against me but thy rod gently correct my follies and guide me in thy waies and thy staffe support me in all sufferings and changes Preserve me from fracture of bones from noisâ—me infectious and sharp sicknesses from great violences of Fortune and sudden surprises keep all my senses intire till the day of my death and let my death be neither sudden untimely nor unprovided let it be after the common manner of men having in it nothing extraordinary but an extraordinary piety and the manifestation of thy great and miraculous mercy IV. LEt no riches make me ever forget my self no poverty ever make me to forget thee Let no hope or fear no pleasure or pain no accident without no weakness within hinder or discompose my duty or turn me from the waies of thy Commandements O let thy spirit dwell with me for ever and make my soul just and charitable full oâ— honesty full of religion resolute and constant in holy purposes but inflexible to evil Make me humble and obedient peaceable and pious let me never envy any mans good nor deserve to be despised my self and if I be teach me to bear it with meekness and charity V. GIve me a tender conscience a conversation discreet and affable modest and patient liberal and obliging a body chaste and healthful compitency of living according to my condition contentedness in all estates a resigned will and mortified affections that I may be as thou wouldest have me and my portion may be in the lot of the righteous in the brightness of thy countenance and the glories of eternity Amen Holy is our God Holy is the Almighty * Holy is the immortal Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth have mercy upon me A form of Prayer for the Evening to be said by such who have not time or opportunity to say the publick Prayers appointed for this office I. Evening Prayer O Eternal God Great Father of Men and Angels who hast established the Heavens and the Earth in a wonderful order making day and night to exceed each other I make my humble addresse to thy Divine Majestie begging of thee mercy and protection this night and ever O Lord pardon all my sins my light and rash words the vanity and impiety of my thoughts my unjust and uncharitable actions and whatsoever I have transgressed against thee this day or at any time before Behold O God my soul is troubled in the remembrance of my sins in the frailty and sinfulness of my flesh exposed to every temptation and of it self not able to resist any Lord God of mercy I earnestly beg of thee to give me a great portion of thy grace such as may be sufficient and effectual for the mortification of all my sins and vanities and disorders that as I have formerly served my lust and unworthy desires so now I may give my self up wholly to thy service and the studies of a holy life II. BLessed Lord teach me frequently and sadly to remember my sins and be thou pleased to remember them no more let me never forget thy mercies and doe thou still remember to doe me good Teach me to walk alwaies as in thy presence Ennoble my soule with great degrees of love to thee and consigne my spirit with great fear religion and veneration of thy holy Name and laws that it may become the great imployment of my whole life to serve thee to advance thy glory to root out all the accursed habits of sin that in holiness of life in humility in charity in chastity and all the ornaments of grace I may by patience wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Amen III. TEach me O Lord to number my daies that I may apply my heart unto wisdom ever to remember my last end that I may not dare to sin against thee Let thy holy Angels be ever present with me to keep me in all my waies from the malice and violence of the spirits of darkness from evil company and the occasions and opportunities of evil from perishing in popular judgments from all the waies of sinfull shame from the hands of all mine enemies from a sinful life and from despair in the day of my death Then O brightest Jesu shine gloriously upon me let thy mercies and the light of thy countenance sustain me in all my agonies weaknesses and temptations Give me opportunity of a prudent and spiritual Guide and of receiving the holy Sacrament and let thy loving Spirit so guide me in the waies of peace and safety that with the testimony of a good conscience and the sense of thy mercies and refreshment I may depart this life in the unity of the Church in the love of God and a certain hope of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and most blessed Saviour Amen Our Father c. Another form of Evening Prayer which may also be used at bed-time Our Father c. Psal. 121. I Will lift up my eyes unto the hils from whence cometh my help My help cometh of the Lord which made heaven and earth He will not suffer thy foot to be moved he that keepeth thee will not slumber Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord is thy keeper the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand The sun shall not smite thee by day neither the moon by night The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore Glory be to the Father c. I. VIsit I beseech thee O Lord this habitation with thy mercy and me with thy grace and salvation Let thy holy Angels pitch their tents round about and dwel here that no illusion of the night may abuse me the spirits of darkness may not come neer to hurt me no evil or sad accident oppresse me and let the eternall spirit of the father dwell in my soul and body filling every corner of my heart with light and grace Let no deed of darkness overtake me and thy blessing most blessed GOD be upon me for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen II. INto thy hands most blessed Jesu I commend my soul and body for thou hast redeemed both with thy most precious blood So blesse and sanctifie my sleep unto me that it may be temperate holy and safe a refreshment to my wearied body to enable it so to serve my soul that both may serve thee with a never failing duty O let me never sleep in sin or death eternal but give me a watchfull and a prudent spirit that I may omit no opportunity of serving thee that whether I sleep or wake live or die I may be thy servant and thy childe that when the work of my life is done I may rest in the bosome of my Lord till by the voice of the Archangel the tâ—ump of God I shall be awakened and called to sit down and feast in the eternal supper of
the glory of pardoning all my sins and I may reap the fruit of all thy mercies and all thy graces of thy patience and long-suffering even to live a holy life here and to reign with thee for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Ad Sect. 6. Special devotions to be used upon the Lords-day and the great Festvals of Christians In the Morning recite the following form of Thanksgiving upon the special Festivals adding the commēoration of the speciall blessings according to the following prayers adding such prayers as you shall choose out of the foregoing Devotions 2. Besides the ordinary publick duties of the day if you retire into your closet to read and meditate after you have performed that duty say the song of Saint Ambrose commonly called the Te Deum or We praise thee c. then adde the prayers for particular graces which are at the end of the former Chapters such and as many of them as shall fit your present needs and affections ending with the Lords prayer This form of devotion may for variety be indifferently used at other times A form of thanksgiving with a recital of publick and private blessings To be used upon Easter-day Whit-sunday Ascension day and all sundayes of the yeare but the middle part of it may be reserved for the more solemn Festivals and the other used upon the ordinary as every mans affections or leisure shall determine 1. Ex Liturgia S. Basilii magna ex parte O Eternal Essence Lord God Father Almighty maker of all things in Heaven and Earth it is a good thing to give thanks to thee O Lord and to pay to thee all reverence worship and devotion from a clean and prepared heart and with an humble spirit to present a living and reasonable sacrifice to thy holiness and Majesty for thou hast given unto us the knowledge of thy truth and who is able to declare thy greatness and to recount all thy mervellous works which thou hast done in all the generations of the world O Great Lord and Governour of all things Lord and Creator of all things visible and invisible who sittest upon the throne of thy glory and beholdest the secrets of the lowest abysse and darkness thou art without beginning uncircumscribed incomprehensible unalterable and seated for ever unmoveable in thy own essentiall happiness and tranquillity Thou art the Father of our Lord JESUS CHRIST who is Our Deerest and most Gracious Saviour our hope the wisdom of the Father the image of thy goodness the Word eternal and the brightness of thy person the power of God from eternal ages the true light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the World the Redemption of Man and the Sanctification of our Spirits By whom the holy Ghost descended upon the Church the holy Spirit of truth the seal of adoption the earnest of the inheritance of the Saints the first fruits of everlasting felicity the life-giving power the fountain of sanctification the comfort of the Church the ease of the afflicted the support of the weak the wealth of the poor the teacher of the doubtfull scrupulous and ignorant the anchor of the fearfull the infinite reward of all faithfull souls by whom all reasonable understanding creatures serve thee and send up a never-ceasing and a never-rejected sacrifice of prayer and praises and adoration All Angels and Archangels all thrones and Dominions all Principalities and Powers the Cherubims with many eyes and the Seraphims covered with wings from the terror and amazement of thy brightest glory These and all the powers of Heaven do perpetually sing praises and never-ceasing Hymns and eternall Anthems to the glory of the eternall God the Almighty Father of Men and Angels Holy is our God Holy is the Almighty Holy is the Immortal Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory Amen With these holy and blessed Spirits I also thy servant O thou great lover of souls though I be unworthy to offer praise to such a Majesty yet out of my bounden duty humbly offer up my heart and voice to joyn in this blessed quire and confess the glories of the Lord. * For thou art holy and of thy greatness there is no end and in thy justice and goodness thou hast measured out to us all thy works Thou madest man out of the earth and didst form him after thine own image thou didst place him in a garden of pleasure and gavest him laws of righteousness to be to him a seed of immortality O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness and declare the wonders that he hath done for the children of men For when man sinned and listned to the whispers of a tempting spirit and refused to hear the voice of God thou didst throw him out from Paradise and sentest him to till the Earth but yet left not his condition without remedy but didst provide for him the salvation of a new birth and by the blood of thy Son didst redeem and pay the price to thine own justice for thine own creature lest the work of thine owne hands should perish O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. For thou O Lord in every age didst send testimonies from Heaven blessings and Prophets and fruitfull seasons and preachers of righteousness and miracles of power and mercy thou spakest by thy Prophets and saidst I will help by one that is mighty and in the fulness of time spakest to us by thy Son by whom thou didst make both the Worlds who by the word of his power sustains all things in Heaven and Earth who thought it no robery to be equall to the Father who being before all time was pleased to be born in time to converse with men to be incarnate of a holy Virgin he emptied himself of all his glories took on him the form of a servant in all things being made like unto us in a soul of passions and discourse in a body of humility and sorrow but in all things innocent and in all things afflicted and suffered death for us that we by him might live and be partakers of his nature and his glories of his body and of his Spirit of blessings of earth and of the immortal felicities in Heaven O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. For thou O holy and immortal God O sweetest Saviour Jesus wert made under the Law to condemn sin in the flesh thou who knewest no sin wert made sin for us thou gavest to us righteous Commandements and madest known to us all thy Fathers will thou didst redeem us from our vain conversation and from the vanity of Idols false principles and foolish confidences and broughtest us to the knowledge of the true and onely God and our Father and hast made us to thy self a peculiar people of thy own purchase a royall Priest-hood a holy Nation Thou hast washed our soules in the Laver of Regeneration the Sacrament of
case is so with us that we are reduced to that Religion which no man can forbid which we can keep in the midst of a persecution by which the Martyrs in the daies of our Fathers went to Heaven that by which we can be servants of God and receive the Spirit of Christ and make use of his comforts and live in his love and in charity with all men and they that doe so cannot perish My Lord I have now described some general lines and features of that Religion which I have more particularly set down in the following pages in which I have neither served nor desserved the interest of any party of Christians as they are divided by uncharitable names from the rest of their brethren and no man will have reason to be angry with me for refusing to mingle in his unnecessary or vitious quarrels especially while I study to doe him good by conducting him in the narrow way to Heaven without intricating him in the Labyrinths and wilde turnings of Questions and uncertain talkings I have told what men ought to doe and by what means they may be assisted and in most cases I have also told them why and yet with as much quickness as I could think necessary to establish a Rule and not to ingage in Homily or Discourse In the use of which Rules although they are plain useful and fitted for the best and worst understandings and for the needs of all men yet I shall desire the Reader to proceed with the following advises 1. They that will with profit make use of the proper instruments of virtue must so live as if they were alwaies under the Physicians hand For the Counsels of Religion are not to be applied to the distempers of the soul as men use to take Hellebore but they must dwell together with the Spirit of a man and be twisted about his understanding for ever They must be used like nourishment that is by a daily care and meditation not like a single medicine and upon the actual pressure of a present necessity For counsels and wise discourses applied to an actuall distemper at the best are but like strong smels to an Epileptick person sometimes they may raise him but they never cure him The following rules if they be made familiar to our natures and the thoughts of every day may make Virtue and Religion become easie and habitual but when the temptation is present and hath already seised upon some portions of our consent we are not so apt to be counsell'd and we finde no gust or relish in the Precept the Lessons are the same but the Instrument is unstrung or out of tune 2. In using the instruments of virtue we must be curious to distinguish instruments from duties and prudent advices from necessary injunctions and if by any other means the duty can be secured let there be no scruples stirred concerning any other helps onely if they can in that case strengthen and secure the duty or helpe towards perseverance let them serve in that station in which they can be placed For there are some persons in whom the Spirit of God hath breathed so bright a flame of love that they doe all their acts of virtue by perfect choice and without objection and their zeal is warmer then that it will be allayed by temptation and to such persons mortification by Philosophical instruments as fasting sackcloth and other rudenesses to the body is wholly uselesse It is alwaies a more uncertain means to acquire any virtue or secure any duty and if love hath filled all the corners of our soul it alone is able to doe all the work of God 3. Be not nice in stating the obligations of Religion but where the duty is necessary and the means very reasonable in it self dispute not too busily whether in all Circumstances it can fit thy particular but super totam materiam upon the whole make use of it For it is a good signe of a great Religion and no imprudence when we have sufficiently considered the substance of affairs then to be easie humble obedient apt and credulous in the circumstances which are appointed to us in particular by our spiritual Guides or in general by all wise men in cases not unlike He that gives Alms does best not alwaies to consider the minutes and strict measures of his ability but to give freely incuriously and abundantly A man must not weigh grains in the accounts of his repentance but for a great sin have a great sorrow and a great severity and in this take the ordinary advices though it may be a lesse rigour might not be insufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Arithmetical measures especially of our own proportioning are but arguments of want of Love and of forwardness in Religion or else are instruments of scruple and then become dangerous Use the rule heartily and enough and there will be no harm in thy errour if any should happen 4. If thou intendest heartily to serve God and avoid sin in any one instance refuse not the hardest and most severe advice that is prescribed in order to it though possibly it be a stranger to thee for whatsoever it be custome will make it easie 5. When many instruments for the obtaining any virtue or restraining any vice are propounded observe which of them fits thy person or the circumstances of thy need and use it rather then the other that by this means thou may'st be engaged to watch and use spiritual arts and observation about thy soule Concerning the managing of which as the interest is greater so the necessities are more and the cases more intricate and the accidents and dangers greater and more importunate and there is greater skill required then in the securing an estate or restoring health to an infirm body I wish all men in the world did heartily beleive so much of this as is true it would very much help to doe the work of God Thus My Lord I have made bold by your hand to reach out this little scroll of cautions to all those who by seeing your honour'd name set before my Book shall by the faireness of such a Frontispice be invited to look into it I must confesse it cannot but look like a design in me to borrow your name and beg your Patronage to my book that if there be no other worth in it yet at least it may have the splendor and warmth of a burning-glasse w th borrowing a flame from the Eye of Heaven shines burns by the rayes of the Sun its patron I will not quit my self from the suspicion for I cannot pretend it to be a present either of it self fit to be offer'd to such a personage or any part of a just return but I humbly desire you would own it for an acknowledgment of those great endearments and noblest usages you have past upon me But so men in their Religion give a piece of Gum or the fat of a cheap Lamb in Sacrifice
the heart and the want of this consideration was declared to be the cause why Israel sinned so grievously For they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not Ezek. 9 9. Psal. 10.11 therefore the land is full of blood and the city full of perversness What a child would doe in the eye of his Father and a Pupil before his Tutor and a Wife in the presence of her Husband and a Servant in the sight of his master let us alwaies doe the same for we are made a spectacle to God to Angels and to men we are alwaies in the sight and presence of the All-seeing and Almighty God who also is to us a Father and a Guardian a Husband and a Lord. Prayers and Devotions according to the religion and purposes of the foregoing Considerations I. For grace to spend our time well O Eternal God who from all eternity doest behold and love thy own glories and perfections infinite and hast created me to doe the work of God after the manner of men and to serve thee in this generation and according to my capacities give me thy grace that I may be a curious and prudent spender of my time so as I may best prevent or resist all temptation and be profitable to the Christian Common-wealth and by discharging all my duty may glorifie thy Name Take from me all slothfulness and give me a diligent and an active spirit and wisdom to choose my imployment that I may doe works proportionable to my person and to the dignity of a Christian and may fill up all the spaces of my time with actions of religion and charity that when the Devil assaults me he may not finde me idle and my dearest Lord at his sudden coming may finde me busie in lawful necessary and pious actions improving my talent intrusted to me by thee my Lord that I may enter into the joy of my Lord to partake of his eternal felicities even for thy mercy sake and for my dearest Saviours sake Amen ¶ Here follows the devotion of ordinary daies for the right imploiment of those portions of time which every day must allow for religion The first prayers in the Morning as sâ—â—n as we are dressed ¶ Humbly and reverently compose your self with heart lift up to God and your head bowed and meekely kneeling upon your knees say the Lords Prayer after which use the following Collects or as many of them as you shall choose Our Father which art in Heaven c. I. An act of adoration being the song that the Angels sing in Heaven HOly Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Heaven and Earth Angels and Men the Aire and the Sea give glory and honour and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne who liveth for ever and ever Rev. 11.17 All the blessed spirits and souls of the righteous cast their crowns before the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and ever 5.10.13 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 Rev 15.3 Great and marvellous are thy works O Lord God Almighty Just and true are thy waies thou King of Saints Thy wisdome is infinite thy mercies are glorious and I am not worthy O Lord to appear in thy presence before whom the Angels hide their faces O Holy and eternal Jesus Lamb of God who wert slain from the beginning of the world thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every nation and hast made us unto our GOD Kings and priests and we shall reigne with thee for ever Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Amen II. An act of thanksgiving being the song of David for the Morning Sâ—ng praises unto the Lord O ye saints of his and give thanks to him for a remembrance of his holiness For his wrath indureth but the twinkling of an eye and in his pleasure is life heaviness may indure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Thou Lord hast preserved me this night from the violence of the spirits of darkness from all sad casualties and evil accidents from the wrath which I have every day deserved thou hast brought my soul out of hell thou hast kept my life from them that go down into the pit thou hast shewed me marvellous great kindness and hast blessed me for ever the greatness of thy glory reacheth unto the heavens and thy truth unto the clouds Therefore shal every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing O my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever Alleluâ—ah III. An act of oblation or presenting our selves to God for the day MOst Holy and Eternal God Lord and Soveraigne of all the creatures I humbly present to thy divine Majesty my self my soul and body my thoughts and my words my actions and intentions my passions and my sufferings to be disposed by thee to thy glory to be blessed by thy providence to be guided by thy counsel to be sanctified by thy Spirit and afterwards that my body and soul may be received into glory for nothing can perish which is under thy custody and the enemy of souls cannot devour what is thy portion nor take it out of thy hands This day O Lord and all the daies of my life I dedicate to thy honour and the actions of my calling to the uses of grace and the religion of all my daies to be united 〈◊〉 the merits and intercession of my holy Saviour Jesus that in him and for him I may be pardoned and accepted Amen IV. An act of repentance or contrition FOr as for me I am not worthy to be called thy servant much lesse am I worthy to be thy son for I am the vilest of sinners and the worst of men a lover of the things of the world and a despiser of the things of God proud and envious lustfulâ— and intemperate greedy of sin and impatient of reproof desirouâ— to seem holy and negligent of being so transported with interest fool'd with presumption and false principles disturbed with anger with a peevish and unmortified spirit and disordered by a whole body of sin and death Lord pardon all my sins for my sweetest Saviours sake thou who didst die for me Holy Jesus save me and deliver me reserve not my sinnes to be punished in the day of wrath and eternal vengeance but wash away my sins and blot them out of thy remembrance and purifie my soul with the waters of repentance and the blood of the crosse that for what is past thy wrath may not come out against me and for the time to come I may never provoke thee to anger or to jealousie O just and dear God be pitiful and gracious to thy servant Amen V. The Prayer or Petition BLesse me gracious God in my calling to such
purposes as thou shalt choose for me or imploy me in Releive me in all my sadnesses make my bed in my sicknesse give me patience in my sorrows confidence in thee and grace to call upon thee in all temptations O be thou my guide in all my actions my Protector in all dangers give me a healthful body and a clear understanding a sanctified and just a charitable and humble a religious and a contented spirit let not my life be miserable and wretched nor my name stained with sin and shame nor my condition lifted up to a tempting and dangerous fortune but let my condition be blessed my conversation usefull to my Neighbours and pleasing to thee that when my body shall lie down in its bed of darkness my soul may passe into the Regions of light and live with thee for ever through Jesus Christ. Amen VI. An act of intercession or prayer for others to be added to this or any other office as our devotion or duty or their needs shall determine us O GOD of infinite mercy who hast compassion on all men and relievest the necessities of all that call to thee for help hear the prayers of thy servant who is unworthy to ask any petition for himself yet in humility and duty is bound to pray for others For the Church O let thy mercy descend upon the whole Church preserve her in truth and peace in unity and safety in all stormes and against â—ll temptations and enemies that she offering to thy glory the never ceasing sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving may advance the honour of her Lord and be filled with his Spirit and partake of his glory Amen For the King In mercy remember the King preserve his person in health and honour his crown in wealth and dignity his kingdoms in peace and plenty and Churches under his protection in piety and knowledge and a strict and holy religion keep him perpetually in thy fear and favour and crown him with glory and immortality Amen For the Clergy Remember them that minister about holy things let them be clothed with righteousness and sing with joyfulness Amen For Wife or Husband Blesse thy servant my Wife or Husband with health of body and of spirit O let the hand of thy blessing be upon his or her head night and day and support him in all necessities strengthen him in all temptations comfort him in all his sorrows and let him be thy servant in all changes and make us both to dwell with thee for ever in thy favour in the light of thy countenance and in thy glories Amen For our Children Blesse my children with healthful bodies with good understandings with the graces and gifts of thy Spirit with sweet dispositions and holy habits and sanctifie them throughout in their bodies and souls and spirits and keep them unblameable to the comming of the â—ord Jesus Amen For Freinds and Benefactors Be pleased O Lord to remember my friends all that have prayed for me and all that have done me good here name such whom you would specially recommend Doe thou good to them and return all their kindness double into their own bosome rewarding them with blessings and sanctifying them with thy graces and bringing them to glory For our Family Let all my family and kindred my neighbours and acquaintance here name what other relation you please receive the benefit of my prayers and the blessings of God the comforts and supports of thy providence and the sanctification of thy spirit For all in misery Relieve and comfort all the persecuted and afflicted speak peace to troubled consciences strengthen the weak confirm the strong i◠〈◊〉 the ignorant deliver the oppressed 1. 〈◊〉 that spoileth him and relieve the needy that hath no helper and brings us all by the waters of comfort and in the waies of righteousness to the kingdom of rest and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen To God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ To the eternal Son that was incarnate and born of a Virgin To the Spirit of the Father and the Son be all honour and glory worship and thanksgiving now and for ever Amen Another form of prayer for the Morning In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Our Father c. I MOst glorious and eternal God Father of mercy and God of all comfort I worship and adore thee with the lowest humility of my soul and body and give thee all thanks and praise for thy infinite and essential gâ—â—ries and perfections and for the continual demonstration of thy mercies upon me upon all mine and upon thy holy Catholick Church II. I Acknowledge dear God that I have deserved the greatest of thy wrath and indignation and that if thou hadst dealt with me according to my deserving I had now at this instant been desperately bewailing my miseries in the sorrows and horrors of a sad eternity But thy mercy triumphing over thy justice and my sins thou hast still continued to me life and time of repentance thou hast opened to me the gates of grace and mercy and perpetually callest upon me to enter in and to walk in the paths of a holy life that I might glorifie thee and be glorified of thee eternally III. BEhold O God for this thy great and unspeakable goodness for the preservation of me this night and for all other thy graces and blessings I offer up my soul and body all that I am and all that I have as a Sacrifice to thee and thy service humbly begging of thee to pardon all my sins to defend me from all evil to lead me into all good and let my portion be amongst thy redeemed ones in the gathering together of the Saints in the Kingdom of grace and glory IV. GUide me O Lord in all the changes and varities of the world that in all things that shall happen I may have an evenness 〈◊〉 â—â—anquility of spirit that my soule may be wholly resigned to thy Divinest will and pleasure never murmuring at thy gentle chastisements and fatherly correction never waxing proud and insolent though I feel a torrent of comforts and prosperous successes V. FIx my thoughts my hopes and my desires upon Heaven and heavenly things teach me to despise the world to repent me deeply for my sins give me holy purposes of amendment and ghostly strength and assistances to perform faithfully whatsoever I shall intend piously Enrich my understanding with an eternal treasure of Divine truths that I may know thy will and thou who workest in us to will and to doe of thy good pleasure teach me to obey all thy Commandments to believe all thy Revelations and make me partaker of all thy gracious promises VI. TEach me to watch over all my waies that I may never be surprised by sudden temtations or a careless spirit nor ever return to folly and vanity Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the
