the Devill of more goodnesse wisdome care and power to save then he is able to destroy Thou canst send more succours to me then he can bring forces against me more holy Angels then he hath wicked Spirits Lord give me that strength Lord send me those succours Put upon me the armour of light to fight with the Rulers of darknesse Let the Helmet of hope be on my head and the brestplate of faith and love on my heart that I be not mortally wounded in the fight In my extremity send thy Angels to succour me And let thy holy Spirit be my Leader that the evill one may not be my Conquerour Lord Jesus that knowest what it was to be tempted and didst overcome the Tempter for me relieve my frailty when I am tempted and suffer not Satan to overcome me And let me be sober and watch and pray that I enter not into Temptation that thou mayest relieve me O Lord How shall I not fall into the hand of Hell if I throw my selfe into Temptation From such presumptions O Christ preserve me How many soules have beene left and lost in those bold adventures of their strength make me sadly to consider that such a daring Spirit may never possesse me Let me remember with feare and trembling what great Saints have falne that I may with an humble and holy care and feare seeke for thy strength to stand and being upheld by thy right hand may never fall But let me not cast my self out of thine into Satans hand for if thou Lord doe not uphold and he pull downe how shall I stand And let me keepe my wayes that I cast not my selfe out for thou wilt not protect me but in thy wayes And let me not runne my selfe into temptation for that is out of my wayes and thy protection Thou great Shepheard of the sheep keepe me a poore Lambe of thy fold Thou Lion of the Tribe of Juda that hast prevailed save me from the roaring Lion that he may never prevaile And in and from all his Temptations deliver me in thy mercy that he may not devour my soule for all his roaring Rescue me thou that didst redeeme me Preserve me thou that didst create me my Lord and my God my strength hope deare Jesus Amen TUESDAY A Prayer against the World O Lord The World is a strong Enemy to conquer The great Conquerors of the powers were Captives to the vanities of the World yet by thy strength it may be conquered for thou art greater then he that is the world Thou didst O Saviour conquer it for me and by thy aide I may conquer it for my selfe And by thy will I must conquer it with thee on earth if I will triumph with thee in Heaven O then let me resolutely set and fit my selfe for the conquest of the world And to the forces of reason Lord give me the powers of grace by which I may make a conquest This world is but for a time and will end at last and how soone to me thou Lord onely knowest and did it endure what comfort or contentment can my immortall soule receive in any or all the good of the world O let me not lose my eternall inheritance in the world to come for a poore portion in this present world Thou Lord hast made me in it but me for thy self and it for me O then let me never be of it let my Spirit alwayes be above it Let me not make my Servant my Soveraigne good Assist me by thy grace that I may not O God! And because my senses are so naturall and neare unto me and the world takes my soule captive by the power of my senses O let me watch those gates against the entries of Temptations and looke well to my sense that I lose not my soule That I doe not Lord keepe me from all evill from the men and from the things of the world From Companies and Counsels and examples of the ill set on by the Devill to wooe for the world Lord keep me as so many foes and fiends to my soule and let me rather suffer them as my sorrowes then take solace in such men From the Vanities of the world that they doe not allure me and the miseries of it that they may not deject me The great powers by which the world assaults me defend me O Lord that they doe not overcome me and let me looke well to my soule because I am never free from such assaults From the Vanities of Riches Honours Pleasures the prevailing goods of the world the Heaven she brings And from the miseries of wants scornes ignominies injuries tortures the powerfull ills of the world the Hell she hath Lord keep me that they lead not my soule into the Captivitie of sin lest I feele a worser Hell and lose a better Heaven Let me not lose thy favour for the smiles nor incurre thy displeasure for the frownes of this world Let neither her Sorceries bewitch me to ill nor her Tyrannies fright me from good Let my love and feare be both on thee the good and ill not of this but another life On that be my heart on this my foot Let me love and value and use this world onely as it may helpe me to that Not for the Throne of my Spirit but the footstoole of my soule By whose good my body may be better enabled to serve my Spirit and both to serve Thee and come to the good of a better world For such a Conquest Lord strengthen me and to these Triumphs above bring me even for his sake who hath overcome the flesh the Devill and the World for me Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen WEDNESDAY A Prayer against sudden Death O Thou great Judge of the world I am a child of death by the sentence of the Law for Adams sinne and have deserved it at the hands of thy Justice for my owne yet in thy mercy thou hast not executed that sentence upon me but to this day hast continued my life Yea most mercifull God when the feares and snares of Death and Hell tooke hold on me and my provocations were great against thee in those great distresses I called upon thee and thou didst heare me and deliver me Lord make me ever thankfull for thy goodnesse and take not away thy loving kindnesse from me though since I have not walked worthy of thy mercy Save my soule from the sins that trouble me Save my body from the sicknesses that feare me And save my life from all ill accidents and disasters that may befall me If thou speak the word O Lord I shall be safe body and soule and no ill can touch me Good Lord speake that word and save me Pardon my sins that they doe not destroy me and lengthen my dayes that I may better serve thee For a sudden death by a present repentance and good life Lord ever prepare me And from a sudden death by thy good providence deliver me That I may have
didst both live and die in virtue of thy blood that sole and soveraigne antidote and sanctuary of bleeding Sinners thy deare and pretious blood let my soule live if my body die but if thy blessed will both live to praise thy goodnesse to both Lord cast my sins behind thy back and hold me in thy Armes Into thy Armes of mercy I cast my self Body Soul my onely hope and refuge and rock of my salvation is in thy blessed merits and blood deare Jesus take me and keep me in thy Armes now and ever and especially in my last hower and agonie have mercy on me I beseech thee Amen Amen Thanksgiving for one recovered of the Plague THou hast smitten and thou hast healed me O my God! the blow was grievous thy help is greater the blow was just thy help more gracious my sinnes deserved death thy mercy hath spared my life O Lord with an humble thankfull soule I doe acknowledge as ever so now especially from thy good hand my present life and health And now I humbly beseech thee that my heart may smite me that I have ever rebelled against so good a Majestie and thy grace keep me that I never more lift up my hand against so great a goodnesse O let not the pestilence goe from my body to my soule let not Satan and corruption poyson perswade my spirit to sit in the chaire or stay in the house of pestilence Let not others be infected with sinne by me nor me by them lest thou be more provoked and the plague gone returne in a greater judgment My God my help my health my hope my life and comfort be thy Name ever blessed that hast spared my soule and life O let it be no more dishonoured by me that keeping from the infection of an evill world I may live in the blisse of a better where is neither sinne nor sicknesse to infect soule or body but perfect health strength grace and glory in thee and with thee to all eternity O Jesus my onely refuge and the horne of my salvation So be it Amen Amen Prayer for one at the Hower of Death to be said by the Sick or some for him altering the Person 1. Prayer of one at the point of Death GOd the Father his mercies be about me God the Sonne his merits be upon me God the Holy Ghost his comforts be within me Holy Trinitie preserve strengthen and support me that my Death may be pretious in the sight of the Lord and my Soule live with thee to all eternity Amen Amen 2. Prayer for one at the point of Death FAther of mercies let thy love be to him Saviour of the world let thy merits be on him Comforter of departing Souls let thy peace be in him Father Sonne and Holy Spirit defend a Child of thy Family save a Lamb of thy Flock keep a member of thy Church O thou One and onely Lord God of Heaven command thy holy Angels to tender him and forbid evill ones to trouble him Deliver his soul discharge his sinne seale his pardon heavenly Father by thy Holy Spirit in the blood of Jesus Amen Amen 3. Prayer for one at the point of Death LOrd Jesus Succour this Dying Soule make passage for him by death to a better life purge his sins in thy Blood and prepare his Soule by thy Spirit and receive it to the glory of thy Father Jesus that didst so deerly purchase it make haste to receive it from the pangs of present and paines of everlasting death Good Lord deliver it deliver it for thy mercies sake Amen Amen Thanksgiving after Death for one Departed ¶ Say this Scripture Psal 116. 7 15. Returne unto thy rest ô my Soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the Death of the Saints Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours ¶ Then Pray thus THou that hast sent for this Soul out of the Prison of his Bodie to come to the Palace of thy Blisse receive our praises O Lord for his happy deliverance from pangs to joyes from Tryalls to Triumphs from Earth to Heaven O Lord we beseech thee admit our humble lauds to attend him into thy presence and with them let our prayers enter before thee that as he so we in thy good time may come and present our Halleluja's with our selves in thy sight And meane time lead a godly life to have a blessed death Lord let us not forsake thee now that thou mayest not leave us then in that last and great hower upon which followes an Eternitie of weale or woe Lord have mercy on us and doe not forsake us and therefore let us have the feare of it and thee now and ever before us that as we believed our Brother departed is we may be blessed in and by our death grant we may deare Iesus Amen Amen A generall Thanksgiving for Gods mercies O Thou high Majestie of Heaven how hast thou filled me with the favours of thy bounty how great hast thou been in thy goodnesse and mercy how gracious in thy providence to me thou hast poured the blessings of heaven and earth upon my head Thou hast loaden me with thy gifts bestowed upon me in Creating Redeeming and in Preserving me In my Creation thou gavest me thine Image and madest me more noble than all the Creatures of the earth In my Redemption thou gav'st me thy Sonne and madest me more glorious than the Angels of Heaven In my Baptisme and Regeneration thou gavest me thy Spirit and hast made me more happy than millions of men in the world Thou hast given thy self to me Lord what could'st thou doe more for me thrice blessed yea for ever be thy glorious Name for thine infinite grace mercy and goodnesse to me And in thy providence for this life how abundantly hast thou blessed me in health wealth body mind c. and many and many mercies vouchsafed me In my weaknesse thou hast strengthened me in my dangers thou hast delivered me in my distresses thou hast comforted me in my prayers thou hast heard me in thy judgments thou hast spared me to this day preserving my life and making it many waies joyfull to me And not for any good in me O Lord hast thou been thus gracious towards me My ills on earth hath been many my ingratitudes great against thee For them thou mightest for ever banish me from heaven and with my sinnes cast me into hell amongst those that offend thee for thy owne goodnesse and great Names sake hast thou been thus bountifull and mercifull to me O fill my heart with thy love that my mouth may poure ou◠praises to thee Ravish my soule with thy goodnesse that my heart may ever love thee Fill my life with thy feare that as my lips my thoughts deeds may ever honour thee let me not be so wretched as to forget thy
put it in thy senses Man of reason be not a beast for sense live and love above worldly vanitie looke and long after sure solid satisfying soule-felicity else saving thy selfe nothing is or can be so vaine Wednesday-Service Against the Villanies of the World Morning Prayer Psal 12. 14. 120. Lessons Gen. 6. or 19. Mat. 24. Evening Prayer Psal 18. 55. Lessons Jer. 5. or Isaiah 13. 2 Pet. 2. or 1 Joh. 5. Collect against the villanies of the World O Lord since the World is a Sodome 2 Pet. 2. 8. let me be a Lot vexed not delighted with her filthiness Since it is a Mesech let me be a David not taken but tired with her Psal 120. 4 wretchedness Lord why should that have my joyes where my Soule is never free from dangers nor thy glory from wounds where Blasphemie is as common as the ayre and Oppression as the earth where Iniquitie flowes like water and lust flames as fire why should I be in love with her that is in hate with thee where if I follow her course I go to the damnation of another world and if I crosse it meet with nothing but vexation all the way O Lord though I be in it let me not be of it if it be wicked let me be good yea the more wicked it is the better let me be that thou mayest Apoc. 3. 12 take a more mercifull notice of my goodnesse And because it is hard to breath the ayre of corruption and take 2 Cor. 6. 17 no taint into conversation let me be willing to get fairly from it and come to thee where is blisse pure without teare or taint Take me from the Devils of the world to thy Angels O God! meane time let me live a Saint even amongst Devils that I may at last be a Saint amongst Angels yea as one of thy Angels in that world where is no woe nor wickednesse Sinner nor Satan but thy blessed unitie with holy and happy society of glorified Men and Angels enjoying adoring lauding and serving thee for ever ever so be it for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Daily Prayers Meditation of the Villanies of the World MOther of all misdeeds and mischiefs when shall I be delivered from thee gaole of my Soule and wrack of my salvation a hill of poor Pismires tossing up and downe thou art at best a hell of debauch'd and damned Spirits at worst Source of sinne forge of hell and a field of all temptation If I love my God I must hate thee because an enemy to his honour if I love my self I must loath thee because an adversary to my salvation if I hate the Devill I must not love thee because thou art his Sword to destroy if I may not love the flesh I must not love thee because her staffe of support if I must not love vice I must abhorre thee because thou art the Mistresse of Vanitie if I must love grace I must detest thee because the Step-dame of Virtue Hagge of Satan Hate of Heaven Schole of Vice Seminary of Errour Mother of Sinne Step-dame of Saints Pest of the Spirit Nurse of the Flesh who by thy bad counsels and examples breedest the Brat of Sin in thy wicked womb and then sucklest and indearest it with thy profits and pleasures thy wretched dugs woe is me that I must stay in thee shame on me if I love thee thy best things are vanities of Earth thy worst villanies against Heaven what in thee can I love Though thou be a Whore I will not be a Villaine to my God so much a Villaine as to love such a Whore so Jac. 4. 4. 1 Joh. 2. 14 much a Villaine as by any lust of mine to make thee more Strumpet and by my additions of particular ills to encrease thy whoredomes I will have care what I can not to be Partaker of thy guilts but Ringleader I will never be to thy rebellions I would not come to thy end and therefore will avoid thy way God I thank thee for thy good Spirit which carries me against the streame of my corruption and tide of the World I cannot goe but in the strength of that Spirit against such a tide and streame God I pray thee let me continue my course that I fall not at last into thy Sea of Wrath and when the world of nature shall end be tormented with a world of sinners world without end for ever and ever Thursday-Service About Death Morning Prayer Psal 39. 49. Lesson Geu 3. or 5. Luk. 16. Evening Prayer Psal 90. 23. Lesson Eccles 12. Rom. 5. ¶ Thursday-Collect or Prayer about Death O Lord who hast appointed all to die make me ever mindfull of my dissolution that I may lesse love the vanities of this and more seek the felicities of a better life where death and distresses are not but we shall be as the Angels of God healthy and vigorous and happy for ever O let me every day so live that I may come to that life when I die And because the best-led life may have need of some time to prepare for death Of thy great mercy I beseech thee keep me from an unprepared heart and unexpected end Even for his sake who himselfe had the horrour of death Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers after it Meditation of Death DIe I must and after live in weal or woe for ever and no time after to recover the woe if I lose the weal As I tender then eternity let me look to my life Die I must and know not where House a Field Land or Water Bed or Board every where then let me look to it Die I must but know not how By a violent or naturall course casualty or infirmity lingringly or speedily every way then let me looke for it Die I must but know not when Day or night this or that day next or this This or that hour that or this minute this or that time Morn Noon Even ever then let me look after it And how look to it better then to finde out the murderer and doom him to death O Sin shalt thou lie in my bosome that hast laid all Mankind in a grave I will have thee to the crosse Rom. 5. 12 for that yea and for this too lest thou adde murder to murder and kill my Soul after my Body O what a sad hour of parting will that be if when Soul should leave the Body to death God shall leave the soul to be damn'd All full of horrour and utterly comfortlesse when it should be most the comforter of the Body But strength thou hast not to have death under foot without a Christ in Luke 2. 28 29. thy Armes Thou canst not welcome it without fear till thou embrace him in thy Faith To whom then should I look but to thee O Lord who art my Saviour And for what but thy mercy which is my Salvation And why but for my sinnes my onely destruction And how
