hands act so that in thought word and deed I continually transgress against thee Here mention the greatest of thy sins Nay O Lord I have despised that goodness of thine which should lead me to Repentance hardning my heart against all those means thou hast used for my amendment And now O Lord what can I expect from thee but judgment and fiery indignation that is indeed the due reward of my sins But O Lord there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared O fit me for that mercy by giving me a deep and hearty Repentance and then according to thy goodness let thy anger and thy wrath be turned away from me look upon me in thy Son my blessed Saviour and for the merit of his sufferings pardon all my sins And Lord I beseech thee by the power of thy grace so to renew and purify my heart that I may become a new creature utterly forsaking every evil way and living in constant sincere universal obedience to thee all the rest of my dayes that behaving my self as a good and faithful servant I may by thy mercy at last be received into the joy of my Lord grant this for Jesus Christ his sake A PRAYER for GRACE O Most gracious God from whom every good and perfect gift cometh I wretched creature that am not able of my self so much as to think a good thought beseech thee to work in me both to will and to do according to thy good pleasure inlighten my mind that I may know thee and let me not be barren or unfruitful in that knowledg Lord work in my heart a true faith a purifying hope and an unfeigned love towards thee give me a full trust on thee zeal for thee reverence of all things that relate to thee make me fearful to offend thee thankful for thy mercies humble under thy corrections devout in thy service sorrowful for my sins and grant that in all things I may behave my self so as befits a creature to his Creator a servant to his Lord enable me likewise to perform that duty I owe to my self give me that meekness humility and contentedness whereby I may alwayes possess my soul in patience and thankfulness make me diligent in all my duties watchful against all temptations perfectly pure and temperate and so moderate in my most lawful in joyments that they never become a snare to me make me also O Lord to be so affected towards my neighbour that I never transgress that royall Law of thine of loving him as my self grant me exactly to perform all parts of justice yeâ—lding to all whatsoever by any kind of right becomes their due and give me such bowels of mercy compassion that I may never fail to do al acts of charity to all men whether friends or enemies according to thy command and example Finally I beseech thee O Lord to sanctifie me throughout that my whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen INTERCESSION O Blessed Lord whose mercy is over all thy works I beseech thee to have mercy upon all men and grant that the precious ransome which was paid by thy Son for all may be effectual to the saving of all Give thy inlightning grace to those that are in darkness and thy converting grace to those that are in sin look with thy tenderest compassions upon the Universal Church O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the wals of Jerusalem unite all those that profess thy Name to thee by Purity and Holiness and to each other by Brotherly love Have mercy on this desolate Church and sinful Nation thou hast moved the Land and divided it heal the sores thereof for it shaketh make us so truly to repent of those sins which have provoked thy Judgments that thou also mayest turn and repent and leave a blessing behind thee Bless those whom thou hast appointed our Governours whether in Church or State so rule their hearts and strengthen their hands that they may neither want will nor power to punish wickedness and vice and to maintain Gods true Religion and Vertue Have pity O Lord on all that are in affliction Be a Father to the fatherless and plead the cause of the widow comfort the feeble minded support the weak heal the sick releeve the needy defend the oppressed and administer to every one according to their several necessities let thy blessings rest upon all that are near and dear to me and grant them whatsoever thou seest necessary either to their bodies or their Souls Here name thy neerest Relations Reward all those that have done me good and pardon all those that have done or wisht me evil and work in them and me all that good which may make us acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ. For PRESERVATION O Merciful God by whose bounty alone it is that I have this Day added to my life I beseech thee so to guide me in it by thy grace that I may do nothing which may dishonour thee or wound my own Soul but that I may diligently apply my self to do all such good works as thou hast prepared for me to walk in and Lord I beseech thee give thy Angels charge over me to keep me in all my wayes that no evil happen unto me nor any plague come nigh my dwelling but that I and mine may be safe under thy gracious protection through Jesus Christ. O Lord pardon the wandrings and coldness of these petitions and deal with me not according either to my prayers or deserts but according to my needs and thine own rich mercies in Jesus Christ in whose blessed Name and Words I conclude these my imperfect prayers saying Our Father c. DIRECTIONS for NIGHT. AT NIGHT when it drawes towards the time of rest bethink thy self how thou hast passed the day examine thine own heart what sin either of Thought Word or Deed thou hast committed what opportunity of doing good thou hast omitted and whatsoever thou findest to accuse thy self of confess humbly and penitently to God renew thy purposes and resolutions of amendment and beg his pardon in Christ and this not slightly and onely as of course but with all devout earnestness and heartiness as thou wouldst do if thou wert sure thy death were as neer approaching as thy sleep which for ought thou knowest may be so indeed and therefore thou shouldest no more venture to sleep unreconciled to God theâ— thou wouldest dare to die so In the next place consider what special and extraordinary mercies thou hast that day received as if thou hast had any great deliverance either in thy inward man from some dangerous temptations or in thy outward from any great and apparent danger and offer to God thy hearty and devout praise for the same Or if nothing extraordinary have so happened and thou hast been kept even from the approach
me and what ever good work thou hast wrought in me be pleased to accomplish and perform it until the day of Christ. Lord thou seest my weakness and thou knowest the number and strength of those temptations I have to struggle with O leave me not to my self but cover thou my head in the day of battel and in all spiritual combats make me more then conquerour through him that loved me O let no terrours or flatteries either of the world or my own flesh ever draw me from my obedience to thee but grant that I may continue stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord and by patient continuance in well-doing seek and at last obtain glory and honour and immortality and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. A brief Paraphrase of the LORDS PRAYER To be used as a Prayer Our FATHER which art in Heaven O Lord who dwellest in the highest heavens thou art the Author of our being thou hast also begotten us again unto a lively hope and carryest towards us the tenderness and bowels of a most compassionate father O make us to render to thee the love and obedience of children and that we may resemble thee our father in heaven that place of true delight and purity give us a holy disdain of all the deceitful pleasures and foul pollutions of this world and so raise up our minds that we may alwayes have our conversation in heaven from whence we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Hallowed be thy Name Strike such an awe into all our hearts that we may humbly reverence thee in thy Name which is great wonderful and holy and carry such a sacred respect to all things that relate to thee and thy worship as may express our reverence of thy great Majesty Let all the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee 2. Thy Kingdome Come Establish thy throne and rule for ever in our souls and by the power of thy grace subdue all those rebellious corruptions that exalt themselves against thee they are those enemies of thine which would not that thou shouldst reign over them O let them be brought forth and slain before thee and make us such faithful subjects of this thy Kingdome of Grace that we may be capable of thy kingdome of glory and then Lord Jesus come quickly 3. Thy Will be done in earth c. Enable us by thy grace cheerfully to suffer thy will in all thy inflictions and readily to perform it in all thy commands give us of that heavenly zeal to thy service wherewith the blessed Angels of thy presence are inspired that we may obey thee with the like fervor and alacrity and that following them in their obedience we may be joyned with them to sing eternal praises in thy Kingdome to God and to the Lamb for ever 4. Give us this day our daily bread Give us that continual supply of thy grace which may sustein and nourish our souls unto eternal life And be thou pleased also to provide for our bodies all those things which thou seest fit for their support through this our earthly pilgrimage and make us cheerfully to rest on thee for them first seeking thy Kingdome and the righteousness thereof and then not doubting but all these things shall be added unto us 5. Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them c. Heal our souls O Lord for we have sinned against thee let thy tender mercies abound towards us in the forgiveness of all our offences And grant O Lord that we may never forfeit this pardon of thine by denying ours to our brethren but give us those bowels of compassion to others which we stand in so much greater need of from thee that we may forgive as fully and finally upon Christs Command as we desire to be forgiven for his merits and intercession 6. Lead us not into Temptation but deliver c. O Lord we have no strength against those multitudes of temptations that daily assalt us onely our eyes are upon thee O be thou pleased either to restrain them or assist us and in thy faithfulness suffer us not to be tempted above that we are able but in all our temptations make us a way to escape that we be not overcome by them but may when thou shalt call us to it resist even unto blood striving against sin that being faithful unto death thou mayest give us the crown of life For thine is the Kingdome the Power c. Hear us and graciously answer our petitions for thou art the great King over all the earth whose Power is infinite and artable to do for us above all that we can ask or think and to whom belongeth the Glory of all that good thou workest in us or for us Therefore blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne to our God for ever and ever Amen PIOUS EJACULATIONS Taken out of the Book of PSALMS For PARDON of SIN HAve mercy on me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto my sins Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified For thy names sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great Turn thee O Lord and deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For GRACE TEach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth O knit my heart to thee that I may fear thy name Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me O let my heart be found in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to covetousnesse Turn away mine eyes least they behold vanity and quicken thou me in thy way I am a stranger upon earth O hide not thy Commandments from me Lord teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart unto Wisdome For the LIGHT of Gods COUNTENANCE LOrd why abhorrest thou my soul and hidest thy face from me O hide not thou thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure Thy loving kindnesse is better then life it self Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me Comfort the Soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul THANKSGIVING I Will alwayes give thanks unto the Lord his praise shall ever be in my mouth Thou art my God and I will thank thee thou art my God and I will praise thee I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will praise my God whilest I have my being Praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer nor turned his mercy from
