Governour and the Holy Ghost ever illuminating and sanctifying the members thereof With which Church was always established the same Covenant of Grace in Christ the same Sacraments for the substance the same way of Salvation under the same precepts through the like obedience and sufferings upon the same promises and threats of the same rewards and punishments See Heb. 11. Hence ever since the fall we find in the sacred Story as one Generation the Children of Works and born after the flesh as Cain Lamech Cam Canaan Aegypt Babylon c. so another the Children of Faith first Abel Martyr then Seth Father of the whole Race Enos Enoch Noah Shem Abraham to whom the Gospel was more fully preached and the Covenant of Faith published 430 years before the promulgation of the Law c. See all these things prosecuted at large in the forementioned Discourse §. 185. The Love and Power of the Father and the Son VII HEADS for Meditation on the several Offices and Benefits to MANKIND of the HOLY-GHOST The Holy-Ghost the Eternal Spirit of God The intimate Communion and Love of the Father and the Son the Finger of God the Strength and Power of the Father as the Son is the Wisdome of the Father the omnipotent worker of all that which the Father decrees and which the Son the word of the Father commands §. 186. The Spirit of Promise The Holy-Ghost the Holy Spirit of Promise who as the Son was a long time the Promise of the Father to this lower world so after the exhibition of our Saviour this Holy Spirit was a further promise unto it both of the Father and of the Son and at last upon the departure of the Son came down from heaven to abide and dwell with us here on earth in our Lord's absence until his second coming who as the Son was sent by the Father into the world to glorify the Father and to teach men what he had received and heard from the Father so the Holy Spirit descended to glorify the Son and to teach and bring to our remembrance to confirm and bear witness here on earth to all things that were taught and heard and received from the Son who was here pleased not only to be cohabitant with us but an inhabitant within us and vouchsafed to lodge in our persons as the Son did before to dwell in our nature making these our Bodies now the Temples of the Holy-Ghost By whom also both the Father and the Son do dwell with us and in us who put the last hand unto the great affair of our Salvation finishing the internal work thereof upon us in our Sanctification as our Saviour did before the external for us in our Redemption §. 187. The Spirit of Regeneration The Holy Ghost the Spirit of Regeneration who by his unspeakable power doth work the strange work of our second Nativity who is the seed of God by whom we are new Creatures by whom we are begotten and born again born of God and made partakers of the Divine Nature and Sons of God who is the heavenly principle derived into us from the second Adam Lord from Heaven conveying into our Soul Holiness and into our Body Immortality and Life as the flesh we received from the first Adam conveyed unto us sin and death Who being the same Spirit in us that also is in Christ is the bond of that mystical union between Jesus the Head and us the members and between us and all other fellow-members making all Christians but one and the same Body of the same temper of the same inclinations of one heart and one mind amongst our selves and with the head as being all actuated and moved by one and the same Spirit §. 188. The Spirit of Illumination The Holy-Ghost conveying its gracious Influences and Effects both into our Souls and into our Bodies Into our Souls both in our Vnderstanding and Memory and in our Will and Affections In our Vnderstanding and Memory The Spirit of Illumination who being the Spirit of God and knowing all the deep things of God as a man's Spirit doth the things of a man when as we by Adam's fall do remain miserably blinded and darkned in our Vnderstanding doth reveal unto us all the supernatural mysteries of our Redemption and Salvation and produceth in us a lively faith and credence of things not seen who beareth witness within us to all the doctrine of Christ to the truth of the Gospel and to all the promises and threats thereof by whom it is that we call Jesus Lord who is the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all Truth by whose unction we know all things beneficial to us and are every one taught of God from whom those who are his more diligent and worthy servants receive manifold revelations visions illuminations both in things of spiritual and temporal concernment both for their own edification and the edification of others knowledge of the mysteries of Religion and of the deeper sence of the word of God knowledge of things to come of the secrets of the heart of things done in absence and at the remotest distance The word of Wisdome and Counsel the gift of Eloquence and powerful perswasion Wisdome in Offices and Governments The Holy Spirit distributing unto men these several Gifts as seemeth good unto him and fit for the work wherein he imploys them And all our science being much perfecter and directed to nobler ends when this conferred by the Holy Spirit §. 189. The Spirit of Love Toward God The Holy Ghost in our Will and Affections the Spirit of Love Of Love first toward God and also towards our Neighbour Towards God who doth inflame us with an impatient love of God and things Divine who according to the promise under the Gospel writeth all God's laws in our heart and inclineth our will to obey his Commandments no more out of constraint and fear but out of choice and affection who dictateth to us all our acceptable prayers to and acceptable praises of God and leadeth the greater proficients in God's service into a perfect contemplation of and union with him Elevating them with rapts and extasies and consuming the Soul with the flames of Divine Love §. 190. Towards our Brethren The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of love to our Neighbour Who doth enflame us with a most ardent love towards our Brethren whose blessed fruits are love peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness by whom the Saints are rendred kind not envying not vaunting themselves above others not seeking their own not easily provoked thinking no evil bearing all things believing all things hoping all things enduring all things Who teacheth us to keep our Saviour's new Commandment of Love and bestoweth on us this most excellent gift of Charity §. 191. The Spirit of Corporal Parity and Mortification The Holy-Ghost conferring its gracious effects and influences as on the Soul so on the Body In it The Spirit of Mortification and Chastity Who continually warreth against
that of possession which makes holy men have mortem in desiderio which others so fear vitam in patientia which others so value 7. Consider all the temporal blessings of holy and orderly living more health of body longer life serenity of mind a pleasure sedate pure and constant but at no time violent itching or discomposing the subject of it and rendring mirth uncapable of continuance or also declining suddenly into pain or anguish A joy not dwelling in the sense and lower felicities of beasts in eating and drinking and marriage these when it useth and rejoyceth in it is as though it used and rejoyced not but in more Angelick and Spiritual complacencies not consisting in having its carnal desires satiated but rather in not having and being freed from such desires which is a content equal to the enjoyment of them Cui Deus haec fecit Supervacua dedit A pleasure more retired and internal of the mind and spirit arising out of several noble considerations of the Soul which have no intercourse with or help from Sense A joy well consisting with and many times very great when the sense is in pain and of sense little or nothing perceived Nay A joying in grief and pains Rom. 5.31 and proportioned to them more joy to counterpoise them as the pains are more And Gaudet minus si minus dolet because the Soul cannot have those special considerations and passions which give it such a goust and delight but from such sufferings So St. Paul's joys still flowed the higher the greater his tribulations were And see a resemblance tho a very faint one of it in Seneca's Philosophy Ep. 18. Summa voluptas saith he in victa tenui Voluptaes autem non illa levis fugax subinde reficienda sed stabilis certa Non enim jucunda res est aqua polenta sed summa voluptas est adidse reduxisse ut c. Quanta enim animi magnitudo c. Digr Of the great blessing of long life 8. The blessings on their Posterity Associates c. for their sakes in all the contraries to those Judgments mentioned before § 3. n. 11. c. which are brought upon others for the sinners sake God not going less in his mercies than in his judgments Digr Of the great efficacy and benefit of the Communion of Saints 9. From doing to others all good and returning no evil much peace and a good name amongst the most or the best of men 1 Pet. 3 13. Matt. 5.5 And again when from contrary manners to and non-compaliance with the world he incurrs the hate and ill report thereof in lieu of the worldly a spiritual peace and divine consolations more abundant So that a good man suffers some trouble from humane and temporal solaces and endeavors to avoid them And every one as he groweth perfecter and deeplier wounded with the divine love and desire of conformity to his Good Lord takes a far greater delight in their contraries in sufferings persecutions injuries retiredness long devotions and hard mortification as being then most replenished with spiritual Consolations after the tasting of which already all the world's delights are become bitter and sowre These therefore he chooseth armeth for impatiently expects arrived to glories in wondring they are no greater which are to save such a sinner so well meriting damnation from such infinite torments to come and which are to gain to so vile a person such infinite joys and honor to come §. 9. 2 The great reward of it for the future 1. The happiness of the Souls of Saints immediately after Death Exemplified in the Soul of the H. Thief accompanying the Soul of our Lord in Paradise the same day he suffered In that of the H. Beggar Lazarus receiving in Abraham's bosome Consolations for his former sufferings in the life-time of Dives his Brethren as the Parable represents it wherein we may presume our Lord would hint to the people no mistaken Notions of the future life Who also elsewhere opposing the Sadduces that denied Spirits argues Abraham to live still at this present because God after his death stiled himself his God Again Exemplified in the Souls of the Martyrs who Rev. 6.9 10 11. 7.9.15 are clothed in white Robes and attending on the Lamb till the residue of the Saints their like sufferings for Christ being fulfilled they should all at once resume from present corruption their bodies glorified The same happiness of separated Souls instanced-in by St. Paul Heb. 12.23 where he numbers standing in the Divine presence amongst Angels the Souls also of just men consummate Therefore our Lord commends his spirit into the hands of his Father and St. Stephen again dying recommends his into the hands of Jesus And St. Peter 1. Ep. 3 4. chap. constitutes the hidden man of the heart or the righteousness of the Soul in that which is not corruptible Lastly this future happy State frequently represented in the joys which holy Souls sometimes receive in this life in the loss of the senses and cessation of the animal-functions and particularly shewed in that rapt of St. Paul into the third Heaven and Paradise and there receiving those unutterable Caresses from whose doubting language whether in or out of the Body I know not may be gathered that if his Soul did not yet it might have visited those places when it was separate from the Body Which Apostle after this short experiment of those other blisses pronounceth it much better to have this earthly tabernacle dissolved so to put on another celestial an house not made with hands a building of God eternal in the Heavens and much better to be absent from the Body so to be present with Christ And St. Peter using much what the same language speaks of deposing his present tabernacle or changing his habitation at his death 2. Ep. 1.14 As also he makes mention of Souls in Prison who were preached-to in the days of Noah 1. Pet. 3.19 2. The happiness of Soul and Body after the day of Judgment where you may entertain your thoughts on such contemplations as these promised in his word who is faithful and true The then renewed youth vigor beauty and agility of the Body The purity of the Soul from all Sin Our glorious Habitation Celestial The most amiable Society of the Saints Our vision and familiar acquaintance and conversation with Angels and Spirits One Holy Spirit and an ardent and mutual love flaming in all Christ our Spouse God our Father All Temples of the Holy Ghost Members of Christ Sons of God The heavenly City and Temple Kings and Preists White Robes Crowns and Palms Harps Songs and Festivals Life Rest and Peace for ever and ever Heu mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est Non sunt condignae passiones hujus Saeculi c. Momentaneum hoc leve Tribulationis quod in praesenti est operatur immensum supra modum gloriae pondus in sublimitate 3. The several Degrees of Glory
by most no otherwise to be wished but as they presume that it may be better than the present And that we have but little reason to presume of this if to to make it longer we omit some of the chiefest means to make it better For such abstinences therefore as we do suspect may some way impair health the best way is to guide our selves by experience rather than by our own or others prognostications and fears and with some courage at first to make trial of such hard-ships and since health is not destroyed in a moment to continue them so long till nature complains and that not if at the very first there appear some reluctance but if after some reasonable time of tryal she sinketh under them of which nature will mind us soon enough when she cannot support our rigors and which do what we can against her will even force so much supply from us as is necessary for her preservation And if in such good purposes in subduing our flesh we should make some oversight yet is it no further accountable for than it is discernable and then it is soon enough to change our custome specially if disallowed by those whose judgment in this matter we have reason to yeild to or also are obliged to obey in a due submission to which their Injunctions instead of our Flesh we are to mortify which is a harder thing our Will 10. Keeping a perpetual guard and watch upon your self more for this vertue of Temperance than any other the mischiefes of which transgressed are so many and yet the occasions thereof by reason of our Bodies necessary daily repairs returning daily nor can we quite cut off and dismiss them as we can do in most other temptations to Sin which the Holy Father St. Austine in his Confessions observed and complained of long ago I therefore saith He placed among the same temptations am striving every day against this concupiscence in eating and in drinking For 't is no such thing which I can resolve to cut off at once and touch no more as I could do concerning other things Therefore are the reins of the Throat to be held with a moderate hand between relaxation and restraint And who is he O Lord who is not sometimes transported beyond the lists of necessity Whoever he be a great one he is let him magnify thy Name Nor Secondly In the use of them to which we are frequently necessitated can we perfectly discern in our dyet the true limits of too little enough and too much which thing caused a second Complaint of the same pious Father Many times it becomes uncertain saith He whether it is the necessary care of my Body that requires such a supply or the voluptuous deceit of my lust that procures such a maintenance from me and the unhappy Soul grows glad in such an uncertainty and thence prepares the protection of an excuse rejoicing that it appears not what is an exact proportion for the welfare of the Body that under the cloak of health it may cover the matter of delight Nor is there any way of receiving these cures of our wants without a tempting pleasure joined with it The Father's third Observation and trouble For Whilst I am passing from the trouble of emptiness to the rest of fulness my Concupiscence layeth a snare for me For this passage it self is a pleasure nor is there any other way to pass to it but this to which necessity forceth me And thus whereas health only is the true cause of eating and drinking yet there accompanies it as its hand-maid a perilous jucundity and goust which most what endeavors also to step before it that for the Pleasures sake I should do what I pretend or also desire to do only for Health's sake Nor are both of these content with the same allowance That which is sufficient for health being too little for delight Digr 1. Of the great Benefit from constant spare-diet Fasting c and much practised by Holy Men for the many advantages received by it There never wanting an occasion thereof whilst the Flesh any way rebelleth against the Spirit i.e. whilst we live By which also is gained a considerable time whilst others are thus diverted for solitude reading and prayer whilst otherwise as much time also after our meat vacant from other imployments is required for digestion of our food as for receiving it To say nothing here of some part of God's provision by Fasting spared for those who perhaps more need it Digr 2. Of God's Providence for our health and sustaining the Body as he pleaseth with the same power he made it upon any oversight our zeal to his better service may unwittingly make therein Where Of the Happiness of Old Age. Digr 3. Of the happiness of long life and old age which is ordinarily the effect of temperance It s happiness I say if it be guided by reason and make use of those helps conducing to Salvation which God hath abundantly afforded it For our first days are days in comparison of our last as it were of no account full of ignorance and unexperience cosened with toys and false shews divided between folly and sin we in it with our first Father trying good and evil to our ruine But the person who hath through these fallacies attained to old age is in his last days by the long tract of time and a different truer survey of things long perused by the certainly known approach of our death and suddain departure hence invited and if true reason be followed inclined to be prudent penitent patient easily contemning and slighting what others as yet admire and not desiring what he doth or doth not possess devout and much taken up with the nobler thoughts of Eternity Again is By reason of the decays of nature and of concupiscence of the senses and appetite when God seems as it were to have drawn the Curtain between us and temptation and shut out all those enticements to offend him with which our youth is molested freed from the sins of the flesh and sensuality Is by reason of the many cheats and deceits of the world experienced by him the transitoriness of its pleasures mutability of friendships hazards and frequent cadencies from wealth and honors is I say taken no more with its flatteries and waineth himself from it as not being indeed what once it made shew of And by reason of its eyes now turned from him another way and despising his autumn and its former court-ships withdrawn from him is necessitated to more recollection and solitude and dwelling at home Is again By reason of death and his departure from hence naked and stript of all most certainly at hand disswaded from Covetousness and hoarding any more of the world's goods and invited to all works of bounty and charity and dispersing of his substance so that in reason a covetous old man should be a Monster and By reason also of his approaching passage to Eternity
eschewing evil follows the Third Viz. The positive Sanctity that God our Creator requireth of and in us consisting in the Practice of all Holy Duties and Christian Virtues Of these First In diligently doing all good we can Secondly In patiently suffering all evil together with the means to procure and preserve these Virtues For the former The practising all Holy Duties and doing Good The Duties required of a Christian are threefold 1. Towards your self Duties Moral 2. Towards your Neighbour Civil 3. Towards God Religious Living 1. Soberly 2. Righteously 3. Holily The three grand Duties mentioned in our Lord's Sermon 1. Fasting Matt. 6.16 2. Alms 6.1 3. Prayer 6.5 In the prosecution of which so far as the former Counsels are subservient to the promoting of them I shall refer you to them and forbear here a repetition §. 38. 1. To your Self 1. Then The Duties I have chosen more specially to recommend to you concerning your self and which may prepare you for the Duty you are charged with to your Neighbour and Service you owe unto God For the third depends on the second He that loveth not his Brother how can he love God 1. Jo. 4.20 And the second again depends on the first whilst your Neighbour is to be loved only as your self Matt. 22.39 are these 1. The purity and sanctification of Body By §. 39. 1. Temperance and Sobriety in Food in Apparel Lodging modest Deportment c. For the better attaining of some perfection in which Virtue I must refer you to review the former Counsels concerning diet sleep recreation sensual pleasures the avoiding usual and former occasions of sinning in § 17.20.21.22.26 Digr 1. Of the great influence the several treatment of the Body hath upon the Soul and all its actions Therefore much care to be spent upon a right government of It by him who aspires to any Holiness or Virtue Digr 2. Of the Vices opposite §. 40. n. 1. 2. Chastity where I remit you to what hath been said before of the Gift of Continency § 17. n. 4. Digr 1. Of its Contraries Adultery Fornication Self-pollution and Vncleanness unlawful and unnatural Lusts §. 40. n. 2. Of which it may be observed That with no other Passion men are so strongly assaulted as with lusts and sensual loves Therefore Hos 4.11 It is said to take away the heart No Passion that so much increaseth the desire of it the more we descend to a particular cogitation and discussion of it So that it is not to be conquered by wrestling with it but by running away from it None that in its acts so captivates and incarnates the Soul and restrains its liberty of reasoning or thinking of any thing else Therefore God in pitty to man hath provided him a lawful remedy thereof by Marriage But yet still left him under under great restraints confining him to one single person and most severely prohibiting the satiating thereof in any other way either with any other person or by himself And such sins great varieties of which are left in man's power we find above most other faults exceedingly aggravated both for the great offence they give to God's own Holiness and Purity and for the great dishonour and defilement they bring to the bodies of such persons whom he first created after his own Image and since hath made Members of the Body of Christ and Temples of the Holy Ghost and from the beginning hath cast a natural shame and modesty upon him as to the committing of these more than of any other Crimes And such carnal sins we also find beyond almost any other pursued with most severe judgments For all which I must recommend these Texts and Passages of Holy Scripture to your serious meditation §. 40. n. 3. 1. That amongst the works of the Flesh these sins of Vncleanness are usually set in the Front See Gal. 5.19 The works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness c. Again Col. 3.5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth that is Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affection evil Concupiscence c. After which in the second place Vers 8. follow Anger wrath malice evil speaking or blaspemy Again 1. Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind c shall inherit the kingdome of God Rom. 1.29 Being filled with all unrighteousness Fornication See the like 1. Cor. 5.10 11. 1. Pet. 4.3 2. Pet. 2.10 Still you see these sins as the greatest darlings of the flesh lead the whole band And these sins of Lust are they with which the Gentiles every where stand principally charged before the Light of the Gospel shone amongst them See Rom. 1.25 26 27. 1. Thess 4 5. Eph. 4.19 and which are ordinarily linked together with that of Idolatry See 1. Cor. 5.10 11. 6 9. Rev. 22.15 being a usual companion of their Idol-feasts or with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether this be taken for the coveting of persons as some understand it or of riches which is said to be Idolatry too Eph. 5.3.5 Col. 3.5 These two Harlots and Money being the two great Idols in this lower world the one or the other of which steal away mens hearts §. 40. n. 4. 2. That in these Scriptures See 1. Thess 4.3.7 8. And 1. Cor. 6. from the 13. verse to the end These Vices of Carnal Lusts are aggravated as peculiarly opposite to a certain Holiness which ought to be in the Body as well as in the Soul of all those who profess themselves Members of Christ or Members of that chast Virgin as the Apostle calls her 2. Cor. 11.2 his Spouse the Church whom he bought and purchased to himself with his own blood and life and whom he cherisheth as the same flesh and bone Eph. 5.29 30. c. and as the same Spirit 1. Cor. 6.17 with himself and for whom now is our Body as well as the Soul and the Lord for it 1. Cor. 6.13 Therefore is this Holiness of the Body both conjugal and virginal as well as of the Spirit often mentioned by the Apostle 1. Thess 4.4 This is the Will of God saith he your Sanctisication that ye should abstain from Fornication that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel i. e. his Body See 1. Sam. 21.5 in sanctification and honour not in Lusts of Concupiscence For ver 8. God hath called us not to Vncleanness but unto Holiness And 1. Cor. 6.20 compared with Eph. 5.29 c. to the end Ye are bought with a price to be the Spouse of our Lord therefore glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's his Members now not yours according to 1. Cor. 7.4 The wife hath not power of her own Body No more then hath Christ's Wife or Spouse but the husband Ibid. vers 34. The Virgin saith he careth for the things of the Lord how she may please him that she
