God yea even for the Living God when shall I come and appear before the Presence of God O send out thy Light and thy Truth 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 A Prayer at Home before the Sacrament OBlessed Jesu 't is thy Blessed Body that my Soul longs for and to be satisfied with thy Pretious Blood for its Purification and Nourishment Vouchsafe Holy Jesus to enter this Day into the House of thy Servant that with Holy Zacheus I may within receive from thee that joyful Benediction this day is Salvation come to thine House II. THY Body O Blessed Jesu is my Food and thy Righteousness is my Robe thou art both the Priest and Sacrifice the Master of the Feast and the Feast it self my Souls Physitian the Light of my Eyes and the Purisier of my Stains O Enter now into my Heart and cast out from thence all Impurities even all the remains of the Old Man III. AND grant I may partake of this Holy Sacrament with much Reverence Holy Relish and great Effect receiving thence the Communication of thy Holy Body and Blood for the Establishment of an unreprovable Faith of an unfained Love for the fulness of Wisdom for the healing my Soul and preservation of my Body for the taking out the Sting of temporal Death and for the Assurance of a Holy Resurrection for the Ejection of all Evil from within me and the fulfiling all thy Righteous Commandements and to procure for me a Mercy and a fair Reception at the Day of Judgment IV. O God the Bread of Heaven and Life of the World I have sinned against Heaven and in thy Sight and am not worthy to be made partaker of thy most Holy Mysteries But Vouchsafe as a Merciful God to make me worthy by thy Grace that I may not receive thy Holy Body and Pretious Blood to my Condemnation but unto the Remission of my sins and Everlasting Life Amen Intercessions O God have Mercy upon poor Mankind enlighten all that sit in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death reveal thy Son and his saving Gospel to those Asiaticks Affricans and Americans that never heard of a Crucified Jesus add the fulness of the Gentiles to the Recollection of the Jewes that there may at length be one Sheepsold under that one good and great Sheepherd Christ Jesus II. BE merciful to this Church in which I am a Member and Cause thy Face evermore to Shine upon it Bless those whom thou hast Anointed over us our Soveraign Lord and Lady King William and Queen Mary grant that their People may Obey them and they may Obey thee and do all things to thy Honour and Glory III. BLESS Katherine the Queen Dowager her Royal Highness the Prineess Ann of Denmark with all the rest of the Royal Family endue them with Heavenly Graces make them happy Instruments of thy Glory here and partakers of thy Heavenly Kingdom hereafter IV. BLESS the Pastors of thy Church the Bishops and Clergy grant that by their sincere Preaching and Assiduous Prayers and Ministries they may Glorifie thee the great lover of Souls give unto the Ministers of Justice the Spirit of Government and Zeal Courage and Prudence to the Nobility Wisdom Valour and Religious Magnanimity Succour all in Affliction help them to Right that suffer Wrong be with those that are in Prison and preserve thou those that are appointed to Die V. BLESS my Relations Here Name them Assist them in their Wants and Necessities keep them in thy Fear and Favour unto their Lives end forgive my Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and turn their Hearts Bless all those who do accompany me this day at thine Altar and for all others who meet in thy Name and Communicate in Remote Parts grant that through this Blood of Jesus we may all be Cleansed from our Sins and Purged from all our Iniquities VI. O leave us not as we have deserved to be left wrapt up in our own Confulions he thou more merciful to us than we have been unto ourselves Supply whatsoever is wanting in the Government Establish what remains Dissipate and Scatter Scandals Stop and Prevent all rising and growing Heresies make us all so far of one Heart and one Mind that we may joyntly set our selves to the rooting up of all Atheism Prophaneness Superstition Faction Heresie any thing which exalts it self against thy true and sincere Worship VII GIVE to the whole Land fair Seasons of the Year good Government Health and Plenty an excellent Religion undivided and undisturbed frequent Celebration of this thy Holy Ordinance through Christ our Lord. VIII AND now lift up your Head O ye Gate of my Soul and be ye lifted up O ye Everlasting Door of my Heart that the King of Glory may come in that he may come in at this time and take Possession of me and Dwell and Reign in me for ever Even so O Lord for the sake of the Son of thy Love in whom only I trust to be accepted and in whose Name and Words I call upon thee Our Father c. When you go forth of your Chamber or Closet I Will go into his Tabernacle and fall low on my Knees before his Foot-Stool the Lord preserve me in my going out and my coming in from this time forth and for evermore When you enter the Church which ought to be sometime before the Service begins O How Aimable are thy Dwellings thou Lord of Host I will come into thy Tabernacle and fall low on my Knees before thy Foot-Stool and will wait for thy loving kindness O God in the midst of thy Temple thy Testimonies O Lord are very sure and Holiness becometh thy House for ever When you cast your Eye on the Font and Pulpet Then recal to mind that Solemn Vow you openly took at your Initiation into the Church to forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this Wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh c. and let the other put thee in mind the many good Sermons thou hast heard from thence and the few thou hast practised Being seated turn to the Psalms and Lessons Epistle and Gospel for the Day that you may have them ready if there be any leasure time before Divine Service begins fall on your Knees and say Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come fit us all for thy Service Good Lord Pardon all here that prepares their Heart to seek thee Merciful Lord Graciously accept us all that come hither to present our selves our Souls and Bodies unto thee for Jesus Christ's sake that Vouchsafed to present himself Bodily in the Temple for us in great Love and Humility Then joyn with the Prayers of the Chuch and be Attentive to the Sermon When Sermon is
most Prone and Weak there I beg of thee to exalt thy Power in preserving me Here Name thy greatest Temptation IV. O let the Sufferings of my Crucified Saviour for my sins and the Solemn Vow I have have now made against them never slip from my Memory but let the remembrance of the one make me perform the other that I may never engage with those Lust which Nailed his Hands and Feet Pierced his Side and made his Soul sorrowful to Death But now having a new resigned my self to him I may serve him in Righteousness and Holiness all the days of my Life V. LORD support my Weakness in this warfare and be thou my Strength for I am not able to struggle with the least Temptations How often have I fainted in the Encounter How many Sabbaths have I profaned and how many Sacramental Vows have I broken And yet O Lord I carry about me the same deceitful Heart to betray me to the breach of this last Duty But O thou who art for eâ—eâ— uâ—changeable eâ—due me I 〈◊〉 beseech thee with such a stedfastness of mind that I may never swerve from thy Commandments but bring forth Fruits meet for Re pentance that I may arrive to Life Eternal through the Merits and Mediation of my Crucified Lord and Saviour Amen VI. Almighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Sons Name I beseech thee mercifully to incline thine Ears to me that have made now my Prayers and Supplications unto thee and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked according to thy Will may effectually be obtained to the relief of my Necessity and to the setting forth thy Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen VII Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I am able to ask or think according