Most cogent Arguments then well may he Such useful Counsels here for others frame Who hath himself so strictly lived the same Here learn the Art of Alchymy Divine Whereby we may our Earthly Minds Sublime On Muses Helicon let us not stay Whilst to Mount Olivet he shews the way There to the sweets of Contemplation pure Let us always our high-born Souls enure Thence let us freely draw some small fore-tast Of th' unmixt Joys that shall for ever last Which diff'ring quite from all things here below Nor end nor yet satiety shall know John Drake Bachelor of Physick THE CONTENTS THe Introduction Page 1. SECT I. Concerning God and what he is Page 6. SECT II. That the Existence of a God and a Providence in the World is as clearly demonstrable as any truth whatsoever Page 9. God's Existence proved from the impression made on our very Natures Page 10. From the consent of all Ages Page 11. A Digression concerning the degeneracy of ours Page 12. From the sense of Guilt and secret Conviction of Mens Consciences Page 13. From the uncertainty of Reasoning without the Concession Page 16. From the impossibility of any thing to Exist from it self Page 17. From the Perfection of the Creation and from the necessity of an intelligent Spirit for such accurate Productions as we find in the World Page 18. From the exact Order and Disposition of all Things to their designed and adequate ends Page 20. SECT III. That the Existence of a Providence in the World being granted all things must be conserv'd and governed by it and there is not the least inconsiderable thing that may be said to be obnoxious to the senseless guidance of chance and fortune Page 32. God's Providence and Gubernation not to be severed Page 33. The Opinion of the Stoicks and Epicureans condemn'd Page 35. The Stars and Planetary Bodies have no coactive influence upon Terrestrial Bodies Page 36. Neither were things made by the fortuitous concourse of Atoms Page 40. God that made the World still continues to take care of it and even the smallest things are adverted to by him Page 44. SECT IV. That all Minerals Vegetables and Animals with what ever else having in it a Medâ—cinal Virtue had it first impress'd on them by that Supream Being which was the first Author and Maker of them Page 47. Gods wonderful Providence in providing suitablâ— Remedies for the Diseases of frail Mankind Page 48. The ways of discovering their Vertues to us Page 50. We ought to praise God for them and to make use of them Page 54. SECT V. That although God did at first give such a particular Virtue to each particular Plant Mineral and Animal yet for certain providential Causes they may not always exert their natural Operations and prove successful to their desired end Page 55. God hath an absolute Soveraignty over all things and is not tied up to any particular method but may dispose of every thing as he pleases Ibid. Gods usual way of working is by Natural Means yet for several Reasons he may sometimes anticipate them Page 57. SECT VI. That Gods usual way of working is by fit and appropriate means and therefore the Empirick or he that understands nothing of the true cause of the Disease and nature of the Medicine is not to be trusted Page 60. All Medicines naturally produce their genuine Effects especially given by a skilful hand Page 61. Natural means used by our Saviour and the Prophets Page 62. Two sorts of persons condemned the Empirick who ignorantly ventures upon what he understands not and the Stoick who thinks an indispensable necessity of Events Page 63 68. The danger of confiding in the former and the unreasonableness of the latter Page 70. â—n case of necessity we ought to apply our selves to second means Page 72. SECT VII That a holy and vertuous Life is a necessary qualification for a Physician in order to the imbettering of his Judgment and his good success in Practice Page 73. Knowledge and Wisdom is acquired by Piety and destroyed by Vice Page 74. God secretly guides and directs the good Man whose Prayers co-operate with his Endeavours Page 77. The Conclusion by way of Advice to the rest of my own Faculty Page 79. The knowledg of our selves the way to acquire other Ibid. We must own Gods Mercies and not arrogate that praise to our selves which is due only to God Page 82. This is the best course in point of Prudence Ibid. Rules for Physicians Page 83. 1. To begin with Prayer 2. To proceed with reason and judgment and not try Experiments except in extream Cases where a known and tryed Medicine proves unsucessful 3. That they do not promise Cure in uncertain and dangerous Diseases and so flatter the Patient whereby the putting his House in order and his preparation for death is deferr'd if not wholly frustrated Page 83 84 85. The Common Objections against it answered Page 86. It is best whether the Patient be a good or a wicked Man Page 87. The Physicians Prayer and Ejaculations Page 90 92. The Second Part. DIrections how to spend every day in the fear oâ— God Page 1â— Of a private Fast and Directions for it Page 19. Rules for a Religious Fast Page 27. A Prayer for Grace Page 53. A Prayer of Intercession Page 55. The Thanksgiving and Conclusion of the Work Page 64. Reasons why we ought to keep a Narrative or Catalogue of our Sins and the benefit of it Page 71. The manner of keeping your Narrative and aâ— Exemplification of it in some sins Page 77. Directions for Saturday Page 86. Directions for the Lords day Page 89. Of the Holy Sacrament Page 103. Remote preparations for Death Page 107. Of the Proximate Preparations for Sickness anâ— Death Page 113. Remedies against some particular Temptations of the Devil in the time of Sickness Page 120. Of Meditation Page 126. The Thanksgiving after Meditation Page 134. Divine Meditations Concerning Gods Omnipresence Page 136. Of the Mercy of God Page 142. Of the certainty of Death and Judgment Page 151. Of Heaven and Hell the Joys of one the Torments of the other Page 164. Reflections upon Hell and the Torments of it Page 173. Reflections upon Heaven and the joys thereof Page 183. Job 16.24 When a few years are come then shall I go the way whence I shall not return Page 186. Meditations before or at Dinner or Supper Page 203. Occasional Meditations 1. On the sight of a dying Friend Page 205. 2. Vpon the sight of two Apple Trees growing one by the other The one tall and spreading but having only leaves no fruit the other low but full loaden Page 208. 3. Vpon the sight of a Wasp without a Sting Page 210. 4. Vpon the sight of two Doves billing each other Page 211. 5. Vpon the sight of a Lady's Fingers bedecked with many rich Diamonds of great value Page 212. 6. Vpon the sight of many Millepedes killed for a Medicine for my Patient Page
the good Creatures of God with an hearty desire of his Blessing Moderation and Thankfulness remembring that every Creature of God is good and not to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving and that it is sanctified by the Word of God and by Prayer At any other time besides at Set Meals venture not to eat or drink without craving a Blessing and returning Praise at least by Ejaculation After a little Diversion return to thy Closet read a Psalm or two meditate and follow David's Example by offering up a Meridian Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving in the following or like Method Then betake thy self again â—o thy Employments or Studies and be â—iligent in them At Four in the Afternoon if thy occasions permit as there are but very few who can not spare so much time if the â—eart be inclin'd for thou maist do this â—n the midst of thy business and make â—hy Closet in the very Street use some â—f the following Ejaculations either as â—hy Devotion or particular necessities â—rompt thee to If there be again any Publick Prayers if thou be not a Man of Employment and Business omit them not Use the same Meditations again at Supper as before at Dinner and after Supper if the time of the Year or Season permits walk into the Fields and there contemplate and admire the wonderful Works of God the strange Effects of his Wisdom exhibited to us in the variety of Plants their decorous Order exact Symmetry of Parts and the like Praesentem narrat quaelibet herba Deum Let thy Soul say O how marvellous are thy Works O Lord in Wisdom hast thou made them all The Earth is full of thy Riches Who can express the noble Acts of the Lord Or shew forth all his praise c And if you use any Recreation have an especial care first that it be not unlawful or with evil Company next that it be not immoderate and take up too much time but that it may be such as may either tend to the health of thy Body or refreshment of thy Mind that so thou may'st be the better disposed either for the Service of God thy Neighbour or thy Self And because we are too apt to be led by Sense and to forget God in our Mirth thou may'st often lift up thy Soul to God to set a Watch before thy Mouth and to keep the door â—f thy Lips and take care that no lying â—ain-glorious Jesting frothy or idle Discourse proceed from thence consisering that thou must give an account â—f every idle word as well as sinful action Keep always a Religious sense of God in thy Soul and let no sensual pleaâ—ure or delight stain thy innocency When the time for Rest draws nigh â—etire to thy Closet cast off as much as â—hou canst all worldly thoughts and use â—hese or the like Ejaculations Let the words of my Mouth and the Meditations of my Heart be now and â—lways acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Strength and my Redeemâ—r O Lord I beseech thee bring into my â—emembrance the Sins of the day past whether of Omission or Commission whether of Thoughts Words or Actiâ—ns that so I may humbly confess them â—efore thee and find favour at thy Hands â—r the pardon of them in and through fesus Christ And also I humbly pray â—hee the mercies of the Day past wheâ—her Spiritual or Temporal that so I â—ay in some measure offer unto thy Divine Majesty that praise which is due unto thy Great and Glorious Name for them Then reflect and consider how you have spent the Day in what Company you have been how you have discharg'd your Duty in your Place Relation or Calling and how you have in all things behaved your self And if any Sin beyond the common frailties of Nature hath passed from thee keep a Diary of it that thou mayest repent it over again on thy Fast Days or before the Sacrament And that you may not think this Task and Discipline too severe to speak nothing of the common practise of pious Christians even Heathen Philosophers took this Course Pythagras Seneca and Plutarch yea the poor barbarous Indians as Apuleius reports used to call themselves to a daily account of the good and evil of the day and how much greater obligation lies upon us Christians besides the serenity and tranquility of mind every Man feels by such short reckonings with God Almighty I leave to every Man piously inclined to consider And that thou mayest do this the better after a general survey of thy Company Actions and the like in particular examine if thy thoughts have not been vain peevish uncharitable or unchast Whether they have been so holy or at least so innocent as they ought to have been c If thy words have not been vain and empty rash and inconsiderate Whether no foolish speaking or jesting lying or frothy and corrupt Communication hath proceeded out of â—hy Mouth Whether thou hast not slanâ—ered or back-bitten thy Neighbour Whether thy words have been mix'd with that Grace Discretion tending â—o Reprehension and Edification as they ought to have been Whether thy Actions have not been â—nweighed and inconsiderate Whether â—hou hast had purity of intention in â—hem Whether thou hast been so temâ—erate so chast so careful of spendâ—ng thy Time and Estate as thou oughtâ—st to have been Whether thou hast â—ischarged thy Duty in thy Calling as â—hou shouldest or whether thou hast oâ—itted any Duty which thou oughtest 〈◊〉 have perform'd and hast had opporâ—nity for Where thou hast been faulâ— confess it humbly to God and anâ—ex this short Ejaculation Lord be merâ—ful to me a Sinner And venture no more to sleep in thy sins unreconciled to God than thou would'st to die so for for ought thou know'st thou maist now sleep in Death and never see the dawn of another day Then seriously and thankfully consider also the Mercies of the day past both spiritual and temporal which may be commonly such as these delivering thee from those many sad casualties and accidents which might justly have faln upon thee by reason of thy Sins refreshing thee plentifully with his good Creatures blessing thee in thy Studies Labours and Undertakings giving thee leave to lift up thy Soul to him by some tho weak and imperfect Prayers and Praises and also preserving thee if it hath so happen'd from any presumptious sin into which thou would'st certainly have fallen had not Gods restraining Grace prevented thee c. Then say Not unto me not unto me but unto thy Name be the praise Blessed be the Lord God which daily loadeth me with his benefits even the God of my Salvation and blessed be the Name â—f his Majesty for ever Then read a Chapter in the New Testament meditate on it and theâ— immediately before you Address your ielf to God by Prayer to help your Devotion consider that God is a most Holy God that he will be sanctifi'd of all them who draw near unto him that