To that end it will be of some force to thinke 1. At death all leaves us Why 1 Tim. 6 7 Jam. 4 14. 1 Pet. 1. 17 so much cost on my Inne 2. Life is short Why such luggage for a little journey 3. Nature needs little Why clog 1 Tim. 6. 8. Conscience and it with much 4. My goods are trusts Why such Luk. 16. 2. care to have what is anothers 5. I must reckon for all Why Phil. 4. 17. then such reckoning of any 2. And effectually done if I have grace 1. To love the world lesse for 1 Joh. 2. 15 then I will not covet it much And value it low for then I will love it lesse Did we prize Riches as strawes we would not seek them as Pearles 2. To beleeve God better Then Heb. 13. 5. his Providence will moderate our care and his Promise banish our Covetousnesse 3. To serve God more For then Psal 37. 3. 54. 9. of St. Mat. I shall beleeve him better and challenge maintenance from him upon his Honour and Word 4. To be content with what I 1 Tim. 6. 6 have For then I will not crave what I have not and shall bring my mind to my lot if I Phil. 4. 11. 12. cannot it to my mind 5. To be thrifty with content For he that is a Prodigall to spend is forced to be a Miser to get Avarice never works more then in the service of luxury 6. To be covetous with my thirst Amos 4. 1. to wit of Heaven He that loves true riches scornes earthly 1 Cor. 12. 1. And will so get and use them as they may encrease 1 Tim. 6 19. the heavenly So he will be charitable not miserable thinking Act. 20. 35 it happier to be of the Giving than Receiving hand Tuesday-Service Against Gluttonie Morning Prayer Psal 17. 73. Lessons Deut. 8. or 32. Amos 6. Luke 16. or 21. Evening Prayer Psal 78. or 160. Lessons Dan. 5. or Isaiah 22. Rom. 13. or 1 Cor. 10. Phil. 3. Jude or Epist ¶ Collect or Prayer against Gluttonie DEare Saviour that would'st have my Body a Temple for thy holy Spirit thou wilt not have it a Sepulcher for Beasts Thou that hast done my lips Mat. 26. â—6 the blisse honour to be made Dores for thy Holy Bodie to enter at wilt not have them gates for the uncleane Spirit to passe in and out if I so pollute my body wilt thou not desert me and destroy me if I dare so prophane Thine Lord that I may not lose my Soul let me not so abuse either Bodie and abhorre gluttony which makes me doe that abuse to both O Christ it was thy meat and drink Joh. 4. 34. to doe thy Fathers will and but for strength to that thou didst not eate and drink O! let me not with Adam eat my selfe at oncc out of Obedience and Paradise Thou didst fast and feast to teach me there is a Time for both but a Gluttons appetite was never in thy mouth Nor let it ever be in mine O God! if I fast let me not eate up my Bodie by cruell abstinence if I feast let me not devoure my Soule by intemperance whether I abstaine or eate or drinke or whatsoever I 1 Cor. 10. 3 doe let all be to thy glory that at death when Epicures make their two Feasts for Wormes and Fiends with their Bodies and Soules thou mayest feast and fill both mine with thy One Joyes which will fill and not loathe Satisfie and not Surfeit for ever To that glut of joyes deare Jesus bring me From other gluttonie keep me By the way of thy Blood and worke of thy holy Spirit O Lord Amen Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against Gluttonie A Sinne 1 Man is not made for but is 2 undone by yet may be 3 helpt against 1. Mans throat is narrow not made to swallow and short not for delight to gormandize If he doe 2. Love he which World he will it will be his ruine 1 For a better 1. It makes Man Swine His Belly v. Apud Tertul. Venter Deus c. God and Paunch his Paradise The Kitchin his Church First and second courses his Services His howers of Devotion Meal-times His Creed is in his Cook His Decalogue in his Dishes The company of Epicures his Communion of Saints and death everlasting his end For by this meanes he eates and drinks away his time in vanity drownes his soul in sensuality destroyes his conscience Tert. Appendices sc gulae lascivia atque luxuria with guilt It being as one dead sin it self always mother of another luxury which never wants a womb where gluttony hath a belly And often sister to many as ill as 1 Cor. 10. 7 Sodomes all even the worst though Idolatry and Sodomie it selfe And 2. It makes him as much wretch as Beast For even here it bars him of the greatest blessing Health His chief boon long Life and onely blisse Pleasure For fulnesse is the mother of Sicknesse and that the nurse of Death Temperance hath the most delicious taste and Hunger cookes all meates Prov. 27. 7 to Delicates whâ—reas his Appetite needs more whets then his Knife with which he doth not so much cut his meat as his throat Even then digging his Pluris necat crapula quam gladius grave with his teeth when he most pampers his Palate Before the Flood Mans life was longest when food simplest Their years ten to one longer because their diets twenty to one lesse 3. For such a Malady help were happy And it hath a double cure 1. Perforce So sicknesse is the remedy which disgusts the Palate and make fasts necessary because meats unpleasant So for the time the Glutton is abstemious but by disease not virtue not from good habit but ill habitude Yet even thus if wise it may get the ill one off and be cured 2. By choice For as his pleasures are none in sicknesse they are short in health whilst the meats passe by the throat from the mouth to the stomack space and time not long And in death gone past all recovery Why then so much ill for so little good This vanishing and perishing in sicknesse and death That hastning and posting my Body unto sicknesse I wil none if I weigh it well And lesse if I doe consider and endeavour aright 1. 1. There is a life after death Be not an Epicure in thy Creed and thou wilt not be a Glutton 1 Cor. 15. 32 33. in thy life Ede bibe lude believes nothing beyond death 2. Thou wilt be arraigned then by thy Creatour for abusing his Workmanship thy self Accused by the Creatures for devouring his workes them Making thy soul and body instead of the Ark of his Testimonies and Tabernacle of his service the one a streiner for lusts the other for meats Rom. 8. 20 The creature ravished by force to serve thee against his ends
let me loath the honie of wicked delights and because under the flowers of pleasure snakes of guilt lye hid let me beware of all but O Lord ever keepe me from setting my heart on any On thee be my soule ever fixt O God! In thee be the joy of my heart even in thee alone and in other things onely in thee and for thee and let thy feare be the matter or measure of all my pleasures that they may be in thee that when the brook of earthly joyes shall faile I may drink of the river which runs to all eternity O thou who art said to weepe not to laugh strengthen me to see and overcome this vanity That I may joy in thee now and with thee hereafter in endlesse felicity Deare Jesus Amen Daily Prayers Monday-Service Of the Vanity of Honours Morning Prayer Psal 49. 82. Lesson 1 Sam. 2. or Esth 6. Dan. 4. Joh. 12. Evening Prayer Psal 75. 83. Lesson Isa 3. or 5. or 23. or Jer. 5. 2 Cor. 1. ¶ Prayer against the Vanity of Honours O Lord Because thou hast made me great shall I not be good Because my bloud is noble shall my life be wicked Because men doe me honour shall I doe thee shame Lord let such a spirit of basenesse never possesse me let me know that the greater my honours are the greater be my obligations to serve thee And let those parasites of greatnesse appeare as so many fiends of Hell unto me who would have me break those bonds and flatter and nourish such a spirit in me Make me too wise to build my blisse on mans breath that I be not miserable at their pleasure and happy when they list Make me not so fond as to think a glory so vaine can make me happy So poore as to thinke that applause my blessednesse which goes and comes with a blast of mans Make me so wise as to know that a holy spirit makes the noblest bloud and to be thy child is the best descent to beare thine image the best coat to have thine Angels the best Ministers of honour and thine eyes the best Judges And make me so good as to doe those noble acts of vertue and piety which may give me this honour let others court the vaine let me seeke tâ—ue glory To scorne earth get heaven shining as the Sun in the State of immortality King of Glory give this honour to me Sweet Jesus I beseech thee Amen Amen Daily Prayers Tuesday-Service Against the Vanity of Riches Morning Prayer Psal 39. 49. Lessons Deut. 8. 9. or Pro. 11. 23 Mat. 13. or 19. or Mar. 10 Evening Prayer Psal 52. 62. Lessons Job 31. or Eccles. 5. James 5. ¶ Prayer against the Vanity of Riches KEep me O Lord from their madnesse who make riches their God and poverty their Devill Let not that be my heaven whâ—ch is so near to hell let me not make that my blissâ— which earth hath in her bowels And let not that have my heart which is not my heaven From immoderate desires to get or keepe wealth keepe me O Lord and from sinfull defend me that I may not covet much to spend more in the maintenance of lust vice and vanity and have much to ruine me Let me know that riches are good as they come from thee and give me a power of greater piety and charity and alacrity to serve thee and so let me value them as acts of thy bounty But as things unable to save either soule from hell or body from death in the day of distresse or to satisfie the soule in any better day let me despise them as poore and of no value And as Meanes of Sinne and Woe Feeds of pride luxury and excesse let me abhorre them as the Fewell of wrath and hell Let me be rich in thee and to thee in baggs laid up in heaven laid out in earth to mans Necessity and thy Glory Let the riches of grace be my joy others my use and their love my scorne That when the Worldly Rich shall be Beggers bereaved of all comfort I may be rich in all abundance in thee and with thee who art all in all by the purchase of the pretious blood and passion of Him who became poore to make us rich Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Wednesday-Service Against the Vanity of Beauty Morning Prayer Psal 38 39. 45. Lessons 2 Sam. 14. or Pro. 31. or 11. or Ezek. 28. Mat. 23 Evening Prayer Psal 6. 96. 145. Lessons Isay 3. or 28. Ezek. 16. 1 Cor. 11. ¶ Collect or Prayer against the Vanity of Beauty O Lord let me looke at Beauty as thy blessing but not make it my blisse Let not my care be more for my body then my soule and to have a faire face then conscience O let that which is thy face and Image have the chiefest of my costs and care Let the glasse of thy Word be often before me to see it and the waters of repentance daily with me to wash it and the fine linnen of the Saints ever by me to adorne it that the King of Heaven may delight in my beauty and not Men but Angels love me For beauty of the body let it not be my sinne or anothers snare Let me not hate Deformity above Hell and love Beauty before Heaven Since age at last will and infirmity before may deface that beauty and change it to a loath'd deformity And Lord keepe my looks from being lures of vanity Let no guilts be upon my eyes of anothers iniquity Let thy feare preserve me and them from these guilts Make it my care to appeare with a faire and cleane conscience before thee and to Him whom thou hast made the vayle of my eyes let me be joy of his That when humane beauty shall faile an Angels may be given me a body and soule both faire without blot or blemish to all eternity To that beauty Lord Jesus bring me Amen Amen Daily Prayers Thursday Service Against the Vanity of Strength Morning Prayer Psal 22 33. 38. 102. Lessons Job 6. or 9. or 40. or 1 Sam. 17. Act. 3. or 5. Evening Prayer Psal 86. 147. Lessons Job 21. or Isay 26. 1 John 2. ¶ Collect or Prayer against the Vanity of Strength THat I have health the Crown of earthly mercies I thank thee O God of my strength And I beseech thee continue it to me without which I cannot serve thee or enjoy any comfort from thee And let me use it whilst it is with me to the end for which thou givest it me to look and seek after eternall life where is no sicknesse nor infirmity Lord make me know that all other use is Vanity To trust in strength idolatry to turne it against thee villany To doe more sinne because I have more health from thee Let me therefore have care in the dayes of my youth and strength to remember thee my Creatour that in the dayes of age and infirmity thou mayest not forget thy Servant Let my
it goe 2 Pet. 1. 10 right it will not keep it And that must be the more because no clock so soone out of Tune if the care be not much My Soul then if thou wouldst not have Conscience ill be not thou idle Let the clock in thy Eares mind thee of the Clock in thy Breast as the Devout Man did who was wont to say O Lord God! another Granat De. peccat hour of my life is now past and what account can I give thee of it So said he so say thou so oft as thou hearest the Clock And so my Soul thou seest the stops and stumbling-blocks in Gods service shun them and thou wilt better walk on in his wayes Wherefore lift up the hands that hang Heb. 12. 12. down and the feeble knees lest that which is lame be turned out of the way And Take heâ—d lest there be in you an evill Heb. 3. 12. heart of unbelief in departing from the living God The summe of this Soliloquie That God be duly and daily served what hinders must be carefully shun'd There be five great Impediments to true Piety and the constant service of God 1. Ill-Principles are great Impediments viz. That I am good and in good state towards God 1. Because others are worse 2. Because particularly good 3. Because my Heart is honest though not my life 4. Because I am Godly by fits 5. Because of right Religion and Belief 6. Because Ministerially absolv'd if not Penitent 7. Because it is for Cloister'd and Church-men onely to be what others need not strictly Religious 2. Bad Habits are great Bars to Religion because they turne and confirme the Soule against it 3. Leud Companies Inconsistent with good Courses Pests of Souls and to be shund as Plagues 4. Vaine Scruples great Prejudices to Pious Action and Consolation Acts of Satans endlesse Artifice and malice to be avoided much and how 5. Ghostly Negligences Mothers of Sin Nurses of Temptation Satans Advantages Agents Under-values of pretious Time Sellers-away of Eternity which no Treasure else can redeem and it selfe if gone on earth past redemption in Hell where Worlds would be given for a litle Time Friday-Soliloquie Helps to Heaven and Happinesse OR A Soliloquie Acquainting the Soule with such Holy Reliefs and Aides as will much facilitate and further Her Course and Progresse in the waies of Piety in Two Parts First Part. Holy Meditations and Motions Great helps to Piety MY Soule As those Avoidances 1. Division observ'd thou canst hardly be bad so some Releifs being had thou wilt be more easily good And by the Grace of God thou maist receive all those releifs Thy owne Thoughts and Endeavours may contribute all If thou wilt employ thy Mind and Parts to thinke and doe what may advance thee most The Aides are not small which may be brought in by both And first Improve thy Mind for that may doe much by Meditations great Promoters of Piety A Power that can daily mount to Heaven whither the Body till the last day cannot come And how that but by Holy Motions And what are they but such as either goe to or come from Heaven When we Muse of it they goe When moved from it they come What are our Motions to it but Heavenly Meditations And how so But when some good thing of God or Christ is and keeps in mind Four are made famous for that Death and Judgment Heaven and Hell For My Soul Remember thy end and thou shalt never doe amisse And Death is thy first Judgment Eccles 7. 36. Quatour Novissima thy next Heaven or Hel thy last end These four are thy last Nor will sin be in heart whilest they are in minde Nor any thing more move to Duty then to have these in memory Muse then often of those O my Soule And of that first which comes first and how soone who knows 1. Death O Death How bitter is thy Remembrance Ecclus. 41. 1. Yes to a Sinner but most wholsome against Sin My Soul Die thou must And when thou shalt what will be thy Comfort To have wallowed in worldly wealth Swome in sensuall Solaces Arrived at earthly Honors Alas No This will be thy Corrasive Then all these gauds are gone The flowers of thy Paradise all fade and nothing remaines but the snake under them guilt and woe Luk. 16. 26 manet turpitudo Psal 17. 14 Saladini funus Alex. Philosophus Job 14. 17 24. 20. Joh. 11. 43 Woe to thee then if that was thy Heaven Death casts thee out of it If thy Hell to want these it throwes thee into it Then a Sheet is all thy Goods a Grave all thy Land a Coffin all thy House Wormes thy Companions Corruption all thy Kindred Stench thy Perfumes and thy Robes rags of Rottennesse No the onely Comfort then is to have liv'd well to have Isay 38. 3. shun'd ill and so want the sting of the 1 Cor. 15. 56. 2 Pet. 3. 14. Luk. 2. 29. Psal 119. 103. S. Ambros Job 19. 26. Breast To have done good and so have the Peace of the Bosome So to have lived as not to be ashamed to die So to die as to be assured for ever to live O my Soul that wouldst give Worlds to have a little such Comfort at that houre neglect not the provisions of Luk. 19. 42. that Peace in thy day Believe it to entertaine Death with a Smile and Damnation without dread is the sole effect and fruit of a life well led in Gods fear according to good Conscience Phil. 1. 23. Heb. 11. 35. And canst thou think of this and not so live That knowest as surely as thou liv'st thou shalt Die and yet Eccl. 8. 8. no more where or when or how then Eccl. 9. 12. if thou didst never live That knowest the time is past of doing good if not done before thou die and thy Salvation gone if that time be past O dear soul Joh. 9. 4. Eccl. 9. 10. look to the Body that Death doth not surprize both look thou to thy God let it not look after the World that when its Death comes thy Life may begin and it not fear the Prison 2 Cor. 5. 5. of the grave because it shall come out to a joyfull day of Judgement And Joh. 5. 58. of that my Soul have a serious Meditation of 2. Judgement Sinne will not be in thy hand if that be in thy Eye It is the Bridle of vanity and Curb of lust Rejoyce O Eccl. 11. 9. young man in thy youth and let thy heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thy eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee unto Judgement Seest thou not my Soul how this is Solomons Bridle To curb and keep in the most Head strong Age youth in his fullest Careere the Heart on his quickest spur the
to be fed with Promises unto Presumption is not to Cherish thy self but thy Sicknesse 2 Cor. 7. 1 To Renounce evill and entertaine occasions is to send it away and call it again To Pray to God and yet provoke Isa 1. 12. 14. 1 Cor. 13. 3 him is to make a play of our Prayers To give Almes and do ill is to give Sin not a Divorce but a Licence To fast from meat and fall to Sin is to whet the knife not to kill it but feast Isa 58. 4. Luk. 18. 12 it To pray give fast and then take liberty to swear and Sin and Erre again is not to make Health but a Disease of the Exercise My Soule This is to take the Medicine by halfes and so thou shalt never Recover thy selfe whole And if thou Delay it that 's the way never to recover That takes strength from the Medicine and gives it to the Disease for so it grows Inveterate and the Cure more Difficult if not Desperate Mat. 13. 15 More hard to be A Sow is washed white not a Blackamore A young Profligate sooner then an old Obdurate Jer. 13. 23. Mat. 26. 73. Act. 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 4 Psal 7. 12. Jer. 4. 22. Sinner Simon Peter quickly Simon Magus never It 's more hard to doe Sin hath more efficacie the Devill more Interest God more Anger Nature is vanquisht Her Powers depraved Her faculties infirm'd decayed deprived of virtue for it It 's more hard to Suffer Sin is incorporate the Humours irradicate Habituate and Naturaliz'd As soone pluck up an old tree as Sin by the roots As easily teare out thy heart as thy lust and vomit bowels as customs Mat. 5. 29. and quit Limbs as such vices O My Soule If Delay of Physick hath killed thousands of Bodies it hath ten thousands of Spirits Defer not then thy help Delay not thy time And especially by the love thou hast to Heaven Deferre it not till Death For what Inducias usque ad mane apud Greg. if that be Suddaine and give thee no Time Or Distracted and take away Wit Or cursed and keep away Grace And if it allow thee Space and Sense and Succour where will be thy Comfort Backward Ther 's nothing to be seene but the sad Survey of a life full of Guilts and staines Forward There 's the Horrid Prospect of Hell and all Hideous Tortures of Damned Ghosts the due Deserts of those Guilts Thou hast no power to undoe ill no Time to doe better What then Wilt thou repent here and Amend in the World to come For halfe thy worke looke for all thy wages No Thou dost not halfe if no more repent Wilt thou then looke upward Will a Miserere mei Deus serve God or a Peccavi satisfie All the three volumes of thy Sins Thoughts Words and Deeds all the Scroles of thy Guilts be cancelled and blowne away with a breath of three Words or Syllables Will a Groane expiate a Lifefull of Quantam lacrymaruÌ„ vim expendemus ut cum Baptismi fonte exaequari possit Naz. guilt A Teare a Drop wash a Heart full of filthinesse The Irkings of a Moment undo the ills of all thy ages Cast thou expect this from Him that is Just when thy whole life hath been but an Abuse of his Grace and Mercy Canst thou promise it thy Selfe and looke Inward That this is the feare of God not Death not out of Selfe-love but Gods Not for hate of Paine but Sin Not by a Force on Conscience but Free And if not thy Selfe dost thou look Outward who shall assure thee Some Comforter may pronounce Mercy to thee as favourable Judgment hath been given of many that have lived ill and yet died penitently O my Soulâ— In this case it 's better to give then receive a favourable Judgement It 's my Charity not thy Felicity that it doth suppose thee happy whom it knowes not miserable 1 Cor. 13. 