passion Deliver us O Lord. By thy glorious resurrection and ascension by thy coming to judgment by thy coeternal glory with the Father Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may learn of thee who wast meek and humble in heart that we may deny our selves and take up our Cross and follow thee We beseech thee to hear us That we lay not up treasures for our selves on earth but in heaven that we may lose our lives in this world that we may preserve them to eternal life and fear not those that can kill the body only but him that can throw both Body and Soul into hell-fire We sinners beseech c. That we freely and willingly take up thy easy yoke and light burthen that with all diligence we put out to usury our talents we receive from thee and receiving thy word into honest and good hearts may bring forth much fruit with patience We sinners beseech Thee c. That whatsoever we would that men should do unto us we do so unto them that we judge none rashly but love one another and do good to those that hate us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That being uncertain of the hour of death and thy coming to judgment we endeavour to watch and be always ready that we seriously provide to give up the account of our Stewardship We sinners beseech Thee c. That persevering thro thy grace unto the end we may be saved We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That asking the Father in thy name we may be worthy to be heard according to thy promise We sinners c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Spare us c. Hear us c. Have mercy upon us Every day will we repeat thy perfections O glorious Jesus that every day we may grow in esteem of thee every day will we attentively reckon over thy mercies that every day we may still increase in thy love We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. All that we have and are we received from thy grace All we desire and hope we expect in thy glory O Lord hear our prayers And let our supplication come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty God and most merciful Saviour the light of this world and glory of the next vouchsafe we beseech thee to illuminate our understandings enflame our Wills and sanctify all the faculties of our Souls that whilst with our lips we recite thy praises we may inwardly with our hearts adore thy person and admire thy goodness and conform our lives to thy holy example till at length by frequent meditation on the bliss thou hast prepared for us hereafter we break off our affections from all irregular adherence to this world and place them intirely on the enjoyment of thee who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God world without end Amen See the other Litany and Commemorations below LITANIES to God the Holy Spirit O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son who art the intimate love communion and complacency of the Father and the Son Have mercy on us Who art the finger strength and power of God the omnipotent worker of what the Father decrees and the Son the Word of God commands Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit by whose inspiration the holy men of God formerly spake Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit by whose admirable vertue the Incarnation of our Lord was wrought in the Virgins womb and who descendedst in the likeness of a Dove upon our Blessed Saviour Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit who at Pentecost appearedst resting upon the Disciples in cloven tongues of fire and with whom the Apostles being replenished boldly confessed and preached our Saviour Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Promise of the Father and the Son who descendedst to abide with us and in us here on earth in the absence of our Lord until his second coming Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who having cast out the strong one Satan and possessed his house vouchsafest to inhabit in our persons as the Son of God in our nature and to make us thy Temples Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who finishest the internal work of our Salvation by our Sanctification as the Son of God did the external by our Redemption Have mercy on us Who descendedst to glorify our Lord to bring to our remembrance testify and confirm all his heavenly doctrine to us Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Paraclete abiding with us for ever our Intercessor and Advocate here on earth within us to the Father as the Son now is for us in heaven Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who art the Seed of God in us by whom we are born again and made new creatures partakers of the Divine nature and Sons of God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the earnest and first fruits and pledge of our future inheritance the foretast of the good word and promise of God and of the power of Christ's Kingdome and of the World to come Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry Abba Father bearing witness to our Spirits that we are the Sons of God and by whom we are sealed to the day of Redemption Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit the Seed of Immortality in our corruptible bodies by whose vertue and power after sown in dishonour they shall be raised again in glory Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit who guidest and preservest the Church of God in all truth illuminating its Doctors strengthening its Martyrs and perfecting its Saints Have mercy c. O Holy Spirit the bond of the mystical union between Christ our Head and us his Members and between all the fellow-members making them all of one heart and one soul as being all actuated by one and the same Spirit Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who enlightenest and leadest us into all truth by whom the Charity of God is poured forth in our hearts who writest the laws of God within us and inclinest our wills not out of servile fear but love and choice to obey his commands Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who helpest our infirmities we not knowing what to pray for as we ought and makest intercession for us with groans that cannot be uttered Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who knowest all the hidden things of God and makest intercession according to his will and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth there the mind of the Spirit Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who revealest the mysteries of Religion the secrets of men's hearts and things to come Have mercy on us
all sins past as present and always before him whilst to the sinner himself many are never known many once known quite forgotten Again He as being the person wronged by sin who is always a higher valuer of the offence than is the party offending justly aggravating it from the supreme dignity of his person his infinite love and numberless benefactions to the Sinner his former long patience toward Him his exceeding holiness and purity so opposite to its filthiness c. See Gen. 6.6 Where 't is said That man's sin grieved him at his heart and it repented our Lord that ever he had made him on the earth And again Mar. 3.5 That our most meek Lord Jesus was so provoked by it That he looked round about on them with anger being grieved for the hardness of their hearts But especially the hainousness of sins may be learnt from the many experienced stupendious Judgments upon them at which man is much troubled how to make them bear any just proportion to his Faults Which dreadful revenges upon Sin you may consider 1. In the faln Angels for one sin exiled from heaven and held in chains of darkness near upon ever since the Creation of the world besides what is to come made also for ever uncapable of any means of Reconciliation 2. In Adam for one sin ejected out of his most pleasant Habitation apparrel'd with the covering of Beasts condemned to eat his Bread in labour and sorrow and penance for near a 1000 years and then to return to Putrefaction and a curse laid on all his Posterity and on the ground they lived on for his sake 3. In the drowning at one time for their lusts and oppressions of all the men in the world except Eight persons their children and infants and all other living creatures for their sake 4. In the storm of Fire and Brimstone rained upon the five Cities for their Lusts and those pleasant Plains turned to a dead Lake till this day and yet these Cities to undergo a new Damnation at the day of Judgment as if they had as yet suffered nothing See Mat. 11.22 Where our Lord aggravating the punishment of Bethsaida saith it shall be then more intolerable than that of Sodome 5. In the severe punishments of David though otherwise a most holy person the sad story of which you may read in the 13.15 and 24. Chapters of 2. Sam. Concerning all which forenamed punishments this is a sufficient evidence that the sins deserved them because he who is Justice it self and from whom man learns the true notions of it inflicted them 6. Lastly In the precious Sacrifice of the only Son of God required by his Father for the Expiation of Sin This of the present temporal punishments But then consider also 2ly The future punishment for all sin here unrepented of and unforsaken before death in the world to come 27. 1 Immediately after death Of the Soul Exemplified in the deceased rich man tormented in fire whilst his brethren yet living in their jollity here on earth Luk. 16.24 And in the Beast and false Prophet their being cast into the Lake of fire before the Invasion of Gog and Magog and before Satan's being shut up there See Rev. 19 20. Comp. 20.8.10 Which also appears from our Lord 's declaring that a temporal death kills the Body but not the Soul Matt. 10.28 And St. Pet. 1. Ep. 3 4. adviseth the adorning of the hidden man of the heart because this not corruptible And Ibid. ver 19. makes mention of Spirits in Prison viz. the spirits of such persons as were preached-to in the days of Noah And if the Souls of the Righteous be then presently in Paradise Luk. 23.43 and with Christ their Lord and partake of God's mercy and glory the Souls of the Wicked must be then presently imprisoned and remain with the Devil their Master feel the lashes of God's Justice and begin their never ending misery and ignominy Whilst the Body descends into the Grave the poor Soul by the strength of Angels being forced downward into a far lower Dungeon an infernum inferius in the most innermost bowels of the earth from whence it shall never return again nor see light save at the last day that which flasheth from the face of the angry Judge when it is brought to his Bar to receive its last doom doubled torments and to make it much more sensible of them forc'd to take along with it its loathed Mate the Body into the same profound pit Who then can tell the agony of such person now come to the end of his days when scorched with Feavers he desires to dye and by death can remove only into a bed of fire when he cannot endure his present pains and hath no change save to far greater these he cannot suffer and the other if ceasing to suffer these he can no way avoid nor knows he what way to turn himself in this Labyrinth of Despairs These sufferings of the Soul having been by some endured already above 5000 years and those of the rich glutton in flames if this not made wholly a Parable suffered now above sixteen Centuries though he lived here not one 28. 2 After Dooms-day Of Soul and Body Where also weigh well the terrible description of these punishments mentioned in his Word who cannot lye The Body raised in dishonour A Carcass deformed stinking Chains binding hand and foot Prison depth of the Earth Dungeon Bottomless Pit A Fire and Brimstone-Lake Immobility Suffocation Worm or Serpent gnawing Fire devouring Thirst never refreshed Body never consumed Sense never stupified Weeping wailing gnashing the teeth Society of wicked men and Devils ugly stinking All hating cursing one another hating cursing God cast into a land of Oblivion Psal 88.12 None to comfort none to bemoan The ancient Compassion of Saints and Angels and God now turned into Hate and Derision No Mediator no Redeemer The Soul always in an Agony and sick to death restless hopeless despairing wounded to the heart with the sense of lost happiness as well as present misery And all her sufferings eternal eternal Eternal these pains God in his upright Justice not being so indulgent as to grant to that his wretched Creature the relief of an Annihilation And these pains unremitting the rich man sparingly begging of the beggar that before wanted his relief but only one drop of water falling from the dipped tip of his finger Luk. 16.24 and it would not be granted him The greatness of God's vengeance then answering the greatness of his person and of his patience when yet for the present so much hating sin which Patience abused at last turns to Fury and no wrath comparable to the wrath of the Lamb. See Rev. 6.6 Rom. 2.5 And from the magnitude of this wrath and punishment is chiefly learnt the magnitude of sin and what a Monster that must be that deserves such Torments for ever and ever from him that cannot do the least Injustice Digr Of the Degrees
and also of our Graces and services i. e. our satisfaction love our praising and glorifiing God nobler there according to the several Degrees of our Service here 4. Contemplation of the Reward a great incouragement to the work 5. Contemplation of the many various Degrees and heights thereof proportioned to our obedience a great incouragement of an holy zeal to attain perfection in our Works §. 10 VII Concerning the Faisibility Easiness Excellencies of It. VII Next Concerning the Faisibility and Easiness of this Service Consider 1. The great light we have of Natural knowledge 2. The natural Inclination we have to many good Duties as to Sobriety c. only alterable by custome and ill example and our Passions very serviceable to the exercise of Vertues Digr Of the Art of well using and heightning the Passion toward things of Piety 3. The Easiness of Christ's Yoke Matt. 11.30 after a while upon contrary custome and the removal of temptations as may be gathered by the perseverance of Saints bearing this Yoke still with more and more zeal whereas no forced actions are permanent It being in many things heavy at first not so much from its opposition to natural Inclinations as to vicious habits and ill education and inadvertency of admitting alluring Objects c His Commandments are not grievous 1. Jo. 5.3 4. The many Benefits of our Saviour to mankind which see displayed more largely below Medit. 5. and the advantagious repairs of our losses by the first in him the second Adam and ours far happier times since the Gospel 5. The near Relations the Son of God out of infinite love hath contracted to us by his Incarnation He our Father we his Children He our Husband we his Spouse He our Head we his Members He our Root we his Branches He the Foundation we his Building He the Son of God we his Brethren we his People and He our High-Priest who after he had here offered himself a Sacrifice for us now with his Blood in the Heavenly Sanctuary makes perpetual Intercession for us 6. Baptisme in our Infancy or at what time soever worthily received rescuing us from the Curse of Adam and his Posterity and totally cancelling all former hereditary or personal Guilt gratis and restoring to us supernatural Grace lost by our first Parents and God's friendship and favour only carnal Concupiscence not quite eradicated to make the acts of Vertue more valuable and the victories of Grace more excellent 7. The sufficient ability all the baptized have by this Grace procured by the death of Jesus and applied in Baptisme to perform the Covenant of the Gospel and all the obedience that is required under pain of Damnation and to live free from the habit of any small sin from the single Acts of any great one 8. The great disparity of the malignity and guilt that is in Sins of which whilst we daily fall into some of the less yet we may and good Christians do totally avoid the greater in which respect they are called Saints Holy Righteous dead to and no more committers of Sin c. Digr Of the narrow extent of Sins of excusing i. e. of natural Infirmity which Infirmity is either in avoidable ignorance when the understanding is cozened or inadvertency or want of observation when the choice is surprised Hence great sins cannot be such since we are neither in general ignorant of them nor in particular Acts unobservant of them nor yet small sins be such if multiplied since they also when frequent must needs be pre-observed Of the danger of that Tenent that God's Commandments cannot be kept or fulfilled in that sense as it is vulgarly misunderstood 1. That we cannot live free from all greater sins See Matt. 19.17 5.17 18. com 19 20. Rom. 8.4 as from all Uncleanness and Fornication Avarice Detraction all greater degrees of Intemperance of Anger Impatience c. 9. Many omissions of doing some good and deficiencies in doing good not formal fins though all are imperfections 10. The many Benefits of the Holy Ghost which see collected more fully below in Medit. 6. This the Promise of our Lord as he before was of the Father and this after his Ascension sent by him to abide with his here on earth in his necessary absence until his second coming and that not to be a cohabitant with us as he but an inhabitant within us now made his Temples the Seed of God giving us a second Nativity and making us new Creatures born of God conveying into our Souls Holiness and into our Bodies immortality and life as our former Nativity did Sin and Death inwardly illuminating our understandings in the highest Mysteries of our Salvation and confirming to the Soul all that truth which our Lord taught to the Ear and communicating to the more perfect extraordinary Revelations and secrets of God from time to time inspiring the will with new and divine affections and inflaming those more perfect with a more impetuous and impatient love of God some elevated to Rapt and Extasy and to so perfect a Contemplation of and Union with the divine Majesty as this life is capable of and whilst it acting thus in us a Paraclet also interceding for us with groans unexpressible asking all things for us and predirecting us in our affairs many times contrary to humane reason according to the Will of God which Will as to the present and future this Spirit also knows and crying in our hearts Abba Pater superabundantly comforting us in all secular Distresses and animating and sealing us to future everlasting Glories O the high Nobility of a person once Regenerate What Holiness may not a man confidently aspire-to that is thus inhabited by God! 11. The powerful and diligent assistances of the good Angels who as being Fellow-Citizens and Members under the same Prince and Head Heb. 12.22 Eph. 1.10 Col. 1.20 full of Charity attend especially on the necessities of the Saints Daily carrying our Prayers and joyfully presenting our good Endeavors to the heavenly Majesty and procuring and ministring his Blessings to us and rejoycing over one Sinner that repenteth waging a continual war against Satan and his Angels in our defence suggesting we may presume as assiduously good things to our mind as Satan doth evil and since their Charity is no less than his Malice as diligent to preserve as he to destroy us and to entice to good as he to tempt to evil Lastly their number in the spacious higher world infinitely great without expression See Heb. 12.22 Matt. 26.53 Dan. 7.10 Rev. 12.4 And all the several Titles of their divers Orders as Thrones Dominations Vertues Principalities Powers Arch-angels Angels excepting the Cherubin and Seraphin the nearest Attendants upon the heavenly Majesty Esay 6.2 Rev. 4.6 comp Ezech. 1.5 26. implying Government or Service See Dan. 10 13.20 21. Eph. 1.21 3.10 6.12 Col. 1.16 2.10.15 Rev. 15.7 Matt. 18.10 24.31 Luk. 16.22 they always giving a relation or account of their Embassies and Imployments