me Blessed be the Lord God even the God of Israel which onely doth wondrous things And blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever and all the earth shall be filled with his Majesty Amen Amen For DELIVERANCE from TROUBLE BE merciful unto me O Lord be merciful unto me for my Soul trusteth in thee and under the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge until these calamities be overpast Deliver me O Lord from mine enemies for I flye unto thee to hide me O keep my Soul and deliver me let me not be confounded for I have put my trust in thee Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the net Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and in misery The sorrowes of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my troubles For the CHURCH O Be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem O God wherefore art thou absent from us so long Why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture O think upon thy Congregation whom thou hast purchased and Redeemed of old Look upon the Tribe of thine Inheritance and Mount Sion where thou hast dwelt It is time for thee Lord to lay to thy hand for they have destroyed thy Law Arise O God and maintain thine own cause Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles Brief heads of SELF-EXAMINATION Especially before the SACRAMENT Collected out of the foregoing Treatise concerning the breaches of our DUTY To GOD. NOt believing there is a God Not believing his Word Not believing it Practically so as to live according to our belief Despairing of Gods mercy so as to neglect duty Presuming groundlesly on it whilest we go on in wilful sin Not loving God for his own excellencies Not loving him for his goodness to us Not labouring to please him Not desiring to draw neer to him in his Ordinances Not longing to enjoy him in Heaven Not fearing God so as to keep from offending him Fearing man above him by committing sin to shun some outward suffering Not trusting on God in dangers and distresses Using unlawful means to bring us out of them Not depending on God for supply of our wants Immoderate care for outward things Neglecting to labour and expecting God should support us in our idleness Not looking up to God for a blessing on our honest endeavours Not having a high esteem of God Not submitting obediently to act his will Not patiently suffering it but murmuring at his corrections Not amending by them Not being thankful to him Not acknowledging his wisdom in choosing for us but having eager and impatient desires of our own Not honouring God by a reverend usage of the things that relate to him Behaving our selvs irreverently in his House Robbing God by taking things that are consecrated to him Profaning Holy times the Lords Day and the Feasts and Fasts of the Church Neglecting to read the Holy Scriptures not marking when we do read Being careless to get knowledg of our duty Chusing rather to continue ignorant then put our selves to the pains or shame of learning Placing Religion in hearing of Sermons without practising them Breaking our vow made at Baptism By resorting to witches and conjurers i. e. to the Devil By loving the pomps and vanities of the world and following its sinful customes By fulfilling the lusts of the flesh Profaning the Lords Supper By coming to it ignorantly without examination contrition and purposes of new life By behaving our selves irreverently at it without devotion and spiritual affection By neglecting to keep the promises made at it Profaning Gods Name by blasphemous thoughts or discourse Giving others occasion to blaspheme him by our vile and wicked lives Taking unlawful oaths Perjury Swearing in ordinary communication Not worshipping God Omitting prayers publick or private and being glad of a pretence to do so Asking unlawful things or to unlawful ends Not purifying our hearts from sin before we pray Not praying with Faith and Humility Coldness and deadness in prayer Wandring thoughts in it Irreverent gestures of body in prayer Neglecting the duty of Repentance Not calling our selves to daily account for our sins Not assigning any set or solemn times for humiliation and confession or too seldom Not deeply considering our sins to beget contrition for them Not acting revenges on our selves by fasting and other acts of Mortification Outward Idolatry in worshipping of creatures Inward Idolatry in placing our love joy and other affections more on creatures then the Creator To our SELVES Being pufft up with high conceits of our selves In respect of natural parts as beauty wit c Of worldly riches and honours Of Grace Greedily seeking the praise of men Directing Christian Actions as prayer almes c. to that end Committing sins to avoid reproach from wicked men Disturbing our minds with anger and peevishness Not carefully examining what our estate towards God is Not trying our selves by the true rule i. e. our obedience to Gods Commands Not weighing the lawfulness of our actions before we venture on them Not examining our past actions to repent of the ill to give God the glory of the good Uncontentedness in our estates Greedy desires after honour and riches Seeking to gain them by sinful means Envying the condition of other men Being negligent in observing and resisting temptations Not improving Gods gifts outward or inward to his honour Abusing our natural parts as wit memory strength c. to sin Neglecting or resisting the motions of Gods Spirit Uncleanness adultery fornication unnatural lusts c. Uncleanness of the eye and hand Filthy and obscene talking Impure fancies and desires Heightning of lust by pampering the body Not labouring to subdue it by fasting or other severities Eating too much Making pleasure not health the enâ— of eating Being too curious or costly in meats Drunkenness Drinking more then is useful to our bodies though not to drunkenness Wasting the time or estate in good fellowship Abusing our strength of brain to the makeing others drunk Immoderate sleeping Idleness and negligence in our callings Using unlawful recreations Being too vehement upon lawful ones Spending too much time at them Being drawn by them to anger or covetousness Being proud of apparel Striving to go beyond our rank Bestowing too much time care or cost about it Abstaining from such excesses not out of conscience but covetousness Pinching our bodies to fill our purses To our NEIGHBOUR Being injurious to our Neighbour Delighting causlesly to grieve his mind Ensnaring his Soul in sin by command counsel enticement or example Affrighting him from Godliness by our scoffing at it Not seeking to bring those to Repentance whom we have led into sin Murder open or secret Drawing men to intemperance or other vices which may bring diseases or death Stirring men up to quarrelling and fighting Maiming or hurting the body of our Neighbour Fierceness and rage against him Coveting our
to despise that by this I may be made capable of that atonement which thy dear Son hath by the more excellent oblation of himself made for all repenting sinners He is the propitiation for our sins he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was on him O heal me by his stripes and let the cry of his blood drown the clamour of my sins I am indeed a child of wrath but he is the Son of thy love for his sake spare me O Lord spare thy creature whom he hath redeemed with his most precious blood and be not angry with me for ever In his wounds O Lord I take Sanctuary O let not thy vengeance pursue me to this city of refuge my Soul hangeth upon him O let me not perish with a Jesus with a Saviour in my armes But by his Agony and bloody Sweat by his Cross and Passion by all that he did and suffered for sinners good Lord deliver me deliver me I beseech thee from the wages of my sins thy wrath and everlasting damnation in thâ—s time of my tribulation in the hour of death and in the day of Judgment Heaâ— me O Lord hear me and do not now repay my former neglects of thy calls by refusing to answer me in this time of my grâ—atest need Lord there is but a step between me and death O let not my sun go down upon thy wrath but seaâ— my pardon before I go hence and be no more seen Thy loving kindness is better then the life it self O let me have that in exchange and I shall most gladly lay down this mortal life Lord thou knowest all my desire and my groaning is not hid from thee Deal thou with me O Lord according to thy Name for sweet is thy mercy take away the sting of death the guilt of my sins and then though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil I will lay me down in peace and Lord when I awake up let me be satisfied with thy presence in thy glory Grant this merciful God for his sake who is both the Redeemer and Mediator of sinners even Jesus Christ. PSALMES PVT me not to rebuke O Lord in thiâ—â— anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sins For my wickednesses are gone over my head and are a sore burden too heavy for me to bear My wounds stink and are corrupt through my foolishness Therefore is my spirit vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate My sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up yea they are more in number then the hairs of my head and my heart hath failed me But thou O Lord God art full of compassion and mercy long suffering plenteous in goodness and truth Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and in misery If thou Lord shouldst be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it O remember not the sins and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy think thou upon me for thy goodness Look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin Hide not thy face from thy servant for I am in trouble O haste thee and hear me Out of the deep do I call unto thee Lord hear my voice Turn thee O Lord and deliver my Soul O save me for thy mercies sake O go not from me for trouble is hard at hand and there is none to help I stretch forth my hands unto thee my Soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land Draw nigh unto my Soul and save it O deliver me because of my enemies For my Soul is full of trouble and my life draweth nigh unto hell Save me from the Lyons mouth hear me from among the horns of the Vnicorns O set me up upon the rock that is higher then I for thou art my hope and a strong Tower for me against the enemy Why art thou so heavy O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Put thy trust in God for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance The Lord shall make good his loving kindness towards me yea thy Mercy O Lord endureth for ever despise not then the work of of thine own hands O GOD thou art my God early will I seek thee My Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Like as the hart desireth the water brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God My Soul is a thirst for God even for the living God when shall I come to appear before the presence of God How amiable are thy dwellings O Lord of Hosts My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my flesh and my heart rejoice in the living God O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I flye away and be at rest O send out thy light and thy truth that they may lead me and bring me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy dwelling For one day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickedness I should utterly have fainted but that I believed verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Thou art my Helper and my Redeemer O Lord make no long tarrying EjACULATIONS O LORD of whom may I seek for succour but of thee who for my sins art justly displeased yet O Lord God most Holy O Lord most mighty O Holy and most Merciful Saviour deliver me not into the bitter pains of eternal death Thou knowest Lord the secrets of my heart shut not up thy merciful eyes to my prayer but hear me O Lord most Holy O God most Mighty O Holy and Merciful Saviour thou most worthy Judg eternal suffer me not at my last hour for any pains of death to fall from thee Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no worthy to be called thy child yet O Lord do not thou cast off the bowels and compassions of a Father but even as a Father pittieth his own children so bâ— thou merciful unto me Lord the prince of this world cometh Oâ— let â—im have nothing in me but as he accuseth do thou absolve he layes many and grievous things to my charge which he can too well prove I have nothing to say for my self do thou answer for me O Lord my God O Lord I am clothed with filthy garments and Satan stands at my right hand to resist me O be thou pleased to rebuke him and pluck me as a brand out of the fire cause mine iniquities to pass from me and cloth me with the righteousness
there had been none of us alive at this day to implore thy mercy But thou art a gracious God slow to anger and hast proceeded with us with much patience and long suffering thou hast sent thy judgments to awake us to repentance and hast also allowed us space for it But alas we have perverted this mercy of thine beyond all the former we return not to him that smiteth us neither do we seek the Lord we are slidden back by a perpetual backsliding no man repenteth him of his wickedness or saith what have I done 'T is true indeed we fear the rod we dread every suffering so that we are ready to buy it off with the foulest sin but we fear not him that hath appointed it but by a wretched obstinacy harden our necks against thee and refuse to return And now O God what balm is there in Gilead that can cure us who when thou wouldst heal us will not be healed we know thou hast pronounced that there is no peace to the wicked and how shall we then pray for peace that still retain our wickedness ' This this O Lord is our forest disease O give us medicines to heal this sickness heal our souls and then we know thou canst soon heâ—l our land Lord thou hast long spoken by thy word to our ears by thy judgments even to all our senses but unless thou speak by thy Spirit to our hearts all other cals will still be uneffectual O send out this voice and that a mighty voice such as may awake us out of this Lethargy thou that didst call Lazarus out of the grave O be pleased to call us who are dead yea putrified in trespasses and sins and make us to awake to righteousness And though O Lord our frequent resistances even of these inward calls have justly provoked thee to give us up to the lusts of our own heart yet O thou boundless ocean of mercy who art good not only beyond what we can deserve but what we can wish do not withdraw the influence of thy grace and take not thy holy Spirit from us Thou wert found of those that sought thee not O let that act of mercy be repeated to us who are so desperately yet so insensibly sick that we cannot so much as look after the Physician and by how much our case is the more dangerous so much the more soveraign remedies do thou apply Lord help us and consider not so much our unworthiness of thy aid as our irremediable ruine if we want it save Lord or we perish eternally To this end dispense to us in our temporal interest what thou seest may best secure our spiritual if a greater degree of outward misery will tend to the cureing our inward Lord spare not thy rod but strike yet more sharply Cast out this Devil though with never so much foaming and tearing But if thou seest that some return of mercy may be most likely to melt us O be pleased so far to condescend to our wretchedness as to afford us that and whether by thy sharper or thy gentler methods bring us home to thy self And then O Lord we know thy hand is not shortned that it cannot save when thou hast delivered us from our sins thou canst and wilt deliver us from our troubles O shew us thy mercy and grant us thy salvation that being redeemed both in our bodies and spirits we may glorifie thee in both in a cheerful obedience and praise the name of our God that hath dealt wonderfully with us through Jesus Christ our Lord. A Prayer for This Church O Thou great God of recompences who turnest