wholly upon the Righteousness and Intercession of Christ Jesus for access to and acceptance with God Be not slight formal and cursory in calling your Sins and Duties Cods Favours and Promises into a bare and Fruitless remembrance if the Heart be not affected with Anger Fear Grief and Shame for Sin with Joy and acknowledgment of being beholden to God for his Favours with Hope and Confidence in him in remembrance of his Promises if it be not gain'd to a new Resolution to Reform what is Faulty and to endeavour after more exactness all your preparation is nothing Nay Sin will gather Strength upon you thereby like idle Sturdy Vagrants who when brought before the Magistrate if he either say little to them or only give them threatning words but never makes them smart for their Offences they grow thereby ten times more insolent lawless Keep up Spiritual Frames out of Worship the Fire was to be kept alive upon the Altar when Sacrifices were not Offer'd from Morning till Night from Night till Morning as well a in the very time of Sacrifice One well advises to be such out of Worship as we would be in it any thing that does unhinge and discompose our Spirits is inconsistent with Religious Services which are to be perform'd with the greatest sedateness and gravity All irregular Passions disturb the Serenity of the Spirit and tho they be allay'd yet they leave the heart some while after like the Sea rolling and swelling after the Storm is ceased Ill company leaves a Tincture upon us in Worship Ephraim hath mixed himself with the People Hosea 7.8 He is a Cake not turned This will make our Hearts and Lives half Dough as well as half Baked These and the like make the Holy Spirit withdraw himself and then the Soul lies like a Wind-bound Vessel that can make no way When the Sun departs from us it carries its Beams along with it then Darkness spreads it self over the Earth and the Beasts of the Forest creep out Be much in Secret Ejaculations to God These are the purest flights of the Soul that have more of Fervor and less of Carnality As frequent sinful Acts strengthen habits of Sin so frequent Religious acts strengthen habits of Grace Excite and exercise particularly a Love to God and a Dependance on him The Soul that loves God when it has to do with him can mind nothing else during such Impression Nourish right apprehensions of God in thy mind Consider thou art drawing nigh to God the most amiable Object the best of Beings worthy of infinite Honour and the highest Affections thou canst give a God that made the World by a Word that upholds the great frame of Heaven and Earth a Majesty above the Conceptions of Angels View him in his Greatness and Goodness that your Heart may have a true value of the Worship of so great a Majesty and count it the most worthy employment to attend upon him A Fear of God will make your Worship serious a Joy in God durable your Affections will be rais'd when you represent him in the most reverential indearing and obliging Circumstances We Honour the Majesty of God when we consider him with due Reverence according to the greatness and perfection of his Works And in this Reverence of his Majesty does Worship chiefly consist Preserve a strong Sence of the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God who Judges thy inward Affections and is as really present with thee as if he were Visible Take heed of inordinate desires after the World it dulls the Word and stifles all Spiritual breathings after God in Duty Be deeply sensible of thy present wants and the supplies thou mayest have in Worship It is pardon thou desirest Apprehend then the blackness of Sin with the aggravations thereof as it respects God be deeply sensible of the want of Pardon and the worth of Mercy indeavour to get your Affections into such a frame as condemned Men would be and as you have seen some dying Men have Consider thou art now at the Throne of Gods Grace but must shortly be at the Bar of his Justice indeavour to stir up the same affections now the same fixedness and earnest Pleading for Mercy which thou mayest suppose forlorn Souls will have at Gods Tribunal If thou couldest apprehend God as an angry and offended Judge or didst see the riches of his Mercy and his glorious out-goings in the Sanctuary the blessed Doles he gives out to those that Spiritually attend upon him both the one and the other would make thee perform thy Duty humbly sincerely earnestly and affectionately waiting upon him with thy whole Soul to have Misery averted and Mercy