5 7. but if it do not find thee doth not leave thee happy What thou art the Judge of Hearts knowes what thou shouldst be the Judge of Charity hopes Because when he sees not evidence to the contrary he believes the best of thee with thy Great Judg. O my Soul then leave not all to the last hour when thou art Isa 38. 9. Psa 126. 5 Luk. 23. 43. Mat. 20. 9. Ezek. 18. 21 22. to reap be not to sow thy Comfort Hast thou President Parable Promise of Hope The Converted Thief The Eleaventh Hours Call * In Liturgiâ sic vertitur At what time soever O be not such a Spider'd Spirit to suck Poison out of sacred Flowers Let not Antidotes of mercy be made Cordials for Presumption If thou dost out of Gods Word draw ill Spirit thou robbest it of its Holy Sense and wilt finde no Promise of pardon Nor Hope in any Parable or President for such a Thief My Soul then Look at the Thief on the Crosse as a 2 Pet Child at the Font Baptized from Sin Confirmed by Christ so Dying and Saved What 's that to thee who as Copronymus Eccl. Hist in his Baptisme ever since thine hast done nothing but defile thy Font A Renegado in thy life to the 2 Pet. 2. 20 Heb. 6. 4. Profession of thy Baptisme Look at the Thief on the Crosse as a Martyr at the Stake A Believer a Saint a Confessour All on holy flame Luk. 23. 40 41 42. for Christ The New Disciple that hanged for Him when none of the Old stood to him Senslesse of paine to spend his Breath and serve him As ready to Die for him as with him and spend his Bloud as Breath to honour him Look at the Theif on the Crosse as a Jonah in the Sea A Miracle of Grace Jonah 2. 10. A Prodâ—gie of Providence Wilt thou therefore cast thy self into the Sea in hope to be saved Gods Mercy is an Ocean yet if thou so leap into it thou Mic. 7. 19. Eccl. 8. 11 12. Ro. 2. 4. 5 1 Tim. 1. 19 maist be drown'd Thou that hast left the ship of good life the ordinary way how canst thou look to be preserved by singular Priviledge A Monster of life to be saved in Death by a Miracle of mercy Look at the Thief on the Crosse as a Saint in Heaven Make him not encourage thee to rob God of his honor and thy self of thy happinesse lest thou make him to be a Thief in Paradise too Canonize not thy self Saint by his Example lest thou stigmatize him Sinner for the President and prove thy self a Reprobate by the Presumption Think not then when thou hast liv'd 2. Part. Mat. 20. 9. Ita patres aliqui Itâ— alii ill in the world and art Crucified to leave it by the staffe of a good hope to leap into Paradise though before an utter stranger to Christ with whom thou hast not the blisse to be Crucified There is no Parity of reason to
SACRED PRINCIPLES SERVICES and SOLILOQUIES OR A Manual of Devotions Made up of Three Parts I. The Grounds of Christian Religion and the Doctrine of the Church of England as differing from the Now-Roman II. Daily and Weekly Formes of Prayers fortified with Holy Scriptures Meditations and Rules to keep the Soule from the Common Roads of Sin and carry it on in a mortified Course III. Seven Charges to Conscience Delivering if not the whole Body the main Limbs of Divinity which is the Art not of Disputing but Living Well Grande est esse Christianum non videri Hier. LONDON Printed by J. G. for JOHN CLARK and are to be sold at his Shop under Saint Peters Church in Cornhill 1650. To the Reader TO thy Conscience not wit are these Devotions written And if so read thy Soule may grow if not wiser better by them The Author looks at Heat in Devotion as metle in a blind steed his first care therefore is to help thee to a good Sight in Religion and that he doth by the light of his Principles But because most miscarry by going and running against their light in wicked and erroneous wayes more pains are taken to prevent and rectifie such miscarriages To Elevate thy Soule and Aide it in good Desires and Endeavours for Grace against Sinne thou hast his Prayers and Services And to awake thy Conscience and warme thy Heart to all Duety Desired and Directed to is the Cry and work of the Soliloquies And albeit he will prohibit none to read the Book though for Curiosity more then Conscience and rather as a New then Prayer-booke because even so they may take benefit by it as Saint Austin did by Saint Ambrose's Sermon yet he would have thee know that it is Calculated chiefly for the Meridian of their minds who fall to their Prayers not by fits but Courses and read Books not to passe the time away but well Taking them in hand not as Recreations of their thoughts but Businesse of the mind And usiing them not as good Companions in Solitude but Guides and Helps to Heaven-wards That this may be so to thee is his Aime Thank God if it be thy Issue He prayes that for thee whosoever thou art Having an Amen for Nazianzens Vote Utinam nemo pereat and a Heart for the Prayer his Mother hath taught him That it may please God to have mercy on all men And if for his Name that Charracter please thee much good doe it thee So he is and hopes he ever shall be Thine in the Common Saviour Philo-Christianus THE Particulars conteined in this Manuall of Devotions OF Religion in Generall pag. 1. The Grounds of Christian Religion pag. 2 The Grounds of Protestant Religion 6 How to be satisfied and setled amidst the Doubts and Divisions about Religion 6 Rules of Devotion and Prayers for Morning 20 for Evening 21 1. Daily Prayers 23 Prayer For Grace 28 39 Prayer For Peace 28 39 Prayer For Health 29 40 Prayer For Friends 30 40 Prayer For Kingdom 31 41 Prayer For Church 33 43 Prayer For Catho Church 33 43 Particular Prayers Prayer Of a Husband 45 Prayer Of a Wife 46 Prayer Of a Parent 47 Prayer Of a Child 48 Prayer For a Family 49 Prayer For Issue 50 For Women with Child 51 Against Miscarriage 52 For a Women in Travail 52 After Deliverance 53 After Christning 54 Prayer For Birth day 55 Prayer For New-years-day 56 Prayer Of a Widow 56 Prayer For the Fatherlesse 57 Prayer Against suddain Death 59 Prayer For a Voyage by Sea 60 After it 60 At Return to Sea 61 At Return Home 62 After a Storme 63 Prayer For one in a Journey 65 After it 65 Prayer For a Souldier 66 Morning 67 Evening 68 Before Fight 68 After Fight 69 For one Wounded 69 Prayer For the Sick 73 For Deliverance 73 For Patience 74 Against the Plague 76 For one Infected 77 For one Recovered 78 Prayer For one Dying 80. 81 Rules of Devotion and Prayers for Sunday Morning 110 Evening 111 Weekly Prayers for Severall Dayes Sunday Prayer against The Flesh 89 Munday Prayer against The Devill 92 Tuesday Prayer against The World 95 Wednesday Prayer against Suddain Death 97 Thursday Prayer against Hypocrisie 99 Friday Prayer against Inconstancy 101 Saturday Prayer against Impenitence 104 3. Monthly Prayers for the severall Days of the Week for four Weeks 1. First Weekes Prayers Sunday Prayer On the Joyes of Heaven 11â— Monday Prayer Vpon the Miseries of Earth 116 Tuesday Prayer Against the Vanities of it 119 Wednesday Prayer Against Villanies of it 132 Thursday Prayer About Death 126 Friday Prayer About Judgement 130 Saturday Prayer Against Hell 134 2. Second Weekes Prayers against seven common Sinnes Sunday Prayer against Neglect of Gods Service 138 Monday Prayer against Procrastination 140 Tuesday Prayer against Presumption 143 Wednesday Prayer against Desperation 145 Thursday Prayer against Swearing 149 Friday Prayer against Lying 152 Saturday Prayer against Slandering 155 3. Third Weeks Prayers against the Seven commonly called Deadly Sinnes Sunday Prayer against Ildenesse 158 Monday Prayer against Covetousness 161 Tuesday Prayer against Gluttony 168 Wednesday Prayer against Luxuy 175 Thursday Prayer against Pride 178 Friday Prayer against Anger 182 Saturday Prayer against Envie 185 4. Fourth Weekes Prayers against seven Vanities of the most valued things in the World Sunday Prayer against the Vanity of Pleasures 188 Monday Prayer against the Vanity of Honours 190 Tuesday Prayer against the Vanity of Riches 192 Wednesd Prayer against the Vanity of Beauty 194 Thursday Prayer against the Vanity of Strength 196 Friday Prayer against the Vanity of Wit 198 Saturday Prayer against the Vanity of Friends and favour 200 Prayers in eight other Services Prayer For Pleasures of Piety 203 Prayer Against Malice 209 Prayer Against Revenge 212 Prayer For a Penitent 215 216 220 Prayer Against Impatience 223. 225 Prayer On the Passion 230 Prayer For the H. Communion Before it 251. 253 At it 255 After it 257. 259 Prayer Deprecating Judgments 295 Prayer For an end of War 297 Prayer For blessing on those who seek Peace 297 Prayer For Friends in Danger and Distresse 298 Prayer For Conversion of one in an ill Course 299 Prayer For preservation of the Church 299 Prayer For Mercy to the Nation 302 A Charitable Prayer for these Miserable Times 35 Prayer A Prayer against the Temptations of the Times 37 Thanksgivings Generall for Gods Mercies 84 Deliveranees 87 Particular Thanksgivings For Recoveries of Sicknesse 75 Particular Thanksgivings After a Journey 65 Particular Thanksgivings After a Storme 62 63 Particular Thanksgivings After Child-birth 53 Particular Thanksgivings For Birth day 55 Particular Thanksgivings For a Friend Preserved 88 Particular Thanksgivings For Recovery of the Plague 78 Particular Thanksgivings For one Departed 82 Meditations upon Tenne severall Subjects viz. 1. Of the Joyes of Heaven 113 2. Of the Miseries of the World 117 3. Of the Vanities of it 120 4. Of the Villanies of it 124 5. Of
Death 127 6. Of Judgement 130 7. Of Hell 134 8. Of the Pleasures of Piety 205 9. Of the Passion of Christ 231 10. Of the Holy Cummunion 262 The Services in this Book for the severall Dayes of the Weeks 1. Weekes Services of seven Subjects fit to Excite to a love of Godliness Sunday Service Of the Joyes of Heaven 112 Monday Service Of the Miseries of Earth 116 Tuesday Service Of the Vanities of it 119 Wednesday Service Of the Villanies of it 122 Thursday Service Of Death 126 Friday Service Of Judgment 130 Saturday Service Of Hell 134 2. Weekes Services against the seven Common Sinnes Sunday Service against Neglect of Gods Service 138 Monday Service against Procrastination 140 Tuesday Service against Presumption 143 Wednesd Service against Desperation 145 Thursday Service against Swearing 149 Friday Service against Lying 152 Saturday Service against Slandering 155 3. Weekes Services against the seven Deadly Sinnes Sunday Service against Idlenesse 158 Monday Service against Covetousness 161 Tuesday Service against Gluttony 168 Wednesday Service against Luxury 175 Thursday Service against Pride 178 Friday Service against Anger 182 Saturday Service against Envie 185 4. Weeks Services Against Seaven Vanities of the most valued things of the world Sunday Service against Pleasures 188 Monday Service against Honeurs 190 Tuesday Service against Riches 192 Wednesday Service against Beauty 194 Thursday Service against Strength 196 Friday Service against Wit 198 Saturday Service against Friends and Favour 200 Services upon other Particular Subjects and Occasions A Service Of the Pleasures of Piety 203 A Service Against Malice 209 A Service Against Revenge 212 A Service Penitentiall 215 A Service Against Impatience 223 A Service Of the Passion 230 A Service For the Holy Communion 251 A Service For sad Times 295 The Sinnes against which Prayers and Rules are made Alphabetically disposed Anger Remedies of it 183 Covetuousnesse Remedies of it 163 Desperation Remedies of it 147 Detraction Remedies of it 156 Envy Remedies of it 186 Gluttony Remedies of it 170 Idlenesse Remedies of it 159 Impatience Remedies of it 2â—6 Lying Remedies of it 153 Luxurie Remedies of it 176 Malice Remedies of it 210 Neglect of Gods Service Remedies of it 139 Presumption Remedies of it 144 Pride Remedies of it 179 Procrastination Remedies of it 141 Revenge Remedies of it 213 Slaunder See Detraction Sloth See Idlenesse Swearing and Takeing Gods Name in Vaine Remedies of it 150 The Use of the Services Delivered in Fower Rules Rule 1. When you would strengthen in you the Grace 1. Of Feare Vse the Service of Death Judgement Hell 2. Of Hope Vse the Service of the Passion The Joyes of Heaven Against Desperation 3. Of Charity Vse the Service against Malice Anger Revenge Envy Detraction c. 4. Of the Contempt of the World Vse the Service against the Vanities of it Of Honours Riches Pleasures Beauty Wit Favour or of the Miseries of it Villanies of it Of Death Of the Joyes of Heaven 5. Of any Virtue which you would strengthen in you Read the Service against the Contrary Vice As For Chastity The Service against Lust For Truth The Service against Lying For Humility The Service against Pride For Meeknesse The Service against Anger For Patience The Service against Impatience c. Rule 2. When you would strengthen your self against any of the Sinnes above-named Read the Service against that Particular Sinne for that Day Rule 3. When you read one Service you may use besides the Collect for it the Collects for another As for the Service against Pride That against the Vanities of the World In the Service against the Vanity of Pleasure That for the Pleasures of Piety c. Rule 4. When you see cause you may make use of the Collects or Prayers and Meditations and say fewer or more of them without the Services The severall Soliloquies 367 1. The Nobility of Piety 311 2. Domesticall-Devotion 325 3. Church Duty 332 4. Perpetuall Service 351 5. Remora's in Religion 367 6. Helps to Heaven 389 7. Remedies of Humane Frailty 411 The Particulars conteined in these Soliloquies Absolution if it encourage Sin is the Bond not Acquittance of a Sinner 371 Abstinence from ill makes not good 360 Accessory to others Sins why not how not 450 Actions helping to Heaven 439 Almes see Charity Assurance not Essence of faith 426 Attempting good things overcomes them 445 Beleife Right makes not Perfect 375 Cautions good Helps to Heaven 447 Charity all goodnesse 362 Church best place 336. For most Reverence 345 Church-rudenesse an Affront to Heaven 347 Christ all in all 435 Company ill way to Hell 375 Communion Neglect of it a Sin against Christ and the Soul 343 Confession how abused 371 Covetousnesse a Meditation destroying it 403 Credit Christian how to be maintained 449 Dayes to be numbred 384 Deeds good what which best 360 362 Delayes of Repentance Dangerous 414 To Death Desperate 415 Common pleas for it poore 421 Excellency of Soul 311 Everlasting Sinning 451 Eucharist see Lords Table Meat for Heaven 447 Faith The Grace in Chief 434 A Cordiall 423. The Ingredients Rare Christ Chief 424 Virtues Soveraign 425 Five Counterfeits of it Delusion Blind Resignation Idle Speculation Great Confidence Good Opinion of our selves Boldnesse to Sin 426 Grief for Sin not Repentance enough 413 Habits ill dangerous 373 Hand to be lookt to see Deeds Heart Spring of action all care of it 352 Honest not enough without life 369 Hearing a good help to Heaven 439 Helps to Heaven 309 Hours set to be kept 327 Eleventh Hours call no cause to delay Repentance 420 Idlenesse an enemy to Godlinesse 348 Innocence from ill not enough 360 At the day of Judgement how pretious 394 Integrity all not saving 430 Intentions not sufficient though good 369 Lords Day how to be kept 341 Table how to be frequented Reverenced 342 349 Lust what Meditation kills it 304 Meditations advancing piety Of Death 391 Judgment 393. Heaven 396. Hell 400 Of Christ His Birth Life Death Soveraign against Pride Covetousnesse Lust 402 403 404 Morning and Evening best Times for Devotion 329 Motions of God How known 406 Angels 406 From Heaven To it 407 Dangerously refused 408 New Obedience the Soules Preservative 428 What Wherein How Counterfeits of it 430 Obedience see new Prastice of Good makes it easie 445 Prayers Mans Helps 446 Gods Visits 327 Private When where how to be made 329 330 Publick In Church Best 334 At Home when we should be there Ill 334 To be made by all The Greatest 336 Pride Meditation destroying it 402 Principles pernicious to Piety 368 Publick Service Piller of Religion 340 Pulpit makes not a Sermon 439 Reading Scripture a Help to Heaven 440 Of power to Convert 443 Religious Course Bars to it 367 Not for Cloister onely 372 Repentance Sins Remedy 411 Requisites Vertues of it 411 412 Not to be done by Halves 414 Not to be Delayed 414 A Time set for it 420 Resolution will doe much to
of them all good Lord deliver us Deliver us from blood O God from all the innocent and pretious blood which lies upon us From our sins of peace which brought the warre and the sinnes of warre which brought and left us in that guilt of blood O Jesus that hadst mercy even for those that shed thine and Act. 2. 27. madest the matter of their sinne the meanes of their salvation let the virtue of thy blood expiate the guilt of all shed amongst us and the voice of Heb. 12. 24 it out-crie all the clamours which it makes in Heaven against us And by the grace of thy Spirit make our hearts bleed for our sins that it may crie so for us With our sinnes remove our woes Piece our rents and close our wounds with thy heavenly hands O God of peace that we perish not under them let us not make our selves a prey to foraigne force nor fall by an intestine fury Meet Body and Head in common safety meane while looke upon our languishings and keep life in the Body Lord who delightest not in the death of one Sinner pitty millions of poore sinfull miserable soules at the very point to perish pitty us good Lord and preserve us for thy great mercies sake in Christ Jesus Amen Amen 7. Collect for the Church 1 Cor. 11. 2. FOr thy deare Spouse and my best Mother I thy poore Child and Hers on bended knees hold up my hands and humbly pray all thy Goodnesse O God! Truth Love and Peace be with her For errour truth for schisme love for persecution peace Behold O Lord not what She is but was and not what She was for sin but thy Service And Heare Lord not the cries of her sins but groanes of her miseries And make her to be as Good as She was yea Lord make her be as Good as She should be Beautifull in Her selfe Unblemished in her Children Shining in truth Comely in order Holy in life Repair'd in her ruines Restored in her Rights Relieved in her injuries To Thy glory Her honour and the happinesse of us all through the Grace and Worthinesse of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 8. Collect for the Catholique Church O God of peace send Unity amongst all that professe thy Name As they have but one Head Ephes 4. 1 4 c. let them be but one Body as they are but one Body let them have but one Spirit the Spirit of truth and holiness in doctrine and life be in all Cease schismes and warres in the Christian world Let not them spill one anothers blood for whom thy Sonne shed His. Let there not be many Hearts under one Head nor more Heads with it lest they make a Massacre in thy Body or a Monster of it O let thy Scepter have obedience and thine Orders Observance every where Suffer none by delusion or depravation of mind or ambition of Spirit to pull downe thy Throne whilst they pretend for thy Scepter and let confusion and tyranny into the Church whilest they professe to bring in liberty and order and pull downe thy House to set up thy Glory From Violence avarice sacriledge schisme heresie Anarchy tyranny King of the Church keep us Do Thou governe us and let us obey thee doe Thou save us and let us serve thee Even all Christian souls save through out the world Dear Jesus Amen Concluding Prayer IT is thy promise to grant whatsoever I aske in thy Sons name Lord thou wilt not performe lesse because I BreviariuÌ„ totius Evangelii Tert. aske so in his Words In His blessed Breviary therefore I Summe and offer up all and say Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Blessing God the Father blesse me God the Son defend me God the holy Ghost preserve me and all mine and His now and evermore Amen So ends Morning Prayer A Charitable Prayer for these Miserable Times O Lord that dost not willingly afflict the Children of Men Behold from thy Holy Habitation of Heaven the Multitudes of miserable Souls Lives amongst us and have mercy upon us Have mercy on all Ignorant Souls instruct them On all Deluded Mindes and Enlighten them On all seducing and seduced Spirits and Convert them Have mercy on all broken Hearts and Heal them all strugling with Temptation and Rescue them All Languishing in Spirituall Desertion and Revive them Have mercy on all that stagger in Faith and establish them That are falne from Thee and Raise them That stand with Thee and Confirme them Have mercy on all that groan under their Sinnes and Ease them that blesse themselves and goe on in their wickednesse and curb and stop them Jesus that didst shed thy Bloud for all Soules to save them shed thy Holy Spirit on all and heal them And Lord have mercy on all miserable Bodies Those that are ready to Famish for want Feed them Those that are bound to Beds of pain Loose them Those that are in Prison and Bonds Release them Those that are under the fury of Persecution and cry under the yoke of Oppression Relieve them Those that lie smarting in their Paines and Wounds Cure them Thâ—se that are Distracted in their Thoughts and Wits Settle them Those that are in Perils of their Lives Preserve them Jesus that didst freely Distribute thy Comforts and Cures to all Miseries and Maladies of Men when thou wast on Earth Have mercy on all and Help them Far or near with us or from us Lord have mercy on all Even every Sonne and Daughter of Adam at this time in paine and anguish upon the face of the Earth where ever they are whosoever they be what help I would pray for my self from thee or Comfort from Man in their condition I beseech thee the God of all Help and Comfort to give it to them Take them to thy Care and Tender them Supply them and Succour them have Compassion on them and Heal them Jesus that didst give thy Bloud for them deny not thy bowels to them Thou that didst Redeeme them all preserve them Even all Miserable Souls and Bodies I beseech thee for thine Infinite mercies sake Amen A Prayer against the Temptations of the Time O God Who wilt not suffer us to be tempted above what we are 1 Cor. 10. 13. able to bear Succour me that the Temptations of the Time doe not overwhelme me Discover to me the wayes of thy Providence so far that I may see why I should neither deny it or doubt it And make me know Thy Judgements Job 11. 6. Rom. 11. 33. Job 40. 4. 41. 3. Jer. 12. 1. to be so unsearchable and thy wayes past finding out that I may humbly submit my wit to thy Wisdome and admire and adore the Justice which I doe not see Let me not be of so narrow a mind as to confine thy Worke to one World which thou dost not finish but in Two Nor let me be such a Creature of Sense as to believe thou
