service begins upon thy knees use these ejaculations 1. This is the day which the Lord hath made I will be joyful and glad in it 2. He hath redeemed my soul from death my eyes from tears and my feet from falling 3. Thou shalt prepare a Table before me against them that trouble me thou hast anointed my head with Oyl my Cup shall be full 4. But surely thy loving kindness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever 5. I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord and so will I go to thine Altar 6. That I may shew the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works 7. Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place were thine honour dwelleth 8. O shut not up my soul with the sinners nor my life with the Blood thirsty 9. My foot stand th right I will prase the Lord in the great congregation A Meditation to be used at the Lords Table when there are many Communicants O What a Heavenly sight is this to behold such an Assembly of Christians meeting with one accord at this great mystery how joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity and to worship the Almighty in Spirit and in Truth I feel my heart is more raised and my devotion kindled by their zeal and all lukew armness is passed away my spirits are refresht and have taken new life by seeing such an appearance in the House of God II. This is the perfection of Religion to seek Gods Face while he may be found and to call upon him while he is near which none of us can do too often to have him in remembrance who so oft remembred us here we receive spiritual things and taste and see how good the Lord is which food O Lord I beseech thee let me never want but give it me as my dayly bread for Jesus Christ his sake my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer before the Sacrament O Dear Saviour how excellent is thy goodness and loving kindness to me and to all thy Creatures thou art pleased O Lord to vouchsafe me this opportunity in the waiting upon thee in thy solemn Ordinance where thou dost communicate unto me thy precious Body and Blood and dost give me that interest in thee and peace which the World cannot give nor none can take away this is that treasure which moths cannot corrupt nor thieves break through and steal II. O then where my treasure is let my heart be there also away fond World and all the vanities thereof for the God of holiness hath touched my heart I do now purpose to return from my evil ways and as long as I live to renew those purposes daily O then dear Lord fit me I beseech thee for thy self that I may receive with that joy and spiritual comfort this thy body that was broken and thy precious Blood which was shed for me whereby I may partake of all the benefits of thy bitter Death and Passion and become one with thee in receiving all that either my soul doth need or desire for thy alone sake my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen When the Minister is saying the Offertory use this Meditation at thy offering thy Alms. O Almighty God what I offer is but what thou lentest me here for a time and what I now give to my poor Brethren thou hast promised to repay it but I have received more at thy all-merciful hands than my heart and tongue can ever express O that I could have given ten thousand Talents instead of this poor mite my charity thou hast no need of but for as much as I have done it to my poor Brethren whose souls thou hast redeemed with thy most precious Blood thou ownest it to be done to thy self O what can I give thee O Lord or render unto thee for all the EÃ rthly comforts and benefits I have received from thee I can give thee nothing but what is thy own and no Earthly thing can bear proportion with thy Majesty therefore in all humility I resign my soul up into thy hands who art my faithful Creator and who sent thy Son to save me a lost sinner to whom be all praise honor and glory now and for ever Amen Then say after the Minister the Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church militant here on Earth and be very attentive to the exhortation which follows beginning with these words Dearly beloved in the Lord. Then hearken diligently to the invitation and when the Minister expresses these words draw near with faith and take this Holy Sacramint then use these Ejaculations 1. I am unworthy O Lord to appear before thee 2. But thou art able to save them to the uttermost that come unto thee and doth live for ever to make intercession with God the Father for us 3. No Man cometh unto thee except the Father draw him and thou wilt raise him up at the last day 4. O have compassion upon my penitent soul who draws near to thy throne of grace that I may obtain mercy and find grace to help me in time of need Then joyn with all your heart with the Minister in the general consession absolution and sentences lifting up your heart unto the Lord blessing and praising his holy name in these Ejaculations 1. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me 2. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in man 3. The Lord is my strength and my song and is become my salvation 4. I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord. 5. This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shall enter into it 6. Thou art my God and I will thank thee thou art my God and I will praise thee 7. I will lift up my heart and my hands unto thee O thou that dwellest in the Heavens 8. My help standeth in the name of the Lord which hath made Heaven and Earth 9. The Lord hath done great things for me whereof I rejoyce 10. Therefore with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of Heaven I will laud and glorifie thy glorious name evermore praising thee saying holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high Amen Then joyn with the Minister in the address which begins thus We do not presume to come to this thy Holy Table O merciful Lord c. At the time of the Consecration fix your eye upon the Elements and at the actions of the Ministers in ordering the Bread and Wine we ought joyfully and thankfully to meditate after this manner O Who can but admire and wonder that the Son of God should become food to the Souls of Men and to humble himself so low as to be represented by bread which is the poor mans food though necessary
Holy Sacrament O Lord who weeled for me as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb so thou opened'st not thy mouth thou did'st good to thy Enemies and pray'dst earnestly for thy persecutors O plant in my heart gentleness patience and meekness that I may not be transported with the violent passion of anger disorder'd by peevishness or thoughts of revenge but patiently bear all crosses and with charity may return blessing for cursing keeping peace with all men and loving my Neighbour as my self and thee more than my self and more than all the World I may at last come into the regions of peace and Eternal Charity where thou livest who lovest all men and wouldest have none to perish but all men to be saved through thee O most merciful Saviour and Redeemer II. O thou who sitteth between the Chérubims and whose throne is in the highest Heavens purge me from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit that I may perfectly love thee and worthily magnifie thy holy Name all the dayes of my life For thou art gracious and full of Compassion and givest meat unto them that fear thee and drink from the wells of Eternal Salvation thou preparest a table for us and anointest our heads with thy heavenly Vnction and our Cup runneth over let thy precious blood which was shed for me and the water which gushed from thy side wash me clean that I may with a pure heart and a clean soul come to Eat of that best Sacrifice the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World III. O Lord in the wonders of this holy Sacrament thou givest thy self to be the food of our souls in the faith of thy word in the blessings and graces of thy holy spirit perform that in me thy unworthy Servant which thou hast prepared and effected in thy Son enkindle in my heart a bright devotion Extinguish all the fires of Hell pardon all my sins and fill me with thy holy spirit that by obedience and love I may adore and honour thee all the days of my life IV. Thou hast opened unto me the fountains of thy mercy and hast invited all penitent sinners to come and receive pardon the oppressed to be eased and the sorrowful to be comforted admit me O Lord to this great Celebration of thy loving kindness that I may be comforted in all my griefs healed of all the wounds of my Soul and the bruises of my Spirit and finish my Journey through this valley of Tears unto my portion of thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen Meditations for Thursday Evening on the most Holy Sacrament O Lord thou not only art good and gracious but thou wilt also be so acknowledged so declar'd yea as such worshipped and adored that thy name then be not dishonoured let me though a sinner be accepted pardon mine iniquity that it may not be said thou ever rejectedst a poor penitent and thereby loose the glory of thy name whose name is merciful Exod. 34. 5 6. a merciful clemency is a royal virtue and honourable in every Soveraign Majesty thou then O Lord who art the King of Glory Psalm 24. 7 8. make this thy Holy Sacrament to be the Broad-Seal to my pardon and this for thy Names sake even for thy mercy sake II. I plead not Lord my merits who am less than the least of thy mercies and as I look not upon my merit do thou not look upon my demerit as I do not view my worthiness do not thou view my unworthiness but be merciful unto my sin of which I cannot say as Lot of Zoar is it not a little one no it is great for that it is against thee so great a God and so good to me great for that my place my office my calling is great the Sun the higher it is the less it seems but my sins the higher I am the greater they are even in thine and others eyes III. My knowledge of thee and thy ways is great I knew thy will and did it not my conscience checked me and yet I obeyed not thy Spirit moved me and yet I yielded not the number of my sins is numberless those I know and confess are few in comparison of what are unknown and hidden from me Wherefore O Lord hide not thy great mercy from me who hide not my great sins from thee and the greater is the guilt of my sin the greater shall be the glory of thy mercy to pardon it let it be the glory of thy mercy then to pass by my offences so shall the greatness of my sins make the glory of thy mercies more conspicuous for that where sin hath abounded there grace doth much more abound Rom. 5. 