depart in that kind of Death and by that means which thou shalt appoint But so to be ever affected in Faith and Love as they that long to be delivered from this body of sin into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God In this Hope we rest and into thy blessed Protection and mercy this day we commend our souls and bodies Beseeching thee so to sanctifie and direct us in the wayes of thy Laws and in the works of thy Commandements and to give thine Angels such charge over us that through thy most mighty Protection both here and ever we may be preserved in body and soul to serve thee the onely true God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen XXI The Fulnes of misery here answered with the best Fulnes hereafter IN the close of the last Meditation I promised to say somewhat of a better fulnes that we might not be too much dejected by the fulnes of our misery and now I shall do it There is a happy fulnes proposed to our desires and endeavours if we will labour to be in the number of those that have no inordinate appetite to the things of this life but rather ardenâ—…ly desire and long for an extraordinary pitch of a holie and virtuous life Never counting our selves to have apprehended nor looking back to those which are behind us but pressing forward towards the Mark that is set before us which is the way and means to the price of eternal glory Phil. 3. 12 13. To such our Saviour's promise is thus delivered with his blessing Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousnes for they shall be filled or satisfied Mat. 5. 6. But wherewithall with so much as cannot be fully expressed to our dull capacities Therefore it is left indefinite being far above our language or desire This Fulnes and satisfaction may seem to be the perfect expletion of all the natural desires of the soul and body and person of man with their own proper Objects as far as he is capable 1. The Soul In the Understanding with Truth it self In the Will with Goodnes it self 2. The Body 1. with Life in the true land of the living 2. With health and chearfulnes where all tears will plainly appear to be wiped away and all maladies cured 3. With Beauty where our Bodies shall be like to our Saviour's glorious body Phil. 3. 21. in some conformity to his now most glorious estate 3. The whole Person 1. With glory and honour which we earnestly expect and wait for St. Paul's word is most Emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. With the best society and conversation Innumerable company of Angels 10000 times ten thousand ministring Spirits and with them the glorious company of Apostles Prophets Martyrs Confessors Virgins and other Saints that make up one quire to sing Hallelujahs in Heaven 3. With such union with God as we are capable of For nothing else will satisfie the little triangle of the heart of Man but the Trinity it self Nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all sufficient is our objectum adaequatum The height of saturabuntur must rest upon that Who can fully expresse these things But we are to be excused if we endeavour to expresse what we can For there is a blessed hunger and thirst after the knowledge of them Who is not delighted to heare that howsoever we are here dispersed and persecuted we shall be hereafter as Fellow-Citizens in the same heavenly Jerusalem Hebr. 13. 14. Hebr. 11. 10. as we are already Fellow-Citizens of a lower Jerusalem which is the Christian Church built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ Himself being the head corner-stone Ephes. 2. 19. 20. We shall be Fellow-Servants in the same glorious Family of the King of Glory as we are already Fellow-servants of the same Houshold of Faith Gal 9. 10. Ephes. 2. 19 We shall be as Children of the same Heavenly Father not only in filiall Love and Obedience but also in the fruition of an eternal Inheritance Hebr. 9. 15. We shall be as the Spouse of Christ. The Prophets speak of him as of our Lord and Husband Isai. 54 5. and St Paul makes mention of it as of a great Mysterie Ephes. 5. 32. It began in our Saviour's assuming our Nature and it will be consummate at the great marriage Supper of the Lamb when we see his new Bride prepared and adorned for her Husband Rev. 197. 21. 2. We shall all be members of the same mysticall body whereof Christ is the head And the Holy Spirit will diffuse Himself into every mystical member making us all of one Spirit Not by way of Éssence and Information but by way of Inhabitance and Participation In this divine Union to the Understanding we shall know God fully not extinsively but diffusively As we see the Sea distinctly from all other bodies and know it to be the Sea and see what the largenes of the Object will suffer In this Union to the Will we shall be filled with the love of God and find a divine influence of his favour Hence are those strange expressions in the holy Scripture wherein we are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of Christ Hebr. 3. 14. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the Holy Ghâ—…st Hebr. 64 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Which one would think enough to expresse the fulnes of our Felicity All this Fulnes and Satisfaction cannot but strike a lustre upon the whole Person upon our very dark bodies as the splendor of the Sun doth upon the dark body of the Moon But if any man doubt how a spirituall Substance if I may so speak can thus sparkle and be visible in the Body Let him remember how the life of the Body can clear the looks of that when it is powerful within and the Heart well pleased Let him consider how a little glimpse of the divine Vision dressed the whole countenance of suffering Steven so that his face became as the face of an Angel Let him conceive how the sight of his new-born Saviour carried the heart of old Simeon into such an exstasie that the earth could hold him no longer he was presently come to his Nunc dimittis What should I strive to say more of this fulnes and satiety which hath a veile drawn before it and cannot be clearly discovered The Devil might undertake at a venter to show the glory of all the world in a Mountain and in a Moment but there is no Mountain high enough no Time long enough to show us the fulnes of this Joy and Glory God hath purposely concealed it that we might rather love Him for Himself then be ravished with the powerful love of any reward Therefore if I had the tongue of Men and Angels my words would be but like Counters that must stand for a greater Summe For there is no fulnes like this and yet there is nothing but