parts of it 1. Sobriety 2. Justice 3. Religion For the grace of God bringing salvation hath appeared to all men T it 2.11 12. teaching us that denying ungodlyness and wordly lusts we should live 1. Soberly 2. Righteously and 3. Godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The first contains all our deportment in our personal and private capacities the fair treating of our bodies and our spirits The second enlarges our duâ—y in all relations to our Neighbour The third contains the offices of direct Religion and entercourse with God Christian sobriety is all that duty that concerns our selves in the matter of meat and drink and pleasures and thoughts and it hath within it the duties of 1. Temperance 2. Chastity 3. Humility 4. Modesty 5. Content It is a using severity denial and frustration of our appetite when it grows unreasonable in any of these instances the necessity of which we shall to best purpose understand by considering the evil consequences of sensuality effeminacy or fondness after carnal pleasures Evil consequents of voluptuousness or Sensuality 1. A longing after sensual pleasures is a dissolution of the spirit of a man and makes it loose soft and wandring unapt for noble wise or spiritual imployments because the principles upon which pleasure is chosen and pursued are sottish weak and unlearned Tu si animum vâ—â—isti pâ—tius quà m animus te est quod gaudeaâ— Qui animum vinâ—unt quà m quoâ— animus sâ—mper probiores cluent â—â—num such as preferre the body before the soul the appetite before reason sense before the spirit the pleasures of a short abode before the pleasures of eternity 2. The nature of sensual pleasure is vain empty and unsatisfying biggest alwaies in expectation and a meer vanity in the enjoying and leaves a sting and thoâ—n behinde it when it goes off Our laughing if it be loud and high commonly ends in a deep sigh and all the instances of pleasure have a sting in the tail though they carry beauty on the face and sweetness on the lip 3. Sensual pleasure is a great abuse to the Spirit of a man being a kinde of fascination or witchcraft blinding the understanding and enslaving the will And he that knows he is free-born or redeemed with the blood of the Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian c 2 l. 1. will not easily suffer the freedom of his soul to be intangled and rifled 4. It is most contrary to the state of a Christian whose life is a perpetual exercise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epist. cap 34. a wrastling and warfare to which sensual pleasure disables him by yielding to that enemy with whom he must strive if ever he will be crowned And this argument the Apostle intimated 1 Cor 9 â—5 He that striveth for masteries is temperate in all things Now they doe it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible 5. It is by a certain consequence the greatest impediment in the world to martyrdom that being a fondness this being a cruelty to the flesh to which a Christian man arriving by degrees must first have crucified the lesser affections for he that is overcome by little arguments of pain will hardly consent to lose his life with torments Degrees of Sobriety Against this voluptuousness sobriety is opposed in three degrees 1. A despite or disaffection to pleasures or a resolving against all entertainment of the instances and temptations of sensuality and it consists in the internal faculties of will and understanding decreeing and declaring against them disapproving and disliking them upon good reason and strong resolution 2. A sight and actual warre against all the temptations and offers of sensual pleasure in all evil instances and degrees and it consists in prayer in fasting in cheap diet and hard lodging and laborious exercises and avoiding occasions and using all arts and industry of fortifying the Spirit and making it severe manly and Christian. 3. Spiritual pleasure is the highest degree of Sobriety and in the same degree in which we relish and are in love with spiritual delights the hidden Manna Apoc. 2.17 with the sweetnesses of devotion with the joyes of thanksgiving with rejoicings in the Lord with the comforts of hope with the deliciousness of charity and alms-deeds with the sweetness of a good conscience with the peace of meekness and the felicities of a contented â—pirit in the same degree we disrelish and loath the husks of swinish lusts and the parings of the apples of Sodom and the tast of sinful pleasures is unsavoury as the Drunkards vomit Rules for suppressing voluptuousness The precepts and advices which are of best and of general use in the curing of sensuality are these 1. Accustom thy self to cut off all superfluity in thy provisions of thy life for our desires will enlarge beyond the present possession so long as all the things of this world are unsatisfying if therefore you suffer them to extend beyond the measures of necessity or moderated conveniency they will still swell but you reduce them to a little compasse when you make nature to be your limit Desideria tua parvo redime hoc n. tantum curaâ—e dâ—bes uâ— dâ—sinant Senec. We must more take care that our desires should cease then that they should be satisfied and therefore reducing them to narrow scantlings and small proportions is the best instrument to redeem their trouble and prevent the dropsie because that is next to an universal denying them it is certainly a paring off from them all unreasonableness and irregularity L. 3. Eth c. 12. For whatsoever covets unseemely things and is apt to swell to an inconvenient bulk is to be chastened and tempered and such are sensuality Facilius est initia affectuum pâ—ohibere quà m impetum â—egâ—re Senec cp 86. and a Boy said the Philosopher 2. Suppresse your sensual desires in their first approach for then they are least and thy faculties and election are stronger but if they in their weakness prevail upon thy strengths there will be no resisting them when they are increased and thy abilities lessened you shall scarce obtaine of them to end if you suffer them to begin 3. Divert them with some laudable imployment and take off their edge by inadvertency or a not attending to them For since the faculties of a man cannot at the same time with any sharpness attend to two objects if you imploy your spirit upon a book or a bodily labour or any innocent and indifferent imployment you have no room left for the present trouble of a sensual temptation For to this sense it was that Alexander told the Queen of Caria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that his Tutor Leonidas had provided two Cooks for him Hard marches all night and a small dinner the next day these tamed his youthfull aptnesses to dissolution so long as he eat of
advantages by publishing that person whose work is religion whose company is Angels whose thoughts must dwell in heaven and separate from all mixtures of the world 4. Virgins have a peculiar obligation to charity for this is the virginity of the soul as purity integrity and separation is of the body which doctrine we are taught by S. Peter 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently For a Virgin that consecrates her body to God and pollutes her spirit with rage or impatience or inordinate anger gives him what he most hates a most foul and defiled soul. 5. These Rules are necessary for Virgins that offer that state to God and mean not to enter into the state of marriage for they that only wait the opportunity of a convenient change are to steer themselves by the general Rules of Chastity Rules for Widowes or vidual Chastity For Widows the fontinel of whose desires hath been opened by the former permissions of the marriage-bed they must remember 1 That God hath now restrained the former license bound up their eyes and shut up their heart into a narrower compasse and hath given them sorrow to be a bridle to their desires A Widow must be a mourner and she that is not cannot so well secure the chastity of her proper state 2. It is against pulick honesty to marry another man so long as she is with childe by her former Husband and of the same fame it is in a lesser proportion to marry within the year of mourning but anciently it was infamous for her to marry till by common account the body was dissolved into its first principle of earth 3. A Widow must restrain her memory and her fancy not recalling or recounting her former permissions freer licenses with any present delight for then she opens that sluce which her Husbands death and her own sorrow have shut up 4. A Widow that desires her widowhood should be a state pleasing to God must spend her time as devoted Virgins should in fastings and prayers and charity 5. A Widow must forbid her self to use those temporal solaces which in her former estate were innocent but now are dangerous Rules for married persons or matrimonial chastity Concerning married persons Nisi fundamenta stirpis jucta sint probé miseros necesse est esse deinceps pesteros Eurip. besides the keeping of their mutual faith and contract with each other these particulars are useful to be observed 1. Although their mutual endearments are safe within the protection of marriage yet they that have Wives or Husbands must be as though they had them not that is they must have an affection greater to each other then they have to any person in the world but not greater then they have to God but that they be ready to part with all interest in each others person rather then sin against God 2. In their permissions and license they must be sure to observe the order of Nature and the ends of God Non debentus eodem amico uti 〈◊〉 atoâ—e nec eà dem ut uxor sâ—oâ—tâ— Plut conjug praecept He is an ill Husband that uses his Wife as a man treats â— Harlot having no other end but pleasure Concerning which our best rule is that although in this as in eating and drinking there is an appetite to be satisfied which cannot be done without pleasing that desire yet since that desire and satisfaction was intended by Nature for other ends they should never be separate from those ends but alwaies be joyned with all or one of these ends with a desire of children or to avoid fornication or to lighten and ease the cares and sadnesses of houshold affairs or to endear each other but never with a purpose either in act or desire to separate the sensuality from these ends which hallow it Onan did separate his act from its proper end and so ordered his embraces that his Wife should not conceive and God punished him Non rectè est ab Herodoto dictum simul cum tunica multerem verecundiam exuere Quae nâ— casta est positaÌ„ veste verecundiam ejus loco induit maâ—iâ—rtaue verecioidiâ conjuge tasserâ maximi invicenâ— moris uttentur Plut conjug praecept 3. Married persons must keep such modesty and decency of treating each other that they never force themselves into high and violent lusts with arts and misbecoming devices alwaies remembring that those mixtures are most innocent which are most simple and most natural most orderly and most safe 4. It is a duty of matrimonial chastity to be restrained and temperate in the use of their lawful pleasures concerning which although no universal Rule can antecedently be given to all persons any more then to all bodies one proportion of meat and drink yet married persons are to estimate the degree of their license according to the following proportions * 1. That it be moderate so as to consist with health * 2. That it be so ordered as not to be too expensive of time that precious opportunity of working out our salvation * 3. That when duty is demanded it be alwaies payed so farre as is in our powers and election according to the foregoing measures * That it be with a temperate affection without violent transporting desires or too sensual applications Concerning which a man is to make judgment by proportion to other actions and the severities of his religion and the sentences of sober and wise persons alwaies remembring that marriage is a provision for supply of the natural necessities of the body not for the artificial and procured appetites of the minde And it is a sad truth that many married persons thinking that the flood-gates of liberty are set wide open without measures or restraints so they sail in that channel have felt the final rewards of intemperance and lust by their unlawful using of lawful permissions Only let each of them be temperate and both of them be modest Socrates was wont to say that those women to whom Nature had not been indulgent in good features and colours should make it up themselves with excellent manners and those who were beautiful and comely should be careful that so fair a body be not polluted with unhandsome usages De conjug precept To which Plutarch adds that a Wife if she be unhandsome should consider how extremely ugly she should be if she wanted modesty but if she be handsome let her think how gracious that beauty would be if she superadds chastity 5. Married persons by consent are to abstain from their mutual entertainments at solemn times of devotion not as a duty of it self necessary but as being the most proper act of purity which in their condition they can present to God and being a good advantage for attending their preparation to the solemn duty and their demeanour in
they are excellent in order to certain ends And the second cannot be cause of sorrow because he hath no need to use them as the case now stands being provided for with the provisions of an Angel and the manner of Eternity However the sons and the parents friends and relatives are in the world like hours and minutes to a day The hour comes must pass and some stay but minutes and they also pass shall never return again But let it be considered that from the time in which a man is conceived from that time forward to Eternity he shall never cease to be and let him die young or old still he hath an immortal soul and hath laid down his body only for a time as that which was the instrument of his trouble and sorrow and the scene of sicknesses and disease But he is in a more noble manner of being after death then he can be here and the childe may with more reason be allowed to crie for leaving his mothers womb for this world then a man can for changing this world for another Sudden death or violent Others are yet troubled at the manner of their childes or friends death He was drowned or lost his head or died of the plague and this is a new spring of sorrow but no man can give a sensible account how it shall be worse for a childe to die with drowning in half an hour then to endure a feaver of one and twenty daies And if my friend lost his head so he did not lose his constancy and his religion he died with huge advantage Being Childelesse But by this means I am left without an Heir Well suppose that Thou hast no Heir and I have no inheritance and there are many Kings and Emperours that have died childlesse many Royal lines are extinguished And Augustus Caesar was forced to adopt his wives son to inherit all the Roman greatness And there are many wise persons that never married and we read no where that any of the children of the Apostles did survive their Fathers and all that inherit any thing of Christs kingdom come to it by Adoption not by natural inheritance and to die without a natural heir is no intolerable evil since it was sanctified in the person of Jesus who died a Virgin Evil or unfortunate Children And by this means we are freed from the greater sorrows of having a fool a swine or a goat to rule after us in our families and yet even this condition admits of comfort For all the wilde â—mericans are supposed to be the sons of Dodanim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epict. and the sons of Jacob are now the most scattered and despised people in the whole world The son of Solomon was but a silly weak man and the son of Hâ—zekiah was wicked and all the fools and barbarous people all the thieves and pirates all the slaves and miserable men and women of the world are the sons and daughters of Noah and we must not look to be exempted from that portion of sorrow which God gave to Noah and Adam to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob I pray God send us into the lot of Abraham But if any thing happens worse to us it is enough for us that we bear it evenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our own death And how if you were to die your self you know you must Only be ready for it Ad sines cum pervanâ—reâ— ne reveâ—tilo Pythag by the preparations of a good life and then it is the greatest good that ever happened to thee else there is nothing that can comfort you But if you have served God in a holy life send away the women and the weepers tell them it is as much intemperance to weep too much as to laugh too much and when thou art alone or with fitting company die as thou shouldest but doe not die impatiently and like a fox catched in a trap For if you fear death you shall never the more avoid it but you make it miserable Faunius that kill'd himself for fear of death died as certainly as Portia that eat burning coals or Cato that cut his own throat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To die is necessary and natural and it may be honourable but to die poorly and basely and sinfully that alone is it that can make a man unfortunate No man can be a slave but he that fears pain or fears to die To such a man nothing but chance peaceable times can secure his duty and he depends upon things without for his felicity and so is well but during the pleasure of his enemy or a Thief or a Tyrant or it may be of a dog or a wilde bull Prayers for the several Graces and parts of Christian Sobriety A prayer against sensuality O Eternal Father thou that sittest in Heaven invested with essential Glories and Divine perfections fill my soul with so deep a sence of the excellencies of spiritual and heavenly things that my affections being weaned from the pleasures of the world and the false allurements of sin I may with great severity and the prudence of a holy discipline and strict desires with clear resolutions and a free spirit have my conversation in Heaven and heavenly imployments that being in affections as in my condition a Pilgrim and a stranger here I may covet after and labour for an abiding city and at last may enter into and for ever dwell in the Celestial Jerusalem which is the mother of us all through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Temperance O Almighty God and gracious Father of men and Angels who openest thy hand and fillest all things with plenty and hast provided for thy servant sufficient to satisfie all my needs teach me to use thy creatures soberly and temperately that I may not with loads of meat or drink make the temptations of my enemy to prevail upon me or my spirit unapt for the performance of my duty or my body healthless or my affections sensual and unholy O my God never suffer that the blessings which thou givest me may either minister to sin or sickness but to health and holiness and thanksgiving that in the strength of thy provisions I may cheerfully and actively and diligently serve thee that I may worthily feast at thy table here and be accounted worthy through thy grace to be admitted to thy table hereafter at the Eternal supper of the Lamb to sing an Allelujah to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen For Chastity to be said especially by unmarried persons ALmighty God our most holy and eternal Father who art of pure eyes and canst behold no uncleanness let thy gracious and holy Spirit descend upon thy servant and reprove the spirit of Fornication and Uncleannesse and cast him out that my body may be a holy Temple and my soul a Sanctuary to entertain the PRINCE of purities the holy and eternal Spirit of God O let
Laws of Religion and the Common-wealth O Lord I am but an infirm man and know not how to decree certain sentences without erring in judgment but doe thou give to thy servant an understanding heart to judge this people that I may discern between good and evil Cause me to walk before thee and all the people in truth and righteousness and in sincerity of heart that I may not regard the person of the mighty nor be afraid of his terrour nor despise the person of the poor and reject his petition but that doing justice to all men I and my people may receive mercy of thee peace and plenty in our daies and mutual love duty and correspondence that there be no leading into captivity no complaining in our streets but we may see the Church in prosperity all our daies and religion established and increasing Doe thou establish the house of thy servant and bring me to a participation of the glories of thy kingdom for his sake who is my Lord and King the holy and ever blessed Saviour of the world our Redeemer Jesus Amen A Prayer to be said by Parents for their Children O Almighty and most merciful Father who hast pâ—omised children as a reward to the righteous 〈◊〉 hast given them to me as a testimony of thy mercy and an ingagement of my duty be pleased to be a Father unto them give them healthful bodies understanding souls and sanctified spirits that they may be thy servants and thy children all their daies Let a great mercy and providence lead them through the dangers and temptations and ignorances of their youth that they may never run into folly and the evils of an unbridled appetite So order the accidents of their livâ—s that by good education careful Tutors holy example innocent company prudent counsel and thy restraining grace their duty to thee may be secured in the midst of a crooked and untoward generation and if it seem good in thy eyes let me be enabled to provide conveniently for the support of their persons that they may not be destitute and miserable in my death or if thou shalt call me off from this World by a more timely summons let their portion be thy care mercy and providence over their bodies and souls and may they never live vitious lives nor die violent or untimely deaths but let them glorifie thee here with a free obedience and the duties of a whole life that when they have served thee in their generations and have profited the Christian Common-wealth they may be coheirs with Jesus in the glories of thy eternal Kingdom through the same our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen A prayer to be said by Masters of Families Curats Tutors or other obliged persons for their charger O Almighty God merciful and gracious have mercy upon my Family or Pupils or Parishioners c. and all committed to my charge sanctifie them with thy grace preserve them with thy providence guard them from all evil by the custody of Angels direct them in the waies of peace and holy Religion by my Ministery and the conduct of thy most holy Spirit and consigne them all with the participation of thy blessings and graces in this World with healthful bodies with good understandings and sanctified spirits to a full fruition of thy glories hereafter through Jesus Christ our Lord. A Prayer to be said by Merchants Tradesmen and Handicrafts men O Eternal God thou Fountain of justice mercy and benediction who by my education and other effects of thy Providence hast called me to this profession that by my industry I may in my small proportion work together for the good of my self and others I humbly beg thy grace to guâ—de me in my intention and in the transaction of my affairs that I may be diligent just and faithful and give me thy favour that this my labour may be accepted by thee as a part of my necessary duty and give me thy blessing to assist and prosper me in my Calling to such measures as thou shalt in mercy choose for me and be pleased to let thy holy Spirit be for ever present with me that I may never be given to covetousness and sordid appetites to lying and falshood or any other base indirect and beggerly arts but give me prudence honesty and Christian sinceâ—ity that my trade may be sanctified by my Religion my labour by my intention and thy blessing that when I have done my portion of work thou hast â—llotted me and improved the talent thou hast instrusted to me and served the Common-wealth in my capacity I may receive the mighty price of my high calling which I expect and beg in the portion and inheritance of the ever blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Amen A Prayer to be said by Debtors and all persons obliged whether by crime or contract O Almighty God who art rich unto all the treasurie and fountain of all good of all justice and all mercy and all bounty to whom we owe all that we are and all that we have being thy Debtors by reason of our sins and by thy own gracious contract made with us in Jesus Christ teach me in the first place to perform all my Obligations to thee both of duty and thankfulness and next enable me to pay my duty to all my friends and my debts to all my Creditors that none be made miserable or lessened in his estate by his kindness to me or traffick with me Forgive me all those sins and irregular actions by which I entred into debt further then my necessity required or by which such necessity was brought upon me but let not them suffer by occasion of my sin Lord reward all their kindness into their bosoms make them recompense where I cannot and make me very willing in all that I can and able for all that I am obliged to or if it seem good in thine eyes to afflict me by the continuance of this condition yet make it up by some means to them that the prayer of thy servant may obtain of thee at least to pay my debt in blessings Amen V. LOrd sanctifie and forgive all that I have tempted to evil by my discourse or my example instruct them in the right way whom I have led to errour and let me never run further on the score of sin but doe thou blot out all the evils I have done by the spunge of thy passion and the blood of thy Crosse and give me a deep and an excellent repentance and a free and a gracious pardon that thou may est answer for me O Lord and enable me to stand upright in judgment for in thee O Lord have I trusted let me never be confounded Pity me and instruct me guide me and support me pardon me and save me for my sweet Saviour Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for Patron and Benefactors O Almighty GOD thou Fountain of all good of all excellâ—ncy both to Men and Aâ—gels exâ—end thine abundant favour and
of atonement and expiation for all mankinde with speciall purposes and intendment for all the elect all that serve him in holiness so he hath appointed that the same ministery shall be done upon earth too in our manner and according to our proportion and therefore hath constituted and separated an order of men who by shewing forth the Lords death by Sacramentall representation may pray unto God after the same manner that our Lord and high-Priest does that is offer to God and represent in this solemn prayer ad Sacrament Christ as already offered so sending up a gracious instrument whereby our prayers may for his sake and in the same manner of intercession be offered up to God in our behalf and for all them for whom we pray to all these purposes for which Christ dyed 5. As the ministers of the Sacrament do in a Sacramental manner present to God the sacrifice of the cross by being imitators of Christs intercession so the people are sacrificers too in their manner for besides that by saying Amen they joyn in the act of him that ministers and make it also to be their own so when they eat and drink the consecrated and blessed Elements worthily they receive Christ within them and therefore may also offer him to God while in their sacrifice of obedience and thanksgiving they present themselves to God with Christ whom they have spiritually received that is themselves with that which will make them gracious and acceptable The offering their bodies and souls and services to God in him and by him and with him who is his Fathers wel-beloved and in whom he is well pleased cannot but be accepted to all the purposes of blessing grace and glory * Nosti tempora tu Jovis sereni Cùm sulget placidus sâ—èque vultu Quo nil supplicibus soleâ— negare Martial Ep l 5 6. 6. This is the sum of the greatest mystery of our Religion it is the copy of the passion and the ministration of the great mystery of our Redemption and therefore whatsoever intitles â—s to the general priviledges of Christs passion all this is necessary by way of disposition to the celebration of the Sacrament of his passion because this celebration is our manner of applying or using it The particulars of which preparation are represented in the following rules Vasa pura ad rem Divinâ—m Plaut in cap. Act. 4. â—c 1. 1. No man must dare to approach to the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper if he be in a state of any one sin that is unless he have entred into the state of repentance that is of sorrow and amendment least it be said concerning him as it was concerning Judas the hand of him that betraid me is with me on the Table and he that receiveth Christ into an impure soul or body first turns his most excellent nourishment into poyson and then feeds upon it 2. Every communicant must first have examined himself that is tried the condition state of his soul searched out the secret ulcers enquired out its weaknesses and indiscretions and all those aptnesses where it is exposed to temptation that by finding out its diseases he may finde a cure and by discovering its aptnesses he may secure his present purposes of future amendment and may be armed against dangers and temptations 3. This examination must be a mans own act and inquisition into his life but then also it should lead a man on to â—un to those whom the Great Physician of our souls Christ Jesus hath appointed to minister phisick to our diseases â—â—at in all dangers and great accidents we may be assisted for comfort and remedy for medicine and caution 4. In this affair let no man deceive himself and against such a time which publick Authority hath appointed for us to receive the Sacrament weep for his sins by way of solemnity and ceremony and still retain the affection but he that comes to this feast must have on the wedding garment that is he must have put on Jesus Christ and he must have put off the old man with his affections and lusts and he must be wholly conformed to Christ in the image of his minde For then we have put on Christ when our souls are clothed with his righteousness when every faculty of our soul is proportioned and vested according to the pattern of Christs life And therefore a man must not leap from his last nights Suâ—fet and Bath and then communicate but when he hath begun the work of God effectually and made some progress in repentance and hath walked some stages periods in the wayes of godlinesse then let him come to him that is to minister it and having made known the state of his soul he is to be admitted but to receive it into an unhallowed soul and body is to receive the dust of the Tabernacle in the waters of jealousie it will make the belly to swell and the thigh to rot it will not convey Christ to us but the Devill will enter and dwell there till with it he returns to his dwelling of torment Remember alwaies that after a great sin or after a habit of sins a man is not soon made clean and no unclean thing must come to this Feast It is not the preparation of two or three dayes that can render a person capable of this banquet For in this feast all Christ and Christs passion and all his graces the blessings and effects of his sufferings are conveyed nothing can fit us for this but what can unite us to Christ and obtain of him to present our needs to his heavenly Father this Sacrament can no otherwise be celebrated but upon the same terms on which we may hope for pardon and Heaven it self 5. When we have this generall and indispensably necessary preparation we are to make our souls more adorn'd and trimm'd up with circumstances of pious actions and speciall devotions setting apart some portion of our time immediately before the day of solemnity according as our great occasions will permit and this time is specially to be spent in actions of repentance confession of our sins renewing our purposes of holy living praying for pardon of our failings and for those graces which may prevent the like sadnesses for the time to come meditation upon the passion upon the infinite love of God expressed in so great mysterious manners of redemption and indefifinitely in all acts of virtue which may build our souls up into a Temple fit for the reception of Christ himself and the inhabitation of the holy Spirit 6. The celebration of the holy Sacrament being the most solemn prayer joyned with the most effectuall instrument of its acceptance must suppose us in the love of God and in charity with all the World and therefore we must before every Communion especially remember what differences or jealousies are between us and any one else and recompose all disunions and cause right understandings between each other offering
