may be as an Evening Sacrifice that this our Religious Address may prove the fervent effectual prayer of the Righteous which Availeth much Blow therefore holy Spirit of Grace upon the Garden of our hearts and the sweet-smelling Odours of our Faith and Hope of our Reverence Zeal and holy fervour in prayer shall instantly flow forth Grant O God that we may pray with understanding with a due Regard to thy Greatness and Majesty with a prepared Deliberate and Devout temper of Mind that our prayer may not become the Sacrifice of fools through our rash unadvisedness but that it may prove a Grateful and Acceptable Sacrifice unto Thee an instrument of holyness a Restraintive from sin a Defence against Temptation a procurer of every Corporal and Spiritual Good Gift Oh that we might be thus ever worshipping ever Adoring thee Oh that we might pray without ceasing as to the habitual pious frame and Devout Disposition of our hearts But alas O Lord how are our souls possest with a Spirit of Infirmity How are they bow'd down with Listlessness and formality in thy Service O raise them up by the fervours and elevations of Devotion Quicken them with thy Graces enflame them with thy Divine Love purifie and spiritualize their corrupt Earthly Affections Give us to be in earnest amidst these our Supplications Give us to ask blessings of thee so believingly so fervently and indesinently as to Receive them by Asking Oh that we may set a true value upon this most valuable priviledge of Prayer that our Souls may be filled as with marrow and fatness when our mouths thus praise thee with joyful lips Hast Thou O Lord promised to prepare the hearts of thy Servants to seek thee and that then thou wilt Graciously incline thine ear to hear and fulfil their Requests and shall not we on our parts contribute what we can to the preparation and set our selves to worship thee with an holy worship Oh suffer us not to let thee Go permit us not to give over entreating thee till thou hast Granted us our hearts desires fulfill'd the Requests of our Lips and bless'd us with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus O that thou wouldst be pleas'd at present to wing our Souls with holy Devotion to let down of thy heat and of thy Light into them to create in us upright hearts and most vehement desires after a fuller Communion with thee in Religious Ordinances As the Hart pantetâ—â— after the water-brooks so may our spirits in heav'nly Aspirations Long and pant after thee O God! Crying out Oh when shall we come and appear before God When shall we see and experience of his beauteous of his comfortable Goings forth in the Sanctuary as in former seasons Grant O munificent Jesus with whom the most urgent importunities are very Acceptable and Delightful grant that we may obtain all convenient Temporal Spiritual and Eternal blessings by the humble violence of fervent uncessant Supplication O thou God of all Consolation thou foundation of Blessedness who Delightest to 〈◊〉 the â—eek and Lowly desires of thy â—â—digent Dependant Creatures Enlarge our hearts in this thy Service Give us to taste of the sweets of Devotion let us experience the mighty efficacy of prayer O suffer us not to come down from this holy mount of exalted praise and Adoration till it has proved a mount of Transfiguration unto us till we are made thereby more Resemblant of thy Divine Nature in Purity and Holiness Oh may we take such a prospect of the promised Land of Rest and Happiness above from the towering Ascent of Prayer that we may Anticipate the Joys Celestial may contemn these Earthly vanities and disdain every meanner Satisfaction than what thou our God the things Spiritual and Eternal can yeild us Accept holy Father of this as a Tribute of Thanksgiving for all thine inestimable benefits from time to time conferr'd upon us Accept of this poor unworthy Retribution but however all that our Indigency and Poverty all that thy self-sufficiency and fullness will allow us to pay thee O may we Live and Dye thus pouring out our souls to thee in humble Supplication and Gratulatory praises And when we have pray'd and prais'd and adored thee our ut most our appointed measure here on Earth O Grant we may be taken up into Heaven and there be joyn'd to the Eternally praising worshipping and Adoring Quire of Glorisied Saints and Angels Amen for our Redeemer's sake Amen Amen A PRAYER FOR THE MORNING MOst Great most Glorious and Gracious Lord God Glorious in Majesty fearful in Power infinite in Holiness with what holy Awe and Reverence with what pious Humility and Prostration of Soul ought we vile Creatures we sinful Dust and Ashes to approach this thy more immediate Presence Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou so Regardest him as to watch over him with thy Good Providence as to visit him with thy faithfulness in the Night-season and with thy Loving-kindness every Morning O how indebted are we to thy Goodness and Forbearance that we are yet in the Land of the Living praising thee We pray thee make this thy Goodness and Long-suffering instrumental to the leading us out of a principle of Gratitude to a more compleat and advanced Repentance Blessed be thy Name for the Protection afforded us the Night past for thy Renewed Mercies of this Day O Grant that they may Excite us to a Renewing of our holy purposes and Resolutions of stricter and better Obedience for the future may thy Adding days to our Lives cause us to Add Diligence to our religious endeavours Give us Grace to spend our present continued season in such a Godly manner as if it were to be our Last as Ready prepared against its being such Let not we beseech Thee the increase of our years contribute to the increase of our Guilt and Number of our Sins but cause this further indulged space of Time to be so well-improved by us as that it may bring us the nearer to an happy Eternity But O our God how have we given thee occasion by our Abuse of former means of Grace and opportunities of Salvation to Deny us any further ones and to cut us off in the midst of our Transgressions How mayst thou resolve in thy wrath having been so Long Grieved so Long Resisted by our sinful obstinacy that thy holy Spirit shall not Allways strive with such Refractory Offenders The Number of our Impieties is Great the Heinousness of them much Greater we have forgotten thee too too often have sinn'd against thee Days without Number tho thou hast pardon'd hast Spared us days without number though thou hast given us our Being though thou hast plentifully provided for our well-being yet have we forgotten thee though thou hast given us thy Son to Redeem us though thou hast given us thy Holy-Ghost to Purifie Assist and Comfort us yet have we ungratefully Rebell'd against
should ease and recreate and usually bends and weighs down the Soul with Covetousness to the Earth Riches what are they but vanishing Treasures Which if not taken out of our Hands by the Fraud Violence and Injustice of others may in time make themselves Wings and fly away from us which we certainly must leave at the day and hour of our Death Riches attended with disquieting thoughts and brain-cracking Projects in the procuring them with anxious Cares and Solicitudes in the keeping them with jealous fears and distrusts of loosing or being despoil'd of them The immoderate Love of which is the Root of all evil That which puts men upon the worst of wicked practices which pierces their Hearts through with many Sorrows and finally drowns them in the Gulph of Perdition Worldly Pleasures what be they But the joyous sensations of a few moments which Decease as soon almost as born and which tasted straightway loose their flavour and Relish Which if dishonest and sinful are likewise hurtful and prejudicial and very severely paid for by succeeding shame sorrow and repentance if innocent and harmless yet carrying vanity in their Nature they add also Vexation of Spirit through a deceit of our Expectations For how should what is Finite as all Terrene Comforts are afford any compleat and settled Satisfaction Oh no Absolute and Durable Contentment is not contain'd within the narrow limits of the Creature Nothing but what is Infinite is proportionate to an immortal Souls Capacity which are next to Infinite O our God that such a thing of Nothing or worse than Nothing of pain sorrow and disappointment as is this World should take up so much of our Affections as it does and that Heaven a Region of the sublimest sincerest ever-durable and most enravishing Delights should share so little in our Love and Approbation Thither did we mount our Thoughts our Desires our Religious Enterprizes even to the Celestial Mansions above oh with what Disdain should we look down on this vile inferiour Earth How little would it appear in our sight Nay how would it in a manner disappear our God our Heaven our spiritual and eternal Concerns having pre-ingaged the main of our Affections and consequently having left little Room for meaner Objects and Entertainments We are Pilgrims here on Earth and therefore ought to have the coldness and indifferency of Pilgrims to its most entertaining Gratifications we are strangers here on Earth and ought on that account to be shy of using too much Familiarity with the World lest it should ruin and betray us with its wicked Seductions For who would trust himself too far who would live careless and unguarded in a Forreign in an Enemies Country We are Strangers here 't is so very Little a time we shall continue in this Alien Countrey that 't is not worth our while to set our hearts upon it to learn its Language or Conform our selves to its Customs and Manners We are Citizens of the New-Jerusalem which is above Heirs of an Heavenly Canaan and shall we basely hanker after the Garlick and Onions of this viler Egypt Can we think this howling Wilderness-Condition a Paradise of Delights Or do we account Heaven the End of our Hopes not worth making it the End of our Pious Labours Not worth the looking after or earnest contending for it Does a life of Voluptuousness of too free indulgence unto or too much Affection for Worldly Pleasure Honour or Profit suit with the Gospel-Duties of Mortification and Self-denial With a being Crucified to the World and the World to us in the immoderate Love thereof With the End of our being sent into it viz. to prepare for our happy going out of it and for a Blessed Eternity Does it suit to our profession of a Suffering Religion suit to the Disciples of a Crucified Saviour To his Mortified Poor and Lowly Example Who was made perfect through Sufferings and Worldly Renunciations Does it suit lastly to our Baptismal Vow and Covenant wherein we solemnly engaged to Renounce the Devil and all his Works the vain Pomp and Glory of the World with all covetous desires of the same and no longer to follow or be led by them O what Perfidiousness what Perjury is it after all this to be false to our Christian Profession false to our Baptismal Vow and Covenant by becoming Idolaters of Earthly Vanity following and being led by it and preferring the things Sublunary before those of Heaven and Eternal Glory The Prayer O Most Amiable Divine Majesty Give us a lively Transporting Prospect of the Glories of Heaven give us a prospect of the Enravishing Beauties and Perfections of thine own Nature and then how will all Sublunary Pomps and Vanities appear dim and faded in our sight How shall we look down with Scorn and Contempt upon them Wilt Thou O Lord allow us to Raise our Thoughts to Thee to Exalt them above this World and shall we still lye Groveling upon it Wilt Thou Admit and Accept our weak imperfect Affections and shall we not do all we can to Elevate our Thoughts to Spiritualize our Affections for thy Service O give us that Victory of Faith whereby we may overcome the World that Assurance of Hope whereby we may live above its Corruptions purifying our selves even as Thou art pure Mortifie in us O Sovereign Excellency the Love of the World with the Quickning Enflamed Love of thy self shew thy Self a Loving Father to us and it sufficeth a Glance of the Light of thy Countenance is enough to Eclipse all Earthly Splendour O make us to see the Vanity of all things here below and then we shall soon discern the Vanity of our Affections in inordinately doteing on them Cause us O Spirit of Divine Grace to consider how our Blessed Saviour the Lord of all things the Lord of Life and Glory despised and contemned the World and certainly after this we cannot continue overvaluing it Cause us to have our Thoughts our Desires our Conversations more in Heaven and then shall we be much less fond of this Earth for finding our infinitely more valuable Treasures Above our Hearts our Affections will be there also Make us O our God to evidence daily our contempt of this World by the coldness and indifferency of our Love towards it by wanting its Enjoyments without Impatience by possessing them with Temperance and Moderation and by Loosing them without murmuring and discontent Perswade us O Lord effectually perswade us that we can never be happy till we have disintangled our Affections from every empty unsatisfying disappointing and transient Good here below and till we love Thee above all things who alone canst fill our desires gratifie all our wishes till we despise this World think lowly of our selves highly of our God and are wholely dead and crucified to all Polluting sensual Lusts and Appetites O come Thou then unto us O our God come and satisfie our Souls with thy Fulness replenish them with thy Likeness in Holiness and
