flesh shall behold God my Saviour whom I shall see my self with these eyes and not another Job 19.25 In his bosome will I repose my hope 5 When crosses contrary to flesh and bloud are to be undergone for God and heavens sake sweeten the bitter Cup with this sugar and honie O my soul The sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us These light and short afflictious which are but for a moment work in us a farre more exceeding weight of glorie while we look not at the things which are seen but the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Rom. 8.18 With this handkerchief that excellent wrastler S. Paul wiped away all the sweat of his most hard labours by the proposall of this prize the other most valiant souldiers of Christ fought with beasts with flames with gibbets nay with death it self and overcame 6 If through strong temptations thou feel thy self falling into the pit of despair especially on thy death-bed cast forth this Anchor of hope and say Why doest thou make shipwrack of thy self O my soul Put thy trust in God for I will yet give him thanks who is the help of my countenance and my God Psal. 43.5 Cast thy burden upon him he will not suffer thee to fall for he is infinitely good more ready to give then we to ask or hope He is thy Father who made thee and made so much of thee that he gave his onely begotten Sonne to redeem thee a bondslave And for three and thirty years together how much did he do and suffer for thy sake And now thou hast this same Jesus an Advocate for thee with the Father who is the propitiation for thy sinnes and his blood shall cleanse thee from all sin 1. Joh. 2.1 O be thou with me my dear Jesus help thy humble supplicant lest thy bloud be shed in vain for me by thy help I shall hope as long as I live and though warre rise up against me yet shall not my heart be afraid CHAP. III. The Exercise of Love to God and zeal of his glory THou shalt use these ejaculations to enflame thy mind to the love of God It is written Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy mind all thy strength He that loveth not abideth in death Matth. 22.37 He who loveth not his brother 1. Joh. 3.19 how much more he that loveth not God Thou therefore commandest me to love O good God and threatnest death eternall death if I love thee not Is it not torment enough not to love thee or need we be tied by laws and threats to love thee Am I so blind as not to know thy manifold blessings and graces and immense perfections or rather am I so stupid and senselesse that I have no heart to love thee O thou infinite goodnesse Thou bottomlesse sea of goodnesse Thou immense goodnesse it self And now if love ought to be requited with loving again what love is that which can equallize thy love Thou lovedst me from eternity before I was or could gainsay thy love Thou createdst soul body and all things else which were nothing to thee for my sake and conservest them for me to this day Thou hast given thy Angells charge over me to keep me in my wayes even then ah wretch when I am sinning against thee Thou hast prepared for me an exceeding great reward and hast called me into thy grace that I might inherit it And when I fell away so oft and lost thy love yet didst thou call me back again unto repentance The cogitation of this is pleasant to my soul But O far more sweet O sweetest Saviour that thou shouldest daigne to become Man to suffer so bitter and horrid things and at last to die upon the Crosse for me O cruell me who crucified thee But that which lies sweetest of all upon my soul is That when thou wert about to die thou ordainest the Sacrament of thy precious Body and Bloud a wonderfull token of thy love towards me And now to make amends for so great benefits thou requirest onely that I love thee again O Love exstasie of love How doest thou deserve O thou infinite goodnesse to be loved of all and above all created things So let me love thee therefore O Jesus Thou Saviour of lovers and onely love of all that are saved Let the fire of thy love consume me quite that so I may live and die for love of thy love as thou vouchsafedst to die for love of mine When thou hast thus blown this fire of Divine Love then let it break forth into these flames O my God! my infinite goodnesse I do love thee above all created beings I love thee with all my heart with all my mind and with all my strength am stedfastly purposed to keep all thy righteous commandments and to conform my self to thy most holy will And why do I love thee thus but because thou art infinitely more lovely then it is possible thou canst be loved of me for thy unmeasurable perfections sake thy incomprehensible power most unsearchable wisdome for thy unbounded Holinesse and goodnesse sake viz. For thine own sake O Father Sonne and Holy Ghost three persons and one God! I