other wings touched each other 2. Chron. â—…1 So the two Testaments touched each other i. e. expounded each other and touched â—…e two sides of the House that is extenâ—…ed from in Principio to Veni Domine â—…esu from the Creation to the End of the â—…orld XLVIII Of short Ejaculations OUr private Reading and Meditation will easily furnish us with many short Ejaculatory Prayers which of all kind of Devotion are freest from the distraction of extravagant thoughts and therefore fittest to be often usedâ—… especially such as are è re nat â that is such aâ—… our severall hints and occasions shall minister unto us from suddaine intensive Affections and quick vehement Desires like Darts thrown out with erect attention of mind or like speedy wings of vigilant prayer happily expressed in a piercing kind of brevitie These are carefully to be cherished and made use of But besides these It will not be amisse to have some praemeditate and in store that may raise our devotion when we are somewhat in disposed of our selves Such as these or the like O Heavenly Father teach me that Reverence Duty and Love that befits one who 〈◊〉 an Enemy is adopted a Son and Heire to a Heavenly crowne Sweet Jesu the life of my Soule by thy gratious indulgence and Interâ—…ession assist me iâ—… following the pattern of thy holy life and teacâ—… me to know Thee and my selfe O holy and blessed Spirit Sanctifie mâ—… Soule and body enlighten my understandinâ—… with thy Truth And enrich my Heart with thy comfortable presence and assistance Most glorious and blessed Trinity Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts whom none can see and not be everlastingly happy Grant that I may so live as longing for the blessed appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by whom only we hope to attaine that happy sight But how long Lord Come Lord Jesu come quickly XLIX The recollection of our selves at Night and preparation to a Scrutinie THe severall dayes of Creation are closed up with God's owne review of the worke â—…f that Day which he saw to be very good Gen 1. 4. 12 31. We should all make such a review every Day that if we have done well we may be â—…hankefull to that grace and mercy of God â—…hat inabled us to do so and if we have done â—…l we may consider what sorrow for the preâ—…nt what resolution befits us for the time to â—…ome Such a review hath been acknowledged very â—…t and practised by the light of Nature Hence have we that advice of Pythagoâ—…as Non priùs in dulceÌ„ declinent lumina somnum Omnia quà m longi repetiveris acta Diei And Tully reports it to have been the practise of Cato Cato quicquid quoquo Die egerat viderat legerat audierat vesperi commemorabat tanquam diuturni negotii à se rationem exigens After this we may recall that which we had in the close of the first Section which gives general advice for every day L. A Preparative Meditation and Exhortation to such an Absteinious life as may fit us for a happy Death THat we be not mistaken when we suppose our selves in a right course of Christianity let us sometimes seriously recall to minde Saint Paul's advise to his beloved Corinthians and propose that question to our selves which he did to them Know you not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize So run that you may obtain And every one that strives for the Mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it for a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible 1 Cor. 9 24 25. Wherein his meaning was that what they knew practised in common races and wrastlings should be applied to a spiritual race and Christian-like combate Which if we will do Three things will appear of apparent necessity 1. He that runs in a race must be admitted in stadium a spectator may run and be never the nearer to the prize 2. So admitted he must resolve of composing himself to run He that will prate or sit or fool away the time may loose the credit and the reward 3. If he aim at the victory he must so run that he may obtain in a right swift and continued course And as a means to all these he must use abstinence abstinere ab omnibus If we apply these to a spiritual race and conflict three things will be needful to a Christian in Analogy to them 1. He must be admitted into the list and number of those that be capable of a Crown incorruptible Which is done by free Justification apprehended by the Faith of a true penitent and afterward confirmed by good works For the Heathens that have no faith and Christians that have a dead faith have no claim to this brabaeum This Holy David expresseth well where he saith I will run the way of thy Command when thou hast set my Heart at liberty That which sets the heart at liberty is that wherein our sinnes are pardoned our persons accepted and so we fitted to a cursus Theologicus and then run where we will in God's Commandements we are still in the way to a heavenly Crowne If it had onely the name of a Crowne there is some Rhetorick in that It is the most eminent kind of reward and set upon the head the most eminent part of the body we may well use all the projects of the head to attaine that which is to compasse the head with honour But it is also Corona incorruptibilis we should not be loth to purchase it with a life uncorrupted 2. When we have thought well of the entrance and Admittance in stadium which makes us capable of that reward we must not stay there It is not called Stadium in that sence It hath another name which implies motion and a painfull motion too It is Curriculum and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place of running and striving a place of sweating and toyling to all that are there without exception Qui in Stadio sunt currunt omnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysâ—…ie Being come in we must be employed in such actions as befit the place Otherwise no priviledges no partaking of holy Mysteries will excuse us more then they excused the Jewes Who were all baptized to Moses in the clouds and in the red Sea and did eate of the same spirituall meate and drinke of the same spirituall Rock-But with many of them God was not well pleased For they were overthrowne in the wildernesse 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 c. And so overthrown were ensamples to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 6. If we exceed them in priviledges we may so in punishments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. Therefore St Paul that had as many priviledges as any saith of himselfe 1 Cor. 9. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he saith to us 1 Cor. 10. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. He that thinkes he stands sure enough intra stadium may be deceived Therefore Let