thee in Contempt of thy Goodness Patience and forbearance in Contempt of thy Astonishing Love manifested in Christ Jesus in Defiance of the clearest Revelation of thy Will and Pleasure by him in Defiance of thy Great and precious Gospel Promises of all the Convictions of our own Consciences calls of thy blessed Spirit Sacred Word and Gracious Providences admonishing us to be Reconciled unto thee our God! And can'st thou O Lord wilt thou after all this Disobedience after all this presumptuous offending thee be yet Reconciled to such vile wretches and miserable sinners as we are Is there still Mercy with thee that thou may'st be fear'd Is there still Hope for us in a Crucified Saviour O blessed Saviour help and deliver us we most humbly beseech thee by the Merits of thy Death and Passion by the Justifying power of thy Resurrection and Ascension by the prevalency of thy Mediation and Intercession have Mercy upon us Thy Compassions are always free and ready towards Repentant Offenders Lord we Repent perfect our Repentance Lord we believe O help thou our unbelief we solemnly promise thee a more Reformed Obedience a more exalted Righteousness O strengthen us to keep this our promise to perform this our holy Resolution Deliver us O Heavenly Father not onely from the Guilt and Condemnation but also from the power and pollution of our sins Assist us to break off those Chains of evil Custom and Habit those fetters of Wordly Cares and Temptations those sensualizing Tyes of Corrupt Inclinations or inordinate Passions in which we have formerly been held Captive Create clean hearts O God and renew a-right Spirits within us for the time to come beget in us a true Faith a sincere Repentance an enflam'd holy Love towards thee that we may Delight our selves in thy Commandments that we may walk before thee in uprightness in an ingenuous fear of Displeasing thee in a joyous Carefulness of doing what is Acceptable in thy Sight Diligently seeking thee constantly Depending on thee chearfully Submitting to thy Will and Zealously practicing it in the Duties of our several Callings with Godly sincerity and constancy unto our Lives End O Lord keep our feet order our steps that they stray not out of the paths of thy Commandments out of the Paths of Truth Righteousness and Peace O Lord keep our mouths as with a bridle that we offend not at any time with our Tongues through profane Swearing through lying slandering immodest filthy Speech or false-witness-bearing endue us with the most enlarged and raised Christian Charity with Temperance and Sobriety with Purity and Chastity with Meekness and Humility that we may possess these our Earthly Vessels in Sanctification and Honour and being Meek and Lowly may find Rest unto our Souls Give us holy Father to Live more by Faith and Less by Sense to Overcome by Faith the World to live Above its Allurements or Determents to have our Conversation in an higher degree in Heaven to lay up to our selves Treasures there that where our Treasures are there may our Hearts be also Make us account it our very Meat and Drink to be doing thy Will Cause us to Evidence the Sincerity of our Love to thee our God by our keeping Universally thy Commandments open thou our Eyes that we may see the Delightsome Excellencies of thy Law the charming Beauty of Holiness and then none of thy Divine precepts shall appear Grievous unto us amidst all our Temptations whether of the World the Flesh or the Devil make thou us O blessed Lord more than Conquerors through Christ who strengthens us And after we have done all after we have Grown in Grace which we beseech thee cause us to do after we have been fill'd with the fruits of thy Spirit and endeavour'd our utmost the perfecting of holiness in thy Fear keep us humble keep us abased under a sense of the manifold Imperfections of our best and choicest Services Neither Pray we This to be added to the Evening Prayer where you see this * mark for our selves alone but for the whole Race of Mankind That thy ways O God may be known upon Earth thy Saving Health among all Nations Look down in Mercy upon thy holy Catholick Church Enlarge its Borders Unite more its Members Purifie their Faith where Corrupt and work a General Reformation in their Lives and Actions Bless Holy Father more especially these Nations whereunto we belong Pardon our Great and Crying Sins Avert from us thy Judgments Encrease and Continue to us thy Blessings make us an Holy and an Happy People and Settle us upon the sure Foundations of Truth Righteousness and Peace Rule O Lord in the Hearts of our Sovereign Rulers by thy Faith Fear and Love Protect their Sacred Persons Assist and Direct their Counsels Succeed their Arms and all their Righteous Undertakings Make their Government a Great and Publick Blessing to these Kingdoms and to the whole Protestant Interest and after a Long and Prosperous Reign over us Here Crown them with Glory and Immortality in the highest Heaven Influence in a Peculiar Manner our Spiritual Governours and Teachers Give them Wisdom and Prudence from Above Make them O God Faithful and Zealous make them also Successful in the Discharge of their Duties and Grant that by the purity of their Doctrine and Integrity of their Lives they may be as burning and shining Lights amidst a crooked and perverse Generation Visit with thy Salvation O thou Father of Mercies all the Sons and Daughters of Affliction Sanctifie their Troubles Support them with Faith and Patience under 'em and in thy due time send them an happy Deliverance out of all their Sufferings Forgive O God all our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and Turn their hearts Bless all our Friends and Relations be thou a God in Covenant with them and make them Partakers of all the Benefits and Priviledges of that thy Covenant Bless all of us here present bless us in Turning us from our Iniquities in the Sanctifying and Renewing our Depraved Nature Bless us with all Temporal but especially with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Put us O God in frequent Mindfulness of our Latter End and Fit and Prepare us for it Help us to walk sincerely and uprightly in our whole Conversation that Living here in thy Fear we may Dye in thy Favour may Rest in thy Peace Rise by thy Power be Glorified by thy Bounty and Remain with thee for ever amidst Joys Celestial Enravishing Inexhaustible All which we beg through the Merits and Mediation of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath taught us when we pray to say Our Father which art in Heaven 〈◊〉 A Prayer for the Evening O OUR God thou Almighty Lord of Heaven and Earth Thou pure immaculate Spirit of Holyness humble us under a sense of our meanness as indigent Dependant Creatures of our exceeding Great Vileness and impurity as Sinners O with what pious fear and Reverence ought we to draw Nigh
unto Thee who art of purer Eyes than to behold the least iniquity with Approbation With what Joy and Thankfulness ought we to acknowledge this thine inestimable favour that thou who art so highly Exalted wilt humble thy self to take notice of such Despicable polluted Beings as we are For ever blessed be thy Goodness who hast made Prayer our Duty which is so much our Interest and Priviledge O how inexcusable should we be should we neglect so Great a means of Grace and Salvation Wilt thou O Lord Admit and Accept our poor unworthy Services and shall not we Gladly Embrace the Vouchsafement Since our Righteousness Extendeth not unto Thee since we only are the Gainers by thy Service which is its own Reward which is our perfect freedom O cause therefore all that is within us to bless thy holy Name Cause all that is within us to render thee most willing and Chearful Obedience But O God most Glorious whose Transcendent Excellency is Exalted above all Glory and Praise the more we Speak of thine Honour the more we become Sensible how infinitely we fall short of it O make us to shew forth thy praise not only with our Lips but in our Lives by giving up our selves to thy Service by conforming our selves to thy Likeness in Holyness by â—aising Spiritualizing and Enflaming by thy help our Affections towards thee in Prayer Yet Alass Alass how soon are we weary of this most Delightsome most Beneficial Duty of Devotion How much Averseness is there in us unto the Vndertaking how much Distraction of Thoughts and Deadness of Spirit in the performance What formality want of Relish want of Zeal and fervour is there mingled with the best of our Religious Services How prone have we been to Deceive our selves with Shadows of Piety and Devotion instead of the Substance With a form of Godlyness instead of the Life and power thereof How prone to Content our selves with the bare praises of thy Divine perfections which we have not had the Godly Ambition the Sincerity of heart to imitate O pardon the sins and iniquities of these our Holy things But besides the imperfections of our best performances how many ways have we presumptuously offended thee our God! By innumerable Omissions and Commissions Omissions of Duty Commissions of Evil by many frequently Repeated and long Continued acts of wickedness by sinful provocations in Thought Word and Deed against thy Divine Majesty O how often have we Stifled the Convictions the Reproofs of our own Consciences How often Resisted the holy motions the Restraints of thy blessed Spirit How long neglected the Great Salvation of thy Gospel How many times violated our most Solemn Baptismal Vow and Covenant The very Multitude of our sins is Enough to Amaze and Affrighten us to cover us with Shame and Confusion of face but the Heinousness the Baseness the Ingratitude of our mis-demeanours towards so Gracious and heavenly a Father so Long-suffering a preserver so Mercyful a Benefactor Sanctifier and Redeemer O how Grievous is the Remembrance thereof to us the burthen of so much wickedness how Intolerable O our God Strong and patient hadst thou not been God how couldst thou have had patience with such perfidious such ungrateful such willfully Disobedient Rebells Well for us is it that