and Reverence prostrate upon your knees offer unto God your Morning sacrifice 1. Of Thanksgiving for your preservation and refreshment the night past 2. Confessing with all godly sorrow your sins and failings even in the best of your performances and more particularly in what the night past you offended either by thought or desire word or deed in your dreams sleeping or waking and humbly beg pardon for the same 3. Imploring God's gracious assistance to direct you in all your intentions and undertakings to strengthen you against all Temptations to enable you to fulfil and put in execution all your good purposes and holy resolutions PSALMS for the MORNING or First Hour of Prayer with Notes for Illustration The CXIX Psalm The First Part. 1. BLessed are those that are undefiled in the way and walking in the way of the Lord. This present life is called the way because it is the thorough fare to Life eternal and to keep unspotted of this world is the way to be blessed in the world to come 2. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and seek him with their whole heart That we may keep Gods Laws which is the way to blessedness we must with all fervor of Spirit implore the assistance of divine Grace 3. For they who do no wickedness walk in his ways To do wickedly is to walk every one in the ways of his own heart which are contrary to the ways of God 4. Thou hast charged that we shall diligently keep thy Commandments 'T is not enough to decline the ways of wickedness except we be also diligent in doing the good works God hath commanded 5. O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep thy statutes So directed by thee 6. So shall I not be confounded while I have respect unto all thy Commandments Disobedience to God's Commands is the high-way to confusion 7. I will thank thee with an unfeigned heart when I shall have learned the judgments of thy righteousness Unfeigned thanks are to be given unto God as the chief author of all our knowledge and obedience 8. I will keep thy ceremonies O forsake me not utterly Or that I may keep thy Laws in every circumstance thereof O Lord forsake me not or if for a while thou leave me that I may be sensible of my frailties yet forsake me not utterly Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer WIth my whole heart do I seek and sue unto thee O Lord that thy Truth may so direct me and thy Grace support me in the way of thy Laws and in the works of thy Commandments that being holy and undefiled in the way of this Life I may be for ever blessed with thee in the Life to come through Jesus Christ The Second Part. Verses 1. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way even by ruling himself after thy Word The regenerate or new Man preserves himself clean and pure by squaring all his intentions and actions by that infallible Rule of Righteousness which God has prescribed 2. With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not go wrong unto thy Commandments Either by misunderstanding thy word for want of divine Illumination or by disobeying the same for want of divine Grace 3. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I should not sin against thee c That we sin not is the great end why the Word of God is given us 4. Blessed art thou O Lord O teach me thy statutes To bless God for gifts already received is the readiest way more fully to understand his Will 5. With my lips have I been telling of all the judgments of thy mouth Divine knowledge must not be buried as the Talent in a Napkin but be outwardly exprest to the glory of God and edification of others 6. I have had as great delight in thy testimonies as in all manner of riches The highest delight of man is the pleasure of his highest Faculties the Understanding and the Will which consists in the knowledg of the truth and obedience thereunto 7. I will talk of thy Commandments and have respect to thy ways True Religion will manifest it self both in words and deeds 8. My delight shall be in thy Statutes and I will not forget thy word Whilest I delight to obey my God I cannot forget the Rule of that obedience which he requires The Prayer GRant me blessed Lord to delight in thee and in obedience to thy Laws more than in all earthly treasures devoting both my youth and ripe age hereunto That so keeping thy Commandments I may enter into life thorough Jesus Christ The Third Part. 1. O do well unto thy servant that I may live and keep thy word To do the good works God has commanded in his Word is to live the life of Grace which is the way to the life of Glory 2. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Without the right understanding of the excellency of those duties God commands there can be no true Religion either in the heart or in the life 3. I am a stranger upon earth O hide not thou thy Commandments from me Not the earth but Heaven is our native home whereunto the knowledge of and obedience unto Gods Commandments doth entitle us through Christ 4. My soul breaketh out for the very fervent desire it hath alway unto thy judgments The beginning of true Wisdom is the fervent desire thereof 5. Thou hast rebuked the proud and cursed are they that do err from thy Commandments Spiritual pride is hateful before God as being inconsistent with obedience to his Laws 6. O turn from me shame and rebuke for I have kept thy testimonies Or turn from me that shame and curse which thou hast threatned to the proud and disobedient 7. Princes also did sit and speak against me but thy servant is occupied in thy Statutes 8. For thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers Against all the powers of earth and hell God's Word is our counsel by its direction and our comfort in its practice The Prayer O Lord the giver of all good things vouchsafe unto thy servant fervently to desire rightly to understand and constantly to persevere in the practice of all thy Evangelical Precepts Let not any Powers upon earth nor all the Princes and Powers of hell withdraw my heart from thee or my actions from the Rule of Righteousness but let thy testimonies be ever both my Counsel and my Comfort in my pilgrimage upon earth that in the end I may safely arrive in my native Countrey of Heaven to ascribe for ever Glory to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Fourth Part. 1. My soul cleaveth unto the dust O quicken me according to thy Word or My soul is too much set upon earthly things do thou quicken me with spiritual wisdom and heavenly affections according to thy promise in thy Word 2.