may'st run through the whole Day In the next place consider your Religious Duties and carriage in them Your Calling and how you have perform'd the Duties belonging to that your Relations and carriage to them As a Husband Wife Parent Child Master Servant Your particular Corruptions and the Sins you are most inclin'd to together with your Temptations and how you have behaved your self in reference to them Your Talents whether you have wasted and mispent or improv'd and employ'd them for the end they were given Your Providences what they have been and how you have and ought to have carry'd your self under them In short whether you have lived by Faith that is have fram'd your Life according to the revealed Will of God the Object of Faith and whether you have been constant to your own Rules Having thus examin'd your self Reform that which you find amiss Rejoice or be griev'd as you find you have done well or ill and renew and confirm your peace with God committing thy Spirit Soul and Body thy Relations Name and Substance to his Tuition by Prayer and Thanksgiving who alone can keep thee in safety By this daily examination of our Selves we gain these two great Advantages First Our Repentance will hereby be more particular not only of clamorous and more crying Sins but multitudes of other particulars every branch and circumstance of every Action every Word Thought and Affection many Sins which otherwise would have been forgot will by this means be brought to remembrance and repented of by us And again when ever Death seizes us we shall have but one day of our whole Life to Account for The Christian Exercise taken out of a Learned Divine TO keep the Heart in ure with God is the highest Task of a Christian Good motions are not frequent but the constancy of good Disposition is rare and hard This work must be continual or else speedeth not If this Field be not Till'd every day it will run out into Thistles The evening is the fittest for this work when retir'd into our Selves we chearfully and constantly both look up to God and into our Hearts as we have to do with both To God in Thanksgiving then in Request It shall be therefore expedient for the Soul duly to recount to it self all the specialities of God's favour A confused thanks savours of carelesness and neither doth affect us nor win acceptance above Bethink your self then of all these External Inferior Earthly Graces and Favours That your Being Breathing Life Motion Reason is from him and that he hath given you a more noble Nature than the rest of the Creatures excellent Faculties of the Mind perfection of Senses soundness of Body competency of Estate seemliness of Condition fitness of Calling preservation from Dangers rescue out of Miseries kindness of Friends carefulness of Education honesty of Reputation liberty of Recreations quietness of Life opportunity of Well-doing protection of Angels Then rise higher to your Spiritual Favours tho here on Earth and strive to raise your Affections with your Thoughts Bless God that you were born in the light of the Gospel for your Profession of the Truth for the Honour of your Vocation for your incorporating into the Church for the priviledge of the Sacraments the free use of the Scriptures the Communion of Saints the benefit of their Prayers the aid of their Counsel the example of their Lives the pleasure of their Conversion for the beginnings of Regeneration any footsteps of Faith Hope Love Zeal Patience Humility Peace Joy for any desire of more Then let your Soul mount highest of all into her Heaven and acknowledge those Celestial Graces of her Election to Glory Redemption from shame and Death of the Intercession of our Saviour of the preparation of her place and there let her stay a while upon the Meditation of her future Joyes This done the way is made for your Requests Sue now to your God as for Grace to answer these Mercies so to see wherein you have not answer'd them From him therefore cast your Eyes down upon your self and as some careful Justice doth a suspected Felon so do you strictly examin your heart of what you have done that Day of what you should have done Inquire whether your thoughts have been sequesterd to God Strangers to the World fix'd on Heaven whether Just Charitable Lowly Pure Christian whether your Senses have been holily guided neither to let in temptations nor to let out Sins whether your Speeches have not been Offensive Vain Rash Indiscreet Unsavory Unedifying whether your Actions have been warrantable expedient comely profitable whether you have perform'd the particular Dutyes of the day in your Awaking Refreshing Calling Company Pleasures then see if you have been negligent in watching your Heart expence of your time exercises of Devotion performance of good Works resistance of temtation good use of Examples and compare your present State with your former look Jealously whether your Soul hath gain'd or lost lost ought of the heat of her Love tenderness of Conscience fear to Offend strength of Virtue gain'd more increase of Grace more assurance of Glory And when you find Alas who cannot but find either Holiness decay'd or Evil done or Good omitted cast down your Eyes strike your Breasts humble your Soul and sigh to him whom you have Offended sue for Pardon as for Life heartily yearningly injoyn your self careful amendment redouble your holy Resolutions strike hands with God in a new Covenant my soul for your safety Rules for the Night THERE 's not a moment of our time our own The Night brings it's Duties as well as the Day This is a proper Season for Meditation and Prayer as appears by the many Instances we have in Scripture Both of David Psal 42.8 The Lord will command his loving kindness in