nothing but what comes from the ground of the Heart is accepted by him and that only the Fervent Prayer is effectual and prevails with him how great need you have of those things you ask and that for ought you know this may be the last time you may have an opportunity of putting up any Petition unto him Then draw near unto God in Faith and in Humility in a sense of his great Majesty and thy own Wretchedness and Misery In the entrance to thy Prayer earnestly desire the Assistance of Gods Holy Spirit and have a care to keep out all vain and wandring thoughts In the close of thy Prayer remember to give God thanks for that gracious opportunity vouchsafed thee for that strength of Body and Assistance of his Holy Spirit which he hath been pleased to afford thee in the performance of thy Duty and desire him for the continuation of the same Mercies to pardon the Frailties and Imperfections of thy Holy Duties and to do more abundantly for thee than thou art able to ask or think c. This being done prepare thy self for thy Bed unless thou art Major Domo Master of a Family and then call thy Family together read unto them or cause them to read a Chapter or two and afterwards Pray with them and be not unmindful to adapt thy Prayers as near as thou canst to their as well as thy own particular wants and necessities which by having an eye over them thou mayst without any great difficulty observe and know As thou art putting off thy Cloaths Meditate that it will not be long before thou put off thy Body also Beg of God therefore by Ejaculation that when this Earthly Tabernacle of thy Body shall be dissolv'd thou mayst have a building with God not made with hands but Eternal in the Heavens and that when thy Body shall lie down in its Bed of Darkness thy Soul may pass into the Regions of Light and dwell with God for ever more through Jesus Christ Amen After thou art in Bed use these or the like short Prayers or Ejaculations I will remember thee in my Bed I will think upon thee in the Night Season At Midnight will I give thanks to â—hee because of thy Righteous Judgments O Lord deliver me from the place works and spirits of Darkness O Let â—e not walk in the Night of Sin lest I â—umble and fall In the midst of Darkâ—ess and the shadow of Death O Lord â—e thou my Light Give thy Holy Angels charge over â—e to keep me in all thy ways and be â—hou O blessed Saviour unto me both 〈◊〉 life and death advantage I will lay me down in Peace and â—ake my rest for thou Lord only makest â—e dwell in fafety Consider and bear me O Lord my â—od Lighten mine Eyes that I sleep â—ot in Death Into thy hands I commend my Spirit â—oul and Body for thou hast redeemed â—â—em O Lord thou God of Truth Glory be to the Father and to the â—on and to the Holy Ghost As it was 〈◊〉 the beginning is now and ever sha◠〈◊〉 c. If any time remains before sleep seizeth on thee you cannot do better than to spend it in Meditation of some portion of that Scripture which you before read If you awake in the Night fill up the Chasms and Intervals with short Prayers Ejaculations or Meditations upon the four last things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell So shalt thou sleep and awake with God Prov. 3.24 yea thy sleep shall be sweet and no dangers of the Night or Spirits of Darkness shall terrifie thee So shalt thou be in a continual epectation of the coming of thy dearest Lord that if he call for thee at Morning or at Evening at Midnight or at Mid-day at the third or fourth Watch thou wilt be found prepared for his coming thou wilt lay thy head down in the dusâ— with joy rest in hope and at length rise to a glorious Immortality which will make an ample Compensation for these thy pains and services Of a Private Fast and Directions for it FAsting in its Definition I take to be nothing else but an abstaining from our lawful Food upon a Religious account which although it be no where in Scripture injoyn'd simply for its own sake yet if we consider the many advantages of it in order to the benefit of our Souls we shall not think the Commands of the Church and the Practice of the Primitive Christians too severe and inimitable The Jews fasted twice every Week sc Tuesdays and Thursdays concerning which is the boast of the Pharisee Luke 18.12 and the Christians have not come behind them and the Sabbath being for good Reasons altered they have observed Wednesdays and Fridays for a Religious Fast which days are taken notice of by Tertullian and called Dies Stationarii But alas we that now live in this profligate and degenerate Age are so far from following the steps of pious Antiquity or the Commands of our Holy Mother the Church that if we set apart a Day for this purpose once in a quarter shall I say before the Sacrament or a year rather we think we have sufficiently deny'd our selves and discharg'd our Duty But certainly did we seriously consider and put a due estimate upon the great Emoluments and Advantages of this Holy exercise we should not be so remiss and negligent in it which I shall in the next place give you a taste of 1. And first of all Fasting is very instrumental to all Acts of Devotion for seeing there is so near an affinity between the Soul and the Body the former using the Organs of the latter for its Operations and for the most part follows the Temperament of it it cannot be when the Body is stuff'd even to Satiety and clog'd with a Load of indigested Humours that the Soul should be so active and vigorous as at other times and mount with those Wings of Devotion with that Zeal and Affection towards Heaven as when it is freed from that Burthen which still presses it down to the Earth And if there were no other reason to be given for it every good Christian's own Experience will sufficiently evince the Truth of the Assertion 2. Fasting is very instrumental in order to our humilation for Sins past and subduing of Lusts for the future Such is the misery of Mankind That whilst we are driven by an indispensable necessity to Eating and Drinking that we may support our frail Beings we also by the same Act cherish and foment our Vices Our Flesh is apt to be too rebellious and we find a Law in our Members constantly warring against the Law of our Minds and leading us Captive at will Now fasting is the Soul's Physick and there is no better way to tame this Monstrous Panther than by substracting that Pabulum which nourishes and feeds it This course Holy David took he wept and chastened himself with Fasting and many of God's Children imitate his Example
my head and my Trespass is grown up even unto Heaven All the thoughts and imaginations of my heart have been Evil and only Evil and that continually I have wrought many and great provocations in thy sight especially O Lord c. Here enumerate thy old capital Sins and that in the mosâ— provoking manner They have not been only single but repeated acts of sin for O Lord of this black Cataloguâ— which I have now brought forth before thee how few are there which I have not often times committed nay which are not become even habitual and customary unto me And to this frequency I have added both agreediness and obstinacy in sinning turning into my course as the Horse rusheth into the Battel doing evil with both hands earnestly yea hating to be reformed and casting thy words behind me quenching thy Spirit within me which testified against me to turn me from my evil ways and frustrating all those outward means whether of Judgment or Mercy which thou hast used to draw me to thy self Nay O Lord even my Repentances may be numbred amongst my greatest Sins they have sometimes been feigned and hppocritical always so slight and ineffectual that they have brought forh no Fruit in amendment of Life but I have still return'd with the Dog to his vomit and the Sow to the mire again and have added the breach of many resolutions and vows both at thy Table and in private to all my former Guilts Yea O Lord I desire to confess to my own shame and confusion that since the last time that I humbled my self in thy sight and so solemnly vowed and purposed to forsake every Sin and not to regard any iniquity in my heart I have returned unto the same if not worse Sins than I then came to confess before thee and to beg pardon at thy hands for for my thoughts O Lord have been vain c. Here enumerate the sins My Words have been inconsiderate c. my Actions have been unweighed c. And besides all this O Lord I have still the same proneness to that which is evil aversness and obstinacy towards what is good I have still an impenitent hard heart which is not sufficiently mollified with the sense of my Sins or thy wrath due unto me for them O God! God be merciful to me a Sinner yea I know not how often I have offended O cleanse cleanse thou me from my secret faults Thus thus O Lord am I become out of measure sinful and since I have thus chosen death I am most worthy to take part in it even in the second death the lake of Fire and Brimstone which burneth for evermore This this O Lord is in Justice to be the portion of my Cup to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face and that eternally But to thee O Lord God belongeth mercy and forgiveness though I have â—â—belled against thee O remember not my Sins and Offences but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Thou sentest thy Son to seek and to save that which was lost be hold O Lord I have gone astray like a Sheep that is lost O seek thy servant and bring me back again to the Shepherd and Bishop of my Soul Let thy Spirit work in me a hearty sense and detestation of all my abominations that true contrition of heart which thou hast promised not to despise And then be thou pleased to look upon me in mercy to take away all my iniquity and to receive me graciously into thy favour and for his sake who hath done nothing amiss be thou reconciled to me who have done nothing well Wash away the guilt of all my Sins in his Blood bury them so deep in his grave and hide them in his Wounds that they may never rise up in Judgment against me either here to shame me or hereafter to condemn me and subdue the power of them by his grace and grant O Lord that I may from this hour bid a final adieu to all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts that I may never once more cast a look toward Sodom or long after the