to the Power that worketh in me unto him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages World without End Amen The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Sweet and Comfortable Felowship of his Holy and Blessed Spirit be with me and remain with me now and forever Amen Private Devotions and Divine Thoughts to be used every Day in the Week A Morning Prayer to be Used after the Ejaculations at Up Rising O Omnipetent and Everlasting God I Bless and Praise thy Holy Name for thy preservation of me this night past even to this present I beseech thee in all that I shall do this day presper thou the Work of my Hands O prosper thou my Hand-work II. Ill all that I shall think or say let the words of my Mouth and the Meditations of my Heart be such as may be ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer that thou maiest for ever Vouchsafe to be with me both in and Death WHEREIN for the short time of my Life here give me Grace so to behave my self as in thy Presence Fearing nothing so much as thy displeasure hating and Sorrowing for nothing so much as my sins loving and rejoycing in nothing so much as in thee and thy Glory IV. and for the time of my Death I beseech thee in thy good Providence and Mercy so to Order it that I be not found either unproxided or unwilling to 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 V. IN this hope I rest and into thy Blessed Protection and Mercy this day I commend my Soul and Body My Relations and Friends beseeching thee so to Sanctifie and Direct us in the ways of the Laws and in the works of thy Commandements and to give thine Angels such charge over us that through thy most Protection both here and ever we may be preserved in Body and Soul to serve thee the only true God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Hymn for the Morning LOrd I do now lift up my Eyes And leave my sluggish Bed But why I wake or why I rise Comes seldom in my Head Is it to Sweat and Toil for wealth Or sport my time away That thou preserv'st me still in Health And givest me this new day No no unskilful Soul not so Be not deceiv'd with Toys Thy Lord's Commands more wisely go And Aim at higher joys They bid us wake to seek new Grace And some fresh Virtue gain They call us up to mend our pace Till we the prize attain That Glorious prize for which all Run Who wisely spend their Breath Who when this weary Life is done Are sure of rest in Death Not such a rest as here we prove Disturb'd with cares and fear But endless joy and peace and Love Vnmixt with Grief and Tears Glory to thee O bounteous Lord Who giv'st to all things breath Glory to thee Eternal Word Who sav'st us by thy Death Glory O blessed Spirit to thee Who fill'st our Souls with love Glory to all the Mystick three Who Reign one God above Amen Ejaculations for the Day At your Apparelling say BLessed Jesu that the shame of my sinful Soul may not be seen Cloath it with thy spotless Robes of Righteousness and Adorn it with all the Ornaments of all manner of Grace and Vertues Amen When you are Apparelled O most aimable Jesu the true Spoufe of my Soul give me the Wedding Garment of Divine Love and perpetual Charity Amen Washing your Hands O Blessed Lord who so loved us as to Wash our Souls in thy pretious Blood Purifie I beseech thee my Heart and my Hands from all the spots and filth of sin Amen In Washing your Mouth O Divine Wisdom which proceedest out of the Mouth of thy Heavenly Father I humbly beseech thee with thy Grace to Purge my Lips from all Wicked and Vain words that my Mouth may never open but to thy praise and the improvement of others Amen In Washing your Eyes O thou Celestial Light who Illuminates every one that comes into the World enlighten the Eyes of my Soul that in all things I may perfectly see and perform thy blessed will and Pleasure Amen Beholding your Face in the Glass Say All Flesh is Grass and the Glory of it as the Flower of the Field which may quickly sade away and be no more seen Favour is deceitful and Beauty is vain but a Woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Going forth of thy House or Chamber say Shew me O Lord thy ways and teach me thy Paths Direct my steps according to thy word that no Injustice Rule over me make perfect my goings in thy Paths that my steps be not moved As you Travel or Walk by the way Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way and walk in the Law of the Lord. When the Clock strikes or you see the
THE Ladies Preparation To the Monthly SACRAMENT Consissing of Prayers Meditations and Ejaculations before at and after Receiving the Lords Supper After the Warning is given in the Church for the Celebration of the Holy Communion COMPOSED For the Private Use of a Devout Lady And at the Request of Friends made Publick LONDON Printed by W. B. for Simon Neale in the Long-Walk near Little Brittain 1691. Licensed February 10th 1691. THE WARNING On the Sunday Before the COMMUNION DEARLY Beloved on Sunday I and purpose through Gods Assistance to Administer to all such as shall be Religiously and Devoutly disposed the most Comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ to be by them received in Remembrance of his Meritorious Cross and Passion whereby alone we obtain Remission of our Sins and are made partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven c. A Soliloquy on the Warning BLESSED for ever be thy Name O Lord who pittying our Ignorance hast Revealed to us this Heavenly Mystery of thy pretious Body and Blood and foreseeing our weakness hast built our Faith on so firm a Certainty Justly O my God! Dost thou require our absolute assent to thy word since thou graciously providest such grounds to assure us Thy self with thine own blest Mouth hast taught it thy Apostles with their dearest Blod have confirmed it and thy Churches in all Ages have faithfully delivered it II. HOW Beautiful O Lord are the Feet of thy Holy Messengers Who brings us Peace and Reconcilement with thee who teaches us the way to Eternal happiness and by their pious Offices help us to go thither if they teach us Spiritual things 't is just we should give them Temporal make us O Lord entertain them as Workmen sent by thee with respect to their Persons and Obedience to their words and according to our power with a free supply of their necessities III. THUS does our gracious Lord send forth his Ministring Spirits to invite us to a Heavenly Banquet Their spiritual means Conveys our Prayers up to him and brings his Blessings down to us in all our ways they direct us and bear us in their Hands lest at any time we dash our Foot against a Stone When we labour they Assist us when we repose they implore for us the Divine Protection when we are tempted they Encourage us to stand fast and when we Conquer they Crown us with their Prayers and Praises When you first awake use these Ejaculations as a Key to Open the Morning LIghten mine Eyes O Lord that I Sleep not in Death Psal 13.3 IT is high time to Awake our of our Sleep of Sin for now since we have received the Light of the Gospel our Salvation is nearer then when we first Believed THE Night is now spent and the day is approached let me therefore cast off the works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light GIVE me Grace O Lord to walk Honestly as in the day net in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying BUT put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Rom. 13.11 12 13 14. At Up-rising IN the Name of the Father who hath Created me and of the Son who hath Redeemed me and of the Holy Ghost whh hath Sanctified me be Ascribed all Glory and Power BLESSED be the Holy and Undivided Trinity now and for Evermore Amen I laid me down and Slept and rose again for the Lord hath Sustained me Then Humbly on your Knees lift up thy Heart unto God and say HOLY Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come I Worship him that liveth for Ever and cast my Self before his Throne thou art worthy O Lord my God to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast Created all things and for thy Wills-Sake they are and