Nay When as our Lord took this way without any need on purpose to recommend to us his own Example Go on then If you keep the Precept and stand firm all is well but if you fall and miscarry know that because you have despised her Counsels Wisdome will laugh at your Calamity And That if you stand and all be well to you keeping the Precept yet to those who keep the Counsel too all shall be better For the higher degrees of the Precepts or of those vertues that are in Precepto as for Example the higher degrees of temperance are Counsels which though not observed they bring no guilt yet practised they are highlier rewarded And besides this the observance of the Counsels in one vertue very much conduceth to the performance of the necessary Precept in another as the higher degrees of temperance to the observance of necessary Chastity And hence upon a double account are Counsels recommended to your Christian Practice both as disposing you more easily to keep the Precepts and as in themselves rewardable beyond them and as to both these may advance your Perfection §. 13 The Practice of a holy and spiritual Life chiefly consists in these four 1. Humbling and judging and taking revenge on our selves for our sins past 2. Vsing all means for subduing and preventing sins for the future 3. Diligently practising all Christian Duties or doing good 4. Willingly undergoing all afflictions for Christ's and our Duty 's sake or Suffering evil Counsels Counsels for the more facilitating and advancing the performance of these Duties and especially of the two first §. 14 1. In forbearing many things not probibited 1. Forbearing the practice or use of many things permitted and lawful and the doing or using of which is no sin because considering humane nature corrupt they are very frequent temptations to sin and though lawful seldome lawfully used where know that forbearance and abstinence from them is far more easy t than moderation in them and constant forbearance than that which is sometimes intermitted Estava to do el danno en no quictar de raiz laes occasiones S. Teresa's life 6. chap. 2. And practising many things not commanded 2. Practising many things not commanded i. e. under guilt of sin because they are very expedient helps for the prevention of sin Or also advantages for the better exercise of Christian vertues and the more patient endurance of usual afflictions 3. Being always of the two more careful to avoid the temptations to evil than in a hazardous passage through them zealous perchance to do some good because innocence is far more acceptable than a good work without it Neither may we venture someway to offend God that we may some otherways please him These Counsels recommended to Practice especially in these Particulars following 1. In the matter of Riches and Wealth §. 15. In the Particulars 1. Of Riches and Wealth 1. Not seeking after or also freely parting with wealth and riches by riches I mean whatever exceeds St. Paul's sufficiency or competency or enough to satisfy just necessities 1. Tim. 6.6 8. Well weighing and often meditating on these and such like Texts 1. Tim. 6.9 10. Matt. 19.23 24. 13.22 Luk. 12.20 Prov. 1.32 Again these Luk. 6.24 25. 16.25 Rev. 18.7 Psal 17.14 Again these Matt. 19.21 Luk. 12.33 Act. 2.44 45. Luk. 19.8 19. Luk. 16.9 1. Tim. 6.19 Which Texts after you have well considered I suppose you will not so much wonder at this Advice as at the Christian 's common contrary Practice I said parting with them which at once cures all Trust in Cares for Quae possident homines student augere Temptations of them and removes by reason of these all those difficulties and only to God possibilities of a rich man's being saved mentioned by Christ Matt. 19.23 24. Especially if you suspect your self inclined to Avarice giving plentifully and often for as some Vices are best overcome by flying as Carnal lusts so others by resisting and fighting them amongst which is Covetousness 2. Practising at least sometimes the inconveniencies and sufferings of Poverty to try by the tolerableness of these the unnecessariness of Wealth The Philosopher's Advice Seneca Epist 18.20 3. Putting some bounds to unsatiable desires due respect being had to a competency by making a firm resolution after you have attained such a moderate proportion of Wealth for your self or for the Portions of your Children or other Relations for whom you are obliged to provide unless you may judge your present Estate sufficient to dedicate all future gain or increase to pious and charitable Uses Or alotting to God and his Poor constantly such a set Portion a fifth or tenth or some other part out of your Revenue and Gains to be unviolably observed and laid by for their service Recommendation of Poverty or a Competency only 4. Chusing or it already possessed continuing as the most happy the State of Poverty or competency and having only what is necessary which voids all the temptations and dangers of Wealth and is the most proper Nurse and Guardian of many excellent Vertues and Graces of the Holy Spirit Parens quaedam Generatioque vertutum saith St. Ambrose and therefore put the first amongst the Beatitudes Parent of humility the poor in fortunes being more commonly poor in Spirits Of Evangelical obedience and devotion dependance on God and consequently Prayer Of tranquility and contentedness cares always accompanying the possession of that which every one strives for si vis vacare animo aut pauper sis oportet aut pauperi similis Seneca Of Sobriety as it were necessitated in all the several kinds of it and consequently of better health and temper of Body and moderation of passions Of diligence in some imployment meekness gentleness patience the putting up and not revenging injuries and not gainsaying qualities more suitable to inferiors which State is always the most fitly prepared for divine favours both by the vertuous endowments of the Soul and also meaness of our condition God most magnifying himself in the lowest both least flesh should glory before him and that his power may be the more seen in our weakness For which see and meditate on these Texts 1. Cor. 1.26 27 28. 2. Cor. 12.9 10. Jam. 4.6 Matt. 11.5 Luk. 14.21 comp 18 19. Jam. 2.5 Luk. 6.20 21 22. 16.25 But above all this condition is the more amiable as being the chosen secular condition of our Lord Christ and of his holy Apostles See Matt. 8.20 Zech. 9.9 Matt. 10 9. 1. Cor. 4.9 c. 2. Corin. 6.4 c. 12.10 c. Jer. 35.7 comp 18 19. ver §. 1◠2. Of Honor Preferment 1. Not seeking Honor Preferments or publick Offices you having a competency and a present lawful imployment things of which few are destitute whether this proceeds from other Ambitions or as you think from that of doing more good thereby Not seeking them Because of a greater charge and duty always accompanying them for
much secrecy knowing that God and his Angels see you and thus you shall seldome do amiss for according to the praise we look after God's or Men's either not the same Actions will be done by us or not after the same manner 2. Upon some Good done by you suddainly diverting any thought of receiving praise from men for it least such a thought if long dwelt on stain the Purity of your good Deeds and this Praise be your empty reward thereof and you lose your reward with God consider Matt. 6.2.5.16 Faciunt ut honorificentur ab hominibus Amen dico vobis receperunt mercedem suam Luk. 14.12 Hindring it also as not indeed due to you but to God and only by their error it is if by men given to you and if your good works are to be seen of men Matt. 5.16 yet it is that they may glorify not you on earth but your Father in Heaven Again what Praise is brought to you against your Will immediately transmitting it entire to God with a Non nobis Domine sed nomini tuo For it is certain what you do any way Good all the good thereof is not from You but from God and so the praise thereof to be transferred without your retaining it at all to the right owner the rest that is yours are only the infirmities and defects joined with it and for these you ought to blush and not desire praise but pardon of God the only Author of all Good and very free and communicative of it yet in return of Praise for it stands much upon his Right and usually suffers his Rivals that rob him of it afterward to fall shamefully See Act. 12.23 3. Silently suffering causeless Infamy and meekly accepting and offering it to God as a deserved punishment for other faults especially practising thus where Malice seems unsatisfiable and more contention only likely to arise from a defence and where a just vindication bears shew of too much self-esteem Considering our Lord's behaviour to the admiration of the Judge at his Arraignment for Seditions Treason Blasphemy Matt. 26.63 27.12.14 Who saith St. Peter 1. Pet. 2.23 when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously And the Apostles 1. Cor. 4.12 Being defamed we intreat being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it knowing that God sooner undertakes for those the Justification of their Innocence who for Peace-sake and out of much humility leave it wholly to him and in his good time performs it much more convincingly than themselves could Recommendation of Self Contempt 4. Chearfully entertaining any Contempt Which is a breeder of Humility in the same manner as Honor is of Pride And which contempt of secular Reputation and also of secular Contempt out of an affection to things divine that are usually much disparaged by the world keeps men steddy in Goodness and cutts off most of the Sins of Discourse much of which Discourse is directed to vain Glory and Applause to be attained only in bad things from corrupt judgments or is spent in justifying our selves against Contradictors all which our love of Contempt avoids as also it cutts off all discord hate and envy arising from emulation for Precedency and Honor when every one striving to be uppermost and quarrelling with those that obstruct it he that can be content to be below is always at rest and enjoys himself Joyfully also entertaining the being evil-entreated and evil-spoken of so it be not for evil which causlesly and patiently received with perseverance in that goodness for which you so suffer hath an exceeding reward hereafter for a small loss sustained here In such a case happy are yee saith St. Peter 1. Pet. 4.13 Count it all joy saith St. James Jam. 1.2 Jubilate exultate saith our Lord Luk. 6.23 Nor may any think themselves to stand obliged from that Text 1. Thes 5.22 To avoid all appearance of evil when to any Person good things appear evil Or obliged from that Text Col. 4.8 To do whatsoever things are of good report when the report of good is not such as it ought nor things of good report such things as are good But we are to avoid all appearance of evil when the things appearing evil are such as we may forbear i.e. are among things indifferent and we are to do all things of good report i.e. good report among the good §. 17. n. 1. 3. Of lawful sensual Pleasures 1. Forbearing sensual though lawful Pleasures 2. Avoiding at the first as much as may be any knowledge and experience of or skill in them for by this is cutt off the longing after them Digr How hardly such Pleasures can consist with Piety 3. Especially chusing rather if you can live continently a single life than Marriage To which the more to excite and encourage you §. 17. n. 2. 1. Consider The greater dignity of this than of a conjugal life For as Vncleanness is more especially opposite to Holiness than other vices See Rom. 6.19 Thes 4.7 Eph. 5.3 and hath a natural shame and guilt upon it which makes it seek privacy beyond any other Sin whatever See the shame of our first Parents upon the first appearance of Concupiscence Gen. 2.25 comp Gen. 3.10 And as there is a Purity and Holiness of the Body as well as of the Soul See 2. Cor. 7.1 1. Thes 4.4 Jud. 23. comp 8. And 2. Pet. 2.10.14 opposite to this Fornication and Vncleanness and enjoined to be observed in reference to Christ he being now the Husband of the Body and it his Spouse See 1. Cor. 6.20 compared with 13.18 c. So there seems to be a greater degree of this Purity of the Body opposite to Matrimony See 1. Cor. 7.34 and Rev. 14.4 where defilement with women is opposed to Virginity as another defilement with Harlots is opposed to Matrimony Heb. 13.14 The marriage bed is undefiled that is with Sin for this was appointed as for a means of propagation to Adam innocent so for a remedy against Fornication 1. Cor. 7.2 to man fallen and troubled with Concupiscence But the Virgins bed it seems is more undefiled more Angel-like in respect of corporeal Purity undefiled being opposed to an imperfection of Chastity Virginal as well as to the sin of Lust to the act of Concupiscence as well as to prohibited Copulations And therefore hereafter not to marry nor be given in marriage but to be like the Angels of God is reckoned as a thing more honorable for the Body Luk. 20.35 And Concupiscence one cause now of Marriage and which could it be remedied the Apostle would not advise so many to Marriage was not known by Adam when perfect and was a thing when appearing upon his fall which he was ashamed of and sought to hide as his Posterity ever since do those acts even of the lawful bed To a higher degree then of this primogeneal virginal Purity of the Body I suppose that
some Vocations and among these commonly of those more wealthy and less corporally laborious of those less necessary and ministring to pleasures and of those generally wherein the flesh and the world i. e sensuality gain or converse have more scope to tempt us For true wisdome doth discern those persons here in most peril as to their future i. e. eternal estate who are here most prospering e contra pitties the Wealthy's honor and ease envies the Poor's labour and contempt Digr 2. Of great caution to be used concerning Studies and all intellectual and speculative imployments and of their special hindrance of devotion more than other Vocations do if not discreetly used because in them those faculties are busily employed which in others are in part at least left vacant and free to attend upon God And because some of them by the near alliance they seem to have to devotion as when the Brain is imployed in the study of Divinity do seem priviledged hereby to intrench upon the times sequestred for it and to pass in our account instead of Prayer whenas yet the subtle speculations of the Intellect in these matters have little or no effect upon the Will or to the producing of those acts of love wherein consists the life of Prayer and whilst charitas adificat scientia inflat Lastly Because much imployment of the Brain is apt to molest us more with distractions and extravagations in our Devotions The Acceptableness of a Confident reliance on God's Providence for Necessaries 6. For all necessaries much relying on and trusting to God's Providence which though in the way of working many times to exercise Faith it is much disguised yet evidently appears in the effect to those who not only speak of it but try and also need it Extended to all men not only to Christians to Beasts Psal 104.21.27 36.6 Matt. 6.26 not only to men and nothing so small wherein it hath not a hand For men extended to hairs their number and colour matt 10.33 5.36 for Beasts to the life and death of a Sparrow to the cloathing of a Grass and the beauty of a Flower Matt. 10.19 6.29 30 Yet far more particularly as I may so say in its effects watching over the necessities of God's own servants as to whom this paterfamilias hath a nearer relation and that not only of their Body but of the Soul much more for the supplying in all honest and pious attempts its indigencies and any thing wanting either in the Will to effect or in the Vnderstanding to direct And of this providence every one according to his greater service may so much more presume Only provided that as Deus non deficit in necessariis so they should not expect that he should in this world to his children whose inheritance is in the next abundare in superfluis nor secondly That they should in any thing tempt his Providence by their duty viciously neglected which they are to perform still in obedience to his Precept though not in distrust to his Provision For all justice it is that he who provideth for the growth of a hair should suffer him who doth not labour to want what to eat 7. Retaining a resign'd indifferency in all things whether for increasing or also for conserving what you have 8. Not entertaining any long or great designments present or future Digr Of the danger and needlessness of Worldly Cares §. 20. 6. Of Meat and Drink 1. Avoiding full Dyet frequent Repasts Feasts c. especially strong drinks hurting the Brain and Vnderstanding heightning and disordering your Passions Eph. 5.18 therefore expresly forbidden by God to the Priest in the time of attendance on him Lev. 10.9 And all Christians are now in some manner God's Priests Rev. 5.10 But on the contrary in a spare Dyet and the disuse of strong drink the Passions become much more moderate all concupiscential loves and affections much abated the judgment much more clear serene and circumspect the thoughts more grave sober and serious our words fewer and better weighed the person more humble and tractable the heart more tender and melting and fitlier prepared for prayers sighings and tears the Motions of the Holy Spirit more vigorous and sooner hearkned to and its Consolations more frequent when the body and flesh with which it wageth a perpetual war Gal. 5.17 is rendred by a competent abstinence poor and low which also is seen in Beasts made tame gentle and manageable by nothing so soon as hunger and withdrawing their food 2. For the better preserving of Temperance refusing invitations and entertainments abroad not making them at home 3. Not long sitting at Meals sitting down later or rising from table sooner than others 4. Not eating between set Meals 5. Eating at your Meals alone 6. Eating a set proportion a divided portion when in company 7. Indifferent as to your dyet or chusing the meanest and forbearing delicacies which besides the mortification of your senses and appetite herein much conduceth to a necessary temperance we being less apt to exceed in that wherein we take less goust and pleasure Not making your meat or drink the subject of your Discourse or finding fault at that time with the ill Cookery of it things that savour of sensuality Often calling to mind the usual mean fare of our Lord and his Disciples Corn-ears Barley-bread Fish an Honey-comb Water Matt. 12.1 Jo. 6.9 Luk. 24.41 Jo. 21.9 Matt. 7.10 Jo. 4.7 and the all-satiating refection promised in heaven to those who mortify their flesh here and often saying with the Pharisee's Guest Blessed are they that shall eat bread in the Kingdome dome of God Luk. 14 15. Matt. 8.11 Matt. 26.29 And blessed are they that are called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb Rev. 19.9 And of your present perishing food God shall destroy both the Belly and the Meats Jo. 6.27 1. Cor. 6.13 8. Taking great care because then is greatest danger of your Conversation at and presently after meals by reason of the Flesh new armed as it were with provision for its fighting against the Spirit Concupiscence strengthned the Spirits refreshed and inclined to mirth and this to talkativeness and discourse the Brain less or more heated and so not making so perfect a judgment of things engaged in company by the same refreshment of the same Inclinations 9. Not being too solicitous of preserving your Health Knowing that upon this pretence usually the flesh obtains all her lusts and desires arms its self against the Spirit and we fearing to lose our health by withdrawing some necessaries do often hazard the losing it by excess and forego the benefit of the most profitable mortification that this life affords the taming of our flesh But indeed death being to all those who continue in God's service and their duty the beginning of their happiness and true life we ought in all things to have more regard to the bettering than the lengthning of our life here seeing that a long life is
and going into another life strongly invited to devotion and the making some acquaintanec beforehand with God and Heaven Is By reason of Sin 's appearing now no more unto him with a painted face but in its own natural colours and deformity after the Instruments of it decayed and goustless the pleasures spent and only a sting of conscience and fear of punishment left behind Is I say much more flexible to repentance of it and having a much greater aversion from it Is By reason of many Infirmities and diseases within contempts and affronts abroad inured also to much patience and necessitated to great mortifications So that if we measure the happiness of this life by attaining the end of our Creation the serving of God in Holiness Innocence and Vertue we find cross to the Poet That pessima quaeque dies miseris mortalibus aevi prima venit Subit hinc prudens pia docta Senectus Nor is the former virgour of the Body in youth so desirable as the imperfections of the Soul to be loathed nor would any wise man were it in his power be content to forego all the improvements of the one to have repaired to him all the decays of the other 'T is true indeed that the more miserable and blind and molested with temptations the days of our youth are the greater miracle and more estimable is a Holy young man and such happy in his death also when it prevents old age Ne forte malitia mutaret intellectum But yet he also by arriving to old age only if persevering is to be pronounced much happier as accumulating his reward and glories in heaven by his good works so much longer multiplied here §. 21. 7. Of Sleep 1. Not indulging your self much Sleep considering that if we may number our life by the full enjoyment and use of our sensitive and rational faculties we no longer truly live than we are awake and that it is in our power so much to lengthen our life as we shorten our sleep at least that so much of it only is beneficial to us as men and as Christians wherein we are awake to perform those duties here for which we live and to be rich in good works and execute the end of our Creation Considering also the strict account which must be made of time and the shortness of that time after which no man to all eternity can work the least thing to better his condition Lastly considering That watching and abridging sleep very much tames the flesh and in the deficiency or less activity of our Spirits produceth much what the same effects upon it as Fasting renders us less disposed to vain mirth and jollity and more inclined to silence gravity recollection c. much Activity being seldome innocent And Piety as to much secular entertainments and affairs resembles an holy Somnolency 2. Measuring your rest and sleep by time not satiety and then breaking it off with violence Sleep and Lust will not be treated with This time by no means to exceed Eight hours i. e. the third part of your life More than which he that spends in sleep unjustly complains of want of time especially if for Prayer our most important business Holy men have limited it for whole Societies within the Seventh And those in a higher degree temperate have contracted sleep I mean always such a proportion thereof as satifies nature for an undrowsy dispatch of our dayly business to yet fewer hours for themselves to Five Four or perhaps less for less sleep is necessary as our dyet is more temperate and fasting best remedies its excesses and by this means adds some hours each day to our life our life i. e. that short time which we are allowed here on earth to purchase for our selves a happy Eternity Sleep also as it is shortned after some practice becomes more profound and hath in depth what it wants in length and so also is freer from troublesome and foolish dreams To a moderate and equal Diet may be also added a hard bed for the same effect we being not so apt to exceed in that which supplies our necessities without delight 3. Beginning the time allotted for your rest as soon as you conveniently can in the evening that in those morning and best hours which the world abroad usually bestows on their repose you may enjoy the more freedome for your negociations with God not importuned with company or secular Business As going to bed at Nine or Eight at night and rising in the morning at Five Four or Three if in the Summer-season 4. Repelling secular thoughts and praying when in bed you are indisposed to rest or sleep which is perhaps to some by reason of our weakness and dis-affection to Spiritual matters the best art they can use to fall asleep quickly 1. Pet. 4.7 Col. 4.2 Psal 6.6 4.4 5. In the morning not keeping your bed longer than sleeping for fear of evil thoughts As also composing your self in bed with all decency and modesty as being in the presence of and beheld by God and his Holy Angels 6. Watching sometimes on nights to Prayer and Devotion tho you make some repairs of sleep for it in the day The less distraction of sense by variety of objects the silence of midnight and terror of darkness much helping devotion And most leisure then from business therefore night-devotions much used by our Lord by his Apostles by David and other Saints See Luk. 6.12 Mar. 1.35 Matt. 14.23.25 Act. 16.25 2. Cor. 6.5 11.27 Luk. 2.37 Act. 12.12 comp 6. Psal 63.6 7.3 16.7 119.62.148 Esa 26.9 Luk. 12.37 38. Matt. 13.37 Act. 20.31 Eph. 6.18 Performing this half-clothed upon your bed rather than omit it 7. The later your serious conversion to God happens to be using so much the more diligence these ways in redeeming so much former lost time §. 22. 8. Of Recreation and Vacancy from Employment 1. Not indulging your self much time of leisure and vacancy from business and no way predisposed of In desiderio est omnis otiosus 2. Easing tediousness with variety and change of labours Digr 1. Of the many dangers from Idleness and non-imployment Digr 2. The benefit of diligently following some constant Vocation by which all Sin is excluded §. 23. 9. Of Company and secular Converse 1. Not seeking acquaintance no way necessary to us nourishing idleness and the neglect of our Vocation a temptation to make visits and go much abroad an occasion of entertainments vain expence and intemperance and as many times an effect so a cause of ambition and desire to be known whereby we subject our selves to new obligations and laws I mean of secular Civilities pretended to belong to the duty of friendship not well consistent with those laws of God to which we owe an indispensable observance Ungrateful Friendship that to please a less Friend offends a greater 2. Abstaining from much conversation and frequenting of company Cavete ab hominibus for you will get no good by them