will love thee above all things who art become all things to me 2 Frequent this duty often chiefly when any tentations befall thee for it helps much thy perseverance in grace 3 Often looking up towards heaven thou shalt crave this excellent gift of love toward God with this short prayer O Thou love which art alwaies flaming and never exstinct my God Love inflame me with the fire of thy love Ah! too late do I love thee O Beauty so ancient and so fresh too too late have I loved thee Make me to know my self and to know thee that so I may despise my self and love thee 4 Be glad whatsoever happens to thee if thou find that Gods providence would have it so Reioyce though adversity and afflictions befall thee and let righteous Jobs song be thine As the Lord pleased so is it Blessed be the Name of the Lord Job 1.21 5 Be sorry if any thing happen repugnant to the will of God if any man sinne and offend God let this trouble thee And do thy endeavour to prevent such deeds and remove the offence when it is committed if thou canst 6 If the devil tempt thee with any grievous temptation pray thus Thou permittest me to be tempted O Lord to try me whether I love thee or not yet thou wilt not suffer me to be tempted above what I am able I know that without thy grace I should contemn thee O thou universall goodnesse and to please that enemy of Mankind incurre eternall death for a momentany pleasure But I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy
in Common Prayers at Church let this be a law to thy Familie Whosoever comes within this house let him be sober chast just religious honest in all things Lie not forsweare not blaspheme not detract not from others mind not cups and revells offend not anybodies eyes or eares or mind either by words or deeds Who so doth otherwise let him depart hence CHAP. VII The Exercise of Repentance and Contrition INto the bottome of thy penitent soul shoot these fierie darts Ah me What thoughts have I had what have I said what have I done mad man that I am I have transgressed contrary to all reason and conscience and oh me against whom and who am I that have done it I a vile and contemptible wretch a base clod of earth more foul and more unworthy then all Creatures have dared and with what face in the presence of my God himself to defie him who is my Maker who formed me out of nothing who is my Redeemer and ransomed me with his bloud when I had made my self worse then nothing Who is my God my onely God Yet the wages of sinne is death Oh what a terrible thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God! 2 And for a momentanie pleasure ah shamefull Merchant that I am in contempt of heaven I have purchased to my self the everlasting torments of hell fire I am confounded and ashamed for though none be privie to my sinne besides my self yet what will become of me when my uncleannes shall be unfolded before all Saints and Angels And how great is my ungratitude to offend him thus who hath done so much for me to have despised all his mercies and loving kindnesses O unthankfull I who have trampled his bloud under my feet O cruell and thrice wicked me who have thus often crucified thee O sweet Jesu And yet thou art patient nay stretchest forth thy nailed arms to embrace me and hangest down thy blessed head to kisse me O infinite Goodnesse I am sorrie sorrie for my sins and lament now not so much that I have lost heaven and purchased hell as that I have offended thee O mercifull Father who now doest not onely not strike me dead but also knockest that I may come to thee and begge for mercie which thing surely thou wouldest not do unlesse thou intendedst to have mercie upon me And now faln flat on my face I come to thee like the Prodigall sonne that had spent all and crie Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthie to be called thy son Luke 15. But pardon me O my Father 3 Then when thou feelest thy soul to grow warm with a heavenly fire break forth into these Flames of lively sorrow O my most Gracious God! O my most sweet Jesus I repent from the bottom of my heart that by my foul transgressions I have offended thy Majestie and most infinite Goodnesse which I ought and will now love above all created things and this cause thou art the God Almightie wise holy and good to whom all sinne is more odious and detestable then can be possibly imagined Wherefore for this thy Love sake I firmly resolve never to offend thee any more to shun all occasions of evil and perform all that thou hast commanded me Forgive I beseech thee as I forgive all trespasses against me and as I humbly crave pardon of my offences so I hope by thy merits of thy precious bloud O Jesus I shall obtain what I ask for and by thy Grace shall amend the remainder of my life and persevere in thy service unto my death Amen 4 Let this be thy constant