were Created II. INTO the Hands of thy Blessed Protection and unspeakable Mercy O Lord I this Day Commend my Soul and Body with all the Faculties Powers and Actions of them both beseeching thee to be Ever with me to direct Sanctifie and Govern me in the ways of thy Law and in the Works of thy Commandments that through thy most Mighty Protection both here and Ever I may be preserved in Body and Soul to serve thee the only true God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then use the Morning Prayer c. Which is Annexed to these Devotions Meditations for Monday Morning COME My Soul let us begin our appointed Task and dilligently mind our own Employment Let us not lose one day in Idleness nor Distract our thoughts with Repining at the advantages of others God is our absolute Lord and may do with his own as he pleases If we began our Repentance late our delay was dangerous but we ought not to Despair If we have laboured long in his Service our Wages are safe but we must not presume on our own Endeavours II. THY Holy Mysteries O Lord I believe O help my unbelief Let not any difficulties make me doubt thy Truth nor too long a doubting provoke thy Wrath Every word of thine shall be fulfiled in their Season Sometime thou Visitest thy Children with the Chastisement of a Rod sometimes thou favourest them with the Smiles of Prosperity But all at last shall Co-operate to their Good III. NO matter at all for the Favour of Men happy are they who find Grace with God They shall Conceive in their Hearts the Blessed Jesus and bring him forth in their Holy Lives and Reign with him in his Kingdom and of his Kingdom there shall be no End Here we perhaps may weep for a time and be poor and Afflicted in this troublesome World But hereafter our Lord will Plant us about the Throne of his Father and make us sit down with him in his own Kingdom if we heartily Love him and keep his Commandments IV. GIVE me O Lord thy Holy Grace to Love with Charity the Defects of others perhaps mistaken by me and rely on thee for Defence of my self most sure of Relief if I wait thy Providence for thy Mercy forsakes not the Innocent for Ever Sometimes thou sufferest thy Servants to be tryed but wilt always at last either Deliver their Patience or Crown their Perseverance The PRAYER O Most Glorious Lord God in thy Son Jesus Christ my most Merciful and Loving Father I Miserable and Wretched Sinner Dust and Ashes do here in all Humility of Soul Prostrate my self before thy Glorious Majesty Humbly acknowledging and Confessing against my own Soul that I am laden with Iniquity and by my Sins have defiled myself defiled my Habitation defiled this good Land wherein I Sojourn II. O Lord Righteousness belongeth hnto thee but unto me Confusion of Face I have Sinned against thee and done amiss and dealt very wickedly and have added to the Number of my Fore Fathers Numberless Transgressions * Here Name the Particulars notwithstanding thou hast
The PRAYER MOST gracious God I have been very negligent of thy Service and those duties whereby I should have been better'd in the ways of Godliness by my ill performance have made me worse my very Prayers have been turned into Sin and those Sacrifices whereby I should have propitiated thee hath removed thee at a further distance from me and though thou in thy Mercy and tender compassion hast oppossed me in my Sins and called me to Repentance yet notwithstanding I have rusht into all manner of Wickedness * Here Name the Particulars as the Horse into the Battle and have gone from bad to worse II. THY Judgment have not Awaked me nor thy Mercies wonne me to Obedience I have not harkened to the Voice of thy Ministry nor to the Secret Checks of my own Conscience nor yet to the good motions of thy Holy Spirit all directing me this is the way walk in it and you shall find rest unto your Soul yet notwithstanding all the good means thou hast used to reclaim me and to bring me home to thee I have still gone on in a stubborn Course of Sin to the dishonour of thy Name the wounding of my own Soul the Scaldal of others and the increasing the great dreadful Account that I must one day make at the Judgment Seat of Christ III. FOR these O Lord and many other Sins all thy Waves and Storms have gone over me when thou hast smitten me I became void of understanding and was so far from being humbled that I laid it not to Heart nor considered that it was an Evil and bitter thing to depart from thee O Lord my God wo unto me I have pulled away the Shoulder I have stopt my Ear that I might not hear I have made my Heart harder than the Adamant and the neither Milstone impregnable for all thy Judgments have not pierced me nor made those impressions of Compunction and Sorrow which are the end whereof thou didst send them so that to my own shame and Confusion I may say my spots are none of the spots of thy Children nor thy Punishments the Chastisements of a loving Father but of an Angry Judge IV. I have too just reason to fear thy Afflictions under which I mourn they are not a Wind to Fan and Purge me but a Whirl Wind to Scatter and utterly destroy me as if the Sentence were already past and the Decree gone forth as if my Days were at an end because the shadows of the Evening are so far stretched out but yet O Lord be not weary of thy repentings though thou hast been prest under the Load of my Sins be not Angry with me for Ever but in the midst of Justice remember Mercy Amen Read the Psalms and Lessons appointed for the Day Tuesday Evenings Meditations LEARN Oâ— my Soul to Confess a Truth though never so much to thy own Diminution Learn ro Advance the Honour of thy God though never so much to thine own depression They who humble themselves shall be exalted and they who exalt themselves shall be humbled Learn to decline the Applause of Men and Banish from thy thoughts all conceits of thine own worth learn to speak lowly of thy self and to mean as thou sayest II. OFTEN does our weakness judge of others and perhaps our Malice censure their Qualities We rashly conclude upon outward presumptions and little consider their inward worth we are apt to undervalue whom we familiarly are acquainted with and scarce can think highly of them whom we have once known low Heal us O thou great Physitian of our Souls Heal us of all our Diseases and above them all of our Rude Impatience towards those that would Cure us Whatever they do who know thee not let not thy Church dishonour thee nor those of thine own Houshould undervalue thy Mercies Let not our unbelief Chase thee away nor our ingratitude overcome thy goodness III. DISDAIN not O my Soul the Company of thy Inferiors but accommodate thy self to their Innocent Customs help them with thy Prayers if thou canst not with thy Power and thy Lord in due time will Bounteously reward thee he keeps the good Wine till the last and then he 'll fill us to the brim with joy IV. TEACH me O Lord to Treat with every one according to their quality and neither scorn my Inferiors nor indiscreetly exalt them Teach me to humble my Soul before thy Majesty and sincerely Confess I am an unprofitable Servant unprofitable to thee O Lord not to my self while I gain by thy Service the Wages of Eternity If by thy Grace I believe thy word and Obey thy Law and with my whole Strength Love and Adore thee When I have done all that I ought which alas is more then I do I must still Confess I 'm an unprofitable Servant The PRAYER O Lord Create in me a clean Heart and renew a right Spirit within me let the Assistance of thy Holy Spirit of Grace preserve me from Sin for the time to come for without thy preventing me I cannot but Sin visit me therefore O Lord with thy Salvation that I may live undefiled in the way of thy Commandments and see the Felicity of thy chosen and rejoyce and give thanks with thine Inheritance II. TO this End send thy Holy Spirit into my Heart to teach me to deny all ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Righteously Godly and Soberly in this present World remembring the great Account I am to make at the last day O let it subdue every Proud