of his self-exaltation so he that humbles himself will be exalted according to the measure of his Humiliation So far shall we be from doubting that when we are most out of conceit with our own value Cod respects us most Whâ—…n we' are placed by oâ—…r selves so low that we think we cannot go lower then indeed as we may be sure we cannot fall so nothing is so sure as that we shall rise To learn this excellent lesson shall we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by God himself and hear how he expresseth it in his holy word Upon whom shall I loâ—…k but upon him that is of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word I sai 66. 2. A troubled spirit is a Sacrifice to God A broken and contrite heart he will not despise Psal. 51. 17. Nay it is in the plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifices that is a Sacrifice equivalent to many other A Sacrifice that goes beyond all the Sacrifices of the Law The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a â—…ontrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit Psal. 34. 17. King Hâ—…zekiah found this true as well as David in that ready answer from God I have heard thy prayers I have seen thy tears Isai. 38. 5. So did Daniel in the Angel's report that srom the first day that he set his â—…eart to understand and chasten himself before God his words were heard And so will all other that make tryal of Gods infinite mercy IX Another sure way of Preparation from our Love of God and our Delight in Him BEside that sad way of Humiliation we have another more chearful way of promoting our Prayers We may take it from holy David a man after Gods own Heart that had made great use of it How dear and sweet the very mâ—…ntion of God or his holy word or any thing of his was to David's tongue and heart he hath sufficiently expressed in many Psalmes especially in the 119 and 145. both of them Alphabeticall Psalmes that they might be the easier committed to memory and the latter so highly esteemed by the Jewes that R Kimchi tells us the Rabbines had a saying that whosoever heartily recited the 145 Psal thrice a day needed not doubt of his eâ—…ernal Fâ—…licity As if they thought it the best Psalme to increase the love of God in us and so to fit us fâ—…r the Beatificall Vision and the heavâ—…nly quire above Yet how easily or how much soever the Jewish Church was taken with emphatical expressions of that Divine Love many in the Christian Church that should be more affected with it do seem to dote so much upon somewhat here below that they cannot hear with that ear and wish to go along with the Psalmist charme he never so wisely Therein they are rather like those Idols that have ears and hear not But if I should tell them how advantageous holy David saith that our love of God may prove to our obtaining of what we pray for I hope they would listen a little better to that Therefore I will keep them no longer from it They may see it Psal. 37. 4. in these words Delight thy self in the Lord and he will give thee thy heart's desire Which is made good in another Psalme that speakes in the person of God Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him He shall call upon me and I will hear him Now though this be the reward of Divine Love yet it were a shame that we should need much to be incited to it to love him whose creatures we are and on whose mercy and goodness depends all our Felicity X. Other Means to facilitate our accesse to God by Prayer NOt only our love to God but our love and respect to others too may procure a good successe of our Prayers As 1. Mercy in forgiving them Hence is that Evangelicall advise When thou prayest lift up holy hands without wrath 1 Tim. 2. 8. that is be in Charity when thou prayest If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there rememberest that thy Brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift go first be reconciled to thy Brother Mat. 5. 24. Forgive thy neighbour so shall thy sins also be forgiven when thou prayest Ecclus. 28. 2. 2. Mercy in relieving them Old Tobit made it his advise to his son Turne not thy face away from the poor and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee c. 4. 7. Solomon had said it before him in other termes He that stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himself but shal not be heard Prov. 21. 19. King Nebuchadnezer was therefore put in a fair way of preventing a sad punishment by Daniel's good counsel to break off his sins by alms-deeds and mercy to the poor Dan. 4. 27. And Cornelius found the vertue of this when he had the honour to be told by an Angel that his prayers were heard and his Almes-deeds were had in remembrance in the sight of God Act. 10. 31. Ecclus 3. 30. 4. 10. 3. Due respect to Parents Who so honoureth his Father makes an atonement for his sins Ecclus. 3. 3. He shall be heard when he makes his prayer v. 5. v. 15. Thus in all things our Christian and virtuous demeanour of our selves hath the force of letters of recommendation to promote our cause to the throne of grace And we have our Saviour's own word for it that If we abide in him and his words abide in us Ask what we will it shall be done unto us Joh. 15. 7. Out of these and the like Institutions which we take out of the holy Scriptures and wherein we perceive what preparation fits us best for the attaining of our humble suits of the hand of God every man should select some above the rest as most peculiar to himself and wherein his present care should make some amends for his former neglect remembring the advise of Baruch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. As it was your mind to go astray from God so being returned seek him ten times more Baruch 4. 28. by humble and hearty obedience as well as by earnest supplication XI Caveats for the Matter and Manner of Prayer THat our Prayers may be succcessesull it will be further necessary to take order that they may be ever attended with those Cautions Virtues and Graces which are most conducible to that end Such as these are 1. Not to ask amisse for any thing either in the scope and matter or in the method and order of of our Prayers For many ask and receive not because they ask a miss Jam. 4. 3. that they may consume it upon their own pleasures and fancies In such cases we must not expect to be heard unlesse it be to the punishment of our folly and presumption And otherwise we must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is our prayers must be grounded upon