Flesh Pots of Egypt but consecrate my self intirely to thee to serve thee in righteousness and true holiness all the days of my life reckoning my self to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour Amen After this go on with your Devotions and pray over the One and fiftieth Psalm HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sins For I acknowledg my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee thee only have I sinned and done these Evils in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clear when thou art judged Behold I was shapen in Wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me But lo thou requirest Truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand Wisdom secretly Thou shalt purge we with Hysop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whither than Snow Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O take away this stony this hard heart of mine and give me a heart of flesh O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Thou shalt open my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew thy praise For thou desirest no Sacrifice else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt Offering The Sacrifice of God is a troubled Spirit a broken and contrite Heart O God shalt thou not despise O be savourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the Walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of Righteousness with the burnt Offerings and Oblations then shall they offer Young Bullocks upon thine Altar Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be World without end Amen Conclude your Penitentials with the following Collects ALmighty and everlasting God who hatest nothing that thou hast made and do'st forgive the sins of all them that are penitent create and make in me a new and contrite heart that I worthily lamenting my sins and acknowledging my wretchedness may obtain of thee the God of all mercy perfect remission and forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O
Lord I beseech thee mercifully hear my prayer and spare me who now confess my sins unto thee that I whose conscience by sin is accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved from all my offences through Christ our Lord. Amen O most Mighty God and Merciful Father who hast compassion upon all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made who wouldest not the Death of a Sinner but that he should rather turn from his Sin and be saved mercifully forgive me my Trespasses receive and comfort me who am grieved and wearied with the Burthen of my Sins Thy property is alwayes to have mercy to thee only it appertaineth to forgive Sins Spare me therefore good Lord spare me whom thou hast redeemed Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant who am vile Earth and a miserable Sinner but so turn thine anger from me who meekly acknowledg my vileness and truly repent me of my faults and so make hast to help me in this World that I may ever live with thee in the World to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen This being done you are next to review your Sins again and consider what were the occasions which drew you into each particular Sin and then consider and think of those ways and mean by which you may for the future avoid them and arm your self before-hand with reasons and holy resolutions against their assaults whensoever they invade which you may do well to commit to Writing After this consider what Graces directly oppose your Vices that you may in the next place petition for them for it is not enough that you are pardoned but you must also remember that that will not stand you in stead If you again return to your Old Vices An Examplification of this you have in one or two Sins following As January I fasted and upon Examination I found my self guilty of unclean and unchast thoughts and that with delight and approbation which sometimes brake forth into corrupt frothy Discourse and immodest or unclean Actions Upon reflecting into the Causes of this Sin I found them to be Eating and Drinking too highly keeping light or idle Company not keeping that Guard over my self as I ought nor behaving my self in all places with that gravity and seriousness as I should and giving way to the first motions of vain and impure thoughts Upon which I resolved to use my self to a spare low Diet to avoid Drinking much Wine or Strong Liquors to avoid light Company and not suffer mine ears to hear or my tongue to utter any frothy or corrupt Communication to carry my self always with a becoming gravity in my behaviour to deport my self as in the immediate presence of God remembering that he is a God of infinite Purity and Holiness I will be watchful over my own Heart that I do not permit any unclean thoughts or fancies to enter within me much less give them Entertainment and as soon as they offer themselves to my fancy I will endeavour to divert them by holy and heavenly Meditations And last of all I will be frequent in my prayers to God for a clean heart and purity of spirit and for the Graces of Temperance and Chastity When I fasted likewise I found my self guilty of muth deadness and dulness in my Devotions vain and wandring thoughts in them c. Upon Examination of my self I found the great Causes of it to be the want of keeping my self continually in a serious frame and temper of spirit my not spending some some time in Meditation before I came to pray my want of frequency in my Devotions and want of the due sense of God's great and dreadful Majesty and my own necessities of those things I come to pray for Upon which I resolved constantly to keep my self in an habitual frame and temper of piety to be more frequent in Prayer and to praemeditate of the dread and awfulness of that Majesty before whom I appear to consider before-hand that nothing but what is hearty and from the ground of the Soul will be accepted by him and how great need I have of those things I ask I will pray often for the Spirit of Devotion and Sincerity and will be sure to watch over my thoughts when I am at my Devotions but if any such enter I will presently repel them and then pray with greater fervency to cross the Devil's design therein These meditations and resolutions being over you may begin again thus O Lord increase my weak Faith Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief and give me Grace to live and die according to my belief for I believe in thee O God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord who was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into Hell The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into heaven and siteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins The Resurrection of the Body and the life everlasting Amen O Lord be with my Spirit O Most gracious God make me careful to discharge and perform all my Vows and Resolutions which I have made unto thee both in publick and in private Make me a serious and professed enemy to every sin and to all ungodliness especially O Lord to all c. Here meition thy most prevailing Sins and Corruptions and let no sinful thought surprize me without a sorrowful sigh no ungracious word pass me without a suddain retractation and devour confession no wicked action defile me without a sincere and godly humiliation Unto each measure of sin enable me to allow a due measure of sorrow Let those sins that have been reigning over me be at set times constantly revenged by me and as my body hath been a deep sharer in my Sins so let it have a daily share in my Sufferings Help me at set times to deny my self some of those outward Enjoyments which thou O Lord in mercy hast allowed me as a true sign of my godly sorrow for that sinful excess which I have too oft taken without thine allowance Let those sinful hours which have been vainly lost in idleness and emptiness be willingly redeemed in a constant observation of Religious Duties Let no day pass me with out a solemn and devout task of Devotion no hour without some sweet Ejaculation and when at any time the troubles and disturbances of this frail life shall deny me happy opportunities for those heavenly performances what is wanting in act let it be made up in desire which thou Lord I trust wi lt graciously accept and look upon because faithfully intended These and whatever mercies thou knowest needful and requisite I humbly beg in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ
Apple of thine Eye hide me under the shadow of thy Wings O keep my Soul and deliver me let me not be disappointed for I put my trust in thee Comfort in Troubles THe Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom then shall I fear He is the strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid When my Father and Mother forsake me the Lord will take me up Many are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of them all But thou O Lord art a shield for me my Glory and the lifter up of my Head I have set the Lord always before me He is at my right hand therefore I shall not be moved My defence is of God which saveth the Upright in Heart At what time I am afraid I will put my trust in thee In God have I put my trust I will not be afraid what Man can do unto me The Righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my Strength and my refuge is in God Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God Thanksgiving for deliverance from Troubles BLessed be the Lord God for he hath heard the Voice of my Supplication With my Song will I praise him O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me I will praise thee O Lord my God with my whole heart and I will glorifie thy Name for evermore for great is thy Mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my Soul from the lowest Hell The Snares of Death compassed me round about and the pains of Hell got hold upon me I found trouble and heaviness and I called upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my Soul Gracious is the Lord and Righteous yea our God is Merciful I was in misery and he helped me Sing unto the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me sing praises at the remembrance of his Holiness Blessed be God which hath not cast out my Prayer nor turned his Mercy from me What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will offer to thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and praise thy Name for ever and ever Going to the Church or House of God I Will wash my hands in Innocency and so will I compass thine Altar O Lord. It is good for me to draw near unto God even unto God in his Sanctuary How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of my God When shall I come and appear before him As the Hart panteth after the Water brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God Immediately before entring into Church I Will enter into thy Gates with Thanksgiving and into thy Courts with Praise I will Worship in thy holy Temple and will praise thy Name I will wait for thy loving kindness O God in the mid'st of thy Temple In Church if thou happen to be there before Service begins BUt as for me I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy Mercies and in thy Fear will I Worship towards thine Holy Temple Lord I have loved the Habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I might dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary Who is so great a God as our God I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever I will trust in the Covert of thy Wings Blessed are they that dwell in thy House They will be alway praising thee A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him Thy Testimonies are very sure Holiness becometh thine House O Lord for ever This is my rest for ever Here will I dwell for I have a delight therein O let my Soul be satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness when my Mouth praiseth thee with joyful Lips Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning c. Returning from the Church O What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all thy benefits towards me I will receive the Cup of Salvation and will call upon the Name of the Lord. Worthy art thou O Lord to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Wherefore Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever The Law of thy Mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver I have had as great delight in thy Testimonies as in all manner of Riches I have thought of thy loving kindness O God in the midst of thy Temple O let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed Hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my foot-steps slip not Order thou my Steps in thy Word so shall I not be disappointed of my hope Thy Word is a Light unto my Feet and a Lanthorn unto my Paths O lead me in thy Truth and Teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation on thee do I wait all the day In the time of Sickness or approach of Death I. O Lord Correct me not in thine Anger neither Chasten me in thy heavy displeasure For thine Arrows stick fast on me and thy hand presseth me sore Mine Eye is consumed because of Grief There is no Health in my Flesh because of thy displeasures neither is there any rest in my Bones by reason of my Sin My Soul also is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my Soul O save me for thy Mercies sake For in Death no Man remembreth thee and who will give thee thanks in the Pit What profit is there in my Blood if I go down into the Pit Shall the dust praise thee Shall it give thanks unto thee or declare thy Truth The living the living shall praise thee even as I do this day O Let my Soul live and it shall praise thee Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my Bones are vexed Cast me not away in the time of Age Forsake me not when my Strength faileth me Hide not thou thy Face from me for I am in Trouble make haste O Lord to deliver me Hear me O God and have
of the first Covenant The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Behold thou hast now made my days as it were a span length and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee and I am altogether vanity The sentence of Death hath passed upon all for that all have sinned And I who have had so great a share in sinning cannot but expect to receive the due Wages of it Death Only I beseech thee blessed God to make me wise now in the time of my Health and Srength to understand this and to consider my latter end Grant O Lord that by departing from every known sin by keeping Innocency and always taking heed to the thing that is right I may be in an habitual preparation for Death and find peace at the last Wean my heart daily more and more from the love of the World and worldly things and place my affections upon their right and more deserving Objects Heaven and Heavenly things that my heart may be where my Treasure is and that whenever I shall be called to part with them I may leave all without any murmuring or reluctancy and be willing and content to die Let every pain and sickness mind me of my last And that Death may not be a surprize unto me furnish my Soul with all those Graces before-hand which I shall have greatest occasions to make use of in my last Conflict Give me Repentance unto life not to be repented of A Stedfast Faith that worketh by Love towards thee my God and Charity to all the World A Firm Hope such as maketh not ashamed but may become an Anchor of my Soul entring even within the Vail True Christian Courage and Patience and a resolvedness of a cheerful submission to thy Fatherly Correction And Grant that in all things I may so put my Soul and House in order that when I come to die I may have nothing else to do but to die Let not my Death be unexpected untimely or violent if it be thy holy will And when it shall please thee to cast me on my last Bed give me Grace to search my Heart to renew my Repentance and Interest in Jesus and to compose my Soul for God Give me the opportunity and refreshment of thy holy Sacrament the Seal of the Divine Love the benefit of Absolution Some irradiations of thy Love and Favour in the assurances of pardon and peace together with a patient and comfortable expectation of the performance of all thy promises Let not the Devil take advantage of my weakness nor any of his Suggestions prevail upon me Let not his Accusations or my Sins distract me in my last hour but do thou interpose thy seasonable Relief O forsake me not when my strength faileth me but in the mid'st of the sorrows and temptations that I have upon my Bed let thy Comforts refresh my Soul O suffer me not for any pains of death to fall from thee And in my last Agonies when my Soul shall quit the ruinous habitation of my Body let thy holy Angels convey it into the Regions of a glorious Eternity where there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain Grant this O merciful Father for the sake of him who by death hath overcome death even Jesus Christ my High Priest and blessed Redeemer Amen A Prayer for Sincerity out of the Whole Duty of Man O Holy Lord who requirest Truth in the inward parts I humbly beseech thee to purge me from all Hypocrisie and unsincerity The heart O Lord is deceitful above all things and my heart I fear is deceitful above all hearts O thou who searchest the Heart and Reins try me and seek the ground of my heart and suffer not any accursed thing to lurk within me but purifie me even with Fire so thou consume my dross O Lord I cannot deceive thee but I may most easily deceive my self I beseech thee let me not rest in any such deceit but bring me to a sight and hatred of my most hidden Corruptions that I may not cherish any darling Lust but make an utter destruction of every Amalekite O suffer me not to speak peace to my self when there is no peace but grant I may judge of my self as thou judgest of me that I may never be at peace with my self till I am at perfect peace with thee and by purity of haert be qualified to see thee in thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ Amen For Contrition out of the same Author O Holy Lord Who art a merciful Embracer of true Penitents but yet a consuming Fire towards obstinate sinners how shall I approach thee who have so many provoking sins to inflame thy Wrath and so little sincere Repentance to incline thy Mercy O be thou pleased to soften and melt this hard obdurate heart of mine that I may heartily bewail the Iniquities of my life Strike this Rock O Lord that the Waters may flow out even Floods of Tears to wash my polluted Conscience my drowzy Soul hath too long slept securely in sin Lord awake it though it be with Thunder and let me rather feel thy Terrors then not feel my sin Thou sentest thy blessed Son to heal the broken hearted but Lord what will that avail me if my heart be whole O break it that it may be capable of his healing Virtue and grant I beseech thee that having once tasted the bitterness of sin I may fly from it as from the Face of a Serpent and bring forth Fruits of Repentance in amendment of Life to the praise and glory of thy Grace in Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer Amen Those whose Devotions are apt to be assisted by variety or are desirous of Forms for other Graces or more particular occasions may find a plentiful supply in the Books of the aforementioned-Pious Author in Dr. Tailor's holy Living and Dying but more especially in the Book of Devotions composed by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Patrick A Prayer to be used by any Pious Christian in these difficult times O Most just and holy Lord God thou art Righteous in all thy ways and holy in all thy Works I must needs confess that when I seriously consider the multitude and hainousness of my own Sins and those of the whole Nation which cry loudly to Heaven for Vengeance that it is even a miracle of Mercies that we have not long since felt the severities of thy Wrath in some direful Judgments but thou O Lord hast been exceedingly gracious and with much patience and long suffering hast waited for our Repentance and Amendment of Life but yet we have abused this Mercy of thine beyond all the former and have not returned unto thee And now O Lord seeing we would not be allured by thy Mercies thou art pleas'd to threaten us with the approach of thy Judgments which if thou wilt not avert O fit and prepare me for the cheerful Entertainment of whatsoever thy Wisdom shall think fit to
thank thee thou art my God and I will exalt thee Psal 118.28 Then rise out of your Bed and that too more early than upon any other day in which you follow your Worldly Emplyments to shew your greater readiness to serve God than your self When you are dressed retire to your Closet and keep a strict guard over your thoughts that you suffer nothing if possible of any Worldly thing to enter there but meditate that you are to keep this day in the blessed memory of your Lord and Saviour's Resurrection and of the great goodness of God in vouchsafing you the liberty of another Sabbath day the continuance of his Word and Ordinances whereas there are many thousands which yet sit in Darkness and the Shadow of Death And therefore resolve with thy self to spend it intirely to his Glory and in his Service and that not only in general but in particular and draw out as it were a platform of thy holy performances that day and resolve with thy self thus and thus to spend the day as first I will read and meditate then I will offer up unto God my Morning Sacrifice of prayer and praises in private by my self afterwards with my family Then I will spend the time between this and the publick prayers in examining my self concerning any unrepented Sin in Reading Meditation Singing Psalms or the like Then betake thy self humbly to thy knees and pray fervently and earnestly unto Almighty God and praise his name desiring God in the conclusion to inflame thee with a spiritual zeal and affection that thou may'st enter into his Gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with praise that thy soul may be satisfied with the fulness of his House as with marrow and fatness That he will give thee reverence in his House and a holy dread and awe of his more immediate presence there that he will give thee fervency in thy Devotions attention unto his Word a retentive memory and grace to reduce the same to practice â—n thy Life and Conversation In a word that he will so assist thee with his holy Spirit that thou may'st perform all those duties God requireth of thee so as they may be well-pleasing and acceptable in his sight that so at the end of the day upon examination of thy self thou may'st not find any thing to charge thy Conscience with whereby thou hast omitted any part of thy duty or committed any sin against God Forget not to pray also for all the faithful Ministers of God's holy Word that God would open their Lips that their Mouths may shew forth his praise that they may deliver his word with power and efficacy to the convincing the most obdurate sinner and comforting the feeble minded and in particular pray that God who knows the several Conditions of all Men that he would be with the Spirit of that his Servant who is to be the Dispenser of his Word unto thee that day and put a Word into his Mouth which may particularly respect thy own Condition and give thee grace to apply it to thy self and to practise it and finally that he will be with all Congregations that are that day assembled in his faith Fear c. A prayer comprizing these Petitions you have in the subsequent pages At the time appointed for Divine Service call thy whole family together and go towards God's House but not without considering where thou art