thy poore Child and Spouse who desires to love thee O be thou unto me all yea more than all unto me and that I may ever have thy love and care have thou mine ever I beseech thee and let neither world wooe nor Devill tempt nor flesh yeild it from thee let no lust defile my heart thy bed nor sinne blemish my body thy members let both be as thine undefiled before thee Where I have failed in either for time past Lord forgive me that for time to come I may keep more truly thine Lord strengthen me Behold the desires of my soule are after thee deare Jesus accept me let me live espoused by thy grace and at last be married to thy glory to that blessed day deare Saviour bring me and for it fit me and ever keep me deare Lord Jesus Amen Amen A Prayer for Fatherlesse-Children THou that art the Widowes Iudge and Orphans Father I commend to thy fatherly care my selfe and the Children thou hast given me Lord keep us from the evill of this world and bring us to the blisse of a better I beseech thee Holy Father take my Children to thy care and teach them thy feare be thou Tutor to their soules and Protector of their lives that by thy grace and mercy they may miscarry in neither let me serve thee in them and nurse them up in both for thee Assist me with wisdome and grace and power to doe it and give them grace in all duty and good obedience to suffer it let not my affections be too fiery or fond let me not neglect them nor distrust thee the love and care which is just let me give them and so expect thy blessing upon them And good Lord give it to them let the Fathers blessing be on them who is dead let a poore Mothers blessing be on them who lives let the blessing of their Friends be on them even all that pray it for them but above all let thy Blessing which is above all be upon them all I beseech thee Father of mercies Helper of the Fatherlesse blesse them Sonne of God that hadst little ones in thy armes on earth lay thy hands on them and blesse them Holy Spirit that didst appeare in the shape of a Dove behold their innocency and blesse them Holy Father Son and Spirit blesse them with thy grace and bring them to thy glory and me with them I beseech thee even for thy mercies sake for thy merits sake for thy goodnesse sake thou deare Maker Redeemer and Sanctifier of us all now and ever say Amen to the humble prayers which I put up unto thee in such words as thou hast taught me to say Our Father c. Prayer against sudden Death IF my repentance be daily no Death can be sudden to my Soule O Lord to make my Soule therefore surely thine let me be every day at a certaine with repentance And because the summes of my sinnes are vast and I may forget my debt and duty in the daily discharges of my sinnes and not repent for all or not enough O therefore give me a faire summons to my last end that I may die with a cleare soule and make so good an account as thou mayest acquit me of all my sins for his sake who paid the price of all in his blood even for the deare merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Prayers for one going to Sea 1. Prayer for a Voyage SEal thou my Passe O Lord and then I shal go safe yea do thou according to thy wonted goodnesse goe with me good God! guide me prosper me return me O let not my failings follow me but thy mercy put them from me and thy grace in Iesus Christ accept me And now save me and mine I beseech thee and all that by Land or Sea are in any extremity for his sake who is the Saviour of us all Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2. Prayer Gratulatory after a Voyage SAlvation is thine O Lord thine therefore be the glory that the flouds have not swallowed me up and the Deep shut her mouth upon me And now Lord who in thy great mercy and goodnesse hast been my Saviour at Sea be my Guide at Land lead me and shield me and blesse me that as I desire I may doe and in thy due time returne to live and serve thee in the place and way thou hast appointed for me on earth till I come to the place prepared in heaven for all that love thee through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 3. Prayer at returne to Sea I Doe againe cast my selfe into thy armes deare Father embrace me for thy mercies sake hold my life in thy hand till thou hast brought me to the Haven where I would be and thence conduct me to the home where I should be there let me preserve the memory of thy mercies that thou mayest continue the possessions of thy goodnesse to me and mine till thou shalt please to translate us from our earthly Tabernacles to thy everlasting Habitations through the merits of Iesus Christ the blessed Purchaser of both for which ever fit us and prepare us by thy grace O God! Amen Amen A Prayer after returne home from Sea O God that hast been with me in my going out and comming in my Pilot by Sea Conduct by Land receive therefore the humble praises of my gratefull soule most sensible of thy goodnesse And still O Lord blesse me and mine and let thy holy Spirit so steare our course in the Sea of this sublunary world that we may escape those lusts which drowne souls in perdition and by the blessed guidance and assistance of thy grace arrive at last at the Land of everlasting life to live and dwell and love and laud adore joy in thee and enjoy thee for ever by the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Thanksgiving for deliverance from a Storme O Lord thou hast made me to see the great dreads and dangers of the Deep and I am alive at this day by thy gracious deliverance O let this mercy be ever in my memory and let me never forget the service which I vowed and owe unto thee for that mercy Make me so mindfull of that Passe-over of the floods that I may better passe the time of my Pilgrimage in thy feare till at last I come to have a happy Passe-over to thy glory even for his sake who is passed to heaven before me and for me Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2. Thanksgiving for deliverance from a Storme With a holy Meditation against perills O Lord thy providence is above all perils thy power above all stormes thy mercy above all sins I have seen I have seen at once thy Greatnesse and Goodnesse O God! thou wast my Anchor and I am saved thou wast my Pilot and I am preserved when no hope but to perish for wants then I had it and am help'd from heaven praised for ever be thou the God of my help Praised for
ever every way be the God of my salvation yea whilst I live wil I praise thee in this manner For thy mercy O Lord thine infinite mercy it is that I am preserved and live Lord let those dangers never depart from my mind that thy deliverance may never go out of my heart but that I may ever be mindfull and carefull of thee and thy service for it all the daies of my life O let me keep with joy the memory of those waves which came over but went off my head as the great passeover of my life And let thy tempest be made a Temple to me to call me to pray unto thee and praise thee the God of my life to teach me to feare obey and trust serve thee better every where whilst thou shalt continue to me those daies 1. Even thy Creatures how terrible are they O Lord all hearts are afraid of thy tempests and melt at thy stormes O let me in this glasse of their terror see the dreadfull face of thy angried Majestie at which the depths themselves doe tremble and the foundations of the world are discovered even as the blast of the breath of thy nostrils O Lord And let me never presume to exalt my selfe against thee but ever tremble before thy face 2. At thy word the stormes did cease their rage and lie still O God! if any tempest shall arise in my passions through my frailty let it cease at thy command let not the Seas obey thee and my Soule rebell against thee 3. Thou hast presented the horror of a tempest to my eyes and eares O Lord keep me that I never feele a tempest in my Conscience let the raging Sea never run in my Soule to raise up stormes in me more dreadfull than death And that I may never be drowned in the depths of despaire Lord keep me from the overflowing of wickednesse Let not presumptuous sinnes have any dominion over me let the conversation of the wicked never cleave unto me 4. Thou hast in this great extremity of danger manifested to my Soule thy ready and mighty help for deliverance even when the waves were about to overwhelme me then even then O blessed God did thy goodnesse save me O let this experience of thy mercifull power and aide make me to trust and stay my Soule upon thee in all distresses and dangers whatsoever shall hereafter befall me 5. O let not any temptations of the vanities of the Land drowne in me the memory of thy mercies at Sea but against all temptings to offend thee let this tempest thus arme me Had I bin in that hower tempted to sinne O God would I durst I then have offended thee And now that I am by thy mercy delivered shall I yeild upon any temptation to sinne against thee and breake my great obligation and vow to serve thee 6. O let those waters which did fright but not drowne me in the deep be apprehended as a new Baptisme in which thy hand was pleased at once to sprinkle and teach me that my cheeks are to be wet daily with the brinish teares of repentance for my sins and the fresh springs of joy are to flow from my eyes for the goodnesse of thy deliverance Thy waters came over me but confusion did not cover me my face felt the danger but thou hast saved my head O Lord my God! O Lord I beseech thee doe thou thus sanctifie these great passages of thy providence to me that whilst I live thou mayest have from me a better service and when I die I may receive from thee a better salvation even for Iesus Christ's sake my deare and onely Saviour Amen Prayer before or in a Journey O Lord who hast set thy Angels to keep us in all our Psal 91. 11 Psal 94. 5. waies charge that Convoy with me in whose heart they are forgive me that I have gone astray from thee and give me grace to goe no more astray and be not extreame to marke all errors and wandrings Ps 130. 3. from thee who then O Lord shall be preserved on earth or saved in heaven let thy holy Spirit guide me this day and ever in the waies which please thee and thy blessed protection be over me and all with me for his sake who is the Way the Truth and the Life even for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Prayer Gratulatory after a Journey LOrd thou hast been with me in my Journey and as I prayed I have passed the perils of the way by the conduct of thy providence and where I would be I am by the favour of thy conduct blessed be thy holy name O Lord for all thy goodnesse How many have miscarried and doe daily many waies and even so might I have done had it not been for thy favour Blessed be thy name for it yea for all the preservations of my life and the mercy to which I owe those preservations Blessed for ever be thy holy name And still O Lord so magnifie thy mercy in my protection on earth that thou mayest ever be blessed of me till I am blessed with thee in Heaven through the merits of him who by his blood bought that blessednesse for us and in our flesh sits at the right hand to save us Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Prayers for a Souldier in a just Warre 1. Morning Prayer for one in Warre O LORD in daies of blood Read Psal 140. there be many howres of Death what minute may not be that hower O let me then thinke of mine thinke of it and prepare for it Thy grace give me so to doe this day and thy mercy for what hath been misdone before it that when my life shall end on earth it may begin where it shall never have an end Meane while let me live to doe thee more honour if it may stand with thy pleasure and see a happy peace to be the purchase of this warre that I may so live to my Prince Nation Church Religion me mine every way happy And doe thou therefore guide my Soule this day and guard my life from all evill and danger for Jesus Christ his sake in whose words I pray it saying Our Father c. 2. Evening Prayer for one in Warre LOrd who hast been my shield this Read Psal 91. day be my watch this night that I may be safe from the swords and hands of all Enemies and by the guard of thy goodnesse preserv'd to blesse and serve thee the next day for and in thy mercy through the merits of Jesus Christ in whose words I pray it saying Our Father c. 3. Prayer before Bataile O Thou shield of those that put Read Psal 143. 21 23. their trust in thee be his shield whose hope is onely in thee and in thy mercy onely Mercy Lord grant me for all my sinnes past and pardon me Mercy grant me in my present perils and preserve me Mercy grant me good God in my attempts this day and
prosper me O blessed Captaine of my salvation deare Jesus who didst shed thy blood for me shield me now that am to fight for thee and all engaged with me Have mercy on us all deare Jesus and give us victory Amen Amen Our Father c. 4. Thanksgiving after Fight LOrd that hast been the shield of Ps 28. 30. 124. 128. After Victory 26. 98. thy Servant I give thee the glory of thy goodnesse And still Lord in all dangers be my shield that I may give thee yet more glory for that thou hast given me to see many fall and my selfe stand that thou hast shewed me this day many wounded and kept me safe Glory be to thee O Lord for thy mercy for ever by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Our Father c. 5. Prayer for one wounded in Warre O Lord thou woundest and healest 1 Sam. 2. 6. thou killest and thou makest alive I doe beseech thee therefore to heale him in thy mercy who is not wounded without thy providence Lord Jesu thou good and great Physitian of wounded bodies souls who never failest to cure whom thou pleasest to recover take him to thy care who is wounded in thy cause and even for thy tender mercies sake I beseech thee heale his Soule of his sins and his Body of his wounds O thou that thy self was wounded and sheddest thy blood for him and us all in this bleeding condition of his let thy blood be his cordiall and thy wounds his remedies And thou Lord of life who on earth with thy Word made the sick and wounded to recover yea the dead to live say unto him from Heaven Live and Recover that he may serve thee more and better on Earth And now and ever fit and prepare him with thy grace that when he dies he may live and reigne with thee in Heaven through the blessed merits and mediation who wast wounded and slaine to heale and save us all O Jesus Christ our Lord our life and onely hope and succour and Saviour in life and death Amen Prayers for the Sick 1. A Confession and Prayer for mercy and Deliverance O Lord I do humbly confesse to the glory of thy justice that the sicknesse which I suffer is the fruit of my sin the Root of Mankind was poysoned with it and I am a branch of it yea and am much and many waies polluted by it and so am like my Root a poysoned branch I am therefore a Child of Death Rom. 5. 12. and Heire of the Grave the issue of his sin and sicknesse is my portion as I am his Child But Lord I am the seed of a second Adam looke at me not as I am in the first but thy Christ a graft of that Isaiah holy stock the root of Jesse the branch of righteousnesse the Holy One of God for his pretious merits sake forgive me my sin and have mercy on me in my sicknesse And O deare Iesus Joh. 5. 14. that didst take flesh and blood for me pity me poore flesh and blood groaning before thee comfort me and succour me help me and heale me even by the merits of thy pretious blood I beseech thee Amen Amen Prayer for Patience in Sicknesse I Am thy Prisoner O Lord chained by infirmity to a bed of paine but let me not fret even because I am thine Thine whose chaine I cannot breake Thine who dost draw me to thee by this chaine Thine who for my sinne dost justly bind me Thine who knowest when it 's best to loose me Thine who seest what lies upon me Thine who hearest every groane within me Thine who for my sinnes mightâ—st bind me in everlasting chains and sendest this sicknesse to save me O Lord since I am so many waies thine let me submit to thy chaine and lie as thy prisoner so thy Patient before thee and let thy pity in thy good time release me and charge not the errors of my infirmity upon me for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Thanksgiving for Recovery of Sicknesse WHat shall I render unto the Psal 116. Lord for all his benefits done to me the snares of death compassed me and the paines of Hell tooke hold upon me I found woe and misery then called I on the name of the Lord and he heard me yea thou Lord wast he that helped me Thou art my God and I wil praise thee It was not Man it was thou that healed me All Physitians are of no value all Medicines vaine without thee Thy Mercy O Lord was my Balme and I will magnifie it Thou wast my Physitian and I will praise thee My heart in all extremity shall therefore trust in thee My lips shall speake of thy praise and my life honour thee I will not be so wretched as to offend thee with the healthinesse thou hast given me with the life anew bestowed on me O Lord keep that wretchednesse for ever from me thy grace therefore ever give me to have in all my waies this mercy and thy glory before me even so be it I beseech thee O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Amen Prayer against the Plague O Lord Pestilence is thy Arrow and my sins have made mee thy marke nor canst thou misse me in thy justice But spare me Lord spare me in thy mercy Though I deserve the stroke for my selfe spare me for my Saviours sake let his innocency be my shield and his blood my antidote O Lord I have I wish no other antidote or shield By the soveraigne and all-saving merits of his I beseech thee pardon my sinne and spare my life Spare my soule that it may better serve thee spare my body that it may better serve my soule spare my heart that I may keepe it more carefully for thee spare my blood that my spirits may be more active to serve thee And as I pray Pestilence from my body so I beseech thee keep it from my soule Preserve me from the house and shield me from the chaire of pestilence As from infected Bodies so from Spirits which breath errors and vices pests and plagues of souls From all mutuall diseases defend me Body and Soule but from those fearfull ones above all I beseech thee And all those thou hast made neare and deare unto me deare Saviour doe it for thy mercies sake Amen Prayer for one infected with the Plague I Am struck O God and by thy hand I beseech thee let me bleed in thy Armes in thy Armes of mercy let me depart if I must die but Lord embrace me with thy favour that I may live live out this danger and see thy deliverance out-live my sins and doe thee more service Meane while mercy Lord for Jesus his sake mercy to thy poore Servant pardon to my sinne comfort to my spirit acceptance to my repentance strength to my faith life to my charity salvation to my soule that whether I live or die I may be thine O Lord who to redeem and save me