thy mercy and forbearance Exceed that of Man are like the self unlimited O the Riches of thy Grace wilt thou again Receive such prodigal Children into thy favour Wilt thou Still be Reconciled unto us Ah let thy Goodness let thy Reconcileableness lead us to Repentance to a more compleat consummated one and our Repentance may it fit us for thy pardon and Acceptance And not meerly for the Pardon of our sins implore we mercy at thy hands but for a Divine power to enable us to subdue them Set we beseech thee O Lord our hearts in such a perfect Enmity against all things contrary to thy blessed Will and Nature that we may never be Reconciled to them any more dispose us to such an Entire Affection to thy Commandments that they may become our Choice our Desire our Exceeding Great Rejoycing O that we may walk more circumspectly Redeeming the time because the days are Evil O that we may give all Diligence to make our Calling and Election Sure O that the life the pure unspotted life of Christ Jesus may be formed within us the hope of Glory Fill us Gracious God with the whole Knowledge of thy Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding and Assist us with thy Grace unto the Conscientious practice of such knowledge Increase in us that faith which worketh by Divine Love which purisieth the heart and life and overcometh the wicked world Excite in us that ardent Affection to thee which may make us chearfully Do thy Will or patiently suffer it in all instances and which will cause us to Love our brethren as our selves for Christ's sake with a pure heart out of Love unfeigned not in Tongue only but also in Deed and in Truth Keep us O Lord pure and unspotted with the World Temperate Chaste and Unspotted with the flesh keep us Safe and unseduced by our own hearts lusts by Satans wicked Suggestions and Allurements Cause us to have our Conversation without Covetousness to have it more in Heaven less on Earth teach us contempt of Earthly things teach us to deny our selves to conquer all Temptations to live above the corruptions which so much abound in the Age Give us Patience give us supporting comfort and quiet submission in Adversity let a contented mind be instead of all we want and a thankful heart sweeten all our Enjoyments O that we may mind more the one thing Necessary that we may seek in the first place the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness and whatever other things we leave undone we may be still working out our Salvation with fear and trembling Make us O our God more careful of pleasing thee fearful of offending thee diligent and industrious in thy Service more observant of thy Good Providence in every thing more grateful for thy benefits Received more readily disposed in all conditions to every good thought word and work * Stir us up we entreat thee to a frequent mindfulness of our Latter End and fit and prepare us for it let our approaching sleep this Night put us in mind of our last sleep our Bed remind us of our Grave and the darkness of the evening of the days of Darkness which shall be many in the Chambers of Death Lighten our Eyes O Lord that they sleep not therein but that we may Awake with the morning Light unto thy Praise and Glory Forgive those actual sins of thy servants which the day past hath been witness unto Lord give us a Godly sorrow for them a perfect hatred of them and more carefulness to avoid them for the future and whether we sleep this night in death or awake to the fresh Mercies of the following day O Grant that Christ
for his plaâ—â— of Worship and Residence Make 〈◊〉 such a Remove from all uncleanness 〈◊〉 the outer 〈◊〉 as to hate the very Garment 〈◊〉 with the Flesh as to become 〈◊〉 of Angelick Purity as if we were not cloath'd on with Rayment of Moriality as if whether will St. Paul we were in the Body or 〈◊〉 of the Body it was uncertain O Divine Spirit of Purity thou Author and Preserver thou Beginner and Finisher of the Grace of Chastity as 〈◊〉 all other Good and perfect Gifts let 〈◊〉 Consideration of thy unspotted Purity preserve us from all filthines both 〈◊〉 Flesh and Spirit and may the apprehension of thine All-seeing inspection who art of purer Eyes than to behold 〈◊〉 least Speck of iniquity with Approbation Awe us into an entire Sanctity O our God how ought we to offer up our Souls and Bodies Living Saerifices Holy Pure and Acceptable unto Thee whenas both are the purchases of thy Dear Son 's most precious Blood both are the Care and Protection of thy Good Providence the Temples of thy blessed Spirit when as both bear the beautiful impressions of thy Wisdom Power and Goodness both were Dedicated to hy Service in Baptisme and have frequently since Renewed their Engagement of Renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil O keep us to the performance of this solemn Engagement keep us to a Reverencing of our Humanity which God hath Dignified by his susception thereof keep us undesiled both in Soul and Body And wherefore O blessed Saviour to what End were we Redeem'd by thee But that we should be Redeem'd from all Iniquity and purified unto thee a peculiar peopole Zealous of Good works O purifie us thoroughout by the Spirit in Soul Body and Spirit May we live no longer after the flesh fulfilling the impure Lusts thereof having a Name indeed to live yet being Dead unto the Life of Grace but Grant that mortifying through thy Spirit the deeds of the Body we may live a life of inward Peace and Joy and Freedom from the slavery of serving diverse corrupt Lusts and Passions Enable us holy Jesu to take up the Banner of thy Cross against the World the Flesh and the Devil to Crucifie the Flesh with its corrupt Desires and Affections hereby shewing that we are Thine followers of thee as dear Children in all Purity and Chastity That so possessing our vessels in Sanctification and Honour we may lay them down in a pious Hope and receive them again in a Joyful Resurrection when the Bodies of Saints shall Rise first and the Bodies of Virgin-Innocencies with a brighter Lustre and Ray of Revived Glory Amen Thou Resurrection and the Life Amen Meditation VIII Against the Sin of immoderate Anger AH did but a furious Angry Person behold himself in the midst of his unrulely Passion and see his own Blood-shot Eyes his Distorted Face his wild Disorders of Countenance Speech and Gesture he would I perswade my self be so out of Love with the unseemly Picture his Anger drew of him as to fly and abhor it ever after for 't is a Passion which for the time is Raging Madness which puts a man Besides himself out of his own power and keeping perverts the Order of God and Nature in our Primitive Constitution causing Reason that Spark of the Divinity that at first design'd Ruling Faculty of our Souls to Crouch and become Obeysant and headstrong Lust and Passion to be Uppermost and Domineer Ah how doth impotent Wrath and Fury debase and vilifie Humane Nature transforming a man into Wolf or Bear into a Lion or Tyger so that with some shew of Reason did the Pythagoreans Fancy a Transmigration of such wild and savage Souls into the Bodies of as wild and savage Beasts for how should they be suitable inhabitants of more calâ—â— and peaceable Receptacles And upon account of this Tumult and Disorder of Soul which the Vice of inordinate Anger and other Passions put us in the Stolck-Philosopher advises his Wise Man to a Total suppression and Eradication of all Passion that hereby he may live undisturb'd and at Peace in his own Bosom But the Good Christian abstains from undue Anger upon higher Considerations viz. for that 't is contrary to his known Duty and to the Divine Precepts enjoyning Meekness of Spirit for that 't is Displeasing unto God rendering of us unlike Him who is Patient and Long-suffering contrary to our Saviour's Calm and Gentle Temper and Behaviour for that also Anger indisposes a man for Communion with God in Prayer and other holy Exercises and makes his Soul an unquallifed Temple for the Dove-like Spirit of Grace to keep his Residence therein For if the Divine Spirit of Prophesie under the Law a Law for the Hardness of Jewish hearts less strictly restraining Anger and a desire of Revenge rested not however on the head of a furious passionate person at least not till his Anger was over and dislodged much less can we think that under the state of the Gospel a more meek and Loving Dispensation the Celestial Spirit of Meekness and Gentleness will inhabit a passionate malicious or Revengeful persons Soul No 't is Meekness and Humility 't is Good Nature and Slowness to Anger which consecrate ouâ— Souls Sanctuaries to that God whose Sovereign Attribute is Clemency and Goodness and our being in a lower Measure endued with this is that which makes us partakers of the Divine Nature for God is Love says St. John And furthermore that a violeâ— passion of Anger or any other inordinate perturbation of Mind are utterly inconsistent with the Quiet and peaceable Spirit of God which 〈◊〉 it descended formerly on our Saviour in the Shape of a Dove descends now only on Meek Dovelike Dispassionate persons the sacred Scriptures do plainly and abundantly testifie for when the Prophet Elijah was upon the Mountain Horeb there came a Great Strong Wind but the Lord was not in the Wind and after the Wind an Earthquake but the Lord was not in the Earthquake and after the Earthquake a Fire but the Lord was not in the Fire Last of all came a Still Small Voice an Emblem of Meekness a Cessation of all former boisterous Commotions and then was it that the God of Peace Unity and Concord was more immediately present 1 Kings 19. 11 12. A Calm Joyous Unmolested temper of mind is a lively Representation of the Celestial state of Blessedness a fit Preparatory for it and which makes an Heaven upon Earth to the man who possesses it but a furious Angry Disposition is all its Contraries 'T is an Argument of a weak pusillanimous Spirit which can bear nothing to be in a passion upon every provocation a sign that the mind is Galled and fretted within that the Owner thereof has no Command or Governance over himself but is rather at the Disposal of others who can discompose him when they please But a truely Great and Noble Spirit is Superiour to many Lesser Affronts and not immoderately