20. IV. And thus though I went against mine own knowledge in sinning yet do not thou Lord go against thine own nature in punishing who hast promised if we believe and repent 1 Cor. 10. 12. thou wilt forgive and now as my sins teach them that stand to take heed least they fall so let thy pardon of my sins teach them that are fall'n upon their repentance not to doubt of thy mercy and so giveness which mercy and forgiveness do thou seal unto my Soul and to each humble penitent through Jesus Christ in a return of peace unto our consciences by this Blessed Sacrament A Prayer for Thursday Evening on the most Holy Sacrament O Most blessed Fountain of Eternal love who hast tender bowels of Compassions and multitudes of rich mercies for all those sinful Souls that cry to thee for mercy and forgiveness forgive the sinful failings wilful Errors and most dangerous mistakes of my wretched life past and grant me that true repentance for the time to come which may truly convert me unto thee II. Lord where Sin hath abounded there let thy grace abound much more Let my degrees of Sin be truly answered with my degrees of sorrow my measure of pollution with my measure of Sanctification Lord hear my Prayer and let my cry come unto thee for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy blessed Son Christ Jesus sake Amen III. O most sacred and for ever blessed being who hast therefore Commanded me to be holy that I might be happy look not upon me I meekly beseech thee as I am in my self in the deceitfulness of mine own heart falshood of mine own wayes but in the Righteousness of Christ in whom alone thou canst not but be well pleased Lord open my sinful Eyes that I may see the folly of my great mistakes unvail the faces of my close Corruptions that I may thereby see the foulness and deformity of Sin and apprehend the greatness of thy wrath against it that so I may truly and timely repent and gain thy gracious pardon for it IV. Search me throughly O Lord and try me that none of those false ways of wickedness may hereafter be found in me that so my heart may be clean my Conscience pure my Conversation upright my life Holy
when you first awake lift up your Eyes to God and say I lift up mine Eyes to the Hills from whence cometh my help Open thou mine Eyes O Lord that I may see the wonders of thy Law My voice shalt thou hear betimes O Lord Early in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up At your up-Rising In the name of God the Father who Created me God the Son who Redeemed me and God the Holy Ghost who Sanctifieth me Amen I arise from my Bed of rest to praise and glorifie him the Preserver of all the World He of his infinite mercy and goodness Bless and keep me this day and for ever Amen I laid me down and slept and rose up again for the Lord hath sustained me Then kneel down and say this Prayer Prevent me O Lord in all my doings with thy most gracious favour and further me with thy continual help that in all my works begun continued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy Holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting life through Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen O Lord my heavenly Father Almighty and everlasting God who hast safely brought me to the beginning of this day defend me in the same with thy mighty power and grant that this day I fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all my doings may be ordered by thy governance to do always that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen O God who art the author of peace and lover of concord in knowledge of whom standeth my eternal life whose service is perfect freedom defend me thy humble Servant in all assaults of my Enemies that I surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ my Lord Amen Almighty God the Fountain of all Wisdom who knowest my necessity before I ask and my ignorance in asking I beseech thee to have compassion upon my infirmities and those things which for my unworthiness I dare not and for my blindness I cannot ask vouchsafe to give me for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen Almighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Son's name I beseech thee mercifully to incline thine Ears to me that have made now my Prayers and Supplications unto thee and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of my necessity and