Temptations that set upon us from without Saint Paul adviseth us to be provided with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole armour of God Which he names particularly in this manner The girdle of Truth The Breast-plate of Righteousnes The feet shodde with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace The Shield of Faith The Helmet of Salvation The Sword of the spirit Ephes 6. 11. 12. 13 Our whole life is like a warfare saith Job we are all Souldiers under Christ's banner Job 7 1. And of the Foot too For that we be not too high mounted in our undertakings the armour which we heard of is such as useth to be provided for the Foot The Girdle is cingulum militare Having our loines girt with Truth or in Truth in veritate that is verè truly If you read it with Truth then Truth it self Divine Truth is the girdle that keeps us in and leaves us not to that liberty which goes along with false Doctrine But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Truth seems rather to signifie the true and real girding of the loines And that is done by the girdle of Chastity the proper curbe of the loines to prevent the danger of that part How needful this military girdle is we may guesse by the old Roman Militia where cingulum deponere was to give over the place of a Souldier The need of this girdle doth not so appeare to the Jew and the Mahumetan who are for many Wives and Concubines and think Fornication a light offence But he that will now be of the Church militant under Christ must have Chastity brought as near to him as the very girdle that he is girded withall And this must appear not in fair professions only but in sober truth in veritate that is in heart and practise When we have this girdle in veritate we may fasten the sword of the spirit unto it which is the word of God Our chaste and pure thoughts will be a means to lead us into all divine Truth and fit our hearts for the whole will of God contained in his holy word which is best seen as God himself is by the pure in heart And because I have put the girdle and the sword together I will so far interrupt the Apostle's method as to continue my discourse of the sword This sword of the spirit that is in the Hebraisme this spiritual sword the word of God is therefore called a sword for the power it hath over sin and sinful men We had some hint of it in a mystery in St Peter's vision where he saw all manner of Beasts and heard a voice calling to him Peter arise and stay If by those Beasts we will understand sins or sinful men no better then Beasts the word of God in the mouth of an Apostle is that sword that can slay and conquer So it may be discovered in a mystery But without a mystery we have it often and more plainly As in Isai. where the Messias the branch of the root of lesse is said to smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips to slay the wicked Isai. 11. 4. in the Rev. where a sharpe two-edged sword is said to come out of his mouth Rev. 1. 16 In the vertue of this sword the Apostles and their succâ—…ssours have been victorious through all the world and subdued whole Nations to the Kingdome of Christ. And how every Christian should use this spirituall sword in his owne defence preferring his obedience to God's holy word before his yeelding to any sinne our blessed Saviour showed us the way in his spirituall combate in the wildernesse Mat. 4. When he was tempted to turne stones into bread our Saviour keeps off the temptation with the spiritual sword Scriptum est It is written Man shall not live by bread onely VVhen we read the other temptations we find the like repulse given to the Devill with the same sword Scriptum est If such be the use of the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God what will the Laitie say to those that would so farre disarme them as to keepe them from this spirituall sword Though it hath beene so abused by themselves and so bowed to their own ends as if they tooke it rather for a sword of wax then a sword of the Spirit And what shall we think for we must say little of another generation of men that talke much of the Spirit and of the word of God but make little use of this spirituall sword if we may guesse by their Actions that looke quite another way But I must looke upon the rest of the Armour that make up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the next is the Breast-plate of Righteousnesse which we might understand generally of a righteous and innocent life a good defence for the Heart but that the Apostle the best Interpreter of himselfe expressing it to the Thessalonians by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may take Righteousnes here for Charitie Which is one notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebr. whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in gr and Justitia in lat are often in the holy Scripture taken for Charity The reason of which Hebraisme is because the Scripture accounts Charitie no more then Justice or Righteousnes It being a just and righteous act to supply others with what we can well spare from our selves or a debt of love which we owe to God and men This is the reason why the Apostle calls that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousnes in his Epistle to the Ephes which in the Epistle to the Thess he expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charitie And Charity may well be the Breastplate which is the tie and preservative of all vertues and lies nearest to the Heart When this piece of Armour is put on In the next place our feet are to be shod with the preparation of the gospel of Peace To have our Feet shod is to be fitted and ready for motion To have them shod with a military shooe such as in the brazen and iron age of sword-men were their brasse shooes that armed them against the injuries of the wayes where in time of warre the enemy placed as much danger as he could is in Christian warfare to be provided against the hazard and perill of a Christian course of life And To have them shod with the preparation of Gospel of Peace is to be ready to preach or the practise what belongs to our peace with God and Man as the Gospell directs us Which indeed had not been a Gospell that is not so good tydings without Peace And I doubt though it be a Gospel of Peace yet there are some great Pretenders to Christian warfare that are not so shod in these evill dayes Let us take care that we be so as the Apostle intends such as are ready to use the weapons here commended to us in the defence of this Gospel of Peace and the propagation
