have had the Holy Communion Seale me my pardon And behold and accept thy Servant from a heart full of thy love pouring out praises to thee for the inestimable benefits received in those High and Holy Mysteries What am I O Lord or what is in me that thou shouldest doe this great honour and favour to me I am unworthy to touch the thresholds of thy House and thou hast taken me to thy Table I am not worthy to stand amongst thy Saints and thou hast made me sit with my Saviour I am not worthy to come before thee and fall down before thy Footstoole and thou hast beene pleased to come into me and make my heart thy Throne I am not worthy to eat the bread of Men and thou hast given me the bread of Angels Yea Lord The Angels hunger but have not this bread What they admire I have received whom they adore I have entertained The Body and Bloud of Jesus their Mirrour is my meat Christ and they are Two but I and my Saviour are One. Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone One Bloud one Body O unspeakable Mysterie O incomparable Mercy Lord I beseech thee since of my selfe I cannot enough praise thee make me some way worthy of thee Let my Hands which have received that Blessed Body and Bloud be henceforth Sacred and doe no deeds that may offend thee Let my Lips which have touched those Holy Mysteries be hallowed from all words that may displease thee And let my Heart the Habitation of my Lord and Saviour be hereafter holy and no vain thoughts lodge within me As I am one with Him in Body and Bloud let me be one in Spirit The spirit of Wisdome Love and Holyness truly to know Thee serve Thee and cleave unto Thee By the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood Convey it to me Confirme it in me Let it be to my soule the Signet of thy Love and Seale of thy Glory And even for the Precious Merits of that Bloud and Body receive me to it I beseech thee that I may be one in everlasting Union and Communion with Thee for Jesus his sake Amen Amen! A Thanksgiving to be said after the Communinn fit for one devoutly affected at it THou that hast given the Bread of Heaven to feed me O give me the tongue of an Angell to praise thee O Lord the very Angels are not blessed with such a Bread O! what an high Mystery and mercy is this that my Saviour is my Sustenance and their Maker my Meat The Body and Bloud of Christ the Eternall Sonne of Gods to be in an holy Communion eaten drunken by the mouth of a mortall man O the infinite condescending Goodnes of a gracious God to make my humble heart the habitation of his Holines To come to me enter in me and become one not by Reconciliation onely but heavenly Union and Communion with me O miraculous Union O mysterious Incorporation O happy Soule that art so neare to thy Saviour O blessed Saviour that art so neare to my Soule O wretched Soule if any thing be too deare with thee for such a Saviour That wouldst not give thy body and blood for his Truth that wilt not give thy life to his Glory O Lord let my Soule which by thy Sacrament is made so happie by my sinne be never made so wretched Thou that hast entred thy Bodie and Bloud into me by thy Spirit take possession of me Guide me leade me command me rule me move me Be thou the Spirit of my Soule and Soule of my Body Let not the Flesh World or Devill henceforth have any power in me Live O Live Thou in me O Christ in thy earthly House and let me live for ever with Thee in thy Heavenly Habitation Even by the Merits and vertues of thy pretious Body and Bloud Sweet Jesus my Deare Lord and Saviour I beseech thee Amen Amen! An Holy Rapture to be said by One having Devoutly Communicated O Lord Where thou doest dwell is Heaven Heaven then is not this day more Above me then Within me How then shall my Single Soule Honour thee and my Tongue extoll Thee who hast made for thy Servant a Double Heaven O Lord Let all that is within me and all that is without me minde heart tongue hand all Savour of that Heaven that is within me and set forth thy Glory And doe Thou who this day hast conveyed Heaven into me at my last houre Convey my Soule into Heaven That what is here wanting in thy due Praises I may pay there in everlasting Halleluja's Even so Lord Glory be to thee for ever for the Invaluable favour and honour thou hast done to thy servant For the unsearchable Riches and Treasures Conveyed in thy Sacrament even the Blessed Body and Blood of Jesus Christ my deare Redeemer and Lord and Saviour Amen Amen Meditations for the Holy Communion upon 1 Cor. 11. 24. 25. ¶ Doe this in Remembrance of me D Oe but for thee Dear Jesus I had been undone for ever for thee then and for Mat. 18. 11 thy sake what is it which I should not doe 2. Thy desires are my Commands There is Authority enough in thy love for me to doe what thou shalt please Speak Lord then thy Servant heareth what ever thy will is that will I doe 3. Since thou wouldst have no flesh but my Bodies I will have no will but Heb. 10. 5. thy Soules What is thine shall be my will O Lord and done which thou wilt hav◠me doe 4. I dare not say so to any man O Lord though never so Godly so much thy Man His will may have Errour for Guide and ill in Company But O thou Holy one of God! Thy mind knowes no Errour thy will no Obliquity I dare doe whatsoever thou dost will 5. Dare doe Dare not but doe it If thy desire once come out in an Injunction and thy will be signified by Command not onely upon my Obligation I ought But must upon my Mat. 17. 5. Act. 3. 23. Act. 9. 6. Allegeance to thee the King of the Church and Soveraign as well as Saviour of my Soul I must not dispute nor delay but doe and therefore ought may must doe This. For Lord what is it thou wouldst now have me do Is it to climb a Crosse to undergo a bitter Passion Act. 21. 19 Even for thy sake I should not think much to doe that who hast done more for mine What then when it is not so much as this not to goe to a Scaffold but come to thy Table not to goe to a Grave but a Feast not to Bleed or Burne but to to Eat and Drink not to Suffer that but to doe this 2. And what is that I am to Eat and Drink Bread of Affliction and Water of Adversity which flag my Spirits No Deare Jesus but Bread and Wine to confirme and comfort my Heart Not a Confessours Bread Tears nor a Martyrs Cup Bloud
but a Saviours fare Blessed Wine and Bread yea in them what both is and makes Blessed The Body and Bloud of Blisse Deare Jesus Thy Holy Body John 6. 48 53. 54. and Bloud Meat and Drink that doth both joy my heart and save my Soule Bread of life and Well of Life Of that O Lord I eat in thy Bread and drinke of this in thy Cup Because thee in both who art Lord and Bread Well and Lord of Life Was the Passover a feast and is thy Supper none Where no sower herbs but Naturall and Celestial sweets are serv'd in at the feast If that be thy Command O Christ I am a rebell as much to my good as thy Law a damn'd rebell if I doe not this 3. And a Wretch if I doe not all but bate thee halfe of that I am not Saved but by thy Body I shall be damned 1 Pet. 2. 24 Heb. 9. 12. 21. without thy Blood I can want neither Bloud nor Body for my Sacrifice and shall I not have them both in thy Sacrament Didst thou offer thy Bloud for me on the Crosse and shall I not take the Pledg from thee at thy Supper Dost thou give me a Title Mat. 26. 27. Mat. 26. 28. Ephes 1. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 19. to thy Bloud and shall any keep me out of my Possession Rob me of thy Mercy and my Right of no less then the Price of my Redemption Doest thou give me the Purchase in thy Bloud and shall any deny me the Seale in thy Church Thine O Christ how is that Church Thine that dare be guilty of so great a Rebellion and Robbery To violate at once thy Will and Seale To steal at once thy Cup and Scepter Against thy Testament and Will thy expresse Will and Order to doe that can there be a bolder a greater Rebellion To take the Cup from thy People and the Scepter out of thy hand to deprive their Soules of thy Bloud Sine grandi Sacrilegio fieri non posse Gelasi Concil Const thy Selfe and of thine Authority can there be a viler Robbery And to Confesse the Fact and Justifie what is done O thou King of Heaven and the Church can any Hand against thee be more High or act more Vile What then shall I doe Dear Jesus when and where I cannot doe this Where though I beg I cannot have thy Cup Shall I take half or none O Lord that art not for Halfe a Service thou art not for Half a Sacrament Thou that lookest at that as none wilt thou accept this for any And have not they just ground to fear that doe but half of this that when all is done they have done nothing Because by thine Authority and Holy Institution and the Practice of Primitive and Purest Church it was not Ordained nor Used so to be done Dear Jesus Pâ—ty the People that endure this Injury and either seek not or finde not ease from so great a Tyranny And Justifie thou their cause O Christ who for their Saviour and their Soules sake doe not give the right hand of Fellowship to those who thus rob thee of thy Worship Separate from their Service who divide thy Sacrament Because they dare not owne what those Usurp a Power to alter what thou dost Institute Nor Seal what they Decree an Act confest against thy Ordinance Nor doe what they enjoyne a Violation to thy Holy Seal and Sacrament How shall I Body with them that keep thy Bloud from me How shall my Soul unite with them who exhibite to me but half a a Saviour Shall â— not withdraw my self whole from them that will not give me the Sacrament entire but half If they deny me thy Cup shall they have my Communion O Lord How should I Communicate with them that take as my understanding from thy Service * In an unknown Tongue and thy Scripture from my * Reading forbidden Eyes so thy Cup from my Lips If that thou Commandest upon my Obedience without thy Curse I cannot doe other That is not to doe this 4. Doe this And see you doe it not what language is this leave this half undone Who dares thus contradict thee O Christ Is he thy Vicar or Master that dare doe thus Is it the Pillar of Truth whâ—ch thus puls down the Pillar of a Sacrament a Pillar of Salvation Takes off thy Blood the Cement of that Holy Pillar And so pulls if not all at least halfe down Shall I satisfie my Conscience with Wit And first Devise then Believe the Bloud is given in the Body But in Per Concâ—mitantiam the Eucharist thy Bloud is given as shed not kept Poured out not conteined Mat. 26. 28. in the Body And why then should any have the Cup since in the Body is a Conveyance of the Bloud Did the Apostles onely take the Cup Then Laiety must not eat the Bread and so be cut out of the Sacrament of Salvation both Body and Bloud Didst thou not foresee this O Lord and therefore say of purpose not Eat Mat. 28. 26 27. Non Edite omnes Previdente Domino quod de calice c. Bux Hist Dom Caenae 15. ye all but Drinke ye all of this to shew that none are to be excluded from the Cup By thy Grace then I will never doe that As thou appointest I will observe and doe this 5. This. Not thus It ties not to a Circumstance but the Substance of the Command Nor Place nor Time nor Number is confest for then only Twelve should Communicate in an upper Roome and at Night nor Gesture then if accidentall too though evident what it was the Church hath power to appoint it and I may with good Conscience observe her Appointment and though neither so nor so yet doe this In Remembrance I blush Lord to see my self need thy Memento for this Have I a Chest for the Trash of the World and no roome for thee my Heavenly Treasure Memory for what I list and none for what I should Thou hast so done thy marvellous Workes that they ought to be had in Remembrance O Lord And O thou Psa 114. 4. Isay 9. 6. whose Name is Wonderfull and all thy Workes as thy Name and in this above all thy Workes can I ever forget thee 2. Can I forget my self so much That do not breath a minute on Earth or out of Hell without thee If I forget thee O Jesus Let my tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth Let my right Hand forget her cunning Surely that Harp had never known the tune of Joy nor Hand had ever to doe with Harp hadst not thou put a World Ephes 1. 10 1 Cor. 5. 19 all out in order againe and set all in Tune 3. And is that all when I owe a thousand lives unto thee to require not my Body but my Minde to say Remember Not to suffer Death and die for thee but to forbid thy Memory to die in me Wil
which art in Heaven c. The Blessing THe God of Mercy and Peace be with me Body and Soul and blesse me and all mine and those that need his Mercy this night and evermore Amen So ends the Evening Prayer Particular Prayers Prayer of a Husband for a Wife O Lord Thou hast made the 1 Pet. 3. 2. Wife the weaker Vessel yet a necessary one Man the nobler Gen. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 11. 3 9. Prov. 12. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 7. of the two yet the Woman next the Man He is her Head but she is his Crowne let me then tender her as weaker and honour her as a Vessell of worth So weak let me never be as to give her my Power nor so wicked as to make her the Mistris of my Conscience So tyrannous 1 Kings 21. 9. Col. 2. 19. Gen. 21. 12. let me never be as to make her my Slave nor so imperious as not to allow her of my Counsell Let me value her well but my self better and love her much but thee more If she Mat. 19. 21. play Eve let not me be Adam take the forbidden fruit from her hand lest I give her ruine for respect let me not make her my Foot nor let her be my Head Thine Authority in me let me maintaine with love and hers under me with zeale that the yoke 1 Cor. 6. 14. which lies on both may be carryed with more comfort drawn on with more bliss to me and her all that is ours As thou lovest thy Spouse Lord Ephes 29. 22. let me love mine And as thy Church doth love reverence and obey thee let her love honour and observe me in thee and for thee Deare Jesus Amen Prayer of a Wife for her Husband FOr him I pray to thee O God Gen. 2. 23 24. whom thou by thy providence and Ordinance hast made most mine of all mankind my Husband and Head That I may pay him the Duty which by thy command I owe him with such conscience as thou maist acquit me and he behold me not as his Crosse but his Crown That he may Ephes 5. 22 25. return me that love and respect which by thy Law is due from him to me that I may embrace him as my Refuge not my storme Lord let me study by all 1 Pet. 3. 1. love and lowlinesse to make him mine and let him seek in all wisdome and kindnesse to make me his And let both unite Prayers and endeavours to make our selves and all ours thine That being espoused to thee on Earth we may at last be Married with thee in Heaven and dwell together in those mansions of blisse where is neither sin nor sorrow nor care nor discontent nor any distresse but a dower of Immortality and Joy and Glory for Body and Soul with felicity to all eternity even for ever and ever So be it dear Jesus Amen Amen Prayer of a Parent for Children O Lord who by thy favour hast given me Issue and in thy name Gen. 27. 4. 29. 1. power to blesse my Children Set thy seal I beseech thee to my Blessing Blesse them with grace to be thy Children me with grace by good example and education to keep them thine Blesse them with health and long and good life if thy blessed will and me with providence and due care by all right wayes to advance their good let me not allow my Children to be thy rebels and abhorre to make them so Let me not so distract my soul with care for them or load my Conscience with guilt as to convey thy Curse on me and them Let my care be Fatherly for their Lives and Christian for their Soules Believing all Psal 127. care to be vaine without thy blessing and Carking the way unto thy curse All blessings of this world so far good as they serve and help on to a better and unreasonable coveting of them a barre to that blisse O Lord my Children are more thine than mine Thou art Father of their Spirits I Heb. 12. 9. but of their Flesh Let me therefore trust thee for them as their best Father and my self with them as thy good Child taking care to doe our duty to 1 Pet. 5. 7. thee and casting all farther care upon thee So be it dear Father for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Prayer of a Child for Parents O Lord who hast made my Parents as Gods in thy stead under thee the Makers and Preservers of my life let me look at thy power and goodnesse in them and as thee love serve and obey them that I may give die Ephes 6. 1. to their life and length to their dayes And Lord who hast given them power to convey blessing on me give me leave from thee the Father of all to pray blessing on them And to my power to be ever dutifull and helpfull to them That so I may be as the Child of their love so the Heir of their blessing the blessing thou hast promised to loving and obedient Children theirs and thine give it me good Lord for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Prayer for a Family THat I have a Family to governe it is thy mercy O God but rule it aright I shall not without thy grace That grace Lord give me Wisdome to know what I am to doe and ability to do according to my knowledge by my instruction to lead it in thy fear Gen. 19. Deut. 6. 4. by my example to draw it by my Admonition to drive it on By my Providence to doe it right by my Protection to keep it from wrong As carefull to give to all their dues as to receive their duty Let me remember Ephes 6. 7. 9. Job 31. 13. 14. Col. 4. 1. that as my selfe my Servants are thine fashioned by thy hands and bought alike by thy Bloud that I may not despise them lest I despise thee Let me consider that my Children as mine are thine made after thine Image and born againe of thy Spirit that I may not neglect them lest I neglect thee And let them remember and consider that I stand in thy stead that as thy self they may serve and obey me and thine Authority in me And let me and them both be mindfull that I am thy Deputy I that I must account for my Charge and they that they must come to a reckning for their carriage both to thee the Soveraigne Judge and Lord of all That so I may so rule and they obey as all may be done in thee and for thee and all may reign at last in thee through the merits of him of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named the great gracious Master of us all Jesus Christ our Lord. Ephes 3. 13 Amen A Prayer for Issue O Lord who hast ordained Mariage the meanes to propagate Mankind and mak'st it fruitfull to that purpose by thy providence at thy pleasure I beseech
thy poore Child and Spouse who desires to love thee O be thou unto me all yea more than all unto me and that I may ever have thy love and care have thou mine ever I beseech thee and let neither world wooe nor Devill tempt nor flesh yeild it from thee let no lust defile my heart thy bed nor sinne blemish my body thy members let both be as thine undefiled before thee Where I have failed in either for time past Lord forgive me that for time to come I may keep more truly thine Lord strengthen me Behold the desires of my soule are after thee deare Jesus accept me let me live espoused by thy grace and at last be married to thy glory to that blessed day deare Saviour bring me and for it fit me and ever keep me deare Lord Jesus Amen Amen A Prayer for Fatherlesse-Children THou that art the Widowes Iudge and Orphans Father I commend to thy fatherly care my selfe and the Children thou hast given me Lord keep us from the evill of this world and bring us to the blisse of a better I beseech thee Holy Father take my Children to thy care and teach them thy feare be thou Tutor to their soules and Protector of their lives that by thy grace and mercy they may miscarry in neither let me serve thee in them and nurse them up in both for thee Assist me with wisdome and grace and power to doe it and give them grace in all duty and good obedience to suffer it let not my affections be too fiery or fond let me not neglect them nor distrust thee the love and care which is just let me give them and so expect thy blessing upon them And good Lord give it to them let the Fathers blessing be on them who is dead let a poore Mothers blessing be on them who lives let the blessing of their Friends be on them even all that pray it for them but above all let thy Blessing which is above all be upon them all I beseech thee Father of mercies Helper of the Fatherlesse blesse them Sonne of God that hadst little ones in thy armes on earth lay thy hands on them and blesse them Holy Spirit that didst appeare in the shape of a Dove behold their innocency and blesse them Holy Father Son and Spirit blesse them with thy grace and bring them to thy glory and me with them I beseech thee even for thy mercies sake for thy merits sake for thy goodnesse sake thou deare Maker Redeemer and Sanctifier of us all now and ever say Amen to the humble prayers which I put up unto thee in such words as thou hast taught me to say Our Father c. Prayer against sudden Death IF my repentance be daily no Death can be sudden to my Soule O Lord to make my Soule therefore surely thine let me be every day at a certaine with repentance And because the summes of my sinnes are vast and I may forget my debt and duty in the daily discharges of my sinnes and not repent for all or not enough O therefore give me a faire summons to my last end that I may die with a cleare soule and make so good an account as thou mayest acquit me of all my sins for his sake who paid the price of all in his blood even for the deare merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Prayers for one going to Sea 1. Prayer for a Voyage SEal thou my Passe O Lord and then I shal go safe yea do thou according to thy wonted goodnesse goe with me good God! guide me prosper me return me O let not my failings follow me but thy mercy put them from me and thy grace in Iesus Christ accept me And now save me and mine I beseech thee and all that by Land or Sea are in any extremity for his sake who is the Saviour of us all Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2. Prayer Gratulatory after a Voyage SAlvation is thine O Lord thine therefore be the glory that the flouds have not swallowed me up and the Deep shut her mouth upon me And now Lord who in thy great mercy and goodnesse hast been my Saviour at Sea be my Guide at Land lead me and shield me and blesse me that as I desire I may doe and in thy due time returne to live and serve thee in the place and way thou hast appointed for me on earth till I come to the place prepared in heaven for all that love thee through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 3. Prayer at returne to Sea I Doe againe cast my selfe into thy armes deare Father embrace me for thy mercies sake hold my life in thy hand till thou hast brought me to the Haven where I would be and thence conduct me to the home where I should be there let me preserve the memory of thy mercies that thou mayest continue the possessions of thy goodnesse to me and mine till thou shalt please to translate us from our earthly Tabernacles to thy everlasting Habitations through the merits of Iesus Christ the blessed Purchaser of both for which ever fit us and prepare us by thy grace O God! Amen Amen A Prayer after returne home from Sea O God that hast been with me in my going out and comming in my Pilot by Sea Conduct by Land receive therefore the humble praises of my gratefull soule most sensible of thy goodnesse And still O Lord blesse me and mine and let thy holy Spirit so steare our course in the Sea of this sublunary world that we may escape those lusts which drowne souls in perdition and by the blessed guidance and assistance of thy grace arrive at last at the Land of everlasting life to live and dwell and love and laud adore joy in thee and enjoy thee for ever by the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Thanksgiving for deliverance from a Storme O Lord thou hast made me to see the great dreads and dangers of the Deep and I am alive at this day by thy gracious deliverance O let this mercy be ever in my memory and let me never forget the service which I vowed and owe unto thee for that mercy Make me so mindfull of that Passe-over of the floods that I may better passe the time of my Pilgrimage in thy feare till at last I come to have a happy Passe-over to thy glory even for his sake who is passed to heaven before me and for me Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2. Thanksgiving for deliverance from a Storme With a holy Meditation against perills O Lord thy providence is above all perils thy power above all stormes thy mercy above all sins I have seen I have seen at once thy Greatnesse and Goodnesse O God! thou wast my Anchor and I am saved thou wast my Pilot and I am preserved when no hope but to perish for wants then I had it and am help'd from heaven praised for ever be thou the God of my help Praised for
prosper me O blessed Captaine of my salvation deare Jesus who didst shed thy blood for me shield me now that am to fight for thee and all engaged with me Have mercy on us all deare Jesus and give us victory Amen Amen Our Father c. 4. Thanksgiving after Fight LOrd that hast been the shield of Ps 28. 30. 124. 128. After Victory 26. 98. thy Servant I give thee the glory of thy goodnesse And still Lord in all dangers be my shield that I may give thee yet more glory for that thou hast given me to see many fall and my selfe stand that thou hast shewed me this day many wounded and kept me safe Glory be to thee O Lord for thy mercy for ever by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Our Father c. 5. Prayer for one wounded in Warre O Lord thou woundest and healest 1 Sam. 2. 6. thou killest and thou makest alive I doe beseech thee therefore to heale him in thy mercy who is not wounded without thy providence Lord Jesu thou good and great Physitian of wounded bodies souls who never failest to cure whom thou pleasest to recover take him to thy care who is wounded in thy cause and even for thy tender mercies sake I beseech thee heale his Soule of his sins and his Body of his wounds O thou that thy self was wounded and sheddest thy blood for him and us all in this bleeding condition of his let thy blood be his cordiall and thy wounds his remedies And thou Lord of life who on earth with thy Word made the sick and wounded to recover yea the dead to live say unto him from Heaven Live and Recover that he may serve thee more and better on Earth And now and ever fit and prepare him with thy grace that when he dies he may live and reigne with thee in Heaven through the blessed merits and mediation who wast wounded and slaine to heale and save us all O Jesus Christ our Lord our life and onely hope and succour and Saviour in life and death Amen Prayers for the Sick 1. A Confession and Prayer for mercy and Deliverance O Lord I do humbly confesse to the glory of thy justice that the sicknesse which I suffer is the fruit of my sin the Root of Mankind was poysoned with it and I am a branch of it yea and am much and many waies polluted by it and so am like my Root a poysoned branch I am therefore a Child of Death Rom. 5. 12. and Heire of the Grave the issue of his sin and sicknesse is my portion as I am his Child But Lord I am the seed of a second Adam looke at me not as I am in the first but thy Christ a graft of that Isaiah holy stock the root of Jesse the branch of righteousnesse the Holy One of God for his pretious merits sake forgive me my sin and have mercy on me in my sicknesse And O deare Iesus Joh. 5. 14. that didst take flesh and blood for me pity me poore flesh and blood groaning before thee comfort me and succour me help me and heale me even by the merits of thy pretious blood I beseech thee Amen Amen Prayer for Patience in Sicknesse I Am thy Prisoner O Lord chained by infirmity to a bed of paine but let me not fret even because I am thine Thine whose chaine I cannot breake Thine who dost draw me to thee by this chaine Thine who for my sinne dost justly bind me Thine who knowest when it 's best to loose me Thine who seest what lies upon me Thine who hearest every groane within me Thine who for my sinnes mightâ—st bind me in everlasting chains and sendest this sicknesse to save me O Lord since I am so many waies thine let me submit to thy chaine and lie as thy prisoner so thy Patient before thee and let thy pity in thy good time release me and charge not the errors of my infirmity upon me for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Thanksgiving for Recovery of Sicknesse WHat shall I render unto the Psal 116. Lord for all his benefits done to me the snares of death compassed me and the paines of Hell tooke hold upon me I found woe and misery then called I on the name of the Lord and he heard me yea thou Lord wast he that helped me Thou art my God and I wil praise thee It was not Man it was thou that healed me All Physitians are of no value all Medicines vaine without thee Thy Mercy O Lord was my Balme and I will magnifie it Thou wast my Physitian and I will praise thee My heart in all extremity shall therefore trust in thee My lips shall speake of thy praise and my life honour thee I will not be so wretched as to offend thee with the healthinesse thou hast given me with the life anew bestowed on me O Lord keep that wretchednesse for ever from me thy grace therefore ever give me to have in all my waies this mercy and thy glory before me even so be it I beseech thee O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Amen Prayer against the Plague O Lord Pestilence is thy Arrow and my sins have made mee thy marke nor canst thou misse me in thy justice But spare me Lord spare me in thy mercy Though I deserve the stroke for my selfe spare me for my Saviours sake let his innocency be my shield and his blood my antidote O Lord I have I wish no other antidote or shield By the soveraigne and all-saving merits of his I beseech thee pardon my sinne and spare my life Spare my soule that it may better serve thee spare my body that it may better serve my soule spare my heart that I may keepe it more carefully for thee spare my blood that my spirits may be more active to serve thee And as I pray Pestilence from my body so I beseech thee keep it from my soule Preserve me from the house and shield me from the chaire of pestilence As from infected Bodies so from Spirits which breath errors and vices pests and plagues of souls From all mutuall diseases defend me Body and Soule but from those fearfull ones above all I beseech thee And all those thou hast made neare and deare unto me deare Saviour doe it for thy mercies sake Amen Prayer for one infected with the Plague I Am struck O God and by thy hand I beseech thee let me bleed in thy Armes in thy Armes of mercy let me depart if I must die but Lord embrace me with thy favour that I may live live out this danger and see thy deliverance out-live my sins and doe thee more service Meane while mercy Lord for Jesus his sake mercy to thy poore Servant pardon to my sinne comfort to my spirit acceptance to my repentance strength to my faith life to my charity salvation to my soule that whether I live or die I may be thine O Lord who to redeem and save me
didst both live and die in virtue of thy blood that sole and soveraigne antidote and sanctuary of bleeding Sinners thy deare and pretious blood let my soule live if my body die but if thy blessed will both live to praise thy goodnesse to both Lord cast my sins behind thy back and hold me in thy Armes Into thy Armes of mercy I cast my self Body Soul my onely hope and refuge and rock of my salvation is in thy blessed merits and blood deare Jesus take me and keep me in thy Armes now and ever and especially in my last hower and agonie have mercy on me I beseech thee Amen Amen Thanksgiving for one recovered of the Plague THou hast smitten and thou hast healed me O my God! the blow was grievous thy help is greater the blow was just thy help more gracious my sinnes deserved death thy mercy hath spared my life O Lord with an humble thankfull soule I doe acknowledge as ever so now especially from thy good hand my present life and health And now I humbly beseech thee that my heart may smite me that I have ever rebelled against so good a Majestie and thy grace keep me that I never more lift up my hand against so great a goodnesse O let not the pestilence goe from my body to my soule let not Satan and corruption poyson perswade my spirit to sit in the chaire or stay in the house of pestilence Let not others be infected with sinne by me nor me by them lest thou be more provoked and the plague gone returne in a greater judgment My God my help my health my hope my life and comfort be thy Name ever blessed that hast spared my soule and life O let it be no more dishonoured by me that keeping from the infection of an evill world I may live in the blisse of a better where is neither sinne nor sicknesse to infect soule or body but perfect health strength grace and glory in thee and with thee to all eternity O Jesus my onely refuge and the horne of my salvation So be it Amen Amen Prayer for one at the Hower of Death to be said by the Sick or some for him altering the Person 1. Prayer of one at the point of Death GOd the Father his mercies be about me God the Sonne his merits be upon me God the Holy Ghost his comforts be within me Holy Trinitie preserve strengthen and support me that my Death may be pretious in the sight of the Lord and my Soule live with thee to all eternity Amen Amen 2. Prayer for one at the point of Death FAther of mercies let thy love be to him Saviour of the world let thy merits be on him Comforter of departing Souls let thy peace be in him Father Sonne and Holy Spirit defend a Child of thy Family save a Lamb of thy Flock keep a member of thy Church O thou One and onely Lord God of Heaven command thy holy Angels to tender him and forbid evill ones to trouble him Deliver his soul discharge his sinne seale his pardon heavenly Father by thy Holy Spirit in the blood of Jesus Amen Amen 3. Prayer for one at the point of Death LOrd Jesus Succour this Dying Soule make passage for him by death to a better life purge his sins in thy Blood and prepare his Soule by thy Spirit and receive it to the glory of thy Father Jesus that didst so deerly purchase it make haste to receive it from the pangs of present and paines of everlasting death Good Lord deliver it deliver it for thy mercies sake Amen Amen Thanksgiving after Death for one Departed ¶ Say this Scripture Psal 116. 7 15. Returne unto thy rest ô my Soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of the Saints Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours ¶ Then Pray thus THou that hast sent for this Soul out of the Prison of his Bodie to come to the Palace of thy Blisse receive our praises O Lord for his happy deliverance from pangs to joyes from Tryalls to Triumphs from Earth to Heaven O Lord we beseech thee admit our humble lauds to attend him into thy presence and with them let our prayers enter before thee that as he so we in thy good time may come and present our Halleluja's with our selves in thy sight And meane time lead a godly life to have a blessed death Lord let us not forsake thee now that thou mayest not leave us then in that last and great hower upon which followes an Eternitie of weale or woe Lord have mercy on us and doe not forsake us and therefore let us have the feare of it and thee now and ever before us that as we believed our Brother departed is we may be blessed in and by our death grant we may deare Iesus Amen Amen A generall Thanksgiving for Gods mercies O Thou high Majestie of Heaven how hast thou filled me with the favours of thy bounty how great hast thou been in thy goodnesse and mercy how gracious in thy providence to me thou hast poured the blessings of heaven and earth upon my head Thou hast loaden me with thy gifts bestowed upon me in Creating Redeeming and in Preserving me In my Creation thou gavest me thine Image and madest me more noble than all the Creatures of the earth In my Redemption thou gav'st me thy Sonne and madest me more glorious than the Angels of Heaven In my Baptisme and Regeneration thou gavest me thy Spirit and hast made me more happy than millions of men in the world Thou hast given thy self to me Lord what could'st thou doe more for me thrice blessed yea for ever be thy glorious Name for thine infinite grace mercy and goodnesse to me And in thy providence for this life how abundantly hast thou blessed me in health wealth body mind c. and many and many mercies vouchsafed me In my weaknesse thou hast strengthened me in my dangers thou hast delivered me in my distresses thou hast comforted me in my prayers thou hast heard me in thy judgments thou hast spared me to this day preserving my life and making it many waies joyfull to me And not for any good in me O Lord hast thou been thus gracious towards me My ills on earth hath been many my ingratitudes great against thee For them thou mightest for ever banish me from heaven and with my sinnes cast me into hell amongst those that offend thee for thy owne goodnesse and great Names sake hast thou been thus bountifull and mercifull to me O fill my heart with thy love that my mouth may poure ou◠praises to thee Ravish my soule with thy goodnesse that my heart may ever love thee Fill my life with thy feare that as my lips my thoughts deeds may ever honour thee let me not be so wretched as to forget thy