dutie morning and evening and as oft as thou shalt fall into any sinne that so thou mayest recover Gods favour to thee again 5 And to prove thy repentance to be sincere chastise and mortifie thy flesh by abating thy flesh of all pleasant food by sobrietie and temperance in thy diet by prayers labours and fastings that thy flesh may be subdued to the spirit and yet think not that thou deservest or mayest challenge pardon at Gods hands for all these CHAP VIII The Exercise of Humilitie THou art a sinful a wretched man and art mad if thou arrogate any thing to thy self Wherefore if thou be commended at any time by others or highly esteemed of ascribe all the praise to God who is the Fountain of all Goodnesse from whence whatever good is in thee first flowed 2 If in all thy life thou hast committed any sinne against God or thy Neighbour either by will or deed thou hast deserved hell fire if therefore by Gods providence thou suffer any afflictions or injuries or reproches from thine enemies think thus with thy self I have deserved to be punished in hell how small then are these troubles in comparison of those torments 3 Flie riot in clothes or feasting and all vain pomp and gaudinesse in familie or houshold-stuff 4 If the spirit of pride move thee at any time say with that humble and humbled Saint I have said to rottennesse thou art my father and to the worm thou art my mother and my sister Job 17. And adde Wherefore art thou proud O dust and ashes 5 Make no open of thy good works yet let them think that so God may be glorified thereby and the Church edified 6 Scorn not to put thy hand to the lowest and meanest offices for thine own good or the good of others 7 Give good heed to wholsome counsell and correction and be not thou forward to make excuses 8 Think oft and oft upon thy death judgement and hell let these be alwayes written in the tables of thy mind Especially when thou goest to bed think that thy bed is thy voluntarie grave and sleep but the image of thy death 9 Repeat not what may make for thy own commendation bragge not nor vaunt of great matters of thy naturall endowments thy virtues learning nor thy ancient stock What hast thou which thou didst not receive and if thou receivedst it why doest thou brag as if they were thine own 1. Cor. 4.7 O most vain man cover thy self with thy dust for dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return Gen. 3.19 Nothing is properly thine own but sinne which may justly make thee ashamed but not proud 10 Carrie thine eyes lowly behold the earth sometimes and judge thy self an unprofitable burden thereof 11 When thou passest through a Church-yard say This is our home appointed for all men hither we all tend and are we proud 12 Cast not angrie looks upon any out of hate nor offend them by word or gesture Gentlenesse is daughter or the sister of Humilitie 13 Yield to other mens judgements if they agree with right reason Be not high minded nor wise in thine own conceit Rom. 12. Give the place which is more honourable and fit for others Converse willingly with the poore and lowly Visit Prisons Hospitalls and Almshouses to do good to them
riches encrease set not thy mind upon them said that Kingly Prophet Psal. 62.10 Be thou lord over thy wealth but let not that be over thee 6 Settle thy self rather to endure poverty and death it self then to encrease wealth by fraud or any sinne Nay be ready to forsake Crowns and Scepters if thou hast them if the Crown and Kingdome of heaven call thee away 7 At any feasting if thou prepare a wedding or a funerall feast or the like set aside a portion for the poore and sick whom the prison or bed detains 8 If thou hast wherewithall give something daily to the poore He that hath pitie on the poore lendeth unto the Lord Prov. 19.17 Wherefore to him that asketh thee an almes give without delay to those chiefly whom necessity may urge to take evil courses or modesty will not permit to beg And if thou hast nothing to give give them good words at least For remember that it is the Lord who of all he hath given thee requires a peny back again a morsel of bread a cup of drink by the hands of the poor And teach thy children or servants to say Father or Master Christ stands at the doore desiring an almes Let thy children carry it that they likewise may learn to have mercy Out of thy daily gains sever one part to give to the poore This is true piety Some do so and happy art thou if thou do likewise 9 This same duty to the poore forget not on thy dying bed and in thy Will make Christ heir of some of thy estate at least So shalt thou purchase a reward in heaven CHAP. XII The Exercise of Justice DO Justice and speak the truth from thy heart detract not with thy tongue and do no evil to thy neighbour If thou swear to thy neighbour disappoint him not though it be to thine own hinderance 2 Render to every man his due hurt no body do as you would be done by As ye would that men should do unto you so do unto them Matth. 