Righteous in all thy Works Just and True in all thy ways and stedfastly believing that in very Faithfulness thou hâ—st caused us to be troubled Nay even to Bless and Praise thy holy Name amidst the greatest 〈◊〉 that thou dost so far condescend to take Notice of us worthless Creatures as to punish us with thine own hand and chasten us with afflictions that we should not be condemned with the sinfuâ—â— World O how know we but we are more indebted to thee for thy Corrections than for thy more Apparent favours and Benefits and shall we then murmur and be impatient under them God forbid Convince us rather Good Lord that whom thou Lovest thou Chastenest and Correctest every Son whom thoâ— Receivest that if we are without Chastisements then are we bastards and not Sons Convince us that 't was through many Tribulations that the Glorious Company of the Apostles that the Noble Army of Martyrs made their Entranâ—â— into the Kingdom of Heaven that it was through such violences that they took it as it were by force Remind us that 't was through Sufferings that our blessed Saviour was made perfect that He himself went not up to Joy efore he first suffer'd Pain that He enter'd not into Glory before he was Crucified O make us in Conformity to him the Captain of our Salvation patiently to charge thorough all Adversities Losses and Disappointments till we arrive at the mark for the prize of our high calling in Christ Give us holy Father to lye Prostrate at thy feet whenever thou contendest with us let us Repent to the Amendment of our evil ways and not Repine at those smarting Sufferings which tend to Rebuke our foolish forsaking Thee the Author of our Blessedness let us be dumb with a silent Reverence whenever thy heavy hand of Chastisement is upon us O cause us then in all lowliness and Humility to submit to thyProvidence to make diligent Search after the Accursed thing for which thou art Displeas'd with us to Kiss thy Rod of Correction and Learn that Reforming Lesson which it dictates lest otherwise it Breaks us in pieces and there be none to Deliver us O Suppress in us all Repining thoughts and make us drink chearfully the cup of Affliction how bitter soever it is we shall have reason to Thank thee O Lord for it if it proves Medicinal to our Souls O make it such we entreat thee Let this be the use of Temporal Calamities their weaning our Affections from the Vanities below their Raising and Setling our desires on the infinitely more valuable things Above their rendering us Meek Humble Contented Resign'd that so our Faith Hope and Patience may be found in the Day of our Lord Laudable Glorious and Honourable and that being Afflicted for a season we may be endlesly comforted Amen Blessed Saviour Amen Meditation X. On Love to God 'T IS our Duty and 't is our Interest and Priviledge our Duty we being commanded to Love him with all our hearts souls and strengths and our Interest for what greater Love to our selves than to Love the fountain of all Loveliness than to Love him in whom are compriz'd all those Excellencies in infinite Degrees which Scatteringly and imperfectly reside in the Creatures and yet render them Amiable and Admired Nothing is more Reasonable also than to Love God a being so transcendently Good in himself so Gracious and Loving unto us for to Him we owe all the powers of our Bodies all the noble faculties of our Souls all that we Are all that we have comes Entirely from him we should be very ungrateful persons should we Love any thing so well as him much more should we Love any thing Above him for he hath not only created us doth not only preserve and provide for us Comforts as well as Necessaries but he hath also dearly Redeem'd us from everlasting Destruction not with corruptible things such as Silver and Gold but with no Less a Ransom than the precious Bloodshed of his Dear Son God Co-equal with the Father He hath likewise Sanctified us with the Regeneration of his blessed Spirit Thus hath God not only provided us all the Coveniences of this life but also all things appertaining to a Better has given us Spiritual Blessings as well as Corporal means of Grace and hopes of Glory So that He hath layd on us the Strongest obligations to Love him and if any thing else in the whole Creation is Lovely much more Eminently so is the Divine Majesty who is owner of all his Creatures Lovelyness and of Infinite more If Beauty is an object of Love behold God the most beautiful Being in whom dwells perfection of Comelyness If Riches are attractives of Esteem and Valuation behold the Deity the Treasury of all Wealth and of whatever is valuable If pleasure is a thing Lovely and desirable behold in God's presence Fullness of Joy and at his Right hand pleasures for Evermore Sure I must hate my self if I Love not God for therein consists my Wellfare and Happyness Shall I love other things and not Him from whom they Borrowed their Lovelyness Shall I Love the Stream and not the Fountain of blessedness What Joy do I deprive my self of if I Love not God If I hate not all other things in comparison of him He that Loveth Father or Mother sayes our Blessed Saviour more than me is not worthy of me and he that Loveth Son or Daughter the most Near and Dear things more than me is not worthy of me O who know the Enravishing Delights but those who have experienced them of Loving the Deity and being beloved by him of holding such Sweet Communion with the God of all Consolation It is a very Great Favour and Condescension that the Majesty of Heaven and Earth will Admit of our imperfect Love will Graciously Accept it for 't is imperfect though never so Sincere 't is finite Love though never so Seraphical What an inconceivable Honour is it to be vouchsafed the Loving our Creator 'T is certain we can have no better Object no one so Good the benefit of Loving God redounds wholly to our selves not at all to him However I will Love the Lord not so much for my own Ends as because he hath Commanded my Love as because he is a supereminently Amiable Being infinitely Deserving my Love as because 't is a Debt due from me a Dependant Creature to my Maker and the Author of all my Enjoyments I will Delight in Loving and Obeying him as long as I live and I by his Grace will Evidence the Truth of my Love by paying an Universal Respect unto all his Commandments Amen Amen The Prayer O Thou Supream Excellency whom to know is Life Eternal whom to Love is Heaven upon Earth Thou Being infinitely Lovely in thine own Nature Exceeding kind nad Loving unto us manifest thy self more and more unto us that we may Love Thee more and more and that Loving Thee with increase we may Enjoy Thee in a
Majesty that we may serve thee our Lord with fear and walk before thee with an humble Reverence Endue our hearts with a filial ingenuous fear mingled with Love and Obediential Respect make us to fear thee because of thy very Goodness lest we should forfeit thy Love and favour more than for dread of incurring thy heavy Vengeance and Displeasure Cause us to account thy Loving-kindness better than Life it self and then we shall dread the Loss thereof more than Death Permit us not O our God for fear of man to let fall our fear of Thee but give us to fear Thee Religiously and we need fear nothing else nay we need not fear thee Thy self Slavishly with a Guilty fear Put blessed Lord thy fear into our hearts that we may not at any time presumptuously Depart from thee but may with fear and Trembling work out our own Salvation Make thy fear upon our Souls to be a True Godly fear causing us to walk and behave our selves as alwayes under thy All-seeing Eye and inspection Trembling with a fear of holy Caution at thy presence Ever Obeying thee because we Love thee and ever Obedientially Loving thee because afraid of Loosing thy Love by offending thee Give us Gracious God that fear of the Lord which is clean Converting the soul and Commanding that we depart from all iniquity give us such a Dread of thy Divine Majesty as may make us Careful of pleasing thee fearful of offending thee as may make us inquisitive to search thy Will Diligent to performe it and persevering in the Exercises of a Religious Awe and Reverence unto our lives end and then that Constant habitual fear of thee our God which has perserved us from wilful sinning or put us upon Clearing the Guilt of it by Repentance will afford us upon a Death-bed Peace of Mind Consolation in believing and our fear of God will then be exchanged into Love and Confidence into Joy and Delight in him at that hour of Death and for Evermore Amen Blessed Saviour Amen Meditation XIV On Love and Charity to our Neighbour MUtual Love and Kindness is what the condition of our Nature dictates unto us for man being born a Sociable converseable Creature is for that very reason born an Amicable Loving one for to what End and purpose should mankind Associate and Live together Converse and hold Correspondence but to perform perform offices of Aid and Assistanc of kindness and beneficence to each-other the very Notion and common Acceptation of Humanity imports Courtesie and Good-will Loving-kindness and compassion We are born also calamitous infirm necessitous Beings and therefore mutually Dependant Creatures and Dependance on each other necessarily infers a reciprocal help and beneficience For what more Reasonable than that those who by Nature are liable to stand in Need of other◠help should Afford help to other◠when in want and Adversity 'T is the Prerogative of God alone to be Self-sufficient and Independant and therefore God who saw every thing which he had made and behold 't was very Good yet saw it not Good for man to be Alone but resolved on making an Help Meet for him that they might be mutually comforting and Assistant to each other Though in Paradise man was much nearer Self-sufficiency and further Removed from helplessness than at present So that both Nature Reason and the Ordination of God dictate that we ought to be mutual helps and common Blessings to those of our kind as being our selves in the body Subject to its wants and infirmities as well as other persons A further obligation to mutual Love and Beneficence arises from our being all very nearly Related as Kinsfolks and brethren as all cast in the same mould fashion'd according to the same General Likeness partakers of the same blood of the same common Humanity nay of one very Substance differenced only in some few Accidental Circumstances unessential to our Nature And ought not now this nearest Relation of Consanguinity to make us Loving and Beneficent to all Mankind without exception Ought not the Cement of one blood to unite us in one hearty Good will and Friendship Should not Similitude and Likeness beget Love Should not one common Nature produce in us one common Natural Affection Causing us to love our selves in loving another to do Good to our selves in doing Good to another he being a part and member of our very Substance flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone And no man says the Apostle St. Paul Eph. 5. 29. ever yet hated his own flesh but Loveth and Cherisheth it even as Christ the Church and as we in conformity ought to Love and cherish one another 'T is Natural even among Savage Beasts for those of the same kind to live at a Loving Agreement and not to prey upon each other and shall Mankind whose very frame has Tenderness interwoven in it be less Amicable and Loving than Brute-Creatures Reason and Scripture the Law of Equity and that of Moses the Prophets and Christ all urge acts of Kindness and Charity from this very Argument Whatever you would that men should do unto you even so do unto them Matth. 7. 12. You no doubt were your Circumstances such as to be in Want and Distress would that others should Relieve you have you therefore a ready will and Inclination to Relieve others whose Wants and Necessities Challenge your Relief And since you know not through the vicissitude of Humane Affairs and some sudden turn of Providence but that the Now miserable Condition of others may become your own some time hence let the hazard of your falling into want of Charity your seles excite your Love and Beneficence towards those who are actually labouring under Penury and Affliction Giving Relief to others is an easeing the troublesome Relentings 〈◊〉 our own hearts which must needs be touch'd and sorrowfully affected at the sight of a part of our own flesh of our common Nature being in Misery and Distress so that Love to others is the truest Love to our seles it relieving us of that Grief and mental Disquietude which a view of others wants and sufferings excited in us Nay the very Reflection on an act of Charity fills one with Joy and Delight Refreshes the Giver's mind as much as the Almsdeed did the Receier's body so that we the Benefactors are in some sort beholden even to the Relieved for their yielding us an occasion of so great pleasure and Contentment For to Recollect how we have been the Almoners of Divine Providence in distributing to the Necessitous how we have rescued a poor miserable man from Extremity of want have Triumph'd over his misery and misfortune and caus'd his refresh'd Bowels in the very act of Relieving him to bless us and his whole person to offer up Prayers and Good wishes on our behalfs and how moreover we have made God hereby our Friend and Debtor and have imitated and Gratified in doing Good the Supream Majesty of Heaven and Earth