a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickednesse of theâ— that dwel therein thou hast most justly executed that fatal sentence on this Church which having once been the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole earth is now become a scorn and derision to all that are round about her O Lord what could have been done to thy vineyard that thou 〈◊〉 not done in it and since it hath brought forth nothing but wild grapes it is perfectly just with thee to take away the hedg thereof and let it be eaten up But O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us yet do thou it for thy Names sake for our backslidings are many we have sinned against thee O the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of trouble why shouldst thoâ— be as a stranger in the land as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to carry for a night Why shouldst thou be as a man astonied as a mighty man that cannot save Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy name leave us not deprive us of what outward enjoyments thou pleasest take from us the opporâ—unities of our Luxury and it may be a mercy but O take not from us the means of our reformation for that is the most direful expression of thy wrath And though we have hated the light because our deeds were evil yet O Lord do not by withdrawing it condemn â—s to walk on still in darkness but let it continue to shine till it have guided our feet into the way of peace O Lord arise stir up thy strength and come and help us and deliver not the soul of thy turtle dove this disconsolate Church unto the multitude of the enemy but help act O God and that right early But if O Lord our rebellions have so provoked thee that the Ark must wander in the wilderness til all this murmuring generation be consumed yet let not that perish with us but bring it at last into a Canaan and let our more innocent posterity see that which in thy just judgment thou denyest to us In the mean time let us not cease to bewail that desolation our sins have wrought to think upon the stones of Sion and pity to see her in the dust nor ever be ashamed or afraid to own her in her lowest and most persecuted condition but esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt and so approve our constancy to this our afflicted mother that her blessed Lord and head may own us with mercy when he shall come in the glory of thee his father with the holy Angels Grant this merciful Lord for the same Jesus Christ â—is sake A Prayer for the Peace of the Church LOrd Jesus Christ which of thine almightiness madest all creatures both visible and invisible which of thy godly wisdome governest and settest all things in most goodly order which of thine unspeakable goodness keepest defendest and furtherest all things which of thy deep mercy restorest the decayed renewest the fallen raisest the dead vouchsafe we pray thee at last to cast down thy countenance upon thy well-beloved Spouse the Church but let it be that amiable and merciful countenance wherewith thou pacifiest all things in heaven in earth and whatsoever is above heaven and under the earth vouchsafe to cast upon us those tender
may receive such Ghostly couâ—sel advice and comfort that his conscience may be relieved c. This is surely such advice as should not be neglected neither at the time of coming to the Sacrament nor any other when we are under any fear or reasons of doubt concerning the state of our Souls And for want of this many have run into very great mischief having let the doubt fester so long that it hath either plunged them into deep distresses of conscience or which is worse they have to still that disquiet within them betaken themselves to all sinful pleasures and so quite cast off all care of their Souls 22. But to all this it will perhaps be said that this cannot be done without discovering the nakedness and blemishes of the Soul and there is shame in that and therefore men are unwilling to do it But to that I answer that it is very unreasonable that should be a hinderance For first I suppose you are to chuse onely such a person as will faithfully keep any secret you shall commit to him and so it can be no publick shame you can fear And if it be in respect of that single person you need not fear that neither for supposing him a godly man he will not think the worse of you but the better that you are so desirous to set all right between God and your Soul But if indeed there were shame in it yet as long as it may be a means to cure both your trouble and your sin too as certainly Godly and faithful counsel may tend much to both that shame ought to be despised and it is sure it would if we loved our Souls as well as our body for in bodily diseases be they never so foul or shameful we count him a fool who will rather miss the cure then discover it and then it must here be so much a greater folly by how much the Soul is more precious then the body 23. But God knows it is not onely doubting persons to whom this advice might be useful there are others of another sort whose confidence is their disease who presume very groundlesless of the goodness of their estates And for those it were most happy if they could be brought to hear some more equal judgements then their own in this so weighty a business The truth is we are generally so apt to savour our selves that it might be very useful for the most especially the more ignorant sort sometimes to advise with a spiritual guide to enable them to pass right judgements on themselves and not onely so but to receive directions how to subdue and mortify those sins they are most inclined to which is a matter of so much difficulty that we have no reason to despise any means that may help us in it 24. I have now gone through those several parts of duty we are to perform before our receiving In the next place I am to tell you what is to be done at the time of receiving When thou art at the Holy Table first humble thy self in an unfeigned acknowledgement of thy great unworthiness to be admitted there and to that purpose remember again between God and thine own Soul some of thy greatest and foulest sins thy breaches of former vows made at that Table especially since thy last receiving Then meditate on those bitter sufferings of Christ which are set out to us in the Sacrament when thou seest the bread broken remember how his blessed body was torn with nails upon the Cross when thou seest the wine poured out remember how his precious blood was spilt there And then consider it was thy sins that caused both And here think how unworthy a wretch thou art to have done that which occasioned such torments to him How much worse then his very crucifiers They crucified him once but thou hast as much as in thee lay crucified him daily They crucified him because they knew him not but thou hast known both what he is in himself The Lord of Glory and what he is to thee a most tender and merciful Saviour and yet thou hast still continued thus to crucify him afresh Consider this and let it work in thee first a great sorrow for thy sins past and then a great hatred and a firm resolution against them for the time to come 25. When thou hast a while thus thought on these sufferings of Christ for the increasing thy humility and contrition Then in the second place think of them again to stir up thy Faith look on him as the sacrifice offered up for thy sins for the appeasing of Gods wrath and procuring his favour and mercies toward thee And therefore beleevingly yet humbly beg of God to accept of that satisfaction made by his innocent and beloved Son and for the merits thereof to pardon thee whatever is past and to be fully reconciled to thee 26. In the third place consider them again to raise thy thankfulness Think how much both of shame and pain he there endured but especially those great agonies of his Soul which drew from him that bitter cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27. 45. Now all this he suffered only to keep thee from perishing And therefore consider what unexpressable thanks thou owest him and endeavour to raise thy Soul to the most zealous and hearty thanksgiving For this is a principal part of duty at this time the praising and magnifying that mercy which hath redeemed us by so dear a pâ—ice Therefore it will here well become thee to say with David I will take the Cup of Salvation and will call upon the Name of the Lord. 27. Fourthly look on these sufferings of Christ to stir up this love and surely there cannot be a more effectâ—al means of doing it for here the love of Christ to thee is most manifest according to that of the Apostle 1 Jo. 3. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God towards us because he layed down his life for us And that even the highest degree of love for as himself tels us Jo 15. 13. Greater love then this hath no mâ—n then that a man lay down his life for his friend Yet even greater love then this had he for he not onely died but died the most painful and most reproachful death and that not for his friends but his utter enemies And therefore if after all this love on his part there be no return of love on ours we are worst then the vilest sort of men for even the Publicans Matth. 5. 46. Love those that love them Here therefore chide and reproach thy self that thy love to him is so faint and cool when his to thee was so zealous and affectionate And endeavour to enkindle this holy flame in thy Soul to love him in such a degree that thou mayest be ready to copy out his example to part with all things yea even life it self whenever he cals for
intreaty no perswasion can prevail with them to make this so reasonable so necessary a change not but that they acknowledge it needful to be done but they are unwilling to do it yet they would enjoy all the pleasures of sin as long as they live and then they hope at their death or some little time before it to do all the business of their Souls But alas Heaven is too high to be thus jumped into the way to it is a long and leasurely ascent which requires time to walk The hazards of such deferring are more largely spoken of in the discourse of Repentance I shall not here repeat them but desire the Reader seriously to lay them to heart and then surely he will think it seasonable counsel that is given by the wise man Ecclus 5. 7. Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord and put not off from day to day PRIVATE DEVOTIONS For Several OCCASIONS London Printed for T. Garthwait at the little North Door of St. Pauls CHRISTIAN READER I Have for the help of thy devotions set down some FORMS of PRIVATE-PRAYER upon several occasions If it be thought an omission that there are none for Families I must answer for my self that it was not from any opinion that God is not as well to be worship'd in the Family as in the Closet but because the providence of God and the Church hath already furnish'd thee for that purpose infinitely beyond what my utmost care could do I mean the PUBLICK LITURGY or COMMON-PRAYER which for all publick addresses to God and such are family-Prayers are so excellent and useful that we may say of it as David did of Goliah's sword 1 Sam. 21. 9. There is none like it DIRECTIONS for the MORNING As soon as ever thou awakest in the morning lift up thy heart to God in this or the like short Prayer LORD As thou hast awaked my body from sleep so by thy grace awaken my soul from sin and make me so to walk before thee this day and all the rest of my life that when the last trumpet shall awake me out of my grave I may rise to the life immortal through Jesus Christ. WHEN thou hast thus begun suffer not without some urgent necessity any worldly thoughts to fill thy mind till thou have also payd thy more solemn devotions to Almighty God and therefore during the time thou art dressing thy self which should be no longer then common decency requires exercise thy mind in some spiritual thoughts As for example Consider to what temptations thy business or company that day are most like to lay thee open and arm thy self with resolutions against them or again consider what occasions of doing service to God or good to thy neighbour are that day most likely to present themselves and resolve to embrace them and also contrive hoâ— thou maist improve them to the uttermost But especially it will be fit for thee to examine whether there have any sin escaped thee since thy last nights examination If after these considerations any farther leisure remain thou maist profitably imploy it in meditating on the general resurrection whereof our rising from our beds is a representation and of that dreadful judgment which shall follow it and then think with thy self in what preparation thou art for it and resolve to husband carefully every minute of thy time towards the fitting thee for that great account As soon as thou art ready retire to some private place and there offer up to God thy Morning Sacrifice of Praise and Prayer PRAYERS for the MORNING At thy first kneeling down say O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three Persons and one God have mercy upon me a miserable sinner Lord I know not what to pray for as I ought O let thy spirit help my infirmities and enable me to offer up a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to thee by Jesus Christ. A THANKSGIVING O Gracious Lord whose mercies endure for ever I thy unworthy servant who have so deeply tasted of them desire to render thee the tribute of my humblest prayses for them In thee O Lord I live and move and have my being thou first madest me to be and then that I might not be miserable but happy thou sentest thy Son out of thy bosome to redeem me from the power of my sins by his grace and from the punishment of them by his blood and by both to bring me to his glory Thou hast by thy mercy caused me to be born within thy peculiar fold the Christian Church where I was early consecrated to thee in Baptism and have been partaker of all those spiritual helps which might aid me to perform that Vow I there made to thee and when by my own willfulnesse or negligence I have failed to do it yet thou in thy manifold mercies hast not forsaken me but hast graciously invited me to repentance afforded me all means both outward and inward for it and with much patience hast attended and not cut me off in the acts of those many damning sins I have committed as I have most justly deserved It is O Lord thy restraining grace alone by which I have been kept back from any the greatest sins and it is thy inciting and assisting grace alone by which I have been enabled to do any the least good therefore not unto me not unto me but unto thy name be the praises For these all other thy spiritual blessings my Soul doth magnify the Lord all that is within me praise his Holy Name I likewise praise thee for those many outward blessings I enjoy as Health Friends Food and Raiment the comforts as well as the necessaries of this life for those continual protections of thy hand by which I and mine are kept from dangers and those gracious deliverances thou hast often afforded out of such as have befallen me and for that mercy of thine whereby thou hast sweetned and alayed those troubles thou hast not seen fit wholy to remove For thy particular preservation of me this night and all other thy goodness towards me Lord grant that I may render thee not onely the fruit of my lips but the obedience of my life that so these blessings here may be an earnest of those richer blessings thou hast prepared for those that love thee and that for his sake whom thou hast made the Authour of eternal Salvation to all that obey him even Jesus Christ. A CONFESSION O Righteous Lord who hatest iniquity I thy sinful creature cast my self at thy feet acknowledging that I most justly deserve to be utterly abhorred and forsaken by thee for I have drunk iniquity like water gone on in a continued course of sin and rebellion against thee daily committing those things thou forbiddest and leaving undone those things thou commandest mine heart which should be an habitation for thy Spirit is become a cage of unclean birds of foul and disordered affections and out of this abundance of the heart my mouth speaketh my