may be holy both in Body and Spirit which is a transcendent Holiness of the Body beyond the Conjugal And 2. Cor. 7.1 after the Apostle had spoken of their being God's Temples in the 6th Chapter Wherefore saith he let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and of the Spirit so perfecting Holiness And more expresly Flee Fornication saith he 1. Cor. 6.18 Why For every other sin that a man doth is without the Body i. e. without any proper infamy to the Body or giving the power and honour thereof to another besides our Lord Christ but he that committeth Fornication sinneth against his own Body i. e. in degrading it to so base an alliance as to become the same with that vile creature with which it sinneth Therefore Eph. 5.3 4. the Apostle also peculiarly concerning this sin or any filthy discourse tending to it giveth charge that it should not be once named among such as will go for Saints But Fornication saith he and all Vncleanness or Coveteousness let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints Nor filthiness or foolish talking which are not convenient or which greatly mis-become such as you see the same phrase Rom. 1.28 And as God cast a special shame upon man in the committing of this Sin so in receiving him again after his fall into a new covenant of his Grace made with Abraham the Father of the faithful he caused the Seal thereof to be set particularly on those parts in a circumcision of them which were the instruments of Lust. In Rom. 1.26 c. We find God to abandon those who had otherwise much displeased him in their following Idols c whenas God hath left such manifest testimonies in all his creatures of himself were to the greatest disgrace and dishonour of humane nature that could be called there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in Apocal. 22.15 The Practisers of one Species thereof as if it did utterly depose us from our man-hood are called by the name of Dogs which see also in Deut. 23.18 and Phil. 3.2 for the Gnosticks stood guilty of such impurities And Job 36.14 This is pronounced as a Curse upon a Hypocrite that Vita eorum is inter effeminatos §. 40. n. 5. 3. The wrath also of God towards those Sins above others appears every where in these holy Writings most evident by whose revenge we may most rightly measure the greatness of these faults by many made so natural and excusable In 1. Thess 4.6 the Apostle warns the Thessalonians to abstain from the Fornication of the Gentiles Because the Lord saith he is the avenger of all such And Heb. 13.4 Marriage is honourable and the Bed undefiled But Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge And in detestation of such unlawful Lusts the Lord appointed Deut. 23.2 That a Bastard should not enter into the Congregation of the Lord until his tenth Generation And for these sins it was that God in the sacred Story inflicted those fearful Judgments to which none other can be compared For these that he drowned the world and washed away its pollution with the Flood Gen. 6.1 2. For these that he rained flaming Brimstone on Sodome and Gomorrah and purified their Land with Fire For these that all those mighty Nations were destroyed out of Canaan and their Land given to the Children of Israel See Levit. Chap. 18. Where after great variety of these sins rehearsed it follows Vers 27. For all these abominations for this name God gives to these Sins for their loathsomness have the men of the Land done that were before you and the Land is defiled and therefore in the Verse following this defiled Land is said to have spued out the inhabitants thereof For such Sin that Twenty three Thousand of the Children of Israel also fell in one day at Baal-peor before they entred Canaan See 1. Cor. 10.8 For such Sin that all the Tribe of Benjamin was cut off except only Six hundred men Judg. 20. I need not mention the Wars and Slaughter that followed upon David's Adultery and the ten Tribes rent from Solomon as a Judgment upon his being seduced to the Toleration of Idolatry by his Lusts and unlawful Marriages This is enough to shew that these Sins tho seeming most excusable and natural to Man are most abominable and loathsome to God especially since the new Contract that is made between Us and our Lord and since our Bodies are become the Temples of the Holy Ghost Which Temples 1. Cor. 3.17 saith the Apostle Whoso defileth him will God destroy §. 41. 3. Humility 2. The Purity and Sanctification of the Soul By 3. Humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mortification of your Reason opposite to all self-conceit of your own perfections and especially that of your Holiness and Mortifications pride hypocrisy ambition envy wrath contentions of Argument disobedience to Superiors curiosity of Science Schism Heresy and what other Vices proceed from high-mindedness §. 42. Of its Opposites 1. Rational Pride of Wit and Judgment 2. Spiritual Pride of Purity and Holiness 3. Anger against Vice aggravating of other mens faults when as Charity covereth them 1. Pet. 4.8 and beareth and hopeth all things 1. Cor. 13.7 and considereth her self lest she also be so tempted Gal. 6.1 4. Anger against Error and contending vehemently to convince those that oppose us for truth when as the wrath of man c. Jam. 1.20 And the wisdome from above is gentle c. Jam. 3.17 And the man of God should not strive 2. Tim. 2.24 And God only in his good time may reveal and convince but ordinarily we cannot Phil. 3.15 2. Tim. 2.25 To prevent which anger not easily engaging your self in every discourse nor engaged contradicting Him with whom you contest in every thing that he saith amiss but only for a very necessary Truth nor seeking any way to exasperate his Spirit or to provoke him to speak something against his conscience or to disparage and shame him §. 43. The means to attain and preserve such Humility and avoid such Pride 1. Often comparing yours with the recorded lives of former Saints or of some persons living who are very eminent in holiness but carefully avoiding any comparison with others inferior 2. Often considering 1 the great imperfection of your holy duties 2 and the good in such imperfection proceeding totally from God we being rather moved than moving as to it 3. Never judging your self by the good opinion others have of you to whom we naturally hide our weaknesses and faults shew our perfections and vertues 4. Often meditating on any singular deformities or infirmities in your body or imbecility of any faculty of your soul fancy memory elocution of any great sins or disgraces of yours past or present or considering what a one you use to be in the times of desolation and the withdrawings of God's Spirit 5. Often comparing your sins with theirs who without like mercy shewed or means for their salvation offered
Of the heinous crime of lying and deceiving 1. Th. 4.6 2. Of the heinousness of perjury and breach of promises covenants c. Even those 1. Made out of fear 2. Or which others have compassed by fraud See Josh 9.3 comp 2. Sam. 21.1 2. 3. Or where others do violate their faith to us 3. Of God's special vengeance as it is specially invoked in making them upon violation of solemn Covenants Secondly MERCY And Thirdly LOVE §. 66. 1. In doing no hurt 1. Reverencing the absent and being very jealous of your behaviour concerning them 1. Not speaking evil of them tho a truth unless notoriously known and in a case of some necessity Not doing it always then even when it may seem some way to tend either to their amendment we speak of Or theirs we speak to for this pretence mostwhat is only a temptation 2 Lastly when the faults are such as for the offendors or also for the common good are not to be concealed speaking of them only to those who can remedy them i. e. to the person that offends or to the Superior and this with all humility but not speaking of them to others least so be introduced a custome of detracting Of which much silence is an happy cure Indeavouring still in part to excuse them when you are forced to relate their faults or when you hear them blamed by others for so those do who truly love another for charitable affections have always a charitable judgment and if we pretend to love our Neighbour as our selves we ought to excuse him because we usually do excuse our selves And so those do who constantly remember their own infirmities Besides that a custome of excusing much checks anothers male-dicency and men do not so freely blame and censure where they perceive it doth not please and so covering the others fault rectifies also theirs 3. When you must speak of them imagining them present and hearing you or that you speak to another to relate it unto them In general approaching when people are absent as it were nearer to flattery when present to detraction 2. Not discommending other men's works and doings Especially not those of Governors Jam. 4.11 Jude 8.9 not diminishing or dissembling their good parts c. 3. Not censuring c. Especially in the points of God's Judgments Remembring Job the Galileans and the born-blind Digr That ordinarily no good man is so good nor wicked man so bad 1. Cor. 13. Charity thinketh no evil rejoiceth not in iniquity hopeth all things believeth all good things as men commonly imagine As is experienced by much conversation with either after such an opinion first had of them 4. 1. Not enquiring into avoiding the knowledge of the defects c. of your Neighbour who is busy to mark can hardly abstain from censuring 2. thinking no ill 1. Cor. 23.3 Not hearing willingly 4. Not believing ill reports of them 5. Excusing 6. Especially never ill interpreting their intentions never saying they did such a thing out of pure wilfulness despite and malice Mat. 7.1 7. Forgiving and not returning evil for evil 8. Praying for their forgiveness from God 9. Loving and Praying for them this being a more special duty of the Gospel 10. Especially forgiving Errors and being charitable to other mens contrary opinions and judgment which charitableness cannot well be without an humble and mean conceit of our own wisdome therefore towards this difference in opinion we use to be far more uncharitable than towards vice Because who agree not in opinion seem to disparage our judgment and upbraid us of Error But the vicious render us appearing to our selves the more righteous Now we naturally tolerate any thing that advanceth us in our own conceit nothing that depresseth us 11. Not requiring satisfaction for losses Seek◠not her own beareth all things 12. In smaller matters not vindicating your innocency aspersed by them 13. Not relating their faults against you for their disgrace this being one kind of revenge talking afterward of mens trespasses is a manifest imperfection in our forgiveness 14. Preparing your self to receive more injury and loss rather than contend with them 15. Seeking for peace to those who have injured you with telling them privately their fault 16. Not envying them 1. Cor. 13.4 17. Esteeming them better than your self Envieth not is not puffed up 18. Submitting not only to Magistrates but even to one another out of pure humility Eph. 5.21 1. Pet. 5.5 Rom. 12.10 Digr 1. Recommendation of forbearing just suits and contentions for our right 1. Cor. 6.7 Psal 69.4 especially in smaller matters being sure that God will make us amends some other way This rule obligatory to Kingdomes and States one towards another as well as to private men As likewise States and Magistrates to shew all mercy in inflicting of punishments §. 67. 2. In doing all Good 1. There being two grounds of doing good and exercising charity to your Neighbour 1. The love of God to whom our Neighbour hath relation and whom God hath a care of and so we also are taking care of him to please God 2. And particular affections to our Neighbour from the relations we have to him or qualities we approve in him Building your well doing chiefly upon the first of these for so it will be more sure and more universal And this ground ought often to be meditated on to excite you to well-doing and to teach you to love them as his friends rather than your own 2. Returning 1. good for good for this is gratitude 2. Good from whence no Evil Humanity 3. Good for Evil Christianity and the first trial whether our Love to our Neighbour be for God's sake and such as is commanded 4. When another's good and yours cross preferring their good when considerably greater before your own persection As your Neighbors great benefit in his goods or affairs before a smaller loss and hinderance in your own your Neighbors life before your own goods your Neighbours Salvation before your life c. 1. Jo. 3.16 Of Alms and Deeds of CHARITY §. 68. 3. Shewing Mercy to all Creatures whatsoever capable of it particularly those under your command in using them kindly providing for them c. See Lev. 25.53 22.24.28 Deut. 25.3 4. 4. Shewing Mercy to your Neighbour not only for his body and his estate but above all to his Soul in any kind you may 5. Shewing what Mercy you can to the faulty in not punishing them when you are forced to it with rigour See Zech. 1.15 2. Chron. 28.9 Esay 47.6 Ps 69.26.27 Amos 1.3.6.19.13 nor adding more affliction to misery Ps 109.16 Phil. 1.16 Jer. 48.27 6. Shewing Charity and Mercy especially to Saints in a more careful manner than to others Since all poor do not equally bear the image of Christ and God's providence is especially sollicitous for his servants Matt. 35.43 1. Tim. 4.10 Deut. 11.21 Matt. 10.42 whose Mercies we are in every thing to imitate Gal. 6.10
3.24 David 2. Sam. 12.16 Jeremy Ch. 7.16 St. Paul 2. Cor. 12.8 Our Saviour himself Matt. 26.39 And therefore St. John limits God's grants to things asked first according to his will 1. John 5.14 Which will also our Saviour interposeth Matt. 26.42 and the Spirit also hath a regard to Rom. 8.27 But the longer God denies you in any thing that after well examined seems to you necessary the more do you humble and reform your self and continue to ask him 6. Signs that God doth or will hear us Great confifidence in making our Prayer Great quiet and consolation of mind and courage to attempt a thing Or strong hope to receive it rising in us upon and after prayer 7. The ordinary conditions that Prayer may be effectual §. 85. The ordinary conditions that it may be effectual A strong faith and Confidence in God c. 1. Faith and Confidence not only that God can Mat. 9.2 but will perform our request will if there be no defect on our part and the request be for our good but this our good considered together with the greater advancement of God's glory which thing since we cannot certainly know neither may our perswasion of receiving our petitions be absolute else our perswasion will sometimes be false See 2. Cor. 12.8 9. Where the Apostle not destitute of this faith yet received a Denial See 2. Sam. 12.16.22 Matt. 26.39 And such confidence we should have especially where humane hopes fail and we have nothing else besides God whereon to rely See 2. Chron. 16.8 Matt. 9.22.28 Mark 11 24. 9.23 Act. 14.9 3 4. Matt. 15.28 19.26 13.58.14.30 31. 21.21 Mark 6.5 9.23 1. Tim. 2.8 This faith being required and rewarded by God because it is a great giving of glory to him both to his power as we believing him able and to his goodness merciful and to his truth and promises faithful 2. Much patience importunity and perseverance in our devotions the continuing of Prayer still rendring the Soul more and more capable of what it petitions for and constant dependance on God and waiting for an answer Ps 27.7.14 and in using means and prayer reliance on prayer not the means 8. Concerning the grounds of Confidence §. 86. 1. In respect of the Person prayed to God 1. The believing His particular providence over all affairs and continual agency in sustaining them The alike easiness and faisibility of all things unto him and the granting of our requests no more trouble or difficulty to him than the denial His extraordinary working many times contrary to the course of natural causes and inclinations of free Agents for the sake of men's Prayers §. 87. Digr 1. Of miracles not ceased tho from the decay of holiness in general and particularly of great mortification and frequent devotions they are much rarer than formerly And since a strong faith and confidence in God's power and goodness is required on our parts to the doing of them in some places the opinion that they are ceased which is opposite to such a faith is a great cause that they are ceased Digr 2. And these done all by Jesus Christ And usually by the instrumency of his Saints or Angels which Angels if there were not a particular providence upon the Saints prayers and necessities controling sometimes the common course of Nature and some things executed here by these other agents different from it why are they said to be ministring Spirits sent forth for to minister to the heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 Digr 3. Of a special Faith with respect to the effect ordinarily required to render us capable of receiving any miraculous or supernatural effect perhaps that faith viz. for receiving miraculous favours named 1. Cor. 12.9 the faith of doing miracles being set down verse 10. which faith though it seems to be a more extraordinary gift of the spirit yet as all other gifts 1. Cor. 12.31 14.1 it is to be requested and to be pursued and fortified with our endeavors the concurrence of which in a manner we know not God requires to his graces See Mark 11.24 Matt. 21 22. 1. Tim. 6.8 c. else the exhortations unto it were vain the reprehensions for the defect thereof causeless Digr 4. Of the Faith of one in respect of these miraculous effects very beneficial to another as of Parents for their Children or one Relation for another See Matt. 8.8 13. Jo. 4.50 Mark 2.4 5. Matt. 15.28 Jam. 5.15 those who are to receive such favour at least non ponentibus obicem by strong acts of unbelief §. 88. 2. In respect of the Person praying 1. His living an holy and sanctified life God not hearing the Prayers of Sinners Quae spes est nisi de aliqua conscientiae bonitate Sinners i. e. such as remain still unreformed and do not as yet address themselves to the works of repentance Especially his abounding in works of mercy God chiefly to such returning all mercy 2. In his praying exercising a great humility and this perhaps expressed by some mortification See this done by Kings 2. Sam 7.16 1. King 21.27 2. King 6.30 19.1 and sense of his own unworthiness of any of God's favours casting himself wholly upon his bounty and the many promises made of hearkning especially to the poor in spirit See Dan. 9.18.7 8 9. Jam. 4.6 com 5. Esay 66.2 comp 3. Psal 34.17.18 51.7 Esay 57.15 Gen. 18.27 Judg. 6.39 Prov. 28.14 3. His diligently calling to mind God's former mercies to him or to others like him for the strengthning of his faith and hope according to which God many times worketh Rom. 5.4 Psal 116.1 2. 2. Cor. 1.10 Luk. 22.35 Psal 78.4.2.43 4. His expecting all things only through the merits of Jesus Christ and asking them in his name §. 89. II. The Benefit of the exercise of Prayer upon our selves 1. Making us blush not to joyn afterwards our endeavors with professed unfeigned and fervent desires Excellently preparing and softning the Soul for the receiving any grace Nay by a powerful excitement of the Holy Spirit in us which also formes our Prayers working such spiritual graces in Us in the thinking and contemplation of them and it self planting those holy inclinations in the Soul whilst it passionately sues for them Every fervent Prayer to God being also a strong exhortation to our selves and all earnest petitioning that we may being at the same time a consideration that we ought to do such things and at once both working and begging So that he that can bring himself heartily to pray for any spiritual grace hath begun to possess it Digr 1. Of the indefatigable practice of this duty by our Lord and by his Saints who well perceived the rich fruits thereof Digr 2. Of strengthning and rendring more prevalent with God in matters of greater concernment our Prayers by adding to them Vows and Alms-deeds and corporal Mortisications PART IV. Counsels and Directions concerning Prayer Meditation and other Exercises serving for advancement of Piety and