To Review all this after an Almsgiving cannot but raise great complacency within us and cause us to applaud our selves for having performed so Generous so Godlike and withall so pleasing and Delightsome an action Nothing will administer to us so much Joy and Consolation when Dying nothing so much strengthen us on a bed of Languishing and make our bed in all our Sickness as the Reflection how we have in our Life past through acts of Charity and Munificence made to our selves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness laid up to our selves Treasures in Heaven a place of the best Security of the largest Interest and Improvement How we have been Eyes to the blind and Feet to the Lame through our supporting Alms-deeds how we have evidenced our Love to God by Love to our Neighbour loving him for God's sake and at his Injunction How we have like wise Merchants in a Foreign Country Transmitted our Goods and Effects before us into that our Native Region whither we intend and expect shortly to Return our selves Indeed I must Confess that Love to our very Enemies which Christianity enjoyns has at first little of this pleasure and Delight which accompanies doing Good to those who never Dis-obliged us nay that 't is an exceeding Irksom and Difficult Duty and that we are apt to cry out 't is an hard Commandment who can bear it But besides that Returning Good for Evil Blessings for Cursings Kindnesses for Injuries is the ready way to overcome our Adversary's Enmity and to convert it into a reciprocal Love and beneficence towards us whereas a Retaliation of dis-kindnesses serves only to multiply heighten and perpetuate Quarrels and oftentimes ends in the utter Ruine and destruction of both the contending Parties Besides this if we would be Children of our Heavently Father perfect as he is perfect we must be Merciful even as he is Merciful who is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil Who as to his common favours makes no Difference in their distribution but causeth his Sun to shine his Rain to descend on the Good and Bad on the Just and Unjust person Matth. 5. 45. And oh how well does it Become us by heaping Coals of Love on our Adversary's heads to endeavour to melt them down into Peace and Reconciliation How well does it Become us the offended not only to forgive but to be the first in suing for a mutual good Agreement with our offenders whenas God himself by his Ministers beseeches Sinners to be Reconciled unto him Whenas his holy Spirit strives with our obstinacy woes and importunes us by his Gospel-Profers and by his inward Solicitations to give over our Rebellion and accept of the terms of Divine Grace and Pardon Ah where is our Love to God if we have little or none to our Brother who bears his Image Where is our Love to the Deity if we obey not his Commandments And this is one of his Commandments that he who loves God should Love his brother also 1 John 4. 21. How dwelleth he in Christ and Christ in him in whom the Spirit of Christ a Spirit of Love and Charity dwelleth not How doth such a Person do what in him lyes to defeat the Prayer of our Saviour that we might be one as he and his Father are one we one in Unity of Affection as they are one in Unity of Divine Essence who hates his Brother or is at variance with him He is not a Christian who hath no true Faith in Christ and he hath no true Saving Faith whose Faith worketh not by Love both towards God and towards Man Hath Christ thought thy Brother worth his Dying for and dost Thou Ungrateful Wretch think him not worth thy Living for in all Offices of Love and Kindness towards him Dost thou consider that thou art no further a Christian than thou art Charitable and yet professest thou Christianity and continuest Uncharitable For Shame Man either Quit thy dissembled profession or else Realize it by acts of Mercy and beneficence O what a pattern was Jesus unto us of Love and Good-will of Real Substantial Acts of Kindness who went about doing Good made it his chief business and Employment healing all that were diseas'd both in Soul and body And who herein Recommended his Love most magnificently Displayed and Illustrated it in that while we were Enemies he Dyed for us and shall not this move us to Live unto him in Obedience to all his Commandments and particularly to That which he hath Dignified with a more peculiar Recommendation Calling it His by way of Eminency above the rest This is My Commandment says He That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also Love one another John 15. 12. And oh how can we well do otherwise who have our Saviours so expresly plain so frequently inculcated so pressing and urgent Injunctions of this Duty who have his so Illustrious and Transcendent Example for it who have the so potent Aids and Assistances of his Spirit of Love unto the performance Ah can we deny any thing to the Lord who hath so Dearly bought and Redeemed us Had it been some Hard thing that so Great a Benefactor had enjoyn'd us would we not have done it How much more when he bids us Love and be kind to one another The most Easie the most Delightsom of all Duties would we but Try the Experiment Ah shall we not do it Shall not we Christians who have one Faith one Hope one Baptisme one God and Father of us all one Gracious Mediator and Redeemer have also one Heart and Good-will to each other Shall we who are Brethren Heirs of the same hopes of the same blessed promises fall out and Quarrel by the way in our journying to our Home and Father's House upon the account of things indifferent and meer Trifles if compar'd with the Substantials of Religion Shall we violate Charity that most weighty Vital part of Christianity for meer Circumstances and Externals of Divine Worship of no worth in themselves but only as made Assistant to Piety and Devotion What though we are not all of the same mind in matters un-essential to Religion as indeed how should we be unless of the same size of Understanding Does however our Difference of Judgment lay on us any fatal Necessity to Differ also in Love and Affection Though we are not all of one Mouth speaking the same things yet cannot we be all of one Heart We shall never be of one mind till in Heaven we behold things in one and the same Light or at least each of us in a Sufficient one but we both may and ought to be of one Good-will on Earth Ah that our Little Differences in opinion concerning Rites and Ceremonies should contribute more to our Divisions than our General Agreement in fundamental Doctrines which we all acknowledge able to make us wise unto Salvation does conduce to our Union and Coalition While our Minds Agree in Christ in the
Essentials of his Religion let our Wills also be conjoyn'd for what an Absurdity is it that we who are to live together in Heaven if our Uncharitableness hinder not should live at variance here below O Heavenly Samaritan Thou holy Jesu Prince of peace Look down Look down behold here a miserably torn and Divided Church torn with Schisme and Faction fallen among Robbers and Spoilers who most inhumanely have Entreated her behold with a succouring compassion her bleeding wounds which are as so many Mouths importunately begging it Pour thy suppling Oyl and Wine of Union into her Sores bind up with the bond of Love and Concord her broken and Disjoynted Members Pass not by on the other side of the way as did the Relentless Levite but let the Distress'd sight of our misery move thee to compassion and thy Compassion produce a Speedy Relieving us Suppress in us blessed Saviour Entirely banish from us that Stingy Selfishness of Spirit that narrow Confinement of Love to a Sect or Party which so much abounds in the Nation and make us of a more publick Generous Temper more Consultive of the Good of the Community both in Church and State And then the Spirit of God the Spirit of Love and Unity shall dwell amongst us Love shall be our Guide and Love shall be our Guard and Defence Love shall fit us for Heaven and Love shall Conduct us thither Nay Love shall bring down Heaven upon Earth unto us shall make us live in Peace in Amity in a Joyous Complacency at each others Happyness Amen Amen The Prayer O OUR God who hast taught us that all our doings without Charity are nothing worth that he only who dwelleth in Love dwelleth in Thee and Thou in him send thy Holy-Ghost and pour into our hearts that most Excellent Gift of Charity the very bond of Peace and of all Vertues make us Children of thee our God Disciples of our Dear Lord and Master in loving one another as he hath loved us in being Merciful as Thou our Heavenly Father art Merciful O that the same mind may be in us which was in Christ Jesus who went about doing Good healing the Diseas'd comforting the Afflicted compossionating the Distressed and whose pity did not content it self with a bare saying Be ye warmed be ye cloathed be ye filld and deliver'd from your Sufferings but which did always Exert it self in Real Acts of Mercy and Beneficence O make us also thus followers of our Redeemer's Steps being Exceeding pittyful and compassionate and actually employing all our abilities for our necessitous Brethrens Succour and Relief Give us we beseech thee O most merciful God such a Sympathizing Tenderness of Spirit that we may be deeply affected with both the miseries and Prosperities of our Neighbours mourning with those that mourn and Rejoycing with those that Rejoyce as Living Members of our Saviours mystical body his Church O that it may become the Center of Unity and Concord the very Joy and Delight of the whole Earth Fulfil O Lord that promised blessing of thine unto the Christian State whereby the Wolf is to dwell with the Lamb the Loeopard to lie down with the Kid the Calf and the young Lyon together a little Child to lead them a weaned Child to put his hand on the Cockatrice-Den and nothing to hurt or destroy in thy holy mountain but all fury malice and bitterness being done away Gospel-Love and Peace and Gentleness of Spirit is to succeed O may this Gracious Promise be near its Accomplishment may this blessed State this Kingdom of thy Dear Son come Quickly O thou Composer of differences thou God of all Peace Compose those unhappy Animosities which are too much propagated among Christians let them not any longer Dishonour thy Name bring an evil Report upon our Holy Profession in General nor weaken the Interest of the Protestant Religion in particular But grant that by Brotherly Love and Concord we may Adorn the Gospel of our Saviour may win over Converts thereunto and thereby Enlarge Strengthen and Advance the Kingdom of the Ever-blessed Jesus Let the Peace of Thee our God Rule in our Hearts to the which we are call'd in one and the same hope of an Heavenly Inheritance that as we have one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all so we may henceforth be all of one Heart and of one Soul united in one holy bond of Truth and Peace of Faith and Charity And being thus Studious of Emulating each other in kindness provoking thus one another to Love and Good works and being in such a manner the Sons of Peace on Earth we shall be fitted and made meet for the joynt participation of Heavenly Glory where may we all Reign Rejoycing in each others Happyness as Sincerely if not Equally as in our own Amen Blessed Jesus Amen Meditation XV. On Improvement in Grace THe Life of Grace is best evidenc'd by Growth therein Spiritual Life no more than the Natural one can subsist without Activity and progressive Motion where-ever the seed of God is sown in Truth and Reality it will fructifie and become prolifick In the School of Grace as well as in that of Humane Learning not to Go forward and make improvement is to Go backward and Vertue like a tender young Plant if it does not Thrive and Flourish is in a Tendency to Decay and Wither The slothful unprofitable Servant who did not improve his Talent is in the Scripture-reckoning in our Lord and Saviour's account nigh as bad and as severely punish'd as the unjust Steward who wickedly embezzled it and not to make use of Grace is here reputed the same thing as not to have had it To have it by Exercise and Improvement is judg'd by God the only true Possession and he who has not the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit in this manner is said in Holy Writ only to seem to have them And instead of encreasing their Store 't is denounced there that he shall loose even those measures of Divine Vertues which were once afforded him Genuine Grace cannot stand at a stay if it does not Ascend and improve it infallibly Declines And when God gives us this Talent to Trade withal and encrease it shall we frustrate his End of Giving it by letting it lye Dead and unexercised Did Christ purchase us the Graces of the holy Spirit at the Dear and inestimable Rate of his own Bloodshed and shall we Neglect them when so purchased Did He by his precious Death and All-prevalent Intercession procure the Effusion and sending down of those Graces and shall we slight them when so sent and bestow'd on us Ah what will not obstinate Ingratitude of Sinning do It will make us turn the blessed means of Grace into occasions of Damnation make what was intended towards us a Savour of Life unto Life to become the Savour of Death unto Death through our mad folly and supine Negligence If we would but cooperate with Divine