Introduction fitted for them that desire to live like true Christians Wherein if I have said somewhat which by the Good Grace and Blessing of God hath so moved the Heart of some One of my Readers that he wisheth himself worthy the name of Veruâ—… Christianus and that Salvation may this day come to his House as it did to Zacheus's upon the first hearing Christ's voice Let him remember qui non est Hodie Cras minus And if he be but as well affected as Agrippa seemed to be when he said he was almost perswaded to be a Christian. Then I will use the like words to him that the Angel did to Gedeon Dominus tecum i. e. I will say God be with thy good heart goe on in this thy strength God and Men and Angels will be thy Spectators Take Christ's Crosse upon thâ—… and â—…ight under his Banner And that thou mayest pâ—…evail with others Wrastle with God Himself first as Jacob did in his importunate Prayers and let Him not goe without a blessing Then let St. Paul acquaint thee with all the Armour of God and ceâ—…se not to use it till thou hast taken the Kingdome of God by violence It is likely upon such good intentions our worst enemie will rouse himself and prepare to have about with thee and threaten some of his fiery darts and subtle assaults drawn from the greatness of thy sinnes and late Repentance wherein he will as good as say to thee what David's enemies said to him upon occasion of his Two Scandalous Sinnes and the punishments that flew after them For then Many there were that said unto his Soul there was no help for him in his God None in this world none in the world to come as Kimchi doth well expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pregnant double word as the Jewish Grammarians call it Many said so but He was not troubled at it He laid himself down and slept quietly and so rose again in confidence that God would protect him and strike his enemies upon the Cheek Bone i. e. with a blow of disgrace Vse you the like faithfull prayers and such a blow will be enough to silence your stoutest enemies Trust God for this Cherish the good Motions of his Holy Spirit and goe on with your Resolutions and you have done well for this day Betake your selves to your quiet rest close-up the day with these Meditations upon your Pillow And you shall not want a supply of more particular advise I will be ready for you as soon as you awake GENERAL ADVICE more briefly set down for their sakes that have much other businesse In the Morning 1. When we are fully awake we may use these or the like Ejaculations PRaise the Lord O my Soul that hath delivered me from the dangers of this night and by a sweet and quiet rest fitted me the better for his service this day And O my Soul let his service be the chief work of this day O let the first-fruits of this and every day be His and the first opening of my mouth the blessing of his holy name Let my hearty prayers and praises come before him like the Incense to season and sweeten my thoughts for the whole Day that I may the more chearfully serve my God the God of all Mercy and Consolation 2. When we are retired into our Closets or Studies some Ejaculations or prayers may be used to this purpose Lord give me grace to study how I may love Thee above all in whom are all things most eminently that are most worthy of our love Teach me how to serve and honour Thee above all whose Service is both perfect freedom from the slavery of sin and the most honourable way of Employment Teach me how to fear thee above all that I may need to fear nothing else Before we come out of our Closets let us ask our selves how we mean to spend the present day in what actions or entertainments And that we may choose the best let us take a short Memorandum from the wise man which may serve as a short Sermon or Instruction for every day A short Sermon taken chiefly out of the first and last words in the book of the Preacher VAnity of vanities saith the Preacher Eccl. 1. that is All things in the world whatsoever they may be in our mistaken opinion are indeed extreme vanity in respect of those things which are above which should be the chief object of our desires If you will hear the Preacher This is the summe of all that is worth the hearing c. ult v. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandements for that is the whole Dutie of man who being a reasonable Creature owes that service to his Creator and to Him alone Therefore the Preacher adds v. 14. that God will bring every thing unto Judgment discovering all our secret thoughts and actions good or bad and passing his last irrevocable sentence upon them all The best Use that can be made of this truth may be gathered out of the Preachers own words directed to every one of us c. 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thy hand that is Lay hold upon all opportunities of doing good every day Begin and persevere to the end and do it with all thy might as well as thou canst c. 9. 10. For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou art going apace This short Sermon may sharpen our desires endeavours to make this everyday a Preparation to the last day that we may be fitted for mercy before that day come after which it cannot be done in all the infinite length of Eternity And in all our Meditations of Death and the last Judgment let me comfort my self with this that He only is to be my Judge that is my blessed Saviour and hath fully paid the ransom for my Sinnes and desires not the death of a Sinner but the death of Sin 3. Before we leave our Closets let us have recourse to some sett form of Devotion wherein we may faithfully and thankfully expresse God's tender mercies and our bounden duty Such expressions we may find in the Psalms and Hymns and Anthems or other parts of our publick Service and such are these Be merciful to me O Lord the God of all mercy and consolation give me grace not to pore too much upon the greatnesse of my sins but to fix my thoughts rather upon the greatness of my Saviours love that suffered for them and so purchased my lihertie changing my slavery under sin and Sathan into the happy and honourable Title of the Servant of the most high God which carrieth perfect freedom along with it Teach me to make thy holy praecepts sweeter to me then the hony and the hony comb and of more value then the richest treasures and beauties honours of the world For thou O Lord art the thing that I long for Ps. 7. 4. Thy loving kindness