mercy so wicked as to abuse thy blessings let all that I am and have serve thee mind body state health friends none be abused to vanity in any way of sin to reproach thee but all made to extoll my Makers praises and my Redeemers glory Since I owe my selfe by so many bonds of blessings to thee yea thousand lives and soules had I so many to serve thee let me not deny the service of one poore soule body unto thee O blessed Maker and Redeemer and Preserver of both I have no more to give thee my self therefore made of both I present unto thee I give thee my self on earth O Lord accept me and receive me to thy selfe in heaven where with thy Angels I shal give thee perfect praises singing Hallelujahs day and night giving everlasting lauds unto thee my great Maker my deare Redeemer my holy Comforter my good Preserver O God Father Son and holy Ghost O blessed and adored Trinity to thee and to thy goodness alone for what I am and have hope of bliss in this or a better world be all honour praise thanksgiving and glory for ever and ever Amen Amen A Gratulatory Commemoration of Gods mercies and deliverances REceive the sacrifice of my thankfull soule O Lord for all thy mercies * Here think of particular and mercifull deliverances of me and mine from diseases and dangers by Land or Water in Warre or Peace of old or late for soule or body O! what great dangers hast thou shewed me and them and yet hast delivered us from all our feares they live and I live and all live and why but to praise thee the God of our salvation and life thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God and I will worship thee yea whilst I live will I magnifie thee on this manner And O give me grace to give thee more better glory Glory from my lips and glory from my life Glory in my mind by a just sense and Meditation of thy mercy And glory from my heart in a true love and joy of thy goodnesse till thou dost give me thy glory in heaven Lord let me ever give thee this glory on earth even so Lord for all thy benefits and blessings from any ill or of any good to me or any more nearly mine from the hower of my birth to this day of my life glory be to thee now and ever by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Thanksgiving for a preserved Friend or others formerly Prayed for MY Heart is full of thy goodness O God! thou hast delivered thy Servant from his dangers and me from my fears O what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits to me O my God! I give thee a thankfull heart and beseech thee to give me a thankfull life Grace so to live that my deeds as well as words may speak me thankfull O let me not pay thee with neglects for thy favours lest thou returne me plagues for thy mercies let me have care to serve thee in for thy goodnesse that I may still rejoice in and for thy salvation of him and me and all who are more dearly mine even so be it for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Prayers for every day in the Week SUNDAY A Prayer against the flesh O Lord deliver me from my selfe my sinfull sensuall and carnall selfe ready to joyne with my foes to ruine my soule by yeilding it up to the temptations of sinne Let me watch it as my most mortall enemy without which all the Devils in hell cannot force nor all the powers on earth fasten a sin upon me and yet a foe so inbred and Naturall to me as will lodge in me whilest I live and never leave me Make me see what cause I have to keepe a strict and continuall watch and pray thy aide when the Devill and the World without beset me and lead on Armies of Temptations against me and the flesh within is false and ever ready to betray me and let them in upon me From such Enemies and Traytors Lord deliver me and as I love the eternall salvation of my soule let me not sleepe in security that have to doe with such Enemies And since the flesh is my foe let me not cherish it and satisfie it and provide for it and entertaine it as a friend but according to thy will and the necessity of my soule let me not spare to crucifie and kill it as my Enemy which will torture me if I be not crucified and kill me if I doe not kill it And grant me Good God the power of thy Spirit to doe thy will in mortifying of the flesh to the saving of my soule Let my life be a continuall fight against the corruptions of my flesh and succour me with wisdome and grace to maintaine that fight let me watch and fast and use all due meanes to beat downe my body if that give it strength Let me meditate and heare and reade and pray and weep in all good wayes seeking to beare up my soule to beat downe that sinfull body and bring it to death And because though now beaten downe a new Temptation will raise it up and struck dead it will revive againe Hasten my soule O Lord out of these endlesse Warres where I may keep the triumphs of an eternall peace from earth to heaven and strengthen my soule to get those daily victories over my lusts that they bring me to those triumphs O Christ that hadst flesh and no corruption pitty me that have both Succour my double frailty thou that knowest the infirmity of the flesh Assist me with thy holy Spirit to stand Recover me when I fall in these holy fights Relieve my wants forgive my weaknessâ—s close up my wounds by thy bloud Blessed Saviour the Captaine of my Salvation who didst fight and conquer all my foes and now sittest on thy Throne in triumph in heaven make me so to fight that I may conquer on earth and having subdued the flesh may sit with thee on the Throne From their shame keepe me that prefer the Subject before the Soveraigne Flesh before the Spirit From their losse keep me that prefer a Toy to a Crowne a Lust to a Kingdome From their Cowardise keepe me that dare not fight for a Crowne but yeild their souls up to lust From their woe ever keep me that buy delights with their death for a little life after the flesh dying eternally bodies and soules From such folly and misery deare Jesus deliver me Amen! Amen! MONDAY A Prayer against the Devill O Lord how shall my poore soule stand against Temptation it thou doe not assist me who have as many Ghostly Enemies as Devils to tempt me malicious crafty busie and mighty all of them hating my soule to death watching my weaknesses and continually seeking occasion to devour me O my God without thy strength I cannot stand and by thy strength I shall not fall For thou O God art above
the Devill of more goodnesse wisdome care and power to save then he is able to destroy Thou canst send more succours to me then he can bring forces against me more holy Angels then he hath wicked Spirits Lord give me that strength Lord send me those succours Put upon me the armour of light to fight with the Rulers of darknesse Let the Helmet of hope be on my head and the brestplate of faith and love on my heart that I be not mortally wounded in the fight In my extremity send thy Angels to succour me And let thy holy Spirit be my Leader that the evill one may not be my Conquerour Lord Jesus that knowest what it was to be tempted and didst overcome the Tempter for me relieve my frailty when I am tempted and suffer not Satan to overcome me And let me be sober and watch and pray that I enter not into Temptation that thou mayest relieve me O Lord How shall I not fall into the hand of Hell if I throw my selfe into Temptation From such presumptions O Christ preserve me How many soules have beene left and lost in those bold adventures of their strength make me sadly to consider that such a daring Spirit may never possesse me Let me remember with feare and trembling what great Saints have falne that I may with an humble and holy care and feare seeke for thy strength to stand and being upheld by thy right hand may never fall But let me not cast my self out of thine into Satans hand for if thou Lord doe not uphold and he pull downe how shall I stand And let me keepe my wayes that I cast not my selfe out for thou wilt not protect me but in thy wayes And let me not runne my selfe into temptation for that is out of my wayes and thy protection Thou great Shepheard of the sheep keepe me a poore Lambe of thy fold Thou Lion of the Tribe of Juda that hast prevailed save me from the roaring Lion that he may never prevaile And in and from all his Temptations deliver me in thy mercy that he may not devour my soule for all his roaring Rescue me thou that didst redeeme me Preserve me thou that didst create me my Lord and my God my strength hope deare Jesus Amen TUESDAY A Prayer against the World O Lord The World is a strong Enemy to conquer The great Conquerors of the powers were Captives to the vanities of the World yet by thy strength it may be conquered for thou art greater then he that is the world Thou didst O Saviour conquer it for me and by thy aide I may conquer it for my selfe And by thy will I must conquer it with thee on earth if I will triumph with thee in Heaven O then let me resolutely set and fit my selfe for the conquest of the world And to the forces of reason Lord give me the powers of grace by which I may make a conquest This world is but for a time and will end at last and how soone to me thou Lord onely knowest and did it endure what comfort or contentment can my immortall soule receive in any or all the good of the world O let me not lose my eternall inheritance in the world to come for a poore portion in this present world Thou Lord hast made me in it but me for thy self and it for me O then let me never be of it let my Spirit alwayes be above it Let me not make my Servant my Soveraigne good Assist me by thy grace that I may not O God! And because my senses are so naturall and neare unto me and the world takes my soule captive by the power of my senses O let me watch those gates against the entries of Temptations and looke well to my sense that I lose not my soule That I doe not Lord keepe me from all evill from the men and from the things of the world From Companies and Counsels and examples of the ill set on by the Devill to wooe for the world Lord keep me as so many foes and fiends to my soule and let me rather suffer them as my sorrowes then take solace in such men From the Vanities of the world that they doe not allure me and the miseries of it that they may not deject me The great powers by which the world assaults me defend me O Lord that they doe not overcome me and let me looke well to my soule because I am never free from such assaults From the Vanities of Riches Honours Pleasures the prevailing goods of the world the Heaven she brings And from the miseries of wants scornes ignominies injuries tortures the powerfull ills of the world the Hell she hath Lord keep me that they lead not my soule into the Captivitie of sin lest I feele a worser Hell and lose a better Heaven Let me not lose thy favour for the smiles nor incurre thy displeasure for the frownes of this world Let neither her Sorceries bewitch me to ill nor her Tyrannies fright me from good Let my love and feare be both on thee the good and ill not of this but another life On that be my heart on this my foot Let me love and value and use this world onely as it may helpe me to that Not for the Throne of my Spirit but the footstoole of my soule By whose good my body may be better enabled to serve my Spirit and both to serve Thee and come to the good of a better world For such a Conquest Lord strengthen me and to these Triumphs above bring me even for his sake who hath overcome the flesh the Devill and the World for me Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen WEDNESDAY A Prayer against sudden Death O Thou great Judge of the world I am a child of death by the sentence of the Law for Adams sinne and have deserved it at the hands of thy Justice for my owne yet in thy mercy thou hast not executed that sentence upon me but to this day hast continued my life Yea most mercifull God when the feares and snares of Death and Hell tooke hold on me and my provocations were great against thee in those great distresses I called upon thee and thou didst heare me and deliver me Lord make me ever thankfull for thy goodnesse and take not away thy loving kindnesse from me though since I have not walked worthy of thy mercy Save my soule from the sins that trouble me Save my body from the sicknesses that feare me And save my life from all ill accidents and disasters that may befall me If thou speak the word O Lord I shall be safe body and soule and no ill can touch me Good Lord speake that word and save me Pardon my sins that they doe not destroy me and lengthen my dayes that I may better serve thee For a sudden death by a present repentance and good life Lord ever prepare me And from a sudden death by thy good providence deliver me That I may have
thy Spirit and by all meanes mould me and make my heart of that temper that the least touch of sin may trouble me that I may not obstinately goe on in a course of Rebellion against thee Mercifull Father let all thy crosses come rather upon me then this curse befall me That I may rather grieve and groane with hope on earth then waile and houle in hell without remedie A heart of flesh for stone Lord give me let thy holy Spirit work and keep it in me Doe it deare Saviour for me I beseech the in thy mercy Amen Amen Animadversion to the Devout Reader touching these Services THe Author in these Services tenders thee some things new and nothing he hopes naught There are extant Books of Prayers and Meditations and Directions apart and those who joyne some of these together but all as in his way he knowes none He conceives that the Soul engaged in a particular duty will be much assisted by so manie helps at hand and come off better with the Service Vicissitudes of Devotions like changes of clothes as they please the mind because they clog lesse so they will advance her piety the more when all though they goe severall waies meet in one study and care to work her Spirituall preferment Thy Spirit will not be lesse devoted to thy Prayers for having breathed it in holy Scriptures Nor wilt thou take in that Holy aire with lesse advantage to thy Soules health for going to it from thy Prayers Nor will those Heavenly refreshments profit or last less for plying the Soul at present well-devoted with proper pious Meditations Instructions set suteing to her particular purposes This will be as a Word in due season fit and good and serve as a little Sermon to nourish Holy Spirit so Divinely begot which else may starve before it can come to a greater and perhaps not have her particular state and case much reached and relieved neither if she come The Closet the good mans Daily Sanctuary alwayes * Ezek. 11 16. and in persecution often his onely Church as it never wants Gods Spirituall Altar a Devout heart nor his Garden Gods Holy Book in it nor Gods Holy Service an Holy Prayer-Book for it By this shall have a little Pulpit too Necessary for those who have no other and profitable for those who may want a better And surely the Soule which keeps her daily walkes betwixt Gods Altar and Garden her Prayers and his Scriptures must needs grow and goe on in Godlinesse And faster and firmer both for hearing every day a Sermon when Her selfe is the Preacher Her state the Text and God and Conscience the Auditory Reader He that is not for a Pulpit in the Chamber would have this in thy Closet and thinkes he shall doe God and thee good Service in these devote-lesse times to furnish thy Closet with such a Pulpit His Aime thou seest His patterne thou maist easily aime at especially if a Child of that Mother whose wisdome taught him such Prayers Though some things in the Services be new there are no novelties in them but for thy singular use compiled and made a Handfull of little Homilies and Prayers Rules for every Sundayes Devotion Sunday-morning When you awake lift up your heart and say O Sun of Righteousness which this day didst rise for me shine now and ever with thy Grace and Mercy upon me Amen When you are up kneel and say this Prayer O Lord Holynesse becometh thy House Dutifulness becometh me to go to thy Courts wait upon Thee And this is the great day of thy Service Thou that hast given me to see the light of this day make me carefull to do the duty of it timely to Present my selfe unto Thee and reverently to behave my self before Thee that I may come with fruit and favour from thee for Jesus Christ His sake Amen Before you goe to Church say if you have time the Sunday-Service following Omit not to say the Collect for it howsoever in the Afternoone say the Evening-Service Sunday-night When you goe to Bed kneel and say O Sun of Righteousnesse keep me from utter darknesse let me so sleep in thy Peace that I may be every ready to arise and meet thee in thy Glory Amen Amen Seven Services for the 1 st Week Services set to the Daies of the Weeke for foure severall Weeks Sunday-service Of the joyes of Heaven Morning Prayer Psal 36. 84. Lesson Isa 64. Mat. 5. to 13. or Mat. 17. to 14. Evening Prayer Psalm 15. 16. Lesson Isaiah 35. Apoc. 21. Then this following Collect. After it the Daily Prayers ¶ Sunday Collect or Prayer for the joyes of Heaven DEare Saviour who hast purchased lost Heaven for me by thy blood and now possessest it for me in my flesh possesse my soule I beseech thee with thy holy Spirit that my conversation now may be heavenly on earth and my habitation hereafter happy in heaven O let me not for the perishing pleasures of this vaine world lose an eternity of blessed joyes in thy presence and Kingdome Preserve me to it deare Redeemer who hast prepared it for me even for thy mercies sake O Lord. Amen Daily Prayers 1. Meditation of the joyes of Heaven WHat do I on earth when God is in Heaven Why are my Heart Body in two severall worlds And where but with Him and on Him should be my Heart Lord draw to thee what is made for thee till Bodie can come let my Spirit be with thee till my Soule depart from my Bodie to dwell for ever with thee let Devotion carry my thoughts out of my Soule and daily visit thee My help my hope my solace my salvation Father of my Spirit Husband of my Soule Soveraigne of my welfare Author of my nature End of my essence Blisse of my being Satisfaction of my desires Rest of my thoughts Perfection of my powers my life is a banishment imprisonment punishment on earth if thou be in heaven shun I never so much I shall meet with nothing but sinne and miserie seek I never so much I shall not find any thing of blisse below had I whole lands of wealth with hills of honour upon them and rivers of pleasure about those all were not a peble a pile a drop to my blessednesse my avaritious ambitious voluptuous desires are left drie on earth onely fill'd and drown'd in the paradise crowne and kingdome of heaven the ocean of blisse runs about the good that is infinite high above change great without measure full without want long beyond time away then my Soule from thy banishment bondage woe and miserable vanitie to thy home freedome joy and true felicitie Dove of grace flie to the windows of glory mount to those Louvers on high where the ravenous Bird of hell can neither seize or fright thee nor the beasts of the earth devoure or disquiet thee Heaven on Earth is a monstrous confusion if thou vainly seek it there thou
mayest as soone find it in Hell God is not in that heaven onely seek and solace thy self in the waies of God that 's heaven on earth indeed both a glimpse of the glorie above and a light to find heaven where it is in heaven and from the goods of the world raise up thy thoughts to a better blisse Say if so well on earth how much better in heaven so let it be not thy myrrour of blisse but perspective Not thy chaire but foot-stoole to take a better sight flight to thy Throne so thou shalt at once walke on earth and goe to heaven yea thou shalt divide thy selfe betwixt both Bodie to earth and Soule to heaven And God will in that day blessedly unite what thou dost devoutly divide and keep with him in heaven for ever both Bodie and Soule 2. Meditation see Soliloquie p. Monday-Service Of the Miseries of this World Morning Prayer Psal 120. 129. 137. Lesson Gen. 47. or Job 14. Luk. 21. or Act. 20. Evening Prayer Ps 39. 42. or 84. 102. Lesson Lam. 3. Rom. 7. Then after this following Collect the Daily Prayers ¶ Monday Collect touching the Miseries of Earth O Lord with us is miserie with thee is mercy on earth all ill in heaven all good O for thy mercies sake support me in all my miseries and deliver me from my sins the cause of them all And of thy goodnesse I beseech thee raise up my heart to covet and seek the good of heaven that my hold and hope of it may comfort me against all the ills of the earth Let the bitternesse which I feele below win me from this evill world and whet in me a holy appetite to the pure sweets and joies which be above And in thy good time fill my Soule with those blessed Solaces I beseech thee even for his blessed merits and mediation sake who is my onely joy hope in heaven and earth Jesus Christ my deare Redeemer and Advocate Amen Meditation of the Miseries of the World WHy so much wedded to the world when woe is her Dowrie entailed as a Portion by God Gen. 3. 17. on Adam and thee if his Son since he forfeited with his Allegiance his Paradise and thine by his default Earth ever since brings forth woes as Job 5. 7. fire sparks Within thee or without thee for thy self or others In Bodie or Soule woods will as soone want leaves as the world faile thee of woes thou art heire to all Inheritour at least of some never secure from any because alwaies in griefe or feare of all And least blest too when most secure most unhappy when least miserable bliss in this life being the greatest curse because the portion of a man markt out for everlasting unhappiness Psal 17. 14. Alas what a purchase is a little fickle worldly bliss with woes all and everlasting after it not without some in it My heart if thou hast so mis-caried in thy choice let this divorce the mariage love earth when thou art fond of woe and not afraid of hell Thou wilt find good Alimonie after this divorce Thou wilt live more well and die much better for it Thou wilt entertaine death as a deliverance from her ills whose goods thou scornest And receive and read a Summons to thy end not as an Archest and call to judgement but an Acquittance from calamitie Thou wilt eye heaven as thy harbour of rest and be weary of the world as a sea of trouble Thou wilt study to steer thy course by the Card and Compass of the Infallible word and rule to know and goe the right way to heaven So good is the Worlds wormwood above her honey for the souls health if we take and taste it right And even our miseries are made great mercies because good medicines for that happy health Did earth afford sinfulfalne man one Paradise he would scarce looke for two Now that he finds a Purgatorie of it it drives him to the true Paradise and bring him sooner to those joies by the hastening of those woes which hie more to heaven when most heavie on earth Tuesday-Service Against the Vanities of the World Morning Prayer Psal 4. 39. or 37. 102. 104. Lessons Eccl. 1. 2. or any Chap. of it Mat. 16. or Lu. 12. Evening Prayer Psal 52. 62. Lessons Eccles 3. 4. c. Hab. 2. 1 Tim. 6. Then the Daily Prayers after this folowing Tuesday-Coll against the vanities of the world O Lord who hast made this world for me and me for another let me not be caried away with the vanities of that world which cannot content my Soule and will not continue with me O! let my heart be fixed on higher things never to be moved with worldly vanities that when this world shall end to me or I to it I may enjoy those honours and joyes and goods which shall never end with thee thy Angels and Saints in a better world through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then Daily Prayers Meditation of the Vanities of the World THe World is a shop of Vanities Honours Riches Pleasures the chief Commodities the Devil Master of the shop and Man his miserable Customer The common price is our Souls which we give him to get them and yet possesse nothing lesse worse than nothing by all we get which is the vainest of that vanitie of vanities O Man be not thou so vile and vaine why doth transitory good take thee who hast an Immortall Spirit why doth sensible joy carry thee away who hast a faculty for the highest intellectuall good capacity of Eternitie Alas thou wilt as soone fill a sive with water as thy Soule with the Isa 55. 2. world and couldst thou give her a fill of it a short time would to thy greater losse and grief run it all out again Let the world then be not thy Idol but thy scorne Believe it if worldly good be thy Deity her glory profit and delight thy Trinity they will not fill but faile and vex thy heart and so give thee for blisse a triple infelicity vexation is their fullest satisfaction and their end not thy content but torment It is infinite eternall goodnesse which must give man of an immortall Spirit content In that Deity is his rest and his felicity in that only Trinity Let God then be as he is thy Throne the world as it should be thy footstoole By her good climbe up to God get thus up Abundance of good here seems brave what is all indeed in heaven what is substance when the shew is such what to have all things when so valued to have nothing what blisse is to be found in the Trinity of uncreated goodnesse when so much is fancied in the Three poorpetty created Goods of that revised devised and fond-imagined Godhead What if thou hast senses by which they wooe and court thy love Hath not thy Soule a power to guide and governe those Handmaids O Man thy senses are in thy Soule Monster if thou
To that end it will be of some force to thinke 1. At death all leaves us Why 1 Tim. 6 7 Jam. 4 14. 1 Pet. 1. 17 so much cost on my Inne 2. Life is short Why such luggage for a little journey 3. Nature needs little Why clog 1 Tim. 6. 8. Conscience and it with much 4. My goods are trusts Why such Luk. 16. 2. care to have what is anothers 5. I must reckon for all Why Phil. 4. 17. then such reckoning of any 2. And effectually done if I have grace 1. To love the world lesse for 1 Joh. 2. 15 then I will not covet it much And value it low for then I will love it lesse Did we prize Riches as strawes we would not seek them as Pearles 2. To beleeve God better Then Heb. 13. 5. his Providence will moderate our care and his Promise banish our Covetousnesse 3. To serve God more For then Psal 37. 3. 54. 9. of St. Mat. I shall beleeve him better and challenge maintenance from him upon his Honour and Word 4. To be content with what I 1 Tim. 6. 6 have For then I will not crave what I have not and shall bring my mind to my lot if I Phil. 4. 11. 12. cannot it to my mind 5. To be thrifty with content For he that is a Prodigall to spend is forced to be a Miser to get Avarice never works more then in the service of luxury 6. To be covetous with my thirst Amos 4. 1. to wit of Heaven He that loves true riches scornes earthly 1 Cor. 12. 1. And will so get and use them as they may encrease 1 Tim. 6 19. the heavenly So he will be charitable not miserable thinking Act. 20. 35 it happier to be of the Giving than Receiving hand Tuesday-Service Against Gluttonie Morning Prayer Psal 17. 73. Lessons Deut. 8. or 32. Amos 6. Luke 16. or 21. Evening Prayer Psal 78. or 160. Lessons Dan. 5. or Isaiah 22. Rom. 13. or 1 Cor. 10. Phil. 3. Jude or Epist ¶ Collect or Prayer against Gluttonie DEare Saviour that would'st have my Body a Temple for thy holy Spirit thou wilt not have it a Sepulcher for Beasts Thou that hast done my lips Mat. 26. â—6 the blisse honour to be made Dores for thy Holy Bodie to enter at wilt not have them gates for the uncleane Spirit to passe in and out if I so pollute my body wilt thou not desert me and destroy me if I dare so prophane Thine Lord that I may not lose my Soul let me not so abuse either Bodie and abhorre gluttony which makes me doe that abuse to both O Christ it was thy meat and drink Joh. 4. 34. to doe thy Fathers will and but for strength to that thou didst not eate and drink O! let me not with Adam eat my selfe at oncc out of Obedience and Paradise Thou didst fast and feast to teach me there is a Time for both but a Gluttons appetite was never in thy mouth Nor let it ever be in mine O God! if I fast let me not eate up my Bodie by cruell abstinence if I feast let me not devoure my Soule by intemperance whether I abstaine or eate or drinke or whatsoever I 1 Cor. 10. 3 doe let all be to thy glory that at death when Epicures make their two Feasts for Wormes and Fiends with their Bodies and Soules thou mayest feast and fill both mine with thy One Joyes which will fill and not loathe Satisfie and not Surfeit for ever To that glut of joyes deare Jesus bring me From other gluttonie keep me By the way of thy Blood and worke of thy holy Spirit O Lord Amen Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against Gluttonie A Sinne 1 Man is not made for but is 2 undone by yet may be 3 helpt against 1. Mans throat is narrow not made to swallow and short not for delight to gormandize If he doe 2. Love he which World he will it will be his ruine 1 For a better 1. It makes Man Swine His Belly v. Apud Tertul. Venter Deus c. God and Paunch his Paradise The Kitchin his Church First and second courses his Services His howers of Devotion Meal-times His Creed is in his Cook His Decalogue in his Dishes The company of Epicures his Communion of Saints and death everlasting his end For by this meanes he eates and drinks away his time in vanity drownes his soul in sensuality destroyes his conscience Tert. Appendices sc gulae lascivia atque luxuria with guilt It being as one dead sin it self always mother of another luxury which never wants a womb where gluttony hath a belly And often sister to many as ill as 1 Cor. 10. 7 Sodomes all even the worst though Idolatry and Sodomie it selfe And 2. It makes him as much wretch as Beast For even here it bars him of the greatest blessing Health His chief boon long Life and onely blisse Pleasure For fulnesse is the mother of Sicknesse and that the nurse of Death Temperance hath the most delicious taste and Hunger cookes all meates Prov. 27. 7 to Delicates whâ—reas his Appetite needs more whets then his Knife with which he doth not so much cut his meat as his throat Even then digging his Pluris necat crapula quam gladius grave with his teeth when he most pampers his Palate Before the Flood Mans life was longest when food simplest Their years ten to one longer because their diets twenty to one lesse 3. For such a Malady help were happy And it hath a double cure 1. Perforce So sicknesse is the remedy which disgusts the Palate and make fasts necessary because meats unpleasant So for the time the Glutton is abstemious but by disease not virtue not from good habit but ill habitude Yet even thus if wise it may get the ill one off and be cured 2. By choice For as his pleasures are none in sicknesse they are short in health whilst the meats passe by the throat from the mouth to the stomack space and time not long And in death gone past all recovery Why then so much ill for so little good This vanishing and perishing in sicknesse and death That hastning and posting my Body unto sicknesse I wil none if I weigh it well And lesse if I doe consider and endeavour aright 1. 1. There is a life after death Be not an Epicure in thy Creed and thou wilt not be a Glutton 1 Cor. 15. 32 33. in thy life Ede bibe lude believes nothing beyond death 2. Thou wilt be arraigned then by thy Creatour for abusing his Workmanship thy self Accused by the Creatures for devouring his workes them Making thy soul and body instead of the Ark of his Testimonies and Tabernacle of his service the one a streiner for lusts the other for meats Rom. 8. 20 The creature ravished by force to serve thee against his ends
of all grace and comfort I beseech thee for his sake who came to save me my Hope my Joy my Jesus Amen A Meditation of the pleasures of Piety ASsemble your selves you Epicures Masters of delights and Professors of all the Arts of Pleasure take Counsels and make Musters of all your powers and wits with all your Students Agents in delectable things and devices One Saint and Servant of God is Commander and Possessour of more joyes than you all 1. Joyes of another Quality than yours faire and pure even the poorest extracted out of the grossest earthly goods as Elixars and Essences Defecate from your dregs of guilt and stings of Conscience A Tun-full of yours is not worth a Viall of theirs Psal 4. 6. Eccles 1 2. Prov. 14. 13 a whole Barrel of your Pitch below a Box of their Balsome 2. And contend you not in Quantitie with them their numbers exceed yours as much as their excellencies Their joyes are Two to one to yours Yours are Psal 4. 6. Jac. 1. 12. for good of this life their 's for ill as well as good And Three to one for goods Yours are for temporall spirituall you doe not tast eternall you cannot hope they have Temporall in hand Spirituall in heart Eternall in eye Nay Ten hundreds thousands to one Yours is from Finite good their 's from Infinite And which multiplies that to ten thousand times ten thousands of millions and more Yours is for time and theirs of that Eternall You are then out-vied every way Yours are the joyes of Servants of Mat. 25. 13 Slaves Theirs the Lords Yours are Heb. 11. 25. Drops theirs Oceans yours Moments Isa 12. 3 theirs Eternities Above them Psal 36. 9. is the spring of heavenly joyes within Isa 30. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 8. Joh. 15. 11. Deut. 12. 7. Jer. 11. 15. them seas of holy solaces about them rivers of Earthly pleasures below them the pudles of your carnall contentments They drinke water pure from the spring and rock and therefore loathe your chanel joyes and even for that drinke it in both more pure and more To all these Territories of joyes have the Saints good rights and it is Phil. 4. 4. Deut. 28. 47. Prov. 1◠10 Psal 17. 14 both their shame and sinne if they doe not take and keep possession Which you cannot judge who are strangers both to their joyes and hearts Nor match who are pent up to your single sole poore pension of worldly-pettie transitory pittances Prince of Epicures enter the lists now with a Prime Servant of Almighty God Summe up all thou canst possesse or imagine of joyes and give in thy totall one of his least figures is more the summe infinitely Have what Solomons braine and state can Eccles 1 2. command of delights adde what Cleopatra's wanton wits and friends can devise of daliances an Ephrem from his Cell a Catherine from her Oratorie shall beat all your great Minions and baffle all your multitudes of joies You have a sense-full of joyes they a soule-full When your eyes run over with laughter your heart is not full Prov. 14. 13. their hearts are so full that they run all over Their Raptures are more great than hearts can hold One prayes God to withdraw a while his heart is too Recede Domine parūper quia vasculū cordis mei ferre nequit little a vessell to containe Him the other cries out to Him the multitude of his joyes overwhelme her O Epicure be a Saint and thou shalt find what thou doest else in vaine seek Obruor multitudine gaudiorum tuorum Domine as thy chief good Joy above all thy joyes in qualitie quantitie height depth bredth length pure as christall great as God high as heaven deep as the heart broader than earth long as eternitie But O Saint be not thou an Epicure if delight draw thy heart thou losest so much in delectation as Religion and abatest thy Soule so much of solace as God of service Believe it if thou wouldst have joy in life and at death for the goods and ills of this life both body and soule-goods enough on earth and more in heaven the only way is to be as thou shouldst be and continue as thou art not an Epicure but a Saint Service against Malicee for Monday or other day Morning Prayer Psal 7. 10. Lesson Prov. 24. Mat. 5. v. 43. Evening-Prayer Psal 35. 62. Lesson Levit. 19. 1 Cor. 5. or Tit. 3. 1 Pet. 2. ¶ Collect or Prayer against Malice O Thou Divine Goodnesse keep me from Malice the very Soule of Satan and proper sinne of the Devill Thou O God art Love He then is Hatred and if malice be in me I shall be as he is one whom unlesse thou hatest thy selfe thou canst not love From such a detestable and damned disposition Lord deliver me Let not Satans brand be on my brest and his soule in my body lest being marked for him he seize me as his owne and take me and carry me from thee body and soule Lord stamp thy love on my heart that I may be sealed for thee and as thy owne claimed by thee And since this is the Cognisance of thine to love one another let me not weare his Badge in a visible malice to any that all may know that I am thine A Child of thy Family a Dove of thy Flock a Lamb of thy Fould without gaule or mind to doe mischief to any Delighting like thee to do good to all Even for his sake who did wish and doe evill to none Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against malice 1. IT is a Toad swelling with venome in the heart to God who is love a 1 Joh. 4. 8. 1 Joh. 1. 12. more odious because like the Devil most abominable The Devils heart in mans body 2. To cast keep out this venome of the Serpent 1. Consider 1. Men are mortall their enmities therefore should not be immortall b Eph. 4. 26. 2. Men are mutable Whom now I hate I may hereafter need as in Joseph c Gen. 42. 6. and Jeptha d Jud. 11. 7. 3. Men are amiable e Prov. 8. 31. all after Gods image and bought by Christs blood f Gen. 9. 6. 4. No man is the Christians enemy g Heb. 2. 9. Rom. 14. 15 as God he hates the sinne not the man h Mat. 5. 44. 5. If there be antipathie in nature it must be mastered by grace i Gal. 5. 24. which must doe miracles to nature 2. Beware 1. Of Anger That if it kindle it continue not to be wrath and so coole into malice k Ephes 4. 26. 2. Of men of Malice set upon mischiefe l Prov. 4. 15. 16. Service against Revenge for Thursday or other day Morning Prayer Psalm 94. Lessons Deut. 32. vers 35. or 1 Sam. 24. Luke 18. Evening Prayer Psal 18. v. 47. Lessons 1 Sam. 25.