way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations verse 3 Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee verse 4 O let the nations rejoyce and be glad for thou shalt judge the folk righteously and govern the nations upon earth verse 5 Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee verse 6 Then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God even our own God shall give us his blessing verse 7 God shall bless us and all the ends of the world shall fear him and with one heart and with one mouth glorifie the Lord and say Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. II. 'T was at this Hour my blessed Lord having first washed his disciples feet did institute consecrate and administer the blessed Sacrament of his most holy body and blood and the next day at the same hour he was taken down from the Cross I have very great reason then at this hour with all thanksgiving and devotion to commemorate the infinite love of my Redeemer in giving himself to be not only the price of my Redemption by his death upon the Cross but also to be the food of my Soul in that blessed Sacrament humbly beseeching his gracious Majesty that the merits of the one may be applied to my Soul in the devout and reverent participation of the other But I will not presume to come to thy Table O merciful Saviour having not first washed my polluted feet and the disordered affections of my soul with the tears of godly sorrow having not by true Repentance taken down the pride of this corruptible flesh laid aside and abjured all my sins that so with clean hands and a pure heart I may receive the holy Communion of thy precious Body and Blood not to my condemnation but to the eternal salvat on of my Soul O blessed Jesu Saviour of the world save me and deliver me from all mine offences nail them to thy Cross bury them in thy grave that they never rise in judgment against me at the last great day And O that now upon the remembrance of my dearest Saviours burial in the grave I could from the bottom of my heart bid adieu to the world and to all the pomps and vanities of this life to the assured hopes of the joyes of the life to come The XV. Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 LOrd who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle be entitled to the solemn worship of thy house and continue a true member of thy Church militant here below or who shall rest upon thy holy hill be admitted into the rest and felicity of thy Saints in heaven above verse 2 Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life unspotted of the world unstained by the flesh uncorrupted by the Devil and doth the thing that is right Beneficence or to do good as Innocence to do no evil are equally necessary to Salvation and speaketh the truth from his heart whose heart thinketh and whose mouth speaketh the truth without which knowledge and profession of the truth there can be no righteousness either of Innocence or of Beneficence in the actions of life verse 3 He that hath used no deceit in his tongue nor done evil to his neighbor who hath neither in his words deceived nor in his deeds wronged any and hath not slandered his neighbor either First being too credulous to believe an evil report of any or Secondly aggravating and making worse the mistakes and miscarriages of others or Thirdly blazoning them abroad to his disgrace verse 4 He that setteth not by himself is not conceited of his own worth or esteem wisdom or holiness but is lowly in his own eyes hath a mean and low opinion of himself of his deserts parts and performances or as according to another reading discountenanceth a vile person in his wickedness and maketh much of them that fear the Lord by commending and giving all respects and encouragement to such verse 5 He that sweareth to his neighbour in the promise of any benefit whether by love or gift and disappointeth him not but is as good as his word unto him though it be to his own hinderance in respect of his present worldly interests verse 6 He that hath not given his money upon usury neither lending nor giving ought unto any upon the hopes of temporal advantage thereby forbidden by our Lord Luk. 6.35 nor taken reward against the Innocent that will not be fee'd or bribed to speak or act any thing against truth and Innocence verse 7 Whoso doth these things carefully conscientiously constanly shall never fall from the state of Grace but pass through that to the state of Glory to rest upon Gods holy hill or to enjoy eternal rest in the high and holy Heavens where the Language constantly used is Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. III. 'T was at this time of the day my Blessed Lord being risen from the dead appeared to two of his Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 2.13 ad 31. with whom discoursing and by whom being entertained he was known of them by breaking of bread O how good and profitable a thing it is to speak of the holy Jesus with affectionate desires and devotions but much more effectual are good deeds than good words Friendly discourses upon Divine subjects are profitable but charitable entertainments are more acceptable to the Court of Heaven To hear from the blessed mouth of our Lord himself the holy Scriptures expounded did undoubtedly ravish the minds of these Disciples but yet their eyes were not opened to know the Lord till charity enlarged their hearts to invite nay to compel their fellow traveller to eat bread and lodge with them Tene hospitem si vis agnoscere Salvatorem Aug. 'T is divine Charity that passeth all things for illumination were my heart throughly infir'd with this Celestial flame I could not be destitute of the light of Truth for fire and light both spiritual and material are inseparable To these hospitable Disciples our Lord was known in the breaking of bread and thus he is especially known and entertained also in that Celestial bread of the blessed Eucharist to the great and endless comfort of every worthy Communicant Lord evermore give us this bread feed our Souls with thy most precious Body and Blood as a pledge and assurance to eat bread with Thee in the Kingdom of God for ever Amen IV. An evening Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving is due unto thy God as well as the morning Praise and a better Sacrifice cannot be offered unto him either evening or morning with the calves of our lips than in the words of the CXLV Psalm which is an Epitome of the Praises of God diffused through the whole Book of God and 't was therefore one part of the dayly service of God in his Temple and therefore 't is most meet it should daily by
every good Christian be devoutly used say then with thy most ardent desires to extol the glory of God PSALM CXLV verse 1 I Will magnifie thee O God my King and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever verse 2 Every day will I give thanks unto thee and praise thy Name for ever and ever verse 3 Great is the Lord and marvellous worthy to be praised there is no end of his greatness verse 4 One generation shall praise thy works unto another and declare thy power verse 5 As for me I will be talking of thy worship thy Glory thy Praise and wondrous works verse 6 So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts and I will tell of thy greatness verse 7 The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed and men shall sing of thy righteousness verse 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful long-suffering and of great goodness verse 9 The Lord is loving unto every man and his mercy is over all his works verse 10 All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints give thanks unto thee verse 11 They shew the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power verse 12 That thy power thy glory and the mightiness of thy Kingdom might be known unto men verse 13 Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy Dominion endureth throughout all ages verse 14 The Lord upholdeth all such as fall and lifteth up all those that are down verse 15 The eyes of all wait upon thee O Lord and thou givest them their meat in due season verse 16 Thou openest thine hand and fillest all things living with plenteousness verse 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works