to the setting forth of thy Glory through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen O Almighty God behold me a wretched Sinner here prostrate before thee do with me as seems best in thine own Eyes only give me a penitent and a patient Spirit to expect thee and make this my service acceptable to thee while I live and my Soul ready for thee when I die Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with me and remain with me this day and for evermore Amen Read the Psalms appointed for the Morning Service and the First and Second Lesson Devotions for the Evening for every day in the week Evening Ejaculations O Lord let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the Incence And the lifting up of my hands as an evening Sacrifice My trust and hope hath been in thee all the day long and under the Shaddow of thy Wings shall be my Refuge day and night for ever Lighten mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in death Almighty God who hast made the day for labouâ— and the night for rest let thy Sons blood cleanse me from this days Guilt that I may sleep in thy peace and rise again refreshed and preserved by thy favour through Jesus Christ my Crucified Saviour Amen O Eternal God who hast preserved me this day from many sins and dangers for which I humbly magnifie thy Holy Name for thy Grace and goodness towards me beseeching thee to forgive me all the Errors of this day whereof my Conscience doth or may accuse me and grant that those things which by my frailty I have committed may be by the help of thy Spirit more carefully avoided that I may ever walk in thy favour and under thy Protection and now rest and lye down in thy peace and at last come to thy heavenly Kingdom through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ Amen O God from whom all holy desires all good Councels and all just works do proceed give unto me thy Servant that peace wich the world cannot give that my whole heart may be set to obey thy Commandments and also that by thee I being defended from the fear of my Enemies I may pass my time in rest and quietness through the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour Amen Lighten my darkness I beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend me from all perills and dangers of this night for the love of thy only Son my only Lord and Saviour Our Father which art in Heaven c. The peace of God which passeth all understanding keep my heart and mind in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ my Lord and the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be with me this Night and all the days of my life at the hour of my death and at the day of Judgment Amen When you lye down say I will lay down my head in peace and take my rest for thou only O Lord makest me to dwell in safety Into thy hands I commit my Soul and Body keep me for thy mercy sake Amen On Monday morning and every day in the Week use these Ejaculations Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou regardest him Thou madest him lower than the Angels to crown him with glory and worship Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me Thou shalt purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and establish me with thy free spirit Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be now and evermore acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer A preparatory Meditation upon the most Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper I. O who will give to my head Water and to my eyes a fountain of Tears that I may weep day and night for my sins and ingratitude towards God my Creator Consider O my Soul the multitude of Gods benefits bestowed upon
crosses and mercies may serve as so many steps in that Ladder that may carry me to Heaven mind me of my latter end and teach me so to live that I may not fear to die that when I die I may be sure to live in the mean time O Lord assist my weakness and strengthen my faith that I may receive with comfort that heavenly Feast which thou hast prepared for me and all that believe and call upon thy holy name in whose blessed name and word I conclude my weak and imperfect prayers saying Our Father c. Meditations for Tuesday Evening on the holy Sacrament I. BY means of this divine food the Soul is united to Christ and receives that strength and vigour which continually sets it forward in its spiritual ascension Who can give worthy thanks for so great a benefit Who will not be altogether resolv'd into Tears when he sees Almighty God united to him the more we go about to consider the excellency and vertues of this Soveraign Mystery the more do we want words to express it and the more doth our understanding fail us II. What pleasant sweetness and delightful Savours of a good life doth the Soul of the just man feel when he receives this divine Sacrament there is no other sound heard at that time but the musick of the heart which are vehement bursting out of holy desires and yielding of thanks all tending to