Saint Paul calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He would willingly listen to one that would sometime pray for himselfe as Christ prayed for us with strong cries and teares Hebr. 5. 7. Remembring how Importunity prevailed with the unjust Judge in the Parable of our Saviour and how it may prevaile for them that will give God no rest till he vouchsafe to answer them Such were holy David's prayers wont to be set forth in the sight of God as the incense Ps 14. 2. like frankincense laid upon hot coales So should ours be as if our hearts as well as our tongues were touched with a coale from the Altar mounting upward with that fervour attention and devotion which carries our â—…houghts from earth and presents us as it were for that time before the Throne of God's Royall Majesty in Heaven Now they will more happily and easily compasse this fervency and intention of spirit that are able to follow Saint Peter's advise to joyne Sobriety amd Watchfulnesse unto Prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7. For Sobriety makes us fit to watch and if we bring not a hearty vigilant prayer we may pull a curse upon our selves rather then a blessing We cannot but thinke so if we consider that Prayer is one of the chiefest Services that we performe to God and therefore we must not think that God will indure to have that done coldly and lazily and carelesly Prayer gives us accesse unto the Throne of God and leave to speake and hope to have Audience before his Divine Majesty Therefore should we study to offer it up attended with those graces and virtues and ushered in with that preparation that may put us in further hope of Acceptance after we are heard In that regard the holy Saints of God in all ages being to commence some speciall suit unto God have not been unwilling many times to prepare themselves with Fasting and lay hold of all other good helps whereby they might come as well fitted as they may be for a businesse of so high consequence as that of Prayer XIII The close of this Meditation with a returne to the time ANd now having given a view of most of those helps to conclude this Meditation I will only adde that some advantage to Prayer may be drawne from the very Time which brought us into this discourse Of all other the Morning is the fittest time for Prayer While we are more fresh fasting and sober while our best thoughts affections vigilance intention and fervor not yet taken off or abated with worldly affaires are the more ready to attend our Prayers Therefore let us use the more care not to let that time of our Devotions be passed over but as it should be And both then and ever Let us not presume to pray without some serious preparation or some praevious ejaculation sent before to that purpose For we had better spend lesse time in Prayer then rashly and unpreparedly adventure upon such a worke too soon Preparatory Ejaculations fit to be used when we compose our selves to Prayer OLord all hearts and all things else are naked and manifest in thy sight Hâ—…b 4. 13. and all at thy disposall O Cleanse the thoughts of my Heart by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit and make it fit for Prayer and other holy Duties Graft in it with the hatrâ—…d of Sinne the love of thy holy namt Give me that Faith that may conduct my selfe and that Charity that may take others along with mee to the Throne of thy grace Teach my Heart the Reverence due to thy Divine Majesty in the presenting of my humble Petitions Make my servent and vigilant Prayer truly expressive of the value of that which I came to begge conformable to thy holy will and in the name and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is enough to be spoken of Prayer in generall in reference to our present purpose From this Digression we will now returne to our particular Morning-Devotions For which we learne of our Mother-Church by what she doth in publick Prayer to begin our private Addresses then too with a form of confession which is to begin with our pardon and peace first humbly begged from Almighty God I shall therefore commend unto you first a Confession and Prayer used by Bishop Andrewes then another used by Archb. Laud. XIV Confessio cum Precatione ALmighty God and most mercifull Father all-mercifull and Mercy it self I have wiâ—…tingly and willingly run from thy wayes erred and strayed from them more like an untamed heifer and wild asse then a lost and wandring sheep I have followed too much or rather altogether the absurd devices and brutish desires of my own heart I have not only offended against but even been offended at thy holy Laws thy most holy Laws I have left undone nay not done all those things which I ought to have done I have done done nothing else but those things which I ought not to have done And there is no health nor hope of health in me But thou O Lord have mercy upon me miserable most miserable sinner the greatest of sinners and the most unthankefull for so great grace as hath been offered to me Spare me and all them O God which confesse their faults Restore thou them that be penitent that desire to be penitent that wish they were so that feare they are not enough that are sorry they are not more penitent for this is according to thy promises thy most gracious most sweet promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord that invites all and promiseth to refresh all that feel the weight and â—…urden of their sins and come to Him for ease Grant therefore O most mercifull Father â—…or his sake who is our Redeemer Advocate Author and Finisher of our Faith Propitiation Righteousness and Justification that I and all penitents may ever hereafter live a Godly Righteous and Sober life Grant that we may do this to the glory of thy Holy Name and the Salvation of our own Soules Amen Pro Remissione Peccatorum O Eternall God and most Mercifull Father Pardon I beseech Thee all the Sins Omissions Commissions Thoughts Words and Deeds by which I have provoked Thee â—…o anger from the time of my birth to this present moment that no one nor all of my â—…ins together may ever be able to cry oftâ—…er or lowder in thine eares for vengeance â—…hen the cry of my Prayers may ascend up to Thee for Mercy and forgivenesse and obâ—…ain what they sue for Particularly I humbly â—…eseech Thee forgive unto me my greater and â—…ore clamorous Sins Such as are O Lord â—…gainst Heaven and against Thee have I â—…nned and committed foul transgressions 〈◊〉 Thy sight But I beseech Thee wipe â—…em all out of the Booke of Thy Remembrance through Jesus Christ our Lord anâ—… onely Saviour Amen To these if you will adde a Penitentiaâ—… Psalme There are seaven of them that is thâ—… 6. 32. 38. 51. 102. 130. 143. They will 〈◊〉