the Day-time and in the Night his Songs shall be with me and my Prayer unto the God of my life Isa 6.9 Cant. 3.1 And of the Church But 't is then especially our Duty when we are under any heavy and sore Affliction in deep Humiliation or in Suits of great Importance which we would solicite with the greatest earnestness and importunity Colos 4.2 1 Pet. 4.7 2 Sam. 12.16 Est 4.3 1 Kings 2.27 Joel 1.13 In such Cases it has been an ancient Custom for the Servants of God to abstain from their ordinary Sleep that so they might watch unto Prayer As to Dreams tho they are not much to be regarded in respect of any guess can be made by them yet we are not utterly to neglect them because we may gain thereby some knowledge of the temperature of our Body our natural dispositions and the Sins to which we are most inclin'd according to that saying The Night shall teach me what I am the Day what I should be Of Sleep IT is as impossible to give a constant and certain Rule for Sleep as to prescribe the measure of Meats and Drinks Tho we may as well
this But if our believing Sanctification brings us This then certainly our believing our Salvation will bring us at Of Set Meditation IN Set Mediation there are four things to be consider'ds The Circumstances the Preparation the Act it self and the Conclusion The Circumstances FOR the Time This is left to every man's discretion yet Bishop Vsher advises us to make choice of the Lords day in the Evening when we may call to mind what we have heard and the better to keep it in memory take the Hendi of Sermons For the Place as retir'd as may be and the room somewhat dark that the Senses may have no object to draw them away For the Space there is requir'd but one hour in seven Days and thou wilt find it the best hour that ever thou did'st spend The Preparation THE time allotted for this Exercise being come retire into thy Closet and having shut the door before thou go about this great Work do thy Homage fall down prostrate groveling and kissing the dust laying thy self at the feet of God labor to be convinc'd of and affected with the presence of God consider whom tho art to deal with a God before whom all things are Naked and Bare who is in the highest Heavens full of Glory and Majesty who will not be dally'd with or mock'd but Sanctify'd in those that approach him therefore must thou be careful not to speak Foolishly before so Wise a God Again a most Just God hat will not indure that you should hide or foster any Sin And yet of a most Gracious and marvellus sweet nature who if we ask Pardon and Forgiveness Grace and Wisdom confessing and forsaking our Sins and hoping in his Mercy will not upbraid us with our Unthankfulness Undutifulness Sins and Rebellions against him Beg of God assistance to perform this Duty Pray to him that He would be pleas'd to direct thee in the choice of thy Subject that he would put such Considedrations and Thoughts into thy Heart that thou may'st be convinc'd of and affected with the Truths of his Word The Act it Self NOW pitch upon a Subject The Subjects of our Meditations should be such things as are Plain Certain and Evident and not Intricate Abstruse Controversial and Doubtful Speculations much less such as are Curious and Nice We must chuse those places of Scripture to Meditate on as are most sutable to our present condition and the dispensations of Gods Providence either in general or personal to Ourselves or to his Church Let your Meditation be upon Scriptures sutable to your Temptations Let your Meditations be sutable to the Ordinances you are to be partakers of Let Christ be very much the Subject of your Meditation This Holy and Solemn Meditation consists of Three parts The first I call Consideration which is nothing else but the convincing our hearts of several Truths which do belong to the Subject whereof we Meditate To help us herein we may consider 1 what Scripture 2. what Reason saith concerning it a few pertinent Scriptures and weighty Reasons are as good as many for this purpose We should not over multiply our Considerations but as soon as we find our Hearts strongly affected then we are to pass over that part but yet we must be sure to let our considerations take deep root before we pass over to Affections and Resolutions but in case our Affections are very much inflam'd as soon as ever we begin our Considerations we are to yield to the Inspiration of God and follow the leading of his Spirit and not bind up and limit the extraordinary working of it but otherwise we must not leave blowing the Fire as soon as ever it begins to flame for green Wood will suddenly go out unless it be very well kindled We should view the Subject in all its Faces turning it on all sides but not tye our selves up to Logical methods The second thing in the Act it self is a Working on the Affections The first which is a calling to mind and debating the matter is an Act of the Understanding the end of which is to inlighten the Mind with Knowledge The second is an Act of the Will and Affections laying the matter to heart and applying of it close and home the end of which is to fill the