the praise of the ever blessed institutor there the devout Soul through the vertue of this most holy and blessed Sacrament is altogether renued and replenished with joy unspeakable and fully satisfied with those good things which the richness of his mercy hath found out and doth bestow upon all true penitents III. Such are thy gifts O sweet Saviour such are the works and delights of thy love which thou art wont to communicate to thy friends by the means of this divine Sacrament and this thou dost to the end that we being filled with these heavenly delights should despise all vain and transitory pleasures Now what glory can be greater then this What gift more precious What benefit of more value or what greater token of love let all the works of nature keep silence let all the works of grace give place for this is a work exceeding all works and a singular grace above all graces it is the burning Coal from the holy Altar to enkindle the fire of the love of God in us the means whereby to receive grace the pledge of everlasting felicity and the treasure of a Christian Life IV. Our blessed Redeemer of the World intending to restore man unto his former dignity and to raise him up by grace as he had faln by sin did ordain and leave as his last Legacy this most divine Sacrament of his Body and Blood whereby man might recover his lost Estate and be made partaker of the divine nature we have it express'd in his own words Joh. 6. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Now when the time drew near that Christ should be betrayed and delivered up to death he communeth with his disciples after this manner Luk. 22. 15. I have an earnest desire to eat the Passeover with you before I suffer having so said he took Bread and blessed it in like manner he took the Cup in Consecrating the Elements of Bread and Wine his Prayers ascended to Heaven but his benefits remain with his Church here on Earth the visible Elements declare two things the one that he was to offer up himself an oblation for the redemption of the whole world the other that he would become unto the faithful by his means a divine sustenance for their Souls V. Consider what great care our Saviour hath shewed towards us in instituting this Sacrament seeing nothing could be given more excellent more dear when he loved his which were in the World he loved them unto the end he hath given us of his own Bread and of his own Cup nay he hath given us his own Body as Bread his own Blood as Wine for the nourishment of our Souls had he bestowed this so great a gift on Saints and Angels it had not been so wonderful but bestowing it on poor Sinners was love unspeakable O what shall we render unto the Lord for all the benefits we have received at his hands let us meditate on his Love and pursue that holy resolution with the Prophet David to take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. VI. Who is there now that will neglect coming to this holy Table nay neglect their own Salvation when they may purchase it at so easie a rate O Lord if to obtain this benefit thou hadst ordain'd hard Fasts long Pilgrimages shedding of Blood and other sharp usages all these labours and afflictions ought worthily to have been suffer'd to tast even but once thy sacred Body but O Love unheard of that hadst rather make the entrance easie and delectable that I might the oftner receive this great benefit O Adam how much better is the condition of thy posterity than thine own was which is now brought to pass by the means of our loving and liberal Jesus thou wert driven out of Paradise and that thou shouldst not return thither to eat of the Tree of Life and live one of the Cherubims armed with a fiery Sword was set by the righteous God to keep it VII We thy Children living in the Paradise of the holy Church are not only driven away by an Angel with a fiery Sword but are invited of the Lord of Angels by the fire of his Love to taste often the fruit of the Tree of Life yea to receive him who hath given all strength to it and that giveth us a blessed and everlasting life for so he inviting us hath promis'd he which eateth of this Bread shall live for ever Joh. 6. 58. A Solliloquy for Tuesday Evening I. O thou only begotten Son of Almighty God great and wonderful are the benefits O Lord which I have received of thee thou hast raised me from the mire and dust of the Earth and hast created my Soul of nothing after thine own Image and likeness and hast made it eapable of thy glory thou hast given me understanding memory will free choice with all my other Members and Senses to the end that with them I might know thee and love thee thou hast preserv'd me even while I was yet in my Mothers womb thou hast patiently born with me a long time after so many sins committed even until this present hour where as others having less offended then I are now per adventure tormented in Hell fire II. Besides all this it was thy pleasure to become man and to be conversant among men for my sake and for me to be afflicted punished troubled and covered all over with a bloody sweat to be taken bound buffeted and spit upon to be dispised blasphemed reviled and