to satisfie whom we have injur'd and to forgive them who have injur'd us without thoughts of resuming the quarrel when the solemnity is over for that is but to rake the embers in light and phantastick ashes it must be quenched and a holy flame enkindled no fires must be at all but the fires of love and zeal and the altar of incense will send up a sweet perfume and make atonement for us 7. When the day of the feast is come lay aside all cares and impertinencies of the World and remember that this is thy Souls day a day of traffique and entercourse with Heaven Arise early in the morning 1. Give God thanks for the approach of so great a blessing 2. Confess thy own unworthiness to admit so Divine a Guest 3 Then remember and deplore thy sins which have made thee so unworthy 4. Then confess Gods goodness and take sanctuary there and upon him place thy hopes 5. And invite him to thee with renewed acts of love of holy desire of hatred of his enemy sin 6. Make oblation of thy self wholy to be disposed by him to the obedience of him to his providence and possession and pray him to enter and dwell there for ever And after this with joy and holy fear and the forwardness of love address thy self to the receiving of him to whom by whom and for whom all faiths and all hope and all love in the whole Catholick Church both in Heaven and Earth is designed him whom Kings and Queens and whole Kingdomes are inlove with and count it the greatest honour in the World that their Crowns and Scepters are laid at his holy feet 8. When the holy man stands at the Table of blessing and ministers the rite of consecration then do as the Angels do who behold and love and wonder that the Son of God should become food to the souls of his servants that he who cannot suffer any change of â—essening should be broken into pieces enter into the body to support and nourish the spirit and yet at the same time remain in Heaven while he descends to thee upon Earth that he who hath essential felicity should become miserable and dye for thee and then give himself to thee for ever to redeem thee from sin and misery that by his wounds he should procure health to thee by his affronts he should entitle thee to glory by his death he should bring thee to life and by becoming a man he should make thee partaker of the Divine nature These are such glories that although they are made so obvious that each eye may behold them yet they are also so deep that no thought can fathome them But so it hath pleased him to make these mysteries to be sensible because the excellency and depth of the mercy is not intelligible that while we are ravished and comprehended within the infiniteness of so vast and mysterious a mercy yet we may be as sure of it as of that thing we see and feel smell and taste but yet is so great that we cannot understand it 9. These holy mysteries are offered to our senses but not to be placed under our feet they are sensible but not common and therefore as the weakness of the Elements adds wonder to the excellency of the Sacrament so let our reverence and venerable usages of them adde honour to the Elements and acknowledge the glory of he mysterie and the Divinity of the mercy Let us receive the consecrated Elements with all devotion and humility of body and spirits and do this honour to it that it be the first food we eat and the first beverage we drink that day unless it be in case of sickness or other great necessity and that your body and soul both be prepared to its reception with abstinence from secular pleasures Disâ—â—diâ—e alia is Qums tuliâ— hâ—stemaÌ„ gaudia necâ—e Venuâ— that you may better have attended fastings and preparatory prayers For if ever it be seasonable to observe the counsell of Saint Paul that married person by consent should abstain foâ— a time that they may attend to solemn Religion it is now It was not by Saint Paul nor the after ages of the Church called a duty so to do but it is most reasonable that the more solemn actions of Religion should be attended to without the mixture of any thing that may discompose the minde and make it more secular or less religious 10. In the act of receiving exercise acts of Faith with much confidence and resignation believing it not to be common bread and wine but holy in their use holy in their signification holy in their change and holy in their effect and believe if thou art a worthy Communicant thou dost as verily receive Christs body and blood to all effects and purposes of the spirit Cruci haremus sanguinem sugimus inâ—er ipsa Redemptoriâ— nostri vulnera figimus linguam Cyprian de caena Dom. as thou doest receive the blessed elements into thy mouth that thou puttest thy finger to his hand and thy hand into his side and thy lips into his fontinel of blood sucking life from his heart and yet if thou doest communicate unworthily thou eatest and drinkest Christ to thy danger and death and destruction Dispute not concerning the secret of the mystery and the nicety of the manner of Christs presence it is sufficient to thee that Christ shall be present to thy soul as an instrument of grace a pledge of the resurrection as the earnest of glory and immortality and a meanes of many intermediall blessings even all such as are necessary for thee and are in order to thy salvation and to make all this good to thee there is nothing necessary on thy part but a holy life and a true belief of all the sayings of Christ amongst which indefinitely assent to the words of institution and beleive that Christ in the holy Sacrament gives thee his body and his blood He that believes not this is not a Christian He that believes so much needs not to enquire further nor to intangle his faith by disbelieving his sense 11. Fail not this solemnity according to the custom of pious devout people to make an offering to God for the uses of religion the poor according to thy ability For when Christ feasts his body let us also feast our fellow members who have right to the same promises and are partakers of the same Sacrament and partners of the same hope and cared for under the same providence and descended from the same common parents and whose Father God is and Christ is their Elder brother If thou chancest to communicate where this holy custom is not observed publickly supply that want by thy private charity but offer it to God at his holy Table at least by thy private designing it there 11. When you have received pray and give thanks Pray for all estates of men for they also have an interest in the body
Baptisme Thou hast reconciled us by thy death justified us by thy Resurrection sanctified us by thy Spirit sending him upon thy Church in visible formes and giving him in powers and miracles and mighty signes and continuing this incomparable favour in gifts and sanctifying graces and promising that he shall abide with us for ever thou hast led us with thine own broken body and given drink to our soules out of thine own heart and hast ascended upon high and hast overcome all the powers of Death and Hell and redeemed us from the miseries of a sad eternity and sittest at the right hand of God making intercession for us with a never-ceasing charity O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. The grave could not hold thee long O holy eternal Jesus thy body could not see corruption neither could thy soul be left in Hel thou wert fre among the dead and thou brakest the iron gates of Death and the barrs and chains of the lower prisons Thou broughtest comfort to the souls of the Patriarchs who waited for thy coming who long'd for the redemption of Man and the revelation of thy day Abraham Isac and Jacob saw thy day and rejoyced and when thou didst arise from thy bed of darkness and leftest the grave-clothes behinde thee and put on a robe of glory over which for 40 dayes thou didst wear a veil and then entred into a cloud and then into glory then the powers of Hell were confounded then Death lost its power and was swallowed up into victory and though death is not quite destroyed yet it is made harmless and without a sting and the condition of Humane Nature is made an entrance to eternal glory and art become the Prince of life the first-fruits of the resurrection the first-born from the dead having made the way plain before our faces that we may also rise again in the Resurrection of the last day when thou shalt come again unto us to render to every man according to his works O that men would therefore praise the Lord c. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for ever O all ye angels of the Lord praise ye the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever O ye spirits and souls of the Righteous praise ye the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever And now O Lord God what shall I render to thy Divine Majesty for all the benefits thou hast done unto thy servant in my personall capacity Thou art my Creator and my Father my Protector and my Guardian thou hast brought me from my Mothers wombe thou hast told all my Joynts and in thy book were all my members written Thou hast given me a comely body Christian and carefull parents holy education Thou hast been my guide and my teacher all my dayes Thou hast given me ready faculties an unloosed tongue a cheerful spirit straight limbs a good reputation and liberty of person a quiet life and a tender conscience a loving wife or husband and hopefull children thou wert my hope from my youth through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born Thou hast clothed me and fed me given me friends and blessed them given me many dayes of comfort and health free from those sad infirmities with which many of thy Saints and dearest servants are afflicted Thou hast sent thy Angel to snatch me from the violence of fire and water to prevent praecipices fracture of bones to rescue me from thunder and lightning plague and pestilentiall diseases murder and robbery violence of chance and enemies and all the spirits of darkness and in the dayes of sorrow thou hast refreshed me in the destitution of provisions thou hast taken care of me and thou hast said unto me I will never leave thee nor forsake thee I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart secretly among the faithfull and in the congregation Thou O my dearest Lord and Father hast taken care of my soul hast pitied my miseries sustained my infirmities relieved and instructed my ignorances and though I have broken thy righteous Laws and Commandements run passionately after vanities and was in love with Death and was dead in sin and was exposed to thousands of temptations and fell foully and continued in it and lov'd to have it so and hated to be reformed yet thou didst call me with the checks of conscience with daily Sermons and precepts of holiness with fear and shame with benefits and the admonitions of thy most holy Spirit by the counsell of my friends by the example of good persons with holy books and thousands of excellent arts and wouldest not suffer me to perish in my folly but didst force me to attend to thy gracious calling and hast put me into a state of repentance and possibilities of pardon being infinitely desirous I should live and recover and make use of thy grace and partake of thy glories I will give thanks unto the Lord with my whole heart secretly among the faithful and in the congregation For salvation belongeth unto the Lord and thy blessing is upon thy servant But as for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple * For of thee and in thee and through and for thee are all things Blessed be the name of God from generation to generation Amen A short Form of thanksgiving to be said upon any special deliverance as from Child-birth from Sickness from battel or imminent danger at Sea or Land c. O most mercifull and gracious God thou fountain of all mercy and blessing thou hast opened the hand of thy mercy to fill me with blessings and the sweet effects of thy loving kindness thou feedest us like a Shepherd thou governest us as a king thou bearest us in thy arms like a nurse thou dost cover us under the shadow of thy wings and shelter us like a hen thou ô Dearest Lord wakest for us as a Watchman thou providest for us like a Husband thou lovest us as a friend and thinkest on us perpetually as a carefull mother on her helpless babe and art exceeding mercifull to all that fear thee and now O Lord thou hast added this great blessing of deliverance from my late danger here name the blessing it was thy hand and the help of thy mercy that relieved me the waters of affliction had drowned me and the stream had gon over my soul if the spirit of the Lord had not moved upon these waters Thou O Lord didst revoke thy angry sentence which I had deserved and which was gone out against me Unto thee O Lord I ascribe the praise and honour of my redemption I will be glad and rejoyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast known my soul in adversity As thou hast spred thy hand upon me for a covering so also enlarg my heart with thankfulness and fill my
the Christian Common-wealth and the salvation of their own souls through Jesus Christ. Amen 9. For all estates of Men and Women in the Christian Church O Holy God King Eternal out of the infinite store-houses of thy grace and mercy give unto all Virgins chastity and a religious spirit to all persons dedicated to thee and to religion continence and meekness an active zeal and an unwearied spirit to all married paires faith and holiness to widows and fatherless an all that are oppressed thy patronage comfort and defence to all Christian women simplicity and modesty humility and chastity patience and charity give unto the poor to all that are robbed and spoiled of their goods a competent support and a contented spirit and a treasure in heaven hereafter give unto prisoners and captives to them that toil in the mines and row in the gallies strength of body and of spirit liberty and redemption comfort and restitution to all that travell by land thy Angel for their guide and a holy and prosperous return to all that travel by sea freedom from Pyrates and shipwrack and bring them to the Haven where they would be to distressed and scrupulous consciences to melancholy and disconsolate persons to all that are afflicted with evill and unclean spirits give a light from heaven great grace and proportionable comforts and timely deliverance give them patience and resignation let their sorrows be changed into grace and comfort and let the storm wast them certainly to the regions of rest and glory Lord God of mercy give to thy Martyrs Confessors and all thy persecuted constancy and prudence boldness and hope a full faith and a never failing charity To all who are condemned to death do thou minister comfort a strong a quiet and a resigned spirit take from them the fear of death and all remaining affections to sin and all imperfections of duty and cause them to die full of grace full of hope and give to all faithfull particularly to them who have recommēded themselves to the prayers of thy unworthy servant a supply of all their needs temporall and spirituall and according to their severall states and necessities rest and peace pardon and refreshment and shew us all a mercy in the day of judgment Amen Give O Lord to the magistrates equity sinceritie courage and prudence that they may protect the good defend religion and punish the wrong doers Give to the Nobilitie wisdom valour and loyaltie To Merchants justice and faithfulness to all Artificers and Labourers truth and honesty to our enemies forgiveness and brotherly kindness Preserve to us the heavens and the Ayre in healthful influence and disposition the Earth in plentie the kingdom in peace and good government our marriages in peace and sweetness and innocence of societie thy people from famine and pestilence our houses from burning and robbery our persons from being burnt alive from banishment prison from Widowhood destitution from violence of pains and passions from tempests and earth-quakes from inundation of waters from rebellion or invasion from impatience and inordinate cares from tediousness of spirit and despair from murder and all violent accursed and unusual deaths from the surprise of sudden and violent accidents from passionate and unreasonable fears from all thy wrath and from all our sins good Lord deliver and preserve thy servants for ever Amen Repress the violence of all implacable warring and tyrant Nations bring home unto thy fold all that are gone astray call into the Church all strangers increase the number and holyness of thy own people bring infants to ripeness of age and reason confirm all baptized people with thy grace and with thy Spirit instruct the novices and new Christians let a great grace and mercifull providence bring youthfull persons safely and holily through the indiscretions and passions and temptations of their younger years and those whom thou hast or shalt permit to live to the age of a man give competent strength and wisdom take from them covetousness and churlishness pride and impatience fill them full of devotion and charity repentance and sobriety holy thoughts and longing desires after Heaven and heavenly things give them a holy and a blessed death and to us all a joyfull resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Ad Sect. 10. The manner of using these devotions by way of preparation to the receiving the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper The just preparation to this holy Feast consisting principally in a holy life and consequently in the repetation of the acts of all vertues and especially of Faith Repentance Charity and thanksgiving to the exercise of these four graces let the person that intends to communicate in the times set apart for his preparation and devotion for the exercise of his Faith recite the prayer or Letany of the passion For the exercise of Repentance the form of confession of sins with the prayer annexed And for the graces of thanksgiving charity let him use the speciall forms of prayer above described or if a less time can be allotted for preparatory devotion the two first will be the more proper as containing in them all the personal duty of the communicant To which upon the morning of that holy solemnity let him adde A prayer of preparation or address to the holy Sacrament An act of Love O Most gracious and eternall God the helper of the helpless the comforter of the comfortless the hope of the afflicted the bread of the hungry the drink of the thirsty and the Saviour of all them that wait upon thee I blesse and glorifie thy Name adore thy goodness and delight in thy love that thou hast once more given me the opportunity of receiving the greatest favour which I can receive in this World even the body and blood of my dearest Saviour O take from me all affection to sin or vanity let not my affections dwell below but soar upwards to the element of love to the seat of God to the Regions of Glory and the inheritance of Jesus that I may hunger and thirst for the bread of life and the wine of elect soules and may know no loves but the love of God and the most mercifull Jesus Amen An act of Desire O Blessed Jesus thou hast used many arts to save me thou hast given thy life to redeem me thy holy Spirit to sanctifie me thy self for my example thy Word for my Rule thy grace for my guide the fruit of thy body hanging on the tree of the cross for the sin of my soul and after all this thou hast sent thy Apostles Ministers of salvation to call me to importune me to constrain me to holiness and peace and felicity O now come Lord Jesus come quicly my heart is desirous of thy presence and thirsty of thy grace and would fain entertain thee not as a guest but as an inhabitant as the Lord of all my faculties Enter in and take possession and dwell with me for ever
that I also may dwell in the heart of my dearest Lord which was opened for me with a spear and love An act of contrition Lord thou shalt finde my heartfull of cares and worldly desires cheated with love of riches and neglect of holy things proud and unmortified false and crafty to deceive it self intricated and intāgled with difficult cases of conscience with knots which my own wildness and inconsideration and impatience have tied and shuffled together O my dearest Lord if thou canst behold such an impure seat behold the place to which thou art invited is full of passion and prejudice evill principles and evill habits peevish and disobedient lustfull and intemperate and full of sad remembrances that I have often provoked to jealousie and to anger thee my God my dearest Saviour him that dyed for me him that suffered torments for me that is infinitely good to me and infinitely good and perfect in himself This O dearest Saviour is a sad truth and I am heartily ashamed and truly sorrowfull for it and do deeply hate all my sins and am full of indignation against my self for so unworthy so careless so continued so great a folly and humbly beg of thee to increase my sorrow and my care and my hatred against sin and make my love to thee swell up to a great grace and then to glory and immensity An act of Faith This indeed is my condition But I know O blessed Jesus that thou didst take upon thee my nature that thou mightest suffer for my sins and thou didst suffer to deliver me from them and from thy Fathers wrath and I was delivered from this wrath that I might serve thee in holiness righteousness all my daies Lord I am sure thou didst the great work of Redemption for me and all mankinde as that I am alive This is my hope the strength of my spirit my joy and my confidence and do thou never let the spirit of unbelief enter into me and take me from this Rock Here I will dwell for I have a delight therein Here I will live and here I desire to die The Petition Therefore O blessed Jesu who art my Saviour and my God whose body is my food and thy righteousness is my robe thou art the Priest and the Sacrifice the Master of the feast and the feast it self the Physician of my soul the light of my eyes the purifier of my stains enter into my heart and cast out from thence all impurities all the remains of the Old man and grant I may partake of this holy Sacrament with much reverence and holy relish and great effect receiving hence the communication of thy holy body and blood for the establishment of an unreproveable faith of an unfained love for the fulness of wisdom for the healing my soul for the blessing and preservation of my body for the taking out the sting of temporall death and for the assurance of a holy resurrection for the ejection of all evill from within me and the fulfilling all thy righteous Commandements and to procure for me a mercy and a fair reception at the day of judgement through thy mercies O holy and ever blessed Saviour Jesus Amen Here also may be added the prayer after receiving the cup. * Ejaculations to be said before or at the receiving the holy Sacrament Like as the Hart desireth the water brooks so longeth my soul after thee O God My soul is a thirst for God yea even for the living God when shall I come before the presence of God O Lord my God great are thy wonderous works which thou hast done like as be also thy thoughts which are to us-ward and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto thee O send out thy light and thy truth that they may lead me and bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy dwelling And that I may go unto the Altar of God even unto the God of my joy and gladness and with my heart will I give thanks to thee O God my God I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord and so will I go to thine altar that I may shew the voice of thanks-giving and tell of all thy wonderous works Examine me O Lord and prove me try out my reins and my heart For thy loving kindness is now and ever before my eyes and I will walk in thy truth Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me thou hast anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full But thy loving loving kindness and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever This is the bread that cometh down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him and hath eternall life abiding in him and I will raise him up at the last day Lord whether shall we go but to thee thou hast the words of eternall life If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink The bread which we break is it not the communication of the body of Christ and the cup which we drink is it not the communication of the blood of Christ What are those wounds in thy hands They are those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends Zech 13.6 Immediately before the receiving say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof But do thou speak the word onely and thy servant shall be he led Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew thy praise O God make speed to save me O Lord make hast to help me Come Lord Jesus come quickly After receiving the consecrated and blessed bread say O tast and see how gracious the Lord is blessed is the man that trusteth in him * The beasts do lack and suffer hunger but they which seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good Lord what am I that my Saviour should become my food that the Son of God should be the meat of Worms of dust and ashes of a sinner of him that was his enemy But this thou hast done to me because thou art infinitely good wonderfully gracious and lovest to bless every one of us in turning us from the evill of our wayes Enter into me blessed Jesus let no root of bitterness spring up in my heart but be thou Lord of all my faculties O let me feed on thee by faith and grow up by the increase of God to a perfect man in Christ Jesus Amen Lord I believe help mine unbelief Glory be to God the Father Son c. After the receiving the cup of blessing It is finished Blessed be the mercies of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ. O blessed and eternall high Priest let the sacrifice of the Cross which thou didst once offer for the sins of the whole World and which thou doest now and always represent in
Heaven to thy Father by thy never ceasing intercession and which this day hath been exhibited on thy holy Table Sacramentally obtain mercy and peace faith and charity safety and establishment to thy holy Church which thou hast founded upon a Rock the Rock of a holy Faith and let not the gates of Hell prevail against her nor the enemy of mankinde take any soul out of thy hand whom thou hast purchased with thy blood and sanctified by thy Spirit Preserve all thy people from Heresie and division of spirit from scandal and the spirit of delusion from sacriledge and hurtfull persecutions Thou O blessed Jesus didst die for us keep me for ever in holy living from sin and sinfull shame in the communion of thy Church and thy Church in safety and grace in truth and peace unto thy second coming Amen Dearest Jesu since thou art pleased to enter into me O be jealous of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth suffer no unclean spirit or unholy thought to come near thy dwelling lest it defile the ground where thy holy feet have trod O teach me so to walk that I may never disrepute the honour of my Religion nor stain the holy Robe which thou hast now put upon my soul nor break my holy Vows which I have made and thou hast sealed nor lose my right of inheritance my privilege of being coheir with Jesus into the hope of which I have now further entred but be thou pleased to love me with the love of a Father and a Brother and a husband and a Lord and make me to serve thee in the communion of Saints in receiving the Sacrament in the practise of all holy vertues in the imitation of thy life and conformity to thy sufferings that I having now put on the Lord Jesus may marry his love and his enmities may desire his glory may obey his laws and be united to his Spirit and in the day of the LORD I may be found having on the Wedding Garment and bearing in my body and soul the marks of the LORD JESUS that I may enter into the joy of my LORD and partake of his glories for ever and ever Amen Ejaculations to be used any time that day after the solemnity is ended LOrd if I had lived innocently I could not have deserved to receive the crums that fall from thy Table How great is thy mercy who hast feasted me with the Bread of Virgins with the Wine of Angels with Manna from Heaven O when shall I pass from this dark glass from this veil of Sacraments to the vision of thy eternal clarity from eating thy body to beholding thy face in thy eternal Kingdom Let not my sins crucifie the Lord of life again Let it never be said concerning me the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the Table O that I might love thee as well as ever any creature lov'd thee Let me think nothing but thee desire nothing but thee enjoy nothing but thee O Jesus be a Jesus unto me Thou art all things unto me Let nothing ever please me but what savors of thee and thy miraculous sweetness Blessed be the mercies of our Lord who of God is made unto me Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. Amen THE END A CATALOGUE of some Books Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane London A Parahphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Testament by Henry Hammond D. D. in sol The Practical Catechisme with all other English Treatises of Henry Hammond D. D. in two volumes in 4 o. Dissertationes quatuor quibus Episcopatus Jura ex S. Scripturis Primaeva Antiquitate adstruuntur contra santentiam D. Blondelli aliorum Authore Henrico Hammond in 4 o. A Letter of Resolution of six Quaeries in 12 o. Of Schisme A Defence of the Church of England against the Exceptions of the Romanists in 12 o. Of Fundamentals in a notion referring to Practise by H. Hammond D. D. in 12 o The names of several Treatises and Sermons written by Jer. Taylor D. D. viz. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Course of Sermons for all the Sundayes of the Year together with a Discourse of the Divine Institution Necessity Sacredness and Separation of the Office Ministerial in sol 2. Episcopacy asserted in 4 o. 3. The History of the Life and death of the Ever-blessed Jesus Christ 2 d Edit in sol 4 The Lib. of Prophesying in 4 o. 5. An Apology for authorized and Set-forms of Liturgie in 4 o. 6. A Discourse of Baptisme its institution and efficacy upon all Believers in 4 o. 7. The Rule and Exercises of holy living in 12 o 8. The Rule and Exercises of holy dying in 12 o. 9. A Short Catechisme for institution of young persons in the Christian Religion in 12 o. 9 The Real Presence and Spirituall of CHRIST in the Blessed Sacrament proved against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation in 8 o. Certamen Râ—ligioâ—â—re or a Conference between the late King of England and the are Lord Marquis of Worcester concerning Religion at Ragland Castle Together with a Vindication of the Protestant Cause by Chr. Cartwright in 4 o. The Psalter of David with Titles and Collects according to the matter of each Psalm by the Right honorable Chr. Hatton in 12 o. Boareâ—gâ—s and Barnabas or Judgment and Mercy for wounded and afflicted souls in several Seliloquies by Francis Quarles in 12 o. The life of Faith in dead Tires by Chr. Hudson in 12 o. Motives for Prayer upon the seven dayes of the Week by Sir Richard Baker Knight in 12 o. The Guide unto True Blessedness or a Body of the Doctrine of the Scriptures directing man to the saving knowledge of God by Sam. Crook in 12 o. Six excellent Sermons upon several occasions preached by Edward Willan Vicar of Heane in 4 o. The Dipper dipt or the Anabaptists duck'd and plung'd over head and ears by Daniel Featly D.D. in 4 o. Hâ—rmes Theologus or a Divine Mercury new descants upon old Records by Theoph. Wodnote in 12 o. Philosophical Elements concerning Government and Civil society by Thomas Hobbs of Malmesbury in 12 o. An Essay upon Statius or the five first books of Publ. Papinius Statius his Thebais by Tho. Stephans School-master in S â—amonds bury 8 o. Nemenclatura Brevis anglo-Latina Graeca in usum Scolae Westmonasteâ—â—â—nsisâ—pâ—r F Gregory in 8 o. Grammatiâ—â—s Graecae Enchiâ—â—dâ—on in usum Scholae Colligialis Wigorniae in 8 o. A Discourse of Holy Love by Sir Geo Strode Knight in 12 o. The Saints Honey-Comb full of Divine Truths by Rich. Govâ— Preacher of Henâ—on S Gâ—oâ—ge in Soâ—â—cisethshire in 8 o. Devotions digested into several Discourses and Meditations upon the Lords most Holy Prayer Together with additional Exercitations upon Baptism The Lords Supper Heresies Blasphemy The Creatures Sin The souls pantings after God The Mercies of God The souls complaint of its absence from God by Peter Samwaies Fellow lately resident in Trinity College Cambridge in 12 o. Of the Division between the English and Romish Church upon Reformation by Hen Fern D D in 12 o. Directions for the profitable reading of the Scriptures by John whit M. A. in 8 o. The Exemplary Lives and Memorable Act. of 9. the most worthy women of the world 3 Jewes 3 Gentiles 3 Christians by Tho. Heywood in 4 o. The Saints Legacies or a Collection of premises out of the Word of God in 12 o. Judicium Vniversitatis Oxoniensis de Solemn Leg. â—â—dere Juramento Negativo c. in 8 o. Certain Sermons and Letters of Defence and Resolution to some of the late Controversaries of our times by Jasper Mayn D. D. in 4 o. Janua Linguarum Referta sive omnium Scientiarum Linguarum seminarium Auctore Cl. Viro J. A. Cemenio in 8 o. A Tratise concerning Divine providence very seasonable for all Ages by Tho. Morton Bishop of Duresme in 8 o. Animadversions upon M r Hobbs his Leviathan with some Observations upon Sir Walter Rawleighs History of the World by Alex. Râ—sse in 12 Fifty Sermons preached by that learned and reverend Divine John Donne in sol Wits-Common-wealth in 12 The Banquet of Jests new and old in 12 o. Balzâ—cs Letters the fourth part in 8 o. Quarles Virgin Widow a Play in 4 o. Solomons Recantation in 4 o. by Francis Quarles Amesii Antisynodalia in 12 o. Christs Commination against Scandalizers by John Tombes in 12 o. Dr. Stuart's Answer to Fountains Letter in 4 o. A Tract of Fortification with 22 brasse cuts in 4 o. D r Griffiths Sermon preached at S. Pauls in 4 o Blessed birth-day printed at Oxford in 8 o. A Discourse of the state Ecclesiastical in 4 o. An Account of the Church Catholick where it was before the Reformation by Edward Boughâ—n D. D. in 4 o. An Advertisement to the Jury-men of England touching Witches written by the Author of the Observations upon M r. Hobbs Leviathan in 4 o Episcopacy and presbytery considered by Hen. Fern D. D. in 4 o. A Sermon preached at the Isle of Wiâ—ht before His Majesty by Hen. Fern. D.D. in 4 o. The Commoners Liberty or the English-mans Birth-right in 4 o. An Expedient for composing Differences in Religion in 4 o. A Treatise of Self-denial in 4 o. The holy Life and Death of the late Viâ—countesse Falkland in 12 o. Certain Considerations of present Concernment Touching the Reformed Church of England by Henry Fern in 12 o. Englands Faithfull Reprover and Monitour in 12 o. Newly published The grand Conspiracy of the Members against the Minde of Jewes against their King As it hath been delivered in four Sermons by John Allington B. D. in 12 o The Quakers wild Questions obiected against the Ministers of the Gospel many sacred acts and offices of Religion with brief answers therunto Together with a Discourse of the holy Spirit his workings and impressions on the souls of men by R. Sherlock B. D. in 8 o. White Salt or a sober correction of a mad world By John Shaman B. D. a discontinuer in 12 o. The Matching of the Magistrates Authority and the Christians true liberty in matters of Religion By William Iyford B.D. and late Minister of Sherboâ—n in Dors. in 4 o.