thought and vain imagination that shall exalt it self against the Scepter of thy Kingdom III. GIVE me I beseech thee either Peace from temptations or Victory over them in all Assaults of my Ghostly Enemy let thy Mighty hand have preheminence and bring mighty things to pass even Victory and Deliverance unto me the unworthiest of thy Servants that so by the Assistance of thy Holy Spirit I may Crucifie the Old Man Mortifie the Works of the Flesh subdue my Corruptions * Here Name the particulars Vanquish Satan and Tryumph over the Powers of the Kingdom of Darkness IV. O put thy fear into my Heart that I may never depart from thee put thy Love into my Heart that my Luke-warmness being raised us to the Flames and Fervency of Cherubims I may love thee above all things and loving thee above all things I may fear to offend so good and so gracious a God as thou Art wash away all my sins in that Sea of Blood which thy Son Christ Jesus shed for me and for the sins of the whole World and grant that I may receive the full benefit of his Death and Passion in this most Holy Sacrament with a free Pardon of all my sins and manifold transgressions Amen Then Read the Psalms and Lessons appointed for the day Meditations for Wednesday Morning BLESSED are they that had rather endure Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of sin for a
with thee for ever hereafter in thy Kingdom of Glory Amen Read Plal. 6.32.38 1 Lesson Ezek. 16. 2 Lesson St. Mat. 7. Meditations for Wednesday Evening LORD not the meanest Circumstance of my Life but is known to thee not the least Assistance I need but thou kindly providest a particular supply let me but do what thou hast appointed and I am sure to find true all thou hast promised thy Commands are sweet and easie O give me Grace to Obey them Thy Directions are clear and safe O guide me still to follow them II. BEHOLD dear Lord to thee I come and open before thee all my Infirmities my mind is Sick of the Palsie and my Faculties be numb'd with a Dead Sluggishness I am apt to censure the good Works of others but slow to the performance of any my self heal me O thou Heavenly Physitian whose Mercy both Cures the Sick and Pardons the Penitent O make me quickly rise from the sins wherein I have lain too long and strengthen me to Conquer my Corrupted Nature that I may walk towards thee my Eternal home and praise thy Name for ever more III. Whether alass Do my Passions lead me How desperately does one Darling Sin engage into others Deliver me O Lord in the first beginnings and suffer not my Faults to become strong Customary lest I grow at length to despise reproof and hate my reprover Herod knew John to be just yet kept him in Prison he heard him gladly yet Cut off his Head nothing so imbroyl'd as a vicious Life nothing so full of Contradiction as a wicked Conscience IV. CLEANSE thou my Heart O Lord from all Vain and unlawful thoughts my Mouth from all Foolish and Idle words and my whole Life from all Wicked and unprofitable Deeds for in that great and terrible day by what I am I shall be justified and by what I am be Condemned how many in that day will rise up against me How will my own Conscience Reproach and Confound me If I neglect such motives to repentance if I refuse the wisdom of the Son of God who came down from the highest Heavens himself to teach me The PRAYER O Lord God whose Power is Infinite and Purity such that it cannot endure the beholding any thing that is unclean how should I that am Forlorn Dust and Ashes very sinful Flesh presume or dare to present my self before thee When I look on the vileness of my Nature and the sinfulness of my Life I cannot choose but Cry out and say woe unto me I am undone I am one of Vnclean Lips The very Prayers I make to crave Pardon for my Sins are stained in the uttering and must needs add to my Transgressions if in Judgment or Justice though shouldest weigh or examine them II. BVT O Lord thou art a God of Infinite Compassion Pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin that wouldest not the Death of a sinner but that he be convered and live thou hast not only Allowed me but Commanded me to call upon thee in all my troubles and distresses thou hast promised that at what time soever a sinner doth Repent him of his sins thou wilt put away all his Iniquities out of thy Remembrance III. IN Obedience therefore to this thy Command and in Confidence of this thy Promise I am Emboldoned at this time to appear before thee Renouncing all merit and trust all Confidence and Affiance in my self and relying only on thy Mercy and the Soveraign Mediation of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in whom only thou art well pleased and through whom thou canst not be offended with me IV. O Lord hear thine own Son for me O Lord hear thine own self in me that Blessed Spirit of thine which makes Intercession for me with Groans and Sighs that cannot be expressed Pardon and Forgive all my sins both Original and Actual of Omission or Commission of Thought Word and Deed of Ignorance Infirmity or Presumption * Here Name the Particulars which I have at any time Committed against thee Nail them to the Cross of Christ that they may never rise up in judgment against me either to shame me in this World or Condemn me in the World to come V. BVRY them in the Bottomless Sea of thy Mercy and forgetfulness that they may never appear before thee to hinder thy Favours unto me Seal the Remission of them to my Soul and Conscience that they may not Distract or Disturb me in my Devotion and Crush and Subdue the Rebellions of my Nature that they may no longer Reign in my Mortal Body and having Cleansed and Purified me from all Spots and Stains of Sin I beseech thee O Lord to pour thy Grace and Holy Spirit into me that may enable me to walk before thee in Holiness and Righteousness and in Sobriety all the days of my Life Read Psalm 51.102.130.140 1 Lesson Ezek. 18. 2 Lesson Rom. 12. Meditations for Thursday Morning O My Soul we are very inconstant sometimes we endeavour to heartily Repent and after a while miscarry again often we pretendedly resolve to amend and yet sometimes forget our good purposes Bewail thy Infirmities Renew thy Intentions and be of good Comfort our Lord has overcome the World He overcame it with his own strong Arm and left thee Rules and Grace and Sacraments to help thee that if thou canst not have Peace with thy Enemies thou mayst at least have Victory over them II. Often O Lord thou invitest us to thy Holy Table and often do we neglect and refuse to come thou invitest us to the Pleasures of a Virtuous Life and the continual Feast of a good Conscience thou providest a Heavenly Banquet and makest thy Son himself our Delicious Entertainment O Cloath us Gracious Lord with the Wedding Garment of Charity to thee and one another that we may Enter with Joy into the Marriage Chamber and Sit down as happy Guests in thy Kingdom for Ever Let us not Trifle away our time in Wandering up and down nor prefer a Petty Interest before thy Glorious Rewards least we be Confounded when our King shall come in Majesty and Command the unprepared into Chains of Darkness III. THOU art O Jesu the true Coelestial Manna of which whoever Eats shall Live Eternally thou art the Bread of God that Descended from Heaven of which who ever Feeds shall never Hunger Cast me not out O Lord whom thy Mercy has Adopted into thy own Family but give me this Bread of thy Children for Ever Thou who camest down to do thy Fathers Will and has taught me 't is thy Father's Will that of those he has given thee none be lost IV. Murmur no more among your selves unhappy Atheistical Dis-believers of the Mysterries of Heaven be no more Incredulous but submit your Reason to him whom you know to be Infallible The Bread I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World which Received by Faith is the Souls Nourishment Draw them O Heavenly Father that