takes me and thy feare my onely care as the way to that glory In that way guide me keep me and continue me by thy holy Spirit I beseech thee let me so use thy earthly blessings that they may not hinder me Father of mercy and God of grace grant this I beseech thee even by the blessed Mediation and Merits of Jesus Christ Amen ¶ 3. Prayer for a Penitent Confessing Sins and Deprecating Judgments O Thou Holy and Dreadfull Majestie I am ashamed to lift up my eyes unto thee for the sins I have committed against thee Woe is me for the undue thoughts and lusts and words and deeds of which I stand guilty before thee I have like a prodigall Child wasted those goods and daies in the delights of vanity which thou O Father didst give me not to sinne with but to serve thee And even for those few houres which I have spent best privately in thy service and in thy Sanctuary I have need to aske thy forgivenesse and mercy So coldly so carelesly so distractedly so irreverently have I then and there behaved my selfe before thee By thy holy lawes by thy many mercies by my often vowes promises I stand at this day deeply obliged unto thee But I have broken all those bonds and even to this houre am not free from rebelling against thee For this I doe confesse thou mightest sentence me to as many judgments as the mercies are with which thou hast blessed and yet blessest me Thou mightest cast away that soule which I have so much polluted with sinne and smite that body which hath been so much a servant to it in the acts of vanity Thou mightest take away all Hope and Comfort from me and at once bereave me both of Life and Soule Of all these plagues O Lord I am most guilty by my sinnes and if thou shouldest execute them all upon me thou wert but righteous in thy judgements But in judgment Lord remember mercy To thy poore servant to thy penitent prostrate Child grant thy pardon Deare Father and reach to my soule thy hand of mercy I have guilt but thou hast Bloud O Blessed Redeemer I have staines but thou hast Grace O Holy Comforter O Holy blessed and glorious Trinity Spare my life and save my soule I beseech thee who have condemned my selfe for sinning so much and resolve by thy grace to serve the more conscionably And Lord save thy poor distracted Church O forgive her sinnes and build up her walâ—s And in Her preserve all that are dutifull Children and faithfull to thee and her especially those who are in Place and Power to preserve Her Lord doe thou preserve Her and Them and all who are deare and neare to me and Thee Comfort all that are cast down especially those whose soules bleed for their sinnes all poor-penitent-broken Spirits Have mercy on them O Lord and comfort for them and heale them thou good Physitian who alone canst help them by the pretious wounds and death and bloody passion of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Letanie Ten Commandements Epistle 2 Cor. 11. 18. Gospel Mark 4. v. 35. Prayer for Catholike Church Service against Impatience for Thursday or other day Morning Prayer Psal 77. 37. Lessons Job 2. or Prov. 25. Mat. 18. Evening Prayer Psal 106. 145. Lessons 2 Sam. 15. Rom. 12. or Jameâ— 5. ¶ 1. Collect or Prayer against Impatience O Lord let not a Spirit of impatience possesse me by which I do but provoke thee and advance not all Jer. 7. 19. above my misery By it I shall neither get thy blessing nor ease my burden Isa 45 9. but draw thy curse double the cross upon me Thou art my Maker I may not strive with Thee And my misery Psal 39. 10. is thy worke I must not contest with it I may struggle under the yoke Lam. 3. 27 but what I shall gaine but gaule and guilt by the strife Gaule to my Jer. 28. 13. neck and Guilt to my conscience I will therefore kisse thy Rod and bow to what I cannot breake thy yoke Under which I will draw on my course with more humility and care Sad for that I have offended and carefull that I may not offend 1 Pet. 5. 6. so shall my obedience be accepted and my deliverance hastened For O Lord it is not my punishment but amendment which thou dost seek and therefore sendest distresse to drive me to Hos 5. 15. my duty Which when I learne by thy rod and yoke thou dost lay them aside and appeare in more comfortable shapes unto me yea and allowest my Apoc. 3. 10. patience good recompence for my better behaviour in the schoole of my misery Good Lord let me learne what thou doest teach that I may receive what thou doest give the honour of being held thy Faithfull Servant under the crosse and the glory of having Rom. 8. 18. a Crowne for my service Not for any merits of mine or it but for thine infinite mercies sake and the merits of Him who is the Great Master Heb. 12. 3 4. and Patterne of Patience and all perfection Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ 2. Prayer against Impatience LOrd keep me from Impatience as much my paine as sinne To thee the wise and just Disposer and Governour of Humane affaires it is a sinne a quarrelling and fighting with thy Providence To me a poore fraile Creature who cannot maintaine contest Job 2. 10. against my Maker it will be but paine If thy Hand lay the burden on Isa 49. 5. I must submit I cannot resist thee Pray it off I may I cannot throw it from me yea impatiently to seek to cast it off is the way to overwhelme me O! let me not delight at once in thy displeasure and my overthrow Thou art just If evill be on me it's what I deserve Thou art good If I submit to thy will thou wilt worke my good out of that evil Thou art great If I will not by choice I shall by force submit to thy will When therefore evil be it never so much or great is upon me let me look up to thee from whom it flowes Let me looke in to my sinne for which it comes Let me looke on to my good to which it tends So shall I sit downe in Patience under it and kneele downe in prayer to be delivered from it waiting humbly till thou shalt set me above it Even so give me grace to do and say of my Crosse and Paine as thou my Saviour didst of thy bitter Cup and Passion Father If it be thy will Let this Cup passe from me if not not my will but thy will be done Amen Amen Remedies against Impatience 1. AN Insurrection against the Government of a Providence Almighty and Good and therefore ever fond and foule 2. A Sinne of an everlasting date because man is in the perpetuall motion of misery till at rest in heaven 3. A Sinne which keeps
man from growing to the height of piety to SuÌ„ma Philosophia Chrys thanke God for Adversity making him as a Dwarfe of Hell giving Him if not Bans and Blasphemies Frets for Thanks 4. A Sinne which throws a man into the Depths of iniquity Tutor to despaire and Factor for Apostasie Luk. 8. 15. Heb. 12. 1. Lam. 5. 7 8. 5. A Sinne which opens a gap to all Temptation and Womb for all wickednesse Mother of all mans miscarriage Mat. 13. â—1 Malum impatientia est boni Tert. and mischiefe An Enemy to Heaven and Auxiliary to Hell 6. A Sinne which weakens and wastâ—s the Soule Breaking downe the Prov. 25. 28. wall of her strength Putting her shoulder out of joynt and body out of Luk. 21. 19. temper 7. A Sinne which weakens and worries life Depriving it of a Calme Lam. 3. 26 of Conscience in a Tempest of trouble Making the shelter that should be the more devouring storme and man Prov. 18. 14 flesh and spirit swallowed up in the misery of both 8. A Sinne so forbidding man to improve life to the best to die a Martyr that it allowes it not well to live Jam. 1. 20. â— a Saint This Sinne of so execrable and formidable a quality will be avoided or left if we shall 1. Know and believe Gods Providence Job 1. 21. Lam. 3. 39 Lam. 3. 22 governes all and well and our Sins deserve all ill and worse Sooner if we 2. See and Consider Calamity is a 1 Cor. 10. 13 Common lot from which Saints Jam. 5. 10. Heb. 5. 8. and Princes have no priviledge No not He that was King of Saints Kings Especially if we 3. Mind and study Christs Crosse A Present Cure No Water so bitter which this Wood wil not sweeten * Exo. 15. 23. no Meat which will not down with his Vinegar and Gall. No thing so hard which his Passion makes not easie a Bern. nullus cibus tam amaris qui si recordatione aceti fellis Christi temperâ—tur non statim fiat dulcior b Greg. Nihil tam aurum c. Luk. 23 41 Mat. 27. 46. Isa 53. 5 6 2 Pet. 2. 24 Mark 12. 50. Have in mind Who Suffered on it an Innocent man and God too God-man What more than all Mankind ever did or could beare Why for thy particular Guilts in the generalls of all Mankind How with a cheerfull Spirit and submissive Soule And if not for sinne for shame thou wilt have out of heart Impatience No such Physick to heale thy frets No such Booke to Teach no such Pulpit to Preach Patience Nor any Receipts Lessons Sermons more effectuall than those in that Course Book and Pulpit By the worke of his Spirit they will be so if thence we shall have grace to 4. Kill and Preserve What doth quicken and strengthen Impatiency in us And wil beget and nourish that life which will not let it quicken 1. Self-love and Pride give that Sinne life strength That 's the Womb this Father of it Deny my self and Mat. 16. 24. I will take up my Crosse love my self and I shall not endure it To crosse the flesh is the way to beare a Crosse And Humility will make me stoop and take it on Pride fume and throw it off or fret to Mat. 11. 29. have it on Not to be Proud is the way to be Patient And sooner 2. By Innocence Hope and Love which will give Patience a life 1. Innocency makes a quiet mind Isa 57. 21. as Guilt a troubled And Repentance helps to it since man once cast out comes not to a perfect state of innocence Martyrs therefore Penitents are the greatest Patients Because those are kept these wash't innocent 2. Hope makes a strong heart It Heb. 6. 19. anchors it in the storme and upholds it under evil Else it would drowne in griefe or breake and fall with misery 3. Love of God endures all for Him and much more especially from Him It looks as at the Heb. 2. 9. Joh. 18. 11. Scourge the Hand and takes the chastening quietly because a Fathers rod. Service of the Passion fit for Friday or Wednesday Morning Prayer Psal 22. Lessons Isa 53. or 63. Mat. 26. or Mark 14. Luke 23. John 13. Evening Prayer Psal 84. 112. Lessons Zach. 11. 12. Ephes 1. Col. 1. ¶ Collect or Prayer of the Passion O Incomprehensible Goodnesse Mercy who didst send thy owne Sonne to a Crosse to bring me to thy Crowne and at the price of a most bloody Passion to purchase my salvation O let this love be ever in my heart and the fruits of it abound with me in all holy carriage and conversation Make me therefore to hate my sinne more than death which made thy Son to die And let neither goods nor honours nor liberty nor life be deare unto me for my Saviours sake who made me so to live Lord let me sacrifice all that I have and am to thee who gavest thy Deare selfe a Sacrifice for me Let me thirst to shed my blood and die for thy truth and let it be my meat and drink all my daies to doe thy will and live to thy glory That I may at last by the merits of thy pretious blood and passion dwell for ever with thee with thy blessed Saints and Angels giving all lauds and worship and honour to thee even for ever and ever Amen Daily Prayers Letanie Ten Commandements Epistle Tit. 2. or Heb. 9. Gospel Mat. 26. or Joh. 3. Prayer for Catholique Church A Meditation of the Passion of Christ O Christ Thy Passion makes me full of all Passions I am in Love and Hate I have my Longings and Loathings I take Joy and Grief I cherish Hope and Feare I am Incen'st and Ravisht 1. I am in love And with whom but Thee O Jesus I am Enamoured Amor meus crucifixus est c. of thy Person God-man Sonne of God! The Beauty of Heaven and Earth Center of all Created and Increated Excellency Mirror of the Heb. 1. 2. Col. 2. 3. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 3 7. Godhead Wonder of Angels Glory of Mankind I am Enflamed with thy Love why so much too much O Lord Was it not enough to leave a Throne for my sake but Thou must lie in a poore Cratch stand at a base Nimius amor Pillar hang on a Cursed Crosse not for thy self but me by my birth lust life a beast a Villaine a Malefactor to my God! Thou didst write thy love to Lazarus Legible in thy teares shall I not read it in thy wounds Saw they Joh. 11. 36. it in thy Dripping Eye shall not I in thy Bleeding Side They in the Hot-water thou didst bestow on his Dead Body and not I in thy Reaking Blood shed for my Damned Soule * O duri indurati obdurati c. quos non emollit tanta
Dr. J. White p. 122. Dr. F. White pag. 188. Ag. Fisher 2. Eccl. Lutheranorum v. Conf. Ausb c. Et Quae Calvinum sequitur v. Ipsum Alios ut supra 1. De Romanae Ecclesiae Corruptelis in Confessione audi conquerentem Cassandrum in Consult de Confessione p. 108. Salutaris haec confitendi medicina ab imperitis importunis medicis multis inutilibus traditiunculis infecta contaminata fuit quibus Conscientiis quas extricare levare debebant laqueos injecêrunt tamquam tormentis quibusdam excarnificârunt 2. De Angl. Eccl. circae haec Judicio Vide Cas ub Epist ad Front p. 129. Cujus rigidam quidem necessitatem quae apud vos obtiâ—et Ecclesia Anglicana molliendam sibi certo consilioputavit rem quidem ipsam neque sustulit ullâ unquam lege neque damnavit Ib. 5. But whether in or out of these cases if I have any Be sure my Pilot have skill My guide Goodnesse My Judge ability My Physitian experience I will not put my Body into the hands of an Empirike My State to an Ignorant at Law The Key of my House to a Varlets or Ideots hand Take heede then to whose Conduct and Judgement and Counsell and Trust I commit the Key of Heaven and my Heart 2. Be my Confession made to the Coram ipsis confiteantur Dco Conf. Boh. sie Jos 7. 19. Supreame Judge or His Delegate God or his Deputy to Him or Before Him it must be 1. Humble As the Publicans Because I stand as a Prisoner before Luk. 18. 13 the Judge of Heaven and am Suppliant for His Mercy 2. Hearty As the Apostles Because 1 Tim. 1 13 at Gods Barre The Knower and Tryer of the Heart 3. Particular As the Kings Of Psa 51. 14 what doth or should most disquiet the Conscience * Enumerationem quâ gravioraomnia peccata diligenter expenduntur tanquam Spiritualia vulnera Spirituali Medico revelantur retineudam esse dubium non est Protestantes non aspernantur hujusmodi enumerationem Casaub Consult p. 108. Such are Commonly Sins of a more grievous Nature either for their 1. Matter As Sins of a greate Kind which greatly wound and waste the Conscience As Perjury Murder Adultery Blasphemy c. a Rom. 2. 29. Gal. 5. 21 22. 2. Manner As Sins against Vows and Promises b Ezek. 16. 59. 17 18. and Mercies c Hos 7. 15 Isay 1. 2. or against Knowledge d Jam. 4. 17. Joh. 9. 41. and and Conscience Especially Since we last Received the Holy Communion 3. Touching Conversion or Amendment of Life 1. THis is the End and Complement Act. 26. 20 Mat. 3. 8. Act. 3. 19. Jer. 35. 15. Ezek. 18. 30. Dan. 4. 27 of Repentance without which it's vaine and fruitlesse to confesse as touching our Soules health As to bleed is in vaine if we presently fall to distemper our Bloud againe and to vomit ill humours out of the Stomack if we avoid not those things which will fill it up againe So at present to be Sick of Sinne and Bleed the Heart in Contrition and to void it up in Confession * Quasi escam indigestam-Evomit peccata Orig. in Psal 31. 2 Pet. 2. 22. if we amend not our Lives but returne to our old Vomit againe That were but to abuse Gods Ordinances and to make our Confession and the Holy Sacrament it selfe our Sinne if they serve onely to encourage and strengthen our Soules in Sinne and not as God Institues them to Arme and Enable us against it 2. And if the Amendment be not thorough even this is but as withered Fruit and to no end if it be not Jer. 7. 5. Ezek. 36. 25 26. Joel 2. 12. Rom. 6. 17 1 King 9. 4 Heb. 13. 18 Psal 139. 23 24. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 9. Isay 39. 4. Psal 32. 2. Psal 119. 165. Job 27. 6. 1 Joh. 3. 21 Jam 4. 8. 1. Vpright As well within as without and reach not as well to the Heart as Life 2. Absolute Without exempting any Sinne or Lust whatsoever whether in Life or Heart else indeed it is not Vpright This makes a Pure Heart and Quiet Breast Integrity of Life Which ensures our Repentance Seales our Pardon and Pacifies our Conscience and makes us Approach Gods Holy Presence and Table with confidence Which is not to be done without full purpose and some measure of this Integrity 2. How to Demeane our selves at the Holy Communion WIth all Humble and Entire Devotion of Body and Soul 1. The Body cannot be too Reverent Eccl. 5. 2. Mic. 6. 6. Exod. 3. 5. Jam. 4. 8. Psa 132. 7 because the Misteries are so High and Holy in which we draw so near to God 2. The Soul cannot be too Devout Whose faculties are all to be improved to the best and uttermost to discharge her Duty aright in this Great and Holy Service Therefore 1. The Mind must be Elevated to Putasn in ter consisâ—â— Chrys Heavenly thoughts and Contemplations Of the Mystery of Mans Redemption By Gods Miraculous Incarnation In a most Bitter and Bloudy Passion Out of the Bottomlesse Deep of Love and Goodnesse Whereof we are to Receive his Pretious Pledges and â—okens All this of and with and in our Dying Lord and Dear Redeemer we are to have in Actuall Mind and Memory And Him in all to Mat. 6. 26. 1 Cor. 11. 24. Admire and Adore And 2. The Heart is to be Ravished with such Infinite mercy in God to Sinfull miserable Man * Vide quo modo his qui Christi coÌ„memorant passionem inter sacra officia quasi per quâ—sdum canâ—les de interioribus fontibus oriantur â—orrentes super omâ—es deliâ—ias â—â—â—rymis nectarcis anima delectetur Cypr. de c. D. Psa 116. 11 12. To contrive and give so Glorious a Redeemer and Redemption to save his Soul And now to present him with such Gracious Seales of his Love and Admit him into so near and Holy Communion And for this to be dissolved in love to God and Christ and Man for His sake Psal 116. 11 12. With resolute Vowes of Life and Death to His Service That we will give forgive doe suffer any thing for Him And from that to be filled with Holy Rapts and Joyes and Hopes * Inde sequitur mentis jubilus cbrietas Haec non accendit sed extinguit peccatum Cum sopivit oblivio cuncta caernis ludibria mira sunt quae sentiâ— mira quae videt inaudita quae loquitur Cypr. Rom. 8. 32. Rom. 5. 9 10. in so great a Goodnesse of so Good a God who having done this will deny me nothing And maugre the Rage and Malice of Hell will not see my Soul lost for whom all this is done And for those who need an aide v. Meditation on the Sacrament on the Passion Such Meditations will now be perused well as they have found to move most to give more
Heavenly light to their thoughts and holy Fire to their Affections This Fire like that of the Sanctuary must not goe out of the Heart and vanish like passions moved at a Play unlesse we will play away our Soules we must then see 3. How we are to Order our selves after the Holy Communion AS our care was before how to 1 Cor. 11. 27. Ephes 4. 1. Heb. 2. 16. Communicate it must be now how to Walk Worthily As those who are Honoured by Christ above Angels and therefore should be at least Saints Made now One with Christ * Assistunt Cherubini Chys Ut ChristuÌ„ gcrat in pectore Ferat in mente Cypr. 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. and so henceforth to live Two from the Flesh the World and the Devill His Holy Body is in us His Holy Spirit must not be from us Else we Sinne grievously against His Bloud and Body What Nebuchadnezzars was in Eph. 4. 4. Dan. 2. 32. Dreame we make his Body indeed a Monster because we of it are such mungrill Limbs And as Belshazzar did at his Profane Banquet we doe by the Holy Supper Turne the Cup of 1 Cor. 11. 27 Blessing into Blasphemy Carousing as it were Healths to our Idol-lusts in Dan. 5. 4. His Hallowed both Wine and Bloud So 1. We play Judas with Christ Eat Joh. 13. 18 26. His Bread and lift up the Heele against Him Take the Sop and betray our Interests in Him 2. We play Gadaren with Him and worse We doe not Pray but Mar. 5. 17. cast Him out of our Coasts and after we have received Him in 3. We play Strumpet with Him 1 Cor. 6. 15. Jam. 4. 4. Our Members which are his are made the Worlds which is an Harlots 4. And so we play Fooles with our 1 Cor. 10. 22. Mat. 22. 11 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. own Soules On which we draw heavy Wrath for our vile provocations if not a Plague and Stroke from Heaven on our Bodies for doing such Injuries to our Saviour So end the Directions about the Holy Communion A Service fit for Sad Times for Wednesday or Friday Morning Prayer Psal 71 73 74. or 124 125 126 129. Lessons Dan. 9. or Ezra 10. to v. 7. or 2 Chron. 36. Jer. 14. Luk. 21. Evening Prayer Psal 44 77 78. or 83. 98 or 137. 140 141. Lessons 2 Chron. 13. or 20. 1 Cor. 10. or Jude Ep. ¶ 1. Collect Confessing and Depreâ—ating Judgments O Lord Thou hast given us to see Bitter and Bloudy Times Barbarous outrages are done and endured daily Our Houses and Friends are full Even thy Temples are not free Dear God! These be the Dues of our Sins Thou art Just but we are Wicked Against the great Meanes of thy Grace and Mercies of thy Goodness for many and many years vouchsafed to us and our Fathers before us we are notwithstanding full of Hypocrisie full of Profanenesse full of Lewdnesse most Ingratefully and therefore most Aboimnably Wicked And I even I have contributed a great measure of my Sins to fill up those Woes But O God! that art Mercifull as thou art Just that delightest not so much to appeare just as Mercifull Pardon those Sins of ours that cause those Woes Pardon those Sins of mine which concurre to that cause And with the Pardon of our Sins grant us a Release of our punishments Let civill broiles and bloodsheds cease True Piety and Peace flourish againe amongst us Thou that out of evill canst work good and out of Confusion didst set up the Order of the World out of those evills and confusions that are upon us worke good and establishment for us O Thou that powerfully canst Mercifully doe this To thy great Honour and our great happinesse for the comfort both in body and Soule of us and ours and all that truly fear and love Thee and true Religion in and for Thee Even for thy tender Pities sake hear us Even for the pretious Bloud and Passion of Jesus helpe us In whose Blessed and Beloved Name we put up our Prayers Saying Our Father c. Amen 2. Prayer for an End of Warre HAsten O God these Daies of Bloud and Woes and give a happy and speedy end to the Warrs O! Let unnaturall Divisions cease and the unhappy Separations of Dearest friends end amongst us For these Times of wants and wounds and bonds and destructions let the Daies of Plenty and Safety and Liberty returne againe unto us O! Let it be enough that for our sins thou hast so long wounded us and broken us and now heale us and binde us up and Save us for thy Mercies sake Give us peace for the Sword Thou God of peace even for his Sake who is the Prince of peace Jesus Christ our Lord Amen! 3. Prayer for Blessing on those who seeke peace O God of Peace Blesse those that seek it that they may findit and stop and turne those that fly it and make them to seeke it Bow their hearts to it that have the power and strengthen their hands for it that have the Will As for those who set their hands and hearts against it we beseech thee turne thine hand and face against them O! Forgive us our Sins which threaten to destroy us and send us a peace which may preserve us And from more Bloud and Violence Deliver us Deliver us for Jesus Christ his Sake Amen! 4. Prayer for Friends in Danger and Distresse O God of Power Pity preserve thou those that are in danger to die Rescue them from the rage of violence and shew thy selfe Mercifull to them in saving their lives if it be thy blessed will O thou preserver of men Save them If not grant them all Graces and Mercies needful for the saving of their Souls Let them Glorifie thee in life and death that thou maist glorifie them with thy Eternall Life Through the Merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. In whose name I pray mercy for all that Suffer in these Times of extremity Chiefly the Destitute Widdows and Fatherlesse Lord Take them to thy care and comfort them Have mercy on them and helpe them Supply them all and Succour them for Jesus Christ his Sake Amen 5. Prayer for Conversion of one in an Evill Course O Lord That delightest not in the Death of a Sinner I beseech thee by thy Grace and-Providence to stay his Course who is entred into a way of Vice and Vanity O Let him not goe on to bring an end of shame upon himself in this World and Confusion of face upon his Soule in the World to come But of thy great Mercy stop him and turne him to a better Course For Jesus Christ his sake Amen 6. Prayer for preservation of the Church O Lord The Church is thy Body and thou art Hâ—ae Head Shee is thy Spouse and thou art her Husband O! Save thine owne Body Preserve thine owne Spouse Protect her from all Enemies Men and Devills Keep her from all ills Errours
Discourses Reader Thou hast here that which the Author thinkes was never seene before All Divinity in Soliloquie or at least the most Materialls of all And sure thy Appetite is not good to Heaven if none of the Meat relish thee and thy Stomack ill if Godlinesse digest worse with thee Provision is here made thee of Meales for Seven Dayes sufficient to keep thy Soul in Health if Spirituall life be in thee and Gods Blessing begged of thee without which Preaching Hearing Writing Reading all is but Breath and Labour lost and doth not solidly nourish but vanish into aire and emptinesse The Author would have thy Soul Fed not Cloid and therefore breakes into parts his longer Soliloquies to prevent such Surfeits Dâ—votions please God better by being quick then long and so by Man should be measured more by their Spirit then Length Barre Idlenesse then and he leaves thee who knowest thy strength best to thy owne measure And when thou dost Feed and ruminate on these Holy Repasts He prayes Gods Blessing on the Meat and thy Soul Much Heavenly good may it doe thee Sunday-Soliloquie The Nobility of Piety OR A Soliloquie Discovering to the Soul How much Sin sets Her below and besides Her self and gives Ten deadly Wounds to her Life and Honour O My Soule Thou art Spirit a Heb. 12. 23. thy Body is Flesh Wilt thou then make Flesh of thy Spirit Feeding on corrupt lusts turnes it into the basest Flesh b Rom. 7. 5 Rom. 8. 6. That of the Body is Naturall and good but this of the Soul unnaturall and ill c Rom. 8. 7. O! Doe not make thy selfe a Monster whom God hath made his most Goodly creature d Gen. 1. 26. Psal 8. 5 He that did so Dignifie thee in thy Begining did it to Glorifie thee in the End But Carnality makes thee fall off from thy Dignity and short of thy Glory e Psal 49. 12. With it God will not owne thee for his f Jer. 2. 21. and then tremble to think who will take thee O! Doe not commit so grosse on Apostacy Maintaine Primitive Spirit in thee if thou hast sense of honour or welfare If it be lost by lust let Grace make a Recovery g Eph. 4. 15 O My Soule The Immortall piece of Man h Mat. 22. 32. why is the Mortall i Gen. 4. 19 part preferred before thee The Body will die thou canst not k Eccles 12 7 Canst thou not die and carest not how to live Hath that which will die must die all thy care What a folly is this to preferre a Lease to a Perpetuity a Moment to Eternitie The Satisfactions of a Body to the Salvation of a Soule Nay by Seeking for it an unreasonable Welfare to bring on both an Eternall ruine For so the Immortall is made damnably Mortall l Ezek. 18. 4 and dies to blisse and the Mortall Miserably m Isa 66. 24. Immortall ever living in woe Be wiser and better O my Soule to thee and it Doe thou so waite on God and let it so wait on thee in his Service that when thou shalt be rewarded it may share with thee in his Salvation By thee let it be made Immortall in Glory n Job 6. 29. Be not thou by it Immortall in Misery For thy own sake suffer not this For thy o Mark 9. 48. Bodies sake do that If thou dost love it indeed Promote it to Heaven to raise it from a Grave to a Throne is a friendly Promotion But doe not kill thy selfe for love of it O what a Murder is this O what a Murderer art thou p Pro. 6. 32 8. 38. My Soul if thou beest Murdered of eternall Life the Body is both q Rom. 13. 14. Gal. 5. 21. Quarrel and Sword but thy selfe wretched Spirit thy selfe art the Murderer r Hos 13. 9 O do not commit so Horrid an Homicide look to thy Body as thy Life and fight against Sensuality as for Eternity 3. O my Soul The Noble part of Humane nature Remember thy Nobility To love Earth and Earthly things is infinitely below thee Thy Mind and Will thy Armes are made to imbrace the Soveraign Truth and Goodnesse of Heaven Set thy Foot O my Soul Set thy Foot upon Earth s Psal 8. Thy Foot yea let thy Servant and Subject the Body set Foot on it It doth by Nature set it Foot to teach thee not to set thy Heart upon it t Psal 62. 10. O my Soul if thou dost thou art not a Sinner more against Grace than very Nature and art not lesse a Prodigie to Earth than Heaven O thou Noble of the Almighties Making be not so base a Creature of the Devills u Joh. 8. 44 as by him to be made at once a Miscreant and the Abomination of the World 4. O my Soul Gods Image is in thee What then doth the Similitude of Beast upon thee Why doth not Reason but Sense governe thee v Psal 49. 12. Why doth not Rationall will but Brutish Appetite rule thee This is to out-doe the Devill in thy undoing He took Shape of a Serpent for an ill turn and time and thou appearest and continuest in thy bestiall Shape Nay not the Figure of Beast but the very Forme is in thee Vnreasonable Creature that thou art worse then the Brute that hath no Vnderstanding because with Reason and against it My Soul Heaven hath in it neither Beastly Bodies nor Soules w Apoc. 21 27. And therefore Act like Man Appear like God if thou wouldst be there If then x Ephes 4. 24. Deform'd by Wicked Spirit be Transform'd y Ro. 12. 2. by Holy one Child of God Maintaine thy Fathers likenesse that thou maist inherit his happinesse Acts of Lust and Brutishnesse z 1 Joh. 2. 16 Ephes 5. 5. blot it out of thee and thee out of Heaven 5. O my Soul Thou art the Spouse of God no Creature is thy Match or Mate Thy Creatour is thy Husband * Isa 54. 5 Where then is thy Honour if the World have thy Love and Earth thy Embraces O thou that hatest Adultery with Man how darest thou be Adulteresse a Jam. 4. 4. to God May not a Strumpet-Body stand in thy sight and must a Whorish b Ezek. 6. 9 heart lie in thy Bosome Must not Man Court thee and shall the Devil Wooe thee Is thy Bed Clean and God's Defiled Instead of thy Lord thy Slave the World taken into his Bed What is Gods Bed but Mans Heart Setting it on other then him but Strumpetting c Ezek. 16. 30. his Bed * Consensisti in corde tuo concubuisti Aug. And the Baser the good which steales Affections from him the more Abonable the Whorishnesse O thou Beloved above all Creatures d Prov. 8. 31. that hast God for thy Husband Heaven for tâ—y Dower and Earth for thy Service Let not Hell be thy
Pander to take the World for thy Love have not lesse in thy Heart then thy God and his Heaven 6. O my Soul Thou art the Bodies Lord Take then her Homage Let her serve thee not undoe thee Doe thou Act Gods Will and let it execute thine e Rom. 6. 19. But do not thou its the Will of thy Handmaid the Lust of the Flesh Let not Her Senses wooe thee to Vanities To doe pleasure to the Body bring not Paine on the Soul Make not thy Body thy God f Phil. 3. 19. lest thou make thy Self a Devill Damn'd for ever for not doing thy duty better to Almighty God and thy Selfe O my Soul An Angels Peere g Psal 8. 5. make not thy self a Devills Fellow h Joh. 6. 70 Sell not thy Lordship for Slavery and Misery to Boot If thou be not Lord but serve thy Servant never Earth saw none but Hell will harbour such a Slave 7. O My Soule Thou art Soveraigne i Rom. 6. 12. 23. in Man Under God Supreme over all that is in him Wilt thou be thy Subjects Subject Shall the Law of the Members be the Minds Law Rom. 6. 23 The Senses are thy handmaids O thou Princess of Heaven Shall they be the Chiefe Commanders of thy Life Wilt thou only move goe run refuse chuse as they Command O what a basnesse is this to be so unworthy to thy Maker and Nature And yet say O my Soule Speak out of Conscience and say Is not Sense the great Leader and Appetite l Rom. 8. 1 the Ruler of thy Life whilest Reason and Diviner Vnderstanding Lackie after their Desires and the Members are mere Drudges for them O my Soule The Soveraigne of God be not so much Subject to the Devill as to be led at his lust m Tim. 2. 26. by the Lure of Sense to satisfie the Flesh against Gods Law and thy Reason To a life which he himselfe though most wicked doth not lead For though Spirituall wickednesse abound in him n Ephes 6. 12. the Bodily is below him If thou wiâ—t be so base be not more then the Devill 8. O My Soule Thou Free-borne Child of Eternity Heire of Immensity Daughter of Him who is beyond all bounds of Time and Being The Body is but thy Prison Thou art shut up in o 1 Cor. 4. 2. 4. Walls of mud within the Gates of sense why then dost thou delight in a Prison before thy Palace And chuse a Bodily restraint before a Spirits p Rom. 8. 21. Liberty Is it blisse to be in bondage Are Chaines of Iron better then Gold Fetters before Freedome Even Earth is but a Gaole to Heaven q Rom. 8. 23. What a Little ease then doth the Spirit finde in so little a spot of Earth O doe not destroy thy Spirituall Liberty r Rom. 6. 16. Tit. 3. 2. by a Bodily Licentiousnesse Love not thy Gaole before thy Delivery lest thou be cast into that Gaole whence none is Delivered s Mat. 5. 25. It 's just with God most just that the Soule which chuseth the Devills Chaine before Gods Liberty should have the Devils Prison for Gods Palace And be his slave in Hell for ever that would not for a time be Gods servant on Earth Dove of God fly to Heaven Spiritus quisque ales est Tert. Cant. 2. 14 Amor temporalium viseus Spiritualium Belime not thy Spiritual wings in slime and mud Doe not Crow-like feed on Carrion and like a blind Beetle place thy blisse in dirt Sell not thy Selfe to buy a Gaole when thou givest a Palace for the Purchase and thy selfe to the bargaine t Mat. 16. 26. and hast nothing but Shackles and Tortures to boot 9. O My Soule Thou art Gods Jewel u Mal. 3. 17. the Body thy Casket Why then dost thou prefer her good to thy welfare Must the jewell be burnt to Save the Casket from the Fire Nay w Mat. 5. 30. it 's not so much It is at once to Fire casket and jewel to cast both together into Hel Fire Sardanapalus-like with all his bundles and heaps of worldly Treasures to make up one funerall pile and perish together for ever Body and Soule O Bright Diamond of Heaven Divinae particulam aurae Sparke of the Divinity Ray of Divinest Glory Set in the foile of Flesh for a Time till taken up and kept in Gods owne Cabinet for ever what dost thou on the Devills Finger Why dost thou doe him honour and worke x Joh. 8. 44. What dost thou under the Bodies Foot O my Soule looke better to thy selfe Burne the Casket if need be to Save the Jewell the Body to save the Soule So Holy Martyrs z Dan. 3. 28. Heb. 11. 34. did But not the Jewel to save the Casket the Soule to save the Body that filthy Epicures doe * Luk. 12. 19. And thy end O my Soule be a Saints not an Epicures 10. O My Soule The Purchase of Christ a Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 19 Bought with no lesse then Gods owne Bloud the Bloud of the Son of God! Why dost thou Sell that so cheap b Isa 55. 2. which cost thy Saviour so Deare For the World which is Nothing c Pro. 23. 5 for vanity which is lesse d Psa 39. 7. Eccl. 1. 2. For a litle of that vanity which is lesse yet then what is lesse then that nothing e Isa 40. 17 Why hath that which cost more f 1 Tim. 2. 6. then Ten Thousand worlds are worth least of thy care and cost If thy Body be Sick thou wilt have Physick if wounded Salve if naked Cloths if hungry bread no rate no paine is spared for it But the pretious Soule may lie Sick of Sin g Psa 41. 4 wounded by guilt h Pro. 78. 14. stript of innocence i Ezek. 16. 22. starv'd for grace k Amos 8. 11. and nothing is given or done to helpe it For my Soul What is Gods price for his helpe but mans Labour Two mites worth of paines * Due miâ—uta carc anima Ber. is all thy l Isa 55. 2 owne and thy Bodies and yet thou wilt bate one if not keep both from him Wouldst thou lose a life that wilt not quit a state an honour a friendship for him Dost thou give him thy Soul that wilt not leave a bad custome or base lust to serve him But O my Soule no more of these neglects I charge thee by thy Heavenly Birth and Parentage by thy Immortall Substance and Durance by thy Pretious Ransome the Deare Bloud of God Value thy welfare more Seek the Bodies lesse thinke not Gods price too great mans Labour for his happinesse when the Son of God thought not his Sweat too much his Bloud for the Price O thou deare and Pretious Peice and Purchase of Divinest Architect and device Detect this Serpentine Policy
8. 12. 6. 15. Jer. 3. 3. Prov. 7. 21 Jer. 9. 12. in brasse as will be in thy countenance Entrance teares of the veile of shame but continuance whores the forhead And so my Soule it is with all Sin as that One. Entrance conceives Continuance This begets Custome And That Impudence And It Vengeance Say then my Soule Say and doe with Humble and Holy Job Once have I Spoken but I will not answer Job 40. 4. 5. Yea twice but I will proceed no further No Thrice may carry thee so far from God that either thou carest 2 Tim. 3. 3. Prov. 1. 24. 31. Apoc. 22. 11. not or canst not Returne and so must on and Proceed Proceed for want of a Timely pause till thou come to a fatall Period Beware then of Bad Customs And so doe by 3. Lewd Companies Indeed the way not to be struck with those is to fence against these For they will both instill the one and induce the other That as they are Schools of Prov. 4. 14 error and This as they be forges of wickednesse Those within these without both lead to Leudnesse According Hos 7. 6. 7. to the Dialls next us our Watches goe and wrong if they be set to wickednesse When David therefore would have his goe right he bids these be gone Away from me ye wicked for Psal 6. 8. I will Keep the Commandements of my God That is His Conscience cannot Prov. 1. 10 goe right if their Company be not away How should we goe right and be with Mat. 26. 69. them that are wrong Saint Peter though fully resolv'd and warn'd against it thus fell into his fearfull error The way of Christ lay not through the High-Priests hall nor will Devotion kindle but coole at such a fire A Spark amongst live-coales holds its heat amongst dead it dies My Soule If thou canst not decline evill livers delight not in them they will damp and Prov. 13. 20. Prov. 6. 27. Col. 3. 12. 1 Cor. 5. 10. Ephes 5. 11. Mat. 8. 28. Ephes 2. 1. Mazentius dead thy Sparke Civility with all is good Familiarity dangerous Thou maist live amonst Gods rebells thou must not love them If thou dost thou wilt in time be like them Dead as they are to all good As the living Bodies chain'd by the Tyrant to the Dead And Buried as they are in all ill As sound Bodies living with the Pestilent catch their death And without the Preservative of Gods great mercy and grace damn'd with them for both As those that are found with Rioters incurre the same Doome how Luc. 6. 25. Num. 16. 24. Apoc. 18. 4 dost thou feare their Condemnation and love their Company How canst thou laugh with them in this World with whom thou wouldst not houle in that other Why dost thou dread a Plaguie Body and sit with a Pestilent Psal 1. 4. Cathedra Pestilentiae 2 Cor. 11. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 3. Prov. 4. 15. Act. 2. 40. Soule Surely the Soule is better then thy Body and her Plague worse and that infection greater Read Lord have mercy on them writ on a Sinners Doore When thou dost see in their lives a Crosse to all Gods Commandements And my Soule say Lord have mercy on thee for dareing so much in Spirituall dangers and Lord have mercy on thee that thou doe not further dare so much Shun profane Companies And as not goe the way with these So doe not give way to 4. Vaine Scruples My Soule Two things God desires Thy Joy in his Service and His Comfort in thy Life The Devill a friend to neither seekes to rob thee of both And thy Scruples are his Theeves If they overtake and overcome thee they will bind thee from the One and beat thee out of the other Taking both thy heart from all Duty and all joy from thy heart Believe it they will give thy Spirit no Freedome and thy Conscience no rest For when thou shouldst be doing good thou wilt be disputing it when at Gods work questioning thy Warrant when acting and waiting on his Service entertaining arguments about it Thus when others are well on their journey thou art quarrelling thy Passe and dost either with Balaams asse stand Judg. 22. 27. Exod. 14 and not move at all or with Pharaohs Chariots drive on heavily And no wonder for the Wheels are of The minde becomes darke the heart dull the Spirit dead the Conscience dared nothing but weaknesse and wavering and trembling and chilnesse and confusion in the powers of action and so either none at all or a stupid trepid troubled motion These be the first fruits of thy Scruples fetters and Snares And what then the Second but Heart-gaules and Gripes They will beat thee till they leave not one sound part of comfort in thee Scourge thee with thoughts Saw thee with doubts Rack thee with feares Torture thee with perplexities till thou hast neither joy of Duty nor Life Leaving thee in a labyrinth of woe dolefull dismall full of nothing but Damps of joy Dumps of Spirit and Distresses of Conscience And here My Soule Take view and heed of the Devils boundless craft 1 Pet. 5. 8. and rage When he cannot make thee quick to ill he will make thee dead to goodnesse If not dissolute irresolute If not Debauch'd for Hell Distracted Heaven-ward If loose of life then Conscience it selfe is a Scruple if strict then every Scruple is a Conscience First he would have thee have no conscience and if not It to be all Scruple With the profane even Carefull Piety goes for Holy lunacy and Motions of holy Spirit for fits of Ghostly Phrensie But to the Religious he perswades what he can what they doe and are all to be profane So when he cannot make our hearts hard as flint to bad purposes he makes them weak as water to better And this is the Malice of the Devill When he cannot have us in Hel to have it in us To Torture us with our Scruples when he cannot with his Torments Now to have us without the Comfort of Heaven because not ever without the joyes of it He would have all like himselfe if they will not goe to it carry Hell with them But Dear Soul do thou defeat his 2 Cor. 2. 12 Devices A Scrupulous Conscience is as unsafe as sad Thy Scruples as they are thy Clogs and Rods so they will be his Skrewes if they continue so Skrewes to winde thy thoughts up through doubts and feares to the utmost pin of Despaire and either leave thee there or let thee downe againe to as ill though a more merry Pin of thy first estate in Presumption They will hoist thee up from Atheisme till they have thee to Superstition and then let thee fall to Atheisme againe So niceness of life ends often in retchlesnesse of Conversation When Satan cannot make our hearts tough enough he makes them tender too much and from that excesse brings them