Holy Living In which are described The Means and Instruments of obtaining every Virtue and the Remedies against every Vice and Considerations serving to the resisting all Temptations Together with PRAYERS containing the whole duty of a Christian and the parts of Devotion fitted to all Occasians and furnished for all Necessities By JER TAYLOR D. D. The 5 th Edition corrected With Additionals LONDON Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane 1656. TO THE Right Honourable and truly Noble RICHARD Lord VAUGHAN Earl of Carbery Knight of the honourable Order of the Bath My Lord I Have lived to see Religion painted upon Banners and thrust out of Churches and the Temple turned into a Tabernacle and that Tabernacle made ambulatory and covered with skins of Beasts and torn Curtains and God to be worshipped not as he is the Father of our Lord Jesus an afflicted Prince the King of sufferings nor as the God of peace which two appellatives God newly took upon him in the New Testament and glories in for ever but he is owned now rather as the Lord of Hosts which title he was pleased to lay aside when the Kingdome of the Gospel was preached by the Prince of peace But when Religion puts on Armor and God is not acknowledged by his New Testament titles Religion may have in it the power of the Sword but not the power of Godliness and we may complain of this to God and amongst them that are afflicted but we have no remedy but what we must expect from the fellowship of â—hrists sufferings and the returns of the God of peace In the mean time and now that Religion pretends to stranger actions upon new principles and men are apt to preferre a prosperous errour before an afflicted truth and some will think they are religious enough if their worshipings have in them the prevailing ingredient and the Ministers of Religion are so scattered that they cannot unite to stop the inundation and from Chairs or Pulpiâ—s from their Synods or Tribunals chastise the iniquity of the errour and the ambition of evil Guides and the infidelity of the willingly seduced multitude and that those few good people who have no other plot in their religion but to serve God and save their souls doe want such assistances of ghostly counsel as may serve their emergent needs and assist their endeavours in the acquist of virtues and relieve their dangers when they are tempted to sinne and death I thought I had reasons enough inviting me to draw into one body those advices which the severall necessities of many men must use at some time or other and many of them daily that by a collection of holy precepts they might lesse feel the want of personall and attending Guides and that the Rules for conduct of souls might be committed to a Book which they might alwaies have since they could not alwaies have a Prophet at their needs nor be suffered to go up to the house of the Lord to inquire of the appointed Oracles I know my Lord that there are some interested persons who adde scorn to the afflictions of the Church of England and because she is afflicted by Men call her forsaken of the Lord and because her solemn Assemblies are scattered think that the Religion is lost and the Church divorc'd from God supposing Christ who was a Man of sorrows to be angry with his Spouse when she is like him for that 's the true state of the Errour and that he who promised his Spirit to assist his servants in their troubles will because they are in trouble take away the Comforter from them who cannot be a comforter but while he cures our sadnesses and relieves our sorrows and turns our persecutions into joyes and Crowns and Scepters But concerning the present state of the Church of England I consider that because we now want the blessings of external communion in many degrees and the circumstances of a prosperous unafflicted people we are to take estimate of our selves with single judgments every man is to give sentence concerning the state of his own soul by the precepts and rules of our Law-giver not by the after-decrees and usages of the Church that is by the essential parts of Religion rather then by the uncertain significations of any exteriour adherencies for though it be uncertain when a Man is the Member of a Church whether he be a Member to Christ or no because in the Churches Net there are fishes good and bad yet we may be sure that if we be members of Christ we are of a Church of all purposes of spiritual religion and salvation and in order to this give me leave to speak this great truth That Man does certainly belong to God who 1 Believes and is baptized into all the Articles of the Christian faith and studies to improve his knowledge in the matters of God so as may best make him to live a holy life 2 He that in obedience to Christ worships God diligently frequently and constantly with naturall Religion that is of prayer praises and thanksgiving 3 He that takes all opportunities to remember Christs death by a frequent Sacrament as it can be had or else by inward acts of understanding will and memory which is the spiritual communion supplies the want of the external rite 4 He that lives chastly 5 And is merciful 6 And despises the World using it as a Man but never suffering it to rifle a duty 7 And is just in his dealing and diligent in his calling 8 He that is humble in his spirit 9 And obedient to Government 10 And content in his fortune and imployment 11 He that does his duty because he loves God 12 And especially if after all this he be afflicted and patient or prepared to suffer affliction for the cause of God The Man that have these twelve signes of grace and predestination does as certainly belong to God and is his Son as surely as he is his creature And if my brethren in persecution and in the bands of the Lord Jesus can truly shew these marks they shall not need be troubled that others can shew a prosperous outside great revenues publick assemblie uninterrupted successions of Bishops prevailing Armies or any arm of flesh or lesse certain circumstance These are the marks of the Lord Jesus and the characters of a Christian This is a good Religion and these things Gods grace hath put into our powers and Gods Laws have made to be our duty and the nature of Men and the needs of Common-wealths have made to be necessary the other accidents and pomps of a Church are things without our power and are not in our choice they are good to be used when they may be had and they help to illustrate or advantage it but if any of them constitute a Church in the being of a society and a Government yet they are not of its constitution as it is Christian and hopes to be saved And now the
to him that gives them all that they have or need and unless He who was pleased to imploy your Lordship as a great Minister of his Providence in making a Promise of his good to me the meanest of his servants that he would never leave me nor forsake me shall enable me by greater services of Religion to pay my great Debt to your Honour I must still increase my score since I shall now spend as much in my needs of pardon for this boldness as in the reception of those favours by w ch I stand accountable to your Lordship in all the bands of service and gratitude though I am in the deepest sense of duty and affection My most Honoured Lord Your Honours most obliged and Most Humble Servant IER TAYLOR The Table CHAP. I COnsideration of the general instruments and means serving to a holy life by way introduction Page 1. Sect. 1. Care of time and the manner of spending it 4 23 Rules for imploying our time 7 The 5 benefits of this exercise 17 Sect. 2. Purity of intention or purpose in all our actions c. 17 10 Rules for our intentions 20 8 Signes of purity of intention 23 3 Appendant Considerations 27 Sect. 3. The consideration and practise of the presence of God 29 6 Several manners of the divine presence 30 10 Rules of exercising this consideration 35 The 5 benefits of this exercise 38 Prayers and Devotion according to the Religion and purposes of the foregoing considerations 41 Devotions for ordinary daies 42 CHAP. II. Of Christian sobriety 64 Sect. 1. Of sobriety in the general sense 64 5 Evil consequents of voluptuousness or sensuality 65 3 Degrees of sobriety 67 6 Rules for suppressing voluptuousness 68 Sect. 2. Of Temperance in eating and drinking 71 4 Measures of Temperance in eating 73 8 Signes and effects of Temperance 75 Of Drunkenness 76 7 Evil consequents to Drunkenness 78 8 Signes of Drunkenness 80 11 Rules for the obtaining temperance 81 Sect. 3. Of Chastity 84 The 10 evil consequents of uncleanness 88 7 Acts of Chastity in general 93 5 Acts of Virginal or Maiden Chastity 95 5 Rules for Widows or Vidual Chastity 96 6 Rules for Married persons or Matrimonial Chastity 97 10 Remedies against uncleanness 101 Sect. 4. Of Humility 106 9 Arguments against Pride by way of consideration 107 19 Acts or offices of Humility 110 14 Means and exercises of obtaining and increasing the grace of Humility 117 17 Signes of Humility 124 Sect. 5. Of Modesty 126 4 Acts and duties of Modesty as it is opposed to Curiosity ibid. 6 Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to boldness 130 10 Acts of Modesty as it is opposed to Vndecency 132 Sect. 6. Of Contentedness in all estates c. 135 2 General arguments for Content 137 8 Instruments or exercises to procure contentedness 142 8 Means to obtain Content by way of consideration 157 The Consid. applied to particular cases ibid. Of Poverty 164 The charge of many Children 173 Violent Necessities 174 Death of Children Friends c. 176 Vntimely Death 177 Death unseasonable 180 Sudden Deaths or violent 182 Being Childlesse ibid. Evil or unfortunate Children ibid. Our own Death 183 Prayers for the several graces and parts of Christian sobriety fitted to the necessity of several persons 184 CHAP. III. Of Christian Justice 191 Sect. 1. Of Obedience to our Superiours 192 15 Acts and duties of obedience to all our Superiours 193 12 Remedies against disobedience by way of consideration 198 3 Degrees of obedience 203 Sect. 8. Of Provision of that part of justice which is due from Superiours to inferiours 205 12 Duties of Kings and all the supreme power as Lawgivers ibid. 2 Duties of Superiours as they are Judges 209 5 Duties of Parents to their Children 210 Duty of Husbands Wives reciprocally 213 7 Duties of Masters of Families 215 Duty of Guardians or Tutors 216 Sect. 3. Of Negotiation or civil Contracts 217 13 Rules and measures of Justice in bargaining ibid. Sect. 4. Of Restitution 222 7 Rules of making Restitution as it concerns the persons obliged 224 9 As it concerns other circumstances 227 Prayers to be said in relation to the several obligations and offices of Justice 232 CHAP. IV. Of Christian religion 241 1. Of the internal actions of religion 242 Sect. 1. Of Faith 243 The 7 acts and offices of Faith ibid. 8 Signes of true Faith 245 8 Means and instruments to obtain Faith 248 Sect. 2. Of Christian Hope 250 The 5 acts of Hope 251 5 Rules to govern our Hope 252 12 Means of Hope and Remedies against Despair 254 Sect. 3. Of Charity or the Love of God 261 The 8 acts of Love to God 263 The 3 measures rules of Divine Love 266 6 Helps to encrease our Love to God by way of exercise The 2 several states of Love to God 271 viz. The state of Obedience ibid. The state of Zeal 272 8 Cautions and rules concerning zeal ibid. 2 Of the external actions of Religion 275 Sect 4. Of Reading or Hearing the Word of God 276 5 General considerations concerning it 278 5 Rules for hearing or reading the Word 279 4 Rules for reading spiritual Books or hearing Sermons 280 Sect. 5. Of Fasting 282 15 Rules for Christian fasting ibid. Benefits of Fasting 289 Sect. 6. Of keeping Festivals and daies holy to the Lord particularly the Lords day ibid. 10 Rules for keeping the Lords day and other Christian Festivals 292 3. Of the mixt actions of Religion 297 Sect 7. Of Prayer 297 1 Motives to Prayer 298 16 Rules for the practise of Prayer 300 6 Cautions for making vows 309 7 Remed against wandring thoughts c. 311 10 Signes of tediousness of Spirit in our prayers and all actions of Religion 313 11 Remedies against tediousness of Spirit 314 Sect. 8. Of Alms. 319 The 18 several kindes of corporal Alms. 321 The 14 several kinds of spiritual Alms. 322 The 5 several kinds of mixt Alms. ibid. 16 Rules for giving Alms. 323 13 Motives to Charity 332 Remedies against the parents of unmercifulness 335 1.9 Against Envy by way of consideration ib. 3.12 Remedies against anger by way of exercise 13 Remed against anger by way of consid 341 7 Remedies against Covetousness 344 Sect. 9. Of Repentance 352 11 Acts and parts of Repentance 355 4 Motives to Repentance 364 Sect. 10. Of Preparation to and the manner how to receive the Sacram. of the Lords Supper 367 14 Rules for preparation and worthy Communicating 370 The effects and benefits of worthy c. 375 Prayers for all sorts of men c. 381 The Rule and Exercises of HOLY LIVING c. CHAP. I. Consideration of the general instruments and means serving to a holy Life by way of Introduction IT is necessary that every Man should consider that since God hath given him an excellent nature wisdom and choice an understanding soul and an immortal spirit having made him Lord over the Beasts and but a little lower then the
of those ends which we are bound to serue whether publick or private being a doing Gods work For God provides the good things of the world to serve the needs of nature by the labours of the Plowman the skill and pains of the Artisan and the dangers and traffick of the Merchant These men are in their callings the Ministers of the Divine providence and the stewards of the creation and servants of a great family of God the world in the imployment of procuring necessaries for food and clothing ornament and Physick In their proportions also a King and a Priest and a Prophet a Judge and an Advocate doing the works of their imployment according to their proper rules are doing the work of God because they serve those necessities which God hath made and yet made no provisions for them but by their Ministery So that no man can complain that his calling takes him off from religion his calling it selfe and his very wordly imployment in honest trades and offices is a serving of God and if it be moderately pursued and according to the rules of Christian prudence will leave void spaces enough for prayers and retirements of a more spiritual religion God hath given every man work enough to doe that there shall be no room for idlenesse and yet hath so ordered the world that there shall be space for devotion He that hath the fewest businesses of the world is called upon to spend more time in the dressing of his soul and he that hath the most affiairs may so order them that they shall be a service of God whilst at certain periods they are blessed with prayers and actions of religion and all day long are hallowed by a holy intention However so long as Idlenesse is quite shut out from our lives all the sins of wantonness softness and effeminacy are prevented and there is but little room left for temptation and therefore to a busie man temptation is fain to climbe up together with his businesses and sins creep upon him only by accidents and occasions whereas to an idle person they come in a full body and with open violence and the impudence of a restlesse importunity Ezek 16.49 Senec. Idlenesse is called the Sin of Sodom and her daughters and indeed is the burial of a living man an idle person being so uselesse to any purposes of God and man that he is like one that is dead unconcerned in the changes and necessities of the world and he only lives to spend his time and eat the fruits of the earth like a vermin or a wolf when their time comes they die and perish and in the mean time doe no good they neither plow nor carry burdens all that they doe either is unprofitable or mischievous Idleness is the greatest prodigality in the world it throws away that which is unvaluable in respect of its present use and irreparable when it is past being to be recovered by no power of art or nature But the way to secure and improve our time we may practise in the following Rules Rules for imploying our Time 1. In the morning when you awake accustome your selfe to think first upon God or something in order to his service and at night also let him close thine eyes and let your sleep be necessary and healthful not idle and expensive of time beyond the needs and conveniences of nature and sometimes be curious to see the preparation which the sun makes when he is coming forth from his chambers of the East 2. Let every man that hath a calling be diligent in pursuance of its imployment so as not lightly or without reasonable occasion to neglect it in any of those times which are usually and by the custome of prudent persons and good husbands imployed in it 3. Let all the intervals or void spaces of time be imployed in prayers reading meditating works of nature recreation charity friendliness and neighbourhood and means of spiritual and corporal health ever remembring so to work in our calling as not to neglect the work of our high calling but to begin and end the day with God with such forms of devotion as shall be proper to our necessities 4. The resting daies of Christians and Festivals of the Church must in no sense be daies of idleness for it is better to plow upon holy daies then to doe nothing or to doe vitiously but let them be spent in the works of the day that is of Religion and Charity according to the rules appointed * See Chap. 4. Sect. 6. 5. Avoid the company of Drunkards and busie-bodies and all such as are apt to talk much to little purpose for no man can be provident of his time that is not prudent in the choice of his company and if one of the Speakers be vain tedious and trifling he that hears and he that answers in the discourse are equal losers of their time 6. Never talk with any man or undertake any trifling imployment meerly to passe the time away for every day well spent may become a day of salvation and time rightly employed is an acceptable time S Bern de tripliâ—â—â—ustedia And remember that the time thou triflest away was given thee to repent in to pray for pardon of sins to work out thy salvation to doe the work of grace to lay up against the day of Judgment a treasure of good works that thy time may be crowned with Eternity 7. In the midst of the works of thy calling often retire to God in short prayers and ejaculations Laudatur Augustes Câ—sar apud Lucanum media inter praelia semper Sâ—ellarum coelâ—que plagiâ— inperisque vacabar and those may make up the want of those larger portions of time which it may be thou desirest for devotion and in which thou thinkest other persons have advantage of thee for so thou reconcilest the outward work and thy inward calling the Church and the Common wealth the imployment of the body and the interest of thy soul for be sure that God is present at thy breathings and hearty sighings of prayer assoon as at the longer offices of lesse busied persons and thy time is as truly sanctified by a trade and devout though shorter prayers as by the longer offices of those whose time is not filled up with labour and useful business 8. Let your imployment be such as may become a reasonable person and not be a business fit for children or distracted people but fit for your age and understanding For a man may be very idlely busie and take great pains to so little purpose that in his labors and expence of time he shall serve no end but of folly and vanity There are some Trades that wholly serve the ends of idle persons and fools and such as are fit to be seised upon by the severity of laws and banisht from under the sun and there are some people who are busie but it is as Domitian was in catching flies 9. Let
for covetous or ambitious ends or shall not design the glory of God principally and especially he hath polluted his hands and his heart and the fire of the Altar is quenched or it sends forth nothing but the smoke of mushroms or unpleasant gums And it is a great unworthiness to preferre the interest of a creature before the ends of God the Almighty Creator But because many cases may happen in which a mans heart may deceive him and he may not well know what is in his own spirit therefore by these following signes we shall best make a judgment whether our intentions be pure and our purposes holy Signes of purity of intention 1. It is probable our hearts are right with God and our intentions innocent and pious See Sect â— of this 〈◊〉 Chap â—â—â—â—â—le 18. if we set upon actions of religion or civil life with an affection proportioned to the quality of the work that we act our temporal affairs with a desire no greater then our necessity and that in actions of religion we be zealous active and operative so far as prudence will permit but in all cases that we value a religious design before a temporal when otherwise they are in equal order to their several ends that is that whatsoever is necessary in order to our souls health be higher esteemed then what is for bodily and the necessities the indispensable necessities of the spirit be served before the needs of nature when they are required in their several circumstances Or plainer yet when we choose any temporal inconvenience rather then commit a sin and when we choose to do a duty rather then to get gain But he that does his recreation or his merchandise cheerfully promptly readily and busily and the works of religion slowly flatly and without appetite and the spirit moves like Pharaohs chariots when the wheels were off it is a signe that his heart is not right with God but it cleaves too much to the world 2. It is likely our hearts are pure and our intentions spotlesse when we are not solicitous of the opinion and censures of men but only that we doe our duty and be accepted of God For our eyes will certainly be fixed there from whence we expect our reward and if we desire that god should approve us it is a sign we doe his work and expect him our Pay-master 3. He that does as well in private between God and his own soul as in publick in Pulpits in Theatres and Market-places hath given himself a good testimony that his purposes are full of honesty nobleness and integrity For what Helkanah said to the Mother of Samuel Am not I better to thee then ten sons is most certainly verified concerning God that he who is to be our Judge is better then ten thousand witnesses But he that would have his virtue published studies not virtue but glory He is not just Seneca Ep. 115. that will not be just without praise but he is a righteousman that does justice when to doe so is made infamous and he is a wise man who is delighted with an ill name that is well gotten S Chrys. li. de cempun cordis And indeed that man hath a strange covetousness or folly that is not contented with this reward that he hath pleased God And see what he gets by it S Greg. Moral 8. cap. 25. He that does good works for praise or secular ends sells an inestimable jewel for a trifle and that which would purchase Heaven for him he parts with for the breath of the people which at the best is but aire and that not often wholsome 4. It is well also when we are not sollicitous or troubled concerning the effect and event of all our actions but that being first by Prayer recommended to him is lest at his dispose for then in case the event be not answerable to our desires or to the efficacy of the instrument we have nothing left to rest in but the honesty of our purposes which it is the more likely we have secured by how much more we are indifferent concerning the successe S. James converted but eight persons when he preacht in Spain and our blessed Saviour converted fewer then his own Disciples did And if thy labours prove unprosperous if thou beest much troubled at that it is certain thou didst not think thy selfe secure of a reward for your intention which you might have done if it had been pure and just 5. He loves virtue for Gods sake and its own that loves and honours it wherever it is to be seen but he that is envious or angry at a virtue that is not his own at the perfection or excellency of his Neighbour is not covetous of the virtue but of its reward and reputation and then his intentions are polluted It was a great ingenuity in Moses that wished all the people might be prophets but if he had designed his own honour he would have prophecied alone But he that desires only that the worke of God and religion shal go on is pleased with it who ever is the instrument 6. He that despises the world and all its appendent vanities is the best Judge and the most secured of his intentions because he is the furthest removed from a temptation Every degree of mortification is a testimony of the purity of our purposes and in what degree we despise sensual pleasure or secular honours or wordly reputation in the same degree we shall conclude our heart right to religion and spiritual designes 7. When we are not solicitous concerning the instruments and means of our actions but use those means which God hath laid before us with resignation indifferency and thankfulness it is a good signe that we are rather intent upon the end of Gods glory then our own conveniency or temporal satisfaction He that is indifferent whether he serve God in riches or in poverty is rather a seeker of God then of himself and he that will throw away a good book because it is not curiously guilded is more desirous to please his eye then to inform his understanding 8. When a temporal end consisting with a spiritual and pretended to be subordinate to it happens to fail and be defeated if we can rejoice in that so Gods glory may be secured and the interests of religion it is a great signe our hearts are right and our ends prudently designed and ordered When our intentions are thus ballanced regulated and discerned we may consider 1. That this exercise is of so universal efficacy in the whole course of a holy life that it is like the soule to every holy action and must be provided for in every undertaking and is of it selfe alone sufficient to make all natural and indifferent actions to be adopted into the family of religion 2. That there are some actions which are usually reckoned as parts of our religion which yet of themselves are so relative and imperfect that without the purity of
intention they degenerate and unlesse they be directed and proceed on to those purposes which God designed them to they return into the family of common secular or sinfull actions Thus alms are for charity fasting for temperance prayer is for religion humiliation is for humility austerity or sufferance is in order to the virtue of patience and when these actions fail of their several ends or are not directed to their own purposes alms are mispent fasting is an impertinent trouble prayer is but lip-labour humiliation is but hypocrisie sufferance is but vexation for such were the alms of the Pharisee the fast of Jezabel the prayer of Judah reproved by the Prophet Isaiah the humiliation of Ahab the martyrdom of Haereticks in which nothing is given to God but the body or the forms of Religion but the soul and the power of godliness is wholly wanting 3. We are to consider that no intention can sanctifie an unholy or unlawful action Saul the King disobeyed Gods commandment and spared the cattel of Amalek to reserve the best for sacrifice And Saul the Pharisee persecuted the Church of God with a designe to doe God service and they that killed the Apostles had also good purposes but they had unhallowed actions S. Beâ—n lib. de praecept When there is both truth in election and charity in the intention when we go to God in waies of his own choosing or approving then our eye is single and our hands are clean and our hearts are pure But when a man does evil that good may come of it or good to an evil purpose that man does like him that rowles himself in thorns that he may sleep easily he rosts himself in the fire that he may quench his thirst with his own sweat he turns his face to the East that he may go to bed with the Sun I end this with the saying of a wise Heathen Publiuâ— Mimus He is to be called evil that is good only for his own sake Regard not how full hands you bring to God but how pure Many cease from sin out of fear alone not out of innocence or love of virtue and they as yet are not to be called innocent but timerous SECT III. The third general instrument of holy living or the practise of the presence of God THat God is present in all places the he sees every action hears all discourses and understands every thought is no strange thing to a Christian ear who hath been taught this doctrine not only by right reason and the consent of all the wise men in the world but also by God himself in holy Scripture Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afarre off Ier. 23 24. Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him Heb. 4.13 saith the Lord Doe not I fill heaven and earth Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Acts 17.28 for in him we live and move and have our being God is wholly in every place included in no place not bound with cords except those of love not divided into parts not changeable into several shapes filling heaven and earth with his present power and with his never absent nature Lib 7 de Cavit cap. 30 So S. Augustine expresses this article So that we may imagine GOD to be as the Aire and the Sea and we all inclosed in his circle wrapt up in the lap of his infinite nature or as infants in the wombs of their pregnant Mothers and we can no more be removed from the presence of God then from our own being Several manners of the divine presence The presence of God is understood by us in several manners and to several purposes 1. God is present by his essence which because it is infinite cannot be contained within the limits of any place and because he is of an essential purity and spiritual nature he cannot be undervalued by being supposed present in the places of unnatural uncleanness because as the sun reflecting upon the mud of strands and shores is unpolluted in its beams so is God not dishonoured when we suppose him in every of his Creatures and in every part of every one of them and is still as unmixt with any unhandsome adherance as is the soul in the bowels of the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resp. ad Orthod 2. God is every where present by his power He rouls the Orbs of Heaven with his hand he fixes the Earth with his Foot he guides all the Creatures with his Eye and refreshes them with his influence He makes the powers of Hell to shake with his terrours and binds the Devils with his Word and throws them out with his command and sends the Angels on Embassies with his decrees He hardens the joynts of Infants and confirms the bones when they are fashioned beneath secretly in the earth He it is that assists at the numerous productions of fishes and there is not one hollowness in the bottom of the sea but he shows himself to be Lord of it by sustaining there the Creatures that come to dwell in it And in the wilderness the Bittern and the Stork the Dragon and the Satyr the Unicorn and the Elk live upon his provisions and severe his power and feel the force of his Almightinesse 3. God is more specially present in some places by the several and more special manifestations of himself to extraordinary purposes 1. By glory Thus his seat is in Heaven because there he sits incircled with all the outward demonstrations of his glory which he is pleased to show to all the inhabitants of those his inward and secret Courts And tâ—uâ— they that die in the Lord may be properly said to be goâ—e to God with whom although they were before yet now they enter into his Courts into the secret of his Tabernacle into the retinue and splendor of his glory That is called walking with God but this is dwelling or being with him I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ so said S. Paul But this manner of the Divine presence is reserved for the elect people of God and for their portion in their countrey 4. God is by grace and benediction specially present in holy places Mat. 18 20. Heb. 10.25 and in the solemn assemblies of his servants If holy people meet in grots and dens of the earth when persecution or a publick necessity disturbs the publick order circumstance and convenience God fails not to come thither to them but God is also by the same or a greater reason present there where they meet ordinarily by order and publick authority There God is present ordinarily that is at every such meeting God will go out of his way to meet his Saints when themselves are forced out of their way of order by a sad necessity but else
the Lamb. Grant this O Lamb of God for the honour of thy mercies and the glory of thy name O most merciful Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Amen III. BLessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus who hath sent his Angels and kept me this day from the destruction that walketh at noon and the arrow that flieth by dry and hath given me his Spirit to restrain me from those evils to which my own weaknesses and my evil habits and my unquie◠enemies would easily betray me Blessed and for ever hallowed be thy name for that never ceasing showre of blessing by which I live and am content and blessed and provided for in all necessities and set forward in my duty and way to heaven * Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Amen Holy is our God Holy is the Almighty Holy is the Immortal Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth have mercy upon me Ejaculations and short meditations to be used in the Night when we wake Stand in awe and sin not commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still I will lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me to dwell in safety O Father of Spirits and the God of all flesh have mercy and pity upon all sick and dying Christians and receive the souls which thou hast redeemed returning unto thee Blessed are they that dwell in the heavenly Jerusalem where there is no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God does lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof And there shall be no night there and they need no candle for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 21.23 Meditate on Jacobs wrastling with the Angel all night be thou also importunate with God for a blessing and give not over till he hath blessed thee Meditate on the Angel passing over the children of Israel and destroying the Egyptians for disobedience and opression Pray for the grace of obedience and charity and for the divine protection Meditate on the Angel who destroyed in a night the whole army of the Assyrians for fornication Call to minde the sins of thy youth the sins of thy bed and say with David My reins chasten me in the night season and my soul refuseth comfort Pray for pardon and the grace of chastity Meditate on the agonies of Christ in the garden his sadnes and affliction all that night and thank and adore him for his love that made him suffer so much for thee and hate thy sins which made it necessary for the Son of God to suffer so much Meditate on the four last things 1. The certainty of death 2. The terrors of the day of Judgment 3. The joyes of Heaven 4. The pains of Hell and the eternity of both Thinke upon all thy friends which are gone before thee and pray that God would grant to thee to meet them in a joyful resurrection The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hastning unto the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.10 11. Lord in mercy remember thy servant in the day of judgement Thou shalt answer for me O Lord my God In thee O Lord have I trusted let me never be confounded Amen I Desire the Christian Reader to observe that all these offices or forms of Prayer if they should be used every day would not spend above an hour and a half but because some of them are double and so but one of them to be used in one day it is much lesse and by affording to God one hour in 24 thou mayest have the comforts and rewards of devotion But he that thinks this is too much either is very busie in the world or very carelesse of heaven However I have parted the Prayers into smaller portions that he may use which and how many he please in any one of the forms Ad Sect. 2◠A Prayer for holy intention in the beginning and pursuit of any considerable action as Study Preaching c. O Eternall God who hast made all things for man and man for thy glory sanctifie my body and soul my thoughts and my intentions my words and actions that whatsoever I shall think or speak or doe may be by me designed to the glorification of thy Name and by thy blessing it may be effective and successful in the work of God according as it can be capable Lord turn my necessities into virtue the works of nature into the works of grace by making them orderly regular temperate subordinate and profitable to ends beyond their own proper efficacy and let no pride or self-seeking no covetousness or revenge no impure mixture or unhandsome purposes no little ends and low imaginations pollute my spirit and unhallow any of my words and actions but let my body be a servant of my spirit and both body and spirit servants of Jesus that doing all things for thy glory here I may be partaker of thy glory hereafter through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Ad Sect. 3. A Prayer meditating and referring to the Divine presence ¶ This Prayer is specially to be used in temptation to private sins O Almighty God infinite and eternal thou fillest all things with my presence thou art every where by thy essence and by thy power in heaven by Glory in holy places by thy grace and favour in the hearts of thy servants by thy Spirit in the consciences of all men by thy testimony and observation of us Teach me to walk alwaies as in thy presence to fear thy Majestie to reverence thy wisdom and omniscience that I may never dare to commit any undecency in the eye of my Lord and my Judge but that I may with so much care and reverence demean my self that my Judge may not be my accuser but my advocate that I expressing the belief of thy presence here by careful walking may feel the effects of it in the participation of eternal glory through Jesus Christ. Amen CHAP. II. Of Christian Sobriety Sect. I. Of sobriety in the general sense CHristian Religion in all its moral parts is nothing else but the Law of Nature and great Reason complying with the great necessities of all the world and promoting the great profit of all relations and carrying us through all accidents of variety of chances to that end which God hath from eternal ages purposed for all that live according to it and which he hath revealed in Jesus Christ and according to the Apostles Arithmetick hath but these three