mercy so wicked as to abuse thy blessings let all that I am and have serve thee mind body state health friends none be abused to vanity in any way of sin to reproach thee but all made to extoll my Makers praises and my Redeemers glory Since I owe my selfe by so many bonds of blessings to thee yea thousand lives and soules had I so many to serve thee let me not deny the service of one poore soule body unto thee O blessed Maker and Redeemer and Preserver of both I have no more to give thee my self therefore made of both I present unto thee I give thee my self on earth O Lord accept me and receive me to thy selfe in heaven where with thy Angels I shal give thee perfect praises singing Hallelujahs day and night giving everlasting lauds unto thee my great Maker my deare Redeemer my holy Comforter my good Preserver O God Father Son and holy Ghost O blessed and adored Trinity to thee and to thy goodness alone for what I am and have hope of bliss in this or a better world be all honour praise thanksgiving and glory for ever and ever Amen Amen A Gratulatory Commemoration of Gods mercies and deliverances REceive the sacrifice of my thankfull soule O Lord for all thy mercies * Here think of particular and mercifull deliverances of me and mine from diseases and dangers by Land or Water in Warre or Peace of old or late for soule or body O! what great dangers hast thou shewed me and them and yet hast delivered us from all our feares they live and I live and all live and why but to praise thee the God of our salvation and life thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God and I will worship thee yea whilst I live will I magnifie thee on this manner And O give me grace to give thee more better glory Glory from my lips and glory from my life Glory in my mind by a just sense and Meditation of thy mercy And glory from my heart in a true love and joy of thy goodnesse till thou dost give me thy glory in heaven Lord let me ever give thee this glory on earth even so Lord for all thy benefits and blessings from any ill or of any good to me or any more nearly mine from the hower of my birth to this day of my life glory be to thee now and ever by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Thanksgiving for a preserved Friend or others formerly Prayed for MY Heart is full of thy goodness O God! thou hast delivered thy Servant from his dangers and me from my fears O what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits to me O my God! I give thee a thankfull heart and beseech thee to give me a thankfull life Grace so to live that my deeds as well as words may speak me thankfull O let me not pay thee with neglects for thy favours lest thou returne me plagues for thy mercies let me have care to serve thee in for thy goodnesse that I may still rejoice in and for thy salvation of him and me and all who are more dearly mine even so be it for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Prayers for every day in the Week SUNDAY A Prayer against the flesh O Lord deliver me from my selfe my sinfull sensuall and carnall selfe ready to joyne with my foes to ruine my soule by yeilding it up to the temptations of sinne Let me watch it as my most mortall enemy without which all the Devils in hell cannot force nor all the powers on earth fasten a sin upon me and yet a foe so inbred and Naturall to me as will lodge in me whilest I live and never leave me Make me see what cause I have to keepe a strict and continuall watch and pray thy aide when the Devill and the World without beset me and lead on Armies of Temptations against me and the flesh within is false and ever ready to betray me and let them in upon me From such Enemies and Traytors Lord deliver me and as I love the eternall salvation of my soule let me not sleepe in security that have to doe with such Enemies And since the flesh is my foe let me not cherish it and satisfie it and provide for it and entertaine it as a friend but according to thy will and the necessity of my soule let me not spare to crucifie and kill it as my Enemy which will torture me if I be not crucified and kill me if I doe not kill it And grant me Good God the power of thy Spirit to doe thy will in mortifying of the flesh to the saving of my soule Let my life be a continuall fight against the corruptions of my flesh and succour me with wisdome and grace to maintaine that fight let me watch and fast and use all due meanes to beat downe my body if that give it strength Let me meditate and heare and reade and pray and weep in all good wayes seeking to beare up my soule to beat downe that sinfull body and bring it to death And because though now beaten downe a new Temptation will raise it up and struck dead it will revive againe Hasten my soule O Lord out of these endlesse Warres where I may keep the triumphs of an eternall peace from earth to heaven and strengthen my soule to get those daily victories over my lusts that they bring me to those triumphs O Christ that hadst flesh and no corruption pitty me that have both Succour my double frailty thou that knowest the infirmity of the flesh Assist me with thy holy Spirit to stand Recover me when I fall in these holy fights Relieve my wants forgive my weaknessâ—s close up my wounds by thy bloud Blessed Saviour the Captaine of my Salvation who didst fight and conquer all my foes and now sittest on thy Throne in triumph in heaven make me so to fight that I may conquer on earth and having subdued the flesh may sit with thee on the Throne From their shame keepe me that prefer the Subject before the Soveraigne Flesh before the Spirit From their losse keep me that prefer a Toy to a Crowne a Lust to a Kingdome From their Cowardise keepe me that dare not fight for a Crowne but yeild their souls up to lust From their woe ever keep me that buy delights with their death for a little life after the flesh dying eternally bodies and soules From such folly and misery deare Jesus deliver me Amen! Amen! MONDAY A Prayer against the Devill O Lord how shall my poore soule stand against Temptation it thou doe not assist me who have as many Ghostly Enemies as Devils to tempt me malicious crafty busie and mighty all of them hating my soule to death watching my weaknesses and continually seeking occasion to devour me O my God without thy strength I cannot stand and by thy strength I shall not fall For thou O God art above
time with more comfort and contentment and setlement of minde to yeild up my life and soule unto thee Deare Saviour heare me that sheddest thy bloud to save me and sittest in Heaven to preserve me For my last houre fit me From sudden surprizall of it keep me To it and in it ever save me and by thy grace and holy merits make it a happie houre unto me that I may then die in thy armes and at the day of Judgment rise and stand joyfull before thee Lord Jesus for thy mercies sake grant all this to me Amen! Amen! THURSDAY A Prayer against Hypocrisie O Lord Make me abhorre to be prophane and feare to be an Hypocrite If I be a notorious sinner the world will condemne me and if a close offender Thou wilt not justifie me Let me therefore be a Saint in sinceritie that God and man may approve and blesse me O Lord God of truth that searchest the heart what will it availe me to have the world accquit me when my conscience shall be a thousand witnesses against me and Thy selfe more then ten thousand consciences to condemne me Keepe me therefore from the blot and follie of Hypocrisie And since Hypocrites are the first-borne of the damned let me have no part in that sinne that I may have no portion with such sinners Let me be the same wheresoever I am in the Closet and Church in secret and publike in the darke and day and let me be alwayes what I should be studying ever to approve my heart and wayes before thee that thou who seest in secret mayest reward me openly O let me set Thee every where before my eyes and my selfe before thine and accordingly walk uprightly before thee till I come to rest eternally with thee O Lord since thou requirest no more to have thy favour on Earth and glory in Heaven but a heart true unto thee and doest pardon and passe by many infirmities where thou seest such a heart Let me not give thee lesse then a sinceritie in thy service God of Truth give me a single heart to serve thee and accept it from me and a Monster of a double heart let Satan never make me From Hypocrisie and lyes of life Lord deliver me Thou that hadst no gaule in thy heart nor guile in thy mouth Blessed Sonne and Truth of God let me be Thine in truth sweet Jesus Amen! FRIDAY Prayer against Inconstancie in good O Lord Thou art immutable what thou art let me be unchangeable what I should be never ceasing to be thy good Child and Servant who ever continuest to be my good Father and Lord O Lord There is not one moment in which I can be or live without thy goodnesse and shall there be many dayes wherein thou art without my service The glory with which thou rewardest it is to all eternity and shall the duties of it faile and fall short of constancy O my God! had I the age of Angels to live I owe the service of all that life unto thee and now that I have but a span of time shall I keepe away a great part of that from thee O Lord let me not so much forget thee and my selfe as to doe thus by thee And should I so farre forget my duty let me remember my necessity It is constancie gets the Crown to thy service and shall I fall off from it and lose my Crowne O Lord In what a fearefull condition would my soule be if death should seize me when I am faln off and take me away in that time of sin and have I any assurance this howre the next not to see death And were I sure of life time should I so live and divide it best yeares to the devill and worst to my God Months to vanity minute to piety Day and night looke to this world and not spare an houre for a better Lord Let not the Devill and the World divide my time with thee lest not giving thee all thou takest none from me or giving thee the least share thou throwest it backe upon me Fix my heart on thy feare that no temptation of Devill or man may remove mee Bind my soule with such resolutions to thee that no strength of the flesh may loose me Since I cannot for my bodies frailty serve thee as an Angell without intermission continually let me as a Saint without failing constantly be devoted to thee not as a retainer but daily servant attending upon thee Keeping carefully my howres of devotion and consecrating all my dayes unto thee in a conscionable and constant endeavour in all places â—nd things and at all times to shun all evill and doe what may please thee O thou that art without shadow of change ever the same settle my fickle soule in thy feare and establish thy holy Spirit in me that I may serve thee on earth with constancie and in heaven to all eternity By the grace and merits of him who finished the work of Eternall Redemption for me living and dying to save me and now sits at thy right hand to uphold and keepe me Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen SATURDAY Prayer against impenitence in ill LOrd keepe me from the fearfull sinne and judgment of an impenitent heart Since repentance for sinne is the onely remedy appointed to save me let me not neglect it lest I die for it irrecoverably O Lord what shall become of my guilty soule if thou doe not pardon me And how should I hope thy pardon if I goe on to provoke thee Give me therefore a sorrow for my sinnes past wherein I have offended thee and if I fall by frailty into sin let me not lye without remorse but rise by repentance that I may returne againe into favour with thee O my God if now I will not I shall repent in Hell if not on Earth if not with timely teares in hope in fires with everlasting horrour O let me weep for a time that I may not waile them for ever Let me mourne for them unto comfort rather then rejoyce into confusion From a heart hardned in sin and a conscience seared with guilt Lord keep me as from the threshold of hell And from continuance and custome in sin keep me that I grow not senselesse of it and seared And from multiplying and reiterating the acts of sin keep me that I get not a custome If I sin let my heart smite me that thy hand of vengeance may not touch me And for that hardnesse and habit of ill which I have already got by any acts of sin Deare Saviour help me and heale me Melt my heart in the fire of thy love to a tendernesse of offending thee and O blessed scape-goat * Leviâ— 16. 21. Goates blood melts Adamant Such is an hard heart Zach. 7. 12. mollifie my hardnesse by the vertue of thy blood that I may not stand stubborne against thee Bow me with thy mercies break me with thy judgments wound me with thy Word move me with
feast Fiends That makes thee dread the sight of Death as Hell and the thoughts of it as Devils because there are Devils and Hell which thou deniest but dost dread none hath more horrour for them then thou who saiest thou hast no such Faith See more Soliloquie p. So end the Seven Services for the first Week Seven Services for the 2d. Week Sunday-Service Against neglect of Gods Service Morning Prayer Psal 5. 27. 42. Lesson Gen. 28. or Jor. 7. to ver 17. Mat. 11. Evening Prayer Psal 95. 122. Lesson Eccles 5. 1 Cor. 11. or Heb. 6. ¶ Collect or Prayer against Neglect of Gods Service O Lord Thou hast devoted a Time and Place to thy worship and holinesse becometh thy house for ever Make me ever carefull to pay thee then and there the dues and duties of Religion which I owe thee Solemnly waiting on thy Majestie amongst thy Sâ—rvants in thy Court and Sanctuary Lâ—t me be diligent in thy service and râ—verend at it That as thy Saints and Angels in heaven incessantly serve thee I may with thy Saints on earth constantly worship thee till we all come together for ever to adore thee Even for his sake whose meat and drinke it was to serve thee Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against Neglect of Gods Service 1. GOd wil find no time to save us if we find no day to serve him a Psal 2. 11 12. Act. 26. 20. 2. Have we six in a Week and shall not God have one day b Exod. 20. 9. 3. Publique worship is the Pillar of Religion and high service of Almighty God c Gen. 4. 26. 4. If every one take away his stone we shall pull down the Pillar to the ruine of Religion d Lam. 2. 5. In the Church we are before Gods face as well as Mans e Psal 95. 6. It is both a Scandall to man f 1 Cor. 11. 22. and Scorne to God g Eccles 5. 1 2. to be irreverent in the Church to dare and jeer God to his face 7. The truest Picture of the Saints with God in Heaven is a Congregation devout at Gods Worship on Earth h Apoc. 4. 10. 8. We cannot doe better then to goe to Heaven nor worse then to doe any thing ill or unseemly in it i Gen. 28. 17. 9. The Devils misbehaviour in Heaven cast him into Hell k Jud. v. 6. 10. He that laughs in the Church is tickled by the Devill * Risus in Ecclesia Diaboli opus est Monday-Service Against Procrastination Morning Prayer Psal 95. 7. Lesson Prov. 1. Mat. 25. to 14 or 24. to 36. or Act. 24 Evening Prayer Psal 4. 90. Lesson Eccles 8. Apoc. 21. ¶ Prayer against Procrastination LOrd keepe me from the delayes of holy and necessary duties Make me to consider how many art now perishing in Hell for neglecting the times of thy gracious visitations on earth That whilest the Spirit of grace and life blowes on me I may improve that breath to purchase my selfe an estate in the life of glory and immortalitie Even for his sake who lingred no time to shed his bloud to save me Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen! Remedies against Procrastination 1. IT is unworthy God He calls to day a Psal 95. 7. and you will come to morrow The Devill shall have the floure b Levit. 2. 1. of age and God the bran 2. It is unsafe for man The Adventure of an immortall soule upon two great uncertainties to come Having my breath c Prov. 25. 1. James 4. 13. and Gods Spirit d Joh. 3. 8. If either fail I am lost for ever And God knowes Innumerable soules are thus lost * Coesarius Inuumerabiles animoe siâ— periêre 3. It is unwise The house of my soule is set on fire e Isa 2. 18. with guilt to day and will quench it to morrow I fall into the puddle f 2 Pet. 2. 22. of sin this week and will rise the next 4. It is uncomfortable For the longer I keepe off from God 1. Gods acceptance is more doubtfull He is for first fruits g Levit. 2. 12. and firstlings 2. Mans performance is more difficult Because Satan hath the greater power over me h 2 Tim. 2. 26. and sinne in me i Prov. 5. 22. By the strength of Custome k Jer. 12. 23. which it is a miracle to conquer * S. Bern. 3. Repentance hath a greater taske more spots to wash l Isa 1. 16. knots to loose m 2 Pet. 2. 20. roots to digge n Jer. 4 5. foes to kill o 1 Pet. 2. 21. Sinne in time of a Child growes a Gyant for strength and Lust spawnes like a fiâ—h in number If it be now ten strong next yeare it will be an hundred and the next yeare a thousand c. 4. The best fruit of sinne is repentance p 2 Cor. 7. 8 9. the rest is shame q Rom. 6. 21 23. and death 5. It is unprofitable at best For the lesse seed the lesse harvest r 2 Cor. 9. 6. The lesse good â— the lesse glory s Rom. 2. 7. And the more Springs and opportunities I lose the more seed-times of good t Gal. 6. So I reap lesse comfort of what is past u Isa 38. 3. and reward to come x Luk. 19. 16. Tuesday-Service Against Presumption Morning Prayer Psal 7. 19. Lesson Deut. 29. or Levit. 26. Mat. 24. Evening Prayer Psalm 68. Lesson Eccles 8. 1 Thes 5. ¶ Collect or Prayer against Presumption KEepe me O Lord from carnall security If I fall into sin let me not lie in it out of a Presumption of thy mercy but do thou awake me to repentance and raise me in thy goodnesse And since repentance is not in my power make me fearfull to fall into sin in hopes of thy grace and mercy and more afraid to lie in it if I fall lest I sleep without feare till some Suddaine judgment awake me and present the horrour of eternall death before me From a lethargy in sin O thou Holy Physitian of soules preserve now and ever Deare Saviour I beseech thee Amen Daily Prayers Remedies against Presumption 1. IT is the Devils lullabie to sleepe out the time of Salvation as did the five foolish Virgins a Matth. 27. 7. 2. It is the Devils high way to desperation b Prov. 1. 28. 3. None but a poysonous spirit will suck the strength of sin out of the flower of mercy c Eccles 8. 11. Isa 10. 2. 4. It is to make quarrels amongst Gods Attributes in the confidence of mercy to put contempt on justice d Rom. 2. 4 5. It is to leave the soul at last without all hope of succour and sanctuary because guilt dares not fly to offended justice e Gen 3. 10. Apoc. 6. 16. and hath no refuge else but abused mercy f Rom. 2. 4.