they may come to thee receive them O Gracious Jesus and Teach their Hearts to believe what thine own Blest Mouth has so clearly taught them The PRAYER OH Most Glorious and most Power ful Lord God whose dwelling is above the Heavens in Light in Accessible and thine Eyes run to and fro to behold the things which are in Heaven and in Earth neither is there any thing which is not Naked and open unto thee for thine Eyes are Ten Thousand times brighter than the Sun beholding all the Ways of Men. II. LOOK upon me O Lord who am the unworthiest of all thy Servants thou hast made me a Member O Lord of that Mystical Body whereof thy Son Christ Jesus is the Head make me therefore sensible of the necessities of the Catholick Church I beseech thee to be merciful unto it and to every Member of the same wheresoever Dispersed howsoever Distressed or by Whomsoever Dispised throughout this Vniversal World III. Oh Lord call them that are yet Strangers and have not yet heard of thy Name reduce and bring home those that are gone astray and wander raise up all that are fallen and confirm and strengthen such as do stand bind up all that are Broken and heal all that are Bruised Vnite us all in soundness of Doctrine by the Spirit of Truth in holiness of Life by the Spirit of Sanctification and in Brotherly Compassion and Christian Affection by the Spirit of Love IV. O Lord I beseech thee to open the Bowels of thy Mercy and to pour out thy tenderest Compassion upon all such as mourn under the weight of their Afflictions many are the troubles of thy poor Servants and thou only knowest how to deliver them out of all their troubles whether therefore any be inwardly distressed in Soul Mind or Conscience or outwardly Afflicted in Body Estate or good Name I beseech thee give them speedy case out of their misery or Patience to endure what thou shalt be pleased to lay upon them V. I beseech thee to open the Eyes of those that lie on their Beds of Sickness Oh! thou that art the God of Health and sender of Sickness Sanctifie thy Visitation unto them make their Beds in their Sickness lay no more upon them than thou wilt give them strength and Patience to bear and if it may stand with thy Gracious Will grant that they may recover their former Health to do thee Service hereafter VI. BVT if thou that knowest what is best needful for them hast determined at this time to take any of them unto thy self O Lord I beseech thee to fit and prepare them for the hour of Death give them a true feeling of their sins and a lively apprehension of thy mercy in Christ Jesus that so surely Repenting of thee one and chearfully laying hold on the other they may with Confidence and Comfort resign up their Souls into the Hand of thee their most merciful Creator and Redeemer Amen Read the Psalms and Lessons for the Day Meditations for Thursday Evening PREPARE my Heart O God to receive thee whom my Soul loveth for thou hast the Words of Eternal Life Blessed O gracious Jesu be the sweetness of thy Spirit which so kindly invitest me to refresh my weariness I know and thine own sure word has told me If I Labour for thee here I shall rest with thee hereafter Lord make me follow thee wherever thou goest and strive and run to be first in thy Presence there I shall meet a Mercy that will regard and pity me there I shall find a goodness that will teach and relieve me II. WRITE all thy Holy Truths in my Soul O Lord and Print thy Love in the Center of them all there let it sit as Soveraign Governour and absolutely dispose of all my interests Let it command my Tongue to confess thee and no fear of Danger make me ever deny thee let it command all my Powers to serve thee and nothing but thy Love find place in my Heart III. O when shall I come to thy Holy Table to tast of thy most delicious Banquent to hear those Sweet and Ravishing Words He dwells in me and I in him sweet in excess to the Soul that loves and Tasts the joys of this heavenly Converse and feeds on the wonders of this admirable Union He dwells in me and I in Him O Blest and Glorious Words What can be said more full of Grace and Strength and Supernatural Mystery Here they alone are my Heaven on Earth and will hereafter be my Heaven in Heaven IV. To thee my great Creator I humbly Sacrifice the Noblest faculty thou hast given me to thee and to the Obedience of thy Truth I entirely Resign and Captivate my understanding Thy Words O Lord in thy Holy Sacrament are Spirit and Life unto me O make my Faith be quick and Active to thee in receiving so great a Salvation Shall I go back and forsake my God because he humbles himself to approach towards me Shall I refuse to Learn of my Master because his Lessons exalt me above my Nature The PRAYER O Lord I am too weak to serve thee in my Natural Power and not careful to improve the Aids of thy Spirit I am full of inconsideration and carelesness desirous to be accounted Holy of Men but careless of being so to thee my God I am unstedfast O Lord in all my ways * Here Name the Particulars but enable me to confess my Faith in despight of all the Oppositions of Satan to Publish thy Laws submit to thy dispensations and to Glorifie thy Holy Name by Holy living and dying II. BLESS me O Lord with all the Blessings and Assistance of thy Spirit and Providence let the Daily Sacrifice of Prayer and Eucharist in thy Church never cease but for ever be presented unto thee Vnited to the intercession of our Lord and for ever prevail for the obtaining to all her Sons and Daughters Grace and Blessing Pardon and Holiness Perservance and Glory Vnite my Heart and Tongue take away the Spirit of Error and Division from me that my Religion and Devotion may increase whereby thy Truth may be promoted and thy Name Glorified and me thy unworthy Servant Instructed and Comforted let thy Spirit Rule and all Interest Stoop and Obey Publish and Advance the Intorest of the Lord Jesus III. EXTEND thine Accustomâ—d goodness to all thy People to Old Men Prudence and Liberality to Young Men Obedience Temperance Health and Diligence to Merchants Justice and Faithfulness to Mechanicks and Artisans Truth and Honesty to all Married Pairs Faith and Holiness Charity and sweet Compliances to all Christian Women the Ornament of a meek and a quiet Spirit Chastity and Charity Patience and Obedience a Zeal of Duty and Religion IV. TO all that are Sick and Afflicted distressed in Conscience or Persecuted for it give Patience and Comfort a sincere Repentance and a perfect Resignation a love of God and a Perseverance in Duty proportionable Comfort in this
Life and an Eternal weight of Glory in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the day Friday Mornings Meditations On the Life of the Holy Jesus On the Incarnation of our Blessed Redeemer O Most Blessed Jesu who for the Redemption of the World Vouchsafest to be made Man by the ever Blessed Merits of thy Mysterious Incarnation grant me to become one Spirit with thee who became one Flesh with me Nativity II. Blessed Jesu who wast Born of a pure Virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost grant me by the same Almighty Power to possess a pure Virgin Soul in a pure and Chasse Temple of my Body and to be Fruitful in all good works to my lives end Circumcision III. Blessed Jesu who was Circumcised and made Obedient to the Law for Man grant unto me I humbly beseech thee the true Circumcision of the Spirit that my Heart and all my Members may be Mortified from all Carnal and worldly Lusts that I may in all things Obey thy Blessed Will Baptism IV. Blessed Jesu by the Merits of thy Holy Baptism wash me throughly from my Wickedness and Cleanse me from my Sins whereby I have Defiled those Sacramental Waters of my Baptism and perjuriously broken my Vows and Promises made therein Fasting V. Blessed Jesu who didst Fast Forty Days and Forty Nights Pardon and Forgive me all the manifold Acts of Rioting and excess I have been guilty of and give me Grace to use such Abstinence that my Flesh being subdued to the Spirit I may ever Obey thy Godly motions in Righteousness and true Holiness to thy Honour and Glory Temptation VI. Blessed Jesu who in thy Holy Fasting was Tempted by Satan and by thy Almighty Power didst Conquer him grant me by thy Blessed Spirit Devoutly to entertain the Holy Duties of