that they might rost it with fire Not that it was a sin to eat it or desire meat rosted but that when it was appointed to be boiled they refused it which declared an intemperate and a nice palate It is lawful in all senses to comply with a weak and a nice stomach but not with a nice and curious palate When our health requires it that ought to be provided for but not so our sensuality and intemperate longings Whatsoever is set before you eat if it be provided for you you may eat it be it never so delicate and be it plaine and common so it be wholsome and fit for you it must not be refused upon curiosity for every degree of that Foelix initium prior aetas conteina dulcibus arvis Facité â—ue sera solebat jejunia 〈…〉 Boeth l 1. de consol Arbuteos faeius mâ—nianâ—que fragra legebam is a degree of intemperance Happy and innocent were the ages of our forefathers who eat herbs and parched corn and drank the pure stream and broke their fast with nuts and roots and when they were permitted flesh eat it only dressed with hunger end fire and the fiirst sauce they had was bitter herbs and sometimes bread dipt in vinegar But in this circumstance moderation is to be reckoned in proportion to the present customs to the company to education and the judstment of honest and wise persons and the necessities of nature 4. Eat not too much load neither thy stomach nor thy understanding If thou sit at â— bountiful table be not greedy upon it and say not there is much meat on it Remember that a wicked Eye is an evil thing and what is creaâ—ed more wicked then an eye Therefore it weepeth upon every occasion Strech not thy hand whithersoever it looketh and thrust iâ— not with him into the dish A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured and 〈◊〉 fetcheth not his winde short upon his bed Signes and effects of Temperance We shall best know that we have the grace of Temperance by the following signs which are as so many arguments to engage us also upon its study and practise 1. A temperate man is modest greedinesse is unmannerly and rude And this is intimated in the advise of the son oâ— Sirach When thou sittest amongst many reach not thy hand out first of all Leave off first for manners sake and be not unsatiable least thou offend Cuâ—â—â— vâ—â—at temperantiarâ— ornatum â—ita in quâ— decâ—â—um illua honâ—stum siâ—um â—st * 2. Temperance is accompanied with gravity of deportment greediness is garish and rejoices loosly at the sight of dainties * 3. Sound but moderate sleep is its signe and its effect Sound sleep cometh of moderate eating he riseth early and his wits are with him * 4. A spirituall joy and a devout prayer * 6 A suppressed and seldom anger 6 * A command of our thoughts passions 7. A seldoÌ„ returning and a never prevailing temptation * 8 To which adde that a temperate person is not curious of fancies and deliciousness He thinkes not much and speaks not often of meat and drink hath a haelthful body and long life unlesse it be hinderd by some other accident whereas to gluâ—tony the paine of watching and choler the pangs of the belly are continuall company And therefore stratonicus said handsomly concerning the luxury of the Rhodians They built houses as if they were immortal but they feasted as if they meant to live but a little while Plutarch de cupid divit And Antipater by his reproach of the old glutton Demades well expressed the baseness of this sin saying that Demades now old and alwaies a glutton was like a spent sacrifice nothing left of him but his belly and his tongue all the man besides is gone Of drunkennesse But I desire that it be observed that because intemperance in eating is not so soon perceived by others as immoderate drinking and the outward visible effects of it are not either so notorious or so ridiculous therefore gluttony is not of so great disreputation amongst men as drunkenness yet according to its degree it puts on the greatness of the sinne before God and is most strictly to be attended to least we be surprised by our security and want of diligence and the intemperance is alike criminal in both according as the affections are either to the meat or drink Gluttony is more uncharitable to the body and drunkenness to the soule or the understanding part of man and therefore in Scripture is more frequently forbidden and declaimed against then the other and Sobriety hath by use obtained to signifie Temperance in drinking Drunkenness is an immoderate affection and use of drink That I call immoderate that is besides or beyond that order of good things for which God hath given us the use of drink The ends are digestion of our meat cheerfulness and refreshment of our spirits or any end of health besides which if we go or at any time beyond it it is inordinate and criminal it is the vice of drunkenness It is forbidden by our blessed Saviour in these words Luk 21. â—4 Take heed to your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkennesse Surfeiting that is the evil effects the sâ—ttishness and remaining stupidity of habitual or of the last nights drunkennesse For Christ forbids both the actual and the habitual intemperance not only the effect of it bâ—t also the affection to it for in both there is sin He that drinks but little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—ol â—n Aristoph if that little make him drunk and if he know beforehand his own infâ—irmity is guilty of surfeiting not of drunkennesse But he that drinks much and is strong to bear it Idem fere apud Plutarâ—h vinâ—lentia animi quaâ—dâ—m râ—miâ—â—onem levitatem ciâ—â—â—â—â—as suâ—ilitatem significaâ— â—lutâ—â—ch de gaâ—â—ul and is not deprived of his reason violently is guilty of the sin of drunkennesse It is a sinne not to prevent such uncharitable effects upon the body and understanding And therefore a man that loves not the drink is guilty of surfeiting if he does not watch to prevent the evil â—ffect and it is a sin and the greater of the two inordinately to love or to use the drink though the surfieting or violence doe not follow Good therefore is the counsel of the son of Syrach Shew not thy valiantness in wine for wine hath destroyed many Evil consequents to drunkenness Prov 23 29. Eccluâ— â—1 20. The evils and sad consequents of drunkennesse the consideration of which are as so many arguments to avoid the sin are to this sense reckoned by the writers of holy Scripture and other wise personages of the world 1. It causeth woes and mischief wounds and sorrow sin and shame * Malta fâ—cium â—â—i cua pâ—stâ—a falâ—ios pâ—udet Senec. it maketh bitterness of spirit
guilt 6. Use S. Pauls instruments of Sobriety Let us who are of the day be sober putting on the brestplate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation Faith Hope and Charity are the best weapons in the world to fight against intemperance The faith of the Mahometans forbids them to drink wine and they abstain religiously as the sons of Rechab and the faith of Christ forbids drunkenness to us and therefore is infinitely more powerful to suppresse this vice when we remember that we are Christians and to abstain from drunkennesse and gluttony is part of the Faith and Discipline of Jesus and that with these vices neither our love to God nor our hopes of heaven can possibly consist and therefore when these enter the heart the others goe out at the mouth for this is the Devil that is cast out by fasting and prayer which are the proper actions of these graces 7. As a pursuance of this Rule it is a good advice that as we begin and end all our times of eating with prayer and thanksgiving so at the meal we remove and carry up our minde and spirit to the Celestial table often thinking of it and often desiring it that by enkindling thy desire to Heavenly banquets thou mayest be indifferent and lesse passionate for the Earthly 8. Mingle discourses pious or in some sense profitable and in all senses charitable and innocent with thy meal as occasion is ministred 9. Let your drink so serve your meat as your meat doth your health that it be apt to convey and digest it and refresh the spirits but let it never go beyond such a refreshment as may a litle lighten the present load of a sad or troubled spirit never to inconvenience lightness sottishness vanity or intemperance and know that the loosing the bands of the tongue and the very first dissolution of its duty is one degree of the intemperance 10. In all cases be careful that you be not brought under the power of such things which otherwise are lawful enough in the use All things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any thing said S. Paul And to be perpetually longing and impatiently desirous of any thing so that a man cannot abstain from it is to lose a mans liberty and to become a servant of meat and drink or smoke And I wish this last instance were more considered by persons who little suspect themselves guilty of intemperance though their desires are strong and impatient and the use of it perpetual and unreasonable to all purposes but that they have made it habitual and necessary as intemperance it self is made to some men 11. Use those advices which are prescribed as instruments to suppresse voluptuousnesse in the foregoing section SECT III. Of Chastity REader stay and read not the advices of the following Section unlesse thou hast a chaste spirit or desirest to be chaste or at least art apt to consider whether thou ought or no. For there are some spirits so Atheistical and some so wholy possessed with a spirit of uncleannesse that they turn the most prudent and chast discourses into dirt and filthy apprehensions like cholerick stomacks changing their very Cordials and medicines into bitternesse and a in literal sense turning the grace of God into wantonness They study cases of conscience in the matter of carnal sins not to avoid but to learne waies how to offend God and pollute their own spirits and search their houses with a Sun beam that they may be instructed in all the corners of nastiness I haue used all the care I could in the following periods that I might neither be wanting to assist those that need it nor yet minister any occasion of fancy or vainer thoughts to those that need them not If any man will snatch the pure taper from my hand and hold it to the Devil he will only burn his own fingers but shall not rob me of the reward of my care and good intention since I have taken heed how to expresse the following duties and given him caution how to read them CHastity is that duty which was mystically intended by GOD in the law of Circumcision It is the circumcision of the heart the cutting off all superfluity of naughtinesse and a supression of all irregular desires in the matter of sensual or carnal pleasure I call all desires irregular and sinful that are not sanctified 1. By the holy institution or by being within the protection of marriage 2. By being within the order of nature 3. By being within the moderation of Christian modesty Against the first are fornication adultery and all voluntary pollutions of either sex Against the second are all unnatural lusts and incestuous mixtures Against the third is all immoderate use of permitted beds concerning which judgment is to be made as concerning meats and drinks there being no certain degree of frequency or intension prescribed to all persons but it is to be ruled as the other actions of a man by proportion to the end by the dignity of the person in the honour and severity of being a Christian and by other circumstances of which I am to give account Chastity is that grace which forbids and restrains all these keeping the body and soul pure in that state in which it is placed by God whether of the single or of the married life Concerning which our duty is thus described by S. Paul For this is the will of God even our sanctification 5. Thess. 3.4 5. that ye should abstain from fornication that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour Not in the lust of concupiscence even as the Gentiles which know not God Chastity is either abstinence or continence Abstinence is that of Virgins or Widows Continence of married persons Chaste marriages are honourable and pleasing to God Widowhood is pitiable in its solitariness and losse but amiable and comely when it is adorned with gravity and purity and not fullied with remembrances of the passed license nor with present desires of returning to a second bed But Virginity is a life of Angels Virginiâ—as est in cae ne corrupiteth incorruptionis perpetua meditatio S Aug. I 'de Virg c. 13. the enamel of the soul the huge advantage of religion the great opportunity for the retirements of devotion and being empty of cares it is full of prayers being unmingled with the world it is apt to converse with God and by not feeling the warmth of a too forward and indulgent nature flames out with holy fires till it be burning like the Cherubim and the most extasied order of holy and unpolluted Spirits Natural virginity of it self is not a state more acceptable to God but that which is chosen and voluntary in order to the conveniences of Religion and separation from worldly incombrances is therefore better then the married life not that it is more holy but that it
her kindred naked and shaved her head and caused her husband to beat her with clubs through the city The Gortinaeans crowned the man with wool to shame him for his effeminacy and the Cumani caused the woman to ride upon an asse naked and hooted at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for ever after called her by an appellative of scorn A rider upon the asse All nations barbarous and civil agreeing in their general designe of rooting so dishonest and shameful vice from under heaveÌ„ Concil Tribur c 49. Concil Aurel 1. sub Clodovaeo The middle ages of the Church were not pleased that the adulteresse should be put to death but in the primitive ages the * Cod. de aldulteciiis ad legem Jâ—â—éam l. 1. Cod. Theod. de adulteriis c. placuit civil Laws by which Christians were then governed gave leave to the wronged husband to kill his adulterous wife if he took her in the fact but because it was a privilege indulg'd to men rather then a direct detestation of the crime a consideration of the injury rather then of the uncleanness therefore it was soon altered but yet hath caused an inquiry Whether is worse the Adultery of the man or the woman The resolution of which case in order to our present affair is thus In respect of the person the fault is greater in a man then in a woman who is of a more plyant and easie spirit and weaker understanding and hath nothing to supply the unequal strengths of men but the defensative of a passive nature and armour of modesty which is the natural ornament of that sex Apud Aug de adulter conjug Plutâ— conjug praecept And it is unjust that the man should demand chastity and severity from his wife which himself will not observe towards her said the good Emperour Antoninus it is as if the man should perswade his wife to fight against those enemies to which he had yeilded himself a prisoner 2. In respect of the effects and evil consequents the adultery of the woman is worse as bringing bastardy into a family and disinherisons or great injuries to the Lawfull children and infinite violations of peace and murders and divorces and all the effects of rage and madness 3. But in respect of the crime and as relating to God they are equal intolerable and damnable and since it is no more permitted to men to have many wives then to women to have many husbands and that in this respect their privilege is equal their sin is so too And this is the case of the question in Christianity And the Church anciently refused to admit such persons to the holy Communion until they had done seven years penances in fasting in sack-cloth in severe inflictions and instruments of chastity and sorrow according to the discipline of those ages Acts of chastity in general The actions and proper offices of the grace of chastity in general are these 1. To resist all unchaste thoughts at no hand entertaining pleasure in the unfruitful fancies and remembrances of uncleanness although no definite desire or resolution be entertained 2. At no hand to entertain any desire or any phantastick imaginative loves Casso saltem delectamine amarâ— quâ—d potiri non licet Poeta Patellas luxuriae oculos dixit Isidorus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alius quidam though by shame or disability or other circumstance they be restrained from act 3. To have a chast eye and hand for it is all one with what part of the body we commit adultery Time videre uÌ„de possis cadere noli fieri perversaÌ„ simplicitate securus S. Aug. and if a man lets his eye loose and enjoyes the lust of that he is an adulterer Look not upon a woman to lust after her And supposing all the other members restrained yet if the eye be permitted to lust the man can no otherwise be called chast then he can be called severe and mortified that sits all day long seeing playes and revellings and out of greedinesse to fill his eye neglects his belly There are some vessels which if you offer to lift by the belly or bottom you cannot stirre them but are soon removed if you take them by the ears It matters not with which of your members you are taken and carried off from your duty and severity 4. To have a heart and minde chast and pure that is detesting all uncleanness disliking all its motions past actions circumstances likenesses discourses and this ought to be the chastity of Virgins and Widows of old persons and Eunuchs especially and generally of all men according to their several necessities Sp Minucius Pontifex Posthumium monuit ne verbis vitae astâ—ms niem anon aequantibus uteretur Plutare de cap ex inim utilit 5. To Discourse chastly and purely with great care declining all undecencies of language chastening the tongue and restraining it with grace as vapours of wine are restrained with a bunch of myrrhe 6. To disapprove by an after act all involuntary and natural pollutions for if a man delights in having suffered any natural pollution and with pleasure remember it he chooses that which was in it selfe involuÌ„tary and that which being natural was innocent becoming voluntary is made sinful 7. They that have performed these duties and parts of Chastity will certainly abstain from all exterior actions of uncleanness those noon day and mid night Devils these lawlesse and ungodly worshippings of shame and uncleanness whose birth is in trouble whose growth is in folly and whose end is in shame But besides these general acts of Chastity which are common to all states of men and women there are some few things propero the severals Acta of Virginal Chastity 1. Virgins must remember that the Virginity of the body is only excellent in order to the purity of the soul who therefore must consider that since they are in some measure in a condicion like that of Angels it is their duty to spend much of their time in Angelical imployment for in the same degree that Virgins live more spiritually then other persons in the same degree is their Virginity a more excellent state But else it is no better then that of involuntary or constrained Eunuchs a misery and trouble or else a meer privation as much without excellency as without mixture 2. Virgins must contend for a singular modesty whose first part must be an ignorance in the distinction of sexes or their proper instruments or if they accidentally be instructe in that it must be supplied with an inadvertency or neglect of all thoughts and remembrances of such difference and the following parts of it must be pious and chast thoughts holy language and modest carriage 3. Virgins must be retired and unpublick for all freedome and loosness of society is a violence done to virginity not in its natural but in its moral capacity that is it looses part of its severity strictness and opportunity of
and violence but easiness and softness and smooth temptations creep in and like the Sun make a maiden lay by her vail and robe which persecution like the Northern winde made her hold fast and clap close about her 6. He that will secure his chastity must first cure his pride and his rage For oftentimes lust is the punishment of a proud man to tame the vanity of his pride by the shame and affronts of unchastity and the same intemperate heat that makes anger does enkindle lust nunâ— quid ego à te Magno pâ—ugnatant dâ—poseâ— conside Vâ—â—â— a su◠〈◊〉 mea cum confeâ—bâ—â—â— iâ—a Hoâ—at seâ—m l. Sat 2. 7. If thou beest assaulted with an unclean Spirit trust not thy â—elfe alone but run forth into company whose reverence and modesty may suppresse or whose society may divert thy thoughts and a perpetual witness of thy conversation is of especiall use against this vice which evaporates in the open air like Camphire being impatient of light and wiitnesses 8. Use frequent and earnest-prayer to the King of Purities the first of Virgins the eternal GOD who is of an essential purity that he would be pleased to reprove and cast out the unclean Spirit For besides the blessings of prayer by way of reward it hath a naturall virtue to restrain this vice because a prayer against it is an unwillingness to act it and so long as we heartily pray against it our desires are secured and then this Devil hath no power This was Saint Pauls other remedy For this cause I besought the Lord thrice And there is much reason and much advantage in the use of this instrument because the main thing that in this affair is to be secured is a mans minde He that goes about to cure lust by bodily exercises alone as Saint Pauls phrase is or mortifications Mens impudicam fâ—ceâ—â— non corpus sâ—leâ— shall finde them sometimes instrumental to it and incitations of sudden desires but alwaies insufficient and of little profit but he that hath a chaste minde shall finde his body apt enough to take laws and let it doe its worst it cannot make a sinne and in its greatest violence can but produce a little natural uneasiness not so much trouble as a severe fasting day or a hard nights lodging upon boords If a man be hungry he must eat and if he be thirsty he must drink in some convenient time or else â—e dies but if the body be rebellions so the minde be chaste let it doe its worst if you resolve perfectly not to satisfie it you can receive no great evil by it Therefore the proper cure is by applications to the Spirit and securities of the minde which can no way so well be secured as by frequent and servent prayers and sober resolutions and severe discourses Therefore 9. Hither bring in succor from consideration of the Divine presence and of his holy Angels meditation of Death and the passions of CHRIST upon the Crosse imitation of his purities and of the Virgin Mary his unspotted and holy Mother and of such eminent Saints who in their generations were burning and shining lights unmingled with such uncleannesses which defile the soul and who now follow the Lamb whithersoevâ—r he goes Danda est opera ut matrimonio deviâ—ciantur quod est tutissimum juâ—entutis vinculum Plut de educ lib. 10. These remedies are of universal efficacy in all cases extraordinary and violent but in ordinary and common the remedy which GOD hath provided that is Honourable marriage hath a natural efficacy besides a virtue by Divine blessing to cure the inconveniences which otherwise might afflict persons temperate and sober SECT IV. Of Humility HUmility is the great Ornament Jewel of Christian Religion that whereby it is distinguished from all the wisdome of the world it not having been taught by the wise men of the Gentiles but first put into a discipline and made part of a religion by our Lord Jesus Christ who propounded himself imitable by his Disciples so signally in nothing as in the twinne sisters of Meekness and Humility Learn of me for I am meek and humble and ye shall finde rest unto your souls For all the World all that we are and all that we have our bodies and our souls our actions and our sufferings our conditions at home our accidents abroad our many sins and our seldome virtues are as so many arguments to make our souls dwell low in the deep valleys of Humility Arguments against Pride by way of Consideration 1. Our Body is weak and impure sending out more uncleannesses from its several sinks then could be endured if they were not necessary and natural and we are forced to passe that through our mouths which as soon as we see upon the ground we loathe like rottenness and vomiting 2. Our strength is inferiour to that of many Beasts and our infirmities so many that we are forced to dresse and tend Horses and Asses that they may help our needs and relieve our wants 3. Our beauty is in colour inferiour to many flowers and in proportion of parts it is better then nothing For even a Dog hath parts as well proportioned and fitted to his purposes and the designs of his nature as we have and when it is most florid and gay three sits of an ague can change it into yellowness and leanness and the hollowness and wrinkles of deformity 4. Our learning is then best when it teaches most humility but to be proud of Learning is the greatest ignorance in the World For our learning is so long in getting and so very imperfect that the greatest Clerk knows not the thousand part of what he is ignorant and knows so uncertainly what he seems to know and knows no otherwise then a Fool or a Childe even what is told him or what he guesses at that except those things which concern his duty and which God hath revealed to him which also every Woman knows so farre as is necessary the most Learned Man hath nothing to be proud of unlesse this be a sufficient argument to exalt him that he uncertainly guesses at some more unnecessary things then many others who yet know all that concerns them and minde other things more necessary for the needs of life and Common-wealths 6. He that is proud of riches is a fool For if he be exalted above his Neighbours because he hath more gold how much inferiour is he to a Gold Mine How much is he to give place to a chain of Pearl or a knot of Diamonds For certainly that hath the greatest excellence from whence he derives all his gallantry and preheminence over his Neighbours 5 If a man be exalted by reason of any excellence in his soul he may please to remember that all souls are equal and their differing operations are because their instrument is in better tune their body is more healthful or better tempered which is no more praise to him then it
great is that joy how infinite is that change how unspeakable is the glory how excellent is the recompense for all the sufferings in the world if they were all laden upon the spirit So that let thy condition be what it will if thou considerest thy own present condition and compare it to thy future possibility thou canst not feel the present smart of a crosse fortune to any great degree either because thou hast a farre bigger sorrow or a farre bigger joy Here thou art but a stranger travelling to thy Countrey where the glories of a kingdome are prepared for thee it is therefore a huge folly to be much afflicted because thou hast a lesse convenient Inne to lodge in by the way But these arts of looking forwards and backwards are more then enough to support the spirit of a Christian there is no man but hath blessings enough in present possession to outweigh the evils of a great affliction Tell the joynts of thy body and doe not accuse the universal providence for a lame leg or the want of a finger when all the rest is perfect and you have a noble soul a particle of Divinity the image of GOD himself and by the want of a finger you may the better know how to estimate the remaining parts and to account for every degree of the surviving blessings Aristippus in a great suit at Law lest a Farm and to a gentleman who in civility pitied and deplored his losse He answered I have two Farms left still and that is more then I have lost and more then you have by one If you misse an Office for which you stood Candidate then besides that you are quit of the cares and the envy of it you still have all those excellencies which rendred you capable to receive it and they are better then the best Office in the Common-wealth If your estate be lessened you need the lesse to care who governs the Province whether he be rude or gentle I am crossed in my journey and yet I scaped robbers and I consider that if I had been set upon by Villains I would have redeemed that evil by this which I now suffer and have counted it a deliverance or if I did fall into the hands of theeves yet they did not steal my land or I am fallen into the hands of Publicans and Sequestrators and they have taken all from me what now let me look about me They have left me the Sun and the Moon Fire and Water a loving wife and many friends to pity me and some to releive me and I can still discourse and unlesse I list they have not taken away my merry countenance and my cheerful spirit and a good conscience they still have left me the providence of God and all the promises of the Gospel and my Religion and my hopes of Heaven and my chaâ—â—ity to them too and still I sleep and digest I eat and drink I read and meditate I can walk in my neighbours pleasant fields and see the varieties of natural beauties and delight in all that in which God delights that is in virtue and wisdom in the whole creation and in God himselfe and he that hath so many causes of joy and so great is very much in love with sorow and peevishnes who loses all these pleasures and chooses to sit down upon his little handful of thornes such a person were fit to bear Nero company in his funeral sorrow for the losse of one of Poppea's hairs or help to mourn for Lesbia's sparrow and because he loves it he deserves to starve in the midst of plenty and to want comfort while he is encircled with blessings 4. Enjoy the present whatsoever it be and be not solicitous for the future Quid sit futurum cras fâ—ge quaerere Quem foâ—i dictum 〈◊〉 dalâ—t lucâ— Appone Ho l 1. Od. 4 for if you take your foot from the present standing and thrust it forward toward to morrows event you are in a restlesse condition it is like refusing to quench your present thirst by fearing you shall want drink the next day If it be well to day it is madness to make the present miserable by fearing it may be ill to morrow when your belly is full of to daies dinner to fear you shall want the next daies supper for it may be you shall not and then to what purpose was this daies affliction Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosà nocte premit Deus Ridetque si mortalis ultra Fas trepidet quod adest memento Componere aequus Hor l 3. Od 29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if to morrow you shall want your sorrow will come time enough though you doe not hasten it let your trouble tarry till its own day comes But if it chance to be ill to day doe not increase it by the care of to morrow Enjoy the blessings of this day if God sends them and the evils of it bear patiently and sweetly for this day is only ouâ—s we are dead to yesterday and we are not yet born to the morrow He therefore that enjoyes the present if it be good enjoyes as much as is possible and if only that daies trouble leans upon him it is singular and finite Sufficient to the day said Christ is the evil thereof Sufficient but not intolerable but if we look abroad and bring into one daies thoughts the evil of many certain and uncertain what will be and what will never be our load will be as intolerable as it is unreasonable To reprove this instrument of discontent the Ancients feigned that in Hell stood a man twisting a rope of Hay and still he twisted on suffering an Asse to eat up all that was finished so miserable is he who thrusts his passions forwards towards future events and suffers all that he may enjoy to be lost and devoured by folly and inconsideration thinking nothing fit to be enjoyed but that which is not or cannot be had Just so many young persons are loath to die and therefore desire to live to old age and when they are come thither are troubled that they are come to that state of life to which before they were come they were hugely afraid they should never come 5. Let us prepare our mindes against changes alwaies expecting them that we be not surprized when they come For nothing is so great an enemy to tranquillity and a contented spirit as the amazement and confusions of unreadiness and inconsideration and when our fortunes are violently changed our spirits are unchanged if they alwaies stood in the Suburbs and â—xpâ—â—â—â—tion of sorrows O Death how bitter art thou to a man that is at rest in his possessions and to the rich Man who had promised to himself ease and fulness for many years it was a sad arrest that his soul was surprised the first night but the Apostles who every day knockt at the gate of death and looked upon it continually went to
their Martyrdome in peace and evenness 6. Let us often frame to our selves and represent to our considerations the images of those blessings we have just as we usually understand them when we want them Consider how desirable health is to a sick man or liberty to a prisoner and if but a sit of the tooth-ach seises us with violence all those troubles which in our health afflicted us disband instantly and seem inconsiderable He that in his health is troubled that he is in debt and spends sleeplesse nights and refuses meat because of his infelicity let him fall into a fit of the Stone or a high Feaver despises the arrest of all his first troubles and is as a man unconcerned Remember then that God hath given thee a blessing the want of which is infinitely more trouble then thy present debt or poverty or losse therefore is now more to be valued in the possession ought to outweigh thy trouble The very privative blessings the blessings of immunity safeguard liberty and integrity which we commonly enjoy deserve the thanksgiving of a whole life If God should send a Cancer upon thy face or a Wolf into thy side if he should spread a crust of Leprosie upon thy skin what wouldst thou give to be but as now thou art Wouldst thou not on that condition be as poor as I am or as the meanest of thy brethren Would you not choose your present losse or affliction as a thing extremely eligible and a redemption to thee if thou mightest exchange the other for this Thou art quit from a thousand calamities every one of which if it were upon thee would make thee insensible of thy present sorrow and therefore let thy joy which should be as great for thy freedom from them as in thy sadness when thou feelest any of them doe the same cure upon thy discontent For if we be not extremely folish or vain thanklesse or senslesse a great joy is more apt to cure sorrow and discontent then a great trouble is I have known an affectionate Wife when she he hath been in fear of parting with her beloved Husband heartily desire of God his life or society upon any conditions that were not sinful and choose to beg with him rather then to feast without him and the same person hath upon that consideration born poverty nobly when God hath heard her prayer in the other matter What wise man in the world is there who does not preferre a small fortune with peace before a great one with contention and warre and violence and then he is no longer wise if he alters his opinion when he hath his wish 7. If you will secure a contented spirit you must measure your desires by your fortune and condition not your fortunes by your desires That is be governed by your needs not by your fancy by Nature Assai basta per chi non emeâ—rdo not by evil customs and ambitious principles He that would shoot an arrow out of a Plow or hunt a Hare with an Elephant is not unfortunate for missing the mark or prey but he is foolish for choosing such unapt instruments and so is he that runs after his content with appetites not springing from natural needs but from artificial phantastical and violent necessities These are not to be satisfied or if they were a man hath chosen an evil instrument towards his content Nature did not intend rest to a Man by filling of such desires Is that Beast better that hath two or three Mountains to graze on then a little Bee that feeds on Dew or Manna and lives upon what falls every morning from the Store-houses of Heaven Clouds and Providence Can a Man quench his thirst better out of a River then a full Urn quantò praestantius esset Numena aquae viridi si margine claâ— deret undas Heâ—ba neâ— ingenutum violarent marmoâ—a â—opluÌ„ me pascunt olivae Meâ—ichecrae levèsâ—â—e malvae Fruâ— patatis valido mihi Latâ—edenes Horat l. 1. Od. 31. 〈◊〉 cupressum Omâ—â—pâ—◠〈◊〉 pascuis Teâ—â—â— mihi datum est parum Caret interim doleâ—â—iâ—â—s pindar or drink better from the Fountain wheÌ„ it is finely paved with Marble then when it swels over the green Turf Pride and artificial gluttonies doe but adulterate Nature making our diet healthlesse our appetites impatient and unsatisfiable and the taste mixt phantastical and mâ—retricious But that which we miscall poverty is indeed Nature and its proportions are the just measures of a Man and the best instruments of content But when we create needs that God or Nature never made we have erected to our selves an infinite stock of trouble that can have no period Sempronius complained of want of clothes and was much troubled for a new suit being ashamed to appeare in the Theatre with his Gown a little thred-bare but when he got it and gave his old clothes to Codrus the poor man was ravisht with joy and went and gave God thanks for his new purchase and Codrus was made richly fine and cheerfully warm by that which Sempronius was ashamed to wear and yet their natural needs were both alike the difference only was that Sempronius had some artificial and phantastical necessities superinduced which Codrus had not and was harder to be releived and could not have joy at so cheap a rate because he only lived according to Nature the other by Pride and ill customes and measures taken by other mens eyes and tongues and artificial needs He that propounds to his fancy things greater then himself or his needs and is discontent and troubled when he fails of such purchases ought not to accuse Providence or blame his fortune but his folly God and Nature made no more needs then they mean to satisfie and he that will make more must look for satisfaction where he can 8. In all troubles and sadder accidents let us take sanctuary in Religion and by innocence cast out anchors for our souls to keep them from shipwrack though they be not kept from storm Vitâ—aâ—â— culpa in calamitatibus maâ—imum solaâ—ium For what Philosophy shall comfort a Villain that is haled to the rack for murdering his Prince or that is broken upon the wheel for Sacrilege His cup is full of pure and unmingled sorrow His body is rent with torment his name with ignominy his soul with shame and sorrow which are to last eternally but when a man suffers in a good cause or is afflicted and yet walles not perversly with his God then 2 Cor. 1.8 Anytus and Melitus may kill me but they cannot hurt me then Saint Pauls character is engraved in the forehead of our fortune We are troubled on every side but not in diâ—â—resled 1 Pet. 3.13 4 15 16. perplexed but not in despaire persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed and who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good For indeed every thing in the world is indifferent