heart with Goodness Here therefore we must examin Our selves and Actions whether they be according to the Rule or wherein they come short or differ from it Nor should we give over this Search till we find our Hearts in some measure become Pliable Broken and Affected The third part of the Act it self is Resolution to do this or that This Resolution should be firm and strong in the present not future Tense and as well against the Means Occasions and Temptation to any Sin as against the Sin it self We must peremptorily charge our Souls in every Faculty Understanding Will and Affections to Reform and Conform to the Rule of God's Word In Meditating we must joyn all these three together otherwise we shal never bring our Meditation to any profitable issue for if we only study to find out what 's True or False Good or Evil we may gain much Knowledge of the Head little Goodness of the Heart And if we only apply to our selves that whereon we have mused we may by finding our selves Transgressors lay Guilt upon our Conscience without fruit or comfort But if to both these we add a Resolution through Grace to be such as God commands us and lay a peremptory charge upon our selves to live hereafter according to his Law and to follow his Counsel touching what we should believe and do when we have offended him then we shall reap both benefit and comfort by this Exercise The Conclusion FOR the Conclusion of our Meditations we must first with earnest desire beg of God strength to perform whatsoever we have resolv'd to do being humble and sensible of our own Infirmity Secondly we must return praise and thanks to God if we have perceiv'd any warmth of Love to God or tasted of him or any other Spiritual effect wrought in our hearts Thirdly we must humbly acknowledge our Failings in the performing of this Duty Fourthly we must remember the Vows and Promises which we have made Fifthly we must remember what Passages in our Meditation did most affect us and lay them up in our thoughts that we may hereafter think upon them Lastly we must by degrees warily go out of the presence of God being careful and watchful that we lose not the Sense and Feeling Warmth Strength and Grace we have got This is the most proper and genuine Method for Meditation Preservatives against Sin COnsider first the Fruits and Wages of Sin The best it yields is Sorrow and Repentance if not dreadful Punishments If thou dost commit it t' will poison and invenom all Conditions it will sowre thy Prosperity with Preapprehensions of Wrath haunting thee like an importunate Creditor a wild Gallant spoiling thy Jollity and
due and holy Order cheerfully with thy Heart In hearing apply each speech as spoken by God to thee in particular Like a Practiser of the Art of Memory refer all things to their proper place If it be matter of comfort this is for my sick Bed for my outward losses for my drooping under affliction for the Sence of any Spiritual Defection If matter of Doctrine that is for my settlement in such a Trust for the conviction of such an Error for my direction in such a practise If matter of Reproof and threatnings against Sin whether thy own or others as a member of the same Body or in danger thereof be humbled do not point at thy Neighbour but deeply charge thy self This meets with my dead heartedness and security with my Worldly mindedness Self-love and Flattery of my own Estate This with my uncharitable Censoriousness with my foolish proud Heart That with my Hypocrisie and the neglect of Gods Service and my Duty That with my Irregular Life and Conversation Resolve to walk in every good way and to depart from all evil This is the best Art of Memory for exceeding Joyes Griefs Hatred or desires do leave the deepest Impressions in us and so stick longest by us In hearing therefore labor to exercise Humility under Reproofs Rejoycing in all the Promises Thankfulness for Mercies Desire after Graces and holy Resolution of amendment and more close walking with God As thou returnest home or when thou art entred into thy House Meditate a little while upon those things thou hast heard and then kneeling down turn all into a Prayer beseeching God to pardon thy Sins of Worship to accept of thee and thy Imperfect performances in and through Christ thy Lord to give such a blessing to those things which thou hast heard that they may be a direction to thy Life and a consolation to thy Soul Eat Moderately at Dinner rather sparingly than plentifully on this day That thou may'st be fit for the afternoon Exercises Som little and short Discourse about Temporal things upon occasion may be so directed and temper'd with Pious Meditation as that it may rather be a furtherance than hindrance of the Duties of Religion and indeed such Business or Discourse in such a manner doth not withdraw the Mind from God's Worship But be sure that in all thy Speeches and Actions this day there be no lightness nor Vanity nor any thing unbecoming the Solemnity Sacredness and Seriousness of it Walk half an hour after Dinner to digest thy meat and then go to thy Chamber and recollect what you remember of the forenoon Sermon