Prayer and Fasting that by the Power of thy Victory over the Devil I may have Strength and Power of over Satan the World and the Flesh and continue thy Servant to my Lives End Doctrine and Example VII Blessed Jesu who in thy Prophetical Office didst Preach the Gospel and Heaâ— all manner of Sicknesses and Diseases among the People and by thy Doctrine and Example art the way and the Truth that leads unto Life Grant me to believe a right all thy Revelations to Obey all thy Commands to walk in thy Steps and to follow thee the Light of the World that I walk not in Darkness Christ Conspired against and Betrayed VIII Blessed Jâ—su whose precious Life was Conspired â—gain7s â— by Dis-believing Jâ—wes and wert Betrayed and Sold by one of thy own Disciples for a Vile Price Deliver me I Humbly Beseech thee from all the Conspiracies of my Ghostly and Bodily Enemies but especially from the Treachery of my own Heart and the Rebellion of my Flesh which for things of no Value betrays my Soul to its utter Ruin and Destruction His Agony in the Garden IX Blessed Jesu thy bitter Passion was in a Garden where thy Soul was sorrowful even unto Death Sanctifie O Lord all my Infirmities and Passions Comfort me in all my Troubles and Compose my my mind with such a frame of Spirit that I may be sensible with a Godly Sorrow of that Heavy Wrath and Curse for sin which thou sufferedst for me and all the World His Bloody Sweat X. Blessed Jesu who upon the Cold Earth didst Sweat Drops of Blood under the Load of our Sins and Apprehensions of thy ensuing Sufferings thou offerest up strong Crys and Tears unto him that is able to save O that my Heart might inwardly Bleed Tears of Compassion and Contrition and vent forth fervent and effectual Prayers with Tears of Devotion as to be heard in Heaven and healed of all my sinful Infirmities His Submission XI Blessed Jesu who didst submit with Patience unto the Will of thy Heavenly Father Endue me with the same Spirit of meekness and Patience submitting my self unto the Will of God in prosperity and adversity Health and Sickness Life and Death His Apprehension XII Blessed Jesu thou wast Apprehended and bound as a Malefactor but wert clearer than an Angel of Light O let not my Soul be Arrested by Infernal Fiends to Eternal Horrour in the other World but from the Eternal Malice of the Spirits of Darkness and from the Bonds and Chains of my Sins Good Lord Deliver me The PRAYER O Lord most Holy my sins are more in number than the Hairs of my Head and the weight of them Cries a loud to Heaven for Mercy I beseech thee O God the Father of Heaven thou great Creator and Preserver of Man despise not the Work of thine own Hands O God the Son that camest into the World to save Sinners Remember not my Offences neither seek thou Vengeance of my sins but good Lord spare me thy unworthy Servant whom thou hast Redeemed with thy most Precious Blood and be not Angry with me for ever O God the Holy Ghost that Despisest not a Broken and Contrite Heart let it pitty thee to see these thy Temples of my Soul and Body thus Ruined by sin and wickedness O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Three Persons and One God have Mercy upon me a Miserable Sinner II. A Sinner and a grievous Sinner I am teach me O God to grieve that I am so give me a Broken and a Wounded Spirit for all my Transgressions Break this Stony Heart of mine yea take away this Heart of Stone from me and give me a Heart of Flesh that I may tremble at the Voice of thy Law and melt at the Sight of thy Judgments and Accuse and Condemn my self and be ready to joyn with thee to do Justice upon such a sinner as I am but least I should faint through the smart of the many fresh Bleeding Wounds which my sins have given my Soul Oh! do thou uphold me by thy Right Hand and pour into my Wounds that precious Balm of Gilead a true and a lively Faith in the ful satisfaction that thy Son hath made to thy Justice for the sins of the whole World and through his Cross and Passion through his most Precious Death and Burial through his Glorious Resurrection and Ascention I beseech thee be thou Reconciled unto me III. O Lord for his sake Pardon all that is past lay none of my sins to my Charge but Blot them all out of the Book of thy Remembrance Wash me O wash me throughly from my sins and cleanse me from my Vnrighteousness in the Blood of Jesus Christ Lord let his Blood that speaks better things than that of Abel cry lowder for mercy in thine Ears than do my sins for Vengeance be sprinkle my Polluted but Penitent Soul In the Blood of Jesus that thy wrath may pass over me and that the light of thy Countenance may shine upon me IV. SEAL unto my Soul the free Pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation Oh! do thou
by thy Spirit assure my Spirit that I am thy Child and that thou art Reconciled unto me in the Blood of Jesus and to this end work into me a Detestation of all my former Wickedness help me in the Mortification of all my Vile and Corrupt Affections Crucifie in me the Old Man the whole Body of sin that I may Die unto Sin and live unto Righteousness and be made a fit Partaker at thy Holy Table Read Psal 22.40.54 1 Less Gen. 22. to v. 20. 2 Less St. John 18. Friday Evenings Meditations On the Passion and Death of the Holy Jesus His Arraignment and Condemnation BLESSED Jesu thou wast Seized and Led as an Innocent Lamb to the Slaughter thou wast Reviled falsly Accused and Unjustly Condemned by unjust Earthly Judges who was thy self the most just Judge of Heaven and Earth O Lord be not a Severe and Angry Judge when I shall stand before thy Tribunal but be thou my Mediator and Advocate to answer for me and I humbly beseech thee to Deliver from the Accusations of the Devil and his Angels from the Accusations of all those who have been Conscious of my many sinful Pollutions and from the Accusations of my own Conscience in the day of Judgment Spitted Vpon II. Blessed Jesu whose Face was fairer than the Children of Men â—â—d briâ—hter than the Sun in its 〈…〉 ory was Spit upon by f 〈…〉 and Ignominuos Persons Oh! turn thy Face away from my sins whereby I have Polluted my Soul and Prophaned thy Name But hide not thy Face from me who for my sins didst not turn thy Face from being Spit upon by the Barbarous Jews Buffeted III. Blessed Jesu who wast Cruelly Treated by the Soldiers with their Intolerable Rude Cuffs and hard Injurious Buffets Grant Lord that though I may feel yet let me not be Vanquished by the Buffets of Satan Forsaken of his Friends Blessed Jesu thou wast Content to be forsaken of all thy friends and dearest Disciples and to be left in the hands of Cruel Men who Thirsted after thy precious Blood O leave me not destitute of thy Divine Presence when I am Assaulted by my Ghostly Adversaries but be for ever with me and defend me from all their Malice and protect my Soul in all dangers Denied by Peter Blessed Jesu thou with infinite goodness and meekness lookedst back on St. Peter when he denied and forswore thee and by thy gracious look didst call him back both to himself and thee by true Repentance Oh look thus upon all Back-sliders from thee for their sincere Conversion and look upon me also and be merciful unto me Scourged Blessed Jesu thou was Whipped by a merciless Crue of Soldiers and thy Delicate skin was Torn and redoubled with their Lashes that the Blood Streamed down thy Innocent Sides but since O merciful Lord thou was wounded for my Transgressions and Bruised for mine Iniquities O let thy Chastisement procure my peace with Heaven and grant that by thy Stripes my Soul may be healed Crowned with Thorns Blessed Jesu thy Head was Crowned with Thorns and those beaten into thy Temple with much Rage and Fury Pardon O Lord all those sins my Eyes Ears and Tongue those Instruments of my Head have been guilty of Break not the Bruised Reed my broken Heart with the pressure of thy heavy Wrath but let thy Thorns the Fruits of the Curse which we Contracted and thou sustainedst deliver me from the Curse due for my sins Renouncing the World Blessed Jesu who art the King of Glory yet wast