may be more fully expressed I wish we may all know it by the happy fruition hereafter that we may see it a Fulnes both without defect and without end In the mean time we may chear up our selves with the speculation of it and sing with the Psalmist In thy presence O Lord is fulnes of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Ps. 16. 12. XXII The same Happines expressed under the promise of the Vision of God ALL the Happines that we have named or that can be named by any farther enlargment may be epitomized in two words Visio Dei So much there is in that though hardly to be uttered or conceived by mortal men But it is reducible to these two branches of Felicity 1. The happines that we are here capable of by the eye of Faith in heavenly Contemplations 2. The Eternal Happines whereof we shall participate hereafter in the full fruition of the Deity These two wayes onely it may be conceived arcording to the two several states of a Christian here in Grace and hereafter in Glory 1 That here is in holy devotions and divine Speculations guided by the eye of Faith Such as we have especially at the Holy Table and other our highest Raptures after the exactest and best preparations of our selves which present us pure and holy before God A Type of this we had in the Legal purifying and hallowing before the entrance into the Temple where they accounted that they had a kind of Vision of God as appears by those phrases of the Psalmist Quando veniam apparebo ante faciem Dei When shall I come to appear before the face of God Ps. 42. 2. Videbitur Deus Deorum in Sion The God of Gods will be seen in Sion Ps 84. 7. So they expressed the happines of their holy approaches to him that dwelt between the Cherubims where sometime appeared a lustre that represented the Majesty of God But of all other their Priests and Prophets the Seers of Israel had the greatest share of this happines Their pure Souls were more taken up with such heavenly Visions wherein they became like pure looking-glasses that represented so much of the pleasure of God as the children of Israel could not have well seen but in them nor they themselves so well discovered if they had not like pure and holy vessels been fitted and made capable of so high a favour To have such an immediate divine influence upon the soul never came to any but upon a quiet and holy composure of themselves 2. This is all that can be thought upon here the other and clearer Vision of God is that which we expect in a better life To see God is the Epitome and Compendium of all Happines Our best Joyes and Delights here are but a blaze to that light and Splendor as our greatest sorrows and troubles here are but shadows of darknes to the horror that follows upon the loss of that sight For as all misery begins with shutting our oâ—… his presence so all happines begins with the light of his countenance with the Vision of God Hence it is that Moses longed for it Let me see thy face David was resolved on it Thy face O Lord will I seek Shew us the light of thy countenance and we shall be safe And Philip said well Ostende nobis patrem sufficit Shew us the Father and we will ask no more Joh. 14. 8. For who can be admitted to the sight of him and not be happy They that saw Moses that had seen God face to face had more glory to look on then they were able to behold Moses was saine to do them the favour to veile his face They that saw but a glimpse of this glory in the Transfiguration were presently at building of Tabernacles to stay by it bonum est esse hîc They that saw St. Stephens face in his Martyrdom while he then looked upon Christ saw it shine like the face of an Angel while the glory of Christ sparkled a little upon it What happines do you then think it is to see God in his glory when they have been so affected that have but seen them that have seen God and not in his full glory neither And what a heavy doom will they hear that shall be excluded for ever from seeing God from seeing him in that Jerusalem above which signifies the Vision of true peace and happines Where all the holy Lamps of Heaven the blessed Spirits there have onely the light of Gods countenance to kindle themselves withall Which He out of a gracious prodigality casts abroad among them as the Sun doth among the stars and that is enough to fill them all with Glory and Content The Vision of him being all their Felicity as it must be ours XXIII The first means of attaining the former Happines SOmewhat we have now heard of the Vision of God as we did before of the fulnes of joy in those termes wherein the holy Scripture is pleased to deliver them unto us Which cannot but enlarge our hearts with earnest desire to long after them But that is not enough toward the purchase of such Felicity For we must not think that such a Fulnes and the Vision of God the top of all Blessings will be given to wishers and woulders We must do somewhat that God proposeth if we aime so high And the sooner the better for Death followes us faster then we shall follow the way to our eternal Felicity As for the Fulnes which we named first if we desire such Happines as well we may we must look back p. 95. to what our blessed Saviour prescribed as the means to it out of Mat. 5. 6. in these words Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousnes for they shall be satisfied We must so long to lead a virtuous and godly life that our Longing may be like a hunger and thirst after a high degree of that Righteousnes which is there and in many other places of holy Scripture a word of a large compass extending it self over all virtues The use of it even in profane Authors to that purpose is so antient that Aristotle cites a verse for it out of an old Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which sense the Scripture often calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a righteous or just man that is every way a good man in all the course of his life So St. Aug. and Greg. Nyssen and Leo and others take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that Beatitude to be meant de generali Justitiâ vitae sanctimonià which we call Evangelical Righteousnes And for the Vision of God which we named in the second place if we are truly affected with the desire of that the means to it is peremptorily set down in these words Follow after Peace with all men and Holines without which no man shall see God Heb. 12. 14. God himself hath joyned them all together and it is in vain for