fortune that was a great calamity But these are but single instances Almost all the ages of the world have noted that their most eminent Scholâ—rs were mâ—st eminently poor some by choice but most by chance and an inevitable decree of providence And in the whole sex of women God hath decreed the sharpest pains of child birth to show that there is no state exempt from sorrow and yet that the weakest persons have strength more than enough to bear the greatest evil and the greatest Queens and the Mothers of Saints and Apostles have no charter of exemption from this sad sentence But the Lord of men and Angels was also the King of sufferings and if thy course robe trouble thee remember the swadling cloathes of Jesus iâ— thy bed be uneasie yet iâ— is not worse then his Maâ—ger and it is no sadness to have a thin table if thou callest to minde that the King of heaven and earth was fed with a little breast-milk and yet besides this he suffered all the sorrows which we deserved We therefore have great reason to sit down upon our own hearths and warm our selves at our own fires and feed upon content at home for it were a strange pride to expect to be more gently treated by the Divine providence then the best and wisest men then Apostles and Saints nay the son of the Eternal God the heir of both the worlds This Consideration may be enlarged by surveying all the states and families of the world Seâ—vius Sulplum and he that at once saw Aegina and Megara Pyraeus and Corinth lie gasping in their ruines and almost buried in their own heaps had reason to blame Cicero for mourning impatiently the death of one woman In the most beauteous and splendid fortune there are many cares and proper interruptions and allayes In the fortune of a Prince there is not the course to be of beggery but there are infinite cares Hâ—â—â—n soâ—o beatus esse câ—editu 〈◊〉 â—o â—â—us aâ—eâ—â—â—s 〈◊〉 suis misâ—â—â—inus Impoâ—at mulieâ— jubet omniâ— sempeâ— letigâ—t Muâ—â—a adferuni illi dolorem nihil nube Fure quam soâ—tenâ— patiuntuâ— omnes â—emo recâ—sat and the Judge sits upon the Tribunal with great ceremony and ostentation of fortune and yet at his house or in his brest there is something that causes him to sigh deeply Pittacus was a wise and valiant man but his Wife overthrew the Table when he had invited his friends upon which the good man to excuse her incivility and his own misfortune said That every man had one evil and he was most happy that had but that alone And if nothing else happens yet sicknesses so often doe imbitter the fortune and content of a family that a Physician in a few years and with the practise upon a very few families gets experience enough to administer to almost all diseases And when thy little misfortuÌ„e troubles thee remember that thou hast kown the best of Kings and the best of Men put to death publickly by his own subjects 3. There are many accidents which are esteemed great calamities and yet we have reason enough to bear them well and unconcernedly for they neither touch our bodies nor our souls our health and our virtue remains intire our life and our reputation It may be I am slighted or I have received ill language but my head akes not for it neither hath it broke my thigh nor taken away my virtue unlesse I lose my charity or my patience Inquire therefore what you are the worse either in your soul or in your body for what hath happened for upon this very stock many evils will disappear since the body and the soul make up the whole man Si natus es Trophime solus omnium haelâ—ge Vt semper eant tâ—bi â—es arbitcio tuc Felâ—citatem hanc si quit promiâ—it Deus Irascereâ—is ure non malâ is side Et imprebej egiffâ—t Menan and when the daughter of Sâ—ilpâ— prov'd a wanton he said it was none of his sin and therefore there was no reason it should be his misery And if an enemy hath taken all that from a Prince whereby he was a king he may refresh himself by considering all that is left him whereby he is a Man 4. Consider that sad accidents and a state of affliction is a School of virtue it reduces our spirits to soberness and our counsels to moderation it corrects levity and interrupts the confidence of siniâ—ng It is good for me said David that I have been afflicted for thereby I have learned thy law Psalm 119 part 10. ver 3 And I know O â—oâ—d that thou of very faithfullnesse hast caused me to be troubled For God who in mercy and wisdome governes the world would never have suffered so many sadnesses and have sent them especially to the most virtuous and the wisest men but that he intends they should be the seminary of comfort the nursery of virtue the exercise of wisdom the tryall of patience the venturing for a crown and the gate of glory 5. Consider that afflictions are oftentimes the occasions of great temporal advantages and we must not look upon them as they sit down heavily upon us but as they serve some of Gods ends and the purposes of universal Providence And when a Prince sights justly and yet unprosperously if he could see all those reasons for which God hath so ordered it he would think it the most reasonable thing in the world and that it would be very ill to have it otherwise If a man could have opened one of the pages of the Divine counsel and could have seen the event of Josephs being sold to the Merchants of Amaleck he might with much reason have dried up the young mans tears and when Gods purposes are opened in the events of things as it was in the case of Joseph when he sustained his Fathers family and became Lord of Egypt then we see what ill judgment we made of things and that we were passionate as children and transported with sense and mistaken interests The case of Themitocles was almost like that oâ— Joseph for being banished into Egypt he also grew in favour with the King and told his wife He had been undone unlesse he had been undone For God esteems it one of his glories that he brings good out of evil and therefore it were but reason we should trust God to governe his own world as he pleases and that he should patiently wait till the change cometh or the reason be discovered And this consideration is also of great use to them who envy at the prosperity of the wicked and the successe of Persecutors and the baites of fishes and the bread of dogs God fails not to sow blessings in the long furrows which the plowers plow upon the back of the Church and this successe which troubles us will be a great glory to God and a great benefit to his Saints and servants and a great ruine to the
impatient at the death of a person coÌ„cerning whom it was certain and known that he must die is to mourn because thy friend or childe was not born an Angel and when thou hast a while made thy self miserable by an importunate and uselesse grief it may be thou shalt die thy self and leave others to their choice whether they will mourn for thee or no but by that time it will appear how impertinent that greif was which served no end of life and ended in thy own funeral But what great matter is it if sparkes fly upward or a stone falls into a pit if that which was combustible be burned or that which was liquid be melted or that which is mortal doe die It is no more then a man does every day for every night death hath gotten possession of that day and we shall never live that day over again and when the last day is come there are no more daies left for us to die And what is sleeping and waking but living and dying what is Spring and Autumn youth and old age morning and evening but real images of life and death and really the same to many considerable effects and changes Untimely death But it is not meer dying that is pretended by some as the cause of their impatient mourning but that the childe died young before he knew good and evill his right hand from his leâ—t and so lost all his portion of this world and they know not of what excellency his portion in the next shall be * If he died young he left but little for he understood but little and had not capacities of great pleasures or great cares but yet be died innocent and before the sweetness of his soul was defloured and ravishd from him by the flames and follies of a froward age he went out from the dining-rooms before he had fallen into errour by the intemperance of his meat or the deluge of drink and he hath obtained this favour of God that his soul hath suffered a lesse imprisonment and her load was sooner taken off that he might with lesser delaies go and converse with immortal spirits and the babe is taken into Paradise before he knows good and evil For that knowledge threw our great Father out and this ignorance returnes the childe thither * But as concerning thy own particular remove thy thoughts back to those daies in which thy childe was not born and you are now but as then you was and there is no difference but that you had a son born and if you reckon that for evil you are unthankful for the blessing if it be good it is better that you had the blessing for a whilâ— then not at all and yet if he had never been born ItideÌ„ si puâ—r parvulus ocâ—â—dat aequâ—ae nimo ferendum puâ—ant si verò in cunis ne querendum quidem atqui hâ—c aoerbius exegis natura quòd dede it At id quidem in câ—etâ—tâ—s rebus inclius putatur aliquâ—m partem quà m nullum aâ—â—ingere Senec. this sorrow had not been at all but be no more displeased at God for giving you a blessing for a while then you would have been if he had not given it at all and reckon that intervening blessing for a gain but account it not an evil and if it be a good turn not into sorrow and sadness * But if we have great reason to complain of the calamities and evils of our life then we have the lesse reason to grieve that those whom we loved have so small a portion of evil assigned to them And it is no small advantage that our children dying young receive For their condition of a blessed immortality is rendred to them secure by being snatcht from the dangers of an evil choice and carired to their little cells of felicity where they can weep no more And this the wisest of the Gentiles understood well when they forbade any offerings or libations to be made for dead Infants as was usual for their other dead as believing they were entred into a secure possession to wich they went with no other condition but that they passed into it through the way of mortality and for a few months wore an uneasie garment And let weeping parents say if they doe not think that the evils their little babes have suffered are sufficient If they be why are they troubled that they were taken from those many and greater which in succeeding years are great enough to trie all the reason and religion which art and nature and the grace of God hath produced in us to enable us for such sad contentions And possibly we may doubt concerning men and women but we cannot suspect that to Infants death can be such an evil but that it brings to them much more good then it takes from them in this life Death unseasonable But others can well bear the death of Infants but when they have spent some years of childehood or youth and are entred into arts and society when they are hopeful and provided for when the parents are to reap the comfort of all their fears and cares then it breakes the spirit to lose them This is true in many but this is not love to the dead but to themselves for they misse what they had flattered themselves into by hope and opinion and if it were kindness to the dead they may consider that since we hope he is gone to God and to rest it is an ill expression of our love to them that we weep for their good fortune For that life is not best which is longest and when they are descended into the grave it shall not be inquired how long they have lived but how well and yet this shortening of their daies is an evil wholly depending upon opinion Juvenis â—euâ—vâ—ia â—inbuiâ— quem Diâ— diligant Menâ—ud For if men did naturally live but twenty years then we should be satisfied if they died about sixteen or eighteen and yet eighteen years now are as long as eighteen years would be then and if a man were but of a daies life it is well if he lasts till Even song and then saies his Compline an hour before the time and we are pleased and call not that death immature if he lives till seventy and yet this age is as short of the old periods before and since the flood as this youtâ—s age for whom you mourn is of the present fulness Suppose therefore a decree passed upon this person as there have been many upon all mankinde and God hath set him a shorter period and then we may as well bear the immature death of the young man as the death of the oldest man for they also are immature unseasonable in respect of the old periods of many generations * And why are we troubled that he had arts and sciences before he died or are we troubled that he does not live to make use of them the first is cause of joy for
no impure thoughts pollute that soul which God hath sanctified no unclean words pollute that tongue which God hath commanded to be an Organ of his praises no unholy and unchaste action rend the vail of that Temple where the holy JESUS hath been pleased to enter and hath chosen for his habitation but seal up all my senses from all vain objects and let them be intirely possessed with Religion and fortified with prudence watchfulness and mortification that I possessing my vessel in holiness may lay it down with a holy hope and receive it again in a joyful resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the love of God to be said by Virgins and Widows professed or resolved so to live and may be used by any one O Holy and purest Jesus who wert pleased to espouse every holy soul and joyn it to thee with a holy union and mysterious instruments of religious society and communications O fill my soul with Religion and desires holy as the thoughts of Cherubim passionate beyond the love of women that I may love thee as much as ever any creature loved thee even with all my soul and all my faculties and all the degrees of every faculty let me know no loves but those of duty and charity obedience and devotion that I may for ever run after thee who art the King of Virgins and with whom whole kingdoms are in love and for whose sake Queens have died and at whose feet Kings with joy have laid their Crowns and Scepters My soul is thine O dearest Jesu thou art my Lord and hast bound up my eyes and heart from all strange affections give me for my dowry purity and humility modesty and devotion charity and patience and at last bring me into the Bride-chamber to partake of the felicities and to lie in the bosome of the Bride-groom to eternal ages O holy and sweetest Saviour Jesus Amen A Prayer to be said by married persons in behalf of themselves and each other O Eternal and gracious Father who hast consecrated the holy estate of marriage to become mysterious and to represent the union of Christ and his church let thy holy Spirit so guide me in the doing the duties of this state that it may not became a sin unto me nor that liberty which thou hast hallowed by the holy Jesus become an occasion of licentiousness by my own weakness and sensuality and doe thou forgive all those irregularities and too sensual applications which may have in any degree discomposed my spirit and the severity of a Christian. Let me in all accidents and circumstances be severe in my duty towards thee affectionate and dear to my Wife or Husband a guide and good example to my family and in all quietness sobriety prudence and peace a follower of those holy pairs who have served thee with godliness and a good testimony and the blessings of the eternal God blessings of the right hand and of the left be upon the body and soul of thy servant my Wife or Husband and abide upon her or him till the end of a holy and happy life and grant that both of us may live together for ever in the embraces of the holy and eternal Jesus our Lord and saviour Amen A prayer for the grace of Humility O Holy and most gracious Master and Saviour Jesus who by thy example and by thy precept by the practise of a whole life and frequent discourses didst command us to be meek and humble in imitation of thy incomparable sweetness and great humility be pleased to give me the grace as thou hast given me the commandment enable me to doe whatsoever thou commandest and command whatsoever thou pleasest O mortifie in me all proud thoughts and vain opinions of my self let me return to thee acknowledgment and the fruits of all those good things thou hast given me that by confessing I am wholly in debt to thee for them I may not boast my self for what I have received and for what I am highly accountable and for what is my own teach me to be ashamed and humbled it being nothing but sin and misery weakness and uncleanness Let me go before my brethren in nothing but in striving to doe them honour and thee glory never to seek my own praise never to delight in it when it is offered that despising my self I may be accepted by thee in the honours with which thou shalt crown thy humble and despised servants for Jesus his sake in the kingdome of eternal glory Amen Acts of Humility and Modesty by way of prayer and meditation I. Lord I know that my spirit is light and thorny my body is brutish and exposed to sickness I am constant to folly and inconstant in holy purposes My labours are vain and fruitless my fortune full of change and trouble seldom pleasing never perfect My wisdom is holly being ignorant even of the parts and passions of my own body and what am I O Lord before thee but a miserable person hugely in debt not able to pay II. Lord I am nothing and I have nothing of my self I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies III. What was I before my birth First nothing and then uncleanness What during my childehood weakness and folly What in my youth folly still and passion lust and wildness What in my whole life a great sinner a deceived and an abused person Lord pity me for it is thy goodness that I am kept from confusion and amazement when I consider the misery and shame of my person and the defilements of my nature IV. Lord what am I and Lord what art thou What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou so regardest him V. How can Man be justified with God or how can he be clean that is born of a Woman Behold even to the Moon and it shineth not yea the Starres are not pure in his sight How much lesse Man that is a Worm and the son of Man which is a Worm Job 25. A Prayer for a contented spirit and the grace of moderation and patience O Almighty God Father and Lord of all the creatures who hast disposed al things and all chances so as may best glorifie thy wisdom and serve the ends of thy justice and magnifie thy mercy by secret and undiscernible waies bringing good out of evil I most humbly beseech thee to give me wisdome from above that I may adore thee and admire thy waies and footsteps which are in the great Deep and not to be searched out teach me to submit to thy providence in all things to be content in all changes of person and condition to be temperate in prosperity and to read my duty in the lines of thy mercy and in adversity to be meek patient and resigned and to look through the cloud that I may wait for the consolation of the Lord and the day of redemption in the mean time doing my duty with an
is commanded 3. By obedience we are made a society and a republick and distinguished from herds of Beasts and heaps of Flies who doe what they list and are incapable of Laws and obey none and therefore are killed and destroyed though never punished and they never can have a reward 4. By obedience we are rendred capable of all the blessings of government signified by S. Paul in these words He is the Minister of God to thee for good and by S. Peter in these Governours are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers Rom 1â— 4 1 Pet. 2.14 and for the praise of them that doe well And he that ever felt or saw or can understand the miseries of confusion in publick affairs or amazement in a heap of sad tumultuous and indefinite thoughts may from thence judge of the admirable effects of order and the beauty of Government What health is to the body and peace is to the Spirit that is Government to the societies of Men the greatest blessing which they can receive in that temporal capacity 5. No man shall ever be fit to govern others that knows not first how to obey For if the spirit of a Subject be rebellious in a Prince it will be tyrannical and intolerable and of so ill example that as it will encourage the disobedience of others so it will render it unreasonable for him to exact of others what in the like case he refused to pay 6. There is no sin in the World which God hath punisht with so great severity and high detestation as this of disobedience For the crime of Idolatry God sent the Sword amongst his people but it was never heard that the Earth opened and swallowed up any but rebels against their Prince 7. Obedience is better then the particular actions of Religion and he serves GOD better that followes his Prince in lawful services then he that refuses his command upon pretence he must goe say his prayers But Rebellion is compared to that sin which of all sins seems the most unnatural and damned impiety Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft 8. Obedience is a complicated act of virtue and many 〈◊〉 are exercised in one act of obedience It is an act of humility of mortification and self-denial of charity to God of care 〈…〉 publick of order and charity to our selves and all our society and a great instance of a victory over the most refractory and uâ—â—â—ly passions 9. To be a subject is a greater temporal felicity then to be a King for all eminent Governments according to their heights have a great burden huge care infinite business little rest (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoâ—eâ— Iâ— â— innumerable fears and all that he enjoyes above another is that he does enjoy the things of the World with other circumstances and a bigger noise and if others goe at his single command it is also certain he must suffer inconvenience at the needs and disturbances of all his people and the evils of one man and of one family are not enough for him to bear unlesse also he be almost crushed with the evils of mankinde He therefore is an ingrateful person that will presse the scales down with a voluntary load and by disobedience put more thorns into the Crown or Mitre of his Superiour Much better is the advice of Saint Paul Obey them that have the rule over you as they that must give an account for your souls that they may doe it with joy and not with grief for besides that it is unpleasant to them it is unprofitable for you 10. The Angels are ministring spirits and perpetually execute the will and commandment of God and all the wise men and all the good men of the world are obedient to their Governours and the eternal Son of God esteemed it his Meat and drink to doe the will of his Father and for his obedience alone obtained the greatest glory and no man ever came to perfection but by obedience and thousands of Saints have chosen such institutions and manners of living in which they might not choose their own work nor follow their own will nor please themselves but be accountable to others and subject to discipline and obedient to command as knowing this to be the lightway of the Crosse the way that the King of Sufferings and humility did choose and so became the King of Glory 11. No man ever perished who followed first the will of God and then the will of his Superiours but thousands have been damned meerly for following their own will and relying upon their own judgments and choosing their own work and doing their own fancies â—or if we begin with our selves whatsoever seems good in our eyes is most commonly displeasing in the eyes of God 12. The sin of rebellion though it be a spiritual sin and imitable by Devils yet it is of that disorder unreasonableness and impossibility amongst intelligent spirits that they never murmured or mutined in their lowe stations against their Superiours Nay the good angels of an inferiour Order durst not revile a Devil of a higher Order This consideration which I reckon to be most pressing in the discourses of reason and obliging next to the necessity of a divine precept we learn from Saint Jude Likewise also these filthy dreamers despise dominion and speak evil of dignities Iude 8. â— And yet Michael the archangel when contending with the Devil he disputed about the body of Moses durst not bring against him a railing accusation But because our Superiours rule by their example by their word or law and by the rod therefore in proportion there are several degrees and parts of obedience of several excellencies and degrees towards perfection Degrees of Obedience 1. The first is the obedience of the outward work and this is all that Humane Laws of themselves regard for because Man cannot judge the heart therefore it prescribes nothing to it the publick end is served not by good wishes but by real and actual performances and if a Man obeys against his will he is not punishable by the Laws 2. The obedience of the will and this is also necessary in our obedience to Humane Laws not because man requires it for himself but because God commands it towards Man and of it although Man cannot yet God will demand account For we are to doe it as to the Lord and not to men and therefore we must doe it willingly But by this means our obedience in private is secured against secret arts and subterfuges and when we can avoid the punishment yet we shall not decline our duty but serve Man for Gods sake that is cheerfully promptly vigorously for these are the proper parts of willingness and choice 3. The understanding must yeeld obedience in general though not in the particular instance that is we must be firmly perswaded of the excellency of the obedience though we be not bound in all cases to think
For although the coâ—jâ—ctâ—â—â—â— and expectations of Hope are not like the conclusions of Faith yet they are a Helmet against the scorchings of Despair in temporal things and an anchor of the soul sure and stedfast against the fluctuations of the Spirit in matters of the soul. S. Bernard reckons divers principles of Hope by enumerating the instances of the Divine Mercy and we may by them reduce this rule to practise in the following manner 1. GOD hath preserved me from many sins his mercies are infinite I hope he will still preserve me from more and for ever * 2. I have sinned and GOD smote me not his mercies are still over the penitent I hope he will deliver me from all the evils I have deserved He hath forgiven me many sins of malice and therefore surely he will pity my infirmities * 3. God visited my heart and changed it he loves the work of his own hands and so my heart is now become I hope he will love this tâ—o * 4. When I repented he received me graciously and therefore I Hope if I doe my endevour he will totally forgive me * 5. He helped my slow and beginning endevours and therefore I hope he will lead me to perfection * 6. When he had given me something first then he gave me more I hope therefore he will keep me from falling and give me the grace of perseverance * 7. He hath chosen me to be a Disciple of Christs institution he hath elected me to his Kingdom of grace and therefore I hope also to the Kingdom of his glory * 8. He died for me when I was his enemy and therefore I hope he will save me when he hath reconciled me to him and is become my friend * 9. God hath given us his Son how should not he with him give us all things else All these S. Bernard reduces to these three Heads as the instruments of all our hopes 1. The charity of GOD adopting us 2. The truth of his promises 3. The power of his performance which if any truly weighs no infirmity or accident can breake his â—â—pes into undiscernible fragments but some good plâ—â—ks will remain after the greatest storm and shipwrack This was Saint Pauls instrument Experience begets hope and hope maketh not ashamed 10. Doe thou take care only of thy duty of the means and proper instruments of thy purpose and leave the end to GOD lay that up with him and he will take care of all that is intrusted to him and this being an act of confidence in God is also a means of security to thee 11. By special arts of spiritual prudence arguments secure the confident belief of the Resurrection and thou canst not but hope for every thing the which you may reasonably expect or lawfully desire upon the stock of the Divine mercies and promises 12. If â— despair seises you in a particular temporal instance let it not defile thy spirit with impute mixture or mingle in spiritual considerations but rather let it make thee fortifie thy soul in matters of Religion that by being thrown out of your Earthly dwelling and confidence you may retire into the strengths of grace and hope the more strongly in that by how much you are the more defeated in this that despair of a fortune or a success may become the necessity of all virtue SECT III. Of Charity or the love of God LOve is the greatest thing that God can give us for himself is love and it is the greatest thing we can give to God for it will also give our selves and carry with it all that is ours The Apostle calls it the band of perfection it is the Old and it is the New and it is the great Commandement and it is all the Commandements for it is the fulfilling of the Law It does the work of all other graces without any instrument but its own immediate virtue For is the love to sin makes a Man sin against all his own reason and all the discourses of wisdom and all the advices of his friends and without temptation and without opportunity so does the love of God it makes a man chaste without the laborious arts of fasting and exteriour disciplines temperate in the midst of feasts and is active enough to choose it without any intermedial appetites and reaches at Glory through the very heart of Grace without any other arms but those of Love It is a grace that loves God for himself and our Neighbours for God The consideration of Gods goodness and bounty the experience of those profitable and excellent emanations from him may be and most commonly are the first motive of our love but when we are once entred and have tasted the goodness of God we love the spring for its own excellency passing from passion to reason from thanking to adoring from sense to spirit from considering our selves to an union with God and this is the image and little representation of Heaven it is beatitude in picture or rather the infancy and beginnings of glory We need no incentives by way of special enumeration to move us to the love of God for we cannot love any thing for any reason reall or imaginary but that excellence is infinitely more eminent in God There can but two things create love Perfection and Usefulness to which answer on our part 1. admiration and 2. Desire and both these are centred in love For the entertainment of the first there is in God an infinite nature immensity or vastness without extension or limit Immutability Eternity Omnipotence Omniscience Holiness Dominion Providence Bounty Mercy Justice Perfection in himself and the end to which all things and all actions must be directed and will at last arrive The consideration of which may be heightned if we consider our distance from all these glories Our smallness and limited nature our nothing our inconstancy our age like a span our weakness and ignorance our poverty our inadvertency and inconsideration our disabilities and disaffections to doe good our harsh natures and unmerciful inclinations our universal iniquity and our necessities and dependencies not only on God originally and essentially but even our need of the meanest of Gods creatures and our being obnoxious to the weakest and the most contemptible But for the entertainment of the second we may consider that in him is a torrent of pleasure for the voluptuous he is the fountain of honour for the ambitious an inexhaustible treasure for the covetous our vices are in love with phantastick pleasures and images of perfection which are truly and really to be found no where but in God And therefore our virtues have such proper objects that it is but reasonable they should all turn into love for certain it is that this love will turn all into virtue S. Aug l. 2. Confes. â— 6 For in the scrutinies for righteousness and judgment when it is inquired whether such a person be a good man or no the meaning is not