Content with a Cross for thy Throne a Wreath of Thorns for thy Crown and a Reed for thy Scepter thy Entertainment was Gaul and Vinegar and for thy Robes only a little Linnen to cover thy Nakedness O that I were so wise as from thy example to despise all the Guilded Glories and Vanities of this Life and to choose with Moses to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of sin for a Season Bearing his Cross Blessed Jesu who did with Patience bear thy Cross till it sunck thy Body to the Earth O let me not sink under thy Cross nor shrink from it but rather chearfully to take it up whatever it be and carefully to under go all the Sacred Acts of true Repentance following thee O Lord who sufferedst for me leaving me an Example that I should follow thy steps Crucified Blessed Jesu who didst Hang on a Cursed Tree to Abolish the Curse contracted by Eating the Fruit of the Forbidden Tree thou wast numbred with the transgressors and Crucified among Thieves O draw my hard and Stony Heart unto thee and deliver me from that Curse which my sins have Contracted and rank me not among the Goats on the Left but among the Sheep on thy Right Hand in the great day of Judgment His Body Tormented Blessed Jesu all the parts Members of thy Body were stretched on the Cross thy blessed Arms and Leggs were by such violence distended that the Joynts were disparted the Veins burst the Sinews Crackt the Skin Rent the Flesh Tore and all the Bones Started a side thy Innocent Hands and Feet were Nailed for the sinful works of my Head Heart Hands and Feet but I beseech thee Nail them to thy Cross which were the cause of thy Crucifixion hide in thy Wounds who wast Wounded for my transgression and write those Wounds of thine in my Heart not with Ink but with thy Blood which was shed for me The Sufferings of his Soul Blessed Jesu the Sufferings of thy Soul was exceeding great being like melted Wax in the Furnace of God's Wrath for the sins of the World when the fulness of thy sufferings being accomplished thou Commendedst thy Spirit into the Hands of God Grant O Lord that I may Die unto sin and Live only unto thee and by thy bitter Cross and Passion Cleanse me from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit that I may perfect Holiness in thy Fear The PRAYER O Lord without thee I am not able to do any thing much less any thing that is good come therefore Oh thou Father of Lights dispel and scatter from my Soul the Foggy Mists of sins and Ignorance that in thy Light I may see Light come O thou Power of God and set up thy Throne in my Soul and sway thy Scepter there and bring into subjection every high thought and every high imagination that exalteth it self against thee Come O thou Wisdom of God and discover to my Soul the Folly of Sin the Vanity of the World and the deceitfulness of my own Heart II. TEACH me I humbly beseech thee to Eschew Evil and Cleave to that which is good Come O thou goodness of God and shed abroad the love of God in my Heart that I may love thee my God above all things and my Neighbour for thy sake Yea my very Enemies for Jesus Christ his sake and after his Example who Died for me while I was yet his Enemy fit me
with all Graces necessary for all Events with strength to resist all the Temptations of Satan to keep my self unspotted from the World to subdue my Passions my Vile and Corrupt Affections with Patience to bear Afflictions and with a contented Resolution to undergo whatsoever thy hand shall be pleased to lay upon me that whether it be in Life or in Death in both I may be thine III. I know O Lord my sins are increased above measure and my Iniquities are gone over my Head Nay they are gone up to Heaven and have pulled down thy Vengeance upon me yet how long Lord wilt thou be Angry for ever Shall thy Jealousie Burn like Fire O remember not against me the sins and offences of my Life past but let thy tender Mercy speedily prevent me lest I be brought to great misery help me O help m O God of my Salvation for the Glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sins for thy Names Sake IV. But in the midst of Judgment Remember Mercy Pardon all my crying sins Reverse thy fearful though justly deserved judgments and that which is the most dreadful of all judgments and continues thy judgments bardness of Heart contempt of thy Word and Commandment restore thy wonted though undeserved Mercies give Peace in my time O Lord and let the Gospel of Truth flourish even until thy Sons comming to Judgment and that for his sake who is the Prince of Peace and that shed his most pretious Blood to purchase our Peace V. O thou that art the Author of Peace and lover of Concord Compose I beseech thee all unhappy differences and divisions that are among us take away from all Mens Hearts the Spirit of Division and Contention the Spirit of Blood Thirstiness and Revenge the Spirit of Pride Blindness of Heart Vain Glory and Hypocrisie of Envy Hatred Malice and all Vncharitableness and give us the Spirit of Peace Vnity and Concord the Spirit of Moderation the Spirit of due Obedience and above all the Spirit of thy Fear that we may at length meet and live in the Vnity of the Spirit and in the Bond of Peace and with one Mouth Praise thee our God and with one Heart love one another Read Psal 69.88 1 Lesson Isa 53. 2 Lesson 1 Pet. 2. Saturday Mornings Meditations LORD I confess without thee my endeavours are in vain and without thy blessing my hopes can never succeed but I also know thou rewardest those who Obey thee and failest not to relieve with a generous bounty those who depend on thee O give me 1. Thy Grace to observe my part and I 'le not fear the performance of thine thou callest to thy self the Poor and Humble to Eat and Drink at thy Holy Table those who faithfully live together in Unity thou graciously invitest to thy Royal Feast prefering them all to thy friendship here that they may be partakers of thy Glory hearafter II. MY Soul if thou at any time loose the presence of thy God thou wilt besure to find him at his Holy Table there seek him with Grace and perseverance seek him with Prayers and Sighs and Tears and be sure at last thou shalt find him with joy He hides not himself that we may not find him but that we may seek him and be hereafter more fearful to loose him Despair not he again will shew himself only go on and seek him still with hope and be sure thou wilt meet him at his Heavenly Feast III. HAPPY are the Ears that hear thee speak O Blessed Jesu 〈◊〉 Happy are the Hearts that feel the Power of thy Word O thy Holy One of God! For thou Commandest with Authority all Unclean Spirits and they Obey thee rescue me O Lord from the Snares of Satans Temptations and Powerfully Chace away the Enemies which disturb my Peace that they Tear not my mind with distracting thoughts nor trouble my repose with impure fancies IV. SO sweetly efficacious is thy Grace O Lord that immediately it draws all Souls unto thy Heavenly Banquet so kindly Condescending is thy Clemency that thou presently embracest them in thy Arms of Mercy when they come unto thee thy own blest Mouth hath meekly spoke the mildest Lesson to win us to thee I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice for I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Lord I consess my sins I confess my need of thy Mercies but my hope is great that thou wilt abundantly Pardon me whilst I hear thee so graciously remember thy Ancient Promises and so powerfully urge them in favour of sinners quicken my Faith O Lord and make it Active that I may receive thee with thankfulness who so kindly callest me The PRAYER OH Eternal most Gracious and Merciful Father I am here come into thy Presence with Confidence seeing that my Conscience tells me I have broke all thy Commandements as I have sinned in Thoughts and Words in Thoughts more than I can think and in Words more than I am able to Express the number of them are so great that I have scarce Room for any more I am impure but thou of purer Eyes than to behold iniquity II. BVT if thou shouldest enter into judgment with me I were not able to stand before