verse 18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully verse 19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will help them verse 20 The Lord preserveth all them that love him but scattereth abroad all the ungodly verse 21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. An Evening Hymn NOw that the sable mantle of the night O're-spreads the earth and vailes the chearful light O Lord who art of light and life the spring Of Grace and Glory the eternal King Vpon thy servant cause thy face to shine And save me for thy mercies sake divine Forgive me what I have offended in This day by thought or word or deed of sin For my sweet Saviours sake propitious be To him who now pours forth his soul to thee All Glory be to thine eternal merit Most blessed Father Son and Holy Spirit Amen CHAP. VI. Of Bed-time Meditations I. I Am Alpha and Omega Rev. 1.8 Is 44.6 the Beginning and the End the First and the Last saith the Lord from the Lord I have my Beginning and he is the end of my Being 'T is therefore meet and just and thy bounden duty as to begin so to end the day with the service of thy God to make the outgoings of the Morning and of the Evening to praise him who hath made the Night and the Day The day is thine Ps 79.17 and the night is thine Thou hast prepared the light and the Sun Thou hast set all the borders of the earth Thou hast made the Summer 18. and the Winter II. 'T was at this hour my dear Redeemer was in a bitter Agony Luk. 22.44 Luk. 23.53 c. and sweat great drops of Blood under the pressure of the sins of men and out of a sad apprehension of his ensuing sufferings for the same 'T was at this hour also our Lord was laid in the Grave and lamented by the women that followed him to his Death Now then let tears distill from thine eyes in the devout remembrance of that precious Blood which flowed from thy Saviours veins Thy miscarriages and offences this very day of omission and commission of ignorance and knowingly of negligence and wilfully of thought and desire word and deed if they be not washed away in this Blood of thy Lord they will involve thee in blackness of darkness for ever and in the horrid sleep of death from whence there is no awaking O then cast them out of thy heart by a plenary particular Confession of all thy this dayes enormities wash away the filth and pollution of them with the tears of godly sorrow which being intermixt with Faith in the Blood of Christ makes an healing salve for thy sin-sick Soul O blessed Jesu Saviour of the world save me and deliver me from all mine offences nail them to thy Cross bury them in thy Grave let them never rise up in judgment against me to my condemnation at the last great day And O that now upon the Religious contemplation of my Saviours burial I could bid adieu to this wicked world and to all the pomps and vanities thereof that being delivered from the iniquities of this sinful life I may escape the bitter wailing and weeping of the wicked in the life to come PSALMS For the Compline or Bed-time The IV. Psalm Paraphrased verse 1 O God the donor preserver and rewarder of my righteousness thou hast set me at liberty from the bondage of sin and of Satan when I was in trouble through the tyranny they exercised over me have mercy upon me and hearken unto my prayer that I be no more involved in that sad condition which it highly concerns all men to avoid verse 2 O ye sons of men of the old Adam how long will ye blaspheme mine honour advancing the creature above your Creator and have such pleasure in vanity take such delight in what is empty vain and satisfies not and seek after leasing pursuing the lying vanities of this wicked world verse 3 Know this for your instruction that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is godly hath selected from among the children of men certain vessels of honour devoted to his service and were I so happy as to be one of these elect people of God holy and separate from the vanities of the world I could not doubt but when I call upon the Lord he will hear me verse 4 Stand in awe and sin not or fear the Lord and depart from evil and that you may do so Commune with your own heart examine what thoughts what desires do harbour in every corner of your heart in your Chamber and be still in the silence of the night recollect the actions of the day silently and closely that ye may do it exactly and having cleansed your hearts verse 5 Offer unto God the sacrifice of righteousness vow unto him a new obedience to his holy Will and Commandments which is the rule of righteousness and if you perform this vow you may with some
is a thirst for God 2. even for the living God the fountain of living waters when shall I come to appear before the presence of God Oh my God when will that happy hour come wherein I shall be fatisfied with thy presence wherein I shall praise thee according to my duty and desire wherein thou wilt be all in all to my Soul When I awake up after thy likeness I shall be satisfied with it till then I must not hope to enjoy any real solid contentment For Whom have I in heaven but thee Ps 73.24 and there is none upon earth that I defire in comparison of thee There is none in heaven or earth that can satisfie the desires of my Soul which being stampt after the image of God and capable of her Creator cannot be filled with the greatest sufficiency of all created Beings My heart and my flesh faileth 25. my flesh will soon wither and fail to be the habit tion of my Soul and my heart will be also swallowed up of sorrow and despair but that God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever II. O God Psal 63.1 thou art my God my God and my All all that I am and all that I have and all that I hope to be and therefore early will I seek thee in the morning of the day in the morning of my life in the morning or light of divine Grace for 't is thereby I am excited both early and late to seek thee My Soul thirsteth for thee 2 my flesh also longeth after thee my flesh that being in subjection to the Spirit both Soul and Body may rejoyce in thee in whom alone true joy and satisfaction is attainable for I am here in a barren and dry land where no water is such is the wilderness of this world it affords no waters of refreshment to satisfie the desires of the immortal Soul Thus have I waited for thee in holiness 3 And O that I could wait for thee and wait upon thee with such separate affections from all sensuality and earthiness that I might behold thy power which is chiefly manifested in shewing mercy and pity and thy glory even the Glory of thy Grace and Favour For thy loving kindness is better than the life it self 4 without thy loving kindness O my God my life of nature is but a living death and my life of Grace with the hopes of the life of Glory are but the glimpses and scattered raies of thy loving kindness and therefore my lips shall praise thee and this also is an effect of thy loving kindness that my heart dictates to my lips to praise thy Name Blessed is the people Ps 89.16 O Lord that can rejoyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy Countenance Their delight shall be daily in thy Name 17 and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast For thou art the glory of their strength 18 and in thy loving kindness thou shalt lift up our horns For the Lord is our defence 19. the holy one of Israel is our King Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and world without end and let all the people say Amen even so Amen Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. MEDITATIONS Of Fasting and Almsgiving to be practised with holy Prayer and Meditation THat my Prayers and Meditations may ascend into Heaven and be there treasur'd up to my comfort in the day of my account 't is necessary that the Christian duties of Fasting and Almsgiving be frequently intermixed for these are the Two Wings whereupon Holy Prayer is mounted into Heaven and graciously accepted in the presence of God These Three are those spiritual Sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 whereby every sincerely devout Christian as a member of the holy mystical Priesthood sacrificeth all that he is and all that he has unto God from whom he hath received all