going Keep thy Foot Eccl. 5.1 and go not without longing Desires and hearty Ejaculations and though thy tongue should be silent yet thy heart should speak the louder and let it say As the Hart panteth after the Water-Brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God My soul is a thirst for God yea even for the living God when shall I come and appear before him One day in thy Courts is better then a Thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the Tents of ungodliness c. As thou art Entring say Surely the Lord is in this place Surely this is no other but the House of God this is the Gate of Heaven When thou art Entred into the House uncover thy Head and if thou followest the Custom of the Greek Church to put a distinction between the House of God and that which is profane or common and bowest thy self lifting up their Ejaculation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God be merciful to me a Sinner thou wilt shew thy reverance to the Place and him that is said to dwell in it and give no offence to truly pious Christians who do not esteem any essential but a relative holiness inherent in it When thou comest into thy Seat kneel down and use this or the like short Prayer O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel who dwellest between the Cherubims and yet are pleas'd not only to permit but to invite thy poor sinful Creatures to draw near unto thee even for their own soul's Good I who am not worthy to tread thy Courts am here bold to present my self to hear what the Lord will say unto me O Pardon all my sins and frailties which make me unworthy to appear in thy presence and so assist me with thy holy Spirit that I may so perform all those duties thou requirest of me here that they may be well-pleasing and acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ Amen Be sure to go early to the house of God at least before the Minister begins with the prayers of the Church and if any over-plus of time remain before spend it not in gazing about or in vain worldly discourse as is too common or in sleeping or the like but take thy Common Prayer Book and thy Bible and turn to the Service of the Church the Lessons Epistle and Gospel and if there be yet spare time read over the latter and see how fitly the prudence and piety of the Church have adapted them to the day and treasure up all those good Lessons and Instructions contained therein in thy mind When the Minister is about to begin say O Lord be with the Spirit of thy Servant in the Discharge of his present duty and open thou his Lips that his Mouth may shew forth thy praise When the Minister begins with the sentences stand up as also at the reading or singing of the Psalms which was a Custom used by the Ancients and now continued by many good Christians because they are of a sublime nature and full of holy Prayers and Ejaculations stand up likewise at the Hymns Creed and Gospel kneel at the Confession Absolution Litany the Decalogue and all the Prayers and content not your self with that slovenly posture of sitting or careless leaning too common with many God who made both for his glory expects the worship of the body as well as that of the Soul and certainly where there is real devotion and spiritual affection in the heart it will discover it self by an outward reverence in the body At the end
That he would bless his Minister that hath this day blessed you that he would pour down a double portion of his Spirit into his heart and make him an eminent Instrument for his glory and finally may so live and so preach that he may both save himself and them that hear him Pray also that he would continue such his spiritual Mercies towards you and make you to grow in knowledg and to be more fruitful under all the means of Grace that so his Word may be unto you the savour of Life unto Life and not to any Soul of you the savour of death unto death c. Thus shalt thou sanctifie this day unto the Lord and the Lord will sanctifie thee unto himself He will give thee of the blessings of this Life and that which is to come Remember the words of the Prophet Isaiah ch 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my Holy day and call the Sabbath a Delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thy own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy Father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Of the holy Sacrament SHould I here go about to enumerate the many great benefits of this holy Mystery I might in the next page also reckon up all the benefits of Physick Meat and Drink for what there are to the Body the other is to the Soul Meat and Drink are the Supporters of our Beings strengthen the Powers and Abilities of the Body preserve its natural heat and vigor and repair its decays and our Saviour saith of this Holy Sacrament my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed such as will not only like Meat strengthen and nourish but like Drink or Wine comfort encourage and revive even drooping dying Souls It came down from Heaven and it is of Efficacy sufficient to translate us thither and as the Body being but a little deprived of Food languishes and at last expires even so is it with the Soul being deprived of this spiritual Sustenance which is said to nourish the Soul unto Life everlasting it immediately grows sick and at length dead unto all good Works And then as the Body by too great plenty of feeding at last contracts Corruption and Diseases and hath need of some Physick to cleanse and purifie it and to preserve the Blood from dangerous putrefactions even so is it with the Soul which by conversing with the pleasures and delights of the World is apt to contract some stain and foulness which may here in this sacred Fountain be washed away and cleansed and the Soul by this Antidote preserved from future Corruptions It is not my design here to acquaint you with the nature use and end of this Sublime Mystery or with the manner of worthy receiving it this being a Province above my low Sphere or Capacity and already so exactly done by the Learned and Pious Authors of the Christian Sacrifice Whole Duty of Man Method of Private Devotions c. to which I refer you All that I shall say in it is to endeavour to press you to the frequency of communicating which if we consider the Will and Command of Christ Luke 22.19 our continual wants and necessities and the great and inestimable benefits we reap by it we should not think our selves excused from any opportunity that offers it self but rather court every one and if it be in our power make it rather than want it for certainly if thou be a good Christian thou wilt think every return too slow and confess with David That as the Hart panteth after the Rivers of Waters so panteth thy Soul after God That thy Soul is athirst for God even for the living God when shalt thou come and appear before him And if thou not knowing it before-hand come into a Congregation where the Table is spread or art sodainly invited to communicate with a sick or dying person I cannot see how thou canst turn thy Back upon that sacred Ordinance although thy preparations are not according to the Sanctuary or so strict as they ought to have been hadst thou had timely notice thereof Supposing thee therefore to be one who lives in an habitual preparation that is in a daily Examination of thy Conscience and calling thy self to an account of thy Sins and in a constant performance of Religious duties and even now lamenting that thou hast not more time to prepare thy self so that what is wanting in Act is made up in Desire thou may'st undoubtedly draw near with comfort and receive as worthily though not perhaps so much to thy own satisfaction as if thou hadst made a greater and more solemn preparation and I must tell thee who ever thou art that unless thou art thus always ready to receive thou art in no wise prepared to die which that thou maist be I shall in the next Section set down some short Rules and Directions which may help thee towards it Remote Preparations for Death THere is nothing so much sharpens the sting of Death and adds greater malignity and venom to it than the want of due Consideration of it before-hand and Preparation for it Inexpertata plus aggravant novitasadjicit calamitatibus pondus Senec. Epist 91. The suddenness and surprize of an evil adds to the weight and smart of it Death we are told is an enemy 1 Corinth 15.26 and you know to be surprized by an Enemy puts all into tumult and confusion and permits not the free use of that reason and conduct that we should otherwise have had upon a timely monition and preparation Nay we are told that it is the last enemy and being to fight but this one battle it will be the greatest imprudence in the World not to muster up all our forces not to make all the provision we can before-hand that we be not worsted in this last Conflict Non licet in bello his peccare To fail once here is to fail for ever And we shall never have any opportunity more to rectify a former fault And therefore that you may not miscarry in so momentous a concern take and follow these brief Directions First in the time of your greatest health carry your self with the greatest innocency watchfulness and circumspection Endeavour to keep your Soul in an habitual frame and temper of piety continually abstain from the commission of any known Sin and do not that at any time which if God should then call for thee for no Man hath any assurance that he shall not die suddainly thou wouldst not be ashamed to be found doing If a sharp Sickness seizes our Bodies whilst we have a load of guilt upon our Souls what consternation and terrour does it strike unto us Our Sins stare
us and then most strongly assails us when we have the least power to resist him There was a time when Satan did suspend his Tyranny sit close in the heart feeding on those lusts he found there without any outward shew of violence Certa quiscendi tempora fata dabant But now he awakes as a Lion out of sleep and as a young Lion greedy of his prey ready to tear the poor Languishing Soul in pieces calls in all his powers and artifices because he knows that he hath but a short time and if he miss this opportunity he must then let it alone for ever Therefore it will be very necessary that you pre-arme your self against his Objections or Assailings and they may be such as these 1. First He may assail thee by setting before thee the multitude and hainousness of thy Sins that they are so many and so great that thou canst not expect that God should pardon them and so endeavour to draw thee to a despondency of God's mercy But then presently oppose this Temptation of his by calling to Mind the multitude and infinitness of God's mercies which cannot be out-numbred by our Sins nor out-weighed by our most presumptuous transgressions Remember that place of Micah 7 and 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of thine heritage Who retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy and that other in Isa 1.18 Though your Sins were as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be Red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll Consider also that the greatest Sinners repenting have found Mercy as Manasses Mary Magdelen Peter Paul yea the Thief on the Cross who at the last breath found mercy 2. The Devil may in the time of thy Sickness assail thee by setting before thee the Strictness and Severity of God's Justice and tell thee It is true God is merciful indeed but he is just too Zephan 3.5 Psal 92 15. And he will not let the Wicked go unpunished his justice runs parallel with his mercy and as the one is infinite so is the other too To this oppose Christ's full and compleat Satisfaction Indeed by the Law no Man could be justified but Christ was made a Curse for us that he might redeem us from the Curse of the Law That he might