any cause but after a long growth of a temperate and well regulated love it is to be suspected for passion and forwardness rather then the verticall point of love 2. That zeal only is good which in a fervent love hath temperate expressions For let the affection boyl as high as it can yet if it boyl over into irregular and strange actions it will have but few but will need many excuses Elijah was zealous for the Lord of Hosts and yet he was so transported with it that he could not receive answer from God till by musick he was recomposed and tamed and Moses broke both the Tables of the Law by being passionately zealous against them that brake the first 3. Zeal must spend its greatest heat principally in those things that concern our selves but with great care and restraint in those that concern others 4. Remember that zeal being an excrescence of Divine love must in no sense contradict any action of love Love to God includes love to our Neighbour and therefore no pretence of zeal for Gods glory must make us uncharitable to our brother Phil. 3 6 for that is just so pleasing to God as hatred is an act of love 5. That Zeal that concerns others can spend it self in nothing but arts and actions and charitable instruments for their good and when it concerns the good of many that one should suffer it must be done by persons of a competent authority and in great necessity in seldom instances according to the Law of God or Man but never by private right or for trifling accidents of in mistaken propositions The Zealots in the Old Law had authority to transfix and stab some certain persons but God gave them warrant it was in the case of Idolatry or such notorious huge crimes the danger of which was insupportable and the cognizance of which was infallible and yet that warrant expired with the Synagogue 6. Zeal in the instances of our own duty and personal deportment is more safe then in matters of counsel and actions besides our just duty and tending towards perfection Though in these instances there is not a direct sin even where the zeal is lesse wary yet there is much trouble and some danger as if it be spent in the too forward vows of Chastity and restraints of natural and innocent liberties 7. Zeal may be let loose in the instances of internal personal and spiritual actions that are matters of direct duty as in prayers and acts of adoration and thanksgiving and frequent addresses provided that no indirect act passe upon them to defile them such as complacency and opinions of sanctity censuring others scruples and opinions of necessity unnecessary fears superstitious numbrings of times and hours but let the zeal be as forward as it will as devout as it will as Seraphicall as it will in the direct addresse and entercourse with God there is no danger Lavora cente 〈◊〉 â—avesti a comparâ— ogni horat adora come 〈◊〉 tu havesii â— moâ—ir alâ—ore no transgression Do all the parts of your duty as earnestly as if the salvation of all the world and the whole glory of God and the confusion of all Devils and all that you hope or desire did depend upon every one action 8. Let zeal be seated in the will and choice and regulated with prudence and a sober understanding not in the fancies affections for these will make it full of noise and empty of profit Rom. 10.2 but that will make it deep and smooth material and devout The summe is this That Zeal is not a direct duty no where commanded for it self and is nothing but a forwardness circumstance of another duty Tit. 2.14 Rev 3.16 and therefore is then only acceptable when it advances the love of God and our Neighbours whose circumstance it is That zeal is only safe only acceptable which increases charity directly and because love to our Neighbour and obedience to God are the two great portions of charity we must never account our zeal to be good but as it advances both these if it be in a matter that relates to both or severally if it relates severally S. Pauls zeal was expressed in preaching without any offerings or stipend in travelling in spending and being spent for his flock in suffering in being willing to be accursed for love of the people of God and his country-men Let our Zeal be as great as his was so it be in affections to others but not at all in angers against them In the first then is no danger in the second there is no safety In brief let your zeal if it must be expressed in anger be alwaies more severe against thy self 2 Cor. 7.11 then against others ¶ The other part of Love to God is Love to our Neighbour for which I have reserved the Paragraph of Alms. Of the external actions of Religion Religion teaches us to present to God our bodies as well as our souls for God is the Lord of both and if the body serves the soul in actions natural and civil and intellectual It must not be eased in the only offices of Religion unlesse the body shall expect no portion of the rewards of Religion such as are resurrection Rom. 12.1 reunion and glorification Our bodys are to God a living sacrifice and to present them to God is holy and acceptable The actions of the body as it serves to Religion and as it is distinguished from Sobriety and Justice either relate to the word of God or to prayer or to repentance and make these kindes of external actions of Religion 1 Reading and hearing the Word of God 2. Fasting and corporal austerities called by S Paul bodily exercise 3. Feasting or keeping daies of publick joy and thanksgiving SECT IV. Of Reading or Hearing the Word of God REading and Hearing the Word of God are but the several circumstances of the same duty instrumental especially to faith but consequently to all other graces of the Spirit It is all one to us whether by the eye or by the ear the Spirit conveys his precepts to us If we hear Saint Paul saying to us that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge or read it in one of his Epistles in either of them we are equally and sufficiently instructed The Scriptures read are the same thing to us which the same doctrine was when it was preached by the Disciples of our blessed Lord and we are to learn of either with the same dispositions There are many that cannot read the Word and they must take it in by the ear and they that can read finde the same Word of God by the eye It is necessary that all men learn it in some way or other and it is sufficient in order to their practise that they learn it any way The Word of God is all those Commandments and Revelations those promises and threatnings the stories and sermons recorded in the Bible nothing else is the
will be as tempting with the windiness of a violent fast as with the flesh of an ordinary meal But a daily substraction of the nourishment will introduce a lesse busie habit of body and that will prove the more effectual remedy Chi digiuna altro ben non faâ— spâ—ragna il pane al infernova See Chap. 2. Sect. 2 3. 8. fasting alone will not cure this Devil though it helps much towards it but it must not therefore be neglected but assisted by all the proper instruments of remedy against this unclean spirit and what it is unable to doe alone in company with other instruments and Gods blessing upon them it may effect 9. All fasting for whatsoever end it be undertaken must be done without any opinion of the necessity of the thing it self without censuring others with all humility in order to the proper end and just as a man takes physick of which no man hath reason to be proud and no man thinks it necessary but because he is in sickness or in danger and disposition to it 10. All fasts ordained by lawful authority are to be observed in order to the same purposes to which they are enjoyned and to be accompanied with actions of the same nature just as it is in private fasts for there is no other difference but that in publick our Superiours choose for us what in private we doe for our selves 11. Fasts ordained by lawful authority are not to be neglected because alone they cannot doe the thing in order to which they were enjoyned It may be one day of Humiliation will not obtain the blessing or alone kill the lust yet it must not be despised if it can doe any thing towards it An act of Fasting is an act of self-denial and though it doe not produce the habiâ— yet it is a good act 12. When a principal end why a Fast is publickly prescribed is obtained by some other instrument in a particular person as if the spirit of Fornication be cured by the rite of Marriage or by a gift of chastity yet that person so eased is not freed from the Fasts of the Church by that alone if those fasts can prudently serve any other end of Religion as that of prayer or repentance or mortification of some other appetite for when it is instrumental to any and of the Spirit it is freed from superstition and then we must have some other reason to quit us from the Obligation or that alone will not doe it 13. When the Fast publickly commanded by reason of some indisposition in the particular person cannot operate to the end of the Commandment yet the avoiding offence and the complying with publick order is reason enough to make the obedience to be necessary For he that is otherwise disobliged as when the reason of the Law ceases as to his particular yet remains still obliged if he cannot doe otherwise without scandal but this is an obligation of charity not of justice 14. All fasting is to be used with prudence and charity for there is no end to which fasting serves but may be obtained by other instruments and therefore it must at no hand be made an instrument of scruple or become an enemy to our health or be imposed upon persons that are sick or aged or to whom it is in any sense uncharitable such as are wearied Travellers or to whom in the whâ—le kinde of it it is uselesse such as are Women with childe poor people and little children But in these cases the Church hath made provision and inserted caution into her Laws and they are to be reduced to practise according to custome and the sentence of prudent persons with great latitude and without niceness and curiosity having this in our first care that we secure our virtue and next that we secure our health that we may the beter exercise the labours of virtue lest out of too much austerity we bring our selves to that condition * S. Basil Monast Constit. cap. 5. Cassian coll 21. cap. 22 Nè per causaÌ„ necessitatis eò impingâ—mus ut voluptatibus serviamus that it be necessary to be indulgent to softnesse ease and extreme tendernesse 15. Let not intemperance be the Prologue or the Epilogue to your fast lest the fast be so farre from taking off any thing of the sin that it be an occasion to increase it and therefore when the fast is done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naâ— be carefull that no supervening act of gluttony or excessive drinking unhallow the religion of the passed day but eat temperately according to the proportion of other meals lest gluttony keep either of the gates to abstinence The benefits of Fasting He that undertakes to enumerate the benefits of fasting may in the next page also reckon all the benefits of physick for fasting is not to be commended as a duty bâ—t as an instrument and in that sense no Man can reprove it or undervalue it but he that knows neither spiritual arts nor spiritual necessities but by the doctors of the Church it is called the nourishment of prayer the restraint of lust the wings of the soul the diet of Angels the instrument of humility and self-denial the purification of the Spirit and the paleness and maigâ—enesse of visage which is consequent to the daily fast of great mortifiers is by Saint Basil said to be the mark in the Forehead which the Angel observed when he signed the Saintâ— in the forehead to escape the wrath of God The soul that is greatly vexed which goeth stooping and feeble and the eyes that fail Baruch â— v. 18. and the hungry soul shall give thee praise and righteousness O Lord. SECT VI. O keeping Festivals and daies holy to the Lord particularly the Lords day TRue naturall Religion that which was common to all Nations and Ages did principally relye upon four great propositions 1. That there is one God 2. That God is nothing of those things which we see 3. That God takes care of all things below governs all the World 4. That he is the Great Creator of all things without himself and according to these were fram'd the four first precepts of the Decalogue In the first the Unitie of the Godhead is expresly affirmed In the second his invisibility and immateâ—iality In the third is affirmed God's government and providence by avenging them that swear falsly by his Name by which also his Omniscience is declared In the fourth Commandement he proclaims himself the Maker of Heaven and Earth for in memorie of God's rest from the work of six daies the seventh was hallowed into a Sabbath and the keeping it was a confessing GOD to bee the great Maker of Heaven and Earth and consequently to this it alâ—o was a confâ—ssion of his goodness his Omnipotence and his Wisdom all which were written with a Sun-beam in the great book of the Creature So long as the Law of the Sabbath was bound upon God's
prayers a great part whereof we doe not hear our selves If they be not worthy of our attention they are farre more unworthy of Gods Signes of tediousnesse of spirit in our prayers and all actions of religion The second temptation in our prayer is a tediousness of spirit or a weariness of the imployment like that of the Jews who complained that they were weary of the new moons and their souls loathed the frequent return of their Sabbaths so doe very many Christians who first pray without servour and earnestness of spirit and secondly meditate but seldom and that without fruit or sense or affection or thirdly who seldom examine their consciences and when they doe it they doe iâ— but sleepily slightly without compunction or hearty purpose or fruits of amendment 4. They enlarge themselves in the thoughts and fruition of temporal things running for comfort to them only in any sadness and misfortune 5. They love not to frequent the Sacraments nor any the instruments of religion as sermons confessions prayers in publick fastings but love ease and a loose undiscipli'nd life 6. They obey not their superiours but follow their own judgment when their judgment follows their affections and their affections follow sense and worldly pleasures 7. They neglect or dissemble or deferre or doe not attend to the motions and inclinations to virtue which the Spirit of God puts into their soul. 8. They repent them of their vows and holy purposes not because they discover any indiscretion in them or intolerable inconvenience but because they have within them labor as the case now stands to them displeasure 9. They content themselves with the first degrees and necessary parts of virtue and when they are arrived thither they sit down as if they were come to the mountain of the Lord and caâ—e not to proceed on toward perfection 10. They enquire into all cases in which it may be lawful to omit a duty and though they will not do less then they are bound to yet they will do no more then needs must for they do out of fear and self-love not out of the love of God or the spirit of holyness and zeal The event of which will be this He that will do no more then needs must will soon be brought to omit something of his duty and will be apt to believe less to be necessary then is Remedies against tediousness of spirit The Remedies against this temptation are these 1. Order your privat devotions so that they become not arguments causes of tediousness by their indiscreet length but reduce your words into a narrower compass still keeping all the matter and what is cut off in the length of your praiers supply in the earnestness of your spirit for so nothing is lost while the words are changed into matter and length of time into servencie of devotion The forms are made not the less perfect and the spirit is more and the scruple is remov'd 2. It is not imprudent if we provide variety of forms of Praier to the same purposes that the change by consulting with the appetites of fancy may better entertain the Spirit and possibly we may be pleased to recite a hymn when a collect seems flat to us and unpleasant and we are willing to sing rather then to say or to sing this rather then that we are certain that variety is delightful and whether that be natural to us or an imperfection yet if it be complied with it may remove some part of the temptation 3. Break your office and devotion into fragments and make frequent returnings by ejaculations and abrupt entercourses with God for so no length can oppress your tenderness and sickliness of spirit and by often praying in such manner and in all circumstances we shall habituate our souls to praier by making it the business of many lesser portions of our time and by thrusting in between all our other imploiments it will make every thing relish of religion and by degrees tuâ—n all into its nature 4. Learn to abstract your thoughts and desires from pleasures and things of the world For nothing is a direct cure to this evil but cutting off all others loves and adherences Order your affairs so that religion may be propounded to you as a reward and praier as your defence and holy actions as your security and charity and good works as your treasure consider that all things else are satisfactions but to the brutish part of a man and that these are the refreshments and relishes of that noble part of us by which we are better then beasts and whatsoever other instrumeÌ„t exercise or consideration is of use to take our loves from the world the same is apt to place them upon God 5. Doe not seek for deliciousness and sensible consolations in the actions of religion but only regard the duty and the conscience of it For although in the beginning of religion most frequently and at â—â—me other tim 's irregularly God complies with our infirmity and encourages our duty with little overflowings of spiritual joy and sensible pleasure and delicacies in prayer so as we seem to feel some little beam of Heaven and great refreshments from the Spirit of consolation yet this is not alwaies safe for us to have neither safe for us to expect and look for and when we doe it is apt to make us cool in our enquiries and waitings upon Christ when we want them It is a running after him nor for the miracles but for the loaves not for the wonderfull things of God and the desires of pleasing him but for the pleasures of pleasing our selves And as we must not judge our devotion to be barren or unfruitful when we want the overflowings of joy running over so neither must we cease for want of them If our spirits can serve God choosingly and greedily out of pure conscience of our duty it is better in it self and more safe to us 6. Let him use to soften his spirit with frequent meditation upon sâ—d and dolorous objects as of death the terrours of the day of judgment fearful judgments upon sinners strange horrid accidents fear of Gods wrath the pains of Hell the unspeakable amazements of the damned the intolerable load of a sad eternity For whatsoever creaâ—es fear or makes the spirit to dwell in a religious sadness is apt to entender the spirit and make it devout and plyant to any part of duty For a great fear when it is ill managed is the parent of superstition but a discreet well guided fear produces religion 7. Pray often and you shall pray oftner and when you are accustomed to a frequent devotion it will so insensibly unite to your nature and affections that it will become trouble to omit your usual or appointed prayers and what you obtain at first by doing violence to your inclinations at last will not be leâ—t without as great unwillingness as that by which at first it entred This rule relies not only
upon reason derived from the nature of habits which turn into a second nature and make their actions easie frequent and delightful but it relies upon a reason depending upon the nature constitution of grace whose productions are of the same nature with the pâ—â—ent and increases it self naturally growing from gâ—anes to huge trees from minutes to vast proportions and from moments to Eternity But be sure not to omit your usual prayers without great reason though without sin it may be done because after you have omitted something in a little while you will be past the scruple of that and begin to be tempted to leave out more keep your self up to your usuâ—l forms you may enlarge when you will but doe not contract or lessen them without a very probable reason 8 Let a man frequently and seriously by imagination place himself upon his death-bed and consider what great joyes he shall have for the remembrance of every day well spent and what then he would give that he had so spent all his dayes He may gâ—esse at it by proportions for it is certain he shall have a joyfull and prosperous night who hath spent his day â—olily and he resignes his soul with peace into the hands of God who hath lived in the peace of God and the works of religion in his life time This consideration is of a real event it is of a thing that will certainly come to pass It is appointed for all men once to die and after death comes â—udgment the apprehension of which is dreadful and the presence of it is intolerable unlesse by religion and sanctity we are dispos'd for so venerable an appearance 9. To this may be useful that we consider the easinesse of Christs yoke See the Gâ—eat Exemplar Part. 3. Disc. 14. of the eaâ—iness of Christian Religion the excellences and sweetnesses that are in religion the peace of conscience the joy of the Holy Ghost the rejoycing in God the simplicity pleasure of virtue the intricacy trouble and businesse of sin the blessings and health and reward of that the cuâ—sâ—s the sicknesses and sad consequences of this and that if we are weary of the labours of religion we must eternally sit still and do nothing for whatsoever we do contrary to it is infinitely more full of labour care difficulty and vexation 10. Consider this also that tediousnesse of spirit is the beginning of the most dangerous condition and estate in the whole World For it is a great disposition to the sin against the holy Ghost it is apt to bring a man to backsliding and the state of unregeneration to make him return to his vomit and his sink and either to make the man impatient or his condition scrupulous unsatisfied â—â—kâ—ome and â—â—sperâ—tâ— â—nd it is better that he had never known the way of godliness then after the knowledge of it that he should fall away The 〈◊〉 noâ— in the world a greater signe that the spirit of Reprobation is beginning upon a man then when he is habitually and constantly or very frequently weary and slights or loaths holy Offices 11. The last remedy that preservs the hope of such a man and can reduce him to the state of zeal and the love of God is a pungent sad and a heavy affliction not desperate but recreated with some intervals of kindnesse or little comforts or entertained with hopes of deliverance which condition if a man shall fall into by the grace of God he is likely to recover but if this help him not it is infinite odds but he will quench the Spirit SECT VIII Of Alms. LOve is as communicative as fire as busie and as active and it hath four twin Daughters extreme like each other and but that the Docters of the School have done as Thamars Midwife did who bound a Scarlet threed something to distinguish them it would be very hard to call them asunder Their names are 1. Mercy 2. Beneficence or well-doing 3. Liberality And 4. Almes which by a special priviledge hath obtained to be called after the Mothers name and is commonly called Charity The first or eldest is seated in the affection and it is that which all the other must attend For mercy without Almes is acceptable when the person is disabled to express outwardly what he heartily desires But Almes without Mercy are like prayers without devotion or Religion without Humility 2. Beneficence or well-doing is a promptness and nobleness of minde making us to doe offices of curtefie and humanity to all sorts of persons in their need or out of their need 3. Liberality is a disposition of minde opposite to covetousness and consists in the despite and neglect of money upon just occasions and relates to our friends children kindred servants and other relatives 4. But Almes is a relieving the poor and needy The first and the last only are duties of Christianity The second and third are circumstances and adjuncts of these duties for Liberality increases the degree of Almes making our gift greater and Beneficence extends it to more persons and orders of Men spreading it wider The former makes us sometimes to give more then we are able and the latter gives to more then need by the necessity of Beggers and serves the needs and conveniencies of pâ—rsons and supplies circumstances whereas properly Almes are doles and largesses to the necessitous and calamitous people supplying the necessities of Nature and giving remedies to their miseries Meâ—cy and Almes are the body and soul of that charity which we must pay to our Neighbours need and it is a precept which God therefore enjoyned to the World that the great inequality which he was pleased to suffer in the possessions and accidents of Men might be reduced to some temper and evenness and the most miserable person might be reconciled to some sense and participation of felicity Works of mercy or the several kinds of corporal Almes The works of Mercy are so many as the affections of Mercy have objects or as the World hath kindes of misery Men want meat or drink or clothes or a house or liberty or attendance or a grave In proportion to thesâ— seven works are usually assigned to Mercy and there are seven kindes of corporal almes reckoned Mat. 25.35 1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drink to the thirsty 3. Or clothes to the naked 4. To redeem Captives 5. To visit the sick 6. To entertain strangers 7. To bury the dead * Mat. 25. 2 Sâ—m 2. But many more may be added Such as are 8. To give physick to sick persons 9. To bring cold and starved people to warmâ—h and to the fire for sometimes clothing will not doe it or this may be done when we cannot doe the other 10. To lead the blinde in right waies 11. To lend money 12. To forgive debts 13. To remit forfeitures 14. To mend high-wayes and bridges 15. To reduce or guide wandring travellers 16. To ease thâ—â—r labors by
helped by the following rules or instruments Remedies against unmercifulnesse and uncharitablenesse 1. Against Envy by way of consideration Against Envy I shall use the same argument I would use to perswade a man from the Fever or the dropsie 1. Because it is a disease it is so far from having pleasure in it or a temptation to it that it is full of pain a great instrument of vexation it eats the flesh and dâ—â—es up the marrow and makes hollow eyes and lean cheeks and a paleface 2. It is nothing but a direct resolution never to enter into Heaven by the way of noble pleasure taken in the good of others 3. It is most contrary to God 4. And a just contrary state to the felicities and actions of Heaven where every star increases the light of the other and the multitude of guests at the supper of the Lamb makes the eternal meal more festival 5. It is perfectly the state of Hell and the passion of Devils for they do nothing but despâ—ire in themselves * Nemâ— alienâ—e vt â—â—ti mâ—â—dâ—t qui satâ—â— câ—nfidit suae Câ—c coâ—tâ—a M. Anth. and envy others quiet or safety and yet cannot rejoyce either in their good or in their evil although they endeavour to hinder that and procure this with all the devices and arts of malice and of a great understanding 6. Envy can serve no end in the world it cannot please any thing nor do any thing nor hinder any thing but the content and felicity of him that hath it 7. Envy can never pretend to justice as hatred and uncharitablenesse sometimes may for there may be causes of hatred and I may have wrong done me and then hatred hath some pretence though no just argument But no man is unjust or injurious for being prosperous or wise 8. And therefore many men professe to hate another but no man owns envy as being an enmity and displeasure for no cause but goodnesse or felilicity Hemerus Thersitis mâ—les mores descrilens malitiae summam apposuit Pâ—lidae impâ—intis eâ—at atque immicus Vâ—ysâ—i Envious men being like Cantharides and Caterpillars that delight most to devour ripe most excellent fruits 9. It is of all crimes the basest for malice and anger are appeased with benefits but envy is exasperated as envying too fortunate persons both their power and their will to doe good and never leaves murmuring till the envied person be levelled and then only the Vultur leaves to eat the liver for if his Neighbour be made miserable the envious man is apt to be troubled like him that is so long unbuilding the turrets till all the roof is low or flat or that the stones fall upon the lower buildings and doe a mischief that the man repents of 2. Remedies against anger by way of exercise The next enemy to mercifulness and the grace of Almes is anger against which there are proper instruments both in prudence and religion 1. Prayer is the great remedy against anger for it must suppose it in some degree removed before we pray and then it is the more likely it will be finished when the prayer is done We must lay aside the act of anger as a preparatory to prayer and the curing the habit will be the effect and blessing of prayer so that if a man to cure his anger resolves to addresse himself to God by prayer it is first necessary that by his own observation and diligence he lay the anger aside before his prayer can be fit to be presented and when we so pray so endevour we have all the blessings of prayer which God hath promised to it to be our security for successe 2. If Anger arises in thy breast instantly seal up thy lips Ira cùm pectus rapidâ— occâ—pit it Fuâ—iles linguae juâ—eo cavere Vana latratus jaculantit Sapplâ—o Tuâ—batus sum non sum lâ—cutus Psal 7â— and let it not go forth for like fire when it wants vent it will suppresse it self It is good in a fever to have a tender and a smooth tongue but it is better that it be so in anger for if it be tough and distempered there it is an ill sign but here it is an ill cause Angry passion is a fire and angry words are like breath to fan them together they are like steel and flint sending out fire by mutuall collision some men will discourse themselves into passion and if their neighbour be enkindled too together they flame with rage and violence 3. Humility is the most excellent naturall cure for anger in the world for he that by daily considering his own infirmites and failings makes the errour of his neighbour or servant to be his own case and remembers that he daily needs Gods pardon and his brothers charity will not be apt to rage at the levities or misfortunes or indiscretions of another greater then which he considers that he is very frequently and more inexcusably guilty of 4 Consider the example of the ever blessed Jesus who suffered all the contradictions of sinners and received all affronts and reproaches of malicious rash and foolish persons and yet in all them was as dispassionate and gentle as the morning Sun in Autumn and in this also he propounded himself imitable by us For if innocence it self did suffer so great injuries and disgraces it is no great matter for us quietly to receive all the calamities of fortune and indiscretion of servants and mistakes of friends and unkindnesses of kindred and rudenesses of enemies since we have deserved those and worse even Hell it self 5. If we be tempted to anger in the actions of Government and Discipline to our inferiours in which case anger is permitted so far as it is prudently instrumentall to Government and onely is a sin when it is excessive and unreasonable and apt to disturbe our own discourse or to expresse it self in imprudent words or violent actions let us propound to our selves the example of God the Father who at the same time and with the same tranquillity decreed Heaven Hell the joyes of blessed Angels and souls and the torments of devils and accursed spirits and at the day of judgment when all the World shall burn under his feet God shall not be at all inflam'd or shaken in his essential seat and centre of tranquillity and joy And if at first the cause seems reasonable yet defer to execute thy anger till thou mayest better judge For as Phocion told the Athenians who upon the first news of the death of Alexander were ready to revolt Stay a while for if the King be not dead your haste will ruine you but if he be dead your stay cannot prejudice your affairs for he wil be dead to morrow as well as to day so if thy servant or inferiour deserve punishment staying till to morrow will not make him innocent but it may possibly preserve thee so by preventing thy striking a guiltlesse person or being furious
〈…〉 est in noluit 〈◊〉 Senâ—ctâ—◠〈…〉 brevis nec 〈◊〉 mâ—vendas In 〈…〉 facili dâ—â—funditur â—austu 〈…〉 amans culti villicus hâ—â—i â—â—de 〈◊〉 pâ—sâ—t◠〈…〉 Pythagoâ—as Est aliquid puecunque lico quocunque necessu Vnius dominum sese fecisse laceâ—tae Iuven. Sat. 3. but he that feasts every day feaâ—â—â— no day there being nothing left to which he may beyond his Ordinary extend his appetite that the rich man sleeps not so soundly as the poor labourer that his feares are more and his needs are greater for who is poorer he that needs 5 l or he that needs 5000 the poor man hath enough to fill his belly and the rich hath not enough to fill his eye that the poor mans wants are easy to be relieved by a common charity but the needs of rich men cannot be supplied but by Princes and they are left to the temptation of great vices to make reparation of their needs and the ambitious labours of men to get great estates is but like the selling of a Fountian to buy a Fever a parting with content to buy necessity a purchase of an unhandsome condition at the price of infelicity that Princes and they that enjoy most of the world have most of it but in title and supreme rights and reserved priviledges pepper corns homages trifling services and acknowledgements the real use descending to others to more substantial purposes These considerations may be useful to the curing of covetousnesse that the grace of mercifulness enlarging the heart of a man his hand may not be contracted but reached out to the poor in almes SECT IX Of Repentance Repentance of all things in the World makes the greatest change it changes things in Heaven and Earth for it changes the whole man from sin to grace from vitious habits to holy customes from unchast bodies to Angelical soules from Swine to Philosophers from drunkenness to sober counsels and God himself with whom is no variablenesse or shadow of change is pleased by descending to our weak understandings to say that he changes also upon mans repentance that he alters his decrees revokes his sentence cancels the bils of accusation throwes the Records of shame and sorrow from the Court of Heaven and lifts up the sinner from the grave to life from his prison to a throne from Hell and the guilt of eternal torture to Heaven and to a title to never ceasing felicities If we be bound on earth we shall be bound in Heaven if we be absolved here we shall be loosed there if we repent God will repent and not send the evil upon us which we have deserved But repentance is a conjugation and society of many duties and it contains in it all the parts of a holy life from the time of our returne to the day of our death inclusively and it hath in it some things specially relating to the sins of our former dayes which are now to be abolished by special arts and have obliged us to special labours and brought in many new necessities and put us into a very great deal of danger and because it is a duty consisting of so many parts and so much imployment it also requires much time and leaves a man in the same degree of hope of pardon as is his restitution to the state of righteousness holy living for which we covenanted in Baptism For we must know that there is but one repentance in a mans whole life if repentance be taken in the proper and strict Evangelicall Covenant sense and not after the ordinary understanding of the word That is we are but once to change our whole state of life from the power of the Devil and his intire possession from the state of sin and death from the body of corruption to the life of grace to the possession of Jesus to the kingdome of the Gospel and this is done in the baptisme of water or in the baptisme of the spirit when the first right comes to be verified by Gods grace coming upon us and by our obedience to the heavenly calling we working together with God After this change if ever wee fall into the contrary state and be wholly estranged from God and Religion and profess our selves servants of unrighteousness God hath made no more covenant of restitution to us there is no place left for any more repentance or intire change of condition or new birth a man can be regenerated but once and such are voluntary malicious Apostates Witches obstinate impenitent persons and the like But if we be overtaken by infirmity or enter into the marches or borders of this estate and commit a grievous sin or ten or twenty so we be not in the intire possession of the Devil we are for the present in a damnable condition if we dye but if we live we are in a recoverable condition for so we may repent often we repent or rise from death but once but from sickness many times and by the grace of God we shall be pardoned if so we repent But our hopes of pardon are just as is the repentance which if it be timely hearty industrious and effective God accepts not by weighing graues or scruples but by estimating the great proportions of our life a hearty endevour an effectual general change shall get the pardon the unavoidable infirmities and past evils and present imperfections and short interruptions against which we watch and pray and strive being put upon the accounts of the crosse and payed for by the holy Jesus This is the state and condition of repentance its parts and actions must be valued according to the following rules Acts and parts of Repentance 1. He that repents truly is greatly sorrowful for his past sins not with a superficial sigh or tear but a pungent afflictive sorrow such a sorrow as hates the sin so much that the man would choose to dye rather then act it any more This sorrow is called in Scripture a weeping sorely Ier. 13 17. Ioel 2.13 Ezek. 27 31. Iames 4.9 a weeping with bitternesse of heart a weeping day and night a sorrow of heart a breaking of the spirit mourning like a dove and chattering like a swallow and we may read the degree and manner of it by the lamentations and sad accents of the Prophet Jeremy when he wept for the sins of the nation by the heart breaking of David when he mourned for his murder and adultery and the bitter weeping of S. Peter after the shameful denying of his Master * The expression of this sorrow differs according to the temper of the body the sex the age and circumstance of action and the motive of sorrow and by many accidental tendernesses or masculine hardnesses and the repentance is not to be estimated by the tears but by the grief and the grief is to be valued not by the sensitive trouble but by the cordial hatred of the sin and ready actual dereliction of it and a resolution and real resisting