acquiring Christian perfection §. 90. 1. Concerning Prayer Concerning Preparatives to Prayer 1. BEfore your appearing before God in Prayer clearing your self as God hath commanded so far as it is in your power from your sins towards your Neighbour and quitting all his toward you In satisfaction either already performed to him or seriously promised to God where injuring and in forgiveness presented likewise then to God where injured Matt. 5.23 24. 1. Tim. 2.8 Mark 11.25 Jam. 3.9 10. 2. Performing your devotions either when fasting or very temperate and at some reasonable distance from your meals and sometimes also preparing your self son them by some acts of mortification Nothing is so opposite to devotion and the Spirit as intemperance strong drink and excess in diet See Eph. 5.18 Act. 10.30 Matt. 17.21 Luk. 1.15 Psal 35.13 Dan. 10.1 2. 12. Act. 13.2 3. 3. 1 Not coming to them with your mind and thoughts already tired out and spent in other business which accordingly must needs be less serviceable to you in this your greatest duty and some little time before them if you can deserting other employments 'T is beneficial before you go to Prayer to read something pious or if you please to read some Prayer before praying so to retire your mind from secular thoughts and dispose it to Divine 3. 2 When you go to Prayer with an hour-glass measuring your time and taking some Book of Devotion or Saints life with which you use to be much affected to lye by you and for this also chusing a place of Prayer convenient for light and reading and when sterilities and dulness or much distraction of thoughts assault you reading so long till something affect you This hath been the practice of many great Saints And he who useth this stome will go much more chearfully to this spiritual exercise and spend longer time in it having these Arms about him to repel the ordinary disturbers of it 4. In the morning performing your Devotions first whilst the mind is clear and not engaged in other thoughts 5. In the Evening last when the mind hath for that day taken her leave of all other business and that so your time of Prayer also may not be limited by them 6. Since for every day you perform and renew them applying your Prayers Confessions Petitions c. more chiefly to the occurrences of the present day as that of our Lord Give us this day c. which will make your Requests as being for things near at hand more affectionate and your endeavours that day in the seconding of your Prayers and rendring them not frustrate more vigilant and earnest 7. Using all humble reverence of the Body Corporal Reverence in Prayer c where opportunity yet not confining your self for all the time of Prayer to any one posture thereof after it begins to be painful or tedious whilst you retain the same humility and devotion in all nor omitting the substance of the Duty of Prayer for being hindered perchance of such circumstances Freely expressing also and venting the holy passions of your mind and of the Spirit by the exterior indications and effects thereof As by sighing groaning weeping c. §. 91. Digr 1. Of the great impression the behaviour of the Body makes upon the Soul And that the devotion is much increased by the body's humiliation and the more if this sometimes varied Digr 2. Of the several postures and deportments of the body used by holy men in the time of Prayer As Standing up Prostration and falling on the face and lying on the ground Contemplating the heavens therefore going up to the house top to pray Lifting up casting down the eyes Lifting up spreading forth the hands Smiting of the breast Bowing down of the head Bowing baring the knee kissing the ground Covering the Body with sackcloth or raggs Sighing groaning weeping §. 92. Guard of the Eyes 8. In all places and business where you would enjoy a greater recollection of your mind and thoughts but especially in the service and meditations of God publick or private keeping a strict guard over your eyes which having liberty to wander the mind is filled with many fancies and very difficulty fixed Custodia Oculorum Custodia Cordis §. 93. Exciting of a suitable Passion 9. Striving before hand to excite in your self a passion suting to the particular act of your devotion As great sadness in confession of sin Great humility and lowliness and self-abjection in petitioning Chearfulness and joy in thanking and praising The passion of love in oblation and resignation c. Compassion in Intercession And observe that our intention much helpeth the production of such passion by the lively presentation of such an object to our mind as viz. Death Corruption Hell Heaven Light Glory Musick c. usually excites it the affections being thus subject to the understanding and the will as well as in other respects these faculties are to them Praying before to God to give you such a passion whereby you may be helped to do such a duty Not entertaining at the same time of prayer a contrary passion though it be very pious for so neither can it be so well prosecuted §. 94. Imagination of God's presence 10. In the time of Prayer Imagining God or our Saviour not a far off but present by or within Ps 16.8 you so speaking and discoursing with him hearkning to and attending upon him as one that is present in the innermost part of your soul and heart as indeed if our eyes were but opened as were those of Elisha and his Servant we should see him in all things and in our selves and all things and our selves also in him for these are both one compassing us round as the air or the light doth and again throughly penetrating all things and us as the light doth the air or the fire the glowing iron Omnia implendo continens continendo implens Austin and see our selves again moving in him as fishes or spunges in the Ocean or Atoms in a Sun-beam See Acts 17.27 28 For if the whole earth be but as a small point to the Sun how much less are we to God! But above all creatures more specially we should see him dwelling in the hearts of the faithful therefore called his Temple See 2. Cor. 6.16 1. Cor. 6.17.19 or see them dwelling in him for where things are perfectly united these two expressions are the same and promiscuously used See 1. Jo. 4.13 6.56 Rom. 8.10 comp 2. Cor. 5.17 1. Cor. 1.30 comp 2. Cor. 5.21 See him there speaking to the Soul and visiting it with frequent inspirations the signs of his presence and the interior language wherein God speaks to us and therefore is there to be attentively hearkened to by us Luk. 17.21 Jo. 16.32 8.29 Heb. 11.27 1. Jo. 14.13 4.16 As for those words in the Lords Prayer which art in Heaven they are not mentioned to direct the petitioner to him as a far off but to magnify to
such Petitioner and to mind him of his Heavenly Majesty and that so he may give the following doxologies to him as to the most High Hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come c. Or if you conceive of God as of something without you and at a distance Imagining that you see him then specially when you are in Prayer looking down from heaven and casting his eye upon you As the Sun whilst it shines upon the whole Hemisphere yet seems to every place therein to shine only upon it Again imagining that you see our glorious Saviour there where he now sits graciously beholding you from thence for so he doth as he beheld Stephen to encourage him or Paul to convert him Or that you see him by or before you in some of those postures others beheld and conversed with him in the time of his life here on Earth 11. 1 This imagination of God's presence which is to be strengthned by custome and the often not acknowledging only but seriously thinking and meditating on it and inciting your self continually to remember it will much increase your reverence toward Him and hinder the wandring of your thoughts will strengthen your faith and confidence that he seeth and taketh notice of all your desires and that your Prayers are still heard and considered by him and from this his intimacy and inhabitation will make your discourse more free and particular in the communicating of all your insirmities wants desires purposes resolutions c. unto him and also more frequent and oftner with him will more comfort your solitude or afflictions will much more move your affections apprehending so near a Majesty as also his visible presence would much more than this Lastly will help much to recollect and retire your faculties from external objects which suffer more evagation when they speak to him who is every where and therefore within us as abroad or a far off Il recordarmi che ho compania dentro di me è di Gran Giovamento said a great Saint Cam. di Perf. 29. c. And such meditation is recommended as a most advantageous way to attain perfection See more of this below n. 15. 11. 2 To strengthen this Meditation in you the more which is of so great consequence often meditating on Psal 139. Prov. 15.3.11 Job 26.6 Psal 23.4 Rev. 3.20 Gal. 2.20 Heb. 11.27 2. Cor. 13.3 Jo. 14.21.23 Act. 17.27 28. §. 95. Recollection of Mind and Senses in Prayer 12. In your prayers diligently opposing and with much resolution striving against any distractions and extravagations of your mind and thoughts which by custome will become obedient and fixed for this will render your prayers as more effectual and beneficial so more grateful sweet and easy unto you the time of them being more tedious as the mind is less united Psal 86.11 13. Suspending in time of Prayer as much as may be all action of the exterior faculties and retiring the Soul and Spirits as it were from all parts to the center of your heart there to transact your affairs with your Maker In which motions of the heart to produce a greater fervour some have used the retention or suspension to some degree of respiration a thing usually happening in sighing weeping and any great passion of mind Such recollection of Spirits because vis unita fortior will much heighten and enflame devout affections in you and these again much advance your spiritual proficiency This at first somewhat difficult but facilitated by custome 14. Beneficial for such recollection of our faculties are solitude and silence the night Hence night-devotions so much commended shutting out light or the eyes or at least fixing them because the presentment of their objects provokes the action of the senses especially those of the eyes which have their object always before them and enjoyed at any distance §. 96. Heightning and enlargment of the Affections 15. Much using and indulging your affections in Prayer rather than the fancy and the operations of Love rather than the discourse of reason and performing this holy exercise in the heart more than in the brain The intense acts of both which cannot be exercised at once and it being with these holy as with other passions the higher they grow in us the less use there is of reasoning and they wholly follow their own impetus Again the chief profit of the Soul lying not so much in thinking of God as in loving him extreamly nor in advancing of Arguments as in fervour of Spirit and in the attendance and waiting and hearkning elevations adherence embracings aspirings languishings expectings of the Soul after God As our Saviour in the Garden used not many words but much passion It is much better when God offers it for the Soul on this fashion to be carried toward God rather than to guide her self and to suffer than to work out her devotions nec tam ex se operari quam suavem Dei operationem pati auscultare magis quam loqui §. 97. Upon which to enlarge my self a little more this being the chief matter of that which they call mystical Theology you must know that some persons of more pure conversation and more frequent exercise in Prayer have observed in themselves at certain times in their Prayer especially when long continued or after much practised some more strong and vigorous influences and operations of God's spirit upon the soul and a sense of his extraordinary presence wherein the Soul is more passive and quiescent as it were and the Holy Spirit more acting in her The effect of which divine visits thereof ordinarily is a much clearer discovery of the beauty goodness greatness and excellency of her well-beloved and so a much greater increase of the ardency of her love towards him and further alienation from all other wordly things In which visits all the care the Soul takes is no way to hinder or by any divertisement to disturb or lose so delightful an entertainment For howbeit it is from God yet it is not most what so irresistable but that one may possibly tho with some difficulty turn away himself from such intrancement to some other thing and sometimes to men eminently holy is this divine Energy so violent and unsupportable to nature from which great lassitudes and weakness of the Body for many days do often follow that they are forced to decline and moderate it and divert from it This will not seem strange to any one who hath been versed in the lives of Saints among whose experiences may be found a great accord in this matter §. 98. Now tho these extraordinary transactions in the Soul and supernatural touches of God's Spirit are not acquirable at all by our industry so as to be sure to possess them nor no man can have them when or detain them how long he pleaseth by any art or means Yet it is observed by those who have received them that ordinarily God conferrs them not save after some pains taken by and
is the Blood of this Covenant See Exod. 24. ch Heb. 8.7 c. Heb. 10.29 12.24 comp Luk. 22.20 This Holy Ceremony being a Sacrament a Seal an Obsignation of the pardoning all former offences between the parties that were at difference and of our reconciliation with God and admittance to the hopes and lawful enjoynments of all his Blessings spiritual corporal temporal eternal Rom. 4.11 Matt. 26.28 §. 151. 4. Eucharistical 4. Being the Christians Eucharistical Sacrifice answering the Jews peace or thank-offering 1. By which Rite we commemorating Christ through whom all blessings descend to us Eph. 2.18 3.12.21 Jo. 14.13 Eph. 3 4.6 Col. 3.17 Rom. 1.8 Heb. 13.15 unto the father do bless and give him thanks for all persons and things c. 2. Then by eating and partaking of which as the Jews and also Idolaters by eating of theirs therefore the eating of the Heathens Sacrifices was always most strictly forbid the Israelites Exod. 34.15 Numb 25.2 Psal 106.18 Ezech. 18.6 we are admitted as it were to the table of our God to eat of his bread Lev. 11.6 3.11 and to amity communion fellowship with him 1. Cor. 10.14 to 22. 3. By partaking and eating of which Sacrifice being the Body and Blood of Christ we are admitted also to communion with the Son and mystically incorporated into him who is the second Adam from Heaven 1. Cor. 15. made members of his body flesh of his flesh c. and this not in a metaphor but in a great mystery Eph. 5.32 And then from being partakers of the Body become also partakers of the Spirit of Christ 1. Cor. 6.17 and see the Spirit specially conferred in the Eucharist 1. Cor. 12 13. and by it eternal life conveyed to us c. Jo. 6.58 comp 63. by which relation he becomes now obliged to nourish and cherish us c Eph. 5.30 and from partaking of the nature and spirit of this second Adam the heir of all things Heb. 1.2 Col. 1.16 become now Sons of God also as he Heirs of Eternal life as he c. as by the first Adam we were of eternal death See 1. Cor. 12 13. Eph. 4.24.5.29 c. 1. Cor. 6.19.15.17.19 Jo. 17.21.23 4.14.6.56 57. comp 1. Cor. 10.17 18 24. 4. By eating and partaking of which one bread we also become one bread amongst our selves 1. Cor. 10.17 and have Communion with all the Saints of God and partake both of the glory and benefit and service in their prayers charity sufferings c. of all the rest of the members of Christ's Body and of all the family of God as well that in heaven as that upon earth Eph. 3.15 Heb. 12.23 Col. 7.20 Eph. 2.19 Phil. 3.20 §. 152. The Christians Passover 5. Being the Christians Passover answering to and at the same time instituted instead of the Israelites Paschal Lamb the Christians breaking bread and cup of blessing or thanksgiving for these two are all one 1. Cor. 10.16 being like theirs then at that solemnity we giving thanks also at the celebration of it as they then for that in Aegypt for our everlasting redemption by the sprinkling upon us of the blood of the Lamb of God from Satan and the destroying Angel 1. Cor. 5.7 §. 153. Our duty of homage for the use of God's Creatures 6. The Christians Oblation of bread and wine and anciently other fruits or as now alms of money instead of them presented now upon God's table tho this charity far more punctually and plentifully observed in the primitive times being answerable to those customes under the law of bringing to the Lord at the Passover the first fruits Levit. 23.10.14.16 By which Oblation we acknowledging him the Lord and Doner of all good things and praising him for all the good works of the Creation do sanctify for the future the use of his Creatures do procure the continuance and increase of them to us See Deut. 16.19 1. Cor. 10.16 and all this only through Jesus Christ By whom being the natural Heir of all things Heb. 1.2 we now begin to have a new right our former being lost in Adam's fall to the Creatures before unclean unto us and defiled also with sin 1. Tim. 4.3 Rom. 14.14 Tit. 1.15 Psal 8.7 Luk. 11.41 but now sanctified through God's Word Prayer Thanksgiving and giving Alms of them done especially now at the Eucharist whilst to the unclean all things remain still unclean 1. Cor. 7.14 But then besides all those former benefits of the Creation these Symbols are at this time more specially set forth for a thankful remembrance unto God for the precious death of Christ and all other benefits of our Redemption 1. Cor. 3.21 comp 23. §. 154. The Symbol of our Resurrection and Immortality 7. Being the Christians Viaticum answering to the fruit of the Tree of life in Paradise and to the Manna and Rock-water in the Wilderness which were types of it 1. Cor. 10.2 3 4. 12 13. The particular nourishment instituted since our ejection out of Paradise for the prèserving of the Body and Soul unto everlasting life and for a particular pledge and assurance of our Resurrection Hence by Conc. Nicen. called Symbola Resurrectionis and hence that form used generally in the Church Custodiat animam tuam in vitam aeternam See Jo. 6.32.35.40 c. For the Son the second Adam that is a quickning Spirit 1. Cor. 15.45 hath life in himself Jo. 5.26 and therefore he that eateth him also liveth by him Jo. 6.57 §. 155. The Symbol of our Christianity 8. Being instituted for a perpetually sensible Anniversary or Memorial unto us of our Saviour's passion and donation then of himself for and also to us so to confirm our faith and hope in him and love to him and our belief of our being all united together in and amongst our selves thereby to take away all differences and encrease our love one to another As likewise for a perpetual publick external mark of the Christian profession to distinguish them from all other sects and false religions 9. Finally to summe up what is said Being the chief means worthily received of obtaining remission of sins increase of the Spirit any particular spiritual or temporal blessing or deliverances for our selves or for others All these being to be obtained only through Christ Jo. 11.46 who is in the Eucharist offered as our own to God the Father by us this given i. e. to the Father for you Luk. 22.19 And again who is in the Eucharist by the Father and by himself given to us with all the privileges that belong unto him for with him are freely given us all things else Rom. 8.29 According to the which the primitive times observed a powerful efficacy in the Sacrament for working many wonderful mercies and deliverances to God's servants Again as impetratory for mercies so this Cup of Blessing 1. Cor. 10.16 which the Priest blesseth This Cup of Salvation Psal 116.12.13.17 being the most special thanksgiving most acceptable and well pleasing
all your Fathers were before you occasioning Charities always in this employment meditating on some portion of Ecclesiastes Forbearing as much as may be the entertainment of any long and entangled designs so that you cannot so contentedly go off the stage of this world and say a Nunc dimittis in pace when God calleth for it Carefully from time to time discharging all debts 2. For your behaviour in sickness in doing the duties proper to it First when sickness comes not being ashamed to shew fear and imagining it always more dangerous than it is and preparing your self always though in likelihood it is not as if it were a sickness to death gladly then taking occasion to reconcile your self fully to God and to conclude with the world that your recovery may more perfectly begin a new and better life or your end not surprise you unprepared In this not fearing so much the harm which melancholy and sadness may do to your Body as the mischief which security may do to your Soul and knowing that such sadness through obtaining of God remission of sin c is the readiest way also to procure your health and in the time of your sickness also ends in more joy For making this reconciliation Examining your self by what sin it is likely you have lately most displeased God and doing repentance and humiliation for it as if it had caused your sickness Jo. 5.14 Matt. 9.2 Examining your self more specially concerning sins towards your neighbour those chiefly against the 5 6 7 8 9. Commandments in which man's laws also enjoyn reparation And making restitution satisfactions Asking forgiveness c. Forgiving and declaring your forgiveness towards any that have so trespassed against you Confessing all your sins to God and endeavouring to do this as particularly as if all confessed were presently to be pardoned and all forgot to be answered for at the day of judgment Sending early for the Priest and confessing your sins to him as it is recommended to your practice by the Church in case of a troubled conscience and if your Conscience be not troubled for your sin then know you have yet more need to do it Receiving absolution and the Communion making then a singular Confession and Thanksgiving to God for all the greater mercies received through your whole life Giving alms to some poor and desiring especially their prayers for you Making resolutions and vows but not rash ones and if it may be with the advice of your spiritual Father and with making your professions also to him as a witness of them concerning reformation upon your recovery Avoiding much especially secular conversation and removing company from you Entertaining an attendant that can read holy things to you such as you shall direct and have provided in your health at that time to be administred unto you Praying extraordinarily if your pains permit Using and in all things obeying the Physitian Offering up a contented patience of these sufferings to God in regard of the far greater desert of your sins and that to your Saviour in regard of his far greater sufferings for you §. 160. Digr 1. Of the many times great uncharitableness and mischief of encouraging sick persons with hopes of recovery at sometimes making them omit the necessary preparations for death and at other times loose the many great benefits of sickness in humiliations confessions c. Digr 2. Of some necessary questions to be proposed to the sick See Notes of Sick Digr 3. Of various admonitions necessary to be used to the sick as they happen to be found in an ignorant or a sensless or a presuming or a despairing condition Digr 4. Of Psalms and other Scriptures proper to be read to the Sick As Psal 6.22 23.32.38.57.86.88 90.102 103.107.130.142 143. Job 1 2. Ezech. 18. The passion of our Saviour in one of the Gospels beginning at his Prayer in the Garden Jo. 17. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thess 4. Rev. 21 22. Digr 5. Of short Scripture-Ejaculations proper to be used by them See Notes of Sick Digr 6. Directions for the behaviour of the Visitors of or Attendants upon the sick Non consolari eos spe recuperandae sanitatis See before § 161. n. 1. Non plorare Non ridere Non alienos sermones miscere Non multum loqui necsubtilia Sancto silentio Deum precari See Vita Camelli De Lellis §. 161. 2. Exercising Christian Fortitude 1. Joyfully entertaining all those temporal miseries which happen to you for your sin which many other servants of God have both earnestly begged of God and not obtaining this have voluntarily infliected upon themselves and desiring that you may suffer here yet more for them Hic ure seca c. and not seeking too passionately to diminish them and whilst much grieving and humbling your self for the cause thereof yet accepting and rejoycing in the punishment and hoping in the execution of some part of God's righteous justice upon you in this world to find through Christ's merits the more mercy in the next Lam. 33.9 Jer. 30.15 2. Joyfully embracing the favour Phil. 1.29 of all those afflictions which happen unto you for doing your duty and for refusing to sin especially of persecutions Matt. 5.10 11. saying such words as these This is painful to me but acceptable to God and he will love me for it This thy will I willingly suffer and much more for thy sake O my Saviour who sufferedst so much for me 3. Yet taking great care that you mistake not God's judgments upon your sins for tryals only of your holiness bringing forth presumption instead of humiliation Digr That there is required a holy life and purity of conscience not only for the particular cause for which we suffer but general to entertain our sufferings with true comfort and joy Else you ought to bear them with great sorrow not for them but for your sins as God's true judgments upon you in relation to them tho executed as 't is usual through man's injustice God ordinarily punishing our innocence in one thing for our guilt in another thus making his scourges more bitter unto us 4. Not shunning nor preventing any disgraces by foregoing the smallest duty Using no compliance no diffimulation no flattery no timidity modesty or being ashamed of good but rather provoking evil and exposing your self on all occasions in any thing for Christ's sake to scorn hate danger c. without fear in thus doing of seeming proud or contemptuous Rev. 21 8. But the fearful 5. Vndertaking voluntarily and with all alacrity such sufferings tho easily avoidable by the enduring of which you may any way do the more good which troubles though it is lawful to decline yet it is more expedient for benefitting others to entertain Such were our Saviour's such St. Paul's Sufferings so much gloried of 1. Cor. 9. 6. One degree higher Out of the pure imitation of our Saviour and to be made in all things here more conformable to him Phil. 3.10 that