but a Saviours fare Blessed Wine and Bread yea in them what both is and makes Blessed The Body and Bloud of Blisse Deare Jesus Thy Holy Body John 6. 48 53. 54. and Bloud Meat and Drink that doth both joy my heart and save my Soule Bread of life and Well of Life Of that O Lord I eat in thy Bread and drinke of this in thy Cup Because thee in both who art Lord and Bread Well and Lord of Life Was the Passover a feast and is thy Supper none Where no sower herbs but Naturall and Celestial sweets are serv'd in at the feast If that be thy Command O Christ I am a rebell as much to my good as thy Law a damn'd rebell if I doe not this 3. And a Wretch if I doe not all but bate thee halfe of that I am not Saved but by thy Body I shall be damned 1 Pet. 2. 24 Heb. 9. 12. 21. without thy Blood I can want neither Bloud nor Body for my Sacrifice and shall I not have them both in thy Sacrament Didst thou offer thy Bloud for me on the Crosse and shall I not take the Pledg from thee at thy Supper Dost thou give me a Title Mat. 26. 27. Mat. 26. 28. Ephes 1. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 19. to thy Bloud and shall any keep me out of my Possession Rob me of thy Mercy and my Right of no less then the Price of my Redemption Doest thou give me the Purchase in thy Bloud and shall any deny me the Seale in thy Church Thine O Christ how is that Church Thine that dare be guilty of so great a Rebellion and Robbery To violate at once thy Will and Seale To steal at once thy Cup and Scepter Against thy Testament and Will thy expresse Will and Order to doe that can there be a bolder a greater Rebellion To take the Cup from thy People and the Scepter out of thy hand to deprive their Soules of thy Bloud Sine grandi Sacrilegio fieri non posse Gelasi Concil Const thy Selfe and of thine Authority can there be a viler Robbery And to Confesse the Fact and Justifie what is done O thou King of Heaven and the Church can any Hand against thee be more High or act more Vile What then shall I doe Dear Jesus when and where I cannot doe this Where though I beg I cannot have thy Cup Shall I take half or none O Lord that art not for Halfe a Service thou art not for Half a Sacrament Thou that lookest at that as none wilt thou accept this for any And have not they just ground to fear that doe but half of this that when all is done they have done nothing Because by thine Authority and Holy Institution and the Practice of Primitive and Purest Church it was not Ordained nor Used so to be done Dear Jesus Pâ—ty the People that endure this Injury and either seek not or finde not ease from so great a Tyranny And Justifie thou their cause O Christ who for their Saviour and their Soules sake doe not give the right hand of Fellowship to those who thus rob thee of thy Worship Separate from their Service who divide thy Sacrament Because they dare not owne what those Usurp a Power to alter what thou dost Institute Nor Seal what they Decree an Act confest against thy Ordinance Nor doe what they enjoyne a Violation to thy Holy Seal and Sacrament How shall I Body with them that keep thy Bloud from me How shall my Soul unite with them who exhibite to me but half a a Saviour Shall â— not withdraw my self whole from them that will not give me the Sacrament entire but half If they deny me thy Cup shall they have my Communion O Lord How should I Communicate with them that take as my understanding from thy Service * In an unknown Tongue and thy Scripture from my * Reading forbidden Eyes so thy Cup from my Lips If that thou Commandest upon my Obedience without thy Curse I cannot doe other That is not to doe this 4. Doe this And see you doe it not what language is this leave this half undone Who dares thus contradict thee O Christ Is he thy Vicar or Master that dare doe thus Is it the Pillar of Truth whâ—ch thus puls down the Pillar of a Sacrament a Pillar of Salvation Takes off thy Blood the Cement of that Holy Pillar And so pulls if not all at least halfe down Shall I satisfie my Conscience with Wit And first Devise then Believe the Bloud is given in the Body But in Per Concâ—mitantiam the Eucharist thy Bloud is given as shed not kept Poured out not conteined Mat. 26. 28. in the Body And why then should any have the Cup since in the Body is a Conveyance of the Bloud Did the Apostles onely take the Cup Then Laiety must not eat the Bread and so be cut out of the Sacrament of Salvation both Body and Bloud Didst thou not foresee this O Lord and therefore say of purpose not Eat Mat. 28. 26 27. Non Edite omnes Previdente Domino quod de calice c. Bux Hist Dom Caenae 15. ye all but Drinke ye all of this to shew that none are to be excluded from the Cup By thy Grace then I will never doe that As thou appointest I will observe and doe this 5. This. Not thus It ties not to a Circumstance but the Substance of the Command Nor Place nor Time nor Number is confest for then only Twelve should Communicate in an upper Roome and at Night nor Gesture then if accidentall too though evident what it was the Church hath power to appoint it and I may with good Conscience observe her Appointment and though neither so nor so yet doe this In Remembrance I blush Lord to see my self need thy Memento for this Have I a Chest for the Trash of the World and no roome for thee my Heavenly Treasure Memory for what I list and none for what I should Thou hast so done thy marvellous Workes that they ought to be had in Remembrance O Lord And O thou Psa 114. 4. Isay 9. 6. whose Name is Wonderfull and all thy Workes as thy Name and in this above all thy Workes can I ever forget thee 2. Can I forget my self so much That do not breath a minute on Earth or out of Hell without thee If I forget thee O Jesus Let my tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth Let my right Hand forget her cunning Surely that Harp had never known the tune of Joy nor Hand had ever to doe with Harp hadst not thou put a World Ephes 1. 10 1 Cor. 5. 19 all out in order againe and set all in Tune 3. And is that all when I owe a thousand lives unto thee to require not my Body but my Minde to say Remember Not to suffer Death and die for thee but to forbid thy Memory to die in me Wil
I doe is to no end without forme and voide if not with a Minde devoutly busied as a Body Well-devoted and all done in Remembrance of thee Naturally I may do something and see some Body but Sacramentally nothing if I discerne not Thine 7. Something then is to be done before I doe this I must get an Holy Appetite before I Eat and Drinke which is by Repentance And bring Mat. 5. 6. an Heavenly Mouth to the Meat which is my Faith And much is to Joh. 6. 35. be done after this I must Digest it so in Conscience as to get good Spirit by it and gaine such strength by the Digestion as to walke more hoâ—ly and grow Better for it Else what doe I but Deforme thy Body and Defile thy Bloud That must raise my Thoughts and Afflictions to the Memory This keepe them up As I must doe this in Remembrance of Thee I must do that in Remembrance of this and what is done not forget I have beene doing and put thee after out of my Remembrance Jesus Make me doe what I should Not neglect it lest I neglect at once my Saviour and Soule Not doe it as an Act of Complyance with Time or as a Due more to Custome then Conscience which is as ill Nor in a rude unhallowed unprepared irreverent bold Carriage and Confidence which is worse then a neglect Jesus Give me grace so to doe So to Remember Thee on thy Crosse that thou maiest not forget me in thy Kingdome So to Remember thee Luk. 23. 42. Luk. 22. 30. at thy Table that thou maiest Remember me on thy Throne Where Commemoration shall be turn'd into Vision Where I shall have not Sacramentall 1 Cor. 13. 12. but Beatificall Communion Where I shall not weare thy Ring but see thy Face Not Remember thee but Behold thee Not in Faith but cleare and full Fruition Even so be it O Lord Feede me to it in Faith and Love and Seale it to me in Spirit and Conscience Lord Thus have me and let me have Thee for ever in Remembrance Amen! Amen! Directions about the Holy Communion how to Prepare for it 1. Touching Prayers Preparatory to it ON Wednesday before Read the Penitentiall Service On Friday the Service on the Passion On Saturday the Service Preparatory to the Holy Communion On Sunday some of the Scripture Lessons with the Prayers proper for it and Meditation upon it 2. Touching Self examination necessary before we Communicate YOu must Examine your selfe 1. Cor. 11. 28. touching your Faith and Life 1. Your Faith is Right if you Believe concerning God and His Church according to the Rule of it Comprized summarily in the Apostles Creed Received by all Christians 2. Tim. 1. 13 2. Your Life is Right if it agree with the Rule of it The Law of God Comprehended in the Ten Commandements For finding of which 1. You are to Consider apart every Commandement and the Contents * Juxta ordinem Decalogi institutum Mcl. l. com de poenit v. Partic. apud ipsuÌ„ Rom 7. 7. Psa 119. 15. Lam. 3. 40 of it what Duties it Requires What Sins it Forbids and then aske your Conscience how you have Discharged your selfe therein 2. Where you finde upon Just Enquirie that you have led your life according to Gods Law in Piety to God or Charity to Man Thank God for His Grace where you find that you have failed Ask God for His Pardon 3. And because none but Penitents can ask and have Gods Pardon and Contrition is the Root Confession the Branch and Amendment of Life the Fruit of Repentance look therefore carefully to all And first 1. Touching Contrition IT is the Bleeding of a Soul toucht Act. 2. 37. with Remorse for Sinne And if of the Bodies much more care must be had of the Soules Bloud That it Bleed 1. Wisely For doing ill not well 2 Cor. 7. 10 That were to let out good Bloud and keep in Ill. 2. Kindly Even for doing Ill as an Psal 51. 4. Ezek. 7. 16 Offence to God chiefly Not so much for the Dread of Damnation as the Displeasure of his Goodnesse 3. Rightly For the Sinne which hath done more Displeasure to God and is chiefe in me most That 's to strike the right Veine Psa 51. 14 4. Freely The Heart must bleed for all and that above all Water must 1 Cor. 15. 9 Psal 66. Mat. 26. 75. Luk. 7. 38. not be wrung out of the Eye like Fire out of a Flint but if nature stop not the Course flow as from a full Fountain Naturally and Plentifully out Yet 5. Temperately too Not bleeding Joel 2. 12 13. Jer. 18. 11 12. to the Death of Despaire but so as to keep in Heart a Life of hope for Mercy and Help The sorrow be-being to drowne Sinne and not the 2 Cor. 7. 5 Heart To that end God hath given the Soule as the Eyes for Sluces to Jer. 13. 17. let out the Waters of Griefe when they swell about the Heart and are ready to overwhelme it So a Floodgate in the Mouth to void them and prevent an Inundation Psal 39. 4. of Heavinesse And as Teares spend Grief by the Eye Confession puts it out at the Mouth Of which is the next Enquiry 2. Touching Confession GOd being the Majesty whom Sin Psa 51. 13. Isay 43. 25 Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 8. Lev. 5. 5. John 20. 23. 2 Cor. 20. Vice Dei qui thesaurum in â—s posuit hominum Luth. 1 Sam. 7. 6 offends of him Pardon is to be sought and Confession the way to find it without which we seeme either to need no Pardon or not to seek it And God being pleased two wayes to give Pardon Immediately by a Power Imperiall in and of Himselfe and Mediately by the Ministry of Man Delegated by him to Seal Pardons in his Name and the Soules Peace Hence Man also hath two wayes to make Confession or speake his Guilt to God One is to pour out the Soul into Gods Bosome by having an Immediate Recourse for mercy to God Himself The other is into Gods Ear Fiat pastori vel potius Deo Coram pastore Zanch. in 1 Joh. 1. Betaking our selves for Ghostly good and Comfort to some Man of God And as in some Cases there is great need â—o for sundry Causes there may be much profit of this 1. In a storme of Conscience it 's not Job 33. 23 24. 37 38. Isay 504. Jam. 5. 15 16. safe to be without a Spirituall Pilot lest for want of better Direction and helpe the Soule be Swallowed up in her owne Deeps or Sunke under some Gust of Temptation As God knowes many daily are * Damnaberis tacitus qni posses liberari confessus Aug. 2. Or If the Mind Fluctuate and cannot rest Satisfied in her Spirituall Estate it 's dangerous not to seeke a Guide of God to leade us out of those Ghostly straights
thy self and that 's all All that either Law or Gospell askes For all is but To live godly and righteously and soberly Tit. 2. 12. in this present world And as love is in summe all that so Charity is Mic. 6. 8. Rom. 13. 10. Mat. 9. 13. Mat. 5. 23 24. Heb. 13. 16. in short all love God himself makes it chief of all He will have mercy and not Sacrifice He gives it Place before Piety He loves thy Almes before his Offerings and had rather see an Empty Altar then an unreconciled Brother Nay for Gods sake to doe man good is to make a Sacrifice of mercy A most sweet and acceptable Sacrifice Phil. 4. 18. and most honoured Piety No marvaile then if it take place of justice The truth is it is a Piece of it and Prov. 3. 27 Deut. 15. 7 Psa 112. 9. so principall that in the Holy Tongue one word speakes both Almes are debts to the needy by his Law who is Lord of thee and thine and the payment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 7. Luk. 11. 41. Dan. 4. 27. Mat. 25. 34 35. Prov. 19. 17. Mat. 25. 40 so good as procures from him a generall Acquittance though but a particular Duty Nay not a Cancell onely of the debt but a Crown to the Debtour And wonder not at it O my Soul since it makes thee Creditour to thy God and Benefactour to thy Saviour As if as all is nothing without 1 Cor. 13. 23. 1 Joh. 3. 17 nothing were all with charity the chief of all As then it is in thy power shew it 1 Cor. 16. 2 Abate something of Back and Belly rather then have nothing in thy power With thy Superfluities provide the poor of necessaries * Superflua divituÌ„ necessaria pauperum Eph. 4. 28. Ex. 32. 3. Job 31. 9. Did they give their Ear-rings to make a God wilt thou quit nothing to save a Man shall all be Lavished away that should Ezek. 16. 49. be so laid out All to Vanity nothing for Mercy O My Soul Tremble to think how such accounts will passe at the great Audit-Day If thou canst at Phil. 4. 17. Luke 16. 2 once Discharge thy self and oblige thy God why dost thou bind over thy self by such actions of wast to answer Mat. 19. 21 Mat. 25. 42. Divine Justice at the Dreadfull Day of Judgement Dear Soul Read and avert the Doome thou canst not answer it Yea see it in Execution and quake to see it Dives that would Luk. 16. 21 24 25. not give a Crumb of Bread hath not a Drop of Comfort How much better had it been to have fed Lazarus then fared so deliciously To have given Almes then received Torments not to have spent so much on the Flesh rather then end in Fire Dear Soul be thou more devoted to charity let that never be thy End look to all but to that above all thy workes as thou dost unto thy words and thoughts This my Soul makes thy Conscience Luk. 1. 6. good and thy Service great when it takes care to keep all thy wayes right Indeed it is that then which nothing is more pretious to give thy self a holy 1 Sam. 15. Rom. 2. 12 Psa 50. 23 Sacrifice unto his Service nothing is desired more I beseech you therefore by the mercies Rom. 12. 1 of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable ervice The summe of this Soliloquie God being our God even unto death must be served all our life Psal 48. 13 Our Conscience of all our wayes is his perpetuall Service To look to our thougbts words and deeds is to have care of all our wayes 1. The Heart must be strictly kept because the Spring of all ill is in the Heart First Motions must be repell'd and the Senses well watcht if we will keep the Heart Eyes and Eares must be chiefly watcht of all the Senses 2. The Tongue must be bridled as we love our life Gods Law and Threat and Mans Resolution make a strong Bridle The Tongue will be easily rein'd if the Heart be rul'd and hardly else It will flie out if God keep not the Door of the lips Taciturnity is a good lock to keep it in 3. The Hand must be bound from ill to good To God and Man it must doe no Act. 24. 16 evill but all good True love performes all Charity to Man is by God accounted as the Principall and totall of Love If we have to spare we must spend if not pinch rather then want to lay out on workes of Charity Thursday-Soliloquie Remora's in Religion OR A Soliloquie shewing the Soule the Errors and Dangers in the waies of Godlinesse and how to avoid them MY Soule To keep thy selfe continually Serviceable to thy God is a great and hard Government More to Rule thy litle then the Greater world but Prov. 16. 32. 25 28. will be easied by some Helps which are to be had If thou wilt Avoid what Hinders and Observe what Furthers thee in the way to Heaven And if thou dost survey all thou wilt see that false Principles Bad Customes Vile Companies Vaine Scruples and Ghostly Negligences are Principall Bars and Hinderances Conscience is Gods clock to teach thee how to know and Spend thy Time in his Service but given thee to Keep If then the wheels be ill that move it or Dialls false that guide it or it kept foule or thou forgetfull of it how should the motion possibly be rectified and it goe right And My Soule Principles and Habits are the Wheels Examples Dialls Scruples Dusts Rests forgettings of it Minde and Will are the Wheels on which Humane Actions move ill Principles and Habits Spoile the Wheels And of many as the very Pests and Perversions of all Regular life eye these as 1. Ill Principles To thinke thy selfe good because thou seest others worse For so there shall be but One man Bad in the world to wit the worst Nay not One because be he never so bad the Devill is worse Ephes 3. 8 Rather Judge thy selfe bad whilest thou â—eest a better because by the grace of God didst thou equally pray and endeavour it alike thou mightest be as good By leave of that thou maist be very naught That Principle therefore is bad And no better 2. To thinke thy selfe not bad because Particularly good So Abimelech had beene as good as Abraham God Gen. 20. 6 Psal 119. 6 knowes he did not Adulterate Sarah act or thought For that his heart was upright Yea but if it encline or leane to any ill the heart is not upright for then since there is some Sin which every 2 Kings 10 31. one hates because a contrariety of Sins and some he loves the World which hath many would not have One Hypocrite And since no man is universally ill there should not be one Sinner I may