Heb. 13.15.16 Ro. 12.1 Phil. 4.18 His Soul is poured forth by Prayer his Body is sacrificed by Fasting and his Goods are offered by Almsgiving We have no more to give and not in some considerable proportion to give them unto God is to rob him of that tribute which is due unto him as an acknowledgment that all we are and all we do possess is held from him in Capite as the chief Lord of all To pretend that all these Christian duties are implied and may be supplied through the fulness of Faith in Christ is a false and mistaken notion of the holy and true Christian Faith which both Commends and Commands not the aiery empty notions but the real performance of all these Religious duties Our blessed Lord in his heavenly Sermon on the Mount joyns these together and we may not without danger to our Souls presume to part them or vainly conceive that any one without the other will be accepted of God but being all sincerely practised as our Lord directs Mat. 6.1 5.16 we shall then as he Commands lay up for our selves treasure in Heaven where are neither moth nor rust ver 20. Thus devout Cornelius sent up such a plentiful treasure into Heaven Act. 10.2 3. v. 30. as brought down thence one of those Celestial Spirits for his guidance and direction in the ways of life Holy Prayer is that whip which drives the Devil and all his Temptations out of the Temple of the heart leaving it to the possession of the Holy Jesus and Fasting is as that Scope or Besom which sweeps and keeps clean this spiritual Temple of the Lord Mar. 9.29 by both conjoyned the strongest Devil is master'd and ejected Prayer is as the Chain which tyes up Satan and by Fasting the Chain is strengthned and made to hold But a Three-fold Cord is not easily broken if with your Prayers and Fastings you conjoyn the Christian acts of holy Charity also a Chain of these several links composed will not only tye up the Devil that his temptations shall not reach to hurt your Soul but also secretly bind the hands of the Almighty that they be not stretched out for the punishment of your by-past Transgressions for Charity shall cover a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4.8 Let not the lust of the flesh or the lust of thine eyes so bewitch thee O my Soul as to rob thy God of what is due unto Him both from thy Body and Estate Whilst thou courtest thy God with Prayers alone thou servest him with what doth cost thee nothing nothing but the labour of thy lips 'T is my self my whole self the Lord requires with my Prayers my Soul in its devoutest affections my Body in the mortification of all its exorbitant Lusts my Goods in the relief of my wanting Brethren otherwise my Prayers will flag and grovel here below when they want these spiritual Wings whereupon to mount to the Throne of Grace to find
his will and disorder of his affections having yielded himself to follow my temptations and to forsake the paths of thy Commandments But 't is not the Devil alone that shall thus accuse thee when arraigned at the bar of divine Judgment but as S. Chrysostom saith the heavens and the earth and the sea the Sun and the Moon and the Stars both nights and days and all the creatures thou hast abused shall bear witness against thee but above all Thine own Conscience shall be as a thousand witnesses for being then freed from this clog and damp of the corruptible flesh all thy imaginations and desires all thy words and works spoken and done in the body shall appear to thy conscience in their native genuine and proper colours without any ignorance or oblivion misperswasion or misprision which now blinds the minds of many thousands to their eternal ruine on that day O who shall then be able to answer thee one of a thousand thou most worthy Judg eternal if thou shouldst be extream to mark what is done amiss Job 9.2 Ps 130.3 and thy great mercy intervene not to mitigate the rigor of thy Justice But in thee have I put my trust Ps 38.15 Thou shalt answer for me O Lord my God I have no other Advocate to plead my cause but my righteous Judge himself from whom in my daily prayers I have required that they even mine enemies should not triumph over me when I stand to be judged before the Tribunal of Heaven Who will set scourges over my thoughts Eccl. 23.2 3. and the discipline of wisdom over my heart that they spare me not for mine ignorances and pass not by my sins Lest mine ignorances increase and my sins abound to my destruction And I fall before mine adversaries in the day of my tryal and mine enemies the spirits and powers of darkness rejoyce over me whose hope is far from thy mercy Meditat. II. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee Ps 119.120 and I am afraid of thy Judgments when I consider the severity of many of thy temporal judgments which are now intended to drive sinners to Repentance that thou mightest spare them hereafter I cannot but foresee the unconceivable rigor of thy eternal judgments which intend punishment only without any thought of future mercy to spare and to forgive as in this life And I vile sinner have great cause to fear as a strict examination which all must undergo so a severe sentence to pass upon me having not so conscientiously as I ought obeyed the sacred dictates of the saving grace of God teaching us Tit. 2.11 12 that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live foberly righteously and godly in this present world With what face then shall I look for the blessed hope or hope for blessedness upon the appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ I have a greater cause to fear than to hope to wave than to await his coming But how shall I avoid or whither shall I flee from the face of my Judge whither but from an offended God to a merciful Redeemer from the Throne of thy Justice to thy Mercy-seat To meet thee now with Repentance in my heart and the fruits thereof brought forth in the actions of my life and with such spiritual wings cemented with the blood of my Redeemer I may hope to flee from the wrath to come O God who art justly displeased for our sins Mat. 3.7 8. and pacified by our true and sincere Repentance spare O spare all those who confess their sins unto thee that they whose consciences by sin are accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved through Christ our Lord. III. Before Judgment examine thy self Eccl. 18.20 and in the day of visitation thou shalt find mercy And I upon the examination of my self do find my heart foul and polluted and my life stain'd with manifold offences but that I may escape the judgment of God I judge my self to be a miserable sinner I judge my self to have incurr'd the Lords just indignation to have deserved the dismal sentence of condemnation to pass upon me For I have sinned and I have done wickedly and I have committed iniquity and have rebelied against the Lord by departing from his most holy Laws and judgments Many will be my accusers when I come to my great Tryal upon life or death eternal and many and great accusations have they to lay against me the Devil and his Angels whose suggestions unto evil I have too often followed many men and many women too who have been conscious of my sins and of whose sins I have been many ways guilty All the good creatures of God I have abused and his mercies in them all those evil deeds I have committed and the many good offices I have wittingly omitted all which stand upon Gods record in Heavens black book of remembrance and mine own Conscience shall bear witness to all these undeniable Evidences These are the Books that shall be opened against me and I have not what to answer for my self But my trust is in the tender mercies of the Lord therefore I shall not fall and be cast in my tryal Holy Jesus who wast condemned being innocent acquit me though greatly nocent through Faith in thy Blood Judge me Ps 35.24 O Lord according to thy righteousness not after mine for 't is little and good for little but 't is thy righteousness Holy Jesus both active and passive I must plead for my acquittance when judged by thee then O then let not mine enemies trimuph over me Let them not say in their hearts there there so would we have it neither let them say we have devoured him But in the hour of death and in the day of Judgment Good Lord deliver me MEDITATIONS upon the GENERAL JUDGMENT WHen the Son of man shall come in his Glory Mat. 25.31 and all his holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory And before him all nations shall be gathered 23. This is called The day of the Lord 1 Thess 5.2 by way of Eminence as being of all daies the greatest 1. In respect of the great appearance upon this day even of all the men that ever liv'd or shall live upon the face of the earth and of all the Angels also both good and bad which are more numerous than men for there are as many of spiritual saith the Schoolman as there be of corporeal Beings T. Aq. p. 1. q. 50. Art 3. 2. A great day in respect of the multitudinous Trials even of all the works that ever have been done from the Creation to the dissolution of all things under the Sun And not our works only but 3. Of all our words even of every idle word an account must be given By thy words thou shalt be justified Mat 12.36 37. and by thy words thou shalt be condemned 4. Not our words and