lustfull eye or hand or foot of offense Rom. 8. 13 Mat. 5. 29. Heb. 11. 25 then or deniall of any Pleasure is it then Deare My Soule The Saints and Martyrs Pro hac emendâ Bartholomoeus propriaÌ„ pellem dedit Aug. Longo tempore tolerare Aug. Gal. 5. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Heb. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 17 1 Cor. 10. 13 Heb. 2. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 14. Heb. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 10. thought themselves good Merchants that bought them at these rates Nay if thou shouldest daily Suffer torments on earth yea for a long time endure the torments of Hell the price would not be great for the purchase of Heaven My Soul he that said so to his was a Saint Be content then to Crosse a lust or Carry a Crosse for Heaven For this thy Christ endured his Great Crosse wilt not thou thy little one That hast his Shoulders to help thee to bear it too his Grace his Spirit his Angels for thy help My Soul let not the Difficulties conceived in a Course of Religion discourage thee from or in the way It is Mans Calumny and the Devils Policy To him that loves God as thou shouldst that hath his Grace as thou maist and his Favour as thou mightest all his Commands are easie and 1 Joh. 4. 3. Mat. 11. 29. 30. his Yoke but light For to him is given the staff of Peace a Psal 119 165. Phil. 4. 7. and stay of Hope b Ro 15. 13 and strength of Comfort c Heb. 6. 18. Heb. 3. 6. which besides the outward are great helps to the carrying of that Yoke And blind thoughts and affections set aside the Sinner toiles more then the Saint d Ec. 2. 23. Joh. 6. 27. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Apoc. 14. 13. Aeterua quies aeterno labore meritò paratur and drudges more for Hell then he workes for Heaven And did the Saint droile more Heaven makes all nothing For what are Moments of paine and labour to Eternity of Joy and Rest which were worth the while if attained with eternall work and labour It 's a Slander then cast on the wayes of God Yes my Soul and a Stratagem too A Flie from Belzebub * Deus muscae Prov. 26. 13. Rom. 12. 11 12. Heb. 6. 10. 11. Heb. 12. 3. buzzing this into thy Eares that he may keep Heaven better out of thy Eyes And hold thy foot when he hath thus slackt thy heart from going or from comming thither My Soul against all such fainting take Saint Pauls Cordiall Whilest we not at the things which are seen but not 2 Cor. 4. 16. 18. seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall And so there be Paines as well as Joyes Think of that O my Soul For to foresee is the way to avoid those paines and to Muse on it the means to escape 4. Hell Thou art not in love with Paine My Heb. 12. 11 Soule Who is All shun it Why not then that most which is greatest Why in Earth more then Hell Is Mat. 25. 30. Mat. 18. 34. Mar. 5. 43 44. Apoc. 6. 16 17. Apoc 14. 10. Mat. 16. 25 26. Mat. 25. 31. 41. Mat. 8. 12. Apoc. 14. 10 11. any Gaole like that Dungeon Any Keepers to Fiends Any Burning like that Fire Any Biting like that worme Any shame of face to the Confusion before men and Angels Can any losse on earth equall the losse of Heaven Or Exile from friends a Banishment from God and Angels To dwell in utter darknesse no light Amidst Infinite Tortures and no ease to all Eternity no end Tortures which make the Wheele a Sport the Furnace a Bower and the Rack a very Recreation My Soule Are these but Godly frauds to fright tender hearts from wickednesse If thou beest a Christian thou dost not believe so nay if 2 Pet. 3. 3. Plato Plut c. but a Heathen thou wilt not Endlesse and Extreme pains for evill deeds after this life even they beleive The very Devils doe though their torture Jam. 2. 19. Mat. 8. 29. Rom. 2. 15 16. to doe it Conscience which is in all men is an Apostle of this to all Nations The joyfull deaths of innocent men and Dreads of Guilty ones in death Preach it all the world over For what are these but summons to the great Barre where according to their works all shall râ—ceive the Sentence of Judgement O my Soule ponder this Is it grievous to endure extreme paine for an houre Is it nothing to suffer Extremity for ever So long as Omnipotency can preserve so much as Omniscience can devise what infinite Justice doth require Soul and body to suffer for ever and ever O My Soule Could thy Mind measure nay but sadly consider the length of Eternity How millions of Ages are not a Span to that time not all since the World an Inch of a Span And yet all the Tortures that Earth ever had or wits of men and Angels could imagine to have are but ease to those paines which are to endure to that Eternall length thou wouldest as soone burne as lust and take up a Serpent as Sin My Soule To save Ecclus. 21. 2. thy selfe be serious and consider it The greatest Temptation will not take if thou doe but remember it Thou wilt refuse the Apple for the worme in it The Sweets of Sin for the fire after it The hardest Duty will downe if thou thinke of it Thy Deare friend O my Soule That gave his blood to save thee from that death His Counsell is thus to avoid it If thine eye offend Mar. 9. 43. thee pluck it out c. It 's better for thee having one eye to goe to Heaven then having both to be cast into hell where the worme doth not die and the fire is not quenched Better a litle paine for a Time then all to Eternity My Soule These four are Cordiall 2. Division Isay 17. Verbum Incarnatum est verbum ad hominis naturam usque abbreviatum Bern. Phil. 3. 14. Considerations to carry thee to all Duety from all ill But the Royall one remains Thy Christ to be thy studie and thy Iesus to be thy Booke The Word Abbreviate Bible in Body Scripture in flesh Consider him and all good is done for he did it all ill is gone for he fled it All his Actions are thy lessons but my Soule His Birth Life and Death are the Chapters I would have thee Read For the whole World of wickednesse is conquer'd by those three Pride Avarice and Luxury 1 Joh. 2. 16 the three parts of that world 1. His Birth is the Death of pride Luk. 2. 7. His stable the Grave For if that was there why is this any where Or wherefore this For cloths His clouts Purpurae mea panni Salvaetoris Bern. are best purple For wealth It 's his straw For Retinue Beasts are his For
Mortification 443 Remedies of Frailty to be used duly 433 Scandall not to be given 448 Hinders others keeps our selves from Heaven ibid. Sermon and Gods Word two things often 439 Scruples Satans Policies The Soules Bane 377 For Comforts and Duty 378 End in Carelesnesse 380 Scriptures plaine in Necessaries 440 Senses Cinqueports to be lookt to 354 Service of God due frō all Private 325 Publick 323 Perpetuall 351 Sins Basenesse in ten Particulars 313 Souls Worth in ten Excellencies 312 Theif on Crosse how to be lookt at 417 No Encouragement to Delay Repentance 419 Thoughts how to be Governed and why 353 Tongue how to be Ruled and why 355 Tongue Murders 358 Tongues Bridle how made 355 To be kept as Life Not without Care of Heart 357 and Gods Watch 359 Tryalls of Repentance Faith Obedience 432 Time pretious Of what value with God 383 With the Damned 384 Vowes to be Rare 444 Workes Good to be done 361 Charities their Chief 362 Words v. Tongue ERRATA PAge 15. line 5. read Clement 8. p. 41. l. 17. r. Distractions p. 44. l. 5. adde For thy Christ his sake l. 7. r. and perfect p. 45. l. 2. r. Prayer p. 48. l. 24. r. Joy p. 56 l. 12. r. with thee p. 51. l. 22. r. Glory p. 52. l. 30. r. mine p. 53. l. 10. r. first p. 63. l. 19. r. earth l. 9. r. upon it p. 75. l. 22. r. health p. 77. l. 4. r. mortall p. 117. l. 1. r. wein p. 118. l. 18. r. arhest p. 121. l. 30. dele revised p. 125. l. 6. r. Sinners p. 127. l. 21. r. or field p. 128. l. 19. r. shall p. 135. l. 17. r. Interests l. 21. r. horrours p. 144. l. 1. r. preserve me p. 154. l. 4. r. filed l. 14. r. to leave it p. 161. l. 2. r. swet l. 3. r. sweat p. 163. l. 2. r. duty p 167. l. 6. r. thrift p. 169. l. 18. dele both p. 170. l. 24. r. deadly p. 249. l. 6. r. to see p. 251. l. 18. r. more p. 265. l. 21. r. and thy self p. 275. l. 15. 16. r. thee p. 288. l. 25. r. Cassand p. 304. l. 8. r. ask p. 315. l. 19. r. abominable p. 327. l. 24. r. and keep p. 359. l. 16. r. stored p. 362. l. In Margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 373. l. 13. r. awry p. 382. l. 14. r. Corruption p. 400. l. 3. r. things p. 420 l. 23. r. that he p. 433. l. 26. r. Saviour p. 435. l. 15. r. rather then p. 447. l. 9. r. most p. 450. l. 15. r. sins Mistakes of Figures in the Marginall Notes PAge 2. l. 12. for 278. p. 29. Act. 17. 24. Isa 38. 5. p. Jer 8. 22. p. 32. Act. 2. 37. p. 46. Ephes 5. 22. 29. p. 47. Gen. 9 1. p. 49. Gen. 18 19. p. 68. Psal 25. p. 73. l. 20. deest Isa 11. 1. p. 141. Isa 19. 18. p. 142. 1 Pet. 2. 11. p. 144. Mat. 27. 5. Prov. 1. 22. Isa 1. 2. p. 145. Mica 7. p. 152. Apoc. 22. p. 156 Jam. 4. 11. p. 160. Mat. 3. 9. p. 161. Phil. 4. p. 164. Mat. 26. 23. p. 165. Luk. 12. 20. deest l. 3. p. 168. Psal 106. Jude Epistle p. 181. Dan. 4. 51. Prov. 3. p. 206. 1 Pet. 1. 8. p. 312. Joh 6. p. 327. Psal 7. p. 320 Psal 18. p. 321. Mat. 26. 27. p. 355. Act. 26. p. 336. Isa 60. p. 426. Eph. p. 387. p. 354. 2 Sam. 11. 2 p. 357. Prov. 18. 8. p. 358 Rom. 2. 1 2. p. 359. Psa 141. p. 360 Exod. 20. p. 376. l. 14. deest Jude v. 23. Psa 1. 1. p. 377. Exod. 24. p. 380. Isa 50. 4. 9. p. 390. Psa 119. 165. p. 392. 2 Cor. 3. 4. p. 400. Mar. 9. 43. p. 408. Cant. 2. 3. Luk. 22. 3. p. 412. Isa 51 48. p. 428. 2 John v. 11. p. 432. Rom. 14. 23. p. 433. Heb. 10. 39 p. 439. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 5. p. 440. 1 John 4. p. 445. Judg. 14. 9. p. 446 Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 27. p. 456. Mat. 6. 7. Note Reader that the second part of the sixt Soliloquie is Printed after the Seventh but the proper place is before it and so thou art to read it Of Religion in general Of Religion and how this Manuall is made to serve the Soule in it REligion is the Worship or Service of God a Joh. 9. 31. The parts of it are two Faith and Life b Act. 24. 14. or the Knowledge and Practice of it c 1. Chron. 28. 9. 1. There is a three-fold Knowledge of Religion Of Foundations or Grounds of it Of Superstructions or what 's built on those Grounds Or of Pinacles or Punctilio's high and curious points in the building The first of these is necessary for a Christian d Pro. 19. 2 Luc. 12. 47. the second for a Divine e Tit. 1. 9. the third for no man f 1 Tim. 6. 20. The first is necessary and profitable the second profitable not necessary The third is neither The first is the minds life g Prov. 3. 18. 22. the second health h 2 Tim. 1. 7. the third the souls disease or itch i Tim. 4. 3. The Grounds of Religion necessary to be knowne See pag. 2. And what profits may be made of those Grounds pag. 4. 2. The Practice of Religion consists in three things 1. Invocation k Gen. 4. 26. For that see the Prayers 2. Mortification l Gal. 5. 24. Col. 3. 5. For that see the weekly Services against Vanities and Sins and their Remedies And the Soliloquies 3. Celebration of the Holy Eucharist For that see the Particular Directions pag. 12. and Meditations in the Service for it The Grounds of Christian Religion Qu. WHat is the End for which Eccl. 7. 29. God made Man in this world Ans To live happy with himself in Ro. 6. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 9. another world Qu. What is the Means to be so happy Ans To serve God according to Heb. 11. 16. true Religion Qu. Which Religion is the True Ans The Christian Joh. 17. 3. Qu. What is required of the true Christian Ans To Believe Doe and Pray aright Joh. 6. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 6. Mat. 6. 9. according to the Rules of his Religion Qu. 1. What is it to Believe aright Ans Largely all which God sayes in his Word briefly summ'd up in the Apostles Creed which all Christians receive as the Rule of their Faith Qu. 2. What is it to Doe aright Ans All which God wills in his Law summed up in the Decalogue by whose ten Commands we are to governe all our actions as the great Rule of our life Qu. How are we to understand and observe those Commandements Ans We must understand 1. That Mat. 5. 28. they binde our hearts and thoughts as well as our hands and tongues in outward workes and words 2. To doe 1 Pet. 3. 11. the contrary good
to what they forbid for ill and to shun the contrary ill where they command good 3. And Mat. 5. 22 1 Thes 5. 22. to shun all kindes and causes and occasions of ill and to use all meanes and opportunities of good And 2. We may and must observe all this Eccl. 7. 29 Heb. 4. 15 Jam. 3. 2 1 John 3. 4 Ro. 6. 12 Heb. 13. 18 Act. 24. 16 Jer. 8. 6 Ro. 13. 8 Luke 1. 6. Heb. 12. 28 Not Exactly and Absolutely as Adam might and Christ did for we offend and sinne all and so break the Law but yet Vprightly and Evangelically that is We must keep our selves from greater sinnes and heartily endeavour and pray against all and grieve and repent when we doe any And thus by Gods grace we may doe and this for Christs merits God accepts and accounts for keeping of the Law without which we cannot do aright Qu. 3. What is it to Pray aright Mat. 6. 9 Ans According to the Patterne of Devotion summ'd up in the Lords Prayer the Rule of our Dâ—sires 1. For Gods glory before our good the Churches before my own and my soul before my body for matter and order And this in love and lowliness with faith and assurance for the manner 2. And that either to the Sense or according to the Words of the Patterne Qu. What assurances hath the true Christian that believing doing and praying aright in this world he shall be happy in another Ans Two great Assurances Gods Tit. 1. 2. Mar. 16. 16. Joh. 3. 15. Heb. 5. 9. Rom. 2. 7. Act. 2. 21. Heb. 6. 17. 18. Heb. 8. 6. Heb. 9. 15. Heb. 9. 18. 26. Heb. 10. 20. Word and Seal 1. Besides Gods Word his Bond which by his power he can and for his truth he will make good It is in a Covenant confirmed with Gods Oath which cannot change by Testament ratified in Christ bloud which must not alter And to this Covenant and Testament are put 2. Gods Broad Seales of mans Salvation the Two Sacraments of Christ Baptisme the Seal of my Birthright to Heaven and the Holy Eucharist the Seal of my Inheritance in it Qu. Are the Sacraments onely Signes and Seales Ans No. As they are Christs Assurances so they are his Conveyances Rom. 4. 11. Tit. 4. 5. Joh. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 16. too and Meanes as well as Signes of grace Baptisme of my Spirituall Birth and life and the Holy Eucharist of my Growth and nourishment to that which is eternall Qu. What is to be gathered from all these Grounds Ans Two Good Resolves for two Important Inquiries 1. Who is the best Christian He that most carefully keeps his Rules and Seales 2. Which is the Best Church That which is made up of such Christians MAT. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there I am in the midst amongst them There then Devout Soul be thou One in Christs Name and rest confident to be saved since thy Saviour is with thee there Grounds of Protestant Religion How a devout Christian Soul in the midst of the manifold Distractions and Divisions about Religion and Pretensions and Claimes to the Church may upon These Grounds against all seruples rest satisfied and setled in minde and cheerfully goe on in Gods Service to Salvation 1. IF he that Believes Lives and Prayes according to Christs Rules be the True Christian and by all Gods Assurances shall be the Happy Man The next way to Heaven is not to look after Controversie but Conscience and to spend my Zeale and Time not in being Contentious but Religious Since wheresoever I live or am in the Christian World West or East in what Church or Country soever it is not my being a Good Scholler that must save me but a Good Christian Not a learned Disputant for Christ but a Devout Servant to him Nor being of such or such a Party or Side in the Church but a true Member of his Body And even upon These Grounds I may see and discerne enough about the present Controversies and Debates in and concerning the Church For 1. I would aske this Whether I being borne againe and made a Christian by true Baptisme 1. Believing the Scriptures shall be damn'd for not equally believing Traditions Whether believing the Apostels Creed I shall be damn'd for not believing as my Creed the Popes to be as infallible as the Apostles 2. Whether making conscience to serve and worship God I shall be damned for not worshiping Images 3. Whether praying to God as Christ taught Our Father I shall be damned for not Invocating Saints and Angels and saying Our Friend which art in Heaven 4. Whether Receiving the Holy Sacrament in both kindes confessedly according to Christs Institution I shall be damned because the Cup is taken away by a Councell And whether if the Bloud be said to be in the Body it be not so to the Priest too and so by that reason neither People nor Priest are to have the Cup These being Points of Chiefest Difference in Religion betwixt Protetants and Papists an ordinary and indifferent understanding may easily judge by the evidence of Those Christian Grounds whether the Protestant is a damnable Christian 2. Nay secondly I would aske further 1. Whether to give an equall faith to Tradition as Scripture to a Pope as Christ or an Apostle of Christ be not to incurre the great Curse for Additions Rev. 22. 18 2. Whether Worshiping of Crucifixes and Images be not Idolatry damn'd in Scripture against Gods Second Commandement Whether the doing it but Relatively save it according to the Distinction of the Schoole in the ignorant people Or learned either if the Israelites Exod. 32. 4 5 8. were Idolaters for worshiping God in and before the Golden Calfe which was but a Relative worship 3. Whether Praying to Saints confessed to be an Unstatutable worship be not a sinne of Superstition against God and praying to be heard and help't for their Merits sake a Great injury to Christ 4. Whether to give the Sacrament without the Cup be not as Pope Gelasius said A grand Sacriledge and so to take it to receive but halfe the Communion And whether the people may not justly doubt and feare they Receive None if but Halfe These being the Points and practises of the Romane Church the unprejudic'd may judge whether the Papists be not the more dangerous Religion 2. If it be said there is but One Ancient Visible Catholique Church of Christ out of which to depart by Schisme is to goe from Salvation And that is the now-Romane Church and this now doth the Reformed I satisfie my selfe on my former grounds thus 1. Out of the Catholique Church is Universaâ—ity no salvation because that 's the Congregation of Christian men all over the World and none can be saved but a Christian But Is the West all the World Are there not Christians in the East Or doe Papists take up
of them all good Lord deliver us Deliver us from blood O God from all the innocent and pretious blood which lies upon us From our sins of peace which brought the warre and the sinnes of warre which brought and left us in that guilt of blood O Jesus that hadst mercy even for those that shed thine and Act. 2. 27. madest the matter of their sinne the meanes of their salvation let the virtue of thy blood expiate the guilt of all shed amongst us and the voice of Heb. 12. 24 it out-crie all the clamours which it makes in Heaven against us And by the grace of thy Spirit make our hearts bleed for our sins that it may crie so for us With our sinnes remove our woes Piece our rents and close our wounds with thy heavenly hands O God of peace that we perish not under them let us not make our selves a prey to foraigne force nor fall by an intestine fury Meet Body and Head in common safety meane while looke upon our languishings and keep life in the Body Lord who delightest not in the death of one Sinner pitty millions of poore sinfull miserable soules at the very point to perish pitty us good Lord and preserve us for thy great mercies sake in Christ Jesus Amen Amen 7. Collect for the Church 1 Cor. 11. 2. FOr thy deare Spouse and my best Mother I thy poore Child and Hers on bended knees hold up my hands and humbly pray all thy Goodnesse O God! Truth Love and Peace be with her For errour truth for schisme love for persecution peace Behold O Lord not what She is but was and not what She was for sin but thy Service And Heare Lord not the cries of her sins but groanes of her miseries And make her to be as Good as She was yea Lord make her be as Good as She should be Beautifull in Her selfe Unblemished in her Children Shining in truth Comely in order Holy in life Repair'd in her ruines Restored in her Rights Relieved in her injuries To Thy glory Her honour and the happinesse of us all through the Grace and Worthinesse of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 8. Collect for the Catholique Church O God of peace send Unity amongst all that professe thy Name As they have but one Head Ephes 4. 1 4 c. let them be but one Body as they are but one Body let them have but one Spirit the Spirit of truth and holiness in doctrine and life be in all Cease schismes and warres in the Christian world Let not them spill one anothers blood for whom thy Sonne shed His. Let there not be many Hearts under one Head nor more Heads with it lest they make a Massacre in thy Body or a Monster of it O let thy Scepter have obedience and thine Orders Observance every where Suffer none by delusion or depravation of mind or ambition of Spirit to pull downe thy Throne whilst they pretend for thy Scepter and let confusion and tyranny into the Church whilest they professe to bring in liberty and order and pull downe thy House to set up thy Glory From Violence avarice sacriledge schisme heresie Anarchy tyranny King of the Church keep us Do Thou governe us and let us obey thee doe Thou save us and let us serve thee Even all Christian souls save through out the world Dear Jesus Amen Concluding Prayer IT is thy promise to grant whatsoever I aske in thy Sons name Lord thou wilt not performe lesse because I BreviariuÌ„ totius Evangelii Tert. aske so in his Words In His blessed Breviary therefore I Summe and offer up all and say Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Blessing God the Father blesse me God the Son defend me God the holy Ghost preserve me and all mine and His now and evermore Amen So ends Morning Prayer A Charitable Prayer for these Miserable Times O Lord that dost not willingly afflict the Children of Men Behold from thy Holy Habitation of Heaven the Multitudes of miserable Souls Lives amongst us and have mercy upon us Have mercy on all Ignorant Souls instruct them On all Deluded Mindes and Enlighten them On all seducing and seduced Spirits and Convert them Have mercy on all broken Hearts and Heal them all strugling with Temptation and Rescue them All Languishing in Spirituall Desertion and Revive them Have mercy on all that stagger in Faith and establish them That are falne from Thee and Raise them That stand with Thee and Confirme them Have mercy on all that groan under their Sinnes and Ease them that blesse themselves and goe on in their wickednesse and curb and stop them Jesus that didst shed thy Bloud for all Soules to save them shed thy Holy Spirit on all and heal them And Lord have mercy on all miserable Bodies Those that are ready to Famish for want Feed them Those that are bound to Beds of pain Loose them Those that are in Prison and Bonds Release them Those that are under the fury of Persecution and cry under the yoke of Oppression Relieve them Those that lie smarting in their Paines and Wounds Cure them Thâ—se that are Distracted in their Thoughts and Wits Settle them Those that are in Perils of their Lives Preserve them Jesus that didst freely Distribute thy Comforts and Cures to all Miseries and Maladies of Men when thou wast on Earth Have mercy on all and Help them Far or near with us or from us Lord have mercy on all Even every Sonne and Daughter of Adam at this time in paine and anguish upon the face of the Earth where ever they are whosoever they be what help I would pray for my self from thee or Comfort from Man in their condition I beseech thee the God of all Help and Comfort to give it to them Take them to thy Care and Tender them Supply them and Succour them have Compassion on them and Heal them Jesus that didst give thy Bloud for them deny not thy bowels to them Thou that didst Redeeme them all preserve them Even all Miserable Souls and Bodies I beseech thee for thine Infinite mercies sake Amen A Prayer against the Temptations of the Time O God Who wilt not suffer us to be tempted above what we are 1 Cor. 10. 13. able to bear Succour me that the Temptations of the Time doe not overwhelme me Discover to me the wayes of thy Providence so far that I may see why I should neither deny it or doubt it And make me know Thy Judgements Job 11. 6. Rom. 11. 33. Job 40. 4. 41. 3. Jer. 12. 1. to be so unsearchable and thy wayes past finding out that I may humbly submit my wit to thy Wisdome and admire and adore the Justice which I doe not see Let me not be of so narrow a mind as to confine thy Worke to one World which thou dost not finish but in Two Nor let me be such a Creature of Sense as to believe thou
hast no other reward or punishment then what I see and feel O let my Eyes look to the end of all Heaven or Hell and let me envie no ill mans happinesse who shall end in Hell Nor bewaile any good mans wretchednesse who shall have Heaven for his end And let me understand that Prosperity of Psal 92. 7. Sinners is a heavy Plague because their Prov. 1. 32 spur to Hell the greatest punishment and Adversity of Saints a happy Mercy Psal 94. 12 because thy Rod to beat them into Heaven the Best Reward Meane while let me not give a Breast Psal 4. 8. full of thy Peace for an Armefull of that wealth which breeds nests of Vipers and Adders in their Hearts and continuall Job 20. 14. 16. stings in their Bosomes let me prefer the sufferings of Innocence before the Spoiles and Triumphs of Violence O God since a guilty Conscience is the greatest punishment on Earth because next to Hell And Accusing and Condemning thy Providence and forsaking Mal. 2. 17. 3. 13 14 15. my Innocence the greatest Guilt To that Extremity let no Temptation ever lead me Jesus Keep me from it by thy Grace and Mercy Amen Evening Prayers 1. Collect for Grace THou that hast promised Thy Holy Spirit to those that ask Luk. 11. 13. it give me Thy Grace O God with courage and constancy so to fight and subdue my flesh and ghostly enemy that I may passe my Pilgrimage in thy fear and at last receive my Triumphs in thy Glory Apoc. 3. 21 through the Merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2. Collect for Peace O God of peace who art Incomprehensible give me thy peace Phil. 4. 7. which passeth all understanding Let me so live according to thy Rule that Gal. 6. 16. I may have peace with my Conscience Let me be so ruled by thy Will and Word that my Conscience may have peace with Thee Lord make an everlasting Jer. 6. 16. peace with me and let me never doe what will break that league with Thee Dear Jesus treat it for me in thy Bloud and maintaine it in me by thy Spirit Amen Amen 3. Collect for Health IT is the wonder of thy providence O Lord that a body subject to thousands of Frailties and casualties every day should enjoy health or life an hour yet through thy mercy I have both at this instant Lord continue to me what I have and let me so improve it to thy honour that thou maist continue it and for Christ his sake doe not for any wickednesse smite me with sicknesse Amen Amen 4. Collect for Safety FOrgive O Lord the forfeitures I Psal 19. 11. have made of thy protection by the wandrings of my life And though I have not beene as I should a dutiful Child yet be Thou O Lord as thou ever art a mercifull Isa 63. 16. Father Forget not thy fatherly goodnesse to me who pray thy pardon for offending Thee thy Grace to serve Thee and thy Providence to preserve me this night and evermore through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 5. Collect for Friends O Lord it is joyfull for Friends to Psal 3. 3. 1. Heb. 12. 22 23. love live together on earth but the joy of joyes all to live with thee in Heaven I beseech thee let this happinesse be the portion of all whom thou hast made more nearly and dearly mine Let us so live in thy service that we may die with thy Salvation Mean while what wants of earthly good to any give us what is amisse and offensive to thy Heavenly Majesty in any forgive us what is requisite to make us so to serve thee now as thou mayest save us then in thy bounty bestow upon us Truth and Grace aright to see and seek thy face in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 6. Collect for the Kingdome O Lord we lie all in broil and bloud Pity us Our distraction threaten desolation to us Preserve us Our sinnes cry loud for thy vengeance upon us Pardon us Thy mercies have been great to this Nation Lord remember them Thy deliverances of us have been many Lord renue them That iniquity be not our ruine let us repent ruine it The guilt bloud Ezek. 18. 13. upon us forgive our Breaches repaire The order which may bring peace establish The Government thou hast establish'd maintain what is just and right in thine eyes set up what thou seest evill cast down what makes the Nation miserable remove what may make it happy restore Lord for thy mercies sake say we have been miserable enough and make us more happy Let the light of thy countenance shine again upon us and grant us peace the Power and Authority which may procure it preserve and those to whom thou hast given that power blesse them to us and us in them and all in thee for Jesus Christ his sake Amen 7. Collect for the Church Catholike BEhold O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ I a Christian and child of his true Catholike Church pray thy mercies on my Good and Great Mother and all my Brethren and her Children in thee and thy Son For Errours amongst them send them Truth For Schisme Unity For Superstition warrantable worship For Confusion Order For Profanenesse Piety For Variance Concord For War Peace that all may as one Body with one mind and heart and mouth and knee believe love confesse adore and so serve thee and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ the Great Lord and common Saviour of us all as thou mayest save us all in the world to come O thou Head of the Church fave thy Body By thy Bloud cleanse it By thy Spirit sanctifie it By thy Power preserve it and every Limb of it dear Jesus Amen 8. Collect for the Church O Christ Head of thy Body the Ephes 1. 22 Church Let not this poor Member of it amongst us perish What it is thou seest Lord with pity behold us What it was thou knowest O Lord in mercy restore us Thy Primitive Order in Christian Truth and Worship for the saving of Soules cast down set up The present Confusions Distractions Innovations Errours which are got up cast down Set up thy Glory O Lord amongst us and what is set apart to support it doe thou maintaine and continue to us and our Posterities after us for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Amen Concluding Prayer BEhold Lord I have prayed thy Grace and Peace with Health and Protection for my Friends the Kingdome and this and thy Church Grant good God all the requests I have prayed of thee or what more I should have prayed from thee or what any else have prayed with me In whose name I have presented with whose words I desire to perfume perfect my Prayers Beseeching thee that his Spirit may breathe in those words in which I know I pray both what and as I ought And therefore as devoutly confidently say Our Father
thee as that is my state let this be my blisse Give me the blessings of the Womb a healthy and holy seed which may be Heires of thy blessings on earth after us and at last inheritance of thy eternall blessednesse in heaven with us even for the sake of thy onely begotten Sonne my deare and onely Saviour Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 1. Prayer for a Woman with Child LOrd who hast blessed me with a hopefull Conception crowne thy mercy in mee with a happy Deliverance From all frights and harmes which may cause miscarriage to me let thy providence shield me From all errors and ills which may draw thy displeasure upon me let thy grace preserve me And for all my faults and failings past let thy mercy pardon me And Lord let not the Child for the Parents sake be any way unhappy The blessing of shape and perfectnesse of Body and mind be upon it I beseech thee so shall the Church have a Child and thou a Servant my Family a pillar and thy kingdome an heire mine shall be the comfort but thine shall be the gaine O thou that thy selfe wast once enclosed in a Mothers womb conceived bred and born shew this mercy to me doe it for me deare Iesus thou holy Sonne of God Amen Amen Prayer against Miscarriage LOrd keep me from all harmes and frights this day * At Evening say this Night and that my Womb by no ill acccident may miscarry within me let not my heart by any ill act miscarry before thee Body and Soule let thy mercy grace preserve me now and ever deare Iesus Amen Amen Prayer for a Woman in Travaile LOe this is the fruit of the forbidden Tree our first Mother brought forth sin and we bring forth in paine for it justly O Lord for I am the Daughter of my Mother as I sinned in her loynes so since I came into the world I have justified often what she did once I have sinned O Lord I have sinned O how often have I coveted what thou hast forbidden done ill in thy eyes to doe what was pleasing to my owne and been both tempted and Tempter unto evill By inheritance therefore and purchase wrath is my due misery my portion and this paine my proper lot and thy great mercy it is in Christ my Saviour that the pangs of everlasting death are not my but O thou Judge of the world remember that thou art the Preserver of men preserve me in it support me under it make haste make haste good Lord to deliver me from it and comfort me after it O remember not what the first Adam hath done but the second suffered and by his immaculate Conception and holy Birth and Life by the bitter passion and pangs and death of the holy Child Jesus deliver me deare Father in this my extremity Let the paines of my Travaile end in the joies of a blessed Birth that may to the comfort of my soule live and be made an Heire of thy kingdome Amen Amen Prayer after Deliverance of Child LOrd that hast look'd downe on thy poore hand maid in her great distresse I looke up unto thee and blesse thy Name for my happy deliverance that thou hast made me the joyfull Mother of a hopefull Child without visible infirmity or deformity which might take from my joy Goe on good God in mercy to me and it Support me on my bed of weaknesse and in thy due time raise me from it with strength Let my Child live till thou by holy Baptisme hast made it thy Heire and in that holy and happy state of soule preserve it to thy kingdome and let it be my continuall care by all good meanes to preserve it And good Lord from the pangs of eternall death and paines of Hell keep me and it for ever And whatsoever burden of woe I shall travaile under on earth let me not despaire of mercifull deliverance whom thou hast so graciously eased of my late paine and burden Thy power mercy is the same for ever O Lord let it be shewed to thy Servant in all her extremity according as her hope and trust is in thee by the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Prayer after Christening the Child WHat an honour hast thou done unto thy Servant O Lord thou hast given me a naturall birth and my Child a new one what came polluted into the world is washed cleane in thy laver for the raggs of Adam thou hast put on it thy Sonnes robes My Child is made thy heire and what was borne by me to a Crosse thou hast begotten againe to a Crown of glory O Lord let it be my care to keep my Child thine thy Sonnes righteousnesse on him and Spirit in him and my ambition so to be thy Child that I may with it be Inheritor of thy Crowne By the merits of him who is the first-borne of his Brethren thy Son and Heire of all things Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer and Thanksgiving for our Birth-day I Thank thee O Lord for my Birth this day but especially for my new-birth By that I was made a Man by this a Christian from that I have a naturall life from this a spirituall that was to live on earth this in heaven nor was that to live for ever but a time on earth Lord let me not frustrate the end of my Birth nor apostate from the blisse of my Baptisme The state of grace in which this set me let me ever maintaine And if by sinne I ever fall from it let me by a true and timely repentance rise againe and recover it that when I shall go from earth I may come to heaven and when leave to live with men live with thee and thy Angels for ever for which end I am created redeem'd and preserved in this world Lord that gavest my life this day to begin let it so end for his sake whose birth life and death makes all ours blessed who is the beginning and end Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Prayer for New-years-day GOd of my life who hast given me this day to see a New-yeare begin let me live to see it at a happy end and thou who hast a New-heart in thy gift O give that to me that according to all the good purposes of my soule I may walke in good conscience before thee and have thy peace within me and thy blessing all the yeare upon me even for his sake who was content to be borne at this time and this day to be circumcised and shed his just blood for me Iesus Christ thy Son my deare Saviour and Lord. Amen Prayer for a Widow O Lord that hast taken my Head from me be thou Husband to me thou that boughtest my Soule by thy bloud to be thy Spouse doe not lose me doe not leave me guide and governe in me in all my waies in all my wants and straits supply me thou that art better than Friend than Father than Husband than all be unto