walke in the darke by Mat. 5 46. that and therefore it is false light So is it 3. To thinke my life good If my heart be honest If my life be not according to my heart Saul then needed not be 1 Tim. â— 13. Act. 26. 9. 2 Chron. 13. 9 10. converted for he did Blaspheme and Persecute from an honest heart And Vzza should not have beene Smitten for he meant well when he did ill in staying the Arke A wrong meaning mars a good Action a Right makes Isa 10. 7. not a good Conversation Not to be Hypocrite is good and so is it not to be prophane Not to shew more good then I am is good but not to be lesse good then I should be better So then if I thinke as I should I must doe as I thinke Else as doing contrary is damnable Hypocrisie so doing lesse is inexcusable negligence Yea a bad tongue or hand where minde is good Jam. 4. 17. becomes more inexcusable So then to think is error And so it is 4. To thinke my selfe good because Godly by fits Why Every man is So When the fit is on him Pharaoh Exod. 8. 8. 9. 27. 10. 16. Exod. 14. 4 himselfe is a Saint will confesse pray promise any thing Whilest the plague is warme his iron-heart melts but if that be over as hard iron as ever A 1 Pet. 1. 7. Saint is gold for Substance the same in and out of the fire A Miscreant sometimes wil be Saint a Saint never Miscreant Under the Crosse he may 2 Cor. 11. â—5 be more tender at a Communion more devout never debaucht and obstinate A Habite of strength not a fit makes a healthy man a constancy of good carriage not an act now and then makes a Holy one We shall be judged by Act. 24. 16 Ezek. 7. 3. our waies not our steps So to think then and doe is damnable error And 5. To thinke my selfe good because my Beliefe is Right If so the Devill will not be wrong He believs there is Jam. 2. 19. Luc. 4. 41. Mar 5. 7. Act. 16 17 a God and Christ his Son and the Saviour of the world so far a Christian most Orthodox in his faith but hath hate to God and rage to Christ and so 2 Pet. 2. 4 in an ever damned condition because inveterate-ill in his course A good beliefe Apoc. 12. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 19. Job 1. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 14. and life both make man good A Rightnesse in Religion and Conversation perfect a good man Believe my selfe a Cherubin and live not a Saint I am but a Devill to my Phancie an Angell but in Gods Eye a fiend My owne Elect but Gods Reprobate The Principle Tit. 1. 16. is damn'd which cheats the Soule of Heaven if believed And so it doth Thousands 6. To thinke the Soule well if Absolv'd of her Sins If I Sin in hope of Pardon and after fall againe to Sinne. My Soule Where Confession is most used Souls are thus much abused But blesse thy selfe from that error Doe not thou so much abuse thy self To Sin in a Presumption of mercy is not the way Deut. 29. 19. to Pardon but Judgment Nay cuts of all hopes of Pardon because to be left to the Judg without the plea of an Advocate For that is mercie which thou hast abus'd and so thou wilt have justice without mercy to extremity for Offended Justice will punish nothing more then abused Mercy And if God doe not give the Pardon the Priest cannot Seale it For what he doth is in the Name and by the Order of God Joh. 20. 22 23. Mat. 16. 19 whose Keies he carries not to doe what he will but should in His House My Soul When Gods Minister duely absolves thee Himselfe pardons thee but if thou steale thy Pardon thou gettest it not duely and if thou Cancell it after it is got as good not get it And to pretend â—enitence to such a purpose and presume to offend before and after such a purchase is first to steal a pardon and then Cancell it To make Gods Pardon a Patent for Sin is ill And 7. To thinke practice of Piety belongs to the Cloister and Clergie Their Obligations may be more but thy Dueties are no lesse If a man who ever or how or wherever thouâ—livest thou owest thy God the essentiall Duties of Bâ—ety as thy Maker Preserver and Redeemer too by the greatest Obligations And for this whosoever thou Apoc. 1. â— â— Per. 2. 5â— 2 Cor. 6. 17. Act. 2. 24. Joh. 17. 15 16. Joh 15. 19 Psal 3. 18. 20. art must be a Priest A Priest to offer God that Sacrifice And wherever thou art must have a Cloister Place and time to Sequester thy selfe from the World to his Service Though not Religious Votaries all must be Religious That belongs to all My Soul Thou hast seene Seaven Guides which mislead millions out of the way to Heaven As thou hopest to be there Know them all and shun them For if Error Psal 95. 10 Mat. 15. 14. be thy Leader thou canst not be in the right way And as Principles 2. Ill Habits They are to be avoided My Soule For these will carry thee wrong though thy guide be right And this will wheele thy Heart as the other doe thy Minde wrong But the Soule goes wofully away that is misled by both An ill custome is a Second Nature And that Gen. 6. 12. was depraved enough at first to doe ill it needs not a Second An Inveterate disease it is which to keep is death and to leave impossible O my Soule Sin is thy blacknesse and vices thy Spots but by continuance become not accidentall but Naturall and what Laver will wash of an Aethiopian blacknesse Jer. 3. 23. or Fuller take out a Leopards Spots Why cannot some Speake but Sweare Why doe not some talke but Lie Why cannot some live more without drinke then breath And others no more want their lust then sleep But because their Tongues have got the custome to Speake and these Bodies the habite to doe evill Live not then Rom. 6. 6. Joh. 8. 21. in Sin as thou wouldest not die in it Naturalize it not if thou wilt not die for it Reiterate not the acts of it if Heb. 3. 11. 12. thou wouldest not naturalize it What thou canst Commit not the first acts and thou shalt not reiterate it If thou hast been overtaken with the first run Gal. 6. 1. away from a Second lest a Third over-run thee and leave thee in the way of death Yea at the very Doore For my Soule Hardnesse of heart is the Threshold of Hell And many strokes of guilt wil Obduratio animi limen inferni anvile it to hardnesse And then as much Sense in that as will be in thy Conscience And then as much blushing Jer. 5. 3. Zach. 7. 12. 1 Tim. 4. 2 Jer.
8. 12. 6. 15. Jer. 3. 3. Prov. 7. 21 Jer. 9. 12. in brasse as will be in thy countenance Entrance teares of the veile of shame but continuance whores the forhead And so my Soule it is with all Sin as that One. Entrance conceives Continuance This begets Custome And That Impudence And It Vengeance Say then my Soule Say and doe with Humble and Holy Job Once have I Spoken but I will not answer Job 40. 4. 5. Yea twice but I will proceed no further No Thrice may carry thee so far from God that either thou carest 2 Tim. 3. 3. Prov. 1. 24. 31. Apoc. 22. 11. not or canst not Returne and so must on and Proceed Proceed for want of a Timely pause till thou come to a fatall Period Beware then of Bad Customs And so doe by 3. Lewd Companies Indeed the way not to be struck with those is to fence against these For they will both instill the one and induce the other That as they are Schools of Prov. 4. 14 error and This as they be forges of wickednesse Those within these without both lead to Leudnesse According Hos 7. 6. 7. to the Dialls next us our Watches goe and wrong if they be set to wickednesse When David therefore would have his goe right he bids these be gone Away from me ye wicked for Psal 6. 8. I will Keep the Commandements of my God That is His Conscience cannot Prov. 1. 10 goe right if their Company be not away How should we goe right and be with Mat. 26. 69. them that are wrong Saint Peter though fully resolv'd and warn'd against it thus fell into his fearfull error The way of Christ lay not through the High-Priests hall nor will Devotion kindle but coole at such a fire A Spark amongst live-coales holds its heat amongst dead it dies My Soule If thou canst not decline evill livers delight not in them they will damp and Prov. 13. 20. Prov. 6. 27. Col. 3. 12. 1 Cor. 5. 10. Ephes 5. 11. Mat. 8. 28. Ephes 2. 1. Mazentius dead thy Sparke Civility with all is good Familiarity dangerous Thou maist live amonst Gods rebells thou must not love them If thou dost thou wilt in time be like them Dead as they are to all good As the living Bodies chain'd by the Tyrant to the Dead And Buried as they are in all ill As sound Bodies living with the Pestilent catch their death And without the Preservative of Gods great mercy and grace damn'd with them for both As those that are found with Rioters incurre the same Doome how Luc. 6. 25. Num. 16. 24. Apoc. 18. 4 dost thou feare their Condemnation and love their Company How canst thou laugh with them in this World with whom thou wouldst not houle in that other Why dost thou dread a Plaguie Body and sit with a Pestilent Psal 1. 4. Cathedra Pestilentiae 2 Cor. 11. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 3. Prov. 4. 15. Act. 2. 40. Soule Surely the Soule is better then thy Body and her Plague worse and that infection greater Read Lord have mercy on them writ on a Sinners Doore When thou dost see in their lives a Crosse to all Gods Commandements And my Soule say Lord have mercy on thee for dareing so much in Spirituall dangers and Lord have mercy on thee that thou doe not further dare so much Shun profane Companies And as not goe the way with these So doe not give way to 4. Vaine Scruples My Soule Two things God desires Thy Joy in his Service and His Comfort in thy Life The Devill a friend to neither seekes to rob thee of both And thy Scruples are his Theeves If they overtake and overcome thee they will bind thee from the One and beat thee out of the other Taking both thy heart from all Duty and all joy from thy heart Believe it they will give thy Spirit no Freedome and thy Conscience no rest For when thou shouldst be doing good thou wilt be disputing it when at Gods work questioning thy Warrant when acting and waiting on his Service entertaining arguments about it Thus when others are well on their journey thou art quarrelling thy Passe and dost either with Balaams asse stand Judg. 22. 27. Exod. 14 and not move at all or with Pharaohs Chariots drive on heavily And no wonder for the Wheels are of The minde becomes darke the heart dull the Spirit dead the Conscience dared nothing but weaknesse and wavering and trembling and chilnesse and confusion in the powers of action and so either none at all or a stupid trepid troubled motion These be the first fruits of thy Scruples fetters and Snares And what then the Second but Heart-gaules and Gripes They will beat thee till they leave not one sound part of comfort in thee Scourge thee with thoughts Saw thee with doubts Rack thee with feares Torture thee with perplexities till thou hast neither joy of Duty nor Life Leaving thee in a labyrinth of woe dolefull dismall full of nothing but Damps of joy Dumps of Spirit and Distresses of Conscience And here My Soule Take view and heed of the Devils boundless craft 1 Pet. 5. 8. and rage When he cannot make thee quick to ill he will make thee dead to goodnesse If not dissolute irresolute If not Debauch'd for Hell Distracted Heaven-ward If loose of life then Conscience it selfe is a Scruple if strict then every Scruple is a Conscience First he would have thee have no conscience and if not It to be all Scruple With the profane even Carefull Piety goes for Holy lunacy and Motions of holy Spirit for fits of Ghostly Phrensie But to the Religious he perswades what he can what they doe and are all to be profane So when he cannot make our hearts hard as flint to bad purposes he makes them weak as water to better And this is the Malice of the Devill When he cannot have us in Hel to have it in us To Torture us with our Scruples when he cannot with his Torments Now to have us without the Comfort of Heaven because not ever without the joyes of it He would have all like himselfe if they will not goe to it carry Hell with them But Dear Soul do thou defeat his 2 Cor. 2. 12 Devices A Scrupulous Conscience is as unsafe as sad Thy Scruples as they are thy Clogs and Rods so they will be his Skrewes if they continue so Skrewes to winde thy thoughts up through doubts and feares to the utmost pin of Despaire and either leave thee there or let thee downe againe to as ill though a more merry Pin of thy first estate in Presumption They will hoist thee up from Atheisme till they have thee to Superstition and then let thee fall to Atheisme againe So niceness of life ends often in retchlesnesse of Conversation When Satan cannot make our hearts tough enough he makes them tender too much and from that excesse brings them
lustfull eye or hand or foot of offense Rom. 8. 13 Mat. 5. 29. Heb. 11. 25 then or deniall of any Pleasure is it then Deare My Soule The Saints and Martyrs Pro hac emendâ Bartholomoeus propriaÌ„ pellem dedit Aug. Longo tempore tolerare Aug. Gal. 5. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Heb. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 17 1 Cor. 10. 13 Heb. 2. 18. 1 Pet. 4. 14. Heb. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 10. thought themselves good Merchants that bought them at these rates Nay if thou shouldest daily Suffer torments on earth yea for a long time endure the torments of Hell the price would not be great for the purchase of Heaven My Soul he that said so to his was a Saint Be content then to Crosse a lust or Carry a Crosse for Heaven For this thy Christ endured his Great Crosse wilt not thou thy little one That hast his Shoulders to help thee to bear it too his Grace his Spirit his Angels for thy help My Soul let not the Difficulties conceived in a Course of Religion discourage thee from or in the way It is Mans Calumny and the Devils Policy To him that loves God as thou shouldst that hath his Grace as thou maist and his Favour as thou mightest all his Commands are easie and 1 Joh. 4. 3. Mat. 11. 29. 30. his Yoke but light For to him is given the staff of Peace a Psal 119 165. Phil. 4. 7. and stay of Hope b Ro 15. 13 and strength of Comfort c Heb. 6. 18. Heb. 3. 6. which besides the outward are great helps to the carrying of that Yoke And blind thoughts and affections set aside the Sinner toiles more then the Saint d Ec. 2. 23. Joh. 6. 27. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Apoc. 14. 13. Aeterua quies aeterno labore meritò paratur and drudges more for Hell then he workes for Heaven And did the Saint droile more Heaven makes all nothing For what are Moments of paine and labour to Eternity of Joy and Rest which were worth the while if attained with eternall work and labour It 's a Slander then cast on the wayes of God Yes my Soul and a Stratagem too A Flie from Belzebub * Deus muscae Prov. 26. 13. Rom. 12. 11 12. Heb. 6. 10. 11. Heb. 12. 3. buzzing this into thy Eares that he may keep Heaven better out of thy Eyes And hold thy foot when he hath thus slackt thy heart from going or from comming thither My Soul against all such fainting take Saint Pauls Cordiall Whilest we not at the things which are seen but not 2 Cor. 4. 16. 18. seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall And so there be Paines as well as Joyes Think of that O my Soul For to foresee is the way to avoid those paines and to Muse on it the means to escape 4. Hell Thou art not in love with Paine My Heb. 12. 11 Soule Who is All shun it Why not then that most which is greatest Why in Earth more then Hell Is Mat. 25. 30. Mat. 18. 34. Mar. 5. 43 44. Apoc. 6. 16 17. Apoc 14. 10. Mat. 16. 25 26. Mat. 25. 31. 41. Mat. 8. 12. Apoc. 14. 10 11. any Gaole like that Dungeon Any Keepers to Fiends Any Burning like that Fire Any Biting like that worme Any shame of face to the Confusion before men and Angels Can any losse on earth equall the losse of Heaven Or Exile from friends a Banishment from God and Angels To dwell in utter darknesse no light Amidst Infinite Tortures and no ease to all Eternity no end Tortures which make the Wheele a Sport the Furnace a Bower and the Rack a very Recreation My Soule Are these but Godly frauds to fright tender hearts from wickednesse If thou beest a Christian thou dost not believe so nay if 2 Pet. 3. 3. Plato Plut c. but a Heathen thou wilt not Endlesse and Extreme pains for evill deeds after this life even they beleive The very Devils doe though their torture Jam. 2. 19. Mat. 8. 29. Rom. 2. 15 16. to doe it Conscience which is in all men is an Apostle of this to all Nations The joyfull deaths of innocent men and Dreads of Guilty ones in death Preach it all the world over For what are these but summons to the great Barre where according to their works all shall râ—ceive the Sentence of Judgement O my Soule ponder this Is it grievous to endure extreme paine for an houre Is it nothing to suffer Extremity for ever So long as Omnipotency can preserve so much as Omniscience can devise what infinite Justice doth require Soul and body to suffer for ever and ever O My Soule Could thy Mind measure nay but sadly consider the length of Eternity How millions of Ages are not a Span to that time not all since the World an Inch of a Span And yet all the Tortures that Earth ever had or wits of men and Angels could imagine to have are but ease to those paines which are to endure to that Eternall length thou wouldest as soone burne as lust and take up a Serpent as Sin My Soule To save Ecclus. 21. 2. thy selfe be serious and consider it The greatest Temptation will not take if thou doe but remember it Thou wilt refuse the Apple for the worme in it The Sweets of Sin for the fire after it The hardest Duty will downe if thou thinke of it Thy Deare friend O my Soule That gave his blood to save thee from that death His Counsell is thus to avoid it If thine eye offend Mar. 9. 43. thee pluck it out c. It 's better for thee having one eye to goe to Heaven then having both to be cast into hell where the worme doth not die and the fire is not quenched Better a litle paine for a Time then all to Eternity My Soule These four are Cordiall 2. Division Isay 17. Verbum Incarnatum est verbum ad hominis naturam usque abbreviatum Bern. Phil. 3. 14. Considerations to carry thee to all Duety from all ill But the Royall one remains Thy Christ to be thy studie and thy Iesus to be thy Booke The Word Abbreviate Bible in Body Scripture in flesh Consider him and all good is done for he did it all ill is gone for he fled it All his Actions are thy lessons but my Soule His Birth Life and Death are the Chapters I would have thee Read For the whole World of wickednesse is conquer'd by those three Pride Avarice and Luxury 1 Joh. 2. 16 the three parts of that world 1. His Birth is the Death of pride Luk. 2. 7. His stable the Grave For if that was there why is this any where Or wherefore this For cloths His clouts Purpurae mea panni Salvaetoris Bern. are best purple For wealth It 's his straw For Retinue Beasts are his For