temptation he is defective in some exterior acts of obedience 6. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee because of thy righteous judgments Davine Praise is to be celebrated night and day and our failings of divine Worship in the day may be supplied in the night 7. I am a companion of all them that fear thee and keep thy Commandments The society of holy men is both a great comfort and a great furtherance in the way of godliness 8. The Earth O Lord is full of thy mercy O teach me thy Statutes Gods common blessings are extended unto all but his special favours are reserved for them that keep his Commandments Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer WHat ever my part or portion be upon earth be thou my portion O Lord and the lot of mine inheritance Preserve me in the Unity of the Holy Catholick Church and in the Communion of Saints to the hopes of eternal glory through Jesus Christ The Ninth Part. Verses 1. O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant according to thy Word Gods gracious promises do move him to be merciful in his dealings with us far beyond our merits 2. O learn me true understanding and knowledge for I have believed thy Commandments In the mysteries of godliness what we cannot believe by Understanding we must understand by Believing 3. Before I was troubled I went wrong but now have I kept thy Word The rod of affliction and good discipline keeps the Soul in humility and obedience 4. Thou art good and gracious O teach me thy Statutes Even in adversity God is no less gracious than in prosperity 5. The proud have imagined a lye against me but I will keep thy Commandments with my whole heart Though the Devil and his instruments invent and suggest lyes to subvert the truth yet by a sincere obedience they are discovered and rejected 6. Their heart is as fat as brawn but my delight hath been in thy Law Through pride and luxury the heart of the wicked is fatted with delight but humility and obedience is the joy of the righteous Soul 7. It is good for me that I have been in trouble that I may learn thy Statutes Temptations and troubles yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby 8. The Law of thy mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of gold and silver Grace excells gold as much as heaven excells earth or the soul the body Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer THou art good and gracious O Lord even in the chastisements of thy servant Let both thy favours and thy frowns be sanctified unto me and all the temptations of my ghostly enemies make me cleave more stedfastly in my obedience to thy most holy Lawes esteeming thy Commandments far above all earthly treasures as being the way to those never-failing treasures of Celestial glory through Jesus Christ The Tenth Part. Verses 1. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O give me Vnderstanding that I may learn thy Commandments To know God and obey his Laws is the End of our Creation after the Image of God and the perfection of our Being is thereby attained 2. They that fear Thee will be glad when they see me because I have put my trust in thy Word Examples of piety rejoyce the hearts of them that truly fear God 3. I know O Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled 'T is most righteous and just that they who fall from God by pride and disobedience be first humbled by afflictions before they be restored to his grace and favour 4. O let thy loving kindness be my comfort according to thy Word unto thy servant Let this be my comfort in all my troubles that they are sent according to thy Word in mercy to humble not in fury to consume and destroy me 5. O let thy loving mercies come unto me that I may live for thy Law is my delight Both the life of grace and glory are the issue of God's loving mercy and the soul is qualified for this mercy by love and delight in the Lawes of God 6. Let the proud be confounded for they go wickedly about to destroy me but I will be occupied in thy Commandments A constant regular obedience to God's Commandments confounds all the machinations of the devil and all his instruments 7. Let such as fear Thee and have known thy Testimonies be turned unto me Wherein the Prayers and example of the godly are both strength and consolation 8. O let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed The sincerity of the heart in the performance of Religious duties will preserve us from that confusion which is the portion of Hypocrites The Prayer THat I may attain that perfection and felicity whereunto thou hast created me O Lord I humbly beg the spirit of wisdom and understanding both to know and in all things to obey thy most holy will In all my Humiliations for my sins and temptations of the devil let thy loving mercies support me the prayers and examples of thy Saints and Servants assist me O let my heart be sincere and sound in thy service that I may escape that everlasting confusion which is the portion of Hypocrites and my lot may be with thy faithful servants for ever to sing Glory to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c Our Father which art c. CHAP. III. Of Meditations for the Sixth hour of Prayer or twelve a Clock AT Evening and Morning and at Noonday will I pray So resolved holy David Ps 55.18 Dan. 6.10 and so prayed holy Daniel and at this hour prayed S. Peter also a Act. 10.9 And shall not such eminent examples move thee also at this hour to converse with heaven especially remembring I The arrow that flyeth by day and the destruction that wasteth at the noon-day Ps 91.5 6. The Arrows of Temptation fly thick about us and the devil as a roaring Lyon continually goeth about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 Fly then to the God of thy refuge upon the sacred wings of devout Prayers and holy Meditations Call to mind II. That 't was at this hour our first Parents for their Pride and disobedience were driven out of Paradise and let this consideration humble thy Soul at this Hour under the mighty hand of God that he may draw thee out of that mass of corruption wherein with the rest of mankind thou art originally involved and exalt thee to the hopes of admittance into the celestial Paradise which being lost by the disobedience of the First Adam was regained by the obedience of the Second Adam who III. As at this hour of the day was listed up on the Cross as was the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderness Luk. 23.44