receive the Adoption of Sons Gala. 3.13 Christ by one Oblation of himself once offered made a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World Christ himself will answer for thee These are mine and shall be made up with my Jewels for their transgressions was I stricken and cut off from the Earth for them was I bruised and put to grief my Soul was made an offering for their Sins and I bare their transgressions they are my seed and the travel of my Soul I have healed them by my Stripes I have justified them by my Knowledge they are my sheep who shall take them out of my hands 3. Satan may object that thou hast no part in these promises because thou art not elected To this oppose God's free Covenant all are invited to receive mercy God excludes none but such as exclude themselves Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and drink is the Language of God by the Prophet Isa 55.1 Nay our blessed Saviour confirms it also John 7.37 If any excluding none Man thirst let him come unto me and drink and again in the 55. of Isa 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon And so in the 33. of Ezekiel 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil way for why will ye die O house of Israel And therefore if thou be one that hath turned from thy evil ways never dispute thy election but as sure as God lives and that his Oath and Word are Truth so sure shalt thou live with him in everlasting bliss and happiness and therefore here thou may'st call to mind some of the fruits of thy Faith that thou hast at any time found in the Course of thy Life and thence comfort thy drooping Soul concluding that thou art certainly of the number of those that are ordained to Salvation 4. Fourthly The Devil may perhaps endeavour to perswade thy Soul that because thou art as it were in some kind of desertion and wantest that clear evidence which formerly thou hadst by reason of Gods present dealings with thee that God is not thy God that thy unpardoned Sins causeth him now to hide his Face from thee in thy greatest Extremity and that he will no more be intreated by thee Indeed if thou hast not repented of thy Sins the Devil's argument is good but if thou hast the Testimony of thy Conscience that thou hast truly repented of all thy sins and that in simplicity and godly sincerity thou hast had thy conversation in this life never be discouraged but assure thy self that though God seems to hide himself from thee yet he has no other design in it but to try thee and the strength of thy Faith thy Christian courage and resolution This will be but for a short time and then the sweetness of his return will abundantly compensate for his short with-drawing For a small moment saith God Isa 54.7 have I forsaken thee but with great Mercies will I gather thee Job had sufficient confidence of the return of God's favour and mercy though for the present there was no manifest appearance of it but lay under the greatest pressure of affliction that a poor mortal could bear and was advised because God had forsaken him to curse God and die and therefore with a generous and noble Spirit resolves that though he kill him yet will he trust in him Job 13.15 Holy David's faith and courrage was no less when he could confidently say though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death yet will I fear none evil Psalm 23.4 I have read of a Martyr that during the time of his Imprisonment being under some trouble of Mind had often besought God for some irradiations of his Love and Favour and that he would send him the Comforter but could receive nothing of it but rather more disquiet and anxiety of mind but yet he was resolved to wait God's leisure which he did and when he was fastened to the Stake he cries out with a heart too full of joy to express it in larger terms He is come He is come I shall conclude this with the words of the Prophet Isaiah ch 50.10 Though a Man walk in darkness and see no light yet may he trust in the Lord and lean upon his God Of Meditation IT is
about me a Body of Flesh which is ready to shrink at the approach of any thing grievous do thou O Blessed Jesu pray for me that my Faith fail not that no terrors of Death or Pains may ever shake my constancy or cause me to deny that Lord that suffered such bitter Agonies for me but that I may continue faithful unto Death and so receive a Crown of Life 13. Vpon an Epileptick Person falling into the Fire and being thereby Cured of his Disease THis Person had for a long time laboured of his Epilepsie the accessions of which at length were so frequent and violent that it would often precipitate him to the Ground without as much as giving him any warnings of it's approaches where he would lie as incapable of helping himself as he was insensible of his condition The Patient used to have a Servant attending him to prevent danger but was now by God's providence out of the way In the mean time a fit seizes him he falls into the Fire which being fervent scalded and burned the hinder part of his Head and Neck whereby were produced many Blisters and Ulcers which afterwards unexpectedly by Gods blessing effected a Cure of that obstinate Disease which hitherto had eluded the force of all Medicines Good God! what a Providence is this how wonderful art thou in all thy doings what an allay of Mercy with Judgment is here judgment in Afflicting mercy in Relieving The impotent Man which thirty and eight years had been Diseased lay a long time at the Pool Bethesda but could not be cured till our Saviour came when we are all together unable to help our selves and when all outward means do fail then God comes with his seasonable Relief and to our amazement and admiration perfects that which we could not expect He that once brought light out of darkness can still bring good out of evil nothing shall impede or hinder his Designs but even that which in humane Judgment seems contrary shall prove a salutary Remedy This shall teach me even in the mid'st of the heaviest pressures not to despond but to trust in him who is able by ways tho altogether unknown to me to relieve me in the greatest difficulties Ejaculations for several Occasions For Pardon of Sin HAve mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender Compassions blot out all my Transgressions Wash me throughly from my Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin For I acknowledg my Transgressions and my Sins are ever before me O God thou knowest my foolishness and my Sins are not hid from thee Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow If thou Lord should'st be extream to mark what is done amiss O Lord who could abide it But there is forgiveness with thee therefore thou may'st be feared Hide thy Face from my Sins O Lord and blot out all mine Offences Be Merciful unto me O Lord heal my Soul for I have sinned against thee Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and loving kindness for they have been ever of old For thy Names sake for thy Mercies sake yea for thy dear Son Jesus Christ his sake pardon all my Iniquities for they have been very great For Grace TEach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God Shew me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy Truth O knit my heart to thee that I may love and fear thy holy Name Lead me in thy Truth and teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation on thee do I wait all the day With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thy Commandments Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousness Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way Everlasting Set a Watch O Lord before my Mouth and keep the door of my Lips Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy Statutes So teach me O Lord to number my days that I may apply my heart unto Wisdom Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my days what it is that I may know how frail I am For the Light of Gods Countenance O Lord hide not thy Face far from me put not thy Servant away in anger thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O God of my Salvation O Lord whatever thou art pleas'd to deny me yet lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon me Thy loving kindness is better than life My Lips shall praise thee Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Withhold not thy tender Mercies from me O Lord let thy loving kindness and truth continually preserve me Turn me again O God of Hosts and cause thy Face to shine upon me and so shall I be saved Make me to hear of joy and gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Speak peace unto my Soul and Conscience and say unto my Soul Thou art my Salvation Thanksgiving I Will praise the Lord according to his Righteousness I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord most high I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart I will shew forth all thy marvellous Works I will freely sacrifice unto thee I will praise thy Name O Lord for it is good Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which only doth wondrous things Morning and Evening and at Noon will I praise thee Seven times a day will I praise thee because of thy Righteous Judgments While I live I will praise the Lord I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Blessed be the Lord God which daily loadeth us with his benefits who is the God of our Salvation and blessed be the Name of his Majesty from everlasting and to everlasting Amen Amen In the time of outward or inward Trouble O Lord rebuke me not in thine Anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure Look upon my Adversity and Misery and forgive me all my sin Be merciful unto me O Lord for my Soul trusteth in thee and under the shadow of thy Wings shall be my refuge until these Calamities be overpast Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my Bones are vexed My Soul also is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long Be not far from me for trouble is near at hand and there is none to help Give me help for I am in trouble and vain is the help of Man Keep me as the