7.12 3 Pay that thou owest restore what is not thine own Beware that thou keep not the hire of the poore by thee it is an abomination unto the Lord Lev. 19.13 4 Thou shalt not have divers weights in thy bag a greater and a lesse neither shalt thou have measures a greater and a lesse in thine house but thy weight shall be just and true and thy measure even true that thou mayst live long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee For the Lord thy God hateth him who doth so and turneth away himself from all unrighteousnesse Deut. 25.13 c 5 Be not unthankful but acknowledge and professe from whom how great benefits thou hast received and shew thy self willing and ready to return all possible and honest thanks to thy benefactours 6 Thou shalt not justifie the wicked neither shalt thou pervert judgment nor shalt thou judge with respect of persons Thou shalt not take a gift because gifts blind the eyes of the wise and alter the sentence of the just Deu. 16 7 Preserve peace and quietnes and prefer the publick good before thy private CHAP. XIII The Exercise of Obedience HEarken unto the commands of thy Fathers especially of Gods Ministers as unto the Oracles of God 2 Obey Rulers and thy Parents and do what they bid thee Thou shalt perform all their commands whom God hath set over thee Deut. 17.10 3 Observe truly and constantly the laws of the Commonwealth or societie wherein thou livest Let every soul be subject unto the higher Powers Rom. 13.1 4 If thou be a sonne or a servant attend the will of thy Superiours and do what they command thee 5 If their commands distaste thee yet be thou obedient unlesse they command a thing apparently evil for when any thing is commanded against God then obey God rather then men Acts 5. 29. 6 But if their commands be just perform them though they be adverse to thy inclination and do them heartily without delay CHAP. XIIII The Exercise of Chastitie THou shalt stirre up in thee an exceeding love of Chastitie and a vehement hatred of all wantonnesse 2 By all means shun all occasions of luxurie Turn away thine eyes from alluring beauties and look not after women fix them not there 3 Keep with a double lock thy eares and tongue from obscenitie and scurrilitie Abstain from impudent jests gestures from shamelesse companions and evil conversation flie as from a serpent 4 When thou art alone incline not to lust sinne not for God seeth 5 Pamper not thy flesh soft raiment drinking and daintie meats effeminate both mind and bodie Go not to suspicious places use not idlenesse wanton Books lascivious Pictures nor immodest dances It is a true saying Who flies wantonnesse puts it to flight 6 When thou goest to sleep close up thy eyes with heavenly thoughts When thou awakest shake off all foul imaginations Call on thy Jesus and set thy mind on divine objects 7 If in the day time foul imaginations and suggestions arise repell them by Prayer and strengthen thy mind against them Meditate of the presence of God and his holy Angels of the Crosse of Christ thy own death judgement and hell Such golden nails will soon drive out the other 8 Wash and cleanse thy soul full oft if thou hast polluted thy self with sinnes of the flesh confesse with David thy transgressions unto the Lord Psal. 32.5 Take to thee some wise and faithfull Nathan who may comfort thee in thy Repentance and say The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die 2. Sam. 12.13 9 Go and sinne no more Confession is the sinners physick But resist by all means temptations in the beginning When first therefore thou feelest thy sensitive appetite to rebell against reason and the devil at hand resist him presently or thou art undone If the old serpent gets but in his head he will soon draw in his whole bodie therefore be readie to crush that cockatrice in the shell think of some other matter Call upon God for his aid set thy self to some hard labour honest and profitable lest the devil find thee idle 10 I beseech thee by the mercie of God to present thy body a lively sacrifice holy and acceptable to God Rom. 12. Make not the members of Jesus Christ the members of an harlot Thy body ought to be the temple of the H. Ghost Thou art bought with a price therefore glorifie God in thy body and in thy spirit which are Gods S. Paul speaks excellently of this 1. Cor. 6. CHAP. XV The Exercise of Temperance EAt such aquantitie of food as may stand with the health of thy body and not the destruction of thy soul In feeding flie all greedinesse and voracity Take thy food but as Physick 2 Be sober and vigilant because your adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour 1. Pet. 5.8 Take heed lest at any time thy heart be burdened with surffeting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and the day of the Lord come upon thee unawares Luk. 21.34 Wo to thee if thou risest early to follow strong drink and continue till night Wo to thee if thou be strong to mingle strong drink Isa. 5. 