we may be armed against all temptations 8. I see that all things come to an end but thy Commandment is exceeding broad We see by dayly experience that all those worldly things and carnal delights whereby we are tempted to sin do quickly vanish but he that doth the Will of the Lord abideth for ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer I Am thine O Lord not only by Creation but also solemnly devoted by regeneration in Baptism and I am resolved to continue thine O save me from every transgression of any of thy most holy Laws which all creatures in their several kinds do obey Let not the secret underminings of the Devil or the open flattering felicities of the world cozer and ensnare me for these shall suddenly come to an end but obedience to thy Commandments is the way to life without end through Jesus Christ The Thirteenth Part. Verses 1. Lord what love have I unto thy Law All the day long is my study in it He that truly loves God loves also what he commands and frequently meditates thereupon 2. Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with me God's commandment extending to the love of our enemies exceeds the utmost wisdom of the heathen who have not the knowledge of his Laws 3. I have more understanding than my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my study But he that will be truly wise must not cursorily read the Letter but studiously consider and dive into the spirit and life of the Law 4. I am wiser than the aged because I keep thy Commandments Wisdom is increased and perfected by obedience to the dictates thereof 5. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I may keep thy Word He that will do what God commands must refrain from all that he forbids First cease to do evil and then learn to do well 6. I have not shrunk from thy judgments for thou hearest me 'T is the secret teaching of God's Spirit in the heart that keeps the feet firm from backfliding 7. O how sweet are thy Words unto my throat yea sweeter than honey unto my mouth The fruits of a true Faith or sincere Obedience is more sweet to the soul than honey to the mouth 8. Through thy Commandments I get Vnderstanding therefore I hate all evil wayes The right Understanding of good and evil discovers both the beauty of obedience and the deformity of every sinful action The Prayer ALmighty God the fountain of all wisdom give me I humbly beseech thee a wise and understanding heart hating and refraining from every evil way loving Thee and thy Laws and mine enemies also in obedience thereunto Let me never shrink from thy judgments but stedfastly believe the Truth of thy revelations and regularly obey the same that I may reap the sweet fruits of holiness in eternal happiness through Jesus Christ The Fourteenth Part. Verses 1. Thy Word is a Lanthorn unto my feet and a light unto my paths Gods Word as a Lanthorn in the night directs us in our passage through the darkness of this life to the light of life eternal 2. I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous judgments Therefore every truly wise man resolves stedfastly to follow and obey the directions of this holy Word according to his Vow in Baptism 3. I am troubled above measure quicken me O Lord according to thy Word But the flesh lusting against the spirit disturbs such holy resolves and endeavours but by the grace of God the pious soul is quickned and the spirit fortified against all such encounters and this God hath promised in the same Word 4. Let the freewill-offerings of my mouth please thee O Lord and teach me thy judgments For the which grace 't is our duty to pray and that more willingly and chearfully and more frequently than at ordinary and accustomed times 5. My Soul is alway in my hand yet do I not forget thy Law The continual dangers of the souls safety should engage us often to meditate upon divine Truths 6. The ungodly have laid a snare for me but I swerved not from thy Commandments From the which all the temptations of wicked spirits should not make us to swerve 7. Thy Testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever for why they are the very joy of my heart 'T is obedience that entitles to the inheritance of Heaven which fills the hearts of the righteous with joy unspeakable and glorious 8. I have applied my heart to fulfil thy Statutes alway unto the end Therefore are the hearts of the godly inclined to persevere in their obedience unto the end of their lives Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer WHen I was first enrolled a member of thy Church O Lord I solemnly vowed and have often since renewed this Vow to keep thy holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the dayes of my life but the lustings of the flesh against the spirit and the snares of Satan do daily trouble such my holy resolutions and promises Vouchsafe blessed Lord to quicken and fortifie my spirit against all the crafts and assaults of my ghostly adversaries that I may have power and strength to get the victory and to triumph over the Devil the World and the Flesh and to continue thy faithful Servant and Souldier unto my lifes end through Jesus Christ The Fifteenth Part. Verses 1. I hate them that imagine evil things but thy Law do I love He that truly loves God and his Truth will detest not the persons of any but the sinful imaginations of all men 2. Thou art my defence and my shield and my trust is in thy Word Whilst we sincerely trust in the Truth of God's promises in his Word we need not to doubt of his protection and defence 3. Away from me ye wicked I will keep the Commandments of my God The society of wicked men must be avoided by every one that rightly resolves to keep God's Commandments 4. O stablish me according to thy Word that I may live and let me not be disappointed of my hope 'T is by the divine assistance continually implor'd that we are so establish'd in the life of grace that we be not disappointed of our hopes of the life of glory 5. Hold thou me up and I shall be safe yea my delight shall be ever in thy Statutes Being supported by the divine Grace this hope stands firm and 't is strengthned by holy love and delight in the service of God 6. Thou hast trodden down all them that depart from thy Statutes for they imagine but deceit They are justly deprived of this blessed hope who transgress the lawes of God their own fond imaginations deceiving them 7. Thou puttest away all the ungodly like dross therefore I love thy Testimonies The judgments of God pursuing the wicked to their
sins is himself tempted by idleness Watch ye therefore Mat. 13.36 for you know not when the master of the house cometh at Even or at Mid-night or at the Cock-crowing or in the Morning Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping 37. Upon wandring wanton Eyes A Wicked eye is an evil thing Ecclus. 31.13 and what is created more wicked than an Eye and therefore it weepeth upon every occasion How dare I look up unto Heaven which is the throne of Gods Purity with those eyes that have been set upon vanity and iniquity A wise mans eyes are in his head Eccl. 2.14 but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth I have made a Covenant with mine eyes not to look upon a maid Job 31 1. For whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her Mat. 5.28 hath already committed adultery with her in his heart But mine eyes shall be ever looking unto the Lord Ps 25.15 for he shall pluck my feet out of the net my affections from being ensnared with unlawful objects When you are tempted to any Sin Meditat. I. Avoid Satan thou wicked and unclean spirit avoid Thou hast no part or lot in me I am solemnly devoted to the service of my God and my Jesus and thy sworn adversary I have solemnly abjured thee and all thy works and must not now yield to any of thine unclean suggestions Be merciful unto me Ps 57.1 O God be merciful unto me for my Soul trusteth in Thee and under the shadow of thy Wings shall be my refuge until this tyranny be overpast I will call unto the most high God 2. even to the God that shall perform the cause I have in hand He shall send from Heaven and save me 3. from the reproof of him that would eat me up God shall send forth his mercy and truth 4. my Soul is among Lyons the Devil and his Angels have too great a hank upon my Soul But my trust is in the tender mercy of my God therefore I shall not fall Meditat. II. When I am tempted to any evil I complain of the Devil but my self is the greatest Devil to my Soul whilst I do not deny my self the fulfilling of its irrational appetites All the forces wherewith the enemy fights against my Soul are within me 'T is from those warring members within they are both raised armed and maintained But whensoever I call upon God Ps 56.9 then shall mine enemies be put to flight this I know for God is on my side In Gods word will I rejoice 10. in the Lords word will I comfort me Yea in God have I put my trust 11. I will not fear what man or Devil can do unto me Meditat. III. Being Tempted Say 'T is the Lords cause I must now maintain 't is his quarrel I must fight for the grand enemy of God and Man would now rob God of his Honour and of that Obedience which is due to his most holy Laws and I being Tempted am thereby challenged to be the Lords Champion But I will not trust in my Bow Ps 44.7 't is not my Sword that shall save me But it is thou Lord 8. that savest us from our enemies and puttest them to confusion that hate us Arise Ps 74.23 O God maintain thine own cause remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee dayly Forget not the voice of thine enemies 24. the presumption of them that hate thee encreaseth ever more and more Meditat. IV. Vpon Temptations The victory over the Devil and all his temptations were easily obtained could I but once get the mastery over those lusts which war against the Soul In which spiritual warfare the banner under which I must fight is the Cross of my Redeemer by the vertue whereof all my intestine foes may be vanquisht in the Crucifixion of them and the old man with all his mutinous troops of deceivable lusts be subdued and led captive in the Chains of holy Mortification O blessed Jesus the Captain of my Salvation strengthen and encourage me manfully to fight under thy banner against all my ghostly adversaries And let thy Grace so prevent and follow me that I may follow thee by the Cross to the Crown through the School of Grace to the Throne of Glory Amen Upon the Prevailing of any Temptation I will say unto the God of my strength Ps 42.11 why hast thou forgotten me and why go I thus heavily while the enemy oppresseth me My bones are smitten asunder as with a Sword 12 while mine enemies that trouble me cast me in the teeth Namely 13. while they say daily unto me where is now thy God Have mercy upon me O God Ps 41.10 have mercy upon me raise thou me up again and I shall reward them being more careful to resist the Devil and all his suggestions Forsake me not O Lord my God Ps 38. ult be not thou far from me Haste thee to help me O Lord God of my Salvation Having escaped a Temptation The snares of death compassed me round about Ps 18.3 and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid The pains of hell came about me 4. the snares of death overtook me If the Lord himself had not been on my side I may well now say Ps 124.1 if the Lord himself had not been on my side The waters of Temptation had drowned me 3. and the stream had gone over my Soul Yea the deep waters of the proud had gone even over my Soul 4. But praised be the Lord who hath not given me over for a prey unto their teeth My Soul is escaped even as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler 5. the snare is broken and I am delivered Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord 6. who hath made heaven and earth To whom be all Glory Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. When you Hunger or Thirst I. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness Mat. 5.6 for they shall be satisfied They shall receive such a satisfaction as the most delicious of bodily meats and drinks cannot give He that drinketh of this water shall thirst again Joh. 4.13 but whoso shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst But the water that I shall give him 14. shall be in him a Well of living water springing up to everlasting life Lord evermore give me this water that I thirst not 'T is the Graces of thy holy Spirit I humbly beg which alone can satisfie the vast desires of my Soul II. Labour not for the meat that perisheth Joh. 6.27 but labour for that meat which endureth to everlasting life which the son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed sent into the world to be the incorruptible Food of our immortal
the change of a troublesome for a quiet life of a frail for a fixed and permanent being of an uncertain for a certain abode and of a temporary for life everlasting 'T is but the falling in pieces of an earthly Tabernacle and when it is dissolved 2 Cor. 5.1 thou hast a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens The Prayer O Almighty God who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men grant unto thy people and to me with them to love the thing which thou commandest and desire that which thou dost promise that so among the sundry and manifold changes of the world our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found through Jesus Christ MEDITAT III. Of the frequent Remembrance of Death 1. CLimacus records a story of a Brother that had lived negligently for many years Clim scal grad 6. and was at last surprized with such a desperate disease that he continued for a long space of time deprived of his senses and supposed to be dead but recovering again he immediately secluded himself from all society and continued for twelve years together which was the remainder of his life lamenting the sins and negligences of his by-past life and seriously pondering the sad condition of all such persons as dye in their sins unrepented And when the time of his death indeed approached many of his fraternity flockt to him desiring to hear some more than ordinary instructions and directions from him for the good of their Souls but all that he would say unto them was this as the sum of Christian wisdom If you desire so to live that ye may dye happily then meditate continually upon death for 't is scarce possible for that man to sin who with due regard remembers Death the wages of sin This is also the advice of the wise Syracides Remember thy end Ecclus. 28.6 and let enmity cease Remember corruption and death and abide in the Commandments 1 Cor. 15.31 And 't was surely thus S. Paul dyed daily 2. To dye the death of the righteous is the desire even of the wicked but his last end shall be very unlike the others for he that will dye the death must live the life of the righteous The only way to dye well Numb 23.10 is to live well and he that will live well must live by dying principles saying with holy David Psal 119.109 My Soul is continually in my hand and for ought I know it may expire at my next breathing since many thousands in this very moment do breath their last And 't is only this moment I can call mine what is past cannot return to be again enjoyed and what 's to come is not in mine but in the Lord's hand Ps 31.17 Act. 17.28 My Time is in thy hand In him we live and move and have our Being Ask thy self then in every thing thou dost Would I now do this were I ready to dye 'T is the Wise mans advice Ecclus. 7. ult Whatsoever thou takest in hand Remember the end and thou shalt never do amiss From the forgetfulness of my end and of the uncertainty of my Life from every evil work and from a sudden and an unprovided death good Lord deliver me 3. The Lord clothed our First Parents with the skins of beasts to put them in mind of that mortality and corruption of the flesh they had contracted by their disobedience to his Commandments The which as we their sinful off-spring do dayly bear about us so ought we also to have the same in a continual remembrance for the keeping under the unruly lusts of the flesh that we pass not from a spiritual to death eternal And thus O that I may thus daily remember the imminent the unavoidable death of my corruptible body so as to keep my Soul unspotted of the world and alive from the death of sin continually mortifying all my evil and corrupt affections and daily proceeding in all vertue and godliness of living 4. With the holy Apostle of our Lord to dye daily is not only daily to remember death but also so to dye unto sin and live unto righteousness as thereby to live up to the hopes of eternal life and happiness slighting all the false and flattering felicities of this fawning world as being not only empty and unsatisfying but also mortal and dying A holy confidence to dye well De imit Christi lib. 1. ca. 23. and in hopes to enjoy eternal life after death is begotten in the heart saith the spiritual Akempis 1. By a perfect contempt of the world 2. By a through self-denyal 3. By a fervent desire and endeavour of proficiency in Grace 4. By the love of Discipline or strict corporal austerities 5. By the unwearied labour of true Repentance 6. By a willing and ready obedience to all Gods Commands 7. By suffering contentedly and