thanks with the best member that I have XXXVII A second Task in this Preparation AFter this first care in our Preparation a second would be to inflame our hearts with the love of that holy place and that holy work to which it is fit we should come with ready and chearful minds And that may best be done by borrowing some Light and Heat from those servants of God that have excelled in that kind and especially from the Royal Psalmist by meditation upon these or the like streins of his or theirs wherein we shall see that they accounted this place the Joy of their Glory the desire of their eyes and that whereupon they set their minds Ezek. 24. 25. One thing I have desired of the Lord which I will require that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple Psal. 27. 4. O Lord I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine Honour dwels When shall I come to appear before the presence of my God Ps. 42. 2. O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord of Hosts My Soul hath a desire to enter into the Courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh rejoyce in the living God Psal. 84. 2. I will offer in thy dwelling an oblation with great gladnes Ps. 27. 7. My lips will be saine when I sing unto thee so will my Soul Ps. 71. 23. Give thanks O Israel to the Lord in the Congregation from the ground of the Heart Ps. 68. 26. XXXVIII Our passage toward the Church and our entrance into it AS we passe by the graves in the Church-yard or other Dormitories we may when we are alone and can do it without seeming Affection and Hypocrisie put our selves in mind of our Mortality and the hope of a joyful Resurrection out of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are God's Storehouses for the Bodies of his Servants that have their Souls in Paradise or rather His Paradise his Garden set with Beds of those flowers that shall bud out again in the great Day of our general Spring In like manner as we cast our eye upon the Font and Pulpit we may sometime recall the memory of that solemn vow that we openly undertook at our first Initiation into the Church and of those many Sermons that have often rubbed the remembrance of that with little appearance of successe in our practise But we must never forget to come in and out and do all in the Church with that decent and reverend behaviour of our selves that is due to a place of Gods more especiall presence and our more peculiar service unto Him Whereupon Jacob called his Bethel a place of dread and the Jewes stiled theirs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Palace or place of Majesty where they conceived God sitting between the Cherubim as upon a throne of state and the Christians called theirs in the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence we had our Kirk and Church All these names putting us in mind of that which was the very letter of the Law that we should reverence Gods Sanctuary Levit. 19. 30. Though in it self it was no peculiar Act of Law but rather the Dictate of Reason that God should be approached to and served in the compleatest kind of service with all inward and outward reverence that is fitting for us The Holy and Princely Prophet carried this thought along with him when he went to Gods House and how doth he expresse it We will go into thy Tabernacle and fall low on our knees before thy Foot-stool that is before the Ark. Psal. 132. 7. And in other words of his we invite our selves every morning to the same duty in ô Venite adoremus O come let us worship and bow down that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and kneel before the Lord our Maker Psal. 95. 6. i. e. before him that made body and soul joyn'd them both together and will expect they should both be joyn'd together in his service Our Invitatory Psalm calls for it by the example of Holy David in the Tabernacle That his example prevailed with the Jewes we see it in Solomon's time For as soon as they had a Temple we find them all the whole congregation bowing themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement and worshipping 2 Chron. 7. 3. Nehem. 8. 6. And who knows not that it was a custome of the Jewish Church when they were abroad to pray towards the Temple and when they were in the Temple to worship towards the Altar The first we see in Daniel's practice Dan. 6. 10. The other confirmed by good K Hezekiah's command Incurvate vos coram Altari hoc 4 Reg. 18. 22. If the Christian Church hath the like Practice before the holy Table it is no more bowing to the Table then K David or K Hezekiah's adoration before the Altar was adoring the Altar in those dayes or man's kneeling before his seat is kneeling to his seat 2 Chron. 29. 29 30. And if the Christians Reverence was more then that of the Jewes good reason for it we have more ingagements that call for more respect and might cast us lower before his Footâ—… stool that first bowed the Heavens and descended as low as earth that hemight raise us as high as Heaven then in his agonie bowed again and fell on his face to pray for us that now think it much to stoop a little in the Church when we come to pray for our selves Mat. 26. 39 The glorious Saints above they do it they bow when they addresse themselves before Him In the fourth of the Revelation you may see them falling down and worshipping and casting their Crownes before the Throne Rev. 4. 10. They that pretend to be cunning in the Revelation think they could tell us best who they are whether Caelestial Spirits or the Reverend Fathers of the Church that go there under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders or Priests Whosoever they are they are such whose example we had better follow here then defer it till we think to see them in Heaven But if they will continue as stiff in the knees as they are in the neck I must tell them the very Devils did it Marc. 3. 11. They bowed before our Saviour when he was in the state of his humility shall we be loth to do it when he is in his state of glory Surely he that commanded us not to bow to idols did not mean but we should bow down to himself Yet if we doubt of his meaning let us learn what that means in the Psalmist Give the Lord honour due to his name worship the Lord with holy worship Holy worship will have the heart and due Honour will have the lowest submissive expression of bodily Service which is no more then our bounden Duty to God and the one will easily follow the other