Grace would but duely Exercise those proportions of it we Already have we should soon find larger ones flowing in upon us from Above and we should have more Abundantly of God's Spirit If we would but water and cultivate upon his implanting Gracious Dispositions in our Souls he would give Encrease to them and perfect them into holy Habits for former measures of Grace well comply'd with fit and Qualifie us for further Succeeding ones and the Sanctifying Light of the Holy-Ghost like that of the Sun shines in upon every Eye of the humane Understanding which will open to Receive it And therefore whenever we find a Good Motion in our Hearts let us remember 't is afforded us to improve that Good Disposition into a vertuous Act and to Grow thereby in Grace when-ever we find a check of Conscience against Sin a Restraining suggestion of God's Spirit let us carry it on till we arrive to an Hatred of that Vice let us proceed from an hatred of it to a Resolution of Amendment and from that to an actual Endeavour against the particular iniquity We are accountable to God not only for that measure of Grace we have Receiv'd but also for further Degrees thereof which had we well-managed the present ones we should have been made partakers of and therefore not only the mis-using Divine Gifts we were possessors of but likewise the hindrance by that misusage of God's bestowing on us future ones will be charged upon us to our Condemnation if we set not to the work and improve present Gracious intrustments And what should hinder us from doing it The Difficulty of such an undertaking Alass this is Lessen'd by the Divine Aids proffer'd and which will certainly Assist us in the performance And what I pray can seem Grievous when an Almighty power lends an helping hand to alleviate the Burthen Ah it argues a weak and Low Measure of Grace to Covet after so much of Holiness only as will barely exempt us from Hell and carry us to Heaven Such a mean Spirited person in Religion shews that Grace is not his desire upon its own account upon its pure intrinsick worth but meerly as it frees him from Divine punishment 'T is not for Love of the former so much as for fear of the Latter that he would be partaker of Holiness at all but ah how Little do they deserve Eternal Glory who are not desirous of the most Essential part thereof Divine Grace in an encreasing Measure Ah be there Different Degrees of Celestial Blessedness attainable by different Degrees of Piety and shall not this raise in us an holy Emulation a Godly to Aim at Heroick Extraordinary Measures of Goodness At the very Highest procureable Let us consider that the Longer the credited Loan of Grace remains in our Custody unimproved the Greater daily will Grow its Debt and the more ample and enflamed the Reckoning which we shall at the End of all things be call'd to give in and then to whom much was Given of him shall much be Required and whether we have put out our Talents of Grace to Usury or no yet Interest and Encrease of them will be demanded at our hands It being that we should have been busied about the procuring however we have left it unprocured Then at the Day of final Accompts it will not be Enough to say Lord here is what is Thine what thou committedst to my Trust but where is the Improvement of it where is the multiplying of it will be Enquired O then rest not Satisfied with present Attainments with weak unprogressive Measures of Sanctity but forgetting the things in Religion which are behind which are already arrived unto let us press forward to the mark for the Prize of our high Calling in Christ endeavouring after the perfecting of Holiness in God's Fear And then He who is an overflowing Fountain of Grace and Goodness and who communicates of it where ever he finds Subjects Capable of his Communications will cause us to proceed from Strength to Strength in Holyness from one Degree of Grace unto another till he has compleated our Renew'd Nature and fitted us for Eternal Glory Amen Amen The Prayer O Thou Divine Fountain and Dispenser Thou Author and Finisher of every Good and perfect Gift perfect we beseech thee that Good work of Grace which Thou hast begun to work in us carry it on to a full Growth and Maturity Assist us Holy Inspirer so constantly from Above that we may be always in our Thoughts and Affections there that whatever Good â—houghts are at any time suggested to our Minds may Spring up into fixt Principles and all our heavenly desires may become a New-Nature the constant Tenour and â—emper of our Spirits and all our holy purposes and Resolutions may Advance into a serious practice and Zealous Exercise of Godliness and all our pious Actions may improve into confirm'd Habits may become more free chearful vigorous and Delightsome O may we evidence the Sincerity of Grace within our hearts by a daily Growth and Encrease thereof may we Evidence our selves to be Alive unto God to be Quicken'd by thy Spirit by a Religious motion and progression Make us O God who are thy Husbandry like unto Trees planted by the Rivers of water which bring forth fruit in their due season O Suffer us not to be like Trees without fruit ' twice Dead pluckt up by the Roots but grant that our Leaf of holy Profession may never fall nor our Good fruit wither but that whatever pious work we take in hand it may prosper Grant that the more we Advance in years the Greater progress we may make in Grace that we may bring forth much fruit of Righteousness in our mature Age and may then be chiefly fat and well-liking as to our improvements in Holyness O blessed Lord give us to become thus more and more Like thee partakers in a larger measure of thy Divine Nature and Excellencies Give us to hunger and thirst more after Righteousness that we may in an higher Degree be Satisfied therewith Give us to lay up to our selves Treasures of Grace for Heaven rather than Treasures of Mammon upon Earth to multiply and encrease our Spiritual Talents to Grow Rich in Faith and Good Works to Rise up to a fulness of Stature in Christ Jesus to walk worthy of thee our God unto all well-pleasing perfecting of holiness in thy fear to be fill'd with all the fruits of thy Spirit which accompany Salvation That these things being in us and Abounding an Entrance may be administred unto us abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen blessed Saviour for thy Cross and Passion Sake Amen Meditation XVI On DEATH DEath the very Thoughts the very Name thereof strikes us with Horror and Affrightment but alas the first Temporal Death what is it if compared with the second Eternal one which is to be the sad Portion of all finally impenitent Sinners Were the Temporal Death
Life Amen Amen The Prayer O Holy Jesu thou Lord of Life and Glory who by thy Death hast overcome Death and open'd unto us the Gate of Everlasting Life at the hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment Good Lord Deliver us Grant that the End of our life on Earth may be the Beginning to us of a blessed Eternity in Heaven that the Second Death the never-ceasing one may have no Dominion over us but that when we discontinue Living with men we may dwell with thee our God and Converse with all the blessed Society Above Grant Heavenly Father that when we come to lye on a Death-bed we may be able to look backward with Comfort and Consolation on a well spent Life and forward with a bright prospect of Glory and Immortality beyond the Grave that when we are nigh unto Death and our bodyly strength Languishing our faith and hope may Revive and become vigorous and we may then feel the joyous Approaches of that Salvation which we before had wrought out with fear and trembling We know O Lord that 't is appointed for all men once to Dye and that no one can rescue his life from the pit of Destruction and yet do we live as if we had made an Agreement with Hell and had an unforfeitable Lease of our lives O give us to Dye unto sin Now that we may sleep in Christ at our Departure and be Awaken'd be Rais'd to life again in the Restitution of all things Afford us some Refreshing beams of the Light of thy Reconciled Countenance when passing through the dark valley of the Shadow of Death grant that we may then fear no evil but may have the Testimony of a Good Conscience which may be a supporting Cordial to our weak and fainting Spirits Grant that we may not live in such an unprepar'd state of Soul as that we should be afraid to Dye and Appear before thy Judgment seat but cause us so to Demean our selves as that the Sting and Terrour of Death Sin may be taken away before Death it self lays hold on us that when it comes we may welcome it with Smiles and Gladness may lift up our heads with Joy at our hastening Dissolution as knowing that then the time of our Redemption draweth near Be Thou present with us at the hour of Death O blessed Jesu who sufferedst Death for us upon the Cross by the vertue of that thy precious Death Sweeten we beseech thee the bitterness of ours When our Eyes shall be Darkned in the Agonies of Death kindle in our hearts the Light of saving Faith when our Speech shall fail and leave us O do thou speak Inwardly unto us by the Comforts of thy Spirit and grant that we may speak mentaily unto Thee by Devoul Sighs and Groans which cannot be utter'd when we are nigh unto the End of our Days may we be nigh the end of our Hopes even the Salvation of out Souls O give us in our last Exiremities Joy in believing Hope in our Latter End humble Resignation of our Spirits into thy hands an holy Contempt of this Earth an Enflamed Love of Heaven Longing desires to be with Thee with our Saviour christ with Angels and Glorified Saints which is much better than being here Amen Amen for thy Mercies sake Meditation XVII On the Last Judgment MEthinks I view the Judge of the whole Earth Terrible and yet Gracious coming in the Clouds of Heaven with all his Glorious Retinue of holy Angels methinks I hear the Arowzing Call of the last Trumpet see the innumerable Dead take the Alarm Awake Move and Rise at its all-powerful Summons I behold methinks the Righteous Rising first with Smiles and Exultation in their Faces as knowing that their Redemption that the Reward of all their Pious Labours draweth near I behold also the ungodly Rising Last and yet even then