you may be so much the more so also hereafter for the present pre-electing sufferings even wheren no more power of doing good to others by them than without them §. 162. Digr 1. Of the Example of our Saviour and of his Saints suffering the greatest torments with all patience joy desire Digr 2. Of the many sufferings for Christianity to which the very best conditions of life are daily exposed and invited by God 2. Tim. 3.12 and that as well from enemies within the rebelling flesh as without the reproaches of the Godly the wicked world Digr 3. That the more absence of afflictions is the sign of a weaker and more pusillanimous Christian As God gives his servants strength to bear what evils he lays upon them so ordinarily laying these upon them in some proportion to the strength which he foresees in them to bear For to them that have is given till they have abundance 7. To increase your patience in and desire of sufferings §. 163. Using frequent premeditation of and making a pre-occupated acquaintance with them Quod alii patiendo leve sapiens cogitando facit 8. Often reading the sufferings of Martyrs and comparing your own with the greater calamities of some others and some of those also of the weaker Sex tender delicate Ladies flourishing in nobility youth beauty Or chiefly of your blessed Saviour and meditating often of his passion §. 164. 9. Considering That these evils serve very much for advancing 1. God's Glory in your service of him when you seem to serve him for nought nay to embrace misery that you may serve him 2. God's power and wisdome shewed most in rescuing and delivering and wonderfully out of Evil extracting unexpected good 3. The true Good of the Sufferer Rom. 8.28 §. 165. 1. In that the times of sufferances are far more innocent in respect of vice than those of prosperity And the state of sickness and infirmity than the state of health Optimi sumus cum infirmi Quem enim infirmum aut avaritia aut libido solicitat non amoribus servit non appetit honores Invidet nemini neminem despicit sermonibus malignis non attendit c. Pliny 7. l. 26. Ep. Incusare deos aut homines ejus est qui vivere velit Tacit. 2. Are far more fruitful in production of virtues best teaching you self-knowledge and humility Knowledge of the world and contempt thereof Inviting you most powerfully to the love of another world best teaching prayer and fervent devotions Tunc Deos tunc hominem esse se meminit Are the best ablutions and refinings of us from former sins and whether voluntary or necessitated the most effectual motives through the sufferings of Jesus Christ to God of pardoning them and preventing his eternal Judgments upon them Deus non bis vindicat in id ipsum 3. Are the proper season for the greater joys and consolations of the Spirit The truest enterchanges of love for we love one the more for whom we suffer as well as e converso and Dearnesses between God and the Soul even his intimatest Communications of himself unto her Ps 91.15 The greatest assurances of Salvations c are received and perceived in the times of sufferings God not usually accumulating his upon any other secular joys therefore it was a great priviledge of the disciples of our Lord by extraordinary sufferings to be admitted to partake all these See Act. 16.25 4.8 5.41 2. Cor. 4.11.16 4. Nay the very retirements from you and temporary desertions of all the consolations of the Spirit give you an occasion of so much higher reward Dum a Deo derelictus seipsum quis patienter exuit atque ita Deo propter Deum caret §. 166. 10. That the Saints Glory in the next world is proportionably greater as greater here every ones sufferings And contrarily less as here more secular content 11. Lastly That for the substance of the evil and affliction it self It hath nothing in it so terrible as apprehended that long sufferings cannot be great And great sufferings not long Great pains being either interquiescent Omnis dolor magnus interquiescit or nature by them in a short time dissolved §. 167. I. HEADS for Meditation of SINS Use some of the Meditations set down p. 187. § 114. and § 141. For discovery of your sins use some of those ways prescribed before § 77. p. 155. Then for the measuring their true guilt some of those Considerations such as most move you set down p. 1 2 c. To which add this consideration That many dying without repentance and out of God's Grace in their youth or at that age when you also were if you are not still impenitent now suffer and so must world without end Hell torments for much lesser sins than you have committed Lastly for exercising your affections and resolutions Imagine with your self what one remitted hither out of those torments from which the merciful God preserving you is all one as if he had released you had that poor wretch a new time allowed him here to make his peace would do And then do you so seriously and anxiously go about your thanksgiving for God's long suffering equivalent to a release your penances your reformation of life I say as such a frighted Soul would do O that thou may'st know in this thy day for then they shall be hid c. §. 168. II. HEADS for Meditation of SICKNESS DEATH JUDGMENT Consider 1. First the great benefit and powerful operation of this Meditation especially being urged by our Saviour and the other Scriptures as a chief motive to vigilancy and diligence in well doing For which consider those places Luk. 21.34 16.9 Matt. 24.42 c. 2.13 Mark 13.35 Deut. 32.29 Eccl. 11.9 7.2 3 4. Ps 90.12 41. 1.4 39.4 Lam. 1.9 1. Being very beneficial for weakning pride and ambition worldly cares and designs and generally all sin and inordinacy of affections Eccl. 2.21.18 19. 1. Cor. 7.29 30 31. Ecclesiasticus 7.36 Facile contemnit omnia qui cogitat se esse moriturum semper Nihil sic revocat a peccato quam frequens mortis meditatio Mors quae in malis habentur ob oculos tibi quotidie versentur sic nihil unquam humile cogitabis i. e. to do unworthy things for worldly ends nec impensè cupies quicquam Epictetus 2. Being useful for taking away the fear terrour and astonishment thereof when it come which we are sure one day must come which are much lessened by often premeditation forewarned forearm'd Ab assuetis non fit passio 2. After this imagine your self lying on your death-bed taking your leave for ever of this world and all things dear to you therein even of your own Body for a long time And 2ly Going to the place where God's justice shall assign you the day of his mercy to you being then expired and his patience and long suffering ended and our Saviour also then ceasing for you his intercessions 1. 3. Then in order to the
first of these Leaving the World Consider The strange alteration that will then be in your Judgment and opinion concerning all the things of this world and the extream vanity and folly of them we then speaking like those Wisd 5.7 8. c. and fruitlesly wishing a few hours of that now eternally irrevocable time mispent in such vanities wherein to fast pray and reform our life past 4. The extream shortness and swift passage that will then seem of your life past and of all the worldly contents received therein for which consider that part of your life already past how short and how nothing worth it now seems unto you without any present or remaining fruit of them And that all the pains of virtuous living then also would have been past and seemed as short to your comfort and an eternal harvest of bliss for them to follow 5. The sudden parting at once that then must be without taking the least thing with you 1. Tim. 6.7 Psal 49.17 from all things even the most dearly affected by you in this life And every thing at that time with so much more grief forsaken by how much it was here more affected and more lively to resent this imagine the destraction and horror that would be to you in a present exile from your Country into some desolate Island 6. The great uncertainty or unworthiness of the inheritors of your goods and fortunes That great affliction of the wisest of men See Eccl. 2.18 19. Psal 49. Ps 39.6 And upon these well weighed consider the reasonableness of the Apostles deduction and proposal 1. Tim. 6.8 7. The leaving also behind of your own Body and beholding your self even before death stript first of all your beauty strength abilities perfections thereof and many times also of your reason and judgment And consider as the decays of it in sickness so the filthiness and loath someness thereof after death 8. Upon these consider the fruitfulness and loss in that day of all your labour spent on your body or on your worldly estates and fortunes except only what was done in relation to God's service This in order to the first you leaving the world 2. 9. In order to the second your going to a place of bliss or torment which so ever God's justice shall assign you Consider The eyes of the Soul opened by death as Stephen's were Act. 7.57 or the young mans 2. Kings 6.17 And all things appearing new unto it as the world or the Sun did to the man that was born blind Jo. 9. Or to one could he well observe it that is newly come forth of the womb and much contrary to what was formerly imagined so as things do to one awakned out of a long dream 10. A doom or Judgment upon the Soul immediate after death as appears by Luk. 16.22 23. comp 28. 1. Pet. 3. 19. 2. Cor. 5.8 Phil. 1.23 though not such as shall be after the day of judgment God's final judgment upon the Devil himself being deferred till that day Jude 6. much more of the damned men But yet supposing the Soul as senseless after death as the Body till the general day of doom yet that judgment also as if it were immediate because no interval of time is perceived by what is utterly sensless 11. The great uncertainty and doubt your Soul shall then be in what shall become of it because of your former not assuredly sufficient repentance reformation c. and perhaps opinion also that that repentance which you can then perform is too late Your hope being then mingled with much fear unless perhaps your life hath been singularly and extraordinarily holy 12. The eternally unchangable condition after that moment without any benefit of despairing repentance and everlasting tears 13. The attendance of good or evil Angels according to our life past by our bed-side to execute God's vengeance upon the ejected Soul See Luk. 12.20 they shall require 16.22 16.9 Matt. 24.31.40 14. That as Bodies at the resurrection so Souls of Saints are treated at their death since their Souls at death go to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 as Bodies at the Resurrection Therefore as their Bodies then shall be caught up in the Clouds into the air to meet the Lord c. 1. Thes 4.17 so are the Souls of Saints at death caught up and carried by Angels into heaven which are thought to be signified by those clouds and a throng of them to have had the appearance of a white or shining cloud See Act. 1.9 Matt. 17.5 Luk. 16.22 And if the Souls of Saints at death by good Angels are carried upwards in the like manner doubtless are the Souls of the wicked by evil Angels thrust down into the Eternal prison 15. The strict judgment that will then be made by God of our whole life even to every word and thought and that not only on Heathen or on Christians for enormous crimes who are judged already as it were Jo. 3.18 but on Believers for omitting deeds of Charity and mercy or the duties of their profession for the not right imploying of any Gifts or goods spiritual or temporal bestowed upon them Consider Matt. 12.36.37 Jude 14 15. Rom. 14.11 12. Phil. 12. comp 11. 1. Cor. 4.4 5. 1. Cor. 3.13 c. Job 31.14 Matt. 25.42 25.30 16. The fresh review that will be on your death-bed upon the approach of this account or if it be not then much more desperate our condition and immediately after our dissolution it will be so much more of all our sins especially those more considerable the suggestions of evil spirits helping the accusations of conscience when repentance is too late for the producing of despair Psal 50.21 Prov. 20.27 or which is worse hiding our sins from us or falsly securing the conscience when impenitent upon our Saviour's merits to the begetting of a vain presumption 17. The bitter remembrance that will then be of former pleasures not innocent and so much the more detestation and cursing of every thing now loved as we here took in it more delight 18. The impossibility of exercising in that time of sickness any reformation or acts of virtue contrary to our former sins except perhaps some deeds of Charity which yet is then less acceptable when we give what we longer cannot retain at the least unto our selves 19. The miserable condition of wicked men at that time beyond that of a beast that wholly perisheth And here imagine the terrors of Corah c. when they saw the earth ready to swallow them up 20. The pious resolutions of a better life if God would reprieve us that we would then make and the hearty wishes that all our time here had been spent otherwise 21. The exceeding great and comfortable remembrance of any one past good deed 22. After these things well weighed which will then certainly happen consider 1 The great uncertainty of the time and that death commonly comes very secretly as our Saviour hath very carefully
forewarned us like a thief at a time when we are asleep and think less of it than at other times we do Now this imagined great distance still from our death chiefly ariseth from every ones reckoning his own end only from deficiency of nature which yet not one of 1000 dyes of and not from accidental distempers when as most commonly this our lamp goes out either choaked with its own nourishment or violently extinguished by some external accident before its Oyl is half consumed And since nothing is more common then example of this in others on every side what self love and dotage is it to promise our selves a better destiny till we also surprized become the like example to others 23. And consider likewise and think with your self how many are dying in that very time you are thinking and meditating of it 24. 2 When this time shall come your impotency and unfitness from your fears your pains and many times the want of your senses that will then be to order either the matter of your Soul or of your worldly affairs to do any thing with sufficient devotion or prudence and also your friends at that time hiding from you as much as they can the danger of your sickness Nay your self perhaps when decumbent under the stroke of death yet removing it a far off still and certainly presuming being loath to imagine the worst of a recovery only because some few so sick have not dyed of whom your unkind friends will not be wanting to mind you also because your self formerly have recovered 25. For exciting your resolutions and affections Indeavour to make the same judgment of things for the present and to have the same opinion now of your sins of the world and its pleasures and its cares and your designs in it and what you imagine you should in such a case at such a time purpose now resolve upon 26. Prepare your self for that terrible and dreadful hour in some of those Duties set down before 27. Avoid not but use and seek out all the sad memorials of death that may be as visiting Hospitals the sick sore and putrifying dying persons hearing their speeches their groans looking on the skeletons of the dead frequenting funerals Making many reflections on the passing of time decays of your own Body or other mens c. Remembring often Eccl. 7.2 3 4. Repeating often the 90 Psalm Recalling to mind and keeping a Catalogue sometimes to be reviewed of your friends and acquaintance deceased Considering what they were did are Thus much for Sickness and Death §. 169. For Consideration of the General day of Judgment some more particulars may yet be added Consider 1. That that is the proper day of justice and wrath as the present is of Grace and Mercy See Rom. 2.5.8 9. 2. Thes 1.7 8. Rev. 11.18 6.16 Luk. 18.7 2. Cor. 5.11 God's justice upon sin by Christ's Mediation being delayed till that time that many might come to repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 and these his present temporal punishments being inflicted chiefly not for vengeance but for other ends either for their good that suffer or other mens that behold it Therefore the present called our day Luk. 19.42 2. Cor. 6.2 wherein our free will doth as it pleaseth That the day of the Lord 2. Pet. 3.10 1. Thes 5.2 wherein removing this free power we yet enjoy God will gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and all that do iniquity and cast them into the furnace Matt. 13.41 2. The dreadful signs that shall be then of God's wrath and the terribleness of the appearance of that day beyond all other terrors and the alteration of Heaven and Earth and putting out of the Sun before the sitting in judgment Rev. 20.11 comp 12. tho not till after the resurrection 1. Thes 4.16 See 2. Pet. 3.10.12 Psal 18.7 c. Nahum 1.3 c. Esai 30.27 c. Matt. 24.29 c. Rev. 20.11 Joel 3.2.12 c. to 17. Zechariah 14.4 Luk. 21.36 3. As the Bodies of the righteous raised in great beauty and glory so those of the wicked in great filthiness and deformity 4. The horrible fear and trembling of the wicked then living Matt. 30. Luk. 21.25 26. Rev. 1.7 6.16 11.18 Rev. 1.7 this day coming upon them when full of sin and security Matt. 24.12.38 Luk. 18.8 21.35 1. Thes 5.3 2. Thes 2 3. And of the Souls of the formerly dead then being brought out of their prisons 1. Pet. 3.19 and reunited to their loathsome companion the Body Now to be sentenced together with the devil to eternal torments whom also we may suppose deprecating as the Devils Luk. 8.31 5. The confidence and joy of the righteous then living and of the Souls of the dead then coming out of the place of rest and bliss and reunited to their Bodies their Bodies carefully gathered up and brought together by the Angels and such as they are described 1. Cor. 15.42 c. 2. Thes 1.10 both these being then caught up in the clouds and having their ascension like our Saviour's and meeting the Lord coming in his Glory with his Blessed Angels to Judgment in the air 1. Thes 4.17 Luk. 21.28 1. Jo. 2.28 1. Cor. 7.7 2 Tim. 4.8 Tit. 2.13 1. Thes 5.4 2. Pet. 3.12 whom we may suppose singing together as in Rev. 19.6 7 8. 6. A particular appearance and examination of all the Sons of Adam assembled together Sodom and Gomorrah in Abraham's time then confronting Corazin and Bethsaida in Christ's time c. And every one giving account of himself to God the Counsels of all their hearts being made manifest and secrets divulged Rom. 14.10.12 1. Cor. 4.5 Matt. 10.15 Rev. 20.12 Rom. 2.16 Ecclesiastes 12.14 7. Books kept containing all mens works then brought forth and opened Rev. 12.20 In which how many sins never thought of for Repentance shall be then brought to our Remembrance for Condemnation And besides them a peculiar Book of life called also a Book of remembrance Mal. 3.16 being not of actions but only of names i. e. of those who have here served and pleased God that none of them might be forgotten or unrewarded in that day All the rest who are not writ in that happy book being abandoned to eternal destruction Exod. 32.32 33. Phil. 4.3 Rev. 3.5 20.15 Luk. 10.20 Jo. 10.28 29. 8. The manifestation at that time of God's just judgment the manner whereof is set down by St. Paul Rom. 2. from 6. to 17. verse which shall be upon no other point but down-right according to works Rom. 2.6 Rev. 20.12 Matt. 16.27 c. In which works words Matt. 12.37 Jud. 15. and thoughts Rom. 2.16 are contained According to works either those that men have persevered in without any repentance of them at all or where any repentance of them hath been which cancels all the work before it Ezech. 18.21 22. according to the works done after it whether these be good or whether they be evil which being evil
this life were not the least worthy of 2. Cor. 14.17 There to possess all Riches Without fear of Moth or rust or thief Matt. 6.19 Having in Heaven an induring substance Heb. 10.34 Receiving for all our former Losses an hundred fold Matt. 19.29 To enjoy all Honour To be made Kings Coheirs of God's heavenly Kingdome with his only Son Possessed of an exceeding eternal weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 Shining as the brightness of the Firmament as the Stars Dan. 12.3 as the Sun Matt. 13.43 having Crowns Palms Thrones Rev. 7.9 sitting with Christ in his Throne Rev. 3.21 Judging the Nations Angels 1. Cor. 6.3 ruling over the Nations Rev. 2.26 27. Made like unto the Son of God our B. Saviour 1. Jo. 3.6 To enjoy all Pleasures Arrayed in fine linnen clean and white Rev. 19.8 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Rev. 21.2 And there married unto the Lamb Rev. 19.7 The ravished spouse shall cry out I have found him whom my Soul loveth I will hold him and will not let him go Cant. 3.4 Blessed are they who are called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb Apoc. 19.9 Blessed be those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching Verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Luk. 12.37 They shall come from the East and from the West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Matt. 8.11 I will drink no more of this fruit of the Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my fathers Kingdome Matt. 26.29 On either side of the River was the tree of life which had twelve manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month c. Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Apoc. 22.2 17. Entring into the never-ending joy of our Lord Matt. 25.23 In whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Whether St. Paul was caught up and there heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter and of such a one saith he may I glory 2. Cor. 12.1 c. Where their Soul is to be satisfied with marrow and fatness that their month is still praising with joyful lips Psal 63.5 Where they are so ravished with his beauty and holiness that for ever they are doing nothing but gazing in his face Matt. 18.10 Rev. 22.4 and celebrating it and crying holy holy holy Rev. 4.8 Hallelujah Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb. Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Amen Blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen Rev. 4.11 7.10.12 15.3 19.6 Happy are the men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdome 1. King 10.8.1 Thou hast ravished mine heart thou hast ravished mine heart Tell my Beloved that I am sick of Love One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord c. Psal 27.4 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Blessed are they that dwell in thy house and are still praising thee Psal 84.1 2.4 Lastly filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.19 For Christ ascended into Heaven that so he might fill all things Eph. 4.10 Made all one with Christ and with God As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Jo. 17.21.23 That God may be all in all 1. Cor. 15.28 Next view the City where this Society of Saints live A City of most firm Foundations not to be shaken whose builder and maker is God himself Heb. 11.10 12.28 8.2.5 In a better country the heavens Heb. 11.16 And those made anew for the purpose Rev. 21.1 Allusively described and painted to our imaginations by the most glorious and perfect things that here fall under the knowledge of sense Rev. 21 and 22. Chapters The City made in fashion of a Cube the most stable figure Rev. 21.16 The streets of it pure Gold as it were transparent Chrystal Rev. 21.21.11 4.6 The Foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones See Rev. 4.3 Jasper Saphire Emerald c. ver 19. The walls of Jasper clear as Chrystal c. ver 18.11 these stones too having the glory of God ver 11. shining upon them The 12. Gates 12. Pearls Every several Gate of one Pearl These always standing open because never night freely to receive all nations ver 24 25. And at the 12 Gates 12 Angels to guard them that nothing abominable or defiling enter in there at But only those that are written in the Lambs Book of Life Rev. 21.27 1. Within it a pure river of water of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Rev. 22.1 In the Piazza of the City Paradise watered with its streams ver 2. and in it the tree of life exposed always bearing fruit and ever flourishing with an unfading leaf having the cure of all evils in the leaves the yieldance of all delicacies in the fruits and variety of these for every month See ver 2. 2. The Glory of God and of the lamb not resident in one part of the Temple as formerly but the Temple thereof Rev. 21 22. And the glory of them likewise the Sun thereof ver 23. For what other light can transcend that of the glorified Saints who themselves shine as the Sun All things there Holy Nothing that defileth entring into it nothing wicked or abominable Rev. 21.8 27. No more Curse or Malediction there Rev. 22.3 And when you have viewed the City then look into it and view once more the inhabitants thereof All Sons of Nobles Kings with Crowns Triumphant with Palms Cloathed all in white bright radiating Robes and shining as the Sun Wonder at their endless inviolable Concord A City at unity in it self More united than Friends being all Brethren Then Brethren being Fellow-members all of one and the same Body And more united yet than Members In as much as the Spirit of God by which they are joyned hath a more excellent power and vertue in compacting the Members of Christ then the Soul hath in those of the Body By which union it is that all the honour glory inheritance in the