The Guide not followed will be gone The coale not kindled wil not warme And woe to thee if the good Spirit leave thee for then the Ill one will lead thee In stead of good Angels ill thoughts will haunt thee And thou knowest whither they goe whom he doth lead When God knockâ— at thy heart let him not stay at the doore when his Enemy at the first Motion is let in Doe not that for shame If so know that to keep out Gods Spirit is to shut dore on thy Blisse and doe not that for feare No My Soule In Prosperity or Adversity At thy Devotions or other occasions In Church or Closet By Day or night Well or Sick If thy minde be moved to some knowne good or against some evill God knocks doe thou open His Angel is at dore take him in His Spirit would enter bid him welcome Welcome blessed Spirit that Luc. 13. 36. Mat. 21. 19. comes to carry me to Heaven Welcome Holy Comforter that comest to keep me from Hell O come and never goe from me Holy Spirit of God My Soul thou hast seen what Heavenly Helpers Holy Meditations and Motions be Hear the God of all help and he will assure thee so If others Amos. 6. 3. put off the evil day it 's wisdome for thee to have it before thee If others Act. 24. 25 put by good motions it will be thy happinesse to entertaine them believe him who sayes both O that they were wise that they understood Deut. 32. 29. this that they would consider their latter end Wherefore Holy Brethren Partakers Heb. 3. 1. of the Heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Christ Jesus For consider him that endured such Heb. 12. 3. contradiction of Sinners lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds And Behold I stand at the doore and knock Apoc. 3. 20. if any man heare my voyce and open the dore I will come to him and Sup with him and he with me The Summe of this Part is Good Meditations are great Nurses Psal 119. 15. Psal 1. 2. Gen. 24. 63. of Gods feare Serious thoughts of Death Judgement Heaven and Hell are Meditations good against all Sins in the World Sober Considerations of Christs Birth Life Death are destructive to Pride Avarice and Lust which Three make all Holy Motions of God great Aids to the Practice of Godlinesse How they may be known to be Gods What good offices they have and doe from him to us as His Messengers and guides for our best good Why and how to be entertain'd as sucâ— and how foule and fearfull it is to neglect good and embrace Ill Motions Saturday-Soliloquie Remedies of Humane Frailtie OR A Soliloquie shewing the Soul What Provisions of Grace and Mercy God hath made to support her weakness in the way of Piety MY Soul For all thy Cares 1. Part. and Helps thou wilt fail in Eph. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 8. thy Perpetuall Service so long as Flesh and Devil cease not their Perpetuall Motion God Ez. 18. 23. Gal. 3. 11. Col. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 19. Jam. 2. 26. Psal 41. 4. therefore in tendernesse of mercy hath provided for thee Remedies of Grace Repentance that thou do not die Faith to make thee and it live And New Obedience to keep all alive Sin my Soul is ill humour to Heaven a disorder of Holy Spirit and just temper in thee For this Disease Repentance is Gods Remedy * Tert. de paenit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. And very sufficient to heal thee For it will Bleed a Act. 2. 37 thee in Contrition Vomit thee in Confession b Ezek. 18. 31. Orig. Purge thee by Conversion c 1 Cor. 5. 9. Sweat thee with Guilt d Act. 9. 10 Bath thee in Teares e Joel 2. 12. Diet thee from occasions of ill f 2 Cor. 7. 11. Cauterize the corrupt part with Threats g Jona 3. 4 5. and foment the weak with Promises h Joel 2. 13 And Exercise all in Almes i Dan. 4. 27. Fasts k Joel 2. 12 and Prayers l Luk. 18. 13. And of the healing vertues of all these Penitent Soules have had Blest Experiments For that Bleeding cured the Barbarous Jewes m Act. 2. 38. Vomiting David n 2 Sam. 12. 13. Purging Ephraim o Hos 14. 8 The Sweat did the Jailer good p Act. 16. 29. The Bath helpt Magdalen q Luk. 7. 38. The Cautery Saul r Act. 9. 16. Fomenting s Hos 6. 1 2. Israel The Exercise did Zacheus t Luk. 19. 8. Ahab u 1 King 21. 19. even the Publican w Luk. 18. 13. Ease O my Soul Admire and Adore that Great and Good Physitian that Isa 57. 18. Prescribes thee so faire and yet so Soveraigne Jer. 8. 6. Peccata commssa plangâ—re plangenda non committere a Medicine To Grieve thou hast done ill and desire thou maist doe better To be sorry for what was amisse and not doe again what will make thee Sorry When I have wandred to returne When I have been fool'd to Jer. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3. 2. Joh. 12. 40 Isa 1. 16. Paenitens ferè innocens est Eccl. 7. 29. Hos 14. 4. Isa 1. 18. Luk. 15. 17 Ezek. 18. 30 31. Luk. 15. 22 24. 2 Cor. 7. 10 Luk. 4. 18. Act. 11. 18. grow wise When I am sick to be well When I am foul to wash When I cannot be a Saint as good as Adam was fully Innocent to be as well as Enoch may be truly Penitent Was ever Prescript so faire And yet my Soul this Heales Sin Guilt and Staine Returnes thee both to God and thy self Recovers both Fall and Wit Restores both Tainted Bloud and Spirit Reduces to a Paradise both of Joy and Innocence Saves thee from Death sets thee in Health Disposeth thee to long even everlasting life Can any Medicine be more Soveraigne Take it then my Soul if thou lovest thy self And how and when thy Physitian gives it Not half for he appoints the whole Nor this hereafter for he wills it Now To Grieve for Sin and do no more Joel 2. 12. is to see not to lose thy Sicknesse And to amend what is not first griev'd to recover before thou art Sick To be Compunct and not Confesse is to bleed inwardly To Confess but not be Contrite to Vomit wantonly To Confesse and Pro. 28. 13 not Amend to cast and lick up the Vomit To be Frighted for Sin and not 2 Pet. 2. 22 bettered is to Sweat and take cold Joh. 5. 14. after it To weep for it and commit it 2 Pet. 2. 22 is with the Sow to wash and wallow To Abstain occasions and not acts is to fast it into a better Stomack To be Threatned into Despaire is instead of Gen. 4. 13. Sin to burne thy self And
from our sinnes in his owne Blood and of vassals and slaves of Satan hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father To him be Glory and Dominion and therefore from us Duty and Obedience for ever and ever Amen 3. So then My Soule Take them And Canst thou valew them enough Never too much Thy Bodies Health is worth all the World but thy owne worth more then Ten Thousands of Worlds Ten Millions of Bodies It 's worth as much as Salvation as Eternity comes to beyond all valew As much as thy Christ thy Saviour thy God is worth above Myriads of Salvation For Repentance Recovers thy Sickness * Gods salve for every sore Latimer Tit. 1. 13. Col. 1. 11. Joh. 3. 15. Act. 16. 31 Faith sets thee Sound Obedience keeps thee strong all give a state of good and perfect health and so save from death And my Soule valew faith above all So God doth and therfore ascribes thy health to it alone to shew it the Cheife And so it is Repentance is but a Preparative to it Obedience a Preservative of it Faith is the Royall Grace Repentance the Latimer Ser. 7. before K. Ed Vsher that goes before Obedience that bears up the Train after it The Queen Mother of this the Mistresse to that Regent to both O My Soule The Cordiall is above all because Christ is all in all The Quintessence of Heavenly vertue Col. 3. 11. the Elixar of all Grace the very Spâ—rit of Goodnesse and the perfection of all Col. 2. 9. Eph. 1. 23. Col. 1. 15. Perfections both in Heaven and Earth Beare no Heart in thy Body then not this in thy heart O let that pretious Viall never want this Holy Essence Count worldly good grease to this Oyle All Delights death to this Glad Psal 4. 6. Phil. 3. 8. Col. 1. 27. Apoc. 2. 10 Apoc. 3. 11 nesse All Honours shames to this Glory Keep thy Christ as thy Crowne thy Life as the Crowne of Life thy Immortall Crown and Keep thy Faith as Him for thou hast and holdest Him in it Keep Him as thy Saviour and it as thy Salvation Him as thine Heb. 10 19 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 Eph. 2. 18. Jam. 3. 2. Inheritance and this as thine Interest Him as the onely Sanctuary of a troubled Spirit and this as the only Accesse to Him If Defects be in thy Repentance Errors in thy Obedience as there may there will be in both fly by Faith unto thy Sanctuary Hide thy Selfe in his wounds Hold by the Hornes of the Altar Creep under his wings Die within his Armes goe run from the Pursuer of blood to this Heb. 3. 18. 19. City of Refuge Enter in by thy Faith And My Soul Keep the viall clean that the Elixar goe not out Wash it with Repentance and Dry it with Obedience that it be so kept let them doe that Duty to it that doth so much good and help for them And then My Soul thou shalt be healthy and strong and happy in them all Of old all was not enough for thy health but Christ hath Mediated thy Covenant thus New And to doe this Heb. 8. 6. Duty God for his sake will give thee Ability Ability of Grace to doe him acceptable Service Take his Word for it he Promiseth he will And his Command with it for he Saies thou must A New heart will I give you and a Ezek. 36. 26. new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart and give you a heart of flesh And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and you shall keep my judgements to doe them Therefore saith the Lord God Repent Ezek. 18. 31 32. and turne your Selves from all your transgressions So iniquity shall not be your ruine Cast away all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new Spirit For will yee die O House of Israel For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth saith the Lord God Wherefore turne your selves and live The Summe of this Soliloquie God hath appointed Remedies against our failings in His Service 2. Repentance is the Sinners first Remedie And a most faire and Soveraigne Remedie Experiments of it Taking it by Halves or Deferring it too long makes it not to be Saving To Delay it to future is dangerous till death Desperate 2. Faith is a Sinners Cordiall Most pretious because Christ is cheife yea onely Ingredient of it and taken by it Excellent Spirits begot by the Cordiall of true faith Six counterfeits of faith not truly cordiall 3. Obedience in the New Covenant the Souls Preservative in â—ealth Why it is called New and how it is Preservative of it Some take Poison instead of this Preservative The Proofs of these three Remedies and Prescripts how and when to take them and Pretiousnesse of all and of Faith in Cheife Helps to Heaven and Happinesse OR A Soliloquie acquainting the Soul with such Reliefs and Aids as will facilitate and further her Course and Progresse in the wayes of Godlinesse The second Part. Holy Actions and Cautions great Assistants to Piety MY Soul If good Meditations 3. Division and Motions live in thee the mind may do much But when all that is done there must be more And thy Ear Eye Heart Hand Mouth every one must doe his Part Hear Read Resolve Practice Pray all must be in Action And Conscience must keep a particular watch too and have some things in Holy Caution This will compleat all And the Good is not meane which may be done by The Eare. For my Soul by this Dore Gods Act. 14. 2â— 16. 14. Joh. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Joh. 10. 27 Joh. 13. 17 Psal 109. 105. Jer. 23. 29. 2 Cor. 4. 45. Luk. 24 42. 2 Tim. 4. 2 3. 16. Luk. 11. 28. Heb. 5. 11. Isa 28. 10. Heb. 6. 1 2 Heb. 4. 12. Word is received in Baptisme first sets thee Preaching keeps thee on thy feet For what are they but to know and do And in Gods Word is both light and heat and both are Communicated by good Preaching And observe that my Soul to avoid common Errour The work of it is both on minde and heart to informe and enflame Til thou dost as well doe good as know it the Preacher hath not done his nor thou thy work He may tell thee that in an hour which he can scarce teach thee to doe in a life The Principles of Christianity are easie but the Practise is hard And Efficacy as well as Instruction is the work of the Word Even the Preached Word So it be duly Preached For that my Soul thou shalt doe well to eye as another prevailing but most pestilent error The Pulpit doth not make the Word nor Speaking from it Preaching But a Reverend handling of Holy Scripture according to the Truth of Gods Sense and to the aimes
but by repentance the onely remedy of my sins And when but in my life the onely time of my repentance And this day this hour this minute which may be the last of my life O Jesus as I sinne let me repent daily that when I die as I must I may live eternally with thee and by thee Amen Amen See more Soliloquie p. Friday-Service Of Judgement to come Morning Prayer Psal 50. 143. Lesson Dan. 12. Mat. 25. or Act. 17. Evening Prayer Psal 98. 99. Lesson Eccles 11. 2 Cor. 5. or 2 Thes 1. ¶ Fryday Collect or Prayer of Judgment to come O Lord Almighty who hast determined a day wherein thou wilt bring all Men and things to Judgement make me to try my Soul daily at the bar of my Conscience that judging my selfe for my Sins thou maist not condemne me at thy dreadfull Tribunall And Lord let that day be often in my thoughts that the fear of it and thee may be ever before my eyes and my Conscience may be kept more clean by the power of that fear Even for his mercies sake who was my Redeemer shall be my Judge and is my Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Daily Prayers Meditation of Judgement O Barre in the Clouds I must appear 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Thes 4. 17. Apoc. 6. 16 Joh. 12. 48. before thee woe to me then if found guilty and now if I beware not of all Capitall guilts if I sin against the light of my mind and Gods great grace and goodnesse for then I am a Capitall Offender If I Heb. 10. 26 27. Rom. 1. 29 Gal. 5. 19. doe what upon pain of death God forbids me by his Heavenly Law for that 's a Capitall Offence For that and this will not God judge me Why For this even the World for Tit. 3. 111. that Conscience will condemne me And God for more for if Conscience can charge me with more then the World God can lay to my charge 1 Joh. 3. 20 1 Cor. 4. 4. more then my Conscience To the world Manifest and Secret are two things but to Conscience all one To be and be known are two things to Conscience and to be remembred and known but what is seen to Providence is never out of memory if once seen to hide guilt then will not serve to take no notice or forget it not justifie To a circumstance imagination syllable God doth observe Psal 50. 21 Apoc. 20. 12. Eccles 12. 14. and enroll every act thought word what ever I speak conceive or doe be it never so close or hid No way then to be saved but to get a pardon before my Doome No plea for that but Christs Bloud no Mediatour but Jesus And no fees for that Advocate but my Teares Not my Purse but Heart must bleed 1 John 2. 1. Luk. 4. 8. Mat. 11. 28. to move his mercy and then he will undertake my peace and Mediation Repentance by the plea of his passion and Intercession of himself never failes of Pardon because he never in Promise Those particular Sessions on my self prevent his generall Assizes my Penance his Vengeance But delay not thy pardon lest thou finde thy doome before it Have it not to seek when thou shouldest have it to shew thy Petition to draw when thy execution begins nor think with an half repentance to get a whole pardon Remorse for sinne without amendment Act. 3. 19. Heb. 9. 27. is but half And death is thy little Doomes-day no amending after it O Lord That I may be cleared by thy Sentence let me be condemned by mine condemned in my Conscience not by a constrained force and fury of guilt but by a voluntary and fair Penitentiall Processe Let thy Deputy 1 Cor. 11. 31. thus doome me that thou maist not condemne me Let me fall at my own Breast that I may stand before thy Bar O Christ Thy Pardon will raise me from such a fall and in that strength of grace and mercy even before thee shall I stand From being cast by thy mouth as low as Hell from falling from thy Bar to the bottomlesse pit and prison beware thou my soule Deliver me Deare Saviour now and ever Amen More of this see Soliloquie p. Saturday-Service Of the paines of Hell Morning Prayer Psal 11. 2. Lesson Isay 66. Luk. 16. or Mar. 9. Mat. 24. Even Prayer Psal 9. Lesson Deut. 32. or Isay 30. Jude 2. or 2 Pet. 2. ¶ Saturday-Collect or Prayer of the Paines of Hell O Dreadfull Majesty that hast Earth for thy Foot-stoole and Hell for thy Prison Of thy mercy forgive me that guilt which in thy justice would bring me to that fearfull Gaole Lord let me often think of Hell that I may never come to it And let me seriously muse on those eternall fires that I may carefully avoid them and Sin the fuell of them and way to it O suffer me not to buy any Sin so dear on Earth as to lose Heaven by it and suffer in Hell eternally for it Dear Saviour that hast triumphed over it preserve me from it by the merits of thy precious blood and passion O Lord Amen Daily Prayers Meditation of Hell NAy but if one were sent Luk. 16. 30 from the dead they would heare him No! not a Preacher from the Grave if none in the Pulpit Especially in a point of so universall a belief as hath not onely a Church-full but World-full of Preachers A point of so cleer and convincing an evidence as hath even those who are most Infidels to it Prophets of it What else doe the Archests and interest of Atheists and Epicures preach Heare they it not from Pulpits in their breasts that heed none in the Church Their terrors in life and honours at death are they not flashes of that infernall fire which they would extinguish Prophecies of what they would not have Hell Which because their guilts condemne them to they therefore rather would not then cannot believe Within thee or without thee in Breast or Booke Talmud Alchoran or Bible Church or World Guiltie one there is a Hell for thee Therefore is thy torture in life when distresse sets guilt on worke and Hell appeares within thee and dread in death when it appeares unto thee No wonder for if most credible what more horrible If Gods Palace be the best place Heaven his Prison is the worst Hell If the joyes of that passe all understanding the pains of this are above our comprehension Discourse may make them great but Experience makes that little Sad thoughts of this are good To have the Mind on hell is the way to keepe the Soule out And have thought of it for if once in no comming out O Epicure whose art it is to put all thoughts of Hell from thee by so Isa 28. 15. much it is nearer and heavier to thee When thy Body which thou pamperest shall die to feed wormes and thy soule which thou wouldst bury with it live to