11 22. Wherefore I command thee and adjure thee by that terrible day of judgement to flie drunkennesse with all thy power and Gods help Drunkards together with fornicators idolaters adulterers lascivious abusers of themselves with mankind thieves covetous railers extortieners are utterly excluded from the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.9 10. 3 Give not strong drink to another to make him drunk Wo be to thee if thou doest We may here apply that of the Prophet speaking of the judgement of the Chaldeans Hab. 2. 15 16. Drink thou also The cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned unto thee and shamefull spewing shall be on thy glory 4 Though thou be adjur'd by great and dear names to drink off whole ones consent not 5 Thou oughtest to abstain not onely from imitating but also from the company of drunkards according to that of the Apostle If any who is called a brother be a drunkard with such an one do not eat 1. Cor. 5.11 And if the Church neglect to excommunicate such a notorious unrepentant sinner if the Magistrate punish him not yet let every man in particular shun his company lest they appear to comply with other mens sinnes or to partake with them This is to be done then at least when there is no hope of his repentance 6 Let it suffice thee for the time past to have lived as the heathens live walking in lasciviousnesse lusts drinkings revellings and abominable idolatries The end of all is at hand be thou therefore sober and watch unto prayer 1. Pet. 4.3 I charge thee by Christ to consider what I say and the Lord grant thee understanding in all things God sanctifie thee throughout that thou mayst be blamelesse in soul and body and mayst be found so at his coming when he shall come to judgement to render unto all according to their works The Lord preserve thee unto his heavenly Kingdome To whom be glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS The Table CHAP. I. The Exercise of Faith pag. 1. CHAP. II. The Exercise of Hope 10 CHAP. III. The Exercise of Charitie towards God and zeal for his glory 22 CHAP. IIII. The Exercise of Religion to God-ward 39 CHAP. V. The Exercise of charity towards our Neighbour 44 CHAP. VI The Exercise of zeal for the salvation of souls 50 CHAP. VII The Exercise of repentance and remorse for sinnes 55 CHAP. VIII The Exercise of Humility 65 CHAP. IX The Exercise of Modesty 76 CHAP. X. The Exercise of Patience 79 CHAP. XI The Exercise of forsaking all for Christs sake 88 CHAP. XII The Exercise of Justice 96 CHAP. XIII The Exercise of Obedience 100 CHAP. XIIII The Exercise of Chastity 103 CHAP. XV The Exercise of Temperance 110 FINIS
righteous judgements Be thou my helper O forsake me not neither despise me 7 When upon any occasion thou runnest into any danger of a mortall sinne O let me be torn into a thousand pieces and rent asunder shalt thou say rather then preferre any thing before the love of God often objecting to the devil that Christians sentence I had rather die then be defiled 8 But if thou chance to fall wretch that thou art make all haste to rise again and by renewing thy first love eschewing evil and doing good deferre not to reconcile thy self to God through the merits of Jesus 9 Be sure thou commit not the least fault wittingly or willingly for the dearest friends sake O rather let all friendship fall to the dust then thy friendship with God should be endangered 10 Thou shalt pray for all men and strive to obtain of God truly to know him love him worship him and thou shalt endeavour by all means truly to bring all to the knowledge of him to love him and to worship him 11 Fail not to be a frequent partaker of his holy Communion that so thou mayst cleave nearer to him by faith and more sweetly converse and delight thy self with him in one Spirit 12 In every creature thou shalt contemplate God who in the least things is most great Thou shalt love him in them and them for his sake Seest thou the Sunne It is God say that sendeth forth these beauteous beams who is the Fountain of all beauty himself and ten thousand times brighter then the Sun Is meat set before thee say God hath prepared a table for me And so forth of the rest CHAP. IIII. The Exercise of Religion towards God IN all distresses and afflictions make Prayer thy refuge 2 And upon all occasions at any time or place when thou prayest pray not onely in spirit but also exhibite a lowly reverence by the outward gesture of thy body especially in thy private devotions where God alone is witnesse of thy actions and in publick so farre forth as thou seem not unto men to affect hypocrisie or vain ostentation with the Pharisee Matt. 6.5 But in private ejaculations which are the arrows of the soul shot to heaven every outward gesture is not so needfull to be expressed 3 The Common-Prayer and Sermons and other duties of devotion neglect not but say with David I was glad when they said unto me We will go into the House of the Lord Psal. 122. 