mercy upon me Lord be thou my helper O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen II. I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of Men The Lord is Righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandments Lam. 1.18 I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Thy ways are equal but mine have been very unequal The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his Works Thou hast punished me less than mine Iniquity hath deserved I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son no not the meanest of all thy Servants But yet O do not thou cast off the bowels and compassions of a Father but as a Father pitieth his own Children so be thou merciful unto me Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no Flesh living be justified But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou may'st be feared Thou art full of Compassion and Mercy long Suffering and very Pitiful and forgivest Sins and savest in time of Affliction Eccles 2.11 Look upon my Affliction and my Pain and forgive me all my Sin My sins have deserved Eternal Torments make me cheerfully and thankfully to bear my present Pains Chasten me here as thou pleasest that I be not Condemned with the World III. I have set the Lord always before me Because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no Evil for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staff shall comfort me Thy Word standeth fast for ever in thy Word and gracious Promises is my hope This is my Comfort in my Affliction In the multitude of the Sorrows that I have on my Bed thy Comforts shall refresh my Soul My Flesh and my Heart faileth but God is the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever I will wait patiently for the Lord untill he incline his Ear unto me and hear my cry I know that my Redeemer liveth and because he lives I shall live also He that spared not his own Son but delivered him for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Put thy trust in God for I shall yet give him thanks who is the health of my countenance and my God I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Glory IV. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better than to remain in this Vale of Tears for there all Tears shall be wiped away from mine Eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain O that I had Wings like a Dove for then would I fly away and be at rest My Soul is athirst for God even for the living God When shall I come to appear before the presence of God In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation Thou art my Helper and my Redeemer O Lord make no long tarrying Into thine hands I commend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed it O Lord thou God of Truth Come Lord Jesu come quickly Thanksgiving for Recovery BEhold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit of Corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back Isaiah 38.17 The Lord was ready to save me therefore will I sing unto him as long as I live yea I will sing praises to the God of my life while I have any being I should utterly have fainted but that I believed verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my Salvation The Lord hath Chastned and Corrected me but he hath not given me over unto Death Open to me the Gates of Righteousness I will go into them and will praise the Lord and pay him the Vows which I promised with my Lips and spake with my Mouth when I was in trouble Gracious is the Lord and Righteous yea our God is merciful The Lord preserveth the simple I was in Misery and he helped me Return into thy rest O my Soul for the Lord had dealt bountifully with thee For thou hast delivered my Soul from death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling What shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living Hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my Foot-steps slip not Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for the Morning in private EArly in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee O â—ord and will look up O hear me in the multitude of thy mercies and for the sake of Jesus Christ O thou great Creator both of Heaven and Earth and of all things contained therein thou art a God infinately Wise Holy Powerful Just and Good transcendent in all perfections give me I beseech thee O Lord a firm belief and an acknowledgment of thy divine Nature and Existence a deep sense and due apprehensions of all thy excellencies and goodness together with sutable affections and demeanor towards thee that I may daily more and more adore thee love thee fear thee honour thee and depend upon thee Give me a deep sense of thy infinite Purity and Holiness which may cause in me aversness unto and an abhorrence of whatsoever is sinful and impure and excite in me the fear of Reverence and Caution of offending thee by doing any thing that may displease thee or omitting to do what may be pleasing unto thee I confess O Lord hadst thou been exact to mark iniquity and laid judgment to the Line and righteousness to the Plummet I had long since been cut off in the midst of my sins and felt the Effects of thy severe displeasure but because thy mercy triumphs over thy justice I am not consumed unto this day I have one opportunity more praised be thy holy name to beg pardon at thy hands for all my sins which to my own shame and confusion I confess to be exceeding great and hainous but yet O Lord I know thy mercies do far exceed the multitude and haniousness of my Transgressions O magnifie therefore the Riches of the same mercy in the full pardon and forgiveness of them all cast them behind thy Back bury them in my Saviour's Grave
that they may never rise to shame me here or to condemn me hereafter and I pray thee O Lord to give me every day a deeper sense of my sins and a more compleat repentance for them a loathing and detestation of them and let their remembrance be bitter unto my soul Send down thy holy Spirit into my heart and let him root out every accursed unmortified Lust and sinful corruption from my Soul and destroy in me all the remaining affections unto Sins and dispose my Soul to a constant obedience of all thy Commandments and keep me in an habitual frame and temper of Piety all the days of my Life O Lord give me daily a clearer sight of my Duty and incline my heart to walk exactly and so acceptably continually before thee make me sensible of thy exuberent Love and let not all thy mercies longanimity and patience towards me a miserable Sinner prove successless but raise in my heart all grateful acknowledgments Blessed be thy great and glorious Name O Lord God for all the mianfestations of thy love and goodness towards me unto this day for the Mercies of thy right as well as thy left hand but especially for the Fountain and Foundation of all our Mercies Jesus Christ for the means of Grace for the hopes of Glory for thy particular preservation of me and mine this Night past and for all other thy goodness and loving kindness and I pray thee O Lord Give me that due sense of all thy Mercies that my heart may be unfeignedly thankful and that I may shew forth thy praise not only with my lips but in my life by giving up my self to thy Service and by walking before thee in Holiness and Righteousness all my days And now O Lord since thou hast been pleased in thy Mercy to bring me safe to the beginning of another day preserve me I beseech thee in the same by thy mighty power from all sin and from all danger Let thy spirit and providence direct and preside over all my Actions this day and keep me by the power of thy Grace from those Sins to which my wicked and disorderly Nature subjects me to but especially free me from Here mention thy most prevailing Sins or such as thy Nature Business or Company may that day incline thee to Make me exactly watchful over my self to behave my self as in thy presence and to set thee always before my Eyes that so I do nothing which may dishonour thee my God or wound my own Soul and grant that by the conduct of thy Grace I may be directed and assisted in keeping strictly close unto all thy Commandments and in the discharge of my Duty in that place and Calling in which thou hast set me Let thy blessing O Lord attend me in my Studies Labours or Employments this day give me holiness of intention in them and succeed all with thy benediction Let thy Providence signally watch over me and thy Presence secure me from all evil either of Soul or Body this day and for ever Hear me O Lord and answer me graciously and do for me more abuundantly then I can ask or think and all I beg for Jesus Christ his sake for whom my Soul desires to bless thee and in whosemost prevailing name and holy words I farther pray unto thee saying Our Father which art in heaven c. A Prayer for the Morning in publick with thy Family which with little variation may be also used in private It is a good thing to give thanks unto thee O Lord and to sing praise unto thy name O thou most high to shew forth thy loving kindness in the Morning and thy faithfulness every Night Hear our Prayers O Lord and accept of our praises in Jesus Christ O Most Gracious Lord our God whose Mercies endures for ever and thy Remembrance throughout all generations Thou art boundless in thy compassions towards all thy Creatures and art infinitely good unto them not only beyond what they can deserve but what they can wish We the unworthyest of them desire at this time to give glory unto thee in a humble and hearty acknowledgment of those many mercies and favours both Spiritual and Temporal which thou from time to time hast vouchsafed unto us and most liberally heaped upon us We confess O Lord that we are not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies but most worthy of the greatest and severest of all thy Judgments especially when we consider the sinfulness and wickedness of our lives past for we have drank iniquity like water gone on very Stubbornly and Rebelliously against thee and thy Commandments all the days of our lives continually committing those things thou forbiddest and leaving undone those things which thou commandest yea all the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts have been evil and only evil and that continually and which is worst of all we have still the same proneness to all that is evil but aversness and obstinacy towards that which is good We have still impenitent hard hearts that are not mollified with the sense of our Sins or of thy Wrath due unto us for them But O thou who art a God of infinite Mercies and Compassions manifest the same unto us in the full pardon and forgiveness of all the Sins that ever we have committed against thy Divine Majesty Accept of that satisfaction and attonement made by thy innocent and beloved Son Jesus Christ and for the merits of his suffering pardon all that is past and be thou fully reconciled unto us And so assist us with thy Grace and Holy Spirit that we may be able for the time to come to repel all the temptations of the Devil the World and the Flesh and to live more Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present evil World that so having our fruits unto holiness here we may have our ends everlasting Life O make us stedfastly resolved to despise all the pleasures of sin rather than offend thee our God and to chuse the most difficult parts of Virtue and Piety to obtain and secure thy Love O let us delight in thy Service and desire thy favour above alâ— things which is better than life it self and all the comforts of it Let us love what thou lovest and hate what thou hatest wish nothing so much as to please thee fear nothing so much as to offend thee and in all things be conformable to thy holy Will and walk before thee in all well pleasing O Lord put us in mind of Death and Judgment that every day we draw nearer to our last day and that we shall all shortly give a severe account of all that we have done in the Body and all that we have left undone of all that we have spoken nay of all that we have thought So teach us therefore O Lord to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom and continually so to demean our selves as those that must one day appear before the Judgment seat
times knowingly and wilfully against the Motions of thy holy Spirit against the Checks of our own Consciences against those various methods of thy Mercies and thy Judgments which thou hast used to draw us to thy self yea against those many Promises Vows and Resolutions which we have so often made betwixt thee and our own Consciences both in publick and in private of better obedience and amendment of Life And now O Lord what belongeth unto us but shame and confusion of Face And should'st thou abandon and cast us out of thy favour for ever we must needs confess that the Lord our God is Righteous and that we reap but the fruit of our ways but unto thee our God belong Mercies and Forgiveness though we have rebelled against thee Thou hast published thy self to be the Lord Merciful and Gracious slow to Anger and abundant in goodness and in truth A God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin and therefore it is that we yet hope and because we hope we pray Have Mercy therefore upon us O God according to thy loving kindness and according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out all our Transgressions washus throughly from our Iniquities and cleanse us from our Sins for we acknowledg our faults and our sins are ever before us We know O Lord that though our sins are exceeding great and many yet they cannot exceed the multitude of thy Mercies nor the greatness of Christ his Merits O we beseech thee therefore remember thy tender Mercies which have been ever of old and remember the bitter Sufferings of our blessed Redeemer and for the Merits thereof pardon all that is past and become unto us a reconciled Father and own us for thy Children Neither do we desire thee only to forgive unto us our past sins but we pray thee also to sanctifie our Natures to instruct our Understandings that we may know the things that belong to our Peace to regulate our Affections and place them on their right Objects and to dispose and incline our Wills readily to choose and cheerfully to imbrace what relates to thy Glory and our own Eternal Happiness Subdue all our Lusts mortifie all our Corruptions and bring into obedience whatsoever exalteth it self against thy most holy and blessed will that at last we may come to be such as thou wouldest have us and canst delight in Strengthen us O Lord against all the Temptations of the Devil the World and our own corrupt Flesh O Lord thou knowest the Frailties and weaknesses of our Natures and the number and strength of those Temptations we have to struggle with We humbly pray thee leave us not to our selves for then we shall quickly leave thee but assist us with thy Grace perfect thy Strength in our weakness and where thou feest we are either by Nature or Custom Company or Temptation most apt to be drawn aside to sin there do thou more especially magnifie thy power in our preservation Set a watch O Lord before our Mouths and keep the doors of our Lips Turn away our Eyes from beholding Vanity our hearts lest they think on Vanity and our hands lest they at any time act it and quicken thou us in thy way Search us O God and know our hearts O try us and know our thoughts and see what ways of Wickedness there are in us and lead us in the way Everlasting Give us grace to abstain from the very appearance of Evil and to watch and pray that we enter not into Temptation Possess our Souls continually with an holy fear and love of thee our God Make us holy as thou art holy pure as thou art pure and merciful as thou our heavenly Father art Merciful and Crown all thy Graces in us with Patience and Perseverance that notwithstanding all those discouragements and oppositions which we may meet withal here in this sinful World we may go on chearfully and constantly to do and suffer those things which thou requirest of us in order to thy Glory and the Salvation of our precious and immortal Souls O grant that we may not recede from any Christian performance upon the sight of any Obstruction lying in the way but may be willing to resist even unto Blood for the Name and for the sake of Jesus Christ Fit and prepare us O Lord for all Estates and Conditions whatsoever thou in thy Divine Providence hast allotted for us for Adversity as well as prosperity for Sickness as well as health for an Evil as well as a good Report But above all fit and prepare us for the hour of Death and the day of Judgment that so whensoever wheresoever or howsoever it shall please thee to call for us out of this Vale of Tears we may be found prepared for thy coming and may cheerfully and contentedly resign our Souls up into thine hands as into the hands of a faithful Creator But seeing that whilst we are here below we have a continual need of supply of all those outward things for supportance of these Houses of Clay we humbly beseech thee give us such a portion of them as thou knowest may make most for the glory of thy Name and the good of our selves and others Grant that we may seek first thy Kingdom and the Righteousness thereof and then let all those outward things be added unto us in such a measure as thou in thy Divine Wisdom seest best for us and in every condition that it shall please thee to place us give us Grace to be content Take away from us O Lord both the Evil of Sin and the Evil of Punishment O keep thy Servants from presumptuous Sins deliver us from thine Anger from the withdrawing of thy Grace and from Everlasting Damnation and as for all Temporal Afflictions not as we will O Lord but thy holy and blessed will be done in all things only whatsoever thou shalt please to inflict upon us give us patience and contentment under it and then chasten us here O Lord as thou pleasest that we be not condemned with the World With us we humbly beseech thee to be mindful of all thine the World over give thy Enlightning Grace to all that are in darkness Thy Converting Grace to all that are in Sin O be favourable and gracious unto Zion Build thou the Walls of Jerusalem look upon the Tribe of thine own Inheritance and the place where thou hast dwelt Let thy Mercies and Blessings rest upon all people of this Nation from the highest to the lowest more especially bless with thy choicest blessings our Gracious King Charles The Queen and all the Royal Family Bless all our Ministers and Magistrates Grant that they may be Men fearing God and hating Coverousness Charge thy Providence with all our Friends and Relations Let those that are near and dear unto us be near and dear unto thee let their Souls be bound up in the bundle of Life give them all things necessary for their Souls and Bodies guide them here by thy
Give us grace to apply it to our selves and to reduce it into practice that thy word may be unto us the savour of life unto life and not unto any Soul of us the savour of death unto death These Mercies O most merciful Father for our selves or any of thine and whatever else thou knowest fitting for us together with the acceptance of our praises we humbly beg at thy hands though not for any worthiness that is in our selves for we utterly disclaim all but for the Merits of him who alone is worthy Jesus Christ the Righteous in whose endearing Name and holy Words we continue to pray unto thee saying Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ c. A Prayer for Sunday Evening in the Family Open thou our Lips O Lord and our Mouths shall shew forth thy praise O Most blessed and glorious Lord God Father of Mercies and of our Lord Jesus Christ Thou fillest Heaven with thy Glory and the Earth with thy Goodness All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints give thanks unto thee Thy Name only is excellent and thy praise above Heaven and Earth but because thou art good and delightest in doing good thou art pleased to permit us thy poor unworthy Creatures here on Earth to offer up our Prayers and our Praises unto thee who dwellest in the highest Heavens that thou may'st reward them with thy favour and loving kindness And that we might never be wanting to our selves thou art daily pleased to give us new and fresh occasions of Praising and Magnifying thy Holy Name Even this very day we have had large Experiences of thy Goodness which call for our highest Thanksgivings The temporal Mercies we have received in thy protection of us from those many dangers to which we were exposed by reason of our sins and the plentiful refreshment we have had in the use of thy good Creatures deserve our due acknowledgments but that thou hast given us Dust and Ashes an opportunity and leave to come into thy more immediate presence to wait upon thee in thy House to speak unto thee the glorious Majesty of Heaven before whom Angels cover their Faces and to hear thee speaking unto us instructing us in our Duties and offering unto us terms of Reconciliation most justly challenge our devoutest Affections and most exalted Praises Thou hast given thine only Son to be a Sacrifice for us by whom we have Redemption through his Blood thou hast given him Victory over Hell and the Grave by his Resurrection from the dead and he is now sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high making continual Intercession for us Thou hast given us the constant Solicitations of thy blessed Spirit of Truth the Seal of our Adoption and the earnest of the Inheritance of the Saints together wih a succession of Pastors and Teachers to be the Dispensers of thy Word and Will and the Guides of our Souls And thou hast prepared such things for those that fear thee as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor ever entred into the heart of Man to conceive Lord what is Man that thou art mindful of him Or the Son of Man that thou hast done such great things for him Praise the Lord O our Souls and all that is within us praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O our Souls and forget not all his benefits O that all this Goodness of thine might ingage us by way of just return to thy free and undeserved Mercies more heartily to love thee more devoutly to worship thee and more diligently to live after thy Commandments Give us a due savour and relish of those Divine Truths we have learned this day Grant that we may not be only hearers but doers of thy Word lest we deceive our own Souls Cherish those holy Thoughts Affections and Resolutions which thy good Spirit hath raised in us O Let not them pass out of our minds with the day but leave Impressions upon our hearts the whole Week following and all our days that as we have received how we ought to walk and to please thee our God so we may abound more and more Bless all the faithful Dispensers of thy Word and Sacraments however dignified or distinguished More especially bless him O Lord who hath this day blessed us in thy Name Pour down a double portion of thy holy Spirit into his heart make him an eminent Instrument for thy Glory Let him turn many from their wicked ways unto thee the living God and hereafter let his Soul shine as a Star in the Firmament of thy Kingdom Continue unto us O Lord such holy opportunities and seasons of Grace as thou now affordest us and send them where they are not Let not O let not the loud cry of our national Sins provoke thee to remove thy Candlestick from us or to quench the Light of our Israel but blessed God whatever temporal Judgments thou art pleased to bring upon us whatever Mercies thou art pleased to deny us yet for thy Names sake and for thy Truth and Righteousness sake be pleased still to continue unto us the free liberty of thy House of thy Word Sacraments and Ordinances in their primitive purity and regularity until time shall be no more Pardon we pray thee good God whatever thou hast seen amiss in us the day past even the many frailties and imperfections of our holiest Duties and Performances Look not upon the weakness of our Flesh but upon the sincerity of our Hearts and Desires Pity all our Infirmities and let those Sacrifices which we have this day offered unto thy Divine Majesty be accepted in and for that Sacrifice which thy Son Christ Jesus hath offered up upon the Cross for us Finally O Lord we commend into thine hands this Night our Selves Souls and Bodies and all our Friends every where to be protected by thy providence refreshed with moderate rest and raised again the next Morning by thy power to serve thee with more cheerfulness and to praise thee for thy renewed Mercies And all we beg for the alone sake and love of thy Son who is the Son of thy love Jesus Christ our Lord In whose holy Name we are bold to beg the acceptance of our Petitions and Thanksgivings and to continue to supplicate thy Divine Majesty Saying as he hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ c. A Prayer preparatory for Death to be often used in the time of Health O Immortal and Everliving Lord God thy years endure throughout all Generations from everlasting to everlasting thou art God I thy frail Creature created at first by thy power to a state of Immortality with thy self which by Adams Transgression the representative of all mankind I have long since forfeited my right to and am become liable to Death I acknowledg thy mercy towards me in my Creation and thy justice and faithfulness in the execution of thy Threatnings upon breach