If you are well be sure you attend on God's Ordinances Fore-noon and Afternoon Ps 92.1 Acts. 20.7 For so often exercises of publick Worship ought to be held After evening Sermon retire to thy Closet read the Chapters in which the Texts were then recollect and examine what you have heard meditating on the whole Sermon in order The Coherence and Explication of the Text The occasion and meaning The chief Sum and Scope of the Holy Ghost in it The Division or parts The Doctrines severally by marking the Text and how they were gather'd out of it The Proofs and Reasons of the several Doctrines The Uses And lastly which is the chief of all apply it to thy self and try what work every part hath in thee If the Preacher's Method be too curious or confused then labor to remember How many things he taught which thou knowest not before and be thankful What Sin he reprov'd whereof thy Conscience tells thee thou art Guilty and therefore must be confess'd repented of resolv'd against and amended What Virtues he exhorted to which are not so perfect in thee and therefore thou must indeavour to practice them with more Zeal and Diligence After the finishing of thy Closet exercise or as a preparation to it thou mayest walk in the Fields and Meditate on the Works of God for in every Creature thou may'st see the Wisdom Power Goodness Providence and Justice of God Pray to God that he would open thy Eyes so as thou mayest give him the Glory of his Works Especially consider these things more fully in their several Ends and Uses as the Scriptures apply them Be sure to return so early as neither thy Closet nor Family Devotions if not perform'd be omitted Works of necessity may this day be perform'd and works of Mercy thou art not to forget Such as Visiting the Sick Instructing Exhorting Admonishing Reproving Comforting Relieving Collecting c. To conclude Thou may'st certainly expect that God will proportion his Blessings to thee as thou measurest to him in thy Preparation to come before him Lev. 10.3 22.3 Ex. 19.22 Mal. 7.2 Mar. 4.14 Psal 44.5 Isa 56.58 Ez. 7.10 Gen. 35.2.5 Ec. 4.17 1 Cor. 11.23.24 Mat. 5.23.24 Therefore as thou desirest the Blessing of a Sabbath so resolve by a constant Vow to perform thy work of Preparation and try whether the Lord will not perform his Promise abundantly Examin thy Life thou shalt find that a strict and diligent observation of the Duties of this day has ever joyn'd to it a Blessing upon the rest of thy time and the Week that is so begun has been blessed and prosperous Whereas when thou hast been negligent of the Duties of this day the rest of thy Week has been unsuccessful I could easily saith Judge Hales make an Estimate of my success in my own Secular Employments by the manner of my passing and spending the Lord's day On Wednesday or Thursday evening set some time apart for Recollecting and Reviewing what thou did'st hear and lay up in thy mind the Lord's day past this will rivet the Word the faster in thy Memory and put thee in mind to practice it A Prayer for the Morning QVicken me O Lord that I may call upon thy Name prepare my unprepared Heart by the Blessed Influences of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication O most holy and most glorious Lord God the Almighty Maker and careful Preserver of all thy Creatures but especially the Saviour and Sanctifier of them that Believe by the Merit and Efficacy of the Blood of Jesus Christ I sinful Dust and Ashes dare not of my self lift up my Eyes to Heaven yet through thy dear Son my Saviour come unto thee according to thy Command and Promise freely acknowledging that I am less than the least of all thy Mercies and therefore utterly unworthy of the inestimable favour of being thy Child and a fellow Heir with Christ that after suffering a little here I should Reign with him for evermore For thou know'st O Lord that in Sin I was conceiv'd and born and that I have lived ever since in Iniquity I am by Nature the Child of Wrath a Vassal of Satan an Enemy to Thee my God It was thy great Mercy that I escaped thy Wrath due unto me at the very instant of my Birth in respect of that Mass of Corruption which I brought with me
from my Mother's Womb and thy long-suffering Patience and Compassion that never fail that I have not been long ago consumed swallowed up or swept away with some extraordinary Judgment for those many gross and heinous Sins of my Life my whole Nature is deformed with Original corruption my whole Life my whole Life abounding with the fruits thereof all manner of actual Transgressions My Vnderstanding is full of Blindness Vanity and Infidelity my Conscience Dead and Remorsless my Heart Hard and Impenitent my Affections Disorderly and Violent Vnruly and Masterless my Appetite Sensual and Brutish I have no ability to any good Duty no restraint or moderation in Sinning against thee Yea if I do any Good I am apt to blemish it with Self-love and Hypocrisie if I abstain from any Evil it is many times rather from the Act than from the Love of it I ought to have lived as under covenant with thee but wretch that I am I have broken my Vow falsified