joyfully all adversities for the love of Christ And thus prepare for thy Change to come looking not as becomes an Immortal Soul at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal The Prayer O God the Protector of all that trust in thee without whom nothing is strong nothing is holy Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy that thou being our Ruler and Guide we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal Grant this O heavenly Father for thy Son Jesus Christ MEDITAT IV. Of the Horror of Death 1. SAint Augustine being with his Mother Monica invited to Rome by Pontianus the Prefect to view the stately Edifices and ancient Monuments of that eminent City amongst other rarities he saw the great Caesars Sepulchre and therein his Carcase of a livid ghastly colour his Face faln away to such a meagre leanness as scarce of skin and bone consisting his Lips being rotted his Teeth were seen black and corrupted his Nose so consumed that only the wide hollows of his nostrils appeared his Belly burst and swarming with Worms and Serpents his Eyes sunk into his head and in the two holes thereof two loathsome Toads were feeding Then turning towards his Mother he said What now dear Mother is become of the great Caesar whose Pomp Power and Policy whose Riches Honour and Dignity whose many Victories Conquests and Triumphs rendred him the most admired Heroe the world afforded Where now is all his glory where the conquering Armies he commanded The Nations Countries Cities he subdued The numerous train of Nobility Gentry Souldiery that attended him The vast Riches and boundless Authority he acquired Whereunto the pious Matron answered O my Son no sooner did his spirit fail and his breath expire but all his splendid enjoyments all his flattering worldly felicities forsook him his Riches his Friends his Attendants all his Conquests and Triumphs all the Honour
dayes are but as a span short and uncertain I humbly beseech thee O Lord to wean my heart from the disquietude of worldly cares and that I may be fruitful in all the good works of obedience and charity to repair the breaches of thy blessed image which mine offences have made before my departure hence that so recovering the spiritual health and strength of my Soul I may dye in thy Grace and favour through Jesus Christ The XC Psalm Verses 1. LOrd thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another Holy men have in all ages of the world applied themselves unto the Lord for succor support and protection in all conditions 2. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made thou art God from everlasting and world without end Who being eternal is also immutable in his mercy goodness power and providence over all 3. Thou turnest man to destruction again thou sayst Come again ye children of men Dispensing both health and sickness prosperity and adversity life and death to the sons of men according to his all just all merciful all wise good pleasure 4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday seeing that is past as a watch in the night The longest course of mans life in respect of Gods eternal praevision is but as a day that is already past or as one of the night-watches which is both swift and short and also dark and gloomy through frequent cross and adverse occurrents 5. As soon as thou scatterest them they are even asleep and fade away suddenly as the grass As sleep is the image of death so the life of man is but the image or shadow of life for as a shadow it fleeth the pursuer and fadeth as the grass 6. In the morning it is green and groweth up in the evening it is cut down dried up and withered Which the same day beholds both growing and cut down flourishing and withered 7. For we consume away in thy displeasure and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation This frailty of humane life is the punishment of sin which incurs most justly God's indignation and wrath 8. Thou hast set our mis-deeds before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun both seeing and recording the most secret of our sinful waies 9. For when thou art angry all our days are gone we bring our years to an end as it were a tale that is told 'T is through Gods just anger for our sins that our dayes are shortned and our years are spent in vanity and trouble 10. The dayes of our age are threescore years and ten and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow so soon passeth it away and we are gone The miseries of mans life are not so great through the shortness thereof as that his sorrows and troubles are increased with his daies 11. But who regardeth the power of thy wrath for even thereafter as a man feareth so is thy displeasure Gods displeasure for our sins is either more or less according as we do less or more stand in awe thereof 12. So teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom True wisdom is attained by the serious contemplation of the frailty of life and certainty of death 13. Turn thee again O Lord at the last and be gracious unto thy servants Intermixing with our meditations devout Prayers for the propitious grace and favour of God 14. O satisfie us with thy mercy and that soon so shall we rejoyce and be glad all the daies of our life Which alone can satisfie the desires of the immortal soul and throughly rejoyce the same 15. Comfort us again now after the time thou hast plagued us and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity We may reasonably alledge our sufferings though for our sins as motives to implore the consolations of Gods Spirit 16. Shew thy servants thy work and their children thy glory Gods proper work is mercy and 't is his glory to be gracious for the which the righteous do pray both for themselves and their children 17. And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us prosper thou the work of our hands upon us prosper thou our handy work God's glorious Majesty appears by the gracious influences of his holy Spirit whereby we work the works of God to his glory and our own eternal happiness Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer ALmighty God the fountain of all Wisdom grant me so wisely to number and compare the short and sorrowful daies of this mortal life with that joyful and never ending day of a blessed eternity that despising the vanities of the one I may zealously aspire to the happiness of the other O satisfie the panting desires of my Soul with the sense of thy mercy in the pardon of my sins and let the glory of thy grace appear in prospering me to perform all those good works of Faith and Obedience which conduce to my eternal Salvation through Jesus Christ THE Second general Meditation Upon JUDGMENT And first the PARTICULAR JUDGMENT IT is appointed unto man once to dye and after that the Judgment Heb. 9.27 no sooner shall this house of flesh wherein the immortal Soul doth now inhabit be shattered in pieces by the hand of death but in the same moment the departing Soul shall be conveyed by the Angels of God before his Judgment-seat and this is call'd The particular Judgment that shall pass upon every person in particular immediately upon his death Eccl. 12.7 when the dust shall return to the earth as it was then shall the Spirit return unto God that gave it 14. To give an account of the works done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil That grand enemy of man Ille enim tunc saeviens capit quos nunc blandiens decipit Greg. the Devil awaits thy Souls departure hence to dog thee to the great Tribunal of Heaven In this life he fawns to seduce but in the other he will roar to devour as a Lyon over his prey to this end he will vehemently accuse thee aggravating all thy miscarriages through his suggestions committed and claiming thee as one of the subjects of his kingdom of darkness saying to the great Judg of all as several Fathers observe This person thou Judge of the world Euseb Emiss Hom. Aug. orat cont Judaeos Bag. though he be thine by Creation yet he is mine by Depravation He is thine by nature but mine by sin for he has obeyed my suggestions and disobeyed thy laws and therefore though he belong to thee by right yet he is faln to me by default he is thine in respect of his workmanship but mine by the rebellion of