Confession O Almighty God whose nature and property is always to have mercy and to forgive receive these my humble petitions made unto thee at this time and though I be tyed and bound by the chains of my sins yet let the pittifulness of thy great mercy loose them through Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer for Faith O Almighty God whose nature is above our reach and whose secret operations no humane reason can conceive give me that faith without which no man can know thee and without which no soul can please thee Lord I believe but to believe unto righteousness O God increase my Faith Concerning the great Sacrament of thy precious body and blood I believe that in the same night that thou O Lord Jesus wast betrayed thou didst give to thy Disciples Bread and Wine which thou didst call thy Body and Blood with a charge to eat and drink and do the same in remembrance of thee for as thou wast upon thy departure thou wouldest leave them and me a sign of thy Body a figure of thy Blood and a memorial oâ— thy bitter Death and bloody Passion lest I should forget thee who wast ready to lay down thy life for me who am the worst and vilest of sinners II. Therefore I take these Elements of Bread and Wine for holy signs of thy Body and Blood believing that though they remain after the Consecration in their substance both Bread and Wine yet they are more than common Bread and Wine being made by prayer and thy holy word the figures of thy Flesh and Blood which in the action and use of the Sacrament are really and effectually taken by the faithful So though I feel and tast Bread and Wine yet by the eye of Faith I eat thy Body and Drink thy Blood in remembrance that thou didst die for me and for all mankind III. O then let the operation of thy blessed Spirit apply to my Soul the merits of thy Death and Passion and O Lord I beseech thee let me love and die in this faith and never be ashamed to confess thy holy name who hath suffered such an ignominious Death for my redemption O let my Soul live and it shall praise thee and magnifie thy all glorious name thou hast said that he that eateth thy Flesh and drinketh thy Blood hath eternal life and thou wilt raise him up at the last day O Lord I beseech thee confirm my faith and grant that it fail not either concerning this or any other point of holy mysteries for thine alone sake my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen Our Father c. Meditations for Fryday Evening on the Holy Sacrament GOD alone who is the author of our life is likewise the object of our trust as being the Fountain and fulness of all our comfort and strength all our grace and holiness all our glory and happiness Wherefore O my God I trust in thee as a Creator to sustain me as a Lord to govern me as a guide to direct me as a rock to defend me and as a Father to succour me all which relations thou hast taken upon thee in a merciful regard to my weakness and wants that thou mightest the more manifestly declare thy goodness and love which goodness and love now seal unto my Soul by a Communion with thee in the Lord Jesus II. And the best way to strengthen our trust in God is by renewing our resignation and when can we more seasonably do it than at our receiving the Blessed Sacrament in which we have exhibited the fulness of Christs merits as the propitiatory Sacrament and atonement for our Souls by whom we have access unto the Father to receive a blessing of pardon and peace of life and salvation from him do we then with all humble devotion make this sincere resignation at the Table of the Lord even offer and present unto God from our hearts as we profess with our tongues offer and present our selves our Souls and Bodies as a reasonable Holy and lively sacrifice unto him casting our selves upon him in the mercy and truth of his promise in the wisdom and power of his providence III. And upon this total resignation he seals us this assurance that he will exercise those his properties imploy those his attributes for our comfort and protection for our support and salvation and this beyond what our wits can design our wishes can desire or our thoughts can conceive and let not any penitent though a languishing Soul be discouraged from this Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there to renew his resignation and strengthen his trust IV. And here this treasury is open in this Blessed Sacrament come and receive of this mercy of thy God dispensed by the bountiful hand of thy Jesus who with that mercy gives his merits his benefits his spirit his whole fulness even himself wherefore rouse up thy Soul to receive the bounty of thy God and of thy Saviour with an humble a thankful and a devout heart not forgetting the price Christ gave for thee to redeem thee from the slavery of Sin and Satan A Prayer for Fryday Evening on the most Holy Sacrament BLessed for ever be