I come before with an importunity and earnestness answerable to those pressing wants I have to be supplied and with such a fixedness and attention of mind as no wandring thoughts may interrupt that I may no more incur the guilt of drawing neer to thee with my lips when my heart is far from thee or have my prayers turned into sin but may so ask that I may receive seek that I may find knock that it may be opened unto me that from praying to thee here I may be translated to the praising thee eternally in thy glory through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ. For HUMILITY O Thou High and Lofty one that inhabitest Eternity yet art pleased to dwell with the humble spirit pour into my heart I beseech thee that excellent grace of Humility which may utterly work out all those vain conceits I have of my self Lord convince me powerfully of my own wretchedness make me to see that I am miserable and poor and blind and naked and not onely dust but sin that so in all thy dispensations towards me I may lay my hand upon my mouth and heartily acknowledge that I am less then the least of thy mercies and greater then the greatest of thy Judgements And O Lord grant me not onely to walk humbly with my God but even with men also that I may not onely submit my self to thy rebukes but even to those of my fellow Christians and with meekness receive and obey their admonitions And make me so to behave my self towards all that I never do any thing through strife or vain-glory and to that end grant that in lowliness of mind I may esteem every other man better then my self and be willing that others should esteem them so also that I neither nourish any high opinion of my self nor covet one among others but that despising the vain praise of men I may seek that praise which cometh from thee onely That so in stead of those mean servile Arts I have used to recommend me to the esteem of men I may now imploy all my industry and care to approve my self to thee who resistest the proud and giveth grace to the humble grant this O Lord for his sake who humbled himself unto the death of the Corss Jesus Christ. For the FEAR of GOD. O Glorious Majesty who onely art high and to be feared possess my Soul with a Holy awe and reverence of thee that I may give thee the honour due unto thy Name and may bear such a respect to all things which relate to thee that I may never prophane any Holy thing or sacrilegiously invade what thou hast set apart to thy self And O Lord since thou art a God that wilt not clear the guilty let the dread of thy justice make me tremble to provoke thee in any thing O let me not so misplace my fear as to be afraid of a man that shall die and of the Son of mâ—n who shall be made as grass and forget the Lord my Maker But replenish my Soul with that fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom which may be as a bridle to all my brutish appetites and keep me in a constant conformity to thy Holy will Hear me O Lord I beseech thee and put this fear in my heart that I may not depart from thee but may with fear and trembling work out my own Salvation through Jesus Christ. For TRUST on GOD. O Almighty Lord who never failest them that trust on thee give me grace I beseech thee in all my difficulties and distresses to have recourse to thee to rest and depend on thee thou shalt keep him O Lord in perfect peace whose mind is staid on thee O let me alwayes rest on this firm Pillar and never exchange it for the broken reeds of worldly succours suffer not my heart to be overcharged with cares of this life taking thought what I shall eat or drink or wherewithall I shall be clothed but grant that having by honest labour and industry done my part I may cheerfully commit my self to thy providence casting all my care upon thee and being careful for nothing but to be of the number of those whom thou ownest and carest for even such as keep thy Testimonies and think upon thy Commandments to do them That seeking first thy Kingdom and the righteousness thereof all these outward things may be added unto me in such a measure as thy wisdom knowest best for me grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake For THANKFULNES O Most Gracious and Bountiful Lord who fillest all things living with good and expectest no other return but praise and thanksgiving let me O Lord never defraud thee of that so easy tribute but let my heart be ever filled with the sense and my mouth with the acknowledgment of thy mercies It is a joyful and a pleasant thing to be thankful O suffer me not I beseech thee to loose my part in that Divine pleasure but grant that as I daily receive blessings from thee so I may daily from an affectionate and devout heart offer up thanks to thee and grant that not onely my lips but my life may shew forth thy praise by consecrating my self to thy service and walking in Holiness and Righteousness before thee all the dayes of my life through Jesus Christ my Lord and blessed Saviour For CONTRITION O Holy Lord who art a merciful embracer of true penitents but yet a consuming fire towards obstinate sinners how shall I approach thee who have so many provoking sins to inflame thy wrath and â—o little sincere repentance to incline thy mercy O be thou pleased to soften and melt this hard obdurate heart of mine that I may heartily bewail the iniquities of my life strike this rock O Lord that the waters may flow out even flouds of tears of wash my polluted conscience My drowzy Soul hath too long slept securely in sin Lord awake it though it be with thunder and let me rather feel thy terrours then not feel my sin Thou sentest thy blessed Son to heal the broken hearted but Lord what will that avail me if my heart be whole O break it that it may be capable of his healing vertue and grant I beseech thee that having once tasted the bitterness of sin I may flye from it as from the face of a serpent and bring forth fruits of repentance in amendment of life to the praise and glory of thy grace in Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer For MEEKNES O Blessed Jesu who wert led as a sheep to the slaughter Let I beseech thee that admirable example of Meekness quench in me all sparks of anger and revenge and work in me such a gentleness and calmness of spirit as no provocations may ever be able to disturb Lord grant I may be so far from offering the least injury that I may never return the greatest any otherwise then with prayers and kindness that I who have so many talents to be
God and bewâ—â—â— of Asa's sin who sought to the Physicions and not to the Lord 2 Chr. 6. 12. Dispose also betimes of thy temporal affaires by making thy will and setting all things in such order as thou meanest finally to leave them in and defer it not till thy sickness grow more violent for then perhaps thou shalt not have such use of thy reason as may fiâ— thee for it or if thou have it will be thâ—n much more seasonable to imploy thy thoughts on higher things on the world thou art going to rather then that thou art about to leave we cannot carry the things of this world with us when we go hence and it is not fit we should carry the thoughts of them Therefore let those be early dispatched that they may not disturb thee â—t last A Prayer for a sick Person O MERCIFUL and Righteous Lord the God of health and of â—â—ckness of life and of death I most unfeignedly acknowledg that my great abuse of those many days of strength and wellfare which thou hast afforded me hath most justly deserved thy present visitation I desire O Lord humbly to accept of this punishment of mine iniquity and to bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him And O thou merciful Father who designest not the ruine but the amendment of those whom thou scourgest I beseech thee by thy grace so to sanctifie this correction of thine to me that this sickness of my body may be a means of health to my soul make me dâ—ligent to search my heart and do thou O Lord enable me to discover every accursed thing how closely soever concealed there that by the removal thereof I may make way for the removal of this punishment Heal my soul O Lord which hath sinned against thee and then if it be thy blessed will heal my body also restore the voice of joy and health unto my dwelling that I may live to praise thee and to bring forth fruits of repentance But if in thy wisdome thou hast otherwise disposed if thou have determined that this sickness shall be unto death I beseech thee to fit and prepare me for it give me that sincere and earnest repentance to which thou hast promised mercy and pardon weane my heart from the world and all its fading vanities and make me to gasp and pant after those more excellent and durable joyes which are at thy right hand for ever Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me and in all the pains of my body in all the agonies of my spirit let thy comforts refresh my soul and enable me patiently to waite till my change come And grant O Lord that when my earthly house of this Tabernacle is dissolved I may have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens And that for his sake who by his precious blood hath purchased it for me even Jesus Christ. A THANKSGIVING for RECOVERY O GRACIOUS Lord the God of the spirits of all flâ—sh in whose hand my time is I praise and magnifie thee that thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption and restored me to health again it is thou alone O Lord that hast preserved my life from destruction thou hast chastned and corrected me but thou hast not given me over unto death O let this life which thou hast thus graciously spared be wholy consecrated to thee Behold O Lord I am by thy mercy made wâ—ole O make me strictly careful to sin no more least a worse thing come unto me Lord let not this reprieve thou hast now given me make me secure as thinking that my Lord delayeth his coming but grant me I beseech thee to make a right use of this long suffering of thine and so to imploy every minute of that time thou shalt allow me that when thou shalt appear I may have confidence and not be ashamed before thee at thy coming Lord I have found by this approach towards death how dreadful a thing it is to be taken unprepared O let it be a perpetual admonition to me to watch for my Masters coming And when the pleasures of sin shal present themselvs to entice me O make me to remember how bitter they will be at the last O Lord hear me and as thou hast in much mercy afforded me time so grant me also grace to work out my own salvation to provide oyl in my lamp that when the Bridgroom cometh I may go in with him to the marriage Grant this I beseech thee for thy dear Sons sake A Prayer at the approach of death O ETERNAL and everliving God who first breathedst into man the breath of life and when thou takest away that breath he dyes and is turned again to his dust look with compassion on me thy poor creature who am now drawing neer the gates of death and which is infinitely more terrible the bar of judgment Lord my own heart condemns me and thou art infinitely greater then my heart and knowest all things The sins I know and remember fill me with horrour but there are also multitudes of others which I either observed not at the time or have since carelesly forgot which are all present to thee Thou settest my misdeeds before thee and my secret sins in the light of thy countenance and to what a mountainous heap must the minutely provocations of so many years arise How shall one so ungodly stand in thy Judgment or such a sinner in the Congregation of the Righteous And to add yet more to my terrour my very repentance I fear will not abide the tryal my frequent relapses heretofore have sufficiently witnessed the unsincerity of my past resolutions And then O Lord what can secure me that my present dislikes of my sins are not rather the effects of my amazing danger then of any reall change and O Lord I know thou art not moâ—ked nor wilt accept of any thing that is not perfectly sincere O Lord when I consider this fearfulness and trembling comes upon me and an horrible dread overwhelmeth me my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and my heart is wounded within me But O Lord one deep calleth upon another the depth of my misery upon the depth of thy mercy Lord save now or I perish eternally O thou who willest not that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance bring me I beseech thee though thus late to a sincere Repentance such as thou wilt accept who tryest the heart Create in me O God a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me Lord one day is with thee as a thousand years O let thy mighty Spirit work in me now in this my last day whatsoever thou seest wanting to fit me for thy mercy and acceptation Give me a perfect and entire hatred of my sins and enable me to present thee with that sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart which thou hast promised not
and pitiful eyes with which thou didst once behold Peter that great Shepherd of thy Church and forthwith he remembered himself repented with which eyes thou once didst view the scattered multitude and wert moved with compassion that for lack of a good Shepherd they wandered as sheep dispersed and strayed a sunder Thou seest O good Shepherd what sundry sorts of Wolvs have broken into thy sheep cotes of whom every one cryeth Here is Christ here is Christ. So that if it were possible the very perfect persons should be brought into error Thou seest with what winds with what waves with what storms thy silly ship is tossed thy ship wherein thy little flock is in peril to be drowned And what is now left but that it utterly sink and we all perish Of this tempest and storm we may thank our own wickedness and sinful living we espy it well and confesse it we espy thy righteousness and we bewail our unrighteousness but we appeal to thy mercy which according to the Psalm of thy Prophet surmounteth all thy works we have now suffered much punishment being sousted with so many wars consumed with such losses of goods scourged with so many sorts of diseases and pestilences shaken with so many flouds feared with so many strange sights from heaven and yet appears there no where any Haven or Port unto us being thus-tired for lorn among so strange evils but still every day more grievous punishments and more seem to hang over our heads We complain not of thy sharpness most tender Saviour but we espy here also thy mercy forasmuch as much grievouseâ— plagues we have deserved But O most merciful Jesu we beseech thee that thou wilt not consider not weigh what is due for our deservings but rather what becometh thy mercy without which neither the Angels in heaven can stand sure before thee much less we filly vessels of clay Have mercy on us O redeemer which art easie to be intreated not that we be worthly of thy mercy but give thou this glory unto thine own Name Suffer not that the Jews Turks and the rest of the Panims which either have not known thee or do envy thy glory should continually triumph over us and say Where is their God where is their Redeemer where is their Saviour where is their Bridegroom that they thus boast on These opprobrious words and upbraidings redound unto thee O Lord while by our evils men weigh and esteem thy goodness they think we be forsaken whom they see not amended Once when thou sleptst in the Ship and a Tempest suddenly arising threatned death to all in the Ship thou awokest at the outcry of a few Disciples and straightway at thine Almighty word the waters couched the winds fell the storm was suddenly turned into a great calm the dumb waters know their makers voice Now in this far greater tempest wherein not a few mens bodies be in danger but innumerable souls we beseech thâ—e at the cry of thy holy Church which is in danger of drowning that thou wilt awake So many thousands of men do cry Lord save us we perish the tempest is past mans power yea we see that the endeavours of them that would help it do turn clean a contrary way It is thy word that must do the deed Lord Jesu Only say thou with a word of thy mouth Cease O tempest and forthwith shall â—he desired calm appear Thou wouldst have spaâ—ed so many thousands of most wicked men if in the City of Sodoâ— â—ad been found but ten good men Now here be so many thousands 〈◊〉 men which love the glory of thy name which sigh for the beauty 〈◊〉 thy house and wilt thou not at these mens prayers let go thine anâ—r and remember thine accustomed and old mercies Shalt thou â—ot with thy heavenly policy turn our folly into thy glory Shalt thou â—ot turn the wicked mens evils into thy Churches good For thy merâ—y is wont then most of all to succour when the thing is with us past â—medy and neither the might nor wisdom of men can help it Thou â—one bâ—ingest things that be never so out of order into order again â—hich art the only Author and maintainer of peace Thou framedst â—hat old confusion which we call Chaos wherein without order withâ—ut fashion confusedly lay the discordant seeds of things and with a â—onderful order the things that of nature fought together thou didst â—ly and knit in a perpetual band But how much greater confusion is â—is where is no charity no fidelity no bonds of love no reverence either of lawes nor yet of rulers no agreement of opinions but as 〈◊〉 were in a misordered quire every man singeth a contrary note Aâ—ong the heavenly Planets is no dissention all four Elements keep â—â—eir place every one do their office whereunto they be appointed And wilt thou suffer thy Spouse for whose sake all things were made â—hus bycontinual discords to perish and go to wrack Shalt thou â—â—ffer the wicked spirits which be authors and workers of discord 〈◊〉 bear such a swing in thy Kingdome unchecked Shalt thou suffer â—e strong Captain of mischief whom thou once overthrewest again 〈◊〉 invade thy tents and to spoil thy souldiers When thou wert here man conversant among men at thy voice flâ—d the Devils Send forth 〈◊〉 beseech thee O Lord thy spirit which may drive away out of the â—ests of al them that profess thy name the wicked spirits masters of riâ—â— of covetousness of vain-glory of carnal lust of mischief and of disâ—ord Create in us O our God and King a clean heart and renew thy holy â—pirit in our breasts pluck not from us thy holy Ghost Render unto us â—e joy of thy saving health and with thy principal spirit strengthen â—y Spouse and the Herdmen thereof By this Spirit thou reconciledst â—â—e earthly to the heavenly by this thou didst frame and reduce so â—any tongues so many nations so many sundry sorts of men into 〈◊〉 body of a Church which body by the same Spirit is knit to thee â—â—eir Head This Spirit if thou wilt vouchsafe to renew in all mens â—earts then shall also these foreign miseries cease or if they cease â—ot at least they shall turn to the profit and avail of them which love â—ee Stay this confusion set in order this horrible Chaos O Lord â—e us let thy spirit stretch out it self upon these waters of evil waâ—ering opinions And because thy spirit which according to thy Proâ—ets saying containeth all things hath also the sience of speaking make that like as unto all them which be of thy house is all one light one Baptisme one God one Hope one Spirit so they may also have one voice one note and song professing one Catholick truth When thou didst mount up to heaven triumphantly thou threwest out from above thy precious things thou gavest gifts amongst men thou dealtest sundry rewards of thy Spirit Renew again from above thy old bountifulness give
one of these though in the former we are 2. And first for that which is to be done before S. Paul tells us it is examination 1 Cor. 11 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. But before I proceed to the particulars of this examination I must in the general tell you that the special business we have to do in this Sacrament is to repeat and renew that covenant we made with God in our Baptisme which we having many wayes grievously broken it pleases God in this great mercy to suffer us to come to the renewing of it in this Sacrament which if we do in sincerity of heart he hath promised to accept as and to give us all those benefits in this which he was ready to bestow in the other Sacrament if we had not by our own fault forfeited them Since then the renewing of our Covenant is our business of this time it followes that these three things are necessary towards it First that we understand what that covenant is Secondly that we consider what our breaches of it have bin and Thirdly that we resolve upon a strict observance of it for the rest of our life And the trying our selves in every one of these particulars is that examination which is required of us before we come to this Sacrament 3. And first we are to examine whether we understand what this Covenant is this is exceeding necessary as being the foundation of both the other for it is neither possible to discover our past sins nor to settle purpose against them for the future without it Let this therefore be your first business Trie whether you rightly understand what that Covenant is which you entered into at your Baptisme what be the mercies promised on Gods part and the duties on yours And because the Covenant made with each of us in Baptisme is only the applying to our particulars the Covenant made by God in Christ with all mankind in general you are to consider whether you understand that if you do not you must immediately seek for instruction in it And till you have means of gaining better look over what is briefly said in the entrance to this treatise concerning the second Covenant which is the foundation of that Covenant which God makes with us in our Baptisme And because you will there find that obedience to all Gods Commands is the condition required of us and is also that which we expresly vow in our Baptisme it is necessary you should likewise know what those Commands of God are Therefore if you find you are ignorant of them never be at rest till you have got your self instructed in them and have gained such a measure of knowledg as may direct you to do that Whole Duty of Man which God requires And the giving thee this instruction is the only aim of this Book which the more ignorant thou art the more earnestly I shall intreat thee diligently to read And if thou hast heretofore approacht to this holy Sacrament in utter ignorance of these necessary things bewail thy sin in soe doing but presume not to come again till thou have by gaining this necessary knowledg fitted thy self for it which thou must hasten to do For though no man must come to the Sacrament in such ignorance yet if he wilfully continue in it that will be no excuse to him for keeping from this holy Table 4. The second part of our examination is concerning our breaches of this Covenant and here thou wilt find the use of that knowledg I spake of For there is no way of discovering what our sins have bin but by trying our actions by that which should be the rule of them the Law of God When therefore thou settest to this part of examination remember what are the several branches of thy duty and then ask thy own heart in every particular how thou hast performed it And content not thy self with knowing in general that thou hast broken Gods Law but do thy utmost to discover in what particulars thou hast done so Recal as well as thou canst all the passages of thy life and in each of them consider what part of that duty hath bin transgrest by it And that not only in the grosser act but in word also nay even in thy most secret thoughts For though mans Law reaches not to them yet Gods doth so that whatever he forbids in the act he forbids likewise in the thoughts and desires and sees them as cleerly as our most publick acts This particular search is exceedâ—ng necessary For there is no promise of forgiveness of any sin but only to him that confesseth and forsaketh it Now to both these it is necessary that we have a distinct and particular knowledg of our sins For how can he either confess his sin that knows not his guilt of it or how can he resolve to forsake it that discerns not himself to have formerly cleaved to it Therefore we may surely conclude that this examination is not only useful but necessary towards a full and compleat repentance for he that does not take this particular view of his sins will be likely to repent but by halves which will never avail him towards his pardon nothing but an entire forsaking of every evil way being sufficient for that But surely of all other times it concerns us that when we come to the Sacrament our repentance be full and compleat and therefore this strict search of our own hearts is then especially necessary For although it be true that it is not possible by all our diligence to discover or remember every sin of our whole lives And though it be also true that what is so unavoidably hid from us may be forgiven without any more particular confession then that of Davids Psalm 19. 12. Cleanse thou me from my secret faults yet this will be no plea for us if they come to be secret only because we are neglâ—gent in searching Therefore take heed of deceiving thy self in this weighty business but search thy soul to the bottom without which it is impossible that the wounds thereof should ever be throughly cured 5. And as you are to inquire thus narrowly concerning the several sorts of sins so also must you concerning the degrees of them for there are divers circumstances which increase and heighten the sin Of this sort there are many As first when we sin against knowledg that is when we certainly know such a thing to be a sin yet for the present pleasure or profit or whatever other motive adventure of it This is by Christ himself adjudged to be a great heightning of the sin He that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12. 47. Secondly when we sin with deliberation that is when we do not fall into it of a sudden ere we are aware but have time to consider