ever every way be the God of my salvation yea whilst I live wil I praise thee in this manner For thy mercy O Lord thine infinite mercy it is that I am preserved and live Lord let those dangers never depart from my mind that thy deliverance may never go out of my heart but that I may ever be mindfull and carefull of thee and thy service for it all the daies of my life O let me keep with joy the memory of those waves which came over but went off my head as the great passeover of my life And let thy tempest be made a Temple to me to call me to pray unto thee and praise thee the God of my life to teach me to feare obey and trust serve thee better every where whilst thou shalt continue to me those daies 1. Even thy Creatures how terrible are they O Lord all hearts are afraid of thy tempests and melt at thy stormes O let me in this glasse of their terror see the dreadfull face of thy angried Majestie at which the depths themselves doe tremble and the foundations of the world are discovered even as the blast of the breath of thy nostrils O Lord And let me never presume to exalt my selfe against thee but ever tremble before thy face 2. At thy word the stormes did cease their rage and lie still O God! if any tempest shall arise in my passions through my frailty let it cease at thy command let not the Seas obey thee and my Soule rebell against thee 3. Thou hast presented the horror of a tempest to my eyes and eares O Lord keep me that I never feele a tempest in my Conscience let the raging Sea never run in my Soule to raise up stormes in me more dreadfull than death And that I may never be drowned in the depths of despaire Lord keep me from the overflowing of wickednesse Let not presumptuous sinnes have any dominion over me let the conversation of the wicked never cleave unto me 4. Thou hast in this great extremity of danger manifested to my Soule thy ready and mighty help for deliverance even when the waves were about to overwhelme me then even then O blessed God did thy goodnesse save me O let this experience of thy mercifull power and aide make me to trust and stay my Soule upon thee in all distresses and dangers whatsoever shall hereafter befall me 5. O let not any temptations of the vanities of the Land drowne in me the memory of thy mercies at Sea but against all temptings to offend thee let this tempest thus arme me Had I bin in that hower tempted to sinne O God would I durst I then have offended thee And now that I am by thy mercy delivered shall I yeild upon any temptation to sinne against thee and breake my great obligation and vow to serve thee 6. O let those waters which did fright but not drowne me in the deep be apprehended as a new Baptisme in which thy hand was pleased at once to sprinkle and teach me that my cheeks are to be wet daily with the brinish teares of repentance for my sins and the fresh springs of joy are to flow from my eyes for the goodnesse of thy deliverance Thy waters came over me but confusion did not cover me my face felt the danger but thou hast saved my head O Lord my God! O Lord I beseech thee doe thou thus sanctifie these great passages of thy providence to me that whilst I live thou mayest have from me a better service and when I die I may receive from thee a better salvation even for Iesus Christ's sake my deare and onely Saviour Amen Prayer before or in a Journey O Lord who hast set thy Angels to keep us in all our Psal 91. 11 Psal 94. 5. waies charge that Convoy with me in whose heart they are forgive me that I have gone astray from thee and give me grace to goe no more astray and be not extreame to marke all errors and wandrings Ps 130. 3. from thee who then O Lord shall be preserved on earth or saved in heaven let thy holy Spirit guide me this day and ever in the waies which please thee and thy blessed protection be over me and all with me for his sake who is the Way the Truth and the Life even for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Prayer Gratulatory after a Journey LOrd thou hast been with me in my Journey and as I prayed I have passed the perils of the way by the conduct of thy providence and where I would be I am by the favour of thy conduct blessed be thy holy name O Lord for all thy goodnesse How many have miscarried and doe daily many waies and even so might I have done had it not been for thy favour Blessed be thy name for it yea for all the preservations of my life and the mercy to which I owe those preservations Blessed for ever be thy holy name And still O Lord so magnifie thy mercy in my protection on earth that thou mayest ever be blessed of me till I am blessed with thee in Heaven through the merits of him who by his blood bought that blessednesse for us and in our flesh sits at the right hand to save us Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Prayers for a Souldier in a just Warre 1. Morning Prayer for one in Warre O LORD in daies of blood Read Psal 140. there be many howres of Death what minute may not be that hower O let me then thinke of mine thinke of it and prepare for it Thy grace give me so to doe this day and thy mercy for what hath been misdone before it that when my life shall end on earth it may begin where it shall never have an end Meane while let me live to doe thee more honour if it may stand with thy pleasure and see a happy peace to be the purchase of this warre that I may so live to my Prince Nation Church Religion me mine every way happy And doe thou therefore guide my Soule this day and guard my life from all evill and danger for Jesus Christ his sake in whose words I pray it saying Our Father c. 2. Evening Prayer for one in Warre LOrd who hast been my shield this Read Psal 91. day be my watch this night that I may be safe from the swords and hands of all Enemies and by the guard of thy goodnesse preserv'd to blesse and serve thee the next day for and in thy mercy through the merits of Jesus Christ in whose words I pray it saying Our Father c. 3. Prayer before Bataile O Thou shield of those that put Read Psal 143. 21 23. their trust in thee be his shield whose hope is onely in thee and in thy mercy onely Mercy Lord grant me for all my sinnes past and pardon me Mercy grant me in my present perils and preserve me Mercy grant me good God in my attempts this day and
time with more comfort and contentment and setlement of minde to yeild up my life and soule unto thee Deare Saviour heare me that sheddest thy bloud to save me and sittest in Heaven to preserve me For my last houre fit me From sudden surprizall of it keep me To it and in it ever save me and by thy grace and holy merits make it a happie houre unto me that I may then die in thy armes and at the day of Judgment rise and stand joyfull before thee Lord Jesus for thy mercies sake grant all this to me Amen! Amen! THURSDAY A Prayer against Hypocrisie O Lord Make me abhorre to be prophane and feare to be an Hypocrite If I be a notorious sinner the world will condemne me and if a close offender Thou wilt not justifie me Let me therefore be a Saint in sinceritie that God and man may approve and blesse me O Lord God of truth that searchest the heart what will it availe me to have the world accquit me when my conscience shall be a thousand witnesses against me and Thy selfe more then ten thousand consciences to condemne me Keepe me therefore from the blot and follie of Hypocrisie And since Hypocrites are the first-borne of the damned let me have no part in that sinne that I may have no portion with such sinners Let me be the same wheresoever I am in the Closet and Church in secret and publike in the darke and day and let me be alwayes what I should be studying ever to approve my heart and wayes before thee that thou who seest in secret mayest reward me openly O let me set Thee every where before my eyes and my selfe before thine and accordingly walk uprightly before thee till I come to rest eternally with thee O Lord since thou requirest no more to have thy favour on Earth and glory in Heaven but a heart true unto thee and doest pardon and passe by many infirmities where thou seest such a heart Let me not give thee lesse then a sinceritie in thy service God of Truth give me a single heart to serve thee and accept it from me and a Monster of a double heart let Satan never make me From Hypocrisie and lyes of life Lord deliver me Thou that hadst no gaule in thy heart nor guile in thy mouth Blessed Sonne and Truth of God let me be Thine in truth sweet Jesus Amen! FRIDAY Prayer against Inconstancie in good O Lord Thou art immutable what thou art let me be unchangeable what I should be never ceasing to be thy good Child and Servant who ever continuest to be my good Father and Lord O Lord There is not one moment in which I can be or live without thy goodnesse and shall there be many dayes wherein thou art without my service The glory with which thou rewardest it is to all eternity and shall the duties of it faile and fall short of constancy O my God! had I the age of Angels to live I owe the service of all that life unto thee and now that I have but a span of time shall I keepe away a great part of that from thee O Lord let me not so much forget thee and my selfe as to doe thus by thee And should I so farre forget my duty let me remember my necessity It is constancie gets the Crown to thy service and shall I fall off from it and lose my Crowne O Lord In what a fearefull condition would my soule be if death should seize me when I am faln off and take me away in that time of sin and have I any assurance this howre the next not to see death And were I sure of life time should I so live and divide it best yeares to the devill and worst to my God Months to vanity minute to piety Day and night looke to this world and not spare an houre for a better Lord Let not the Devill and the World divide my time with thee lest not giving thee all thou takest none from me or giving thee the least share thou throwest it backe upon me Fix my heart on thy feare that no temptation of Devill or man may remove mee Bind my soule with such resolutions to thee that no strength of the flesh may loose me Since I cannot for my bodies frailty serve thee as an Angell without intermission continually let me as a Saint without failing constantly be devoted to thee not as a retainer but daily servant attending upon thee Keeping carefully my howres of devotion and consecrating all my dayes unto thee in a conscionable and constant endeavour in all places â—nd things and at all times to shun all evill and doe what may please thee O thou that art without shadow of change ever the same settle my fickle soule in thy feare and establish thy holy Spirit in me that I may serve thee on earth with constancie and in heaven to all eternity By the grace and merits of him who finished the work of Eternall Redemption for me living and dying to save me and now sits at thy right hand to uphold and keepe me Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen SATURDAY Prayer against impenitence in ill LOrd keepe me from the fearfull sinne and judgment of an impenitent heart Since repentance for sinne is the onely remedy appointed to save me let me not neglect it lest I die for it irrecoverably O Lord what shall become of my guilty soule if thou doe not pardon me And how should I hope thy pardon if I goe on to provoke thee Give me therefore a sorrow for my sinnes past wherein I have offended thee and if I fall by frailty into sin let me not lye without remorse but rise by repentance that I may returne againe into favour with thee O my God if now I will not I shall repent in Hell if not on Earth if not with timely teares in hope in fires with everlasting horrour O let me weep for a time that I may not waile them for ever Let me mourne for them unto comfort rather then rejoyce into confusion From a heart hardned in sin and a conscience seared with guilt Lord keep me as from the threshold of hell And from continuance and custome in sin keep me that I grow not senselesse of it and seared And from multiplying and reiterating the acts of sin keep me that I get not a custome If I sin let my heart smite me that thy hand of vengeance may not touch me And for that hardnesse and habit of ill which I have already got by any acts of sin Deare Saviour help me and heale me Melt my heart in the fire of thy love to a tendernesse of offending thee and O blessed scape-goat * Leviâ— 16. 21. Goates blood melts Adamant Such is an hard heart Zach. 7. 12. mollifie my hardnesse by the vertue of thy blood that I may not stand stubborne against thee Bow me with thy mercies break me with thy judgments wound me with thy Word move me with
put it in thy senses Man of reason be not a beast for sense live and love above worldly vanitie looke and long after sure solid satisfying soule-felicity else saving thy selfe nothing is or can be so vaine Wednesday-Service Against the Villanies of the World Morning Prayer Psal 12. 14. 120. Lessons Gen. 6. or 19. Mat. 24. Evening Prayer Psal 18. 55. Lessons Jer. 5. or Isaiah 13. 2 Pet. 2. or 1 Joh. 5. Collect against the villanies of the World O Lord since the World is a Sodome 2 Pet. 2. 8. let me be a Lot vexed not delighted with her filthiness Since it is a Mesech let me be a David not taken but tired with her Psal 120. 4 wretchedness Lord why should that have my joyes where my Soule is never free from dangers nor thy glory from wounds where Blasphemie is as common as the ayre and Oppression as the earth where Iniquitie flowes like water and lust flames as fire why should I be in love with her that is in hate with thee where if I follow her course I go to the damnation of another world and if I crosse it meet with nothing but vexation all the way O Lord though I be in it let me not be of it if it be wicked let me be good yea the more wicked it is the better let me be that thou mayest Apoc. 3. 12 take a more mercifull notice of my goodnesse And because it is hard to breath the ayre of corruption and take 2 Cor. 6. 17 no taint into conversation let me be willing to get fairly from it and come to thee where is blisse pure without teare or taint Take me from the Devils of the world to thy Angels O God! meane time let me live a Saint even amongst Devils that I may at last be a Saint amongst Angels yea as one of thy Angels in that world where is no woe nor wickednesse Sinner nor Satan but thy blessed unitie with holy and happy society of glorified Men and Angels enjoying adoring lauding and serving thee for ever ever so be it for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Daily Prayers Meditation of the Villanies of the World MOther of all misdeeds and mischiefs when shall I be delivered from thee gaole of my Soule and wrack of my salvation a hill of poor Pismires tossing up and downe thou art at best a hell of debauch'd and damned Spirits at worst Source of sinne forge of hell and a field of all temptation If I love my God I must hate thee because an enemy to his honour if I love my self I must loath thee because an adversary to my salvation if I hate the Devill I must not love thee because thou art his Sword to destroy if I may not love the flesh I must not love thee because her staffe of support if I must not love vice I must abhorre thee because thou art the Mistresse of Vanitie if I must love grace I must detest thee because the Step-dame of Virtue Hagge of Satan Hate of Heaven Schole of Vice Seminary of Errour Mother of Sinne Step-dame of Saints Pest of the Spirit Nurse of the Flesh who by thy bad counsels and examples breedest the Brat of Sin in thy wicked womb and then sucklest and indearest it with thy profits and pleasures thy wretched dugs woe is me that I must stay in thee shame on me if I love thee thy best things are vanities of Earth thy worst villanies against Heaven what in thee can I love Though thou be a Whore I will not be a Villaine to my God so much a Villaine as to love such a Whore so Jac. 4. 4. 1 Joh. 2. 14 much a Villaine as by any lust of mine to make thee more Strumpet and by my additions of particular ills to encrease thy whoredomes I will have care what I can not to be Partaker of thy guilts but Ringleader I will never be to thy rebellions I would not come to thy end and therefore will avoid thy way God I thank thee for thy good Spirit which carries me against the streame of my corruption and tide of the World I cannot goe but in the strength of that Spirit against such a tide and streame God I pray thee let me continue my course that I fall not at last into thy Sea of Wrath and when the world of nature shall end be tormented with a world of sinners world without end for ever and ever Thursday-Service About Death Morning Prayer Psal 39. 49. Lesson Geu 3. or 5. Luk. 16. Evening Prayer Psal 90. 23. Lesson Eccles 12. Rom. 5. ¶ Thursday-Collect or Prayer about Death O Lord who hast appointed all to die make me ever mindfull of my dissolution that I may lesse love the vanities of this and more seek the felicities of a better life where death and distresses are not but we shall be as the Angels of God healthy and vigorous and happy for ever O let me every day so live that I may come to that life when I die And because the best-led life may have need of some time to prepare for death Of thy great mercy I beseech thee keep me from an unprepared heart and unexpected end Even for his sake who himselfe had the horrour of death Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers after it Meditation of Death DIe I must and after live in weal or woe for ever and no time after to recover the woe if I lose the weal As I tender then eternity let me look to my life Die I must and know not where House a Field Land or Water Bed or Board every where then let me look to it Die I must but know not how By a violent or naturall course casualty or infirmity lingringly or speedily every way then let me looke for it Die I must but know not when Day or night this or that day next or this This or that hour that or this minute this or that time Morn Noon Even ever then let me look after it And how look to it better then to finde out the murderer and doom him to death O Sin shalt thou lie in my bosome that hast laid all Mankind in a grave I will have thee to the crosse Rom. 5. 12 for that yea and for this too lest thou adde murder to murder and kill my Soul after my Body O what a sad hour of parting will that be if when Soul should leave the Body to death God shall leave the soul to be damn'd All full of horrour and utterly comfortlesse when it should be most the comforter of the Body But strength thou hast not to have death under foot without a Christ in Luke 2. 28 29. thy Armes Thou canst not welcome it without fear till thou embrace him in thy Faith To whom then should I look but to thee O Lord who art my Saviour And for what but thy mercy which is my Salvation And why but for my sinnes my onely destruction And how
but by repentance the onely remedy of my sins And when but in my life the onely time of my repentance And this day this hour this minute which may be the last of my life O Jesus as I sinne let me repent daily that when I die as I must I may live eternally with thee and by thee Amen Amen See more Soliloquie p. Friday-Service Of Judgement to come Morning Prayer Psal 50. 143. Lesson Dan. 12. Mat. 25. or Act. 17. Evening Prayer Psal 98. 99. Lesson Eccles 11. 2 Cor. 5. or 2 Thes 1. ¶ Fryday Collect or Prayer of Judgment to come O Lord Almighty who hast determined a day wherein thou wilt bring all Men and things to Judgement make me to try my Soul daily at the bar of my Conscience that judging my selfe for my Sins thou maist not condemne me at thy dreadfull Tribunall And Lord let that day be often in my thoughts that the fear of it and thee may be ever before my eyes and my Conscience may be kept more clean by the power of that fear Even for his mercies sake who was my Redeemer shall be my Judge and is my Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Meditation of Judgement O Barre in the Clouds I must appear 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Thes 4. 17. Apoc. 6. 16 Joh. 12. 48. before thee woe to me then if found guilty and now if I beware not of all Capitall guilts if I sin against the light of my mind and Gods great grace and goodnesse for then I am a Capitall Offender If I Heb. 10. 26 27. Rom. 1. 29 Gal. 5. 19. doe what upon pain of death God forbids me by his Heavenly Law for that 's a Capitall Offence For that and this will not God judge me Why For this even the World for Tit. 3. 111. that Conscience will condemne me And God for more for if Conscience can charge me with more then the World God can lay to my charge 1 Joh. 3. 20 1 Cor. 4. 4. more then my Conscience To the world Manifest and Secret are two things but to Conscience all one To be and be known are two things to Conscience and to be remembred and known but what is seen to Providence is never out of memory if once seen to hide guilt then will not serve to take no notice or forget it not justifie To a circumstance imagination syllable God doth observe Psal 50. 21 Apoc. 20. 12. Eccles 12. 14. and enroll every act thought word what ever I speak conceive or doe be it never so close or hid No way then to be saved but to get a pardon before my Doome No plea for that but Christs Bloud no Mediatour but Jesus And no fees for that Advocate but my Teares Not my Purse but Heart must bleed 1 John 2. 1. Luk. 4. 8. Mat. 11. 28. to move his mercy and then he will undertake my peace and Mediation Repentance by the plea of his passion and Intercession of himself never failes of Pardon because he never in Promise Those particular Sessions on my self prevent his generall Assizes my Penance his Vengeance But delay not thy pardon lest thou finde thy doome before it Have it not to seek when thou shouldest have it to shew thy Petition to draw when thy execution begins nor think with an half repentance to get a whole pardon Remorse for sinne without amendment Act. 3. 19. Heb. 9. 27. is but half And death is thy little Doomes-day no amending after it O Lord That I may be cleared by thy Sentence let me be condemned by mine condemned in my Conscience not by a constrained force and fury of guilt but by a voluntary and fair Penitentiall Processe Let thy Deputy 1 Cor. 11. 31. thus doome me that thou maist not condemne me Let me fall at my own Breast that I may stand before thy Bar O Christ Thy Pardon will raise me from such a fall and in that strength of grace and mercy even before thee shall I stand From being cast by thy mouth as low as Hell from falling from thy Bar to the bottomlesse pit and prison beware thou my soule Deliver me Deare Saviour now and ever Amen More of this see Soliloquie p. Saturday-Service Of the paines of Hell Morning Prayer Psal 11. 2. Lesson Isay 66. Luk. 16. or Mar. 9. Mat. 24. Even Prayer Psal 9. Lesson Deut. 32. or Isay 30. Jude 2. or 2 Pet. 2. ¶ Saturday-Collect or Prayer of the Paines of Hell O Dreadfull Majesty that hast Earth for thy Foot-stoole and Hell for thy Prison Of thy mercy forgive me that guilt which in thy justice would bring me to that fearfull Gaole Lord let me often think of Hell that I may never come to it And let me seriously muse on those eternall fires that I may carefully avoid them and Sin the fuell of them and way to it O suffer me not to buy any Sin so dear on Earth as to lose Heaven by it and suffer in Hell eternally for it Dear Saviour that hast triumphed over it preserve me from it by the merits of thy precious blood and passion O Lord Amen Daily Prayers Meditation of Hell NAy but if one were sent Luk. 16. 30 from the dead they would heare him No! not a Preacher from the Grave if none in the Pulpit Especially in a point of so universall a belief as hath not onely a Church-full but World-full of Preachers A point of so cleer and convincing an evidence as hath even those who are most Infidels to it Prophets of it What else doe the Archests and interest of Atheists and Epicures preach Heare they it not from Pulpits in their breasts that heed none in the Church Their terrors in life and honours at death are they not flashes of that infernall fire which they would extinguish Prophecies of what they would not have Hell Which because their guilts condemne them to they therefore rather would not then cannot believe Within thee or without thee in Breast or Booke Talmud Alchoran or Bible Church or World Guiltie one there is a Hell for thee Therefore is thy torture in life when distresse sets guilt on worke and Hell appeares within thee and dread in death when it appeares unto thee No wonder for if most credible what more horrible If Gods Palace be the best place Heaven his Prison is the worst Hell If the joyes of that passe all understanding the pains of this are above our comprehension Discourse may make them great but Experience makes that little Sad thoughts of this are good To have the Mind on hell is the way to keepe the Soule out And have thought of it for if once in no comming out O Epicure whose art it is to put all thoughts of Hell from thee by so Isa 28. 15. much it is nearer and heavier to thee When thy Body which thou pamperest shall die to feed wormes and thy soule which thou wouldst bury with it live to
as if made for nothing but thy lust and the dunghill Thou wilt therefore be condemned for thy injury to him thy self and them To a gluttony of torments starved body and soul without crumb or Luk. 16. 23 drop of comfort for thy short pleasures to paines long and lasting for ever Consider this 2. There is a Cloath a Meat a Drink an Art an Office that will help if thou have it Do thou then endeavour it 1. The Coat is Christ Of particular Rom. 13. 13 14. virtue to expell Gluttony 2. The Meat is his Word and Sacrament To which to have an holy Appetite is to lose the Job 6. 27. sensuall and to digest it to loath it 3. The Drink is his Spirit with Eph. 5. 18. which the soul drunk keepes the body sober The greater excesses of good the lesse of it surfets 4. The Art is his Pionry to undermine Dan. 4. 27. gluttony by works of Charity Giving the maintenance of thy lust to the poor So thou shalt at once starve thy Job 29. 15 and 31. 16. sinne and feast thy Conscience And God and Christ himself will come to the feast Mat. 15. 35 Luk. 14. 13. 5. The Office is to keep his Table Which Frugality covers and Temperance takes away His Example Command wil make thee able and Prayer will get the blessing of both And sooner if for his sake thou eat and delight in sober company and leave Gluttons for Saints Wednesday-Service Against Lasciuiousnesse and Luxury Morning Prayer Psal 106. Lesson Ezek. 16. or 2 Sam. 12. Prov. 7. Joh. 8. to v. 42 Evening-Prayer Psal 51. Lesson 2 Sam. 12. 1 Cor. 6. or Heb. 13. ¶ Prayer against Lasciviousnesse LOrd keepe me from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit that before men and thee who discernest both I may appeare pure and undefiled a chast Spouse to thee not to be tempted to any acts or lusts of uncomelinesse or unworthinesse which be ill in thy eyes that are ever upon me O let me be pure and holy in all manner of conversation as thou art holy that in the great day of tryall thou maist not disclaime me but owne me and take me to thy glory for the merits of thy Holy One and Undefiled Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against Lasciviousnesse 1. GEnerally The sin of unchastity is vaine foule fearefull and prevailing For 1. The more lust is served the lesse satisfied a Ezek. 16. 28. 2. It 's called particularly filthinesse and uncleannesse b Apoc. 17 14. It is sacrilegiously to make the Body c 1 Cor. 6. 18 19 Gods Temple a Stewes and that is the vilest filthinesse d 1 Cor. 3. 17. 3. It is a short pleasure for everlasting paine e Heb. 11. 24. yet this fire is the end of that fleshlinesse f 1 Cor. 6. 9. Heb. 13. 4. Apoc. 21. 8. Besides a foule conscience it wounds health honour state wasting the balsame of life blessing of wealth and oyntment of a good reputation g Prov. 5. 8 9 10. Pro. 6. 26. 32. 33. Job 31. 9 10. c. 4. It is a strong lust in the assault and commonly gets the victory Nature concurring with the strength h Pro. 7. 21 2 Sam. 11. 2 5. The holy Martyrs could no more be tempted by pleasures then tortures But 2. Particularly In a married condition it is every way worse 1. Not onely Damnation in another world i Apoc. 21. 8. but present Death k Joh. 8. 5. Levit. 20. 10. in this by the Law of God and man too in many places 2. It tends to the confusion of mankinde Incest c. l Gen. 38. 16. 3. The dumbe creatures are true to their Mates 3. The cure of both is the same To kill the sinne 1. In the Egge Stifle the first thoughts and motions of lust m Mat. 5. 28. no Bird but was first an Egge 2. In the hatching Take heed of the things that beget and nourish lust Covenant with the eyes n Job 31. 1 against lascivious Persons Pictures gestures stop the o Pro. 7. 21. eares against lustfull Songs Discourses Devices Keepe the heart p Pro. 6. 255 from being idle and the body from excessive sleeps and meats and drinks or such as are knowne to be provocative q Pro. 23. 33. Temperance Sobriety are great friends to Chastity 3. Tempted Thinke that thy keepers eyes are upon thee with Joseph that God sees thee r Gen. 39. 9. and will judge thee s Prov. 5. 20 21. Thou wilt blush if but a child behold thee Thursday-Service Against Pride Morning Prayer Psal 73. 131. Lessons Isa 14. Luk. 18. to v. 19 or Acts 12. Evening Prayer Psal 86. 138. Lesson Jâ—r 13. Jam. 4. or 1 Pet. 5. ¶ Collect or Prayer against Pride LOrd keepe me from the sinne of Pride which threw Angels out of Heaven and Man out of Paradise lest it cast me headlong into the depths of thy displeasure and barre my soule of both O let me who am nothing but a miserable body and soule a lump of sins and woes let me never exalt my selfe before or against thee Without whose goodnesse but one minute my flesh would fall to the earth and my spirit lie in hell for ever without thy mercy Preserve by these thoughts an humble spirit in me such as thou maist respect on earth and hereafter advance unto thy glory Even for his sake who so abased himselfe for my pride Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen! Daily Prayers Remedies against Pride 1. KNow what Pride is A sinne abhominable as that which is 1. Gods hate Others sinnes fly God but this flyes at God * S. Greg. and God at it a 1 Pet. 5. 5. 2. Mans bane It went before the fall of Angels b Jude v. 6. Isai 14. and Adam c Gen. 3. 5 6. and doth goe before destruction d Prov. 16. 18. 3. Christs scorne In his birth life death all humility nothing of pride much against it 2. Know what we are and there is no cause of pride 1. Not for our Ills. And our 1. Bodies are Baggs of phlegme and choler poore and vile e Phil. 3. 21. 1. I am quickened dust and shall be dead f Gen. 3. 19. 2. One worme was my begining and many will be my end and much woe betweene g Job 25. 6 Job 19. 26. 2. Soules be Cages of uncleane lusts and errours h Gen. 6. 5 Nests of Serpents and Vipers i Isa 49. 4 5. 3. Bodies and Soules both have what should humble us 1. My body is subject to a thousand sicknesses and sorrowes but my soule to ten thousand times more sins and wounds and weaknesses and falls k Rom. 7. 24. Psal 19. 12. Psal 40. 12 2. A Grave will be the end of my Body l Psal 49. 14. and Hell without pardon the end of a sinning Soule
m Mat. 3. 7â— 8. 2. For goods or perfections of body or soule no cause to be proud because they are all of them 1. Gods gifts whether of nature fortune or grace n Jam. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 4. 7. so they are my debt o Luk. 16. 2 for which I owe the Doner my thanks Pride payes my self the glory p Act. 12. 23. they are my charge q Mat. 25. 15. Mat. 18. 27. for which I owe God the use and for that must be carefull and fearfull not proud 2. Pride is the way to lose the good I am proud of honour beauty eloquence grace c. as we see in Nebuchadnezzar Herod Goliah David Peter c. r Dan. 4. 13. Act. 12. 23 1 Sam. 17. 42. Psal 30. 6 7. Mat. 26. 33 34. 3. Know what we are comparatively with 1. Others Our betters of more virtue if lesse beauty glory 2. God Before whom Angels cover their feet and faces s Isay 6. 2. Gen. 18. 27. Job 40. 4. Friday-Service Against Anger Morning Prayer Psal 4. 103. 106. Verse 28. Lesson Gen 4. Mat. 5. v. 21. Evening Prayer Psal 2. 124. Lessons Jona 4. Ephes 4. or 1 Pet. 3. James 1. ¶ Collect or Prayer against Anger LOrd keep all undue passions out of my mind and mouth Make me to think how often thou dost pardon those that provoke thee that my anger may not forth with burne against every one that doth offend me But that I may be like thee my heavenly Father in meeknesse and mercy Even for his sake who was the great example of both the Lamb of God Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against Anger 1. TO loath it Consider two things point of 1. Honour As 1. Holy anger makes a Saint a Psal 106. 30. Num. 25. 8. other a beast and bedlam b Prov. 27. 4. 2. Wrath shuts God out of the heart and lets in the Devill c Ephes 4. 27. 30 31. 3. To rule it is to be above a Conquerour to serve it below a Slave d Tit. 3. 2 3. Pro. 14. 29 2. Danger 1. It is against health e Pro. 19. 19. and grace f Jam. 1. 20 Pro. 29. 22 and so an enemy both to body and soul 2. Kindling of it within is dangerous but flaming out in words and deeds condemn'd by Christ the Judge to Hell-fire g Mat. 5. 22. Gal. 5. 22. 2. To leave it Endeavour 3. things 1. Prevent it 1. Expect injuries and provocations So they move lesse h Mark 13 22. 2. Suspect reports They make a little more i Prov. 26. 21 22. Pro. 16. 21. as Ziba did k 2 Sam. 13. 3. 3. Value wrongs aright as unfit or not worthy anger but scorn if small and pitty if great and if they come from men angry take them as blowes from the hands of madmen In comparison of injuries done to God what are ours and who are we if he were alwayes angry l Psal 7. 12. 130. 3. 4. Cut off occasions m Pro. 22. 24. 1 Thes 5. 22. as Cotys brake his Venice-glasses 5. Avoid selfe-love which gives our wrongs too great a value n Gen. 4. 24. 2. Divert it As bleeding at nose by opening a veine in the arme 1. To another passion as joy pitty scorne o Luk. 9. 55. 2. To another occasion set mind on somthing else 3. To another injury against God be angry at sin p Mat. 6. 23 and particularly at anger so deform'd a sinne * Irascor irae Naz. 3. Delay it Hold our selves in suspense and silence and do and say nothing in anger This was Augustus his cure Prescribed by the Philosopher * Athenoâ—â—rus If you be angry 1. Say over the Alphabet before you speak or do any thing 2. Say over the Lords Prayer sayes the Divine and mark the fift Petition or some lesson of Scripture as Mat. 5. 22. Saturday-Service Against Envy Morning Prayer Psal 37. Lesson Pro. 24. or 14. Mat. 20. Verse 15. Evening Prayer Psal 73. Lesson Isa 11. Gal. 5. or James 3. ¶ Collect or Prayer against Envy O Lord Because thine eye is good let not mine eye be evill And that the Devils eye be not in my head keepe envy out of my heart The eye by which he kill'd our first Parents and would have us their progenie to kill one another O let me not grudge anothers good If a friends because I love him if a foes because he loves my griefe Whosoever it is since it is the Dispensation of thy Providence let me not repine and quarrell at the acts of thy Goodnesse And as for thy glory so for my owne comfort too let not that Ulcer grow on my heart which will be as much my corrasive as thy offence Since I have enough as a man to grieve my owne adversity let me not be my owne Devill so much as to torture my selfe with anothers prosperity lest on earth a Hell of perpetuall torment seize upon me From an eye so full of sin and pain Lord deliver me even from envy I beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake Amen! Daily Prayers Remedies against Envy 1. A Snake in the heart poysoning the fountaine of action a Jam. 3. 16. and stinging the mind to the wasting of the spirits b Prov. 15. 13. and weakning of the body c Prov. 14. 30. 2. The heart will endure no such Snake in it if it have 1. Faith in Gods Providence d Psa 75. 5 whose orders and acts envy quarrels e Rom. 9. 20. 2. Love To God and Heaven For there the more heires the more inheritance * S. Greg. Rule And To Man on earth For we do not grieve but joy at their good who we love f Prov. 11. 10. 3. Lowlinesse For Pride breeds this Snake g Gal. 5. 26. 4. Pitty Eying men as mortall and mutable h Psal 37. 1 2. Dead Pompey made Caesar weepe Seven Services of the Vanities of the most valued things in the World Sonday-Service Of the Vanity of Pleasures Morning Prayer Psal 17. 73. Lessons Eccles. 2. 11. or Isa 47. Luk. 12. or 16. Evening Prayer Psal 35. 69. Lessons Dan. 5. or Amos 6. Rev. 18. ¶ Collect or Prayer against the Vanity of worldly Pleasures DEfend my soule O Lord from the Inchantments of the flesh and save me from vaine pleasures the great Witches of the world Thou hast made me with reason let me not live by sense I am capable of thee as an Angell let me not set my selfe amongst beasts making sensualitie my chiefe good which is but their blessednesse If my soule be sad can worldly pleasures comfort me and shall I be everlastingly sorrowfull for moments that delight me Even the purest sweets of the world are mixt with bitternesse but the pleasures of sinne O what gall doe they give the conscience O Lord To avoid the sting
let me loath the honie of wicked delights and because under the flowers of pleasure snakes of guilt lye hid let me beware of all but O Lord ever keepe me from setting my heart on any On thee be my soule ever fixt O God! In thee be the joy of my heart even in thee alone and in other things onely in thee and for thee and let thy feare be the matter or measure of all my pleasures that they may be in thee that when the brook of earthly joyes shall faile I may drink of the river which runs to all eternity O thou who art said to weepe not to laugh strengthen me to see and overcome this vanity That I may joy in thee now and with thee hereafter in endlesse felicity Deare Jesus Amen Daily Prayers Monday-Service Of the Vanity of Honours Morning Prayer Psal 49. 82. Lesson 1 Sam. 2. or Esth 6. Dan. 4. Joh. 12. Evening Prayer Psal 75. 83. Lesson Isa 3. or 5. or 23. or Jer. 5. 2 Cor. 1. ¶ Prayer against the Vanity of Honours O Lord Because thou hast made me great shall I not be good Because my bloud is noble shall my life be wicked Because men doe me honour shall I doe thee shame Lord let such a spirit of basenesse never possesse me let me know that the greater my honours are the greater be my obligations to serve thee And let those parasites of greatnesse appeare as so many fiends of Hell unto me who would have me break those bonds and flatter and nourish such a spirit in me Make me too wise to build my blisse on mans breath that I be not miserable at their pleasure and happy when they list Make me not so fond as to think a glory so vaine can make me happy So poore as to thinke that applause my blessednesse which goes and comes with a blast of mans Make me so wise as to know that a holy spirit makes the noblest bloud and to be thy child is the best descent to beare thine image the best coat to have thine Angels the best Ministers of honour and thine eyes the best Judges And make me so good as to doe those noble acts of vertue and piety which may give me this honour let others court the vaine let me seeke tâ—ue glory To scorne earth get heaven shining as the Sun in the State of immortality King of Glory give this honour to me Sweet Jesus I beseech thee Amen Amen Daily Prayers Tuesday-Service Against the Vanity of Riches Morning Prayer Psal 39. 49. Lessons Deut. 8. 9. or Pro. 11. 23 Mat. 13. or 19. or Mar. 10 Evening Prayer Psal 52. 62. Lessons Job 31. or Eccles. 5. James 5. ¶ Prayer against the Vanity of Riches KEep me O Lord from their madnesse who make riches their God and poverty their Devill Let not that be my heaven whâ—ch is so near to hell let me not make that my blissâ— which earth hath in her bowels And let not that have my heart which is not my heaven From immoderate desires to get or keepe wealth keepe me O Lord and from sinfull defend me that I may not covet much to spend more in the maintenance of lust vice and vanity and have much to ruine me Let me know that riches are good as they come from thee and give me a power of greater piety and charity and alacrity to serve thee and so let me value them as acts of thy bounty But as things unable to save either soule from hell or body from death in the day of distresse or to satisfie the soule in any better day let me despise them as poore and of no value And as Meanes of Sinne and Woe Feeds of pride luxury and excesse let me abhorre them as the Fewell of wrath and hell Let me be rich in thee and to thee in baggs laid up in heaven laid out in earth to mans Necessity and thy Glory Let the riches of grace be my joy others my use and their love my scorne That when the Worldly Rich shall be Beggers bereaved of all comfort I may be rich in all abundance in thee and with thee who art all in all by the purchase of the pretious blood and passion of Him who became poore to make us rich Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Wednesday-Service Against the Vanity of Beauty Morning Prayer Psal 38 39. 45. Lessons 2 Sam. 14. or Pro. 31. or 11. or Ezek. 28. Mat. 23 Evening Prayer Psal 6. 96. 145. Lessons Isay 3. or 28. Ezek. 16. 1 Cor. 11. ¶ Collect or Prayer against the Vanity of Beauty O Lord let me looke at Beauty as thy blessing but not make it my blisse Let not my care be more for my body then my soule and to have a faire face then conscience O let that which is thy face and Image have the chiefest of my costs and care Let the glasse of thy Word be often before me to see it and the waters of repentance daily with me to wash it and the fine linnen of the Saints ever by me to adorne it that the King of Heaven may delight in my beauty and not Men but Angels love me For beauty of the body let it not be my sinne or anothers snare Let me not hate Deformity above Hell and love Beauty before Heaven Since age at last will and infirmity before may deface that beauty and change it to a loath'd deformity And Lord keepe my looks from being lures of vanity Let no guilts be upon my eyes of anothers iniquity Let thy feare preserve me and them from these guilts Make it my care to appeare with a faire and cleane conscience before thee and to Him whom thou hast made the vayle of my eyes let me be joy of his That when humane beauty shall faile an Angels may be given me a body and soule both faire without blot or blemish to all eternity To that beauty Lord Jesus bring me Amen Amen Daily Prayers Thursday Service Against the Vanity of Strength Morning Prayer Psal 22 33. 38. 102. Lessons Job 6. or 9. or 40. or 1 Sam. 17. Act. 3. or 5. Evening Prayer Psal 86. 147. Lessons Job 21. or Isay 26. 1 John 2. ¶ Collect or Prayer against the Vanity of Strength THat I have health the Crown of earthly mercies I thank thee O God of my strength And I beseech thee continue it to me without which I cannot serve thee or enjoy any comfort from thee And let me use it whilst it is with me to the end for which thou givest it me to look and seek after eternall life where is no sicknesse nor infirmity Lord make me know that all other use is Vanity To trust in strength idolatry to turne it against thee villany To doe more sinne because I have more health from thee Let me therefore have care in the dayes of my youth and strength to remember thee my Creatour that in the dayes of age and infirmity thou mayest not forget thy Servant Let my