Heavens which to all of them is but one is all of it unto every one of them Then behold because the more pleasure ariseth from the variety of the Object not all these Stars of an equal magnitude but after that nothing seems addible to the splendor of the first yet continual ascendent degrees in this sphere of glory and other yet higher lights far transcending the former in their lustre yet so as the glory of the highest is also challenged and owned by the lowest as all being but the same Body without all schisme or knowledge of envy no more than the foot doth the higher place or offices of the hand or the eye Behold then here a rising Throne 1. Of an innumerable company of the common People of Saints yet all glorious in Majesty Advanced above them caeteris paribus the Quire of pure Virgins that have remained holy in Body as well as Spirit 1. Cor. 7.34 See 1. Cor. 6.13 Rev. 14.4.1 Above these higher yet Holy Confessors Above them the White Army of Martyrs Yet higher the Society of the Luk. 13.28 Holy Prophets Matt. 10.41 Evangelists Patriarchs Apostles Luk. 22.28 with their Seats round about the throne of God Rev. 44. Higher yet the Blessed Virgin Mother of God and the most highly favoured amongst all Creatures Luk. 28.30 Then see the domestick attendance of the Almighty Beside his Throne Rev. 5.11 that winged Host of heavenly Ministers all distinguished in a wonderful Order Angels Arch-Angels Powers Dominions Thrones Cherubims Seraphims And the seven Spirits of God the seven Lamps of Fire burning always before the throne always standing in his presence Zach. 4.10 Rev. 4 5. 5 6. Luk. 1.19 Dan. 10.13 Rev. 1.4 8.2 Lo yet higher in the midst of the Throne of the Almighty Rev. 5 6. above all the family of Heaven and Earth sitting on the right hand of the Majesty in the highest far above every name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come Eph. 1.21 Upon whose Vesture is written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 at whose name the knees of all things bow c. Phil. 2.10 Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 1. Pet. 3.22 to whom it was an honour to see him and who had a great desire to look into the mystery of his Redemption being God manifested in the flesh in whom the manifold wisdome of God before hidden was made known unto them by the Church And lastly who gave them a nearer and more honourable relation unto the Divinity being now gathered together with us into one Body under him their Head 1 Pet. 1.12 1. Tim. 3.16 Eph. 3.10 Col. 1.20 2.10 Behold this Person I say not an Angel but a Man Jesus our Glorious Redeemer making us now equal to those perfect Spirits our flesh nature image above them Him glorious and admired by all his Saints in that day 2. Thess 1.10 Described Dan. 10.6 Rev. 1.13 14. Rev. 4.8 Shining as fine mettal burning in a Furnace his countenance as the Sun shining in his strength Blessed are they of whom in that day of his Glory he will not be ashamed And lastly see the employment and action of this heavenly Quire mixed of Men and Angels but under the presidence of a man 'T is perpetual musick and singing new Hymns of Victory and Triumph Rev. 5.8 9. 14.3 15.3 Every day a Sabbath and they in it resting from all labour and celebrating Divine Service Never ceasing all this long day of Eternity for there is no night Apoc. 21.15 22.5 from their Doxologies holy holy holy c. They rest not day and night saying c. Apoc. 4.8 for what can they do that are always ravished with joy but always praise the Author thereof falling down and worshipping Rev. 5.14 and casting down their Crowns before the Almighty with a Dignus es c. in admiration of his wisdome and thankfulness for this their happiness Rev. 4.11 Ravished with the sight of their God and burning with an equal love one toward another O how shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land Psal 137.4 O si vidisses sanctorum in coelo coronas perpetuas c. Scribe lege canta geme tace ora sustine contraria Digna est his omnibus majoribus praeliis vita aeterna Kempis 3. l. 47. c. §. 172. V. HEADS for the Meditation on the BENEFITS of Almighty God to YOU and to all MANKIND V. Psal 40 5. Many O Lord c. They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee 1. First consider the greatness of his person his infinite majesty glory beauty power wisdome mighty works helping your thoughts with some description or vision of him in the Old or New Testament This consideration of his greatness with a little reflection on your vileness Psal 8. 3 4. 144.3 4. 113 5 6 7. 1. Chron. 16 17. will make much for aggrandizing of any favours from him such a one to such a one as you 2. Consider his Benefits His Creating you so perfect in Body and Soul In his own image and likeness The noblest but one of all his other Creatures 3. Creating all other Creatures for your use and in them abundant sufficiency for all your needs Even the Angels more excellent than you for your guard Heb. 1.14 and protection 4. Preserving you thus created in your being Act. 17.28 5 Giving you 1 many particular deliverances and preservations temporal from many evils happening to others as diseases poverty many casual and quotidian dangers c. Here calling diligently to mind any misery lying upon any of your acquaintance and remembring that your sins have also perhaps more deserved it thanking God that you are preserved from it 6. 2 Many particular blessings temporal denied to many others as health riches honour long life c. he having provided all necessaries for you and doing good to you all the while that you have done nothing but offended him even perhaps as long as those Psal 95.10 7. 3 Deliverances and preservations spiritual from the Devil and his evil Angels day and night seeking your destruction and that by the continual defence of the Good From many great temptations Preserving you in your right wits Keeping you from despair 8. 4 Blessings Spiritual such as follow Memorandum in these four last That you exact of your memory a very particular account Reviewing very narrowly your life past passing orderly through your childhood youth from the time of your first remembrance and confessing unto him §. 173. 1. Giving you laws wherein he only commanded you things exceeding beneficial and forbad you things exceedingly hurtful to your publick and private good Laws not grievous but an easy yoke and a light burthen 1. Jo. 5.3 Matt. 11.30 to those that are exercised therein Teaching you in all things out of his infinite wisdome what you should do and what you should refrain and giving you within you a vigilant and tender Conscience to accuse
who healest the broken in heart and bindest up their wounds God of the Fatherless and Judge of the Widows which loosest the Prisoners and openest the eyes of the blind Have mercy on us The Lord God that killest and makest alive who sendest to the grave and bringest back again who increasest the nations and destroyest them who enlargest the nations and straightenest them Have mercy on us God who takest no pleasure in iniquity with whom is no accepting of persons terrible in thy Counsels concerning the Sons of men the strong and jealous God visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children Have mercy on us God whose anger none can withstand the just Judge strong and long-suffering and a consuming fire Have mercy on us The Lord who liftest up the meek and humblest the wicked down to the ground who hast power to cast body and soul into Hell who takest the wily in their own craftiness and scatterest the counsel of the wicked Have mercy on us The Lord compassionate long-suffering of great mercy and truth our Protector and exceeding great Reward Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Sacred Trinity Be merciful and hear us O Sacred Trinity From all evil Deliver us O Lord. From all pride and loftiness of mind from gluttony and surfeiting and all intemperance Deliver us O Lord. From envy hatred and malice from luxury and uncleanness from sloth and inordinate heaviness and anxiety Deliver us O Lord. By the Eternity of thy Glory and Majesty by the infiniteness of thy power by the abundance of thy goodness by the unspeakable greatness of thy love and mercy and by the abysse of thy justice and judgments Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may adore our Lord God and serve thee only in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may never take thy holy Name in vain that we may keep holy the Festivals of thy Church in exercises of religion and devotion We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may obey and reverence with due honor our Parents Prelates Superiors and all thou hast set over us We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we injure no man's life good name or honor out of anger hatred or envy We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we keep our hearts clean from all inordinate lustings of the flesh and impure affections That we hurt none by stealing damage or any other wrong through cousinage or violence That we never speak a ly or bear false witness against our Neighbour nor covet his goods We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we love thee O God with all our heart with all our soul and with all our strength and that we do to others as we would should be done to our selves We c. That thou wouldest make us grow in all grace that we despise not the riches of thy bounty patience and long-suffering We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we present our bodies a living and holy Sacrifice well-pleasing to Thee that at length we may attain to that kingdome which thou hast prepared for us from the beginning of the world We sinners beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pacify thy Father towards us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world By thy merits and sufferings redeem us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send thy holy Spirit into us O Blessed Trinity hear us O Adored Sacred Trinity hear us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Blessed art thou O God the God of our Fathers Praise-worthy and glorious for ever All the Angels and Saints bless thee Praise and magnify thee for ever Bless we the Father Son and Holy Ghost Praise him and exalt him for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty and everlasting God from whom descends every good and perfect gift mercifully grant that the serious consideration of thy incomprehensible Majesty may beget in us profound humility and constant obedience and the frequent meditation of thy infinite goodness may move our wills to love thee above all things that we may here in reverence to thy word believe what we do not see and may hereafter in the blissful Vision of thy glory see what now we cannot comprehend thro Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen The LITANY to God the Father O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Father which art in Heaven Father of Glory whose face the holy Angels behold continually in heaven who hast life in thy self Have mercy on us Father of whom are all things who hast made us after thine own Image and gavest us dominion over the rest of thy Creatures Have mercy on us Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom all paternity is called and derived in heaven and in earth Have mercy on us Who art well pleased in thy Son who lovest him and hast given all things into his hands And who by a voice from heaven didst glorify Him Have mercy on us Who so lovedst the world that thou gavest thy only begotten Son that we should have life by him and would'st have thy Son take upon him the form of a Servant to redeem us that were in bondage Have mercy c. Who by thy Son hast predestinated us into the Adoption of Sons and hast elected us in him before the foundation of the world that we might be holy and unspotted before thee Have mercy on us Who would'st have us conformable to the Image of thy Son and hast called us into Fellowship with him and hast made us acceptable in thy beloved Son without whom none cometh to the Son unless thou O Father drawest him Have mercy on us O Father who sendest out thy Spirit and they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth who fillest the world with thy spirit and givest it to them that ask it of thee Have mercy on us Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth who hidest thy mysteries from the wise and revealest them to little ones Have mercy on us Father of mercies and God of all consolation by whom all the hairs of our head are numbred who comfortest us in all our tribulations and hast blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Have mercy on us Who out of thy abundant charity hast vouchsafed to make us partakers of the inheritance of thy Saints and
O Holy Spirit the Comforter in all afflictions and sufferings giving ability to bear them internal peace and spiritual joy in them and who art the author of a constant lively hope and confidence in God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who distributest and dividest thy gifts and graces variously to every one according to thy good pleasure Have mercy on us The Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of knowledge and truth the Spirit of counsel and fortitude Have mercy on us The Spirit of sobriety chastity and temperance the Spirit of modesty patience and prayer Have mercy on us The Spirit of humility benignity and meekness the Spirit of compunction sanctification and the fear of God the Spirit of peace and love Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart and reproving the World of sin of justice and of judgment Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Holy Spirit Be merciful and hear us O Holy Spirit From all temptations and deceits of the Devil from all sin and every evil Spirit Deliver us O Holy Spirit From all filthiness and uncleanness of soul and body from the Spirit of fornication from the Spirit of anger strife contention and envy and all uncharitableness Deliver us O holy Spirit From all presumption and despair from opposing the known truth from hardness of heart and final impenitency Deliver us O holy Spirit By thy eternal procession from the Father and the Son by the miraculous conception of the Son of God by thy operation by thy descent upon our Saviour at his Baptisme and by thy sitting upon his Apostles Deliver us O holy Spirit In the day of Judgment Deliver us O holy Spirit We Sinners beseech Thee to hear us O holy Spirit That thou would'st spare us That thou wouldst keep us from blaspheming thee O Holy Ghost and from doing any contumely to the Spirit of Grace We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may never quench grieve or neglect this Holy Spirit but may prepare our hearts for thy holy inspirations and may diligently hearken to discover and obey thy godly motions which lead us to all perfection We sinners beseech Thee c. That remembring how we are the Temples of the Holy Ghost we may take heed of violating them and that as we live by the Spirit we may walk in the Spirit and fulfil no more the lusts of the flesh but by the Spirit mortify the deeds thereof so that sowing in the Spirit we may of the Spirit reap life eternal We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to stir up and cherish in us poverty of Spirit and enkindle in us a hunger and thirst after Justice that we may be peaceable and worthy to be called the Sons of God We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou wouldest infuse into us perfect charity and mercy and that we may constantly and manfully endure persecution for Justice sake We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou would'st vouchasafe us to continue unto the end in faith hope and charity and that we may be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit that is in all thy servants in the bond of peace We sinners beseech Thee c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pour on us the holy Spirit O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send us the promised Spirit from the Father O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us the Spirit of Peace Our Father which art Heaven c. Create in us clean hearts O God And renew right Spirits in our Bowels Cast us not away from thy face O Lord And take not thy holy Spirit from us Restore unto us the joy of thy Salvation And confirm us with thy principal Spirit The Grace of thy Holy Spirit Enlighten our senses and hearts O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray O Holy Ghost the Comforter we commend to thee our souls and bodies the beginning and the end of our lives give us grace to be heartily sorry for our sins for the love of God and to do true penance for them that we may be perfectly purified from them before we depart hence out of this mortal body Of our selves O Lord we are corrupt and blind in our affections and desires if we rely on our own judgments easily seduced into error easily overcome by temptation Wherefore to thee O Holy Spirit we wholly offer and commit the guidance of our Souls defend and keep us thy servants from all evil teach and illuminate our minds strengthen our weak Spirits against inordinate pusillanimity and superfluous scruples of conscience and keep us humble that we fall not into presumption Give us a right faith unmovable hope and perfect charity that we may sweetly delight in thee and every-where fulfil thy will and pleasure who livest and reignest with the Father and Son one God world without end Amen O Eternal God who didst send thy Holy Spirit upon thy Church and didst promise that he should abide with it for ever let the same Spirit lead us to all truth defend us from all sin enrich us with his gifts refresh us with his comforts and rule in our hearts for ever And grant O bountiful Lord the Doner of every good and perfect gift that we may prepare our hearts for his holy inspirations may diligently hearken to clearly discover believe and obey his godly motions may never quench never grieve this Holy Spirit but living in him may by him be sealed to the day of redemption through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth world without end Amen O Blessed Spirit the Almighty Paraclete the communication bond and union of the Father and Son the conduit conveying to us all that we receive from the Father and the Son The dear pledge and token of our absent Lord until his blessed return by whose power all things are enlivened which do truly live and whose delight is to reside and converse in the hearts of the simple which thou vouchsafest to consecrate as Temples to thy self Come gracious Spirit have mercy upon us descend from heaven into our hearts waiting for thy comfort and so fit us for thine own self that through the multitude of thy compassions our meanness may be accepted of thy greatness and our weakness of thy strength Sanctify the temples of our bodies and consecrate them for thy own habitation Make glad with thy presence our Souls that long after thee make ready a mansion fit for thy self adorn thy bride-chamber furnish thy resting place with the variety of thy own gifts and graces drive out from thence whatsoever is old and fading renew in us thy own workman-ship with beauty incorruptible for ever convey into us heavenly light heat and motion that having tasted of the heavenly gift and the powers of the