it that is whensoever thy obedience to any command of his shal lay thee open to those sufferings But in the mean time to resolve never again to make any league with his enemies to entertain or harbour any sin in thy brest But if there have any such hitherto remained with thee make this the season to kill and crucify it offer it up at this instant a sacrifice to him who was sacrificed for thee and particularly for that very end that he might redeem thee from all iniquity Therefore here make thy solemn resolutions to forsake every sin particularly those into which thou hast most frequently fallen And that thou mayest indeed perform those resolutions earnestly beg of this crucified Saviour that he will by the power of his death mortify and kill all thy corruptions 28. When thou art about to receive the consecrated bread and wine remember that God now offers to seal to thee that New Covenant made with mankinde in his Son For since he gives that his Son in the Sacrament he gives with him all the benefits of that Covenant to wit pardon of sins fanctifying grace and a title to an eternal inheritance And here be astonished at the infinite goodness of God who reaches out to thee so precious a treasure But then remember that this is all but on condition that thou perform thy part of the Covenant And therefore settle in thy Soul the most serious purpose of obedience and then with all possible devotion joyn with the Minister in that short but excellent prayer used at the instant of giving the Sacrament The body of our Lord c. 29. So soon as thou hast received â—ffer up thy devoutest praises for that great mercy together with thy most earnest prayers for such assistance of Gods Spirit as may enable thee to perform the vow thou hast now made Then remembring that Christ is a propitiatiâ—n not for our sins onely but also for the sins of the whole world let thy charity reach as far as his hath done and pray for all mankind that every one may receive the benefit of that sacrifice of his commend also to God the estate of the Church that particularly whereof thou art a member And forget not to pray for all to whom thou owest obedience both in Church and State and so go on to pray for such particular persons as either thy relations or their wants shall present to thee If there be any collection for the poor as there alwayes ought to be at this time give freely according to thy ability or if by the dâ—fault of others there be no such collection yet do thou privately design something towards the relief of thy poor brethren and be sure to give it the next fitting opportunity that offers it self All this thou must contrive to do in the time that others are receiving that so when the publick prayers after the administration begin thou mayst be ready to joyn in them which thou must likewise take care to do with all divotion thus much for thy behaviour at the time of receiving 30. Now followes the third and last thing That is what thou art to do after thy receiving That which is immediately to be done is as soon as thou art retir'd from the Congregation to offer up again to God thy Sacrifice of praise for all those precious mercies conveyed to thee in that holy Sacrament as also humbly to intreat the continued assistance of his grace to enable thee to make good all those purposes of obedience thou hast now made And in whatsoever thou knowest thy self most in danger either in respect of any former habit or natural inclination there especially desire and earnestly beg his aid 31. When thou hast done thus do not presently let thy self lose to thy worldly carâ—s and businesse But spend all that day either in mediâ—ating praying reading good conferences or the like so as may best keep up that holy flame that is enkindled in thy heart Afterwards when thy calling requires thee to fall to thy usual affaireâ— do it but yet still remember that thou hast a greater business then that upon thy hands that is the performing of all those promises thou so lately madest to God and therefore whatever thy outward imployments are let thy heart be set on that keep all the particulars of thy resolution in memory and whenever thou art tempted to any of thy old sins then consider this is the thing thou so solemnly vowedst against and withal remember what a horrible guilt it will be if thou shouldst now wilfully do any thing contrary to that vow Yea and what a horrible mischief also it will be to thy self For at thy receiving God and thou enteredst into Covenant into a league of friendship and kindness And as long as thou keepest in that friendship with God thou art false all the malice of men or divels can do thee no harm For as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us But if thou breakest this league as thou certainly dost if thou yeild to any wilful sin then God and thou are enemies and if all the world then were for thee it could not avail thee 32. Nay thou wilt get an enemy within thine own bosome thy conscience accusing and upbraiding thee and when God and thine own conscience are thus against thee thou canst not but be extremely miserable even in this life besides that fearful expectation of wrath which awaites thee in the next Remember all this when thou art set upon by any temptation and then sure thou canst not but look upon that temptation as a cheat that coâ—es to rob thee of thy peace thy God thy very soul. And then surely it will appear as unfit to entertain it as thou wouldst think it to harbour one in thy house who thou knowest came to rob thee of what is dearest to thee 33. And let not any experience of Gods mercy in pardonning thee heretofore incourage thee again to provoke him for besides that it is thy highest degree of wickedness and unthankfulness to make that goodness of his which should lead thee to repentance an incouragement in thy sin besides this I say the oftner thou hast bin pardoned the less reason thou hast to expect it again because thy sin is so much the greater for having bin committed after so much mercy If a King have several times pardoned an offender yet if he still return to the commission of the same fault the King will at last be forced if he have any love to Justice to give him up to it Now so it is here God is as well just as merciful and his justice will at last surely and heavily avenge the abuse of his mercy and there cannot be a greater abuse of his mercy then to sin in hope of it so that it will prove a miserable deceiving of thy self then to presume upon it
therefore who are not yet fallen into the custome of this sin be most careful never to yield to the least beginnings of it and for those who are so miserable as to be already â—â—sâ—ared in it let them immediately as they tender their Souls get out of it And let no man plead the hardness of leaving an old custome as an excuse for his continuing in it but rather the longer he hath been in it so much the more haste let him make out of it as thinking it too too much that he hath so long gone on in so great a sin And if the length of the custâ—me have increased the difficulty of leaving it that is in all reason to make him set immediately to the casting it off left that difficulty at last grow to an impossibility and the harder he finds it at the present so much the more diligent and watchful he must be in the use of all those means which may tend to the overcoming that sinful habit some few of those means it will not be amiss here to mention 10. First let him possess his mind fully of the hainousness of the sin and not to measure it onely according to the common rate of the world And when he is fully perswaded of the guilt then let him add to that the consideration of the danger as that it puts him out of Gods favour at the present and will if he continue in it cast him into Hell for ever And sure if this were but throughly laid to heart it would restrain this sin For I would ask a man that pretends impossibility of leaving the custome whether if he were sure he should be hanged the next oath he swore the fear of it would not keep him from swearing I can scarce beleeve any man in his wits so little Master of himself but it would And then surely damning is so much worse then hanging that in all reason the fear of that ought to be a much greater restraint The doubt is men do either not heartily believe that this sin will damn them or if they do they look on it as a thing a great way off and so are not much moved with it but both these are very unreasonable For the first it is certain that every one that continues wilfully in any sin is so long in a state of damnation and therefore this being so continued in must certainly put a man in that condition For the second It is very possible he may be deceived in thinking it so far off for how knows any man that he shal not be struck dead with an oath in his mouth or if he were sure not to be so yet eternal damnation is surely to be dreaded above all things be it at what distance soever 11. A second means is to be exactly true in all thou speakest that all men may believe thee on thy bare word and then thou wilt never have occasion to confirm it by an oath to make it more credible which is the onely colour or reason can at any time be pretended for swearing 12. Thirdly Observe what it is that most betrayes thee to this sin whether drink or anger or the company and example of others or what ever else and then if ever thou mean to forsake the sin forsake those occasions of it 13. Fourthly Endeavour to possess thy heart with a continual remembrance of God and if that once grow into a custome with thee it will quickly turn out that contrary one of profaning Use and accustome thy self therefore to this reverence of God and particularly to such a respect to his name as if it be possible never to mention It without some lifting up of thy heart to him Even in thy ordinary discourse when ever thou takest his Name in to thy mouth let it be an occasion of raising up thy thoughts to him But by no means permit thy self to use it in idle by-words or the like If thou doest accustome thy self to pay this reverence to the bare mention of his name it will be an excellent fence against the prophaning it in oaths 14. A fifth means is a diligent and constant watch over thy self that thou thus offend not with thy tongue without which all the former will come to nothing And the last means is prayer which must be added to all thy endeavours therefore pray earnestly that God will enable thee to overcome this wicked custom say with the Psalmist Set a watch O Lord over my mouth and keep the door of my lips and if thou doest sincerely set thy self to the use of means for it thou mayest be assured God will not be wanting in his assistance I have been the longer on this because it is so reigning a sin God in his mercy give all that are guilty of it a true sight of the hainousness of it 15. By these several waies of dishonouring Gods Name you may understand what is the duty of honouring it viz. A strict abstaining from every one of these and that abstinence founded on an awful respect and reverence to that sacred Name which is Great Wonderful and Holy Psal. 99. 3. I have now past through the several branches of that great duty of honouring of God PARTITION V. Of WORSHIP due to Gods Name Of Prayer and its several parts Of Publick prayers in the CHURCH in the FAMILY Of PRIVATE PRAYER Of REPENTANCE c. Of FASTING § 1. THE eight duty we owe to God is worship This is that great duty by which especially we acknowledg his Godhead worship being proper only to God and therefore it is to be lookt on as a most weighty duty This is to be performed first by our Souls secondly by our bodies The Souls part is praying Now prayer is a speaking to God and there are divers parts of it according to the different things about which we speak 2. As first There is Confession that is the acknowledging our sins to God And this may be either general or particular The general is when we onely confess in gross that we are sinful the particular when we mention the several sorts and acts of our sins The former is necessary to be alwayes a part of our solemn prayers whether publick or private The latter is proper for private prayer and there the oftner it is used the better yea even in our daily private prayer it will be fit constantly to remember some of our greatest and foulest sins though never so long since past For such we should never think sufficiently confest and bewailed And this bewailing must alwaies go along with confession we must be heartily sorry for the sins we confess and from our Souls acknowledge our own great unworthiness in having committed them for our confession is not intended to instruct God who knows our sins much better then our selves do but it is to humble our selves and therefore we must not think wâ— have confest aright
directs him to he must take care to do what wil bring him in commendations and so enslaves himself to every one that hath but a tongue to commend him Nay there is yet a further uneasiness in it and that is when such a man fails of his aime when he misses the praise and perhaps meets with the contrary reproach which is no mans lot more often then the vain glorious nothing making a man more despised then what disturbances and disquiets and even tortures of mind is he under A lively instance of this you have in Achitophel 2 Sam. 17. 23. who had so much of this upon Absoloms despising his counsel that he chose to rid himself of it by hanging himself And sure this painfulness that thus attends this sin is sufficient proof of the folly of it Yet this is not all it is yet further very hurtful For if this vain glory be concerning any good or Christian action it destroyes all the fruit of it he that prayes or gives almes to be seen of men Mat. 6. 2. must take that as his reward Verily I say unto you they have their reward they must expect none from God but the portion of those hypocrites that love the the praise of men more then the praise of God And this is a miserable folly to make such an exchange It is like the dog in the fable who seeing in the water the shadow of that meat he held in his mouth catcht at the shadow so let go meat Such dogs such unreasonable creatures are we when we thus let go the eternal rewards of Heaven to catch at a few good words of men And yet we do not onely loose those eternal joyes but procure to our selves the contrary eternal mercies which is sure the highest pitch of folly and madness But if the vain glory be not concerning any vertuous action but only some indifferent thing yet even there also it is very hurtful for vain glory is a sin that wheresoever it is placed endangers our eternal estate which is the greatest of all mischiefs And even for the present it is observable that of all other sins it stands the most in its own light hinders it self of that very thing it pursues For there are very few that thus hunt after praise but they are discerned to do so and that is sure to eclipse whatever praise worthy thing they do and brings scorn upon them in stead of reputation And then certainly we may justly condemn this sin of folly which is so ill a manager even of its own dedesigns 15. You have seen how wretched a thing this vain glory is in these several respects the serious consideration whereof may be one good means to subdue it to which it will be necessary to add first a great watchfulness over thy self Observe narrowly whether in any Christian duty thou at all considerest the praise of men or even in the most indifferent action look whether thou have not too eager a desire of it And if thou findest thy self inclined that way have a very strict eye upon it and where ever thou findest it stirring check and resist it suffer it not to be the end of thy actions But in all matters of Religion let the duty be thy motive In all indifferent things of common life let reason direct thee and though thou mayest so far consider in those things the opinion of men as to observe the rules of common decency yet never think any praise that come in to thee from any thing of that kind worth the contriving for Secondly Set up to thy self another aime viz that of pleasing God let that be thy inquiry when thou goest about any thing whether it be approved by him and then thou wilt not be at leisure to consider what praise it will bring thee from men And surely he that weighs of how much more moment it is to please God who is able eternally to reward us then men whose applause can never do us any good will surely think it reasonable to make the former his onely care Thirdly If at any time thou art praised do not be much overjoyed with it nor think a jot the better of thy self but if it be vertue thou art praised for remember it was God that wrought it in thee and give him the glory never thinking any part of it belongs to thee If it be some indifferent action then remember that it cannot deserve praise as having no goodness in it But if it be a bad one as amongst men such are sometimes likeliest to be commended then it ought to set thee a trembling in stead of rejoycing for then that woe of our Saviours belongs to thee Luk. 6 26. Wo unto you when men speak well of you for so did their Fathers to the false Prophets and there is not a greater sign of a hardned heart then when men can make their sins the matter of their glory In the last place let thy prayers assist in the fight with this corruption 16. A second vertue is meekness That is a calmness and quietness of spirit contrary to the rages and impatiences of anger This vertue may be exercised either in respect of God or our neighbour That towards God I have already spoken of under the head of humility and that towards our neighbour I shall hereafter All I have here to say of it is how it becomes a duty to our selves that it does in respect of the great advantage we reap by it which in meer kindness to our selves we are to look after And to prove that it brings us this great advantage I need say no more but that this meekness is that to which Christ hath pronounced a blessing Mat. 5. 5. Blessed are the meek and not onely in the next world but even in this too they shall inherit the earth Indeed none but thâ— meek person hath the true enjoyment of any thing in the world for the angry and impatient are like such people who we use to say cannot enjoy the greatest prosperities For let things be never so fair without they will raise storms within their own breasts And surely whoever â—ath either in himself or others observed the greatest uneasiness of this passion of anger cannot chuse but think meekness a a most pleasant thing 17. Besides it is also a most honourable thing for it is that whereby we resemble Christ learn of me saith he for I am meek and lowly in heart Mat. 11. 28. It is also that whereby we conquer our selves overcome our own unruly passions which of all victories is the greatest and most noble Lastly it is that which makes us behave our selves like men whereas anger gives us the fierceness and wildness of savage beasts And accordingly the one is by all esteemed and loved whereas the other is hated and abhorred every man shunning a man in rage as they would a furious beast 18. Farther yet meekness is the sobriety of the mind whereas
confusion of face eternally But to thee O Lord God belongeth mercy and forgiveness though I have rebelled against thee O remember not my sins and offences but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Thou sentest thy Son to seek and to save that which was lost behold O Lord I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost O seek thy servant and bring me back to the Shepherd and Bishop of my Soul let thy Spirit work in me a hearty sense and detestation of all my abominations that true contrition of heart which thou hast promised not to despise And then be thou pleased to look on me to take away all iniquity and receive me graciously and for his sake who hath done nothing amiss be reconciled to me who have done nothing well wash away the guilt of my sins in his blood and subdue the power of them by his grace and grant O Lord that I may from this hour bid a final adieu to all ungodliness and worldly lusts that I may never once more cast a look toward Sodom or long after the flesh pots of Egypt but consecrate my self intirely to thee to serve thee in Righteousness and true Holiness reckoning my self to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour This PENITENTIAL PSALM May also fitly be used PSAL. 51. HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I knowledg my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justisted in thy saying and clear when thou art judged Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me But loe thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly Thou shalt purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then shall I teach thy wayes unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Thou shalt open my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew thy praise For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt-ofâ—ering The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Ierusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the Sacrifice of righteousness with the burnâ—-â—fferings and oblations then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen PRAYERS BEFORE the receiving of the blessed SACRAMENT O Most merciful God who hast in thy great goodness prepared this spiritual feast for sick and famished Souls make my desires and gaspings after it answerable to my needs of it I have with the prodigal wasted that portion of grace thou bestowedst upon me and therefore do infinitely want a supply out of this treasury But O Lord how shall such a wretch as I dare to approach this holy table I am a dog how shall I presume to take the childrens bread or how shall this spiritual Manna this food of Angels be given to one who hath chosen to feed on husks with swine nay to one who hath already so often trampled these precious things under foot either carelesly neglecting or unworthily receiving these holy mysteries O Lord my horrible guiltiness makes me tremble to come and yet makes me not dare to keep away for where O Lord shall my polluted Soul be washed if not in this fountain which thou hast opened for sin and for uncleanness Hither therefore I come and thou hast promised that him that cometh to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out This is O Lord the blood of the New Testament grant me so to receive it that it may be to me for remission of sins And though I have so often and so wretchedly broken my part of that Covenant whereof this Sacrament is a seal yet be thou graciously pleased to make good thine to be merciful to my unrighteousness and to remember my sins and mine iniquities no more and not onely so but to put thy lawes into my heart and write them in my mind and by the power of thy grace dispose my soul to such a sincere and constant obedience that I may never again provoke thee Lord grant that in these holy mysteries I may not only commemorate but effectually receive my blessed Saviour and all the benefits of his passion And to that end give me such a preparation of soul as may qualify me for it give me a deep sense of my sins and unworthiness that being weary and heavy laden I may be capable of his refreshings and by being suppled in my own tears I may be the fitter to be washed in his blood raise up my dull and earthly mind from groveling here below and inspire it with a holy zeal that I may with spiritual affection approach this spiritual feast and let O Lord that infinite love of Christ in dying for so wretched a sinner inflame my frozen benummed soul and kindle in me that sacred fire of love to him and that so vehement that no waters may quench no floods drown it such as may burn up all my dross not leave one unmortified lust in my soul and such as may also extend it self to all whom thou hast given me command and example to love even enemies as well as friends Finally O Lord I beseech thee to cloth me in the wedding garment and make me though of my self a most unworthy yet by thy mercy an acceptable guest at this holy tabâ—e that I may not eat and drink my own condemnation but may have my pardon sealed my weaknesses repaired my corruptions subdued and my soul so inseparably united to thee that no temptations may ever be able to dissolve the union but that being begun here in grace it may be consummated in glory Grant this O Lord for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ. ANOTHER O BLESSED Jesus who once offeredst up thy self for me upon the Cross and now offerest thy self to me in the Sacrament let not I beseech thee my
that the God of all purity should vouchsafe to unite himself to so polluted a wretch O my God suffer me no more I beseech thee to turn thy grace into wantonness to make thy mercy an occasion of security but let this unspeakable love of thine constrain me to obedience that since my blessed Lord hath died for me I may no longer live unto my self but to him O Lord I know there is no concord between Christ and Belial therefore since he hath now been pleased to enter my heart O let me never permit any lust to chace him thence but let him that hath so dearly bought me still keep possession of me and let nothing ever take me out of his hand To this end be thou graciously pleased to watch over me and defend me from all assaults of my spiritual enemies but especially deliver me from my self from the treachery of my own heart which is too willing to yield it self a prey And where thou seest I am either by nature or custome most weak there do thou I beseech thee magnify thy power in my preservation Here name thy most dangerous temptations And Lord let my Saviours sufferings for my sins and the vowes I have now made against them never depart from my mind but let the remembrance of the one enable me to perform the other that I may never make truce with those lusts which nailed his hands pierced his side and made his Soul heavy to the death But that having now a new listed my self under his banner I may fight manfully and follow the Captain of my Salvation even through a Sea of blood Lord lift up my hands that hang down and my feeble knees that I faint not in this warfare O be thou my strength who am not able of my self to struggle with the slightest temptations How often have I turned my back in the day of battel How many of these sacramental vowes have I violated And Lord I have still the saâ—e unconstant deceitful heart to betray me to the breach of this O thou who art Yea and Amen in whom there is no shadow of change communicate to me I beseech thee such a stability of mind that I may no more thus start aside like a broken bow but that having my heart whole with thee I may continue stedfast in thy Covenant That not one good purpose which thy Spirit hath raised in me this day may vanish as so many have formerly done but that they may bring fâ—rth fruit unto life eternal Grant this O merciful Father through the merits and Mediation of my Crucified Saviour A Prayer of Intercession to be used either before or after the receiving of the Sacrament O MOST Gracious Lord who so tenderly lovedst mankind as to give thy dear Son out of thy bosom to become a propitiation for the sins of the whole world grant that the effect of this Redemption may be as Universal as the design of it that it may be to the Salvation of all O let no person by impenitence and wilful sin forfeit his part in it but by the power of thy grace bring all even the most obstinate sinners to Repentance Inlighten all that sit in darkness all Jewes Turks Infidels and Hereticks take from them all blindness hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and so fetch them home blessed Lord unto thy fold that they may be saved among the number of the true Israelites And for all those upon whom the Name of thy Son is called grant O Lord that their conversations may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ that his Name be no longer Blasphemed among the Heathen through us O blessed Lord how long shall Christendom continue the vilest part of the world a sink of all those abominable pollutions which even Barbarians detest O let not our profession and our practice be alwayes at so wide a distance Let not the Disciples of the Holy and Immaculate Jesus be of all others the most profane and impure Let not the subjects of the Prince of Peace be of all others the most contentious and bloody but make us Christians indeed as well as in name that we may walk worthy of that Holy Vocation wherewith we are called and may all with one mind and one mouth glorify thee the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have mercy on this languishing Church look down from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness and of thy glory where is thy Zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards us Are they restrained Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever but though our backslidings are many and we have grievously rebelled yet according to all thy goodness let thy anger thy sury be turned away cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary which is desolate for the Lords sake and so separate between us and our sins that they may no longer separate between us our God Save and defend all Christian Kings Princes Governours especially those to whom we owe subjection plead thou their cause O Lord against those that strive with them and fight thou against those that fight against them and so guide and assist them in the discharge of that office whereunto thou hast appointed them that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Bless them that wait at thine Altar open thou their lips that their mouth may shew forth thy praise O let not the lights of the world be put under bushels but place them in their candlesticks that they may give light to all that are in the house Let not Jeroboams Priests profane thy service but let the seed of Aaron still minister before thee And O thou Father of mercies and God of all comfort succour and relieve all that are in affliction deliver the out-cast and poor help them to right that suffer wrong let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before thee and according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to dye grant ease to those that are in pain supplies to those that suffer want give to all presumptuous sinners a sense of their sins and to all dispaâ—ring a sight of thy mercies and do thou O Lord for every one abundantly above what they can ask or think Forgive my enemies persecutors and slanderers and turn their hearts Powre down thy blessings on all my friends and benefactors all who have commended themselves to my Prayer Here thou maist name particular persons And grant O merciful father that through this blood of the crosse we may all be presented pure and unblameable and unreprovable in thy sight That so we may be admitted into that place of purity where no unclean thing can enter there to sing eternal praises to Father Son and holy Ghost for ever A Prayer in times of common Persecution O BLESSED Saviour who hast made the crosse the badg of thy Disciples