healthy body make my soul more cheerfull to serve thee How unfit sicknesse is to doe thee service and how many wayes it may come let me sadly consider that in my health I may goe about my happinesse and in my sicknesse have the comfort of a well-employed health and at my death the assurance of eternall life by that employment Lord since thou givest me the best of thy blessings let me give thee the first of my years the strength of my youth not my decrepite dayes that come sicknesse or health life or death I may be Thine ever a child of blisse and heire of immortality by the merits of him who is the Sonne of thy Love Jesus Christ Amen Daily Prayers Friday-Service Against the Vanity of Wit Morning Prayer Psal 36. 94. Lessons 2 Sam. 17. or Prov. 3. Lukc 10. Evening Prayer Psal 90. 111. 2. Lessons Jer. 4. Ecclcs 2. 1 Cor. 3 or 2 Tim. 3. Jam. 3. ¶ Collect or Prayer against the Vanity of Wit I Thanke thee O Lord for the blessing of my Reason For the power of it by which thou hast made me a man not a beast and the use of it by which thou hast made me of understanding not an ideot I beseech thee let me not marre what thou hast made My wit to delude my will and it to draw my soule from thee lest I foole my selfe of the end for which I was made and an Ideot get to Heaven before me As I have the wit let me have the wisdome to know thee and with my understanding the conscience to feare thee without which the most wise is but a foole before thee Ftom a wit to contrive mischiefs and to compasse designes of vanity from skill to use the arts of sinne and finde the wayes of death and hell Good Lord deliver me From an Atheists wit to dispute against thee and Religious acts which binde the soule unto thee and cunning to maintaine acts of vice and villanie Lord keepe me that it find neither roome nor favour in me that such wickednesse be not charged upon me Let me be a foole on earth to be a Saint in Heaven even theirs who thinke Sanctitie a simplenesse Devotion a dulnesse and thy Feare a folly And from pride of understanding and scorne of the simple who have little to my much let this preserve me that thou canst make my much to be little if I so provoke thee bereaving me of my wits by a sicknesse or a phrensie Wisdome of God from all this save me Deare Jesus Amen! Daily Prayers Saturday-Service Against the Vanity of Friends and Favour Morning Prayer Psal 38. 41. 11. 5. 39. Lessons Esth 6. or Job 6. or Pro. 19. Luk. 1. Act. 7. Evening Prayer Psal 88 89. 106. Lessons Micha 7. Eccles 9. James 1. ¶ Collect or Prayer against the Vanity of Friends and Favour O Lord Friends are Jewels and so thou hast taught us to value them yet as men that may be false or will be fickle our trust must not be in them Some are not more friends to my person then my prosperity And those that are now most friends with me may prove bitter enemies against me Let me therefore seeke to have my Conscience thy Angels and Selfe for friends that will never faile me and let thy will be mine O God that all these friendships may be for me O thou great Friend of mankind who by thy bloud didst make falne man friends with God by thy Holy Spirit make me fit for all these friendships And Lord let me not value mans with thy favour They can give me honour but not a Crowne of Glory Wealth but not Heaven Their hands are too short Yea in sicknesse and distresse they cannot reach health or quiet to my body or my conscience And though their power be ever lesse then my wants it may be often greater then their wills O Thou Unchangeable Majestie The everlasting lover of them that feare thee let me be one that thou maist ever favour me Let me not care for mans cloud so the light of thy countenance shine upon me Let my sinnes never hide that light from my soule I beseech thee Sun of righteousnesse let some beame of thy love ever come unto me Lord Jesus say Amen Amen! Daily Prayers Services upon other subjects and particular occasions Advertisement to the devout Reader touching these Services FOr those services in the fourth Week which may not be so proper for all as that of Honour Beauty Strength those here which are of more Cōmon concernment may be used in their stead as the Service against Malice Revenge Impatience The rest as occasion and discretion guides thee and devotion finds most beneficiall for thee Wherein the Authour gives thee thou mayest take thy choice And if thou wilt make these serve for a fift Weeke doe as shall most please and profit thee A Service of the pleasures of piety for Sunday or other day Morning Prayer Ps 4. 30. 32. or 33. 97. Lessons Deut. 16. or Isa 29. or 35. 61. 65. Joh. 16. Evening Prayer Psal 16. 36. or 126. 132. Lessons Heb. 3. or Mat. 3. or 8. Phil. 4. ¶ A Prayer to have the pleasures of Piety RAvish my heart O Lord with the joyes of thy Saints and cause me to see the felicity of thy chosen O! What are the pleasings of sense to the solaces of a Soule or the delights of the flesh to the raptures of Spirit And in what but in thee O God can my immortall Soule take repose or my Spirit finde rellish thou art the Soveraign good In thee is the Crown of joy All in the world is nothing to thee woe without thee And how can my Soule rejoyce in thee but in the favour which thou hast to those that feare thee and those multitudes of mercies which proceed from thy favour to those that are in holy league and peace with thee Lord make me one of thy Saints that I may have some of those joyes which none but those that feele know and those that know cannot utter And give me I beseech thee some taste of those holy pleasures which may encourage me more and more to seek to be a Saint O Lord of those shoures of hidden Manna which daily fall upon Soules greatly devout indeed let some crums and drops come to me who truly desire to be so and whilst others take pleasure to swim in sensuality let me be satisfied with those drops Let sinfull contents be my hate because they banish them and sensuall my scorne because below them Let me joy in the goods of the earth as my common portion but triumph in thy favour as my great Inheritance and in the duties of thy service and feare as the wayes to thy favour To the harvest of joy in Heaven Lord at last bring me and to live more comfortably on earth in thy feare the First-fruits of thy Spirit give me and a love and care and conscience of thy feare encrease ever in me God
Armes I leave the wounded Mother and at thy Feet I lay the Bleeding Child Jesus nourish these Holy Passions in me which my Heart hath conceived and my Tongue now brought forth before thee Let thy Holy Passion ever Breed them in me and thy Holy Spirit nurse them for thee Even by the Merits of thy Bloody Passion I beseech thee Amen Amen A Service Eucharisticall or Preparatory to the Holy Communion for Saturday or other Day Morning Prayer Psal 26. 74. 146. Lessons 2 Chron. 30. Mat. 26. to Verse 46. Evening Prayer Psal 55. 67. Lessons Isay 55. 1 Cor. 11. or 10. 1. Prayer before comming to the Holy Communion Acknowledging and Deprecating our unworthincs O Lord I am every where in thy Presence and under thy Eye and therefore should be profanc no where But thy Speciall Presence and Face is in thy Temple there therefore I should be most Holy And thy Chair and Seat is at thy Table there then I should be most Even the Angels are not pure enough for such a Heavenly Presence how then shall a poor sinfull mortall Man appear at so High and Holy a Service How shall I dare to Communicate with thee that deserve not to Come before thee Lord Since I cannot come as I should Pure I will endeavour by thy Grace to come as I may Penitent I will be more Humble because lesse Holy and more Wash'd because so Eilthy And O Lord give me Grace so to come Let me look over my life in the Glass of thy Law let my Conscience help me look and make me wash with my Teares what is polluted in my wayes and clense in Christs Bloud what I wash with my Tears O Lord in a Bath of this water warm'd in that Blood flowing from a Sinners bleeding Heart and Saviours bloody Side shall I not be clean if I wash Pierce my Heart O Lord that I may Repent open my Heart that I may Believe that I may so wash and be clean Though I did not live let me believe aright and let me love whom I doe believe Thee O God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who didst send thy Sonne to shed his Bloud and Redeeme me Thee O Son of God who didst come and shed thy Blood to make a Bath and heal me Thee O Holy Spirit of God! by whose Grace and Work upon my heart I come to have the benefits of that Bloud And whom I love let me not grieve Lord let me no more offend thee Let my heart be set to serve thee resolved to please thee And doe thou accept me Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Amen 2 Prayer to be used before the Holy Communion to be pardoned and prepared for it DEare Saviour that hast given thy Flesh and Bloud to be my meat and drinke and now invitest me to those heavenly dainties Who am I wofull and wicked wretch that I am that I should dare with my unworthy hands to receive those High and Holy Mysteries Originally uncleane Actually defiled and even since my last comming and Communicating for all my vowes and protestations before Thee againe and againe polluted In these straits and stresses of spirit how shall my soule be satisfied If I come not at thy call I rebell against thy mercy If I come I trespasse upon thy puritie O my God! I will not stand out a Rebell but rather fall downe an humble Suppliant before thee I am guilty Lord pardon me I am polluted Lord purge me Though guilty though polluted I am thy Ransomed soule Deare Redeemer save me Let the Merits of thy pretious bloud clense me from the guilts upon me Let the graces of thy Holy Spirit Sanctifie me from the stains within me Let the sighs and teares which come from my bleeding heart wash off those blots by vertue of that pretious bloud Let the cryes and prayers which now come from my believing soule obtaine those graces from thy Holy Spirit True repentance and humility A lively faith and charity with all those holy and heavenly thoughts and affections which may dispose and prepare me for thee By these fit my soule for thy selfe and my body with my soule to be an holy house and habitation for thee Let thy Holy Spirit and Body enter into me Come Deare Redeemer come to the price of thy bloud seize thine owne and save me Possesse my soule feede me and preserve me Hereafter let me have more grace then to grieve thee Give me care to keepe my bodie thy Temple more pure from sinne and holy to thee and my heart thy Bed more cleane from lust and undefiled before thee In the strength of thee the Living Bread let me grow more able to serve thee And by vertue of so neare an Union and Communion with thee let not mine but thy Holy Spirit from henceforth lighten lead and enliven me That I may shun sinne which thou hatest and daily doe those duties of devotion and charity which please thee So let this Holy Sacrament at once Seale to me thy mercy and my glory Where I shall for ever communicate with thee in perfect purity and felicity To that happy Communion by thy grace deare Saviour ever prepare me and now for a Holy Communion with thee Amen! Amen! Say Amen Lord Jesu 3. Prayer at our comming to the Holy Communion DIdst Thou not invite me to thy Holy Table O Lord I durst not come Now thou callest me I dare not keepe away And yet when I doe consider Who and what is here I fear and tremble to come Thou O Lord art a Holy and Dreadfull Majesty and so Thy Mysteries be Holy Bread and Holy Wine A most Holy Bodie and Bloud No taint in His Bloud who is God and Lord as Thy selfe The Lamb of God Immaculate Undefiled without Spot all-pure most High and Holy But alas I am Uncleane Uncleane Uncleane Originally Actually every way In Heart Hand Lips every part Throughout Childhood Youth Manhood every Age Most unworthy to approach a Presence so pure who am so unholy True Lord But I lament my Uncleanness I renounce my owne worthinesse I come not because worthy but needie I come to be made cleane and worthy That Bodie and Bloud can make me cleane It is my Saviours His Merits can make me worthy They are thy Sons And here is a conveyance of that Blessed Body and Bloud It is thy Sacrament Lord Thinke me worthy for his sake and Make me worthy for thy Mercies sake by my comming Give my Sins thy Pardon my Soul thy Grace My selfe thy Acceptance in thy Beloved And what Thou dost convey Seale to me by what I am to Receive from thee The Blessed Body and Bloud of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen 4. Prayer and Thanksgiving after Receiving of the Holy Communion PArdon O Father thy poore Child the errours and infirmities which have pass't in thy Holy Service whether before or in or since the Sacrament And in and for the pretious Bloud of thine Holy Child Jesus of which I
I wear a Deaths-head in a Ring to preserve alive the memory of a Dead Friend And O thou Loving and Blessed above all Beloveds when thy Passion is Engraven by thy own Hand in an Holy Mystery for my minde to wear shall not the Ring be on my Finger shall not my Heart keepe and weare thy Ring 4. But is that all Dear Jesus Is that all I am to doe to give thee a Memory Surely then it must be the best of all O thou Manna that camest Joh. 6. 32. Heb. 9. 4. downe from Heaven a Golden Pot must keep thee My Soule must have most Pretious memory for thee Quick not Dull Humble not Bold Tender not Hard Active not Contemplative that 's Leaden Brasen Iron but Silver at best and reprobate at worst The Memory which moves all good Affections to thee and Promoves all good Abilities for thee that 's the Golden pot must keep thee So thou wouldst have this Memory because it will minde and doe all Duty Admire and Love thee Obey Endure Doe and Suffer for thee It will establish Faith excite Repentance enflame Charity maintain Constancy O thou Mirrour of the Godhead Heb. 1. 3. 4 Beauty of the World Excellent above Angels High above all Lord of Lords King of Kings Those are thy 1 Tim. 6. 15. Eccles 12. 1. Dues And Holy Memory is a Store-house full and Rich to Pay all therefore thou sayest Remember me I cannot but Believe Repent and Love to the last if thou be in minde If I Deut. 32. 18. fail payment of any Duty to God or Man it is because thou art out of my Memory But to thy Memory Dear Jesus what is it I should doe O Lord thou wouldst have me doe this In Remembrance of thee Thy Passion that that must be in my Memory and Thee I must Remember in 1 Cor. 11. 26. that Thy Sacrament then is an Obelisk to the Eternall Memory of thy Passion A Pyramide of everlasting date set up in the Church for a Solemne memoriall of thy Death And Lord So oft as I neglect it what doe I but pull downe thy Pyramide And Bury Thee and thy Merits as the Jews did thy Limbs but in a worser grave not in a garden but desert a grave of oblivion 2. And what Lord Shall I Remember of thy Passion What But that thou the Eternall Son of God wast made Man to endure it Moved Heb. 9. 14. by meer Love Infinite Love to undergoe it And I wretched Creature Sinfull Sonne of Man the Man that caused it who else had been for ever a Miserable and Damned Man And thus did Infinite Wisdome Mercy and Power in God wonderfully work the Salvation of Man This ineffable Mystery of Redemption by the Miraculous Passion of the Sonne of God which thou didst Suffer thou wouldst have me Remember And thy Sacrament is a Monument to last as long as thy Church that whilst I have Life and Soul I should perpetuate and preserve a Holy Memory of my Saviour 3. And what a Wretch am I that have neede of such a helpe to my Memory and Spur to my Duty as both a Commandement and a Sacrament for both It casts reproaches on me O Christ That thou should give thy Body for me and I scarce give my minde to thee That I should have so great a roome in thy heart and thou so hardly get any in mine That thou should be more ready to Bleed for me then I to Thinke of thee Dear Jesus That didst empty all thy Veines for me shall I not finde a vessell to Preserve thy Pretious Bloud Doe I not Spill what thou didst shed if I let it run out of my Memory Yet art Thou put to it to finde me both Bloud and Minde And when thou hast done all that out of Remembrance of me lest it should be forgotten ordainest a Sanction and Sacrament and sayest Do this in Remembrance of me 4. But more Wretch I if I doe not so doe and Remember For Lord If I doe thee Honour dost thou not doe me favour for it If I give thee glory is it more my Duty then Felicity to doe it If thy Sacrament is it not my Emolument Receive I not great Honours in it Reap I not good Benefits by it Conveyes it not the Bloud-Royall Concorporei Consanguinei Basil of Heaven into me and am I not Kinsman Brother of God an Heire and Prince of Heaven by vertue of that Bloud Is not the Godhead Bodily in Christ And is not his Body Col. 2. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 16. Mystically in me And I near Akinne to God by the Communion of that Body And can he want Demeans that is such a Prince Is not the Earth Psal 2. â— thy Gift and Heaven in thy Power Mat. 28. 18. Heb. 1. 2. Ephes 1. 7. 2 Cor. 1. 22. Rom. 8. 32 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. Jesus thou Son and Heire of all And have I not thy Spirit thy Flesh to Pledge for all The Conveyance Sealed in thy Bloud and thy Merits made over and Assured in thy Body O Lord I am so much concern'd in Honour and Estate to doe what thou dost command that if I doe consider my Selfe I should do it to thy Memory in Remembrance of me as well as Thee 5. But what Lord Must I so doe Mat. 26. 26. Credi salubriter posest investigaâ—i saâ—ubrâ—iter non potest Lumb Believe Thee Present in thy Holy Sacrament Upon thy Word I doe But Determined in a Naturall and Corporeal way of prâ—sâ—nce for thy Word I doe not * Act. 3. 31 So thou art in Heaven and wilt be to the great day Not on Earth So. This Remembrance teacheth me that Absence If so present I should see thee not Remember thee Thou art Glorified in Heaven Thou wast Crucified on earth It 's this I remember I Remember but doe not Offer Heb. 9. 25 26 28. Heb. 9. 24. Col. 1. 20. this That thou didst once I Commemorate not Râ—iterate often The Propiatory Sacrifice is Thine the Eucharisticall Mine That was on the Crosse this is in the Eucharist This I 1 Cor. 11 26. doe that I Remember The Memory of that I offer the Tragedy I doe not act What was in Sacrifice is here in Sacrament This is all that I doe and neede to doe and can doe if all in Remembrance of thee 6. So then My Soule and Body have both to doe in this Businesse of thine But my Soule more then my Body My Soule is Chief Minister to wait upon thee in this Mysterie My senses but handmaids to wait upon my Soule Sight Touch Tast Smell all to bring the more to my minde and reach the better to my Memory Thy Bodily Presence makes a True 1 Cor. 11. 29. 1 Cor. 1â— 30 31. Eucharist Mine if minde be away to me but a Mock-Sacrament To thee but a Mock-Service and will convey to me a Reall Judgement but a Mock-Salvation What
I doe is to no end without forme and voide if not with a Minde devoutly busied as a Body Well-devoted and all done in Remembrance of thee Naturally I may do something and see some Body but Sacramentally nothing if I discerne not Thine 7. Something then is to be done before I doe this I must get an Holy Appetite before I Eat and Drinke which is by Repentance And bring Mat. 5. 6. an Heavenly Mouth to the Meat which is my Faith And much is to Joh. 6. 35. be done after this I must Digest it so in Conscience as to get good Spirit by it and gaine such strength by the Digestion as to walke more hoâ—ly and grow Better for it Else what doe I but Deforme thy Body and Defile thy Bloud That must raise my Thoughts and Afflictions to the Memory This keepe them up As I must doe this in Remembrance of Thee I must do that in Remembrance of this and what is done not forget I have beene doing and put thee after out of my Remembrance Jesus Make me doe what I should Not neglect it lest I neglect at once my Saviour and Soule Not doe it as an Act of Complyance with Time or as a Due more to Custome then Conscience which is as ill Nor in a rude unhallowed unprepared irreverent bold Carriage and Confidence which is worse then a neglect Jesus Give me grace so to doe So to Remember Thee on thy Crosse that thou maiest not forget me in thy Kingdome So to Remember thee Luk. 23. 42. Luk. 22. 30. at thy Table that thou maiest Remember me on thy Throne Where Commemoration shall be turn'd into Vision Where I shall have not Sacramentall 1 Cor. 13. 12. but Beatificall Communion Where I shall not weare thy Ring but see thy Face Not Remember thee but Behold thee Not in Faith but cleare and full Fruition Even so be it O Lord Feede me to it in Faith and Love and Seale it to me in Spirit and Conscience Lord Thus have me and let me have Thee for ever in Remembrance Amen! Amen! Directions about the Holy Communion how to Prepare for it 1. Touching Prayers Preparatory to it ON Wednesday before Read the Penitentiall Service On Friday the Service on the Passion On Saturday the Service Preparatory to the Holy Communion On Sunday some of the Scripture Lessons with the Prayers proper for it and Meditation upon it 2. Touching Self examination necessary before we Communicate YOu must Examine your selfe 1. Cor. 11. 28. touching your Faith and Life 1. Your Faith is Right if you Believe concerning God and His Church according to the Rule of it Comprized summarily in the Apostles Creed Received by all Christians 2. Tim. 1. 13 2. Your Life is Right if it agree with the Rule of it The Law of God Comprehended in the Ten Commandements For finding of which 1. You are to Consider apart every Commandement and the Contents * Juxta ordinem Decalogi institutum Mcl. l. com de poenit v. Partic. apud ipsuÌ„ Rom 7. 7. Psa 119. 15. Lam. 3. 40 of it what Duties it Requires What Sins it Forbids and then aske your Conscience how you have Discharged your selfe therein 2. Where you finde upon Just Enquirie that you have led your life according to Gods Law in Piety to God or Charity to Man Thank God for His Grace where you find that you have failed Ask God for His Pardon 3. And because none but Penitents can ask and have Gods Pardon and Contrition is the Root Confession the Branch and Amendment of Life the Fruit of Repentance look therefore carefully to all And first 1. Touching Contrition IT is the Bleeding of a Soul toucht Act. 2. 37. with Remorse for Sinne And if of the Bodies much more care must be had of the Soules Bloud That it Bleed 1. Wisely For doing ill not well 2 Cor. 7. 10 That were to let out good Bloud and keep in Ill. 2. Kindly Even for doing Ill as an Psal 51. 4. Ezek. 7. 16 Offence to God chiefly Not so much for the Dread of Damnation as the Displeasure of his Goodnesse 3. Rightly For the Sinne which hath done more Displeasure to God and is chiefe in me most That 's to strike the right Veine Psa 51. 14 4. Freely The Heart must bleed for all and that above all Water must 1 Cor. 15. 9 Psal 66. Mat. 26. 75. Luk. 7. 38. not be wrung out of the Eye like Fire out of a Flint but if nature stop not the Course flow as from a full Fountain Naturally and Plentifully out Yet 5. Temperately too Not bleeding Joel 2. 12 13. Jer. 18. 11 12. to the Death of Despaire but so as to keep in Heart a Life of hope for Mercy and Help The sorrow be-being to drowne Sinne and not the 2 Cor. 7. 5 Heart To that end God hath given the Soule as the Eyes for Sluces to Jer. 13. 17. let out the Waters of Griefe when they swell about the Heart and are ready to overwhelme it So a Floodgate in the Mouth to void them and prevent an Inundation Psal 39. 4. of Heavinesse And as Teares spend Grief by the Eye Confession puts it out at the Mouth Of which is the next Enquiry 2. Touching Confession GOd being the Majesty whom Sin Psa 51. 13. Isay 43. 25 Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 8. Lev. 5. 5. John 20. 23. 2 Cor. 20. Vice Dei qui thesaurum in â—s posuit hominum Luth. 1 Sam. 7. 6 offends of him Pardon is to be sought and Confession the way to find it without which we seeme either to need no Pardon or not to seek it And God being pleased two wayes to give Pardon Immediately by a Power Imperiall in and of Himselfe and Mediately by the Ministry of Man Delegated by him to Seal Pardons in his Name and the Soules Peace Hence Man also hath two wayes to make Confession or speake his Guilt to God One is to pour out the Soul into Gods Bosome by having an Immediate Recourse for mercy to God Himself The other is into Gods Ear Fiat pastori vel potius Deo Coram pastore Zanch. in 1 Joh. 1. Betaking our selves for Ghostly good and Comfort to some Man of God And as in some Cases there is great need â—o for sundry Causes there may be much profit of this 1. In a storme of Conscience it 's not Job 33. 23 24. 37 38. Isay 504. Jam. 5. 15 16. safe to be without a Spirituall Pilot lest for want of better Direction and helpe the Soule be Swallowed up in her owne Deeps or Sunke under some Gust of Temptation As God knowes many daily are * Damnaberis tacitus qni posses liberari confessus Aug. 2. Or If the Mind Fluctuate and cannot rest Satisfied in her Spirituall Estate it 's dangerous not to seeke a Guide of God to leade us out of those Ghostly straights
and Dangers Thou didst purchase thy selfe a Church at the price of thy Bloud O! Let no hand seize and Spoile so Deare a Purchase More particularly Hear my Prayers for these persecuted parts The Petition of a poore Child for a Deare Distressed Mother Many O Lord are the Enemies to destroy it and few friends to preserve it Strong are the Armes to pull it downe and weake the Hands to hold it up But O God! doe not thou desert it uphold it with thy Holy Arme Maintaine the Religion Established amongst us and thy Holy Truth and Worship in that Religion Maintaine a Clergie that may be able by Learning and Holy Life to Defend thy Truth and Worship and the Meanes that may continue such a Clergie Let not Errour and Heresie corrupt it Ignorance blind it Superstition infect it Profanesse overgrow it Schisme teare it Sacriledge devoure it Atheisme lay it waste Persecution make it desolate Lord make us as happy as we were and more thankfull and lesse sinfull that we may be so happy Let Errors vanish Sects cease Furie leave us and the Spirit of Truth and love againe possesse us Let Confusions end and all Irreverences in thy Service be banisht from us and Holy Order Decency appear again amongst us Let wars and Tumults and Civill broiles and bloudsheds depart and the voyce of joy and peace returne againe unto us Lord Let us have that Religion which may make us happy in Heaven and that peace which may give us Time and Leave to enjoy that Religion And let those that have the power restore and preserve that Religion and Peace And doe thou to that end mercifully maintaine their Power and Them O Thou by whom Kings raigne who hast promised to make them Nursing Fathers to thy Church grant us these blessings to the Glory of thy Name the Quiet of our lives and the Saving of our Soules Even for thy Deare Son our Saviours sake Amen! 7. Prayer for Mercy to the Nation O Lord we are a Nation not to be Loved ready to be Ruined And for our sins thou maist justly destroy us Prince and People But Spare us good Lord Spare us for thy mercy sake let the Blood of Jesus expiate our guilts and the Spirit of Jesus amend our Misdoings O Thou who wouldst not have one Sinner die Suffer not Millions of poor Souls and Lives to perish Be Reconciled to us in a Mediatours Bloud and be Reconciler of us in a blessed peace God of pitty and peace be at peace with us make it for us O Thou Holy One of God who camest into the World to take away the Sins of it and make peace for us Pitty a poore Church and Nation ready to perish Pity the Church that hath so long maintained thy Truth and worship in the Nation Pity Them who are ready to perish for seeking to maintaine thy Holy Truth and Worship in the Church And do thou from Heaven Preserve It and us and Them Thou that hast the power of Heaven and Earth in thy hand stirre up thy strength and come and save us And in this low condition doe not leave us but Deliver us for thy Mercies sake Amen After these Daily Prayers for Grace Peace Health Safety Friends If it be made a Fasting Day or of more Solemne Humiliation and seeking God then Say the Letany and Ten Commandements Read for an Epistle Joel 2. or Jona 3. Gospell Luke 13. or Mat. 24. After being at Church-Prayers if to be had forbear Dinner for that Day and in that time 1. Read some Scriptures which may put in minde of the Miseries of the Age. As Deut. 28. Jos 7. Iud. 20 or some of the Lessons not read or some Godly Bookes 2. Meditate and call to minde the most Memorable mercies of God to you in all your Life 1. In Deliverances from Dangers Sicknesse c. 2. In Blessings of Birth Marriage Condition c. as fits your particular state And lift up the heart to God for these in all humble Thankfullnesse 3. Call to minde the Greatest Sinnes of your life and for them as Pardon and your present wants and for them beg supplies After-noone After Psalms and Lessons 1. Private Prayers as Before 2. Publike if any be 3. A lesse Supper then Ordinary 4. Some Alms to the poore 5. At Bed-time Ordinary Prayers Close all with this Prayer THou that markest those who Ezek. 9. 4. mourne for the Abominations of the Time Take a Mercifull notice Good Lord of thy Servant who have desired this day to humble my Soule before Thee The Abominations of the Time are manie O Lord And the more for mine both of heart and life Lord Forgive all that mourne for offending thee And spare those that greive to see how thou art offended Thou that wouldest have saved Sodome if but Ten such had beene found in it save all such for thy Mercy sake Save a sinfull Nation for their sake Save us all for Jesus his sake For his Infinite Merits and thine Infinite Mercies Sake Amen! Amen! The Blessing BLessed are they that Mourne for Mat. 5. 4. they shall be Comforted The Blessing and Comfort of God be on me and all such sad and Sorrowfull Soules with me now and evermore Amen! Seven SOLILOQUIES SACRED Set to the Seven Dayes of the Week by so many secret Sermons and Calls to Conscience Inviting and Directing the Soul to Mind and Do what wil make Blessed Not to pretend but practise Piety and to be not seeme Religious The Materialls of the Soliloquies 1. The Nobility of Piety For Sunday 2. Domesticall Devotion For Munday 3. Church-Duty For Tuesday 4. Perpetuall Service For Wednesday 5. Remora's in Religion For Thursday 6. Helps to Heaven and Happinesse For Friday 7. Remedies of Humane frailty For Sarurday PSAL. 4. 4. Stand in awe and sinne not Commune with your own Heart and in your Chamber and be still The same altering their Number and Order may serve for two Weekes thus 1st Week 1. Church-Duty 1. part For Sunday 2. Domesticall Devotion For Munday 3. Perpetuall Service For Tuesday 4. Remora's Religion 1. p. For Wednesday 5. Remora's 2 d. part For Thursday 6. Helps to Heaven first division For Friday 7. Helps to Heaven 2d. div For Saturday 2d. Week 1. Church-Duty 2d part For Sunday 2. Helps to Heaven 3. div For Munday 3. Helps to Heaven 4. div For Tuesday 4. Remedies of Frailty first part For Wednesday 5. Remedies c. 2. part For Thursday 6. Remedies c. 3. part For Friday 7. Nobility of Piety For Saturday Animadversions touching the use of the Soliloquies SOliloquies are of Antient and Excellent Vse With them the Fathers fed their Soules high and ours at this Day fare much better for them They must be ill Writ and worse Read if we thrive not in Piety by such Holy Fare Devotion feeding more on one single Dish of those Wholesome Home-selfe-Conferences than at many Feasts and Gluts of shaâ—per and nicer Disputations and
of the Devill who because he once got Eternity for an Apple thinkes to Tempt away thy Salvation for nothing And therefore would have thee all for the Body that nothing may be done for the Salvation of the Soul Dear one thou wast not Ransom'd be not Ruin'd for nothing And now O my Soul Spirituall Immortall Intellectuall The lively Image The Dear Spouse of God Lord Paramount and Soveraigne Power in Man The Free and High-borne Child and Heire of Eternity Delight and Darling-Gemme of Heaven Most precious Purchase and Inheritance of the Sonne of God Doe not O doe not abuse and lose thy selfe in Bodily Sensualities and for Half a satisfaction scarce to the half of Man and but a Moment on Earth sell away Salvation in full of Soul and Body in Heaven for ever For What shall it profit a man to gaine the whole World and lose his owne Mat. 16. 27 Soul or What shall a man give in exchange for his Soul The Summe of this Soliloquie is The Soule is Spirit Sinne turnes it Flesh The Soule is Immortall Sin makes it Die The Soule is Noble Sinne makes it Base The Soule is Lord Sinne makes it Slave The Soule is Soveraigne Sin makes it Subject The Soule is God-like Sinne make it Beast The Soule is Gods Spouse Sin makes it Strumpet The Soule is Gods Jewell Sinne casts it in Fire The Soule is Free-borne Sinne keeps it in Prison The Soule is Gods Purchase Sinne mâ—kes it away Animadversion to the Devout Reader Touching the second and third Soliloquies IF some things in them seeme to be set more sutable for a Court then Cotage and possible in setled then troubled times as supposing a greatnesse which thou perhaps hast not and requiring a Church-Duty which thou canst not doe thou dost not guesse amisse at the Authors aime nor doth he thinke thee to move and make thy Scruple amisse For removall of which that no barre may be from him betwixt thee and thy Benefit receive this satisfaction for both 1. What is not proper may be profitable for thee and if not directly concerne thee by consequent If the Great be disputed out of all their Excuses and Customes which are pleaded and practised to the neglect or injury of Gods Private or Publique Service the mean are thereby concluded if so faulty to fail their Duty without all Apologie oâ— Plea 2. What is not possible doth not concern thee And what is unjustifiable should be impossible Such is sometimes the Publick Id possumus quod jure possunus use of Religion in the Church Take heed of the Principle as both false and perrilous that whatsoever is in the Church thou must be at it So in Aegypt thou mightest Worship a Crocodile and at Rome must goe to Masse If without Sinne then I cannot I must 1 Cor. 10. 20. 21. not goe So to Separate is not to be a Separatist nor can such absence be impious Provided that the Judgement of Sinne and the Service be right and hate 2 Cor. 6. 17. not love of Schisme make the Separation Thus caution'd thou maist read even those Soliloquies without Scruples and for the rest there is no cause of any as fit without Dispute for all Nor dost thou more in this then in Reading King Davids Psalmes or Saint Austins Soliloquies Psal 42. wherein all things are profitable though not pertinent to every one For one particular Soliloquie will no more fit every Soul then one Shoe any Foot So then where it fits thy Soul make it thy Soliloquie where it doth not thy History Monday-Soliloquie Domesticall-Devotion OR A Soliloquie Inviting and Enabling the Soule to a Privacy of Piety and Discharge of Daily Duty in Secret and Closet Prayers HEare O my Soule What is required to the Service of God For as thou dost know Joh. 13. 17 it in vaine if thou dost not doe it So thou canst not doe it aright Prov. 19. 2 if thou dost not know it Know then O my Soule As Thou art of thy selfe One and One of the World thou dost owe and must pay Almighty God the Maker of Thee and It a Private and a Publike Service In the Closet God must see it In the Church Man must behold it There Deare Child Speake freely for thy Selfe to God be thy owne Priest and Mouth in Secret and doubt not but thy Heavenly Father will grant and Seale thy Suits But Here let thy Mother * The Church Mal. 2. 7. Speake for thee and Her Priest Gods lips be thy Mouth unto Almighty God The Closet is thy Particular Church but the Church the Common Sanctuary For Gods Sake then be Reverend there but here both for Mans and Gods Neglect not Deare Soule neglect not thy Daily Sacrifice Morning and Evening offer up thy Service to Allmighty God Open the Day with this Holy Key that the blessing of the light may be upon thee shut up the Night with the same Key that the curse of Darknesse doe not seize thee Dare not to eat nor stir till thou hast Prayed thy Passe from Heaven lest Mischiefe meet thee before night and hale thee to thy Grave Doe not dare to rest or sleep till thou hast beg'd thy Pardon for the guilts of the day least Judgewent surprize thy Soule before the Luk. 12. 20 Morrow My Soul These are thy Visits and Entertainments of Almighty God and doe not O doe not to give Man his neglect Gods Visits He is the Greatest Person serve him therefore first Be not guilty of that rudenesse to thy Heavenly Father which thou abhorrest as uncivill to a Noble Person Let Him stay and waite for thee whilst thou entertainest thy selfe with some Sorry one Leave not a Prince to goe to a Peasant Thy Prayers and Addresses to Almighty God to Entertaine any earthly one whatsoever Alas my Soul In Comparison of the Mighty God the Greatest Man is not so much Isay 40. 17. Job 34. 19 Psal 91. 11. as a Peasant to the Mightyest Prince When thou art with God Angels are with thee O my Soul And doe not turne thy back on Angels to goe to Men though Saints and much lesse to such as appeare in sinfull shape like Devills And though thou be no Priest nor Professed Recluse bound by Canons to set Houres yet my Soul thou shalt do God and thy selfe but right to set keep some set times of Devotion Thou canst doe so much for thy Bodily Health thou shouldst for thy Soules Observing that Rule brings better health for a Time but keeping this Order makes healthy and happy for ever And if thou dost as thou maist observe thy Physitians Prescripts my Soul thou must not neglect Diviner Directions Their best end is that the Body may be more Serviceable to the Soul But the aime of those better that the Soul may be most Serviceable to Almighty God And if thou dost resolutely set and observe thy Howers who will disturb thee Even the most profane
will not for Civilities sake and the Religious will not be so Profane And if any should offer such an Irreligious incivibâ—ty to thee doe not thou by suffering it doe as much to thy God! Cursed is he that makes thee neglect thy Maker Cursed thou if any Person or Thing whatsoever make thee guilty of that neglect My Soul For Honesties sake thou will not break thy promised Time with Man For Religion sake doe not break thy Set-houres with God And though God tie thee not precisely to such set Houres of the Day yet shalt thou doe well to let Religion bind thee to the best times of his Service And the Morning when thy Spirits are most Fresh unsullied with Worldly thoughts and Affaires as for Studies so for Devotions is doubtlesse Psal 63. 1. best And the more Early the more Acceptably dost thou make thy Devout Appearance before Almighty Psa 130. 6 God But not so if most Late at Night Mal. 1. 14. That is to give God the Prime this the Dreg of the Day if when thou art sleepy and shouldst be in sleep and hast no more wayes to spend and passe thy Time thou dost give the Relikes to thy Ptayers and bestow thy Broken Minutes on thy God My Soul The Religious King did rise at Midnight to say his Prayers to God But not did sit up till Midnight Psal 119. 62. Rom. 13. 13. ravelling out his Time on Toyes which should be wound up in his Prayers To be on thy Knees when others are in their Beds to break Sleep for Devotion Luk. 2. 37. is Pious but if not so it 's good when others are to be on thy Knees that thou maist take strength to thine by a concurrence of other Prayers Extraordinarily that but Ordinarily thou must doe this In the Evening and Morning and at Noone will I Pray and Psal 55. 17. that instantly Observe it my Soul He doth not make his Morning-Prayers at Noone and his Evening at Midnight and instantly alwayes sleepily never the Time which God and Nature have set out for Bodily rest is best for Sleep Thou stealest from it if due time neglected thou take of that for Devotion Yea thou dost commit a double Robbery on God and Nature Him thou robbest of his Devotion in due Job 17. 12. time and Her of her due time of rest to pay God what thou owest Him And the Coine is scarce current in which thou makest thy payment because it wants both Metall of Spirit and Stamp of Gods allowed Time Be then Devout daily Dear Soul and observe due Seasons and Houres for thy Prayers to Him to whom thou owest thy Selfe and Life every Act. 17. 28. moment and so thy Private Duty is Discharged to God And the better the more Private Some affect Ostentation and their Prayers in the Closet look as Publique as a Pharisees in the Mat. 6. 5. Market-place as if they did rather act then say their Prayers and rather played then performed a Part of Devotion But so God see thine no matter if no Man know it It lookes more Sincere if it be more Secret and so much more pretious as it is more sincere What thou canst then avoid that let those who would have Man reward them have Man see them But thou when thou prayest enter inter Mat. 6. 6. into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly The summe of this Soliloquie God is singularly God of me as universally Psal 86. 7. Psal 50. 7. Psal 118. 28. of the World For this I owe God a Particular Service There must be some time set for that Payment Evening and Morning are best houres 1 Chro. 16. 40. 1 Thes 5. 17. Psal 76. 11 to be set Time set to God must not be broken by Man Noone and Midnight are not Gods Morning and Evening Tuesday-Soliloquie Church-Duty OR A Soliloquie shewing that all owe a Publike Service to Almighty God and where and when and how they are to pay it MY Soul Though one and 1. Part. entire of thy self thou art but a Part of the Church and as a Member of it must do Rom. 12. 12 Duty with the Body In whose Common wâ—e and Welfare thou hast thy proper interest and part Thou must be Jer. 29. 5. One therefore at Common-Prayers when it is sought and make One at Publique-praises when it is found and as in Private must Attend God inâ— Publick For since he is God of All as well as One He must be serv'd by All as well as thee and by thee as much as 2 Sam. 12. 7 8 9. any and more if thou be a Greater One For dost thou my Soul look for least respect where thou dost most favour Or to receive lesse Rents where thou lettest most Lands O my Soul be not thou of all be not thou ingratefull to thy God who hath done thee favour above many Millions in making thee both One and Great and Deut. 10 12 Psal 116. 11 yet requires no more but thy Duty for his Rent My Soul obliged by so many Bonds unto thy Maker Detract not a Single Service where thou Lev. 5. 6 7 owest a Double Duty Upon thy solemneâ— occasions thou wilt not excuse thy greatest Servants from Attendance because the greater they are the greater is thy honour Thou canst not excuse thy self to God if thy Service Fail when it is most for his Glory And can any Service be Solemne without a Publike Place or Meeting in it without an Appointed Time Can any Place be so convenient as what is Consecrate to his Honour Or Time so fit as what is Devoted to his Service The Temple then the Lords House that 's the Place and Sunday 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Day that 's the Time And what Dayes else Holy Church by Law and Leave from God sets a part to his Worship Content not thy selfe my Soul with a Common place if thou canst goe to a Consecrate Where shouldst thou Waite on the King but in his Court The Church is Gods Court my Soul Psa 100. 3. Psal 65. 1. Psal 89. 5. There Heavenly Majesty lookes to be Waited on and ever was by his Saints For the Body of them to be in one place and thou in another is Schisme Heb. 10. 25. Be not thou at the Devills Chappell when others are at Gods Church A Separatist Jude v. 19. how much Saint soever he seemes is no better then one of his Servants To be so out of a Mind that all Places are alike even the most Common as good as the most Sacred for Gods Service is bestiall Heresie The Devill himselfe will not allow such a Chappell Though he chose Swine for a House yet never a Stie to Mat. 8. 31. be serv'd in Nor let it suffice to keep Conscience