thee I Confess there is but one way to slie from thee as an Angry God which is to slie to thee as a reconciled Father reconciled in the Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ to fly from the strict Bar of thy judgment to thy tender Bowels of Compassion not according to my Merits but according to my necessities so I humbly beseech thee Pardon all my sins past and strengthen me against sin for the time to come III. TO this end I beseech thee Awaken my Dead Conscience confirm my judgment enlighten my understanding conform my Will Reform my Life Enflame my Zeal Strengthen my Faith and that from henceforth I may live unto thee and serve thee Lord give me Repentance not to be repented of that hope which will not make me ashamed and that Peace of Conscience which passeth all understanding give me the World but that World which passeth knowledge give me Faith but that Faith which is in Christ and that Wisdom which leads to understanding IV. Lord prepare my Soul and Heart to meet thee at thy Holy Yable that I may feed my Soul with thy loving kindness and not depart from thence without a Blessing give me Grace evermore to fear thee and to preserve a tender Sence of my Duty towards thee and Conscienciously Obey thee in all things that so by the Virtue of his Sacrifice of himself all my sins may be Washed away in his Blood and be remembred no more Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the day Saturday Evenings Meditations BEHOLD me O Lord in this State of Misery and no hope left me but in thy Mercy â—â—here I must lie kept down with my sins unless thy Clemency take pitty on me Enlighten O
ended fall on your Knees and say O Lord by reason of my sins I am unworthy to appear in thy presence to offer up any Sacrifice unto thee grant Merciful Lord I beseech thee both to me and all thy faithful People Pardon and Peace that being Cleansed from all our sins we may serve thee with a quiet mind through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen When you go up to Communicate I will wash my Hands in Innocency and so will I go to thine Altar O send forth thy Light and thy Truth that they may lead me and bring me to thy Holy Hill and to thy dwelling When you Kneel before the Altar Thou art Worthy O Lord to receive Blessing Honour and Power but I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my Roof or that thy praise should come within my polluted Lips But Blessed Lord thou Vouchsafedst to enter the House of a Publican and to receive a Kiss of an unclean sinner O receive such a sinner as I am disdain not to enter under my Roof despise not my humble Addresses and Supplications O let thy Sacrifice be an expiation for all my sins and now forever Seal thy Pardon by thy precious Blood for all my offences and receive me Graciously When you cast in your Offering O Blessed Jesu who didst accept the Poor Widdows two Mites which she cast into the Treasury I beseech thee be graciously pleased to accept this Poor Offering from me the unworthiest of thy Servants Then dilligently harken to the Exhortation and seeing the Table spread and the Elements of Bread and Wine set thereon Meditate with thy self after this manner Meditations THIS O my Soul is the Table of the King of Kings and the Lord of Heaven and Earth it is a Feast where himself is present and all his Holy Angels those Glorious Spirits do behold love and wonder that the Son of God should become Food to the Souls of his Servants be astonished O my Soul at this great Mystery that he who is unchangeable should be broken in pieces and enter into the Body to support the Spirit and yet at the same time remain in Heaven while he Descends to thee upon Earth that he should Die for thee and then give himself to thee for ever to Redeem thee from sin and misery that he should become Man and make thee a partaker of the Divine Nature II. O Lord I am unworthy to come to thy Table but I come with as Thirsty a desire as the Chaced Hart which pants after the Water Brooks and with as Hungry an Appetite as a Poor half starved Creature to a full Table O Lord I am not worthy of the least Crum that falls from the Table of thy Ordinary Providence but I come in Obedience to thy Command O receive me as a poor Sinner laden with sin and let thy pretious Body and Blood which I am now ready to participate off Cleanse me from all sin and wickedness When the Minister says draw near with Faith and take this Holy Sacrament Lift up thy Heart in this Ejaculation O Lord I am unworthy of this Invitation to thy Holy Table but a sinner must not refuse thy call therefore in all Obedience and Humility I come Then joyn Humbly with the Minister in the Confession After the Absolution is Pronounced use this Ejaculation O Lord I beseech thee grant me a true Repentance and a lively Faith that I may receive all the Benefits of thy Death and Passion even the Confirming and Strengthning me in all goodness to my Lives end When that Comfortable saying of St. Paul is repeated that Christ came into the World to save Sinners Say with all Humility O Lord I am the greatest and chiefest of sinners but thou alone are the Propitiation for my sins After the Preface is ended Therefore with Angels and Arch-Angels c. Use this Ejaculation I will evermore praise thy Name O thou that dwellest in the Heavens from the rising up of the Sun until the going down of the same and will Laud and Magnifie thy Holy Name now and forever When the Prayer of Consecration is said and the Minister reads the Words of Christs Institution and you see him Order the Bread and the Wine repeat this O Lord thou hast provided two distinct Pledges of thy Love to us Poor sinners who had been utterly lost had not thy Almighty goodness found out a Remedy to Save us When thou seest the Bread broken and the Wine poured out Say Thus was thy Holy Body broken for my sins upon the Tree of shame and thy Side was Pierced with a Spear which gushed forth Blood thus wast thou Wounded for my Transgressions and Bruised for mine iniquities but by thy Stripes I am healed When the Minister Receives in both kinds O Lord Purifie and Cleanse my Heart by thy Holy and Blessed Spirit and prepare my Soul to Receive thee the great God of Heaven and Earth Come Holy Jesus and take Possession of my Soul Purifie it with thy pretious Blood and dwell therein for ever Amen Immediately before Receiving Grant me O Blessed Lord so to Eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Christ Jesus and to Drink his Blood that my sinful Body may be made Clean by his Body and my Polluted Soul washed through his most preâ—ious Blood II. O Lord Purifie my Heart and Mind Strengthen my Faith and encrease my Charity for though I am weak though I am unworthy though I am unprofitable yet I am thy Servant Lord hear my Prayers and let my Cry come unto thee III. O Lord thou hast said that he that Eateth thy Flesh and Drinketh thy Blood hath Eternal Life Behold the Servant of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word When the Minister presents thee the Holy Bread say softly after him The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for me preserve my Body and Soul unto everlasting Life Here take the Bread with Reverance and proceede I take and Eat this in remembrance that Christ Died for me and will Feed on him in my Heart with Faith and Thanksgiving When you Eat the Bread say By thy Crucified Body Deliver me I humbly beseech thee from this Body of Sin and Death After the Bread O Blessed Jesu this Holy Bread which I thy most unworthy Servant have now Received is that Bread which came down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World O that I may now feel its Virtue and Efficacy in Elevating up my Soul to Heaven and there to have my Conversation fixt whilst I remain on this sordid Earth that when I shall be taken from hence I may have my Consummation and Bliss in thy Celestial Mansions there to behold thy Face in Glory who art now the Food of my Soul in Grace O Lord my God and my Redeemer Amen Before Receiving the Cup. What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name