enable me I beseech thee willingly and cheerfully to embrace it thou seest O Lord I am fallen into dayes wherein he that departeth from evil maketh himself a Prey O make me so readily to expose all my outward concernments when my obedience to thee requireth it that what falls as a prey to men may by thee be accepted as a sacrifice to God Lord preserve me so by thy grace that I never suffer as an evil doer and then O Lord if it be my lot to suffer as a Christian let me not be ashamed but rejoyce that I am counted worthy to suffer for thy name O thou who for my sake enduredst the cross and despisedst the shame let the example of that love and patience prevail against all the tremblings of my corrupt heart that no terrors may ever be able to shake my constancy but that how long soever thou shalt permit the rod of the wicked to lye on my back I may never put my hand unto wickedness Lord thou knowest whereof I am made thou remembrest that I am but flesh and flesh O Lord shrinks at the approach of any thing grievous It is thy Spirit thy Spirit alone that can uphold me O stablish me with thy free Spirit that I be not weary faint in my mind And by how much the greater thou discernest my weakness so much the more do thou shew forth thy power in me and make me O Lord in all temptations stedfastly to look to thee the author and finisher of my faith that so I may run the race which is set before me and resist even unto blood striving against sin O dear Jesus hear me and though Satan desire to have me that he may winnow me as wheat yet do thou O blessed Mediator pray for me that my faith fail not but that though it be tryed with fire it may be found unto praise and glory and honour at thy appearing And O Lord I beseech thee grant that I may preserve not only constancy towards God but charity also towards men even those whom thou shalt permit to be the instruments of my sufferings Lord let me not fail to imitate that admirable meekness of thine in loving and praying for my greatest persecutors and do thou O Lord overcome all their evil with thy infinite goodness turn their hearts and draw them powerfully to thy self and at last receive both me and mine enemies into those mansions of peace and rest where thou reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost one God for ever A Prayer in time of Affliction O JUST and holy Lord who with rebukes doest chasten man for sin I desire unfeignedly to humble my self under thy mighty hand which now lyes heavy upon me I heartily acknowledg O Lord that all I do all I can suffer is but the due reward of my deeds and therefore in thy severest inflâ—ctions I must still say Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgments But O Lord I beseech thee in judgment remember mercy though my sins have enforced thee to strike yet consider my weakness and let not thy stripes be more heavy or more lasting then thou seest profitable for my soul correct me but with the Chastisement of a father not with the wounds of an enemy and though thou take not off thy rod yet take away thine anger Lord do not abhor my soul nor cast thy servant away in displeasure but pardon my sins I beseech thee and if yet in thy fatherly wisdome thou see fit to prolong thy corrections thy blessed will be done I cast my self O Lord at thy feet do with me what thou pleasest Trye me as silver is tryed so thou bring me out purified And Lord make even my flesh also to subscribe to this resignation that there may be nothing in me that may rebel against thy hand but that having perfectly supprest all repining thoughts I may cheerfully drink of this cup. And how little soever thou shalt please to make it Lord let it pâ—ove medicinal and cure all the diseases of my soul that it may bring forth in me the peaceable fruit of righteousness That so these light afflictions which are but for a moment may work for me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory through Jesus Christ. A Thanksgiving for Deliverance O BLESSED Lord who art gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil I thankfully acknowledg before thee that thou hast not dealt with me after my sins nor rewarded me according to my iniquities My rebellions O Lord deserved to be scourged with scorpions and thou hast corrected them only with a gentle and fatherly rod neither hast thou suffered me to lâ—e long under that but hast given me a timely and a gracious issue out of my late distress O Lord I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my soul in adversity Thou hast smitten and thou hast healed me O let these various methods of thine have their proper effects upon my soul That I who have felt the smart of thy chastisements may stand in awe and not sin and that I who have likewise felt the sweet refreshings of thy mercy may have my heart ravished with it and knit to thee in the firmest bands of love and that by both I may be preserved in a constant entire obedience to Thee all my dayes through Jesus Christ. Directions for the time of Sickness WHEN thou findest thy self visited with sickness thou art immediately to remember that it is God which with rebukes doth chasten man for sin And therefore let thy first care be to find out what it is that provokes him to smite thee and to that purpose examine thine own heart search diligently what guilts lie there confess them humbly and penitently to God and for the greater sâ—â—urity renew thy repentance for all the old sins of thy former life beg most earnestly and importunately his mercy and pâ—rdâ—n in Christ Iesus and put on sincere and zealous resolutions of forsaking every evil way for the rest of that time which God shall spare thee And that thy 〈◊〉 heart deceive thee not in this so weighty a business it will be wisdom to send for some godly Divine not onely to assist thee with his Prayers but with his counsel also And to that purpose open thy heart so freely to him that he may be able to judg whether thy repentance be such as may give thee confidence to appear before Gods dreadful Tribunal and that if it be not he may help thee what he can towards the making it sâ— And when thou hast thus provided for thy better part thy soul then consider thy body also and as the Wise man saith Eccl. 38. 12. Give pâ—aâ—e to the Physician for the Lord hath created him Vse such means as may be most likely to recover thy health but alwayes remember that the successe of them must come from
impenitence and unworthiness frustrate these so inestimable mercies to me but qualifie me by thy grace to receive the full benefit of them O Lord I have abundant need of thee but am so clog'd with guilt so holden with the cords of my sins that I am not able to move towards thee O lose me from this band wherewith Satan and my own lusts have bound me and draw me that I may run after thee Lord thou seest daily how eagerly I pursue the paths that lead to death but when thou invitest me to life and glory I turn my back and forsake my own mercy How often hath this feast been prepared and I have with frivilous excuses absented my self or if I have come it hath been rather to defie then to adore thee I have brought such troops of thy professed enemies unrepented sins along with me as if I â—ame not to commemorate but renew thy passion crucifying thee afresh and putting thee to open shame and now of what punishment shall I be thought worthy who have thus trampled under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing yet O merciful Jesu this blood is my onely râ—â—â—ge O let this make my atonement or I perish eternally wherefore didst thou shed it but to save sinners neither can the merit of it be overwhelmed either by the greatness or number of sins I am a sinner a great one O let me find its saving efficacy Be merciful unto me O God be merciful to me for my soul trusteth in thee and in the clefts of thy wound shall be my refuge until thy fathers indignation be overpast O thou who hast as my high Priest sacrificed for me intercede for me also and plead thy meritorious sufferings on my behalfe and suffer not O my Redeemer the price of thy blood to be utterly lost And grant O Lord that as the sins I have to be forgiven are many so I may love much Lord thou seest what faint what cold affections I have towards thee O warm and enliven them and as in this Sacrament that transcendent love of thine in dying for me is shewed forth so I beseech thee let it convey such grace into me as may enable me to make some returns of love O let this divine fire descend from heaven into my soul and let my sins be the burnt offering for it to consume that there may not any corrupt affection any accursed thing be shelterd in my heart that I may never again defile that place which thou hast chosen for thy temple Thou dyedst O dear Jesu to redeem me from all iniquity O let me not again sell my self to work wickedness but grant that I may approach thee at this time with most sincere and fixed resolutions of an entire reformation and let me receive such grace and strength from thee as may enable me faithfully to perform them Lord there are many old habituated diseases my soul groanes under Her mention thy most prevailing corruptions And though I lye never so long at the pool of Bethesda come never so often to thy table yet unless thou be pleased to put forth thy healing vertue they will still remain uncured O thou blessed Physician of souls heal me and grant I may now so touch thee that every one of these loath some issues may immediately stanch that these sicknesses may not be unto death but unto the glory of thy mercy in pardoning to the glory of thy grace in purifying so polluted a wretch O Christ hear me and grant I may now approach thee with such humility and contrition love and devotion that thou maist vouchsafe to come unto me and abide with me communicating to me thy self and all the merits of thy passion And then O Lord let no accusations of Satan oâ— my own conscience amaze or distract me buâ— having peace with thee let me also have peace in my self that this wine may make glad this bread of life may strengthen my heart and enable me cheerfully to run the way of thy Commandments Grant this merciful Saviour I beseech thee for thine own bowels and compassions sake EjACULATIONS to be used at the LORDS TABLE LOrd I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of men Here recollect some of thy greatest sins If thou Lord shouldst be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it But with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption Behold O Lord thy beloved Son in whom thou art well pleased Hearken to the cry of his blood which speaketh better things then that of Abel By his Agony and bloody Sweat by his Cross and Passion good Lord deliver me O Lamb of God which takest away the sins of the world grant me thy Peace O Lamb of God which takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon me Immediately before Receiving THou hast said that he that eateth thy flesh and drinketh thy blood hath eternal life Behold the servant of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word At the Receiving of the Bread BY thy Crucified Body deliver me from this body of death At the Receiving of the Cup. O let this blood of thine purge my conscience from dead works to serve the living God Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean O touch me and say I will be thou clean After Receiving WHat shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Therefore blessing honour glory and power be to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Amen I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous judgments O hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not A Thanksgiving after the Receiving of the Sacrament OThou Fountain of all goodness from whom every good and perfect gift cometh and to whom all honour and glory should be returned I desire with all the most fervent and inflamed affections of a grateful heart to blesse and praise thee for those inestimable mercies thou hast vouchsafed me Lord what is man that thou shouldst so regard him as to send thy beloved Son to suffer such bitter things for him But Lord what am I the worst of men that I should have any part in this atonement who have so oft despised him and his sufferings O the height and depth of this mercy of thine that art pleased to admit me to the renewing of that Covenant with thee which I have so often so perversly broken that I who am not worthy of that daily bread which sustains the body should be made partaker of this bread of life which nourishes the Soul and