my Faith and violated the everlasting Covenant What Commandment of thine is there O Lord I have not transgressed What Grace I have not abused What Curse I have not deserved When I view the wretched course of my Life and consider my weighty and crying Sins what Lord can I say And what confusion should cover me Here confess to God thy secret Sins with the Circumstances of Time Place Person and Manner c. In how many things have I Sinned against Knowledge against Conscience against Light and against many Vows and Promises of better Obedience I have no colour of excuse nothing to plead with thee in defence of my many and heinous Sins if I dispute I must lay my hand upon my mouth and learn to abhor my self in Dust and Ashes for Lord for these my Sins I stand here guilty of thy Curse with all the Miseries of this Life and that to come But O blessed Lord thou art he that Justifies the ungodly and hast sent thy Son to die for Sinners and hast made a general Offer and invited all to come unto Christ that they may be sav'd whosoever will every very one that thirsteth yea and hast most graciously promised John 6.37 That him that cometh shall not in any wise be repulsed or cast out John 3.16,17 Luke 2.10 and that whosoever believeth shall not perish that thou wilt not despise a broken heart Rev. 22.17 John 7.37 John 6.40 2 Cor. 5.20 John 3.23 Nay Lord it is thy Will Desire and Command that I should believe on the Name of thy Son that so I may be saved 1 John 5.10 And thy Word of Truth saith That whosoever believeth not maketh thee a Lyar. O Father of Mercies I am bold in the name of Christ to come unto thee and by the hand of Faith to lay hold upon thy Promises yet feeling my own weakness I beseech thee strengthen my unbelief and what assurance I cannot have by my Faith weakly embracing thee let me have from thy self embracing me who art mighty to save Thou did'st inable thy Servant Jacob to lay hold on thee and not let thee go till thou had'st blessed him Lord give me the same Strength the same Courage and the same Success I beseech thee O Lord who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor desirest the death of a penitent Sinner but delightest by thy Goodness to Reign where Sins have most abounded to pardon and forgive me all my Sins and to wash away the unâ—…leanness of them by that precious Blood of Sprinkling which Christ Jesus my Saviour hath shed I hope for me And seeing he has born the burden of the Curse due for my Transgressions deliver me O Lord both from my Sins and those Judgments which hang over my head as due unto me for the same bury them in the Burial of Christ that they may never have power to rise up against me to shame me in this life or condemn me in that to come And I beseech thee O Lord not only to pardon the Guilt of my Sins but to purge my heart by thy holy Spirit from the Dross of my natural Corruptions that I may feel thy Spirit more and more killing my sins in the power and practise thereof especially my special Sins and Corruptions Let my Flesh be Crucified with its Affections and Lusts And let me find the power of Christ's death mortifying my corruptions and the power of his Resurrection raising me up to newness of life Arm me O Lord with the Furniture of thy Grace and write thy Laws in my inward parts that I may not only be thy Soldier but thy Servant and Subject Set up the Scepter of thy Kingdom in my Conscience subdue my heart to the obedience of thy Commands win my Affections to the Love of thy Statutes conform my Life to the Rule of thy Righteousness and transform me daily more and more into thy Image Bless all the Means of Grace unto me and me with a heart sanctified and set upon the Means for the increase of Grace let thy holy Word be my chief Treasure thy Statutes my Counsellors thy Promises my Comforters thy Sacraments my Delicates thy Sabbaths my best Daies and thy Servants my dearest Companions Renew daily with me the Covenant of thy Peace and now this morning let thy Spirit from Heaven Seal me a new Patent of Mercy that being to meet with thee in the ways and works of this day I may be sure to find thee as a reconciled Father not as an offended Judge As thou do'st add Days unto my Life so good Lord add Repentance and amendment unto my Days and bestow a supply upon me of all those Graces which thou knowest to be wanting in me and necessary for me with an increase of all those Gifts wherewith thou hast already indowed me Give unto me such Spiritual Eye-sight that I may see thee in thy Word and Works Let me live in thy sight and not without thee as the Gentiles do O let me not be cast out of thy presence as Cain nor run against thee as Balaam but walk with thee as Enoch Noah and Abraham in all my ways taking knowledge of thy Presence Promises and Providences Bless me O Lord this day in the Duties of my Calling preserve me from all fraudulent oppressing greedy Courses Draw my Affections from the Love of this World fix my heart upon things above if things succeed according to my mind make me thankful to thee which hast given the Blessing if any Cross comes make me patient and careful to profit by the Chastisement good Lord do thou bless me with such a portion of Health Peace Prosperity and every good thing as may inable and make me Chearful in Duty And because the daily occasions of danger to my Soul are infinite teach me to keep my Heart with all diligence to make a Covenant with my Eyes to keep my mouth as with a Bridle for the avoiding all filthy communication to use