if thou seek God no Day thou wilt find him no where And in Heaven every day is a like Sabbath on Earth to make each day alike is to seek God no day Thou canst not be as in Heaven every day Holy thou must not be as in Hell every day Profane alike One Day therefore in the Week is set that Religion and with it thy Salvation be not lost And the first of the Week is that One. As Ancient as Apoc. 1. 10 the Apostles as Catholick as the Church of Christ Reverend for that and to be kept holy by thee because observed by all All that ever professed the Name of Christ And my Soul thou wilt not renounce him not be Refractory to Apostolike Order not Contradictory to Christian Custom not Singular to all the Saints in the Catholick Christian World This Day was ever kept by all And so let it be kept And as they did so do thou keep it For my Soul many do not so Not caring or knowing how to keep the Day of the Lord. For Some Observe it with great Superstition Second part Col. 2. 16. Others shun that with grosse Profanation Some bind themselvs to such a strictnesse as they neither doe nor can nor need observe because what God requires not Others leave themselves to such a loosnesse as they take not like Liberty on another day Betwixt these two Extremes must thou walke warily O my Soul Keep it not as the Jew a Sabbath nor as the Exod. 16. 23. Exod. 35. 3. 1 Pet. 4. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 13. Heathen â— Bacchanal Observe the Day with Devotion Keep it from Superstition Fly from an uncommanded strictnesse but run not to an unjustified loosnesse Take this Rule for thy Guide Let Church duties be duly paid and let not the House defrauâ— the Church Those are the Maine Service those must be Serviceable to the maine For it is absurd My Soul to thinke that on one and the same day thou maist appeare Saint in Gods house and in thy owne a Devil Be not Privately though piously employed when thou shouldest be at Publike Service but when publikely will-disposed be not privately ill This being more holy then another day must not have lesse of thy Service House and Church then both looke to this What others daies confine to the House this doth in it and what others do not in Church So then My Soule In the Church Gods House on Sunday the Lords day Where and when the King of heaven keeps his Court and commands thy Attendance faile not upon any terms save just and necessarie fail not to present thy selfe in the Holy Equipage of a Servant and Suppliant to the Majestie of Heaven Believe thy absence else an Offense to God thy Father A Neglect to Christ thy Saviour An Vndutifulnesse to the Church thy Deare Mother A Scandall to man thy Christian Brother And to those that know Thee and it an Example of ill and Encouragement to ungodliness But when God by his Ministers sends out summons to call thee to his House and Table too not onely to Serve but Sup with thy Lord O my 1 Cor. 11. 20. Soule How wilt thou answer it or to thy Selfe or thy God if thou dost not come Lovest thou Eternitie and hast no appetite to the Bread of Life Can Joh. 6. 48. thou and Satan be too much two Thou and thy Saviour too much One And is not this thy Communion with 1 Cor. 10. 16. 2 Cor. 8. 15. 1 Cor. 10. 21. Christ That thy Separation from Sin And it thy Dis-union with Satan Can thy Pardon from Hell be so sure or thy Assurance for Heaven too strong And is not this blessed Sacrament * Sensum in minimis minuit iâ— gravoribus peccatis consensum tollit Bern. 1 Cor. 11. 31. Mat. 26. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc Luk. 22. 9. the Seale of thy Pardon and that Assurance Canst thou doe thy Saviour too much Honour Is a Commanded Commemoration of His love too much Is not a neglect of that a scorne A signe of his vile neglect Wilt thou shed thy Bloud for his sake that wilt not drinke His to thy Salvation Wilt thou drinke his Cup of gall that dost refuse his Wine Wilt thou climb his Crosse that dost shun his Board Die for him that wilt not Sup with him Be his Sacrifice that dost decline his Sacrament O My Soul Where is thy love and Duty to thy Christ if at his call thou dost not come And what is it keeps thee away Doth Malice glut thy Holie Appetite 1 Cor. 10. 21. 1 Joh. 3. 12. This is to leave Gods for the Devills Table Is thy Stomack for some carnall lusts and pleasures and the Preparations for it slack that This is to preferre mans bread to Angels Nay Psal 78. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 12 Cant. 5. 1. a Sinners which is worse to the most Heavenly which is better O my Soul When God and the Devil or God and Man at once invite thee to their Board give not Man much lesse the Devill thy Presence and deny God thy Appearance No my Soul without good Warrant from God under Seal of thy Conscience Refuse not his Invitations Luk. 14. 17 to thy Eternall welfare lest he Banish thee his Beatificall vision for such inexcusable negligence And keep thee Apoc. 19. 9 from the Supper of the Lamb that hast kept thy self from the Supper of the Lord. O! woe to thee my Soul for ever if he once say as for like neglect he did Thou shalt not eat of Mat. 22. 8. Luk. 14. 22 Psal 118. 19 Prov. 9. 2. my Supper On Gods day then when his Doore is open be with him but especially when his Table is Spread Gods Ordinary is better then the Worlds Feast because it feeds to a better Life But Joh. 6. 27. here my Soul are the Dainties of Heaven * Omnium carnalium saporum dulcedinum voluptates exupâ—rat Cypr. de C. D. Prov. 9. 2. 5. What Infinite wisdome voluptates exuperat Cypr. de C. D. Prov. and goodnesse can provide to Feast thee till thou art satisfied with his Psa 17. 15. Glory in his Presence where is fulness of joy for Eternity O my Soul where * Chrys Ubi omnes angeli cum sacerdoto c. Joh. 6. 51. Joh. 6. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc Animae vis spes salus lux nostra Chrys Psa 42. 1. 2. Psal 93. 6. 1 Cor. 11. 22. Eccl. 5. 1. Hab. 2. 20. Psa 46. 10. Angels are Ministers be thou one of Gods Guests Where Heaven is on the Table Kneel thou at the Board Where Life is in the Bread be thou at the Table Think it Death and Exile from God and Heaven to be kept from the House and Table of the Lord. But Presence is not enough if Carriage be not Christian Holinesse becomes Gods House Rudenesse is unsutable Veile thy Eyes here with Holy
Modesty Tie thy Lips with humble silence shut thy Eares to all Earthly Audience Fix thy Feet to lowly quietnesse Cover thy Body all over with Religious Reverence Yes and shroud thy self under it too For God sees thee as well as Man sees it Here then thy thoughts must mind Heaven and thy Affections not move Earthward On these Wings must Devotion Mount thee to the things above Those below are the businesse of Worldlings not Ezek. 33. 31. 1 Tim. 5. 8. Eccl. 5 1. Saints Admitted into the House but banished the Church Look to thy foot When thou comest to the House of God Set it right towards Heaven yea and keep it so when thou art in the House let it not wander when it is well set What is thy Foot my Soul Sure thy self art one the Body * Gressum 1. mentis 2. Corporis Olymp. per Synecd partis is the other foot Thou must look to both Thoughts and Gestures Affections and Actions Dispositions and Demeanours both must be look'd to How dreadfull is this place If reverend Gen. 28. 17. dread to make it Ridiculous Dare not Laugh in Gods Face Doe not then in Gods Church Doe not 2 Chro. 7. 14. Psal 100. 1 2 Chro. 7. 16. Jer. 7. 10. Jam. 4. 8. Chat in his Presence Dare not then talk there Dare not Gaze before Gods Eye Let not thine rove in his House If vaine thoughts and foul lusts do come bid them be gone They are no Objects for Gods Eye Here thy Eares must be shut to all Words but Gods Thy Lips watcht from all speech but Prayers Thy Eyes open to no fights but Angels Thy Mind left to no motions but for Heaven God and that and they are there and thou must doe all reverence before the Majesty Levit. 19. 30. 1 Cor. 11. 10. of Heaven Reverence my Sanctuary Yes because thy self O God! And thy Angels are there with thy self O Lord Rudenesse is fitter for Ruffians then Angels no Demeanour for Saints A rude Presence is worse then a plaine Absence for that my Soul is a neglect of God this a Scorne upon Him That to Man seemes an Offence 1 Cor. 11. 17. 1 Cor. 14. 23. 25. 1 Cor. 14. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 32. this is a Visible Scandall Yea to a Multitude As many as be Congregated to serve God and see that Sauciness before Him Better then my Soul not attend God then Affront him and be out of Mans sight when he is before God then a Moat in his Eye and when he is on his way to Heaven to lay a stumbling block before him Plead not Custome in Excuse Saints Levit. 18. 30. 1 Cor. 10. 3â— Jud. ver 6. never had it and thou must not use the Haunts of Sinners Gods Dues must not be paid to the Devils Customes Not keeping Order in Heaven made Angels Devils Not keeping Decorum in the Church will not make Men Angels Before God they Adore and Tremble Where shall they be that are so Bold before him My Soul Isay 6. 2. Apoc. 4. 10. 5. 14. were it possible for thee to be a Saint an Angel and Rude thou shouldst either never come to or never keep in Heaven Break then the Bands of such Customes as the Chains of Death Go Prov. 5. 22 to Church as to Heaven and carry thy selfe there as thou wouldst keep in it Be Reverent as thou wiâ—t be blest No Recusant to it nor Miscreant in it If others be have no more Fellowship with them that have no more fear of God That when they Psal 5. 7. Ezek. 28. 16. go whither the Spirit of Profaneness leads them thou maist go to Heaven And when to appear at the Holy Eucharist O my Soul Array thy self 1 Cor. 10. 28 29. with all possible Reverence then Bodie and Heart let both Kneel not to Adora Communica Aug. 2 Sam. 9. 7 8. the Holy Elements but thy Maker For my Soul when thou a poor miserable wretched-sinfull Creature art admitted to Communion so near Communion with the Eternall God thy Almighty and All holy Creatour canst Psal 99. 5. thou be too Humble Did thy Face kisse the Earth when thy Knee doth touch it couldst thou go too low to a Majesty so High And yet in this Holy Mysterie as low in Condescending 1 King 7. 27. Goodnesse to thee as high above thee in infinite and incomprehensible Greatness My Soul they are mad who making themselves Coheires with Christ will therefore sit to keep Coequalls with Him At lowest he is thy Lord. Man thy Brother but God-man thy Maker and thy Father Every Communicant is thy Peer but he 1 Cor. 10. 17. Apoc. 15. 3 1 Cor. 10. 21. King of all And his Table not thy Fellowes but the Lords Worship not Fellowship is fit for Gods Board In his House thou art in his Presence but here before his Chair of Estate the Mercy-seat of Almighty Majesty Psa 132. 7 What a Man of Earth and bold so bold before the King of Heaven Even Celestial Spirits cast their Crowns Apoc. 4. 10 down before his Throne shall Dust and Ashes carâ—y up his Crest before Gen. 18. 27. Him my Soul Thou art better taught by an undoubted Divine God is greatly to be feared in the Psal 89. 8. Councel of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him O come let us worship and fall down Psal 95. 6. and kneel before the Lord our Maker The Summe of this Soliloquie is God our Common Maker must have a Publique Service in Common-Prayers and Worship Every Man must pay God this Homage and the Greater he is the greater his Obligation to it There must be a place set apart for that Service and the Church for it is a sacred place As for Holy Duty most fit so for Heavenly regards no place out of Heaven is so lovely and desirable as the Church There must be a time set for Holy Assemblies in it and by Ancient and Vversall use that with Christians is the Lords Day As Profanation so Superstition must be shun'd in the due Observation of that Holy time It 's ill to keep our selves from Church unnecessarily and worse to keep away others If rude and irreverent there as good keep away our selves At Communion-times above all we should be neither absent nor rude VVednesd-Soliloquie Perpetuall-Service OR A Soliloquie directing the Soul in those Duties which must never cease whilst we Live if we will be happy when we Die SEt Houres of Devotion do well O my Soule but that Service is not all To give God two a day and Spend Ten at thy pleasure The truth is Two are set apart to pray that we may Spend all in his Service Which if we doe not as well Endeavour as pray to do we do but Mat. 7. 7. Prov. 28. 9 mispend those two For my Soul Thy Prayers are but Mockeries of
Almighty God if thou hast not care as well to Do as Say thy Prayers Observe then some hours for thy Devotion but all Time in thy Conversation The Eternitie which God will give and the Goodnesse which preserves thee every Psal 104. 13. moment will not abate a Minute of all for this thou owest him Service all Luk. 1. 75. the daies of thy Life every houre of the Act. 28. 7. day every Minute of the hour Thou must doe him Homage at Some Times Deut. 19. 9. Injurie at none Kneel at Times before him and pray but Offend and provoke Deut. 6. 13. 10. 12. 2 Tim. 1. 5. Act. 24. 16. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Rom. 12. 1 Deut. 8. 6. Psal 119. 5. Prov. 3. 6. Heb. 9. 14. Psal 119. 5. 6. him never My Soule Keeping a good Conscience is doing Him this Service In all thy waies then studie thou to keep a good Conscience That is a Conformitie betwixt his and thy waies His Will and thy Life His Laws and thy Couâ—ses And since thy Thoughts Words and Deeds are the Three Courses of thy Life how they are to be run take Direction by his Lawes And let Solomon that great and Wise King teach The Government of thy Thoughts Keep thy Heart with all diligence Prov. 4. 23 A litle will not serve All is litle enough For thou canst not keep hand or Tongue without this Their courses being rivers that Spring in the Mat. 15. 19 Heart Out of the Heart proceed evill thoughts Murders Adulteries Fornications Thefts False-witnesse Blasphemies Ill words deeds thoughts all flow from the heart The Womb of Job 15. 35 Psal 7. 14. Isa 59. 4. wickednesse the Nest of evill No birth no bird without it With all diligence then look to it Since the Triplicitie of all ill is from it a Double a Treble Watch be ever over it Watch then My Soule that no ill thoughts lodge in it Come they may they will Jer. 4. 14. by force of Temptation or Corruption but stay they must not If the Gates of Sense let them in upon thee doe not Board them do not Bed them Consent not to them Delight not in them Thoughts are like Birds they come as swift and fly as high their hovering thou canst not hinder But their nestling thou maist If of an ill feather thou must Suffer them and Deut. 14. 11 12. they will hatch fledge and flie abroad out of tongue or hand in words or deeds of wickednesse If then Flesh or Devill bring an ill thought into thy heart Wandring or wicked to God or Man any way ill doe thou forthwith frowne and turne it out Bid it not Welcome but Avant And if that will not put it pray it away Groane to God under it that He may remove it And if yet it will not goe call in Help from God against it seeke Job 33. 23 Ghostly Counsell about it My Soule If an Infant Thought grow too strong for thee if it grow man how wil it Master thee Crie out then at first and call in more strength then thy own to drive it from thee And because it is so hardly got out if once let in therefore watch what thou canst to keep it out See to the Cinque-ports and at every Gate of sense Mark 13. 37. Psal 119. 37. Job 31. 1. 7. Prov. 4. 25 17. 4. 2 Sam. 11. 8 Prov. 7. 21 Gen. 3. 1. 6 Nec potestarx mentis capi nisi per portas bostiles irruat exercitus set a Watch And the Eyes and Eares especially as the Principall Gates David had never had so much as the thought of Adulterie had he looked better to his Eyes Nor would the Whorish woman have come into the Young mans heart had he kept her out of his Eares At these two gates Adam was taken and Mankind lost Nor is the fort of the Heart almost Dow got till we give up those Outwarks Gazing on Temptation and listning to the Devill is the over-throw of Man For if heart be gone all is lost As the first thing which lives it 's the last which dies as well in Spirituall as Naturall life If that then be departed thou art a Child of death For out of it are the issues of Life Above all keeping then Prov. 4. 23 Keep thy Heart Yes and keep thy Tongue too As thy Life look to thy Tongue It is S. Peters Transcript of King Davids Proclamation Who is the man that Psal 34. 13 1 Pet. 3. 10. wouldlive long and see good Dayes let him keep his tongue from evill and his lips that they speak no guile It is unruly and apt to run to Evill Jac. 3. 2. Jac. 1. 26. a Bridle therefore thou must have for it And what is that Surely Gods Law is a Bit his Threat a Curb thy Resolution a Rein all make a good Bridle The Bit is in every Mouth Prov. 4. 24 Psal 12. 3. the Curb in every Ear the Rein should be in every Heart If the Tongue go against Law it must come unto Judgment Even Words must be accounted Jude v. 15 16. for If Vain thou must answer for their Idlenesse The Judg assures it If Vile Mat. 12. 36 then thou must look to answer for their Ilness The Judg pronounceth it For by thy words thou shalt be justified Mat. 12. 37. Job 6. 26. and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Though but wind as they blow from Holy or unholy Spirit they waft to Heaven or Hel. My Soul look to it Life and Death are in the power of the Tongue This made David rein his in I said I will look to my wayes I Pro. 18. 21. Psal 39. 1. will take heed that I offend not with my Tongue He will keep it as with a Bridle He said he would he resolved it should be so He did not bite it out as the * Apud Hier. Young man did his tongue to save his Conscience but in he did and so must thou My Soul thou needest not be so severe It 's the Trumpet of Gods Psa 51. 15 Psal 71. 8. honour the Organ of his Praise his Servant and Sanctuary must not be mute do not then ruine but rule thy Psal 29. 9. tongue Bite it then in and if need be bite it but not out And the Rein wil be more easie if the Heart be wel Rul'd For out of the abundance of the Mat. 12. 34 35. heart the mouth speaketh good or ill as it is restored with grace or wickedness Where no Restraint of ill thoughts there will be liberty for ill words For what are words but born thoughts and what are thoughts but conceived words Misconceptions make mis-shapen Births Seest thou not O my Soul How unchaste 2. Pet. 2. 18. hearts have tongues ful of Filthiness And a stewes is in the mouth when a Whore is in the Heart Have Jude v. 13. not Prophane
Hearts tongues full of Vngodlinesse A Hell in the Mouth when the Devil in the Heart Have not Vncharitable Hearts Tongues full of Slanders and Censoriousnesse A Knife in the Mouth when a Butcher in Pro. 30. 14. Pro. 24. 2. the Heart Do not False Hearts fill Tongues with Lies and Deceitfulness A Snare in the Mouth when a Fowler Hos 9. 8. Jer. 9. 5. 8. is in the Heart Do not Proud Hearts fraught Tongues with Scoffs and Disdainfulness Isa 57. 4. An Ishmael in the Mouth when Lucifer in the Mind No ruling thy Tongue then without governing thy Heart Yet thou art ruin'd if it be not rul'd Wickedness Gen. 6. 12. 13. Jam. 3. 6. Psal 73. 9. was the ruine of the World And the Tongue unrul'd is a World of wickednesse They set their mouth against Heaven and their tongue walketh through the Earth But do not thou thine Blaspheme not Curse not Swear not Speak not what is ill or mean of God that 's to set thy Mouth against Heaven And thy Darts against it do 2 King 19 22. but fal on thy Head Nor give thy Lips leave to doe all Mischiefe to man Psal 52. 5. That 's for thy Tongue like the Devill to run through the Earth Mischieve Ezek. 22. 8 not his Good Name It 's to Murder more then his Life Dost thou cry out of a wound in thine that dost Murder Prov. 18. another Doth not that very Outcry condemne thee of that Murder And is it not justice both Gods and Mans that thou shouldest suffer slander that dost so much and for thy Murder goe away with some wound Murder not Jam. 4. 12. anothers Soule more deare then his Name An unjust Condemnation makes a Murder of the Execution Keep Mat. 7. 2. Ro. 2. 1. 8. then from Censure that thou commit not Murder Be not thy Brothers Judge lest thou give thy owne Doome For my Soule if thou dost the same or like to what thou Condemnest his Doome is thine Nor wilt thou escape Rom. 2. 3. mans more then Gods For observe it Great Censurers are greatly censured Have then thy selfe to the Barre before thou Sentence another and thou wilt acquit him to save thy self or forbear him that thou maist escape the Bar. But doe not Murder Mankinde if thou wilt man Communication is the Band of it Truth the Tie lies loose it Lies are great wounds to Conscience Act. 5. 4. they rise directly against it and the very Death of Society They doe plainly overthrow it The Bane and Blot of Hos 4. 1 2 Joh. 8. 44. man They make his Mind * Sermo concipitur in adulterio Adulteress and his words Illegitimate Bastards begot by the Devill upon the heart of man He is their Father Speech from the minde is the Naturall issue of words Minde and Tongue are as Man and Wife for that issue but against is a Child without a Husband out of Marriage Spurious And therefore no heirs Apoc. 22. 15. 21. 8 cast out of the Citie except the Devills to a Portion in his lake of fire And rightly that In the fire because a Fire-brand Yea so my Soul every Jam. 3. 6. ill tongue is A fire-brand of Satan in Mans Mouth which sets all the Body Psal 120. 3 on fire and burns the Soul with it sets the little world on fire yea and great one too Kindled from Hell and burning for it and to it Dear Soul save thy self from this Psal 41. 3 fire Pray Gods watch over thee Set a watch O Lord before the doore of my Lips And doe thou set a lock upon it Hold it in It will trip and fall if it Psal 39. 12 doe run out Impossible it is to Speak much and well A man full of words Psal 140. 8 Prov. 10. 19 cannot prosper because he will Erre If Dinah gad without wit she will not return without shame For the Tongue to be vagabond is the way to prove Prostitute Besides therefore Natures Barrs Lips and Teeth put on it the lock of reason and shut it up in Jam. 1. 19. Silence So shall it be kept from much ill and let Grace keep the Key so it will be kept from all That will â—ac 3. 2. make it and thee both perfect Because thy Tongues Rule argues thy Heart in Obedience and that thee The hand being more easie to rule then the tongue And those three are all Hand Heart and Tongue Hand then is One. My Soule Thou must look to it too And canst Psal 37. 27. Act. 24. 16 Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. Rom. 13 10 Mat. 25. 45. Mat. 23. 25. Mat. 22. 21. Psal 50. 14. 16. Mat. 7. 23. Rom. 2. 22 Jac. 2. 11. Heb. 13. 18. Act. 23. 1 Ezek. 18. 6. 8. Prov. 23. 29. not better then as David directs it and that is Eschew evill and doe good and dwell for evermore Doe no impiety to God nor injurie to man and thou dost no ill Doe what he Commands for himselfe first and for man next And thou dost good Observe it my Soule as a plausible but damnable deceit An innocence from ill will not serve with a negligence of good As thou maist not be wicked thou must be godly As no wrong thou must doe all right And yet a Diligence in good will not discharge without an Innocence to ill Aâ— thou must be just and Religious thou must not be intemperate and Sacrilegious Indeed thou art neither if not both For the Law Gods way is for both and Conscience thy guide looks at his Law Thou maist no more steale thy Neighbours Bed then his Cloke nor take away his Goods then his Life Thou maist no more kill thy self at a Table then a Duell and main Plures necat crapulâ— as well kill as starve thy selfe Nor maist thou more eat out of Time then Measure nor deny thy self due Repose then Repast nor do it to others more then thy self For this is all one to distemper the Body and to destroy it And though the Body be but thy Servant it 's too good for thee to kill it Indeed thou dost so much wound thy self and Lame thy businesse as thou dost hurt it Away then my Soul Away as with a Gluttons Board and wantons Bed so with untimely foods and sleeps if thou lovest either Health or Heaven thy Diseases become thy vices by a wilfull negligence and Soul and Body both full of Diseases Nor maist thou use God worse then thy self Thou must no more rob him Mal. 3. 9. Psal 29. 2. of his goods then his Glory nor of his Service then his Goods Nor shouldst thou more Spaul on his Name then Exod 20. 7 Lev. 24. 16 Spit in his Face In a word To love is to doe all thy workes For then thou wilt doe God right first and thy self Rom. 13. 8 1 Tim. 1. 5 next and thy Neighbour next
thy self and that 's all All that either Law or Gospell askes For all is but To live godly and righteously and soberly Tit. 2. 12. in this present world And as love is in summe all that so Charity is Mic. 6. 8. Rom. 13. 10. Mat. 9. 13. Mat. 5. 23 24. Heb. 13. 16. in short all love God himself makes it chief of all He will have mercy and not Sacrifice He gives it Place before Piety He loves thy Almes before his Offerings and had rather see an Empty Altar then an unreconciled Brother Nay for Gods sake to doe man good is to make a Sacrifice of mercy A most sweet and acceptable Sacrifice Phil. 4. 18. and most honoured Piety No marvaile then if it take place of justice The truth is it is a Piece of it and Prov. 3. 27 Deut. 15. 7 Psa 112. 9. so principall that in the Holy Tongue one word speakes both Almes are debts to the needy by his Law who is Lord of thee and thine and the payment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 7. Luk. 11. 41. Dan. 4. 27. Mat. 25. 34 35. Prov. 19. 17. Mat. 25. 40 so good as procures from him a generall Acquittance though but a particular Duty Nay not a Cancell onely of the debt but a Crown to the Debtour And wonder not at it O my Soul since it makes thee Creditour to thy God and Benefactour to thy Saviour As if as all is nothing without 1 Cor. 13. 23. 1 Joh. 3. 17 nothing were all with charity the chief of all As then it is in thy power shew it 1 Cor. 16. 2 Abate something of Back and Belly rather then have nothing in thy power With thy Superfluities provide the poor of necessaries * Superflua divituÌ„ necessaria pauperum Eph. 4. 28. Ex. 32. 3. Job 31. 9. Did they give their Ear-rings to make a God wilt thou quit nothing to save a Man shall all be Lavished away that should Ezek. 16. 49. be so laid out All to Vanity nothing for Mercy O My Soul Tremble to think how such accounts will passe at the great Audit-Day If thou canst at Phil. 4. 17. Luke 16. 2 once Discharge thy self and oblige thy God why dost thou bind over thy self by such actions of wast to answer Mat. 19. 21 Mat. 25. 42. Divine Justice at the Dreadfull Day of Judgement Dear Soul Read and avert the Doome thou canst not answer it Yea see it in Execution and quake to see it Dives that would Luk. 16. 21 24 25. not give a Crumb of Bread hath not a Drop of Comfort How much better had it been to have fed Lazarus then fared so deliciously To have given Almes then received Torments not to have spent so much on the Flesh rather then end in Fire Dear Soul be thou more devoted to charity let that never be thy End look to all but to that above all thy workes as thou dost unto thy words and thoughts This my Soul makes thy Conscience Luk. 1. 6. good and thy Service great when it takes care to keep all thy wayes right Indeed it is that then which nothing is more pretious to give thy self a holy 1 Sam. 15. Rom. 2. 12 Psa 50. 23 Sacrifice unto his Service nothing is desired more I beseech you therefore by the mercies Rom. 12. 1 of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable ervice The summe of this Soliloquie God being our God even unto death must be served all our life Psal 48. 13 Our Conscience of all our wayes is his perpetuall Service To look to our thougbts words and deeds is to have care of all our wayes 1. The Heart must be strictly kept because the Spring of all ill is in the Heart First Motions must be repell'd and the Senses well watcht if we will keep the Heart Eyes and Eares must be chiefly watcht of all the Senses 2. The Tongue must be bridled as we love our life Gods Law and Threat and Mans Resolution make a strong Bridle The Tongue will be easily rein'd if the Heart be rul'd and hardly else It will flie out if God keep not the Door of the lips Taciturnity is a good lock to keep it in 3. The Hand must be bound from ill to good To God and Man it must doe no Act. 24. 16 evill but all good True love performes all Charity to Man is by God accounted as the Principall and totall of Love If we have to spare we must spend if not pinch rather then want to lay out on workes of Charity Thursday-Soliloquie Remora's in Religion OR A Soliloquie shewing the Soule the Errors and Dangers in the waies of Godlinesse and how to avoid them MY Soule To keep thy selfe continually Serviceable to thy God is a great and hard Government More to Rule thy litle then the Greater world but Prov. 16. 32. 25 28. will be easied by some Helps which are to be had If thou wilt Avoid what Hinders and Observe what Furthers thee in the way to Heaven And if thou dost survey all thou wilt see that false Principles Bad Customes Vile Companies Vaine Scruples and Ghostly Negligences are Principall Bars and Hinderances Conscience is Gods clock to teach thee how to know and Spend thy Time in his Service but given thee to Keep If then the wheels be ill that move it or Dialls false that guide it or it kept foule or thou forgetfull of it how should the motion possibly be rectified and it goe right And My Soule Principles and Habits are the Wheels Examples Dialls Scruples Dusts Rests forgettings of it Minde and Will are the Wheels on which Humane Actions move ill Principles and Habits Spoile the Wheels And of many as the very Pests and Perversions of all Regular life eye these as 1. Ill Principles To thinke thy selfe good because thou seest others worse For so there shall be but One man Bad in the world to wit the worst Nay not One because be he never so bad the Devill is worse Ephes 3. 8 Rather Judge thy selfe bad whilest thou â—eest a better because by the grace of God didst thou equally pray and endeavour it alike thou mightest be as good By leave of that thou maist be very naught That Principle therefore is bad And no better 2. To thinke thy selfe not bad because Particularly good So Abimelech had beene as good as Abraham God Gen. 20. 6 Psal 119. 6 knowes he did not Adulterate Sarah act or thought For that his heart was upright Yea but if it encline or leane to any ill the heart is not upright for then since there is some Sin which every 2 Kings 10 31. one hates because a contrariety of Sins and some he loves the World which hath many would not have One Hypocrite And since no man is universally ill there should not be one Sinner I may
againe and so makes them to be tough My Soul If wel and with wisdom thou canst not be enough but if vaine and ill Conscience may be too much tender And abundance of doubts and scruples will make and prove it so Vaine that 's the Devils Designe But how then wilt thou Defeat him Sure never without the Aids of God and therefore thou must pray his help And often not without the help of Man and therefore thou must take his Aide If the Clock of Conscience stand or goe not even it may be because the Wheels are foul dust disorders the wheeles My Soul what are thy Scruples but those piles of dust scarce visible to the Eye yet hurtfull to the Clock and who then must direct thee Job 33. 29 Isay 50. 9. but some skifull Master in the Art of Soules some upright Judge in the Cases of Conscience If thou then canst not without danger to hurt it let him clean thy Watch and clear thy Dust Or goe to some of Experience Gal. 6. 1. Heb. 5. 14. if thou wantest one of that Skill But not to one Subject to like niceties for their Advice will but confirme and multiply thy Scruples And thy selfe maist concurre with thy Prayers and their Counsels In the Name of God goe on in thy good way and against Common Errours and frailties Encourage thy selfe with Christs merits and Gods mercies Act. 15. 11. Psa 42. 14. 1 Kings 15. 5. Job 42. 7. Phil. 3. 15. Let known good be done and ill shun'd from an upright heart and if any thing fail it will be pardoned and if necessary shall be known Kill Goliah with his owne Sword Scruples by Scruples make Satans Scrues Gods Engines Scrue up thy self to a better and greater care of Godlinesse by the force of thy Scruples What they pretend make them be Movers and Sollicitours for Gods Service And with one Scruple kill all Have them in jealousie for naught Bauds of Satan though in Virgins attire and entertain none but one to Scruple all Scruples Make not shie nay make Conscience of this it s the way to clear all out of Conscience Harder for the Soul where the Body doth assist and the humour of it is as in Melancholike Tempers to raise jealousies and feares For that is to empty a Poâ—le when a Spring feeds it yet even so it may and must be done and because with greater difficulty with better acceptance Look to thy self then O my Soul and cherish not but banish Scruples And so thou must 5. Ghostly Negligences Temptation and Corruptions are the Parents of mans Sinne and Bane Father and Mother of all mischief And Idlenesse is the Mother of both It is Chrys 1 Tim. 5. 13. Pulvinar Satanae the Sewer that takes in all Temptation and the Pool that holds in all Corruption The Devils Pillow where he lies and Sinnes Bed were she conceives and brings forth all Wickednesse O my Soul lay not him a Pillow that comes for thy Death and make not her a Bed that stayes for thy Destruction Believe it where thou dost place the Bed of ease he will set up the chaire of Psal 1. 1. S. Hierome Pestilence The Devout Saint did Ever finding something to doe that the Devill might never finde him at leisure for his Service If he doe even David himself he will put him on desperate and damnable employment It 's said Better be idle then doe nothing But 2 Sam. 11. 2 surely better be doing any thing if not naught then be Idle Thou canst not Nihil agendo malè agere discis Praestat nihil quà m malè agere be idle and do no ill It puts thee into the Schoole of vice and the Devil wil be sure to teach thee Better indeed do nothing then naught for that 's worse then nothing the worst of any thing But as impossible for Waters to stand and not to stink so it is not to doe Luk 12. 43 naught if nothing To be found then at the last day doing well be seen in this ever doing something If not alwayes Act. 9. 39. at Spirituall work at some Civill and innocent employment Though thou needst not work as most for thy Psa 69. 33 Momentum a quo pendet aeteruitas Living thou hast as much to doe as any for thy Life Eternity my Soul that 's thy Life And thy life that 's the time to work for Eternity Thou camest and continuest in the world to doe that work How then darest thou ravell away that pretious threâ—d Trifle away that Time O that God should set so great a price upon it and Man so meane Man Yes my Soule But not every man Man in hell doth not O! If they had as many worlds as Shriekes ten thousand thousand Worlds of Worlds how willingly would they give them all for a little Time Time on earth to Repent and escape the Damnation of hell The depth of whose woe is wailing and wringing their hands and hearts for God lost eternally because time irrecoverably Luc. 13. 28. gone which well laid out in life might have saved that losse And O man on earth wilt thou not be wise till in Hell My Soule Be not thou Psal 90. 12. Psal 34. 5. the man Number thy daies and apply thy heart unto wisdome Pray God thou maist Thou wilt not set it on follie if thou number them Thou wilt finde them few and none to be Spared Thou wilt find many Spent Yea and mispent of those few Thou wilt find Eternity to depend on those poore Remaines Thou wilt finde as Ro. 2. 7 8. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Act. 26. 18 Psal 89. 29. those are past well or ill a happy or a miserable Eternity Thou wilt find that all ill-spent are the Devills none of thy daies And canst thou looke that the Daies of Heaven should be thine when thine on earth are the Devills The Totall is Time is as pretious as Blisse He neither values God nor himselfe that accounts not of his time He that will not lose Eternity must number his dayes And so wilt thou if wise my Soul Redeeme what Eph. 5. 16. 2 Pet. 4. 3. is lost by a better thrift with what is left Now lay out no more on vanity all for Eternity Isa 35. 2 3 Doth not thy Clock of Conscience tell this Though Wheeles good Diall goe right all kept clean yet if not kept going not daily wound up but oft hung by and forgotten will it Rom. 12. 14. strike just so sloth distimes the Conscience It is good and goes well when as Gods Law sets it it keeps due time for good and none for ill doth this GnomoÌ„ ejus Decalogus Heb. 13. 18 never that in season As the point of that there are not twelve but ten houres in this Clock And when it keeps Conformity with Luk. 1. 6. them it points and strikes right but without care to see and have
it goe 2 Pet. 1. 10 right it will not keep it And that must be the more because no clock so soone out of Tune if the care be not much My Soul then if thou wouldst not have Conscience ill be not thou idle Let the clock in thy Eares mind thee of the Clock in thy Breast as the Devout Man did who was wont to say O Lord God! another Granat De. peccat hour of my life is now past and what account can I give thee of it So said he so say thou so oft as thou hearest the Clock And so my Soul thou seest the stops and stumbling-blocks in Gods service shun them and thou wilt better walk on in his wayes Wherefore lift up the hands that hang Heb. 12. 12. down and the feeble knees lest that which is lame be turned out of the way And Take heâ—d lest there be in you an evill Heb. 3. 12. heart of unbelief in departing from the living God The summe of this Soliloquie That God be duly and daily served what hinders must be carefully shun'd There be five great Impediments to true Piety and the constant service of God 1. Ill-Principles are great Impediments viz. That I am good and in good state towards God 1. Because others are worse 2. Because particularly good 3. Because my Heart is honest though not my life 4. Because I am Godly by fits 5. Because of right Religion and Belief 6. Because Ministerially absolv'd if not Penitent 7. Because it is for Cloister'd and Church-men onely to be what others need not strictly Religious 2. Bad Habits are great Bars to Religion because they turne and confirme the Soule against it 3. Leud Companies Inconsistent with good Courses Pests of Souls and to be shund as Plagues 4. Vaine Scruples great Prejudices to Pious Action and Consolation Acts of Satans endlesse Artifice and malice to be avoided much and how 5. Ghostly Negligences Mothers of Sin Nurses of Temptation Satans Advantages Agents Under-values of pretious Time Sellers-away of Eternity which no Treasure else can redeem and it selfe if gone on earth past redemption in Hell where Worlds would be given for a litle Time Friday-Soliloquie Helps to Heaven and Happinesse OR A Soliloquie Acquainting the Soule with such Holy Reliefs and Aides as will much facilitate and further Her Course and Progresse in the waies of Piety in Two Parts First Part. Holy Meditations and Motions Great helps to Piety MY Soule As those Avoidances 1. Division observ'd thou canst hardly be bad so some Releifs being had thou wilt be more easily good And by the Grace of God thou maist receive all those releifs Thy owne Thoughts and Endeavours may contribute all If thou wilt employ thy Mind and Parts to thinke and doe what may advance thee most The Aides are not small which may be brought in by both And first Improve thy Mind for that may doe much by Meditations great Promoters of Piety A Power that can daily mount to Heaven whither the Body till the last day cannot come And how that but by Holy Motions And what are they but such as either goe to or come from Heaven When we Muse of it they goe When moved from it they come What are our Motions to it but Heavenly Meditations And how so But when some good thing of God or Christ is and keeps in mind Four are made famous for that Death and Judgment Heaven and Hell For My Soul Remember thy end and thou shalt never doe amisse And Death is thy first Judgment Eccles 7. 36. Quatour Novissima thy next Heaven or Hel thy last end These four are thy last Nor will sin be in heart whilest they are in minde Nor any thing more move to Duty then to have these in memory Muse then often of those O my Soule And of that first which comes first and how soone who knows 1. Death O Death How bitter is thy Remembrance Ecclus. 41. 1. Yes to a Sinner but most wholsome against Sin My Soul Die thou must And when thou shalt what will be thy Comfort To have wallowed in worldly wealth Swome in sensuall Solaces Arrived at earthly Honors Alas No This will be thy Corrasive Then all these gauds are gone The flowers of thy Paradise all fade and nothing remaines but the snake under them guilt and woe Luk. 16. 26 manet turpitudo Psal 17. 14 Saladini funus Alex. Philosophus Job 14. 17 24. 20. Joh. 11. 43 Woe to thee then if that was thy Heaven Death casts thee out of it If thy Hell to want these it throwes thee into it Then a Sheet is all thy Goods a Grave all thy Land a Coffin all thy House Wormes thy Companions Corruption all thy Kindred Stench thy Perfumes and thy Robes rags of Rottennesse No the onely Comfort then is to have liv'd well to have Isay 38. 3. shun'd ill and so want the sting of the 1 Cor. 15. 56. 2 Pet. 3. 14. Luk. 2. 29. Psal 119. 103. S. Ambros Job 19. 26. Breast To have done good and so have the Peace of the Bosome So to have lived as not to be ashamed to die So to die as to be assured for ever to live O my Soul that wouldst give Worlds to have a little such Comfort at that houre neglect not the provisions of Luk. 19. 42. that Peace in thy day Believe it to entertaine Death with a Smile and Damnation without dread is the sole effect and fruit of a life well led in Gods fear according to good Conscience Phil. 1. 23. Heb. 11. 35. And canst thou think of this and not so live That knowest as surely as thou liv'st thou shalt Die and yet Eccl. 8. 8. no more where or when or how then Eccl. 9. 12. if thou didst never live That knowest the time is past of doing good if not done before thou die and thy Salvation gone if that time be past O dear soul Joh. 9. 4. Eccl. 9. 10. look to the Body that Death doth not surprize both look thou to thy God let it not look after the World that when its Death comes thy Life may begin and it not fear the Prison 2 Cor. 5. 5. of the grave because it shall come out to a joyfull day of Judgement And Joh. 5. 58. of that my Soul have a serious Meditation of 2. Judgement Sinne will not be in thy hand if that be in thy Eye It is the Bridle of vanity and Curb of lust Rejoyce O Eccl. 11. 9. young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thy eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee unto Judgement Seest thou not my Soul how this is Solomons Bridle To curb and keep in the most Head strong Age youth in his fullest Careere the Heart on his quickest spur the