most unwillingly shaking and trembling for fear of their approaching Tryal and Condemnation Heaven above Threatning them Hell beneath Gaping wide for their Reception I bâ—hold too the Court-Book of an Universal Registry open'd each Mans Indictment and Accusation publickly Read his own Conscience the while bearing Witness and either Accusing or Excusing him in that fearful Judgment I hear methinks the Decisive Sentence 〈◊〉 ronourced of either Eternal Happyness or Misery of either come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepar'd for you before the foundations of the World or else of Depart from me ye Accursed into Everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Oh the different Effects these different Sentences have on the Persons they are directed unto The Righteous receive their Sentence with Joy and Acclamations with transporting Thanks and Hallelujahs with an humble Admiration that the Recompence of their finite Defective Services should be a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory The ungodly Reprobates entertain their Doom with hideous Howlings and Lamentations with heart-piorcing Sorrows and Affrightments with fruitless desires to return again into their Graves or to be perfectly destroyed and Annihilated Come ye blessed O Delightsome sound O wellcome hearing wellcome especially from the moâ—â—â— of our Judge Come There is no need sure of a pressing Invitation to accept of so much Bliss and Happyness behold they Run they draw near upon the first Intimation of it they fly with haste into the possession of their Eternal Inheritance They now please themselves in the Remembrance of their former Godly Sorrows Mortifications and Self-denyals which through the Mercy 's of God and Merits of their Saviour have procured them such an exceeding Great Rejoycing All their former Tears dry up at the sight of their Glorious Redemption and they would not for a World but they had Denyed themselves in the Life past that now in the Resurrection of the Just they may be own'd and Approved of by their Advocate and Acquitter Depart ye Cursed blessed Lord whither should they depart Can they Goe any where where thou art not present who sillest all things tho' they descend into the Deep and remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea yet Thou art there though they make the Darkness of Hell their hiding-place yet thou art there also thine Omniscient Eye shall even there find them out and thine Almighty Arm shall punish them Depart from Me A Dâ—parture from thy Beatifick presence O God must needs render the Departed Accursed for Thou art all that 's Good the Loss therefore of Thee is an Universal Loss Thou art the Center and Rest of the Soul and therefore to be separated from Thee must be the most unquiet and miserable Condition imaginable A Departure from the Joyous Light of thy Countenance O blessed Jesu who only hast the words of Eternal Life can certainly be no other than Eternal Death One would have thought indeed that to be Deprived of Thy Sight might have been punishment enough without the Damneds Entrance in Hell-flames and tortures but that besides the mental Anguish for their
our Lives out of the filthy Sodom of every wicked impurity never so much as looking back upon them with an Eye of complacency lest the flames due unto them overtake us unawares Cause us we beseech thee to flee from sin by the awakening Consideration of its being the only way whereby to flee from the wrath to come O may the Eternity of Hell-punishments restrain both our Inclinations and Embraces from the pleasures or profits of sin which are but for a Season Give us often holy Father to Ask our selves these Startling Deterring Questions when about to sin wilfully How can we do this Great wickedness and by sinning against God provoke his infinite Justice and Almighty power to punish us Who of us can dwell with everlasting burnings Is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Everliving God who is a Consuming fire Is it not a most horrid misery to be Eternally a seeking Death and yet never to find it in the Regions of Darkness and Despair O cause us to Dread and Abhor sin which leads to this place of infernal torments as much as the suffering place it self Cause us to think often on Hell that we may thereby be kept from falling into it Grant O holy Jesu Thou who art the Resurrection and the Life that we may never fall into the bitter pains of Eternal Death What else can expose us as sewel to Hell flames but our Sins They are the combustible matter which the fire which cannot be Quenched will ever be preying upon Give us therefore Good Lord to burn up that immoral hey and straw and Stubble at present and then the fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels will have no power over us neither will so much as the Smell thereof have past upon us but we shall be received into Everlasting habitations of Celestial Glory and felicity Amen Amen Meditation XX. On Prayer and the Powerful Efficacy thereof PRAYER 't is a Duty of Natural Religion and Worship the Obligation thereunto being founded in the Eternal and immutable Reason of things In God's Supereminent Excellencies and perfections and in our own Dependent Indigent Condition as Creatures We are born infirm and weak poor and Necessitous Beings in Condition Alms-People and Beggars and therefore to pray alwayes is a Duty incumbent on us from the state of our Nature as well as by the Command and Enjunction of God-Allmighty Prayer 't is an Acknowledgemant of God's Awful Transcendent Majesty and of our own despicable meanness and imperfection of his Sovereignty and our Subjection of his Self-sufficiency and over-flowing plenitude of Happyness and of our own penury straightness of fortune and impotency of his immaculate Purity and Holyness and of our Vileness and Corruption by Reason of sinning And upon these Accounts our Addresses to Heaven ought to be accompanyed with all Lowlyness and Humality with all holy Dread and Reverence Prayer being also a Duty of the greatest Importance to us an instrument of bringing down all manner of Blessings Temporal Spiritual and Eternal ought to be offer'd up with the most fixt Attention of mind with the most zealous Intention and fervour of Spirit with the most hearty Sorrow in Confession the most Earnest Desires in Petition the most urgent and yet Lowly importunity in Deprecation with the most Rais'd Joy and affectionate Gratitude in Thanksgiving We ought also in Prayer to Exercise an unshaken Faith Hope Trust and Confidence but however to wait with Patience and Dependance with an humble Submission and Resignation to God's will whether or no he shall be pleas'd to Gratifie the Desires of our hearts to Answer the requests of our lips And to induce us with the greater Willingness and Alacrity to set about this Duty of Prayer let us consider the mighty Honour and high Dignity accuring to us therefrom for is it not an Honour for us Creatures to be permitted to talk and freely converse with our Creator Is it not an Honour for us vile worms for us sinful Dust and Ashes to be allow'd the priviledge of having ready Access at any time to the Supream Majesty of Heaven and Earth thereby to make known to him our sins our infirmities our wants our calamities and distresses and hereupon to obtain the pardon of our sins the healing of our infirmities the Supply of our pressing wants the mitigation or entire Removal of our Distresses Consider also the inestimable Benefit of Prayer 't is the Channel through which are convey'd all our Mercyes the best Desensative against impendent Dangers and mischiefs against Divine Judgments and corrections for sinning The great Repeller of Temptations the powerful Subduer of our vices and evil inclinations the fruitful improver of our Graces and vertuous Dispositions Lastly Consider together with the Honour and Benefit the great Delight and pleasure resulting from a due discharge of Prayer for what can be more pleasurable than to maintain a constant Intercourse with the Highest and most Excellent of Beings Than to hold Communion by Addresses to the Throne of Grace with our Creator Preserver Redeemer Sanctifier and Continual Benefactor and hereby to have the frequent Effects and Emanations of his Goodness and Benignity derived down upon us and the Devotional Testimonies of our Love and Gratitude Ascending up again unto him What can be a greater Ease and Refreshing to our minds than to Disburthen them of the oppressive weight of Guilt contracted by a free and ingenuous Acknowledgment thereof by humble petitioning for forgiveness of the same by Deprecation of punishment and resolutely promising by the Assistance of God's Grace never to Re-act the like or any other wilful wickedness for the future In sine what more Delightful than to vent our Griefs our fears our wants our Anxieties and Distresses into the Ears of our Heavenly Father one so Tender and Affectionate so True to his word so mindful of his promises so Large in Bounty and beneficence so thoroughly Able so exceedingly Willing to supply all our wants to Dry up all our Tears to Remove all our Affrightments to Satisfie our Anxieties and Relieve our sorest Distresses Prayer rightly circumstantiated what is' t it cannot do It has subdued Kingdoms obtain'd promises wrought Miracles Stopt the Mouths of Lions Quench'd the violence of fire out of weakness made Men Strong Rais'd the Dead to Life again It makes at present through the meritorious Mediation of our Saviour peace both in Heaven and Earth unlocks the Gates of Divine Mercy rifles the Celestial Treasury brings down much of its rich Stores unto us has power both with God and Man and mightily prevails Rendring both yielding entreatable compassionate Prayer 't is another Jacobs Ladder which maintains a mutual Commerce and Correspondency between Heaven and Earth 't is a Burning-Glass of Divine Love wherein all the heats and warmths of a servently pious Soul are concenter'd wherein it exerciseth all its Grace with the greatest vigour and Activity Exerciseth its profoundest Humility towards