4 Be carefull that Divine Service be performed aright and delight thy self in the beauty of Gods House 5 If God hath given thee riches adorn Churches therewith buy Books Chalices Vestments and other ornaments for them at thine own cost especially in such places where Divine Service is not altogether so devoutly and purely administred 6 Set aside appointed times for thy private devotions and observe them not onely out of custome but of fervency to encrease thy piety 7 Use not thy self to swearing yet if thou swear perform thy oaths 8 Vow nothing rashly but upon great deliberation and when thou hast vowed pay 9 Imitate the life of Jesus Christ and follow the steps of his Saints in all things wherein they may or ought to be imitated 10 The pious rites and Ceremonies of the Church esteem highly of which are not repugnant to Gods word and on the other side flie superstition CHAP. V. The Exercise of Charitie towards our Neighbour IF thou seest men flourishing and in prosperitie think that thou beholdest God in them who is the wellspring of all good If on the contrary thou seest any poore and despised Christ and him crucified By these considerations thou wilt nourish and shew love to both sorts In love make no difference between thy friends and enemies Charitie embraceth these as well as them them indeed with more tendernesse these with more noblenesse 2 Thou shalt strive by all wishes and prayers all pains and endeavours that all may have sufficiencie of the gifts of Nature and prosperitie but especially of divine Grace that so they may be truly happie And if thou seest any to abound in these with affluence shew thy self glad of it with all cheerfulnesse of countenance but if thou findest any to want them or be in any distresse or perill thou shalt be sad and endeavour by all means to rid him from his calamitie 3 Thou shalt interpret all things from others in the better sense thou shalt scorn none nor detract from any nor provoke them by opprobrious terms Honour all with due respect If any detract or rail against other thou shalt interpose maintain his credit with what buckler thou canst Thou shalt further all thou canst in the fear and worship of God and to good works thou shalt perswade by word but much rather by example they indeed move but these draw 4 Denie not to succour to lend when thou art askt nay do such courtesies without asking Feed the hungrie give drink to the thirstie entertain the stranger clothe the naked and visit the sick redeem the prisoners and burie the dead This Charitie belongs to the bodie 5 As for the soul Instruct the ignorant correct the sinner counsell the doubtfull comfort the afflicted indure injuries forgive wrongs pray for others yea for thy enemies 6 Observe friendship with constancie fasten that knot and if it be loosed tie it again Reconcile those who are fallen out strifes and contentions which are the bane of Charitie extinguish and wipe away these and all other deeds of mercie and goodnesse perform with all cheerfulnesse CHAP. VI The Exercise of Zeal for the salvation of Souls VSe constantly the appointed prayers for the Church by name For the Kings Majestie his Royall Consort and their princely Progenie for all the Magistrates and Clergie It much concerns the publick good to have speciall care of publick Persons 2 Thou shalt promote the good of others by setting forth books catechismes exhortations sermons lections either by thy self or others by thy munificence towards the Universitie and Schools c. or by any other wayes thou canst. 3 If any offends or hath incurred any fault do thy endeavour to forbid it or take it away and be as diligent as if thou thy self hadst been wounded thereby 4 And if it shall please God hereafter to make thee a Father of a familie and blesse thee with wife and children thou shalt have a singular care of them they are more near to thee Discipline thy children betimes provide a good nurse good guides for them Here lies the main businesse if thy children or servants offend grievously correct chastise them severely rule thy wife with prudence and provoke her to good works Be vigilant and carefull night and day for the chastitie of thy daughters thou hast no treasure so much exposed as these 5 Lastly govern all thy familie piously and religiously let all resort to Prayer morning and evening privately or publickly if it may be Let all that can assemble