The Guide not followed will be gone The coale not kindled wil not warme And woe to thee if the good Spirit leave thee for then the Ill one will lead thee In stead of good Angels ill thoughts will haunt thee And thou knowest whither they goe whom he doth lead When God knockâ— at thy heart let him not stay at the doore when his Enemy at the first Motion is let in Doe not that for shame If so know that to keep out Gods Spirit is to shut dore on thy Blisse and doe not that for feare No My Soule In Prosperity or Adversity At thy Devotions or other occasions In Church or Closet By Day or night Well or Sick If thy minde be moved to some knowne good or against some evill God knocks doe thou open His Angel is at dore take him in His Spirit would enter bid him welcome Welcome blessed Spirit that Luc. 13. 36. Mat. 21. 19. comes to carry me to Heaven Welcome Holy Comforter that comest to keep me from Hell O come and never goe from me Holy Spirit of God My Soul thou hast seen what Heavenly Helpers Holy Meditations and Motions be Hear the God of all help and he will assure thee so If others Amos. 6. 3. put off the evil day it 's wisdome for thee to have it before thee If others Act. 24. 25 put by good motions it will be thy happinesse to entertaine them believe him who sayes both O that they were wise that they understood Deut. 32. 29. this that they would consider their latter end Wherefore Holy Brethren Partakers Heb. 3. 1. of the Heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Christ Jesus For consider him that endured such Heb. 12. 3. contradiction of Sinners lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds And Behold I stand at the doore and knock Apoc. 3. 20. if any man heare my voyce and open the dore I will come to him and Sup with him and he with me The Summe of this Part is Good Meditations are great Nurses Psal 119. 15. Psal 1. 2. Gen. 24. 63. of Gods feare Serious thoughts of Death Judgement Heaven and Hell are Meditations good against all Sins in the World Sober Considerations of Christs Birth Life Death are destructive to Pride Avarice and Lust which Three make all Holy Motions of God great Aids to the Practice of Godlinesse How they may be known to be Gods What good offices they have and doe from him to us as His Messengers and guides for our best good Why and how to be entertain'd as sucâ— and how foule and fearfull it is to neglect good and embrace Ill Motions Saturday-Soliloquie Remedies of Humane Frailtie OR A Soliloquie shewing the Soul What Provisions of Grace and Mercy God hath made to support her weakness in the way of Piety MY Soul For all thy Cares 1. Part. and Helps thou wilt fail in Eph. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 8. thy Perpetuall Service so long as Flesh and Devil cease not their Perpetuall Motion God Ez. 18. 23. Gal. 3. 11. Col. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 19. Jam. 2. 26. Psal 41. 4. therefore in tendernesse of mercy hath provided for thee Remedies of Grace Repentance that thou do not die Faith to make thee and it live And New Obedience to keep all alive Sin my Soul is ill humour to Heaven a disorder of Holy Spirit and just temper in thee For this Disease Repentance is Gods Remedy * Tert. de paenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. And very sufficient to heal thee For it will Bleed a Act. 2. 37 thee in Contrition Vomit thee in Confession b Ezek. 18. 31. Orig. Purge thee by Conversion c 1 Cor. 5. 9. Sweat thee with Guilt d Act. 9. 10 Bath thee in Teares e Joel 2. 12. Diet thee from occasions of ill f 2 Cor. 7. 11. Cauterize the corrupt part with Threats g Jona 3. 4 5. and foment the weak with Promises h Joel 2. 13 And Exercise all in Almes i Dan. 4. 27. Fasts k Joel 2. 12 and Prayers l Luk. 18. 13. And of the healing vertues of all these Penitent Soules have had Blest Experiments For that Bleeding cured the Barbarous Jewes m Act. 2. 38. Vomiting David n 2 Sam. 12. 13. Purging Ephraim o Hos 14. 8 The Sweat did the Jailer good p Act. 16. 29. The Bath helpt Magdalen q Luk. 7. 38. The Cautery Saul r Act. 9. 16. Fomenting s Hos 6. 1 2. Israel The Exercise did Zacheus t Luk. 19. 8. Ahab u 1 King 21. 19. even the Publican w Luk. 18. 13. Ease O my Soul Admire and Adore that Great and Good Physitian that Isa 57. 18. Prescribes thee so faire and yet so Soveraigne Jer. 8. 6. Peccata commssa plangâ—re plangenda non committere a Medicine To Grieve thou hast done ill and desire thou maist doe better To be sorry for what was amisse and not doe again what will make thee Sorry When I have wandred to returne When I have been fool'd to Jer. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3. 2. Joh. 12. 40 Isa 1. 16. Paenitens ferè innocens est Eccl. 7. 29. Hos 14. 4. Isa 1. 18. Luk. 15. 17 Ezek. 18. 30 31. Luk. 15. 22 24. 2 Cor. 7. 10 Luk. 4. 18. Act. 11. 18. grow wise When I am sick to be well When I am foul to wash When I cannot be a Saint as good as Adam was fully Innocent to be as well as Enoch may be truly Penitent Was ever Prescript so faire And yet my Soul this Heales Sin Guilt and Staine Returnes thee both to God and thy self Recovers both Fall and Wit Restores both Tainted Bloud and Spirit Reduces to a Paradise both of Joy and Innocence Saves thee from Death sets thee in Health Disposeth thee to long even everlasting life Can any Medicine be more Soveraigne Take it then my Soul if thou lovest thy self And how and when thy Physitian gives it Not half for he appoints the whole Nor this hereafter for he wills it Now To Grieve for Sin and do no more Joel 2. 12. is to see not to lose thy Sicknesse And to amend what is not first griev'd to recover before thou art Sick To be Compunct and not Confesse is to bleed inwardly To Confess but not be Contrite to Vomit wantonly To Confesse and Pro. 28. 13 not Amend to cast and lick up the Vomit To be Frighted for Sin and not 2 Pet. 2. 22 bettered is to Sweat and take cold Joh. 5. 14. after it To weep for it and commit it 2 Pet. 2. 22 is with the Sow to wash and wallow To Abstain occasions and not acts is to fast it into a better Stomack To be Threatned into Despaire is instead of Gen. 4. 13. Sin to burne thy self And
argue from his singular thy same condition Nor from the Parable of the Eleaventh hour to thy Call at the last For what if those Hours be the Ages of the world then from Christs first comming to his second is the Eleventh And what if the Ages of Man Mind my Soul who Mat. 20. 7. was called He that was not before Hired But how oft hast thou had offers and refused Think then of the five Mat. 25. 12 Mat. 22. 7. Virgins as well as the five Labourers And of the Kings Supper as of the Lords Penny And for thy daily Recusancy Luk. 14. 28 look more to be excluded then admitted Heaven And to what To work till the time of wages My Soul death is the time to take the Penny The night in which no man can and Joh. 9. 4. when it should end hast thou not begun thy work And Whither but into the Vineyard of the Church out of the Market-place of the world and thou dost nothing but stand idle or doe ill in the Vineyard ever since by Baptisme taken in And Who calls but the Lord And if thou dost all thy life time refuse his work will he at death call thee to his Wages The Eleventh hour of the day then may be as well the Morn or Noon as Night of thy life No hope then if when called betimes 't is late ere thou wilt come Nor is that so Promising At what Ezek 18. 21. Aug. time soever It is that the Penitent shall have Pardon but where that tho Sinner shall be Penitent It is If he be it 's not that if he shall And must be from the bottome of the heart not from Ita versio Liturgica a frighted Phansie or quavering lip My Soul it is a great way from the Top of the Heart to the Bottome Jer. 17. 9. Psal 64. 6. And is a turning from wickednesse not against it That reacheth to the life from the Heart but that the Death-Bed cannot doe And though it be when it is not howsoever yea and for all that there are bounds to that when A set Place for Jezebel a Day for Jerusalem Apoc. 2. 21. Luk. 19. 42 Gen. 6. 3. a time for the world Too late thou maist repent too soon thou canst not If the Glasse be run the Sun Heb. 12. 17. Amos 8. 9 Eccl. 8. 12. Eccl. 9. 10. Luk. 13. 25 Pro. 1. 28. set though Noon naturall woe to thee it is too late The Door of mercy though it stand long open will at last be shut Wisdom it self shuts the Door All these then plead little for thee Nay doth not every one much against thee For my Soul if of two Thieves one was damned is it not an Eaven lay whether thou be saved whether thou shalt die Repenting or Blaspheming the Right-hand or the Left-hand Thief Is it not so by the President If some be called at the Eleaventh hour but all before from the first to that Is it not ten to one ods if ever thou be called if thou neglect the work of thy Salvation till the Eleaventh Is it not so by the Parable If when and not till when I repent I shall live Is it not a hundred to one nay a hundred thousand to one ods if I defer it I shall die Is not this the straight gate which for want of mind Mat. 7. 13. or time or grace few find because they seek it with Sin which they are loath Isa 55. 6. to lose till life and Soul and all be lost S. Jerome sayes my Soul There E centum millibus vix benè moritur malè qui vivit Hier. dies well that lives ill not one of a Hundred thousand And to prove his summe From Adam to Christ that have so lived and died we read but of one but one of many Thousands of Millions Without delay therefore Ioel 2. 12. now also turne even to him with all thy Heart with fasting and with weeping and with mourning and Rent thy Heart and not thy Garment and turne to the Lord. The Lord sayes it who delights not in thy death poor Sinner whosoever Ez. 33. 11. thou art And therefore would have thee by a true and timely Repentance Act. 3. 19. to recover thy health and life For from Soul-sicknesse that 's Gods Recovery 2 Tim. 2. 25. Recovery My Soul That may be a wholsome but a wearisome course to plow up thy Jer. 4. 3. Hos 10. 12. Heart and Harrow thy whole man with daily and continuall duty will make thee apt to faints and perhaps some ground will passe untouch'd and some clod unbroke when all is done Psal 19. 12 there will be failings and need to repent 1 Joh. 3. 20 thy very repenting To Comfort and Confirme thee therefore against this provision is made by the mercy of God And Faith is the Cordiall And for Materialls and vertues if 1 Tim. 1. 5 Job 28. 25 28. true a most Rare one Gold and Pearle and Corall are not Comparable to it Manus Christi is not Sanguis Christi makes it Nay Bloud and Spirit Godhead and Manhood Vertues and Merits what He did doe say Suffer all Christ and all Christs is it 1 Cor. 1. 30. Mat. 11. 28 1 Joh. 2. 1. Phil. 2. 9. Joh. 6. 50. Gal. 3. 27. Joh. 8. 36. 2 Cor. 8. 9. Phil. 4. 13. Isa 61. 1. 1 Thes 1. 10. Christ the Onely Cordiall to a Sinfull Soule None to Him None but Christ And Jesus None to that The Name above all names Bread to the starv'd Cloth to the Naked Freedome to the fetter'd Wealth to the begger'd Strength to the Faint Light to the darke Life to the dead Deliverance to the damn'd all 's in Jesus My Soule Christ is a Name of Medicine * Anointed Heb. 1. 9. Jesus of Health Saviour Mat. 1. 21. Mal. 4. 1. 1. Tim. 1. 15. Heb. 9. 11 12. There 's His Oyle but here thy Salvation Gladnesse that thou hast a Christ but thy happinesse in Jesus Healing is in his wings Saving his Worke Health in his Name Redemption his Office Against Sin Hell Guilt Wrath Devill Death Woundings Faintings Swounings no Remedies to Jesus And Faith makes the application * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Joh. 3. 14 15. Joh. 6. 37. Joh. 1. 12. Rom. 7. 4. 2 Cor. 11. 12 Eph. 3. 17. Joh. 6. 47. Heb. 3. 18. Rom. 13. 14 Gal. 2. 20. Joh. 14. 16 The eye by which I see Him The foot on which I come to Him The hand by which I take Him The Ring by which I Marry Him The House in which I dwell with Him The Board at which I feed on Him The Bed on which I rest in Him The Vest in which I weare Him The Soule by which I live in Him The Body by which he lives in me What doth thus unite to the All-saving Comforter must needs be Cordiall And thence are in it
Trees are blown up with bitter Blasts well-rooted stand against all Winds yea by them better rooted and more strong to stand Holy Jobes and Holy Josephs Preservative It Preserves against High Censure Rom. 2. 13 2 Cor. 2. 7. Luk. 18. 11. Mat. 26. 25. Job 42. 7. 2 Chro. 28 10. 2 Chro. 30 18 19. 1 Joh. 3. 20 21. Luc. 8. 15. Psal 66. 16. Prov. 4. 4. Luc. 2. 51. Prov. 2. 1. 2. of others Infirmities a great Block and too deep a Sense of thy owne a sore Rub in the way to Heaven Hypocrisie Judgeth others Integrity it Selfe It Keeps the Heart against Maine Offences and God imputes not meaner trespasses The Sister of Charity and Daughter of Mercy Obeds and Hezekiahs Preservative It Preserv's Prayer in favour and the Word in fruitfulnesse The Key and Doore of heaven That clean Tâ—is open It gaines that Audience of Gods Eare and gives this Entrance into mans heart Gets prayer good respect and Provides the word Due entertainment Prayers Advocate and the Words Treasurer King Davids and King 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2 Luc. 2. 19. Solomons Preservative It Preserves against Sin the Gate of Hell and against the World the Mat. 7. 13. Ephes 2. 2. Psal 23. 6. Job 31. 27 Ibi pecca ubi Deus non videt Bern. Psal 119. 168. Gen. 29. 10. Rom. 8. 35. Gen. 17. 1. Dan. 6. 5 10 11. Hinge of Sin The Hollow-heart will not in open the upright not in Secret He looks at mans eye this at Gods And therefore dare Sin no where because he sees God every where The Chast Body will neither be Courted nor frighted to ill The Heart which hath Singlenesse for God looks at the World as the Devills Wanton and neither Lures nor shackles Bracelets nor Manicles Golden nor Iron-chaines Gaines nor Losses Pleasures nor Tortures Honours nor Disgraces can tempt it to be naught Holy Abrahams and Holy Daniels Preservative My Soule canst thou perish and have such a Preservative No if it be of Gods making But for His Sugar take not Satans Mercury 1. To be True to thy Side and Trusty to thy way with all thy heart and Soule that 's nothing if it be not right Nay to owne Act. 26. 10 truth and goodnesse wheresoever thou seest and like and love it with thy mind and heart that 's to be true to 2 King 9. 32. God whosoever is on or against the Side If not thou art more for thy Side then God 2. To desire from thy 2 King 10 30 31. heart to be what thou should'st but yet not contribute more to it then Prov. 21. 25. mere desire that 's Somewhat of it in Conception but nothing in Birth Though for Christs sake thy Doing well be abated to Endeavour it comes Act. 24. 26. Phil. 2. 13. Isa 26. 8. not to so litle as Desire If not effectuall which is all one with it what goes no further in thy account may come to much but with God comes to Nothing 3. Nor will hearty Endeavour NUm 23 10. and Deed too passe for it if onely to Some good and against Some ill or Gen. 20. 3. Mar. 6. 20. Psal 119. 6. for much but not all True Obedience will not give Dispensation from any Law Loyall Integrity dare never aske or take leave and Licence at any Place 1 Sam. 26. 8 9. to rebell My Soule feed not Corrupted Nature with such Sweets as these Though Job 20. 12. Ezek. 13. 19. they seeme Sugars they are meere Mercuries Made not for thy health but bane not Medicines but Poysons of thy Life not Preservative to it but Destructive the wayes to Hell and Death As thou dreadest them then looke well to thy Selfe Mistake not Poyson for thy Preservative A Sound Heart in truâ—h not errour is that whch Maintaines thy Life And now my Soule See at once all wht is required for thy Health How to Try How to Take How to Valew all One by another is their best way of Tryall Forward Repentance without Faith is Desperate Sorrow Faith 2 Cor. 7. 10. 2 Cor. 2. 7 Jam. 2. 14. 2 Pet. 1. 5. Rom. 18. 23. without Obedience Blod Presumption Backward Obedience without Faith Blind and unjustified Service Faith without Repentance Weake and unwarranted Beleife To Repent and not Beleive is to 1 Tim. 1. 5 Heb. 6. 1. Jude 20. Luk. 14. 20 Heb. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Mat. 3. 8 9 lay a foundation and not build To Beleive and not Obey is to build without a Roofe To obey and not Beleive is to clap the roofe on the Ground-worke To Beleive and not Repent is to build without foundation Repentance alone is Recovery without strength Faith alone strength without use Obedience alone Darknesse with strength Turne then and take them as you will this is the just Tryall That 's Right Repentance that hath Faith and Obedience after it a Act. 20. 21. 26. 20. That 's Sound Obedience that hath Faith and Repentance before it b Rom. 16. 26. Heb. 6. 1. That 's True Faith that hath Repentance before and Obedience after it My Soule then thou for thy health Mar. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 5 must have all if thou wilt have it true sound and right And wouldst thou know how thou art to take all Sure til thou art in Heaven with perfect cure thou must use on 1 Cor. 13. 9 Phil. 3. 13. earth continuall Remedy Repent every day Believe every hour Obey every Moment There is no day wherein thou dost not Sin no night therfore in whichthou Mat. 6. 12. 2 Cor. 7. 1. must not Repent If foul thou must wash If guilty ask pardon If sick seek cure daily Thou dost never Sin but need a Saviour Never well but hast need of Ro. 6. 23. Neh. 13. 22. favour Of Bloud to clense the guilts of thy ill Of a Robe to cover the blemishes of thy good What Bloud but Phil. 3. 9. from his Side What Robe but on his Rom. 3. 25 Ephes 1. 7. Back Where else my Soul canst thou heal thy wounds or hide thy skars but under the Righteousness of his Innocent life Purpled in his most pretious Apoc. 7. 14 Jer. 33. 16. Isa 53. 11. Bloud If thou then art not without Sin a day thou canst not be without Christ an Hour lest for want of a Savior thou be lost in the very minute Rom. 6. 23 Heb. 4. 16. Phil. 3. 9. of Sinne. In his Bloud then thou must wash take Sanctuary in his Merits shroud thy self under his Robe seek mercy for his sake that is Beleive every hour And Obey him every moment For sure my Soul of whom thou hast continuall need thou must offend him never Finde a Minute when thou wouldst not be in Hell without him and take that time to offend him Eternall deliverance deserves continuall gratitude Vnto him that hath loved Apoc. 1. 5. us and washed us
of Gods Spirit a that 's 2 Tim. 1. 19 the true Preaching of the Word Tit. 1. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Neh. 8. 8. 2 Chrâ— 18. 21. 1 Tim. 4. 1 Joh. 4. 1. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 10 11. Mar. 4. 24. Apoc. 2. 11. Act. 17. 11 Jam. 1. 21. Act. 10. 33 Mat. 13. 22 Heb. 4. 2. Errour and Ill are from the Devill though out of a Pulpit And if thou take heed how thou hearest this and have care to harken to that with an humble honest Heart prepossest with neither Errour nor Lust thou canst not chuse but be of better life because well taught by Gods Word Nor wilt thou be worse for giving thy self to Read it For therefore it is Writing as wel as Word to have it in thy Eye But my Soul avoid extremities Theirs who forbid it as a Mote in the Mat. 22. 29. Peoples Eye And theirs who abuse it as Dust under their Foot What is Sacred must not be too Common and Deat 29. 9 2 Pet. 3. 16 Heb. 5. 12. Joh. 5. 39. 1 Joh. 5. 13 Gal. 3. 2. what is Secret must not be Enquired Mysteries are Labyrinths which every Foot may not must not Tread Necessaries every mind ought and may know If thou wouldst not lose thy self then walk not in the Woods but Plaines If thou wilt not drown thy 2 Pet. 1. 10 Heb. 5. 14. Pontifex â—nter DeuÌ„ homines â—ons cst â—ern self Foard the shallowes not the Deeps And if thou canst not give thy selfe take direction how and where to goe and walk And so thou maist advance much in all Holy wayes The Pavement to Heaven is made there by Gods Phil. 2. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Act. 18. 26. Act. 16. 17. Hand and thy Foot will not goe more wrong because thy Eye sees the pavement Nay of that thou art more sure when thou dost Read then Hear Mans Breath comes in with Gods Word into 1 Joh. 4. 1. the Ear but Gods Pure Word and Spirit into the Eye Into the Eye yes and to the Heart too from it and to the Life from that For my Soul as many Saints have been made better so some have been made Saints by the meer Reading of the Word And the Desk as well as the Pulpit hath begot Converts And sure it is a good Nurse if a happy Mother of Spirituall life Tolle lege made Saint Augustine Saint Mat. 19. 2â— Athanas. And a Text read turn'd Saint Antony Angel My Soul I would not have thee make a Chapter keep thee from a Sermon nor a Sermon make thee slight a Chapter Use both right and thou wilt be much bettered by both And if with Eyes on Heaven and Knees on Earth * C. Boromaeus sic c. and Heart on Book thou dost at due times turne the Sacred Volumes thy Reading will be right Yea though leaves not inspiredly Sacred For when thy self readest Scriptures the flowers of Grace thou art the Bee that gettest the Hony by thy own Hand but in Good and Godly Bookes another hath Gathered and thou hast but to Eat the Hony Yea what is far sweeter and wholsomer to Holy and Heavenly Taste O my Soul be given to read Gods and Godly Comparate vobis Biblia animae pharmaca Chrys Bookes Good Aire breeds good Spirit and Gods Aire Holy Breath Where Flowers of Grace and Plants of Paradise grow as on Holy Grounds the Aire is good Nor is it ill to smell a Posie made of no worse Flowers Gods Bible is a Garden a good Book a Posie Take pleasure then and take Psal 1. 2. profit in both And so thou wilt if thou dost digest what thou dost see and hear For my Soul they bring meat into thy Mouth but that doth Prepare 1 Pet. 2. 2. and Distribute it to thy Nourishment They Convey Gods Word to the Dores Rom. 6. 17. Col. 3. 16. of thy House but thou must not let it lie there but lodge it in thy Heart and make it Commander of thy life And to entertain and observe it so is the work which without serious and strong Resolutions will never be done the proper act of The Heart It must resolve upon action for which thou seest reason and determine a Practice when it knowes Gods Will Act. 10. 30. and Word The Counsels of the minde do nothing without the Decrees of the wil. And Ear and Eye can do no more in the Word of God but furnish the minde with good Counsels Execution must come from the Heart the Great Governour of the little world of Man To it therefore is given the power to make such Decrees And my Soul there is nothing which thou canst not doe by virtue of that power It s wonderful what hath been done by a Romane Resolution Miraculous if any thing were impossible to a Christian not only to Scaevola Dan. 3. 28 burne the Hand and not shrink but to set the Body on flames and Smile at it And much more to quench the fire of burning lusts Resolutions are Cords if then weake Temptation if Num. 30. 13. Judg. 15. 13 strong as Sampson breaks them like Tow. But if well twist and made will bind and hold any though never so strong It did David to a Regular life Psal 119 116. to Gods Law because so stedfastly purposed Joshua from strange Gods The Jos 24. 15 Dan. 3. 28 Three Children from the Image-worship There is no good or ill which thou maist not doe or shun if thou resolve for or against it Have not some suffered their Bodies to be Cut their Limbs to be sawne their Throats to be parcht with thirst and their Stomacks Gnawn with hunger when no meanes else were left for saving of their Lives And might not the Intemperate doe as much for Sobriety and Abstinence and the Incontinent against his lusts if they did see and resolve this as necessary to save their Souls Vowes my Soul may be snares Eccles 5. 2 if not considerately made but Holy Purposes are innocent Bonds into which thou maist more commonly enter And bind thy self to better behaviour with them as wel as vowes in Psal 76. 11 Deut. 12. 11. some cases with both And surely God hath given thee that power of will and thy will that power that thou shouldst as a man made for God move by it to Godlinesse and if dull quicken thy self and strengthen it more fastly and firmly to move But when so set it must goe Thou sal 66. 12 sal 116. 6. must determine and doe Put to Practice what thou hast in Purpose and what thy heart doth resolve that must be done by thy Hand My Soul Experiments confirme Precepts much and want of good Attempts makes brave Exploits be thought impossible and left when else they might be done Of the Christian it is most true what glorious Conquests might be got over our lusts were they not thought Invincible To what
heights of Holy Perfection might Flesh and Blood attain were it not believ'd impossible And why Practise begets experience and that a mighty strength Thus doth he come to draw the strongest So the Martyr puts his finger into the Candle after his Body in the Fire Acts. Mon. 1 John 2. 12 13. bow that began with a weaker and carry an Oxe at last that hath it of a Calf on his shoulders Thou hast as many Presidents for this as there be Great Saints which from an Infancy of goodnesse have grown by degrees to be fo Great Even the Gyants of grace were once no taller then Dwarfes in goodnesse Say not then My Soul there 's a Lyon in the way Thy Phansie is the Lyon Enter goe Pro. 22. 13 on in the wayes of God thou shalt finde the Lyon slaine and hony in the Judg. 14. 1 Belly of the Lyon Even what was bitter will be sweet what was hard will be easie what was terrible will be amiable what was strange familiar to Phil. 3. 7 8. him that being well-resolv'd betakes himself to a good and righteous way But my Soul thou canst not stirre unlesse God strengthen pray then his Ability that thou maist goe on and let the hand have help from The Mouth To speak as it doth to Man for the Body so to God for thee for help If Psal 36. 9. Mat. 21. 22 1 Joh. 4. 21 Ezek. 31. 39. it speak from the Heart much may be done by the Mouth For as God is the Fountaine of Grace Prayer is the Bucket of the Well If then thou wouldst have it thou must down or rather since the Well is above up Joh. 14. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 3 Ezek. 36. 27. Rom. 8. 4. 11. 14. Ezek. 16. 37. Luk. 11. 13. with the Bucket My Soul thou canst no more do right without Gods Spirit then the Body live without thine If that Holy Spirit lead thee thou wilt not goe wrong I will put my Spirit into you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and doe them Lo there 's the Power to doe right And shall not your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask it That 's the way to come by that power And if thou Isa 61. 3. Dan. 9. 9. Isa 38. 3. Dan. 9. 3. Psal 6. 8. dost for thy better speed and haste mix thy Prayers with ashes and teares and weep and fast for their better fervency thou wilt sooner get to the end of that way And if thou wilt for thy better progresse provide thy self with more strength and store be sure to be one at an Eucharist if it come fairly John 6. 57 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc Viaticum Joh. 6. 58. Jam. 5. 16. Luk. 18. 1. to thy hand For my Soul nothing doth more nourish Holy Spirit then an Eucharist The bread of life from Heaven that thou faint not in the way And then Prayers must prevail when we wax not weary and grow faint My Soul thou hast been taught many helpes to doe well but by two things wilt be Cautioned to doe yet better If thou look to thy Christian Credit and Innocence well To keep that without just blot this without greater guilt Lessons that are not commonly taught and therefore to be more Singularly learnt Impaire not thy Credit Encrease not thy guilt Watch against both with strict Conscience Such Holy Cautions help to Heaven much My Soule there is a Reputation 4. Division Phil. 4. 8. 3 Joh. 12. Christian and if thou value the worldly before life the Heavenly should be dearer It is when thou givest no just Scandall and appearest without due blame and blemish in the Eye of the world I say scandall that 's just for if the Offence be causlesse in thee it s taken not given And I say appearing without blemish for thou must look as that it be not that it doe not appear Abstain from all appearance of Evill 1 Thes 5. 22. Thy Conversation must have neither ill Heart nor Face Nor ill Prospect for 1 Cor. 10. 32. Heaven nor Aspect to Earth Give no offence to any That is hurt not an Honest Eye with a Glass of foul behaviour Heb. 12. 13 stumble not an upright foot with a visible block of offence Providing for honest 2 Cor. 6. 3 2 Cor. 8. 21 Rom. 12. 17. Mat. 18. 16 things not onely in the sight of the Lord but in the sight of men And of the Good above all For better a Milstone tyed about thy Neck and thou throwne into the bottome of the Sea then offend one of those little ones What ever they Seeme thy Sin is great O then My Soule shall they be scandalized Phil. 1. 27. Phil. 4. 8. Ephes 4. 1. Col. 1. 10. Rom. 15. 2 rather then great ones bad ones be offended This will hang about thy neck a guilt heavier then a Milstone Have Sense then as of thy earthly of thy Christian Honour my Soule Say doe nothing unworthy that Noblenesse thy Goodnesse Have care as of thy Selfe of anothers Satisfaction and wound no more thy Credit then thy Conscience * Qui conscientiam negligit crudelis est in seipsum qui famam negligit crudelis in proximum Aug. Let not thy Brothers heart more then thy owne take thy wound Ill looks wound good hearts and if they infect kill like the Basiliske A good name is a pretious oyntment but an ill a Deadly Perfume And if thy Eccles 7. 1 Carriage want a good Countenance that 's a dead fly and makes it ill Away then with an Atheists heart and looke Away with unchast deeds and shewes Away with Prophane thoughts and Signes Away with an Epicures Spirit and Habit Away with a liars Soule and Suspition What is ill or looks ill doe all away For Beleive it The way for thee to goe to heaven is not to lay a stumbling-block in thy Rom. 14. 13. Psal 2. 15. Heb. 3. 12. 13. 2 Thes 3. 15. Gal. 6. 1. 2 Sam. 9. 12. Brothers way Build him a Bridge by thy good Example and by thy Counsell lead and help him over but doe not block up and Barricado his passage and by an ill Spectacle of Life like Amasiahs bloudy corps stop his better course Thou canst not bring others on their way and thy selfe be out for heaven No but Company comming Jam. 5. 19. 20. Dan. 12. 3. after thee thou wilt be let sooner and higher in Most doe not mind this but doe thou my Soul And Keep clear of others Guilts Be sure to mind that The reason is as great as thine and their Salvation My Soule Is not thy owne Proper guilt great enough that thou must pile on heaps of other mens to make the Psal 38. 8. fire greater Davids Sins went over his head and were a burden too heavy for him to beare My Soule Dost thou not shrinke at this He that
had so good shoulders so great a strength to Act. 13. 22 1 King 11 38. beare So little a load to carry yet was his too heavy for him And is thine so light to take others on Art thou confounded to consider the vast sum of thy Single Trespasses though but Dan. 9. 8. a Daniels debt and will not the Scores of other mens Sins bring on the overwhelming Confusion Art thou Principall to Innumerable ills and wilt thou Psal 40. 12. be Accessory to Millions My Soule We must bear one anothers burdens Gal. 6. 2. But their Miseries not their Sins By charity not Copartnership A fellowship and feeling doth well in woes but wofully Heb. 13. 3. Ephel 5. 7. 2 Cor. 6. 14 Act. 2. 40. in Sin Atlas was feigned to beare up Heaven but none Hell And couldest thou make shift for thy Selfe to be saved wouldst thou have others by thy Default to perish Have the Curses of Hell with the joyes of Heaven My Soule So many Rom. 14. 15 Ezek. 33. 6 as Sin by thee are damned for thee And can'st thou number how many Number then all that by thy Acts have beene made Sinners and by Gods Grace not made Penitents Thus when thou art dead thy Errors may live and thy guilts for many ages lie unburied like Cursed Parents propagating ill 2 King 13 2. Issues Successively to Souls throughout many Generations And though thy Naturall Sins die with thee the Adopted 2 King 17 22. 2 King 14 24. 1 Tim. 5. 22. may live for ever My Soul then doe what the Apostle saies Be not partaker of other mens Sins But more then he means He would have no hands laid on unworthy Persons doe thou keepe thine from unworthy actions By any Deed of thine to Bane anothers Soule is of all most Apoc. 18. 4 unworthy or by anothers to bane thine And there are many waies to do both Nine are numbred And very naught all When thou canst not to hinder it for so thou art Assistant to it and thy Hand doth it helpe When thou shouldest not to Reprove it for so thou art Advocate for it and thy Tongue gives it License To Counsell Sin for that 's to conceive it in another to give it womb and be its Mother To Command it for that 's to beget it to give it Seed and be as Naturall Father To Consent to it for that 's to owne and 2 Joh. 11. maintaine it and be Adopting Father to it if not Naturall To Commend it for that 's to give it dug and Suck and to be Nurse to it at least if not a Mother To Entertaine the Actor of it for that 's to give it shoulders and Support it or Refuge and to be Patron and Protectour and so Brother if not Parent to it To Keep Silence and be Mute at it for that 's to give it hand and heart and to be a friend if not a Brother to it To partake of it for that 's to give it arme and face and to be both Sworne Brother and friend and loving Benefactour of it In the Instance of one Sin see all this O My Soul Let Bloud be it and behold how another may shed it and thou be guilty of the Bloud Joab 2 Sam. 18. 9 2 Sam. 16. 21. kill'd Absalom but Ahitophel Murdered him Because his Counsell brought him to his death The Ammonite slew 2 Sam. 12. 9 Uriah but David killed him because he fell by his Command The Jews Act. 7. 59. Act. 22. 20 stoned Stephen Saul did not touch him yet had hand in his death because with his Consent Sons of Belial stoned Naboth 1 King 21 13. 19. yet Ahab slew him because as he gave Countenance to the doing it with his Seale so he had Complacence in the deed and so commended what was done All Benjamin did not ravish the Jud. 19. 22 20. 5. 13 14. Levites Concubin to death but gave shield and shelter to them that did and so the Bloudy Rape became theirs by Patronage The Jews in Christs time did not sâ—ay the Prophets which were kill'd many hundred yeares before yet by Participation with their Fathers Mat. 23. 31. Luc. 11. 48 49. Pro. 31. 9. became Heirs of their Murders And if King Solomon open not his mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed for destruction They may be the Children but he shall be the Father of it Scrangers cut of Jacob Esau Sate still and lookt but on and he destroyed because he did not save Though Ob. 1. 12. 1 Sam. 2. 22. 29. 33 34. Levit. 19. 17. Elies Sons fell by the Philistims His hand gave them the fatall blow because he did not sufficiently reprehend that which was their ruine their Sins O My Soule Be for the Communion of Saints not Sinners Nor in blood nor any guilt doe thou Communicate in anothers Sin Advise from it Forbid it Dissent Dispraise Disrespect Disclaime Proclaime against it Resist it Rebuke it Thou hast guilts enough of thy owne to multiply thou needest not adde any others to it My Soule then giving others Scandall and partaking others guilt are thy Enemies against which Conscience must be Charg'd to keep a strict watch And is thy great friend if it doe For surely not to hinder others from Heaven is to further thy Selfe not to be Laden with much guilt gives an easier Passage to heaven And to be free of such blocks and fetters makes the course of Piety more easie More easie though to craz'd and corrupted Nature hard and not to be compassed without our best thoughts and endeavours even all that Mind or Man can doe though eare and eye and heart and hand and mouth and Conscience improve all their arts and faculties to the full and with united forces set on the good and great Employment of Gods Service and our Godlinesse But so it wil be For my Soul wisdom assures thee Prov. 2. 1. 2 3 4 5. If thou wilt receive my Words and hide my Commandements within thee So that thou encline thine eare unto wisdome and apply thy heart to understanding If thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding If thou seekest her as Silver and Searchest for her as for hid treasures Then shalt thou understand the Feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God The Summe of this Part is 1. Some Acts are great Assistances to Pious Life which by Gods blessing we may doe 2. Hearing Gods Word Reading Resolving Attempting Practice and Praying are those Acts. 3. Holy Cautions help much as well as Actions 4. It will advance much to Heaven to looke carefully to a Christian Credit and Innocence on earth 5. To have great Caution to avoyd just Scandall and keep cleare of other mens guilt is the way to maintaine that good Credit and Innocence Animadversions touching the Daily use of what is directed throughout the whole Manuall IF all set seem a great Dayes work of Devotion though two hours will make the longâ—st day it is put into thy power to lessen it Thâ— Authors Aim is to be a Spirituall Helper not a Taâ—k-master That Office he leaves to thee with Discretion and Conscience to executâ— And thou wilt discharge it better if when thy thoughts are set to contrive and lay out the Spirits work flesh and blood be not called in to the Câ—unsel As Bodies so Soules are not all of equall strength and speed and as Dayes differ in severall Climates yea in the same often vary their length so days of Devotion are not of a like length for all Spirits and Occasions Hezekiâ—h was not so long on his Knees as Solemon a 2 King 19. 5. 2 Chro. 6. 13. nor Ezra the Priest so long at his Prayers as the Levites b Ezra 9. 5 Neh. 9. 4. The Apostles did lengthen and shorten theirs c Act. 1. 24 4. 24. And our Lord kept not a punctuall measure for His d Mat. 26. 42. 44. John 17. A Man may pray much in little with the Publican e Luk. 18. 13. and little in much like a Pharisee f Mat. 23. 14. Mat. 6. 1 and much and not little as the Centurion g Act. 10. 2. 4. The heart is all in all If that goe along thou maist do well to travaile all the Book over if not better to cut off some Stages There are that measure Sermons by Glasses and Orisons by Beads but as the wise judge those by braines not lungs so the Devout weigh these by their thoughts not fingers Behold that pattern of all piety and perfection Luk. 6. 12. Christ himself He prayed whole nights to teach us we may pray long and well yet taught us Mat. 6. 9. a short form of Prayer to shew that generally it is not better for being long The life of Devotion lies in the Spirit not Breath and Prayers must be measured by the Heart not the Hour-glasse FINIS