God its firmest Dependance on him for Supplies and Belief its heartyest Sorrow for Sin its strongest Faith in Divine Mercy it 's most assured Hope in a Saviour its most earnest pantings and breathings after Heavenly Communications its most ardent Love entire Reâ—ignation and Expectant pâ—â—everâ—â—ce in well-doing And of all the parts of Prayer none more Noble and Generous none more endearing and Acceptable unto God because none more Disinterested and unmercenary than Praise and Thanksgiving Petition respects Good things to come which we stand in Need of Deprecation Regards the keeping off or Removal of those Evils which we apprehend our Sins have righteously deserved and therefore Self-Interest as well as Religious Inclination put us upon the frequent use of these parts of Prayer but Praise respecting purely an Admiration and awful Extolling of the Divine perfections and Thanksgiving being the making a Grateful Return to God for his manifold favours and Loving kindnesses past and Gone Praise and Thanksgiving are hereupon the more undesigning the more free and unselfish acts of Devotion and consequently the more valuable and worthy in themselves the more Approved of and well-pleasing to Heaven And indeed what more Just and Reasonable what more becoming and Suitable as well as Joyous and Delightsome a thing than to be Thankful for Divine blessings received Ah since the whole World is but one large Store-house one Magazine and Treasury of Heavenly Love and beneficence how ought the World hereupon to be one large Temple one Universal Quire of Devout Praises and Hallelujahs Of Thanksgivings as Zealous Fervent and Affectionate as the Divine benefactions which we enjoy are Great Prizable and Important How ought our fire of Devotion to be like that of the Vestal Virgins perpetual and unexpiring How ought the Glowing Embers of an habitually Grateful Temper and disposition to be constantly kept alive upon our hearts though they are not ever actually breaking forth into a flame And indeed Prayer let it have never so much LIght never so much Quickness of thought and Lustre of Expression yet if it have not also warmth and Zeal of Affection 't is but as the Glimmerings of a Glow-worme or like those Shining Exhalations which make Men believe they are Safe Conducted when they are leading all the while into Bogs and Rivers into peril and Destruction Devotion if it has not the fire of the Altar will never prove the Sacrifice of the Altar such a Sacrifice wherewith God is well-pleased for 't is the fervent Prayer alone which is Effectual and unless Effectual 't is of no Value and Advantage But the fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man Availeth much it pierceth the very Clouds Enters into God's Presence besieges his Throne and Mercy-Seat and will not turn away will not give over its Solliciting till such time as the Almighty hears and gives an Answer either by a Grant of its Requests or by as kind and obliging a Denyal Importunity at the Throne of Grace in the Court of Heaven is not there accounted Troublesomness and Impertinency Clamour and Ill-manners as 't is in Earthly Courts but Heaven willingly suffers violence the force and power of Devotion is Delightsome unto it and the violent importunate Supplicants are those only who take it by force When Jacob wrestled all night in Prayer with God the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Christ Jesus Such was his Prayers prevalency Such its holy and Spiritual Charms that Almighty God could not or would not free himself from them till such time as Jacob ceasing his Prayer let him Go and Dismist him Gen 32. from 24 to 29. ver Since all our Temporal all our Spiritual Blessings all our Vertuous Abilities all our Vertuous Inclinations the very Beginnings the after-progress the Entire Completion of our Life of Grace depends so mightily upon the Aids and Communications of Heaven and these are only to be derived thence by Prayer and a Good-Life how Assiduous how Diligent how fervent and importunate ought we to be in the Duty Prayer 't is which Lifts us up Above this Earth lets us into Heaven Gives us a Delightsome prospect of the Glories therein makes us talk and utter things as if we had been there Prayer 't is which Spiritualizes our Minds purifies our Affections Exalts us above this World's cares or fears and Sordid Concernments Prayer which giving us a fore-taste of the Joys to come thereby conforms our Relish unto them makes us Scorn and Despise this world's mean Empty Entertainments hunger and Thirst after the Noble Satisfying Delights of another Life which renders us also fit Associates for the pure Intellectual Beings Above who burn with Devotional Love Gratitude and Obedience and whose Continual Employ it is to Adore to praise and offer up Thanksgivings to the Divine Parent of their Beings and Author of all their Enjoyments By Prayer 't is we hold the most Intimate Communion with God and lye open to all the propitious influences of his Spirit then 't is when at our Devotions that the Sun of Righteousness Christ Jesus ariseth by his Grace with more especial Spiritual healing under his Wings Dissipates our Darkness of Understanding mollifies our obduracy of Will imprints his own most Glorious Divine Image on our Souls Then 't is when engaged in Prayer that holy Men feel their hearts Glow within them as if toucht with a coal of Devotion from God's Sacred Altar now 't is that they Disdain sin and every Degenerate action Disdain even the Appearances of Evil nay even Innocent Earthly Delights And being Enravish'd with the Divine Love being transported with Celestial Contemplation every Vertue in them becomes the more Sprightly and Vigorous and every Devout passion arises the nearer to Rapturous and Seraphical So that in Devotion if ever doth the Soul make its most powerful Sallys Heavenward and become whilst in the body as if out of it having its Affections its Conversation Above with God! The Prayer O Blessed Jesu who didst instruct thy Disciples in the holy and heavenly Exercise of Prayer who not only permittest but Invitest us miserable and needy Creatures to present our Petitions unto thee O give us not only Leave and Allowance to pray but also power and Ability to discharge the Duty Acceptably What do we mean O Lord by praying if we pray not in the Spirit with all fervency of Supplication and Thanks-giving What do we mean by offering this Sacrifice of the Altar if the flame and fire of the Altar a Zealous Devotion be wanting in us Ah better were it we were otherwise employ'd if while we now draw near to thee with our lips our hearts are far from thee and so our very prayers become turned into sins O call then home our straggling thoughts fix our Attention confirm our faith raise and enflame our pious Affections pour forth upon us the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication that this petitionary oblation may come up before thee as Incense and this lifting up of our hands
be heal'd Wash his Soul clean O God in Christ's most Precious Blood Conform him more and more to the Holy Doctrine and Example of the Ever-blessed Jesus Sanctifie him with all the Saving Graces of thy Renewing Spirit Give him if it be thy Will some Delightful Foretastes and Anticipations of Celestial Blessedness Hope towards Thee an Enravisht Sense of thy Favour Joys in the Holy Ghost unspeakable and full of Approaching Glories However if this be too great a Vouchsafement make him at least Willing to be Dissolved Fit for Heaven Full of his Saviour Empty of himself and of all Trust in his own Defective Righteousness and whenever thou takest him out of this World take him we Beseech Thee unto thy self into Everlasting Felicity Amen Holy Jesu for thy Precious Death and Passions sake Amen A Prayer to be used on the Lord's Day in the Morning Preparatory to the Duties of the Day BLessed and Glorious Lord God Thou Lord and Instituter of the Sabbath who allowest us Six Days in Seven for our Temporal and Worldly Concerns and hast Set Apart the Seventh only for thine own more Especial Service O how wisely hast thou Provided for both our â—ouls and Bodies For how would our Outward Man want Food and Raiment were not Days of Labour afforded it wherein by honest Industry to procure those Necessaries and how would our Spirit Pine away and Languish as to all Gracious Endowments were not Seasons appropriated to thy Divine Worship O that therefore at present we may Rest from the works of Sin as well as from those of our particular Callings O that we may be in the Spirit on this thine own Day that we may worship thee thereon in Spirit and in Truth that we may keep it so Holy and Sanctified unto Thee as that it may be a Pledge and Earnest of an Eternal Sabbatisme with thee in Light and Glory This is the Day which the Lord hath made by his Justifying Resurrection O may we Rejoice and be Glad therein with an Holy Rejoycing This is the Day which was the Birth-Day of our Hopes and future Blessed Expectations O may it prove a Day of Growth and Improvement in Grace of holy Ardours and Devont Enravishments Grant Gracious Father that we may not find our own Pleasure nor Speak our own Words nor do our own Deeds on this thine Hallowed-Day but may both Call and Esteem it a Delight Holy of the Lord Honourable O that Heaven an a Heavenly Frame and Temper of Spirit may be Begun in us Here by means of our pious Intercourses with Heaven amidst the Duties of thy Day We are Going O Lord unto thy House of Prayer the Place where thine Honour dwells O pardon us that we are not Prepared according to the Preparation of thy Sanctuary that we have not yet put off our Carnal and Earthly Affections Considering that the place whereon we are to stand is Holy Ground O do Thou our God vouchsafe to Go along with us into thy Temple by the Holy Aids and Assistances of thy Spirit Cause us to Approach Thee there with Reverence and to worship before thee with a Zealous Affection when we Meditate let us do it with all Seriousness Heavenly-Mindedness and Edification when we Pray let it be with the utmost Attension Faith and holy Fervour when we Hear the Glad Tidings of thy Gospel may it be with all Diligent and hearty Attendance on thy Word and Doctrine when we Read thy Holy Scriptures may they make us wise unto Salvation may we Read them with Vnderstanding with an Affectionate Gust and Relish with a Reforming Change and inward Digestion of them into Spiritual Grace and Nourishment O may this Day be added to our Share in an Happy Eternity by our Religious Improvement of it mayst Thou our God come Down unto us herein by thy Divine Influences and may we be Taken up unto thee by Devout Praises and Adorations Accompany we beseech Thee O Lord with thine own more Especial Presence thine own more Especial Ordinances and holy Institutions Cause us by the Spiritual food of pious Duties to Increase in Grace and to be Nourished up to a perfect Manhood in Christ Jesus Being Rooted and Grounded in Divine Love and built up through Faith unto a Capacity of Eternal Salvation How Earthly O God would beour Affections How Carnal and Sensual our Souls were their Thoughts and Desires alwayes busied about the things of this World Blessed be thy Name therefore that thou hast Enjoyn'd us a Season wherein to call off our Thoughts and Affections from things Temporal wherein to unloosen our Spirits from Sense and Sensual Concernments and allowest us a Sweet Converse and Communication with Thee the Fountain of all Happyness O make us more to value this inestimable Priviledge make us at present to Improve it to the best Advantage Cause us to hold a pious Harmony of Praises and Hallelujahs with thy Blessed Saints and Angels now in Heaven 'T is the Employment will be our Continual Joy and Blissful Recreation in the Regions Above O give us therefore to Habituate our selves to it Now and thereby partake of Heavenly Satisfactions even on Earth Give a Blessing to thy word Preached and to the Prayers offer'd to thy Divine Majesty on this Day while Paul plants and Apollos â—aters do Thou O God Give the Sanctifying Increase That we may be able Experimentally to say we have Tasted and Seen â—ow Gracious the Lord is we have of a Truth found how 't is Good for us that â—e have waited upon thee in the midst of thine holy Ordinances And then by these means of Grace being Train'd up and Fitted for Everlasting Glory we shall at length be Translated thither where the Exercises of Holyness shall Cease being means of Begetting or Confirming us in Grace and shall only be our Delight and Joy and Heavenly Entertainment for an Eternal Duration Amen Blessed Lord Amen FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Thomas Speed at the Three Crowns near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1693. THirty Six Sermons viz. 16 Ad Aulum 6 Ad Clerum 6 Ad Magistratum 8 Ad Populum With a large Preface by the Right Reverend Father in God Robert Sanderson late Lord Bishop of Lincoln The Eight Edition corrected and amended Whereunto is now added the Life of the Reverend and Learned Author Written by Isaac Walton Folio Conversation in Heaven Being Devotions consisting of Meditations and Prayers On several Considerable Subjects in Practical Divinity Written for the Raising the Decay'd Spirit of Piety By Lawrence Smith LL. D. Fellow of St. John's College in Oxford A Sermon at the Funeral of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Grey Late Vicar of Dedham in Essex Preach'd in the Parish-Church of Dedham Febr. the 2d 1691 2. With a short Account of his Life By