of Christ whereof they are members and you in conjunction with Christ whom then you have received are more fit to pray for them in that advantage and in the celebration of that holy sacrifice which then is Sacramentally represented to GOD * Give thanks for the passion of our dearest Lord remember all its parts and all the instruments of your Redemption and beg of GOD that by a holy perseverance in well doing you 〈◊〉 from shadows passe on to substances from eating his body to seeing his face from the Typicall Sacramentall and Transient to the Reall and Eternall Supper of the Lambe 13. After the solemnity is done let Christ dwell in your hearts by faith and love and obedience and conformity to his life and death as you have taken CHRIST into you so put CHRIST on you and conform every faculty of your soul body to his holy image and perfection Remember that now Christ is all one with you and therefore when you are to do an action consider how Christ did or would do the like and do you imitate his example and transcribe his copy and understand all his commandments and choose all that he propounded and desire his promises fear his threatnings and marry his loves and hatreds and contract all friendships for then you do every day communicate especially when Christ thus dwels in you and you in Christ growing up towards a perfect man in Christ Jesus 14. Do not instantly upon your return from Church return also to the world and secular thoughts and imployments but let the remaining parts of that day be like a post-Communion or an after-office entertaining your blessed Lord with all the caresses and sweetness of love and colloquies and entercourses of duty and affection acquainting him with all your needs and revealing to him all your secrets and opening all your infirmities and as the affairs of your person or imployment call you off so retire again with often ejaculations and acts of entertainment to your beloved Guest The effects and benefits of worthy communicating When I said that the sacrifice of the cross which Christ offered for all the sins and all the needs of the world is represented to God by the minister in the Sacrament and offered up in prayer and Sacramental memory after the maner that Christ himself intercedes for us in Heaven so far as his glorious Priesthood is imitable by his Ministers on earth I must of necessity also mean that all the benefits of that sacrifice are then conveyed to all that communicate worthily But if we descend to particulars Then and there the Church is nourished in her faith strengthned in her hope enlarged in her bowels with an increasing charity there all the members of Christ are joyned with each other and all to Christ their head and we again renew the covenant with God in Jesus Christ and God seals his part and we promise for ours and Christ unites both and the holy Ghost signes both in the collation of those graces which we then pray for and exercise and receive all at once there our bodies are nourished with the signes and our souls with the mystery our bodies receive into them the seed of an immortall nature our souls are joyned with him who is the first fruits of the resurrection and never can dye and if we desire any thing else and need it here it is to be prayed for here to be hoped for here to be received Long life and health and recovery from sickness and competent support and maintenance and peace and deliverance from our enemies and content and patience and joy and sanctified riches or a cheerfull poverty liberty and whatsoever else is a blessing was purchased for us by Christ in his death and resurrection and in his intercession in Heaven and this Sacrament being that to our particulars which the great mysteries are in themselves and by designe to all the world if we receive worthily we shall receive any of those blessings according as God shall choose for us and he will not onely choose with more wisdom but also with more affection then we can for our selves After all this it is advised by the Guides of souls wise men and pious that all persons should commuÌ„icate very often even as often as they can without excuses or delayes Every thing that puts us from so holy an imployment when we are moved to it being either a sin or an imperfection an infirmity or indevotion and an unactiveness of Spirit All Christian people must come They indeed that are in the state of sin must not come so but yet they must come First they must quit their state of death and then partake of the bread of life They that are at enmity with their neighbours must come that is no excuse for their not coming onely they must not bring their enmity along with them but leave it and then come They that have variety of secular imployments must come only they must leave their secular thoughts and affections behind them L'Evesque de Geneve introd a la vie dâ—vote and then come and converse with God If any man be well grown in grace he must needs come because he is excellently disposed to so holy a feast but he that is but in the infancy of piety had need to come that so he may gâ—ow in grace The strong must come lest they become weak and the weak that they may become strong The sick must come to be cured the healthfull to be preserved They that have leisure must come because they have no excuse They that have no leisure must come â—ither that by so excellent religion they may sanctifie their business The penitent sinners must come that they may be justified and they that are justified that they may be justified still They that have fears and great reverence to these mysteries and think no preparation to be sufficient must receive that they may learn how to receive thee more worthily and they that have a less degree of reverence must come often to have it heightned that as those Creatures that live amongst the snowes of the Mountains turn white with their food and conversation with such perpetual whitenesses so our souls may be transformed into the similitude and union with Christ by our perpetual feeding on him and conversation not onely in his Courts but in his very heart and most secret affections and incomparable purities Prayers for all sorts of Men and all necessities relating to the severall parts of the vertue of Religion A Prayer for the Graces of Faith Hope Charity O Lord God of infinite mercy of infinite excellency who hast sent thy holy Son into the world to redeem us from an intolerable misery and to teach us a holy religion and to forgive us an infinite debt give me thy holy Spirit that my understanding and all my faculties may be so resigned to the discipline and doctrine of my Lord that I may be prepared
fallen upon me * behold thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee and verily every man living is altogether vanity * When thou with rebukes doest chasten man for sin thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth fretting a garment every man therefore is but vanity And now Lord what is my hope truly my hope is even in thee * Hear my prayer O Lord and with thine ears consider my calling hold not thy peace at my tears * Take this plague away from me I am consumed by the means of thy heavy hand * I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were * O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen * My soul cleaveth unto the dust O quicken me according to thy word * And when the snares of death compass me round about let not the pains of hell take hold upon me An Act of Faith concerning resurrection and the day of judgment to be said by sick persons or meditated I Know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold though my reins be consumed within me Job 19. God shall come and shall not keep silence there shall go before him a consuming fire and a mighty tempest shall be stirred up round about him he shall call the heaven from above and the earth that he may judge his people * O blessed Jesu thou art my judge and thou art my Advocate have mercy upon me in the houre of my death and in the day of judgment See John 5.28 and 1 Thessal 4.15 Short Prayers to be said by sick persons O Holy Jesus thou art a mercifull High-Priest and touched with the sense of our infirmities thou knowest the sharpness of my sickness and the weakness of my person The clouds are gathered about me and thou hast covered me with thy storm My understanding hath not such apprehension of things as formerly Lord let thy mercy support me thy spirit guide me and lead me through the valley of this death safely that I may pass it patiently holily with perfect resignation and let me rejoyce in the Lord in the hopes of pardon in the expectation of glory in the sense of thy mercies in the refreshments of thy spirit in a victory over all temptations Thou hast promised to be with us in tribulation Lord my soul is troubled and my body is weak and my hope is in thee and my enemies are busie and mighty now make good thy holy promise Now O holy Jesus now let thy hand of grace be upon me restrain my ghostly enemies and give me all sorts of spirituall assistances Lord remember thy servant in the day when thou bindest up thy Jewels O take from me all tediousness of Spirit all impatience and unquietness let me possesse my soul in patience and resign my soul and body into thy hands as into the hands of a faithfull Creator and a blessed Redeemer O holy Jesuâ— thou didst dye for us by thy sad pungent and intollerable pains which thou enduredst for me have pity on me and ease my pain or increase my patience Lay on me no more then thou shalt enable me to bear I have deserv'd it all and more and infinitely more Lord I am weak and ignorant timerous and inconstant and I fear lest something should happen that may discompose the state of my soul that may displease thee Do what thou wilt with me so thou doest but preserve me in thy fear and favour Thou knowest that it is my great fear but let thy spirit secure that nothing may be able to separate me from the love of God in Jesus Christ â—hen smite me here that thou mayest spare me for ever and yet O Lord smite me friendly for thou knowest my infirmities Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth * Come holy Spirit help me in this conflict Come Lord Jesus come quickly Let the Sick man often meditate upon these following promises and gracious words of God My help â—â—meth of the Lord who preserveth them that are true of heart Psal 7.11 And all they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee Psal. 9.10 O how plentifull is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee and that thou hast prepared for them that put their trust in thee even before the sons of men Psal. 31. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him and upon them that put their trust in his mercy to deliver their souls from death Psal. 33. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as are of an humble spirit Psal. 34.17 Thou Lord shalt save both man and beast how excellent is thy mercy O God! and the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Psal. 36.7 They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house and thou shalt give them to drink of thy pleasures as out of the rivers v. 8. For with thee is the well of life and in thy light we shall see light v. 9. Commit thy way unto the Lord and put thy trust in him and he shall bring it to passe Ps. 37.5 But the salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord who is also their strength in the time of trouble v. 40 So that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth Psal. 58.10 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and receivest unto thee he shall dwell in thy court and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house even of thy holy temple Psal. 65.4 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Psaâ— 126.6 It is written I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 The Prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven Jam. 5.15 Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up Hos. 6.1 If we sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.2 If we confess our sins he is faithfull and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1.9 He that forgives shall be forgiven Luke 6.37 And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5.14 And ye know that he was manifested to take away
our sins 1 John 3.5 If ye being evill know to give good things to your children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him Matth. 7.11 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of â—ll accepâ—ation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners He that hath given us his â—on how should not he with him give us all things else Acts of hope to be used by sick persons after a pious life I Am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nâ—â— Principalities noâ— powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.38 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto all them also that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.7 Blessed be the God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comforts who comforts us in all tribulation 2 Cor. 1.3 A prayer to be said in behalf of a sick or dying person O Lord God there is no number of thy dayes nor of thy mercies and the sins and sorrows of thy servant also are multiplied Lord look upon him with much mercy and pity forgive him all his sinnes comfort his sorrows ease his pain satisfie his doubts relieve his fears instruct his ignorances strengthen his understanding take from him all disorders of spiritâ— weakness and abuse of fancy Restrain the malice and power of the spirits of darkness and suffer him to be injured neither by his ghostly enemies noâ— his own infirmities and let a holy and a just peace the peace of God be within his conscience Lord preserve his senses till thâ— last of his time strengthen his faith confirm his hope and give him a never ceasing charity to thee our God and to all the world stir up in him a great and proportionable contrition for all the evills he hath done and give him a just measure of patience for all he suffers give him prudence memory and consideration rightly to state the accounts of his soul and do thou reminde him of all his duty that when it shall please thee that his soul goes out from the prison of his body it may be received by Angels and preserved from the surprize of evil spirits and from the horrors and amazements of new and stranger Regions and be laid up in the bosom of our Lord till at the day of thy second coming it shall be reunited to the body which is now to be layed down in weakness and dishonour but we humbly beg may then be raised up with glory and power for ever to live and to behold the face of God in the glories of the Lord Jesus who is our hope our resurrection and our life the light of our eyes and the joy of our souls our blessed and ever glorious Redeemer Amen Hither the sick persons may draw in and use the acts of several vertues respersed in the several parts of this book the several Letanies viz. of repentance of the passion and the single prayers according to his present needs A Prayer to be said in a storm aâ— Sea O My God thou didst create the Earth and the Sea for thy glory and the use of man and doest daily shew wonders in the deep look upon the danger and fear of thy servant my sins have taken hold upon me and without the supporting arm of thy mercy I cannot look up but my trust is in thee Do thou O Lord rebuke the Sea and make it calm for to thee the windes and the sea obey let not the waters swallow me up but let thy Spirit the Spirit of gentleness and mercy move upon the waters Be thou reconciled unto thy servants and then the face of the waters will be smooth I fear that my sins make me like â—onas the cause of the tempest Cast out all my sins and throw not thy servants away from thy presence and from the land of the living into the depths where all things are forgotten But if it be thy wil that wâ— shall go down into the waters Lord 〈◊〉 my soul into thy holy hands and preserve it in mercy and safety till the day of â—estâ—â—â—tion of all things and be pleased â—oâ—n â—e my dâ—â—th to the 〈◊〉 of thy Son and â—o accept of it so united as a punishment for all my sins that thou mayest forget all thine anger and blot my sins out of thy book and write my soul there for Jesus Christ his sake our dearest Lord and most mighty Redeemer Amen Then make an act of resignation thus TO God pertain the issues of life and death It is the Lord. Let him do what seemeth good in his own eyes Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven Recite Psalm 107. and 130. A form of a vow to be made in this or the like danger IF the Lord will be gracious and hear the Prayer of his servant and bring me safe to shore then I will praise him secretly and publickly and pay unto the uses of charity or Religion then name the sum you designe for holy uses O my God my goods are nothing unto thee I will also be thy servant all the dayes of my life and remember this mercy and my present purposes and live more to Gods glory and with a stricter duty And do thou please to accept this vow as an instance of my importunity and the greatness of my needs and be thou graciously moved to pity and deliver me Amen This form also may be used in praying for a blessing on an enterprize and may be instanced in actions of devotion as well as of charity A Prayer before a journey O Almighty God who fillest all things with thy presence and art a God afar off as well as neer at hand thou didst send thy Angel to bless Jacob in his journey and didst lead the children of Israel through the Red Sea making it a wall on the right hand and on the left be pleased to let thy Angel go out before me and guide me in my journey preserving me from dangers of robbers from violence of enemies and sudden and sad accidents from fals and errours and prosper my journey to thy glory and to all my innocent purposes and preserve me from all sin that I may return in peace and holyness with thy favour and thy blessing and may serve thee in thankfulness and obedience all the dayes of my pilgrimage and aâ— last bring me to thy country to the celestial Jerusalem there to dwell in thy house and to sing praises to thee for ever Amen Ad. Sect. 4. A prayer to be said before hearing or reading the word of God O
mouth with praises that my duty and returns to thee may be great as my needs of mercy are and let thy gracious favours and loving kindness endure for ever and ever upon thy servant and grant that what thou hast sown in mercy may spring up in duty and let thy grace so strengthen my purposes that I may sin no more lest thy threatning return upon me in anger and thy anger break me into pieces but let me walk in the light of thy favour and in the paths of thy Commandments that I living here to the glory of thy name may at last enter into the glory of my Lord to spend a whole eternity in giving praise to thy exalted and ever glorious name Amen We praise thee O God we knowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee the Father Everlasting To thee all Angels cry aloud the heauens all the powers therein To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory * Thâ— glorious company of the Apostles praise thee * The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee * The noble army of Martyrs praise thee * The holy Church throughout all the world doth knowledg thee * The Father of an infinite Majesty * Thy honourable true and only Son * Also the Holy Ghost the Comforter * Thou art the King of glory O Christ. * Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father * When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man thou didst not abhor the Virgins womb * Wheâ— thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers * Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father * We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge * We therefore pray thee help thy servants whom thou hast redeem'd with thy precious blood * Make them to be number'd with thy Saints in glory everlasting O Lord save thy people and bless thine heritage Govern them and lift them up for ever Day by day we magnifie thee and we worship thy name ever world without end Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this day without sin O Lord have mercy upon us have mercy upon us O Lord let thy mercy lighten upon us as or trust is in thee O Lord in thee have trusted let me never be confounded Amen A Prayer of thanksgiving after the receiving some great blessing as the birth of an Heir the success of an honest designe a victory a good harvest c. O Lord God Father of mercies the fountain of comfort and blessing of life and peace o plenty and pardon who fillest Heaven with thy glory and earth with thy goodness I give thee the most earnest most humble and most enlarged returns of my glad and thankfull heart for thou hast refreshed me with thy comforts and enlarged me with thy blessing thou hast made my flesh and my bones to rejoyce for besides the blessings of all mankinde the blessings of nature and the blessings of grace the support of every minute and the comforts of every day thou hast opened thy bosom and at this time hast powred out an excellent expression of thy loving kindness here name the blessing What am I O Lord and what is my Fathers house what is the life and what are the capacities of thy servant that thou shoul'd do this unto me * that the great God 〈…〉 and Angels should make a speciall decree in Heaven for me and send out an Angel of blessing and in stead of condemning and ruining me as I miserably have deserved to distinguish me from many my equals and my betters by this and many other speciall acts of Grace and favour Praised be the Lord daily even the Lord that helpeth us and powreth his benefits upon us He is our God even the God of whom cometh salvation God is the Lord by whom we escape death Thou hast brought me to great honour and comforted me on every side Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works I will rejoyce in giving praise for the operation of thy hands O give thanks unto the Lord and call upon his name tell the people what things he hath done As for me I will give great thanks unto the Lord praise him among the multitude Blessed be the Lord God even the Lord God of Israel which only doth wondrous and gracious things And blessed be the name of his Majesty for ever and all the earth shall be filled with his Majesty Amen Amen Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A prayer to be said on the Feast of Christmas or the birth of our blessed Saviour Jesus the same also may be said upon the feast of the Annunciation and Purification of the B. Virgin Mary O Holy and Almighty God Father of mercies Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of thy love and Eternal mercies I adore and praise and glorifie thy infinite and unspeakable love and wisdom who hast sent thy Son from the bosom of felicities to take upon him our nature and our misery and our guilt and hast made the Son of God to become the Son of Man that we might become the Sons of God and partakers of the divine nature since thou hast so exalted humane nature be pleased also to sanctifie my person that by a conformity to the humility and laws and sufferings of my dearest Saviour I may be united to his spirit and be made all one with the most Holy Jesus Amen O holy and Eternal Jesus who didst pity mankinde lying in his blood and sin and misery and didst choose our sadnesses and sorrows that thou mightest make us to partake of thy felicities Let thine eyes pity me thy hands support me thy holy â—eet tread down all the difficulties in my way to Heaven let me dwell in thy heart be instructed with thy wisdom moved by thy affections choose with thy will and be clothed with thy righteousness that in the day of Judgment I may be found having on thy garments sealed with thy impression and that bearing upon every faculty and member the character of my elder brother I may not be cast out with strangers and unbleivers Amen O Holy and ever blessed spirit who didst overshadow the holy Virgin Mother of our Lord and causedst her to conceive by a miraculous and mysterious manner be pleased to overshadow my soul and enlighten my spirit that I may conceive the holy Jesus in my heart and may bear him in my minde and may grow up to the fulness of the stature of Christ to be a perfect man in Christ Jesus Amen To God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. To the eternall Son that was incarnate and born of a virgin To the spirit of the Father and the Son be all honour and glory worship and adoration now and for ever Amen The same Form of Prayer
may be used upon our own Birth day or day of our Baptism adding the following prayer A Prayer to be said upon our Birth-day or day of Baptisme O Blessed and Eternall God I give thee praie and glory for thy great mercy to me in causing me to be born of Christian parents and didst not allot to me a portion with Misbelievers and Heathen that have not known thee thou didst not suffer me to be strangled at the gate of the womb but thy hand sustained brought me to the light of the world and the illumination of baptisme with thy grace preventing my election and by an artificiall necessity and holy prevention engaging me to the profession and practises of Christianity Lord since that I have broken the promises made in my behalf and which I confirmed by my after act I went back from them by an evil life and yet thou hast still continued to me life and time of repentance and didst not cut me off in the beginning of my dayes and the progress of my sins O Dearest God pardon the errours and ignorances the vices and vanities of my youth and the faults of my more forward years and let me never more stain the whiteness of my baptismal robe and now that by thy grace I still persist in the purposes of obedience and do give up my name to Christ and glory to be a Disciple of thy institution and a servant of Jesus let me never fail of thy grace let no root of bitterness spring up and disorder my purposes and defile my spirit O let my years be so many degrees of neerer approach to thee and forsake me not O God in my old age when I am gray-headed and when my strength faileth me be thou my strength and my guide unto death that I may reckon my years and apply my heart unto wisdom and at last after the spending a holy and a blessed life I may be brought unto a glorious eternity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then adde the form of thanksgiving formerly described A prayer to be said upon the dayes of the memory of Apostles Martyrs c O Eternal God to whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord and in whom the souls of them that be elected after they be delivered from the burden of the flesh be in peace and rest from their labours and their works follow them and their memory is blessed I blesse and magnifie thy holy and ever glorious name for the great grace and blessing manifested to thy Apostles and Martyrs and other holy persons who have glorified thy name in the dayes of their flesh and have served the interest of religion and of thy service and this day we have thy servant name the Apostle or Martyr c. in remembrance whom thou hast lead through the troubles and temptations of this World and now hast lodged in the bosome of a certain hope and great beatitude until the day of restitution of all things Blessed be the mercy and eternal goodness of God and the memory of all thy Saints is blessed Teach me to practise their doctrine to imitate their lives following their example and being united as a part of the same mysticall body by the band of the same faith and a holy hope and a never ceasing charity and may it please thee of thy gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect and to hasten thy Kingdom that we with thy servant * and all others departed in the true faith and fear of thy holy Name may have our perfect consummation and bliss in body and soul in thy eternall and everlasting kingdom Amen A form of prayer recording all the parts and mysteries of Christs passion being a short history of it to be used especially in the week of the passion and before the receiving the blessed Sacrament ALl praise honour and glory be to the holy and eternal Jesus I adore thee O blessed Redeemer eternall God the light of the Gentiles and the glory of Israel for thou hast done and suffered for me more then I could wish more then I could think of even all that a lost and a miserable perishing sinner could possibly need Thou wert afflicted with thirst and hunger with heat and cold with labours and sorrows with hard journeys and restless nights and when thou wert contriving all the mysterious and admirable wayes of paying our scores thou didst suffer thy self to be designed to slaughter by those for whom in love thou were ready to dye What is man that thou art mindfull of him the Son of man that thou thus visitest him Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus for thou wentest about doing good working miracles of mercy healing the sick comforting the distressed instructing the ignorant raising the dead inlightning the blinde strengthning the lame streightening the crooked relieving the poor preaching the Gospel and reconciling sinners by the mightiness of thy power by the wisdom of thy Spirit by the Word of God and the merits of thy Passion thy healthfull and bitter passion Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus who wert content to be conspired against by the Jews to be sold by thy servant for a vile price to wash the feet of him that took money for thy life and to give to him and to all thy Apostles thy most holy Body and Blood o become a Sacrifice for their sins even for their betraying and denying thee and for all my sins even for my crucifying thee a fresh and for such sins which I am ashamed to think but that the greatness of my sins magnifie the infiniteness of thy mercies who didst so great things for so vile a person Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus who being to depart the world didst comfort thy Apostles powring out into their ears hearts treasures of admirable discourses who didst recommend them to thy Father with a mighty charity and then didst enter into the Garden set with nothing but Bryers â—orrows where thou didst suffer a most unspeakable agony untill the sweat strain'd through thy pure skin like drops of blood and there didst sigh and groan and fall flat upon the earth and pray and submit to the intolerable burden of thy fathers wrath which I had deserved and thou sufferedst Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus who hast sanctified to us all our natural infirmities and passions by vouchsafing to be in fear and trembling and sore amazement by being bound and imprisoned by being harrassed and drag'd with cords of violence and rude hands by being quench'd in the brook in the way by being sought after like a theif and us'd like a sinner who wert the most holy and the most innocent cleaner then an Angel and brighter then the Morning-Star Lord what is man c. Blessed be thy Name O holy Jesus and
ever in the unity of the holy Catholick Church and in the integrity of the Christian faith and in the love of God and of our neighbours and in hope of life Eternal Amen 2. For the whole Catholick Church O holy Jesus King of the Saints and Prince of the Catholick Church preserve thy spouse whom thou hast purchased with thy right hand and redeemed and cleansed with thy blood the whole Catholick Church from one end of the Earth to the other she is founded upon a rock but planted in the sea O preserve her safe from schisme heresie and sacrilege Unite all her members with the bands of Faith Hope and Charity and an externall communion when it shall seem good in thine eyes let the daily sacrifice of prayer and Sacramental thanksgiving never cease but be for ever presented to thee and for ever united to the intercession of her dearest Lord and for ever prevaile for the obtaining for every of its membres grace and blessing pardon and salvation Amen 3. For all Christian Kings Princes and Governours O King of Kings and Prince of all the Rulers of the Earth give thy grace and Spirit to all Christian Princes the spirit of wisdom and counsell the spirit of government and godly fear Grant unto them to live in peace and honour that their people may love and fear them and they may love and fear God speak good unto their hearts concerning the Church that they may be nursing Fathers to it Fathers of the Fatherless Judges and Avengers of the cause of Widowes that they may be compassionate to the wants of the poor and the groans of the oppressed that they may not vex or kill the Lords people with unjust or ambitious wars but may feed the flock of God and may inquire after and do all things which may promote peace publick honesty and holy religion so administring things present that they may not fail of the everlasting glories of the world to come where all thy faithfull people shall reign Kings for ever Amen 4. For all the orders of them that minister about H. things O thou great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls Holy and Eternall Jesus give unto thy servants the Ministers of the Mysteries of Christian religion the Spirit of prudence sanctity faith and charity confidence and zeal diligence watchfulnes that they may declare thy will unto the people faithfully dispense thy Sacraments rightly and intercede with thee graciously acceptably for thy servants Grant O Lord that by a holy life and a true belief by well doing and patient suffering when thou shalt call them to it they may glorifie thee the great lover of souls and after a plentifull conversion of sinners from the errour of their wayes they may shine like the stars in glory Amen Give unto thy servants the Bishops a discerning Spirit that they may lay hands suddenly on no man but may depute such persons to the Ministeries of religion who may adorn the Gospel of God and whose lips may preserve knowledge and such who by their good preaching and holy living may advance the service of the Lord Jesus Amen 5. For our neerest relatives as Husband Wife Children Family c. O God of infinite mercy let thy loving mercy and compassion descend upon the head of thy servants my wife or husband children and family be pleased to give them health of body and of spirit a competent portion of temporals so as may with comfort support them in their journey to Heaven preserve them from all evill and sad accidents defend them in all assaults of their enemies direct their persons and their actions sanctifie their hearts and words and purposes that we all may by the bands of obedience and charity be united to our Lord Jesus and alwayes feeling thee our mercifull and gracious Father may become a holy family discharging our whole duty in all our relations that we in this life being thy children by adoption and grace may be admitted into thy holy family hereafter for ever to sing praises to thee in the Church of the first-born in the family of thy redeemed ones Amen 6. For our Parents our Kindred in the flesh our Friends and Benefactors O God merciful and gracious who hast made my Parents my friends and my Benefactors ministers of thy mercy instruments of providence to thy servant I humbly beg a blessing to descend upon the heads of name the persons or the relations Depute thy holy Angels to guard their persons thy holy spirit to guide their souls thy providence to minister to their necessities and let thy grace and mercy preserve them from the bitter pains of eternal death and bring them to everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Amen 7. For all that lye under the rod of war famine pestilence to be said in the time of plague or war c. O Lord God almighty thou art our Father we are thy children thou art our Redeemer we thy people purchased with the price of thy most precious blood be pleased to moderate thy anger towards thy servants let not thy whole displeasure arise lest we be consumed and brought to nothing Let health and peace be within our dwellings let righteousness and holiness dwell for ever in our hearts and be express'd in all our actions and the light of thy countenance be upon us in all sufferings that we may delight in the service and in the mercies of God for ever Amen O gracious Father and mercifull God if it be thy will say unto the destroying Angel it is enough and though we are not better then our brethren who are smitten with the rod of God but much worse yet may it please thee even because thou art good and because we are timerous and sinfull not yet fitted for our appearance to set thy mark upon our foreheads that thy Angel the Minister of thy justice may pass over us hurt us not let thy hand cover thy servants and hide us in the clefts of the rock in the wounds of the holy Jesus from the present anger that is gone out against us that though we walk thorough the valley of the shadow of death we may fear no evill and suffer none and those whom thou hast smitten with thy rod support with thy staff and visit them with thy mercies and salvation through Jesus Christ. Amen 8. For all women with childe and for unborn children O Lord God who art the Father of them that trust in thee and shewest mercy to a thousand generations of them that fear thee have mercy upon all women great with childe * be pleased to give them a joyfull and a safe deliverance and let thy grace preserve the fruit of their wombs and conduct them to the holy Sacrament of Baptisme that they being regenerated by thy spirit and adopted into thy family and the portion and duty of Sons may live to the glory of God to the comfort of their parents and friends to the edification of