obtain pardon and forgiveness of all our sins We sinners c. That the receiving thy Body and Blood may not be to us to judgment and condemnation but to life and salvation and that worthily receiving thy Body and Blood we hunger nor thirst any more nor dy eternally We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That through the worthy participation of thy Body and Blood thou in us and we in thee may abide for ever and that as many as eat of this Bread may be made one in peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That in innocence we may compass thine Altar O Lord and together with thy unspotted Sacrifice offer up our selves a living holy and acceptable Sacrifice to God We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That whom we believe to be in this holy Mystery really present tho veiled under the external elements we may behold at length with open face in everlasting glory We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. Son of God who takest away the sins of the world Hear us good Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy on us He gave us food from heaven Man did eat Angels Bread Our Father which art Heaven c. O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray WE adore thee O Lord Jesus with a true and lively faith in the Sacrament of the Altar with thy body and soul thy flesh and blood by the ineffable power of thy wisdome and goodness really present who at thy departure out of this world to the Father left us this Sacrament as a pledge of thy love that by a new and admirable way thou mightst still remain with us whose delight is to be with the Sons of men Cleanse our souls we beseech thee from all our sins and infirmities and feed them with the crums which fall from thy table that we may be filled with the marrow and fatness of thy heavenly blessings Come unto us dear Saviour and heal our sinful souls feed the hungry and refresh the weak Deliver us from all evil make us always adhere to thy commandements and never suffer us to be separated from thee Who livest and reignest one God world without end Amen O God who in this admirable Sacrament hast left us a memorial of thy Passion grant us we beseech thee so worthily to reverence the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood that we may daily find in us the fruit of thy Redemption Who livest and reignest in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen WE adore thee O Saviour of our Souls eternal word of the Father true Sacrifice offered for the sins of the whole world O most precious treasure replenished with all delight the resting place of pure and clean hearts O Angelical viand O Celestial bread O Eternal word of the Father which art for us made flesh and yet remainest God in the self same person We confess Thee most undoubtedly true God and Man consecrated in a most miraculous manner on our Altars to be there given to us and offered to thy Father for us Thou art the assured hope and only Salvation of sinners Thou art the Sovereign restorative of those that languish and the inexhaustible treasure of the poor distressed Pilgrims Hallowed be thy name O most sweet Saviour Jesus Christ may all thy Creatures sing forth praises and thanksgivings unto thee for the love wherewith thou tendrest our welfare by descending from heaven and offering up thy pure and innocent Body on the Cross for our Redemption Hallowed be thy name most blessed Jesus that after thy Resurrection and Ascension since thou wast to ascend into heaven there to sit at the right hand of the Father thou vouchsafest to leave us the self same immortal Body as a memorial of thy departure and a pledge of thy infinite love thou bearest us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy on us and grant us thy peace refresh our Souls with this spiritual and heavenly food and comfort us continually with thy graces that neither in life nor death we may depart from thee nor be deprived at any time of thy celestial benedictions who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost in all Eternity Amen O Most loving Father who sparedst not thy own Son but deliveredst him to death for us all who if we ask thee Bread will not give us a Stone or for an Egg a Scorpion Behold we offer up unto thee Eternal Father this Lamb thy only Son and the infinite merits of his Sacrifice performed on the Cross and beseech thee to give us this day our daily bread bread for the body and all necessaries for this present life whereby we may be the better enabled to serve thee but especially the bread of our Souls the gifts and graces of thy Holy Spirit and whatsoever is necessary to strengthen them lest we faint in the way that we are walking in toward our heavenly country where we shall be abundantly satisfied with the pleasures of thy heavenly table who livest and reignest with the Son and the Holy Ghost one God for ever and ever Amen O Most bountiful Father who givest us from heaven the corn of thine Elect and bread of Life who hast sowed them on earth and laid them up in the Granary of thy Church for the feeding of thy children Grant us frequently to be refreshed with this bread yea spiritually at least to receive it daily which is so useful for us every day and that we may be sustained by this heavenly Viaticum in this our Pilgrimage that in the strength of that food we may travel on to the Mount of God by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen O Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation who in the abundance of thy infinite Charity hath given us thy only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but inherit eternal Life and that our necessities may be relieved out of the immense treasure of his Merits Behold me a wretched Sinner tho called by thy mercy into the Society of your Son now also partaking of his Body and Blood and therefore at this instant embracing him in my Breast and possessing him as my very self and what 's intimately united to me And as such in union of that love wherewith heretofore He gave himself for us on the Altar of the Cross and now communicates himself to us in the Sacrament of the Altar I offer Him to thee with all his merits and virtues to thine everlasting praise and glory that thou may'st be perfectly pleased in him and that we who by no action of our own can by the merits and patronage of thy most beloved Son may be compleatly acceptable to thee I present thee O Holy Father with that entire Charity Religion Humility Meekness
us Holy Mary whose voice made St. John Baptist leap in his Mother's Womb who when being found great with Child barest patiently the purpose of putting thee away Pray for us Holy Mary a Virgin conceiving and bringing forth a Son Immanuel who in one receivedst many Sons and thereby wast made the Mother of us all Pray for us Holy Mary that was turned out of the Inn and laid'st the Saviour of the world in a Manger Pray for us Holy Mary who at the Circumcision of thy only Son gavedst him that sweet and amiable Name JESUS Pray for us Holy Mary who most thankfully presentedst in the Temple that ever Blessed Jesus as a most precious Oblation to God his Father Pray for us Holy Mary that fled'st into Aegypt with thy new-born Babe and thy Husband St. Joseph Pray for us Holy Mary who soughtst thy lost Son three days sorrowing and with great joy foundst him in the Temple so early employed in his Father's business Pray for us Holy Mary who laidst up in thy heart all thou heardst spoken of thy Son Pray for us Holy Mary whose life was intirely dedicated to the constant serving of Jesus with the tenderness of a Mother the duty of a Handmaid and religion of a Votary Pray c. Holy Mary whose Soul was pierced as with a Sword at the crucifying of thy Son Pray for us We beseech thee By thy eternal Election to be the Mother of God Pray for us By the sweetness of thy love whereby thou embracedst thy Infant Son and suckledst him with thy Virgin Breasts Pray for us By the joy of the Angels rejoycing at the Nativity of thy Son Pray for us By the affections of love joy gratitude admiration and praise which thou conceivedst at the beholding of so many Miracles wrought by him Pray for us By all the hardships fears troubles and discommodities which thou didst undergo at Bethlehem in thy flight into Egypt and return from thence to Nazareth Pray for us By the sorrow of a heart of a Mother wherewith thou followedst thy Son going to Mount Calvary by the Sword of most bitter sorrow which pierced thy Soul standing by the Cross of thy Son Pray for us By that joy conceived at the Resurrection of thy Son and which now thou enjoyest for ever Pray for us We beseech Thee That thou wouldest vouchsafe to commend and reconcile us to thy Son Pray for us We c. That thou would'st help comfort and protect us like tender Sons with thy Motherly and most prevalent Intercessions Pray for us We c. That in all our necessities and straits especially at the hour of our deaths thou wouldst obtain for us the clemency of thy Son Pray for us We c. O Son of the B. Virgin which takest away the sins c. Have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy on us O Lamb of God that takest c. Have mercy on us Our Father c. Hail MARY full of Grace c. Blessed is the Womb that bare thee and the Breasts that gave thee suck Blessed are they that hear thy Word and faithfully in their lives observe it O Lord hear our Prayers And let our supplications come unto thee MY Soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Because he hath regarded the humility of his hand-maid Holy Virgin all generations shall call thee Blessed For he that is mighty hath done to thee great things and holy is his Name And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations He hath shewed strength in his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted the humble He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy As he spake to their Fathers Abraham and to his seed for ever Let us pray DEfend O Lord with the protection of peace thy servants trusting in the merits of Jesus and the patronage of the Blessed Virgin his Mother and keep us from all our enemies and from all dangers Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen GRant to thy servants O Lord to enjoy continual health of body and mind and that by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary we may be delivered from present sorrows and obtain eternal felicity thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God and most merciful Father who gavest thy only begotten Son to be born of an humble Virgin that we might be advanced to the adoption of thy children favourably regard the imperfect Prayers of thy servants which we here present unto thee by the efficacious intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary and grant that as her Purity is exalted by thee to the highest degree of glory so her Charity may obtain for us the especial assistance of thy grace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Almighty Eternal God who didst so prepare the Body and Soul of the glorious Virgin Mary by the eo-operation of the Holy Ghost that it became a worthy habitation for thy Son Grant that in whose commemoration we rejoyce by her pious and prevalent intercession we may be delivered both from present evils and everlasting death thro Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen LITANIES of the Holy Angels O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the World Have c. O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son Have mercy on us Holy Mary Mother of God and Queen of Angels Pray for us Holy Angels who standing before the high and mighty Throne of God sing continually Holy Holy Holy Pray for us Holy Angels who always behold the face of God in Heaven and serve before his Throne and who always obey his word and do his will Pray for us Holy Angels who have committed to you from God the care and custody of Man ministring Spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of Salvation Pray for us Holy Angels Governors of Provinces Protectors of Kingdomes Defenders of the Church Conservators of the Elect Pray for us Holy Angels carrying up the prayers and services of men to God and bringing down God's blessings unto men Pray for us Holy Angels that excel in strength restraining the power of evil Spirits and malice of wicked men Pray for us Holy Angels that rejoyce in the Conversion of any one Sinner that doth penance Pray for us St. Michael Prince of the heavenly Host who castedst out of heaven the Dragon with his Apostate Angels mighty Prince who always standest to help the people of God Pray for us St. Michael the Receiver of the Souls of the faithful and Conducter of them into Paradise Pray for us St. Gabriel who revealedst to Daniel the sacred Visions who warredst against the Prince of the Persians for the people of
God who publishedst to Zachary the birth and office of St. John Baptist and sent from God to the Blessed Virgin wast the happy Messenger of the Incarnation of the eternal Word of God Pray for us St. Raphael one of the Seven which assist before our Lord the holy conducter of Tobias the restorer of sight and powerful expeller of evil Spirits Pray for us Holy Seraphin who with a burning coal purified the lips of Esaias Pray for us Holy Cherubin who wast set to keep the way of the Tree of Life Pray for us O Holy Angels who in executing judgment on Sodom deliveredst just Lot vexed with their filthy conversation Pray for us Holy Angels who ascended and descended upon Jacob's Ladder Pray for us Holy Angel who deliveredst Jacob from all evil Pray for us O Angel of God who in smiting all the first born of Egypt passedst over the houses of the Israelites who conductedst them into the land of Promise and deliveredst the Law unto Moses Pray for us O Prince of the Host of God who wast sent to aid Joshuah and who destroyedst of the Assyrians warring against God's people an hundred fourscore and five thousand in one night Pray for us Holy Angel who when Daniel was cast into the Lyon's Den shuttedst up their mouths that they might not hurt him Pray for us Holy Angels who joyfully sung Glory to God on high at the Birth of the Saviour of Mankind Pray for us Holy Angels who ministred to our Lord when anhungred in the Wilderness Pray for us Holy Angel who comfortedst our Lord in his Agony Pray for us Holy Angels who first declared the joyful news of our Lord's Resurrection Pray for us O ye Angels of God who brought out of prison and set at large the Apostles and St. Peter and struck with an ignominious death proud Herod not giving Honor to God Pray for us Holy Angels who carried the Soul of Lazarus into Abraham's Bosome Pray for us O Holy Angels who shall come with our Saviour in his Majesty to judgment and at the end of the world shall gather the Elect from the four winds and separate the wicked from amongst the just and gather all scandals out of the Kingdome of Christ Pray for us O all ye Orders of Blessed Spirits Angels and Arch-Angels Vertues and Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers Cherubin and Seraphin Pray for us O Christ who art placed above all Principalities and Powers and Thrones and Dominions and every name that is named not only in this world but that to come Have mercy on us From all dangers By thy Holy Angels Deliver us O Lord. From the temptations snares and illusions of the devil By thy Holy Angels Deliver us O Lord. From all filthy and unclean cogitations and suggestions By thy Holy Angels Deliver us O Lord. From all filthy and unclean cogitations and suggestions By thy Holy Angels Deliver us O Lord. From the counsels and malice of wicked men and all evil company By thy Holy Angels Deliver us O Lord. From sudden and unprovided death By thy Holy Angels Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That thou wouldst spare us and give thy Holy Angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways We sinners c. That thou wouldst direct and govern thy Church and grant to all Christian Societies unity peace and concord by the Ministration of thy Holy Angels We sinners c. That thou wilt be pleased at the hour of death to guard us with the defence and protection of thy Holy Angels We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That thou wilt be pleased to transport our Souls when they depart out of our bodies into the heavenly mansions by their ministry We sinners beseech thee to hear us That thou wouldst grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed in the blessed Society of thy Holy Angels We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away c. Our Father which art Heaven c. A Hymn PRaise our Lord from the Heavens praise our Lord from the heights Praise our Lord all ye his Angels praise him all his Hosts Bless our Lord all ye Angels of his powerful in strength doing his will fulfilling his word O all ye Powers of our Lord bless ye our Lord ye ministring Spirits that do his will Bless our Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits Who hath delivered thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with mercy and tender compassion For he hath given his holy Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder the young Lion and Dragon shalt thou trample under feet He shall send his Angels round about them that fear him and deliver them Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Before the Angels will I sing praise unto thee I will adore towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name O Lord. O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto Thee Let us pray O Eternal God who in thy wonderful providence hast made the Angels ministring Spirits and sendest them in mission for the good of thine Elect behold with pity the temptations and dangers to which the frailty of our nature is perpetually exposed and give thy holy Angels charge to bear us in their hands and cover us under the shadow of their wings that being guided thro the desert of this life by their safe conduct we may enter at last into the land of Promise and rejoyce for ever in their blessed Society thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Almighty and everlasting God who madest us thy unworthy Servants after thy own Image and hast deputed thy holy Angels for our Keepers Grant unto thy Servants that by their defence and custody we happily pass thro all dangers of Body and Soul and after this life ended attain to everlasting joys together with them thro Jesus Christ Amen WE beseech you O Angelical Spirits our faithful Guardians and Keepers direct and guide us by the divine Bounty committed to your care and protection this day and for ever in the way of peace prosperity and safety defend us likewise from every evil spirit and dangerous temptation until we arrive to the blessed Vision in our heavenly Country and there together with you and all the Saints praise the common Saviour of us all for ever and ever Amen O Holy Michael the Arch-angel Prince of the Host of Heaven who standest always for the help of the people of God who foughtest with the great Dragon that old Serpent and threwest him out of Heaven and valiantly defendest the Church of God so that the gates of Hell cannot prevail against it We beg of thee from the
judge the living and the dead Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God at whose presence the earth shall be moved and the heavens melt away Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God in whose blessed book of Life their names are written Give eternal rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed The Antiphon DEliver us O Lord and all thy Faithful in that day of terror when the Sun and Moon shall be darkned and the Stars fall down from heaven in that day of calamity and amazement when heaven it self shall shake and the Pillars of the earth be moved and the glorious Majesty of Jesus come with innumerable Angels to judge the world by fire Deliver us O Lord in that dreadful day And place us with thy blessed at thy right hand for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come to thee ALmighty God with whom do live the Spirits of the perfect and in whose holy custody are deposited the Souls of all those that depart hence in an inferior degree of thy grace who being by their imperfect Charity rendred unworthy thy presence are detained in a state of grief and from thy beatifical sight as we bless thee for the Saints already admitted to thy glory so we humbly offer our Prayers for thy afflicted servants who continually wait and sigh after the day of their deliverance Pardon their sins supply their unpreparedness and wipe away the tears from their eyes that they may see thee and in thy glorious light eternally rejoyce Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Eternal God who besides the general precepts of Charity hast commanded a particular respect to parents kindred and benefactors grant we beseech thee that as they were the instruments by which thy providence bestowed on us our birth education and innumerable other benefits so our Prayers may be a means to obtain for them a speedy delivery from any privation of bliss which they may suffer for their sins and a free admittance to thy infinite joys Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen MOst wise and merciful Lord who hast ordained this life as a passage to the future confining our Conversion to the time of our Pilgrimage here and reserving for hereafter the state of punishment and reward vouchsafe us thy grace who are yet alive and still have opportunity of reconcilement to thee so to watch over all our actions and correct every least deviation from the true way to Heaven that we be neither surprised with our sins uncancelled nor our duties imperfect but when our Bodies go down into the grave our Souls may ascend to thee and dwell for ever in the mansions of eternal felicity Thro Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen The LITANY of Christian Virtues O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Lord just and good and a rewarder of all those that seek thee diligently Have mercy on us Who createdst our first Parents in innocency and holiness after thine own image and gavest a testimony to the offerings of just Abel Have mercy on us Who savedst in the Ark from the Flood Noah a Preacher of Justice and deliveredst from the Fire just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked Have mercy on us Who gavedst the Promise to Abraham found faithful after many trials Have mercy on us Who deliveredst Jacob endued with a wonderful patience and confidence in adversities from all evils and gavest a joyful end to thy servant Job that pattern of patience Have mercy on us Who rewardest the singular modesty and chastity of Joseph with the rule over Aegypt Have mercy on us Who choosest Moses the meekest man upon earth to be Ruler over thy people and electedst Joshuah notable for valour and constancy to lead thy people into the land of Promise Have mercy on us Who gavest the Priesthood to the Sons of Levi for their great courage in vindicating thine honor and deliveredst from all dangers the Prophet Elias for his incomparable Zeal for thy true worship against the false Prophets and at length took'st him up into heaven Have mercy on us Who set'st Samuel Judge over thy people a lover of Justice and free from bribes And liftedst up David a man after thy own heart in the faithful service of thee to be King of Israel Have mercy on us Who replenishedst Solomon humbly begging Wisdome of thee both with it and many other Graces And adornedst Daniel and his Companions being singularly temperate and sober with wisdome and beauty Have mercy c. Who chosest the Blessed Virgin Mary adorned with singular chastity humility obedience and all other Virtues to be the Mother of thy Son Have mercy on us Who sentest John Baptist a fore-runner of thy Son a Preacher of penance and of great austerities and abstinence Have mercy on us Who sentest JESUS Christ thy only begotten Son into the world the pattern of all Holiness that we should follow his example Have mercy on us Who hast chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we also should be holy and unblameable in thy sight Have mercy on us Who hast predestinated us that we should be made conformable to the image of thy Son and hast created us in him to good works which thou hast ordained that we should walk in them Have mercy on us Who hast redeemed us from our vain conversation by the precious blood of Christ and hast regenerated us by thy word unto a lively hope of an eternal inheritance Have mercy on us O Jesu who knewest no sin neither was guile found in thy mouth but appearedst to take away the sins of the world Have mercy on us JESUS who barest our sins in thy body on the Cross that we being dead unto sin may live unto Justice and Holiness Have mercy on us Who hast delivered us out of darkness into light from the power of Satan into thy Kingdome and hast bestowed upon us the remission of sins and an inheritance amongst thy Saints Have mercy on us Who promisedst thy Disciples that forsook all for thee twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel who committedst unto St. Peter notably confessing and loving thee the feeding of thy sheep Have mercy on us Who vouchsafest to St. John notable for chastity the singular priviledge of thy love Have mercy on us Who sendedst thy holy Spirit whereby divine Charity is spread abroad in our hearts Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and grant unto us O Lord The virtue of humility and patience spiritual poverty and meekness longanimity and obedience to those that are set over us Grant unto us O Lord A quiet mind and contented with our present condition true peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Grant us c.