and secure in so extream danger nor lulled asleep when I am even ready to be utterly swallow'd up but let me ever be preparing and buckling on my whole Armor that I may stand fast in this evil day and preserve my self until the Conquest be gotten and I Crowned O let me never deceive my self by imagining my case to be good when I am but a Carnal Worldling or meer Hypocrite but Lord help me daily but especially before thy Sabbaths to examin and try my Spiritual Estate how I grow in all Graces in more sincere obedience to all thy Commands Faith in all thy Promises and in the power of all true Godliness That I may hereby not only avoid all Hardness of heart Lukewarmness Sleeping in Sin prevent an evil Conscience with the dreadful Punishments thereof and be kept from Satans power but also may get strong Consolation may be every day more filled with content and delight in thee increasing in Love to thy Majesty People and Ordinances in Zeal for thy Glory and Kingdom full of Life and Cheerfulness in accomplishing all thy good pleasure and submiting my self to thee only and thy gracious direction in all things having my Eyes and Faith fixed upon thee believing thou wilt always watch over me for good thy Fatherly care shall feed and supply all my wants thy faithful and powerful Protection make me safe and thy wise and holy Providence order all things for my advantage in the end Save me O Lord from backsliding from thee after the manner of this evil Age and preserve me from all the causes thereof conceitedness of the goodness of my State standing at a stay in Religion neglect of any means of Grace especially the Word and Sacraments unfaithfulness in my Calling committing or living in any known Sin without speedy Repentance Grant me to Glorifie thee according to my Knowledge of thee and so to love and practice thy Sacred Truth that thou mayst never leave me or in judgment give me up to vile Affections a Reprobate Sence or the strong delusions of Anti-christ And now O Lord as I am in duty bound I do here present unto thee from an humble heart this my Evening Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for all thy Goodness and Mercy to me a poor miserable Sinner that I was born and live in the shining Light of thy glorious Gospel and am not as others under the darkness of Popery and Tyranny of Antichrist in all Afflictions and Misery That I have any measure of Peace in my Spirit when I might have been in continual horror of Conscience for my Sins and left unto the power of Satan that thou hast granted me health and sufficiency of the things of this Life many kind Friends about me my good Name and Credit preserved and thy Blessings in any measure upon my labours whereas thou mightest have smitten me to have lain continually Bed rid tormented with most loathsome Diseases and Sores or like a poor Lazar to have begged my Bread from door to door yea to have layn without in the Streets or in Prison hungry naked thirstie as many better than my self do destitute of Friends in the midst of cruel enemies odious to all my Name rottenness and my labours accursed and what is more than all this that thou shouldst continue all those kindnesses unto me notwithstanding all my unthankfulness great impenitency and hardness of heart and altho' I have profited so little by the means of Grace thou hast so long vouchsafed me both of thy Word and Ordinances thy Judgments Mercies Fatherly Chastisements and Corrections so that thou might'st in Justice have shut up all thy Loving kindness in heavy displeasure and have cast me off as one in whom thou takest no pleasure it is thy Goodness thy Goodness alone which is the Fountain whence all those rich Mercies flow unto me And that thou mayst receive all the Glory shall be the constant Prayer and indeavour of thy Servant all the daies of his life to the which I do here solemnly engage and bind my self in thy Sacred Presence beseeching thee to Sanctifie unto me this night's rest that I be not troubled with any Terrors or weakened with any Sickness or impoverish'd by any Casualities or Crosses but that being defended under the Shadow of thy Wings and by the Protection of thy holy Angels I may be secured both from the Assaults of Satan and the designs of evil Men. Into thy holy Protection and Custody O Father I do here commend my self and all that through thy Goodness do belong unto me beseeching thee both to hear and grant these my Requests and all other things needful either for my self or any Member of thy whole Church for thy dear Son Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour's sake to whom with thy self and the Blessed Spirit be all Honour and Obedience from Generation to Generation Amen Our Father c. FINIS