thy holy Name O thou God of Infinite Compassions who art both truth and holiness it self in thine Essence and therefore strictly requirest truth and sincerely in the hearts of thy Children and holiness and righteousness in their lives and Conversation look not upon those sinful failings of my Corrupt heart but graciouâ—ly behold me in the righteousness of Christ forgive me my many sinful Complâ—ances with nature abberations from grace and deviations from goodness which have caused these my sinful Errors which might thereby deprive me of present grace and hopes of future Blessedness II. Lord suffer me not any longer thus wretchedly to delude mine own Soul but make me truly such as thou would'st have me to be a zealous and sincere Christian that so my Spirit which for those my Sins thou hast much broken by afflictions may much more abundantly rejoyce in thee by heavenly Consolations Lord accept of these my sinful desires and let my loss of tears repair my loss of truth and loss of time in thy service assist my weakness accept my willingness forgive my sinfulness cherish the blessed motions of thy holy Spirit daily in me and for thy mercy sake remove the danger of my own Corruption from me III. O Lord to thy glory and my own deserved shame I willingly confess that I am most impure and sinful even in the very best of all my holy performances I therefore humbly beg of thee that as thou hast graciously afforded me the light of thy sacred word to discover me unto my self so thou wilt also give unto me the Sword of thy holy Spirit to deliver me from my self deliver me from the evil man O Lord even from the close Corruptions and secret Abominations of mine own evil and Corrupt heart Lord pardon and pass by the many
for the rich it is the staff of our life and signifies that body of thine which thou gavest for the life of the World thou hast by thy holy Mystery made this Bread and Wine spiritual food as well as temporal O Lord I beseech thee let the operation of it be such as to strengthen my soul that it may withstand all Temptations whatsoever and evermore serve thee in spirit and in truth Amen When the Minister breaks the Bread and pours out the Wine use these Meditations O Holy Jesus thy Blessed Body was torn with Nails upon the Cross and thy precious Blood was inhumanely spilt by the Crucifiers but I an unworthy Wretch by my manifold sins have occasioned more torments to thee they Crucified thee but once but I crucifie thee dayly they Crucified thee because they knew thee not but I have known thee what thou art in thy self the Lord of glory and what thou art to me a most tender and Merciful Father and yet I have still continued to Crucifie thee afresh O do thou work in me first a great sorrow for my sins past and then a great hatred and a firm resolution against them for the time to come When the Minister receives in both kinds himself say 1. Thou that hearest Prayers unto thee shall all flesh come 2. Blessed is the Man whom thou choosest and receivest unto thee he shall dwell in thy Court and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy Holy Temple 3. Thou shalt guide me with thy council and after that receive me with glory 4. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Jacob defend thee 5. Send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen the out of Sion 6. The Lord remember all thy offerings and accept this thy Sacrifice 7. Grant thee thy hearts desire and fulfill all thy mind the Lord perform all thy petions which thou hast made at this time both for thy self for us and for all persons 8. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel World without end Amen When the Minister is drawing near thee with the Elements say I adore thee O must righteous Redeemer that thou art pleased to convey unto my soul thy precious Body and Blood with all the benefits of thy Death and Passion I am not worthy O Lord to receive thee but let thy Holy and Blessed Spirit with all his purities prepare for thee a lodging in my Soul where thou mayest unite me to thy self for ever Amen Ejaculations before the Bread This is that Bread which came down from Heaven whosoever eateth shall never hunger Thou dealest thy bread to those which hunger after righteousness O feed my fainting soul with this bread of life O strengthen my heart and hand by a lively faith and open my mouth with fervent desires that I may eat not for bodily sustenance but for spiritual relief and the refreshment of my soul O let my soul feel the spiritual efficacy of thy grace that I may not eat unworthily or to my condemnation O Lord I beseech thee enable and direct me by thy holy and blessed spirit to receive it worthily Amen When the Minister gives the holy bread say softly with him The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for me preserve my body and soul unto everlasting life Here take the bread with reverence then proceed I take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for me and will feed on him in my heart with faith and thanks-giving Then answer audibly Amen After the bread say I give thee hearty thanks O Lord most Holy that thou hast refreshed my soul at this time by my feeding upon thy Body which was broken for me If I had lived innocently and had kept all thy Commandments yet could I have had no proportion of merit to so transcendent a mercy but since I have so loved sin and added transgression to transgression thy mercy is so glorious and infinite that I stand amazed at the consideration of its immensity O let me not throw off this Wedding Garment or stain it with pollution of deadly sin but let me be wholly united to thee being transformed according to thy holy will and life who livest and reignest for ever Amen Or this O Blessed Jesus sanctifie this bread to me that it may be to my Soul the staff of strength whereby I may vanquish and overcome all the assaulis of the Devil the World and the Flesh and continue thy faithful Soldier and Servant to my lifes end Amen Ejaculations before the Cup. 1. The Lord himself is the portion of my Inheritance and of my Cup thou shalt maintain my lot 2. The lot is fallen unto me in a fair ground yea I have a goodly heritage 3. I have set God always before me for he is on my right hand therefore I shall not fall 4. Gracious is the Lord and righteous yea our God is merciful 5. What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me 6. I will receive the Cup of Salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. 7. I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living When thou receivest the Cup say after the Minister softly The Blood of my Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for me preserve my body and soul unto everlasting life I drink this in remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for me and am thankful Amen After the Cup say O how delightful is this Cup to me Blessed Jesus which was so heavy to thee it was thy Agonies and Bloody sweat thy bitter Death and Passion which afforded me this Cup of chearfulness thou didst find it bitter when thou wast appeasing an angry Father but thou hast sweetned it by a reconciliation and hast wrought out my Redemption and Salvation Or this I praise thee I bless thee I glorifie thee O Lord most Holy that thou hast at this time so refreshed my soul and filled me with holy desires O let thy tender mercy always keep me in this happy temper that I may never err nor stray from thy Commandments but keep firm that Covenant which thou hast sealed with thy most precious Blood for my redemption and direct me O Lord and guide me so here that I may be a fit member for thy Heavenly Kingdom hereafter Amen Whilst others are Communicating say I. Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name What greater gift O Lord couldst thou bestow upon me than to give me thy Body for meat thy Blood for drink and to lay down thy life for the price of my redemption What greater mercy than that thou shouldest now enter into me and dwell with me as thou hast promised II. I yield thee humble and hearty thanks most Merciful Father and desire to magnifie thy name for ever for the Holy Death and bitter Passion of thy Son and that great Redemption thou hast wrought for me in him and
hast heaped upon me from time to time thy unspeakable favours and loving kindnesses in feeding me at this time with the spiritual food of the Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen III. O Eternal God who vouchsafest to send thine only begotten Son into the World for my redemption and to deliver him up even unto death in remembrance whereof until his second coming he hath commanded me to eat his Body and drink his Blood to the end by Faith I should be united and knit unto his Body and being washed from all my sins lead a new life vouchsafe I humbly beseech thee for his sake to indue me with thy Holy Spirit unto my lives end Amen IV. O Almighty God grant I may cast away all the works of darkness and walk in the true light of thy Holy Gospel Vouchsafe me O Lord an unfeigned desire in being a partaker of this thy Holy institution and that I may lead my life according to thy Heavenly will in all things keeping my body undefiled as a fit receptacle for so Heavenly Food that my soul may enjoy the benefit of the Mystery thereof by Faith according to thy Heavenly providence through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer for all the Communicants that are present O Let us now all magnifie the name of the Lord from the rising of the Sun to the setting of the same Blessed are they who dwell in thy house O Lord and are fed though it be but with the Crums that fall from thy Table We have all now tasted and seen how gracious the Lord is for he hath heard our Prayers and granâ—ed our requests and redeemed us from the slavery of sin and death O that we might never depart from thee but be unwearied in thy service let not our stedfastness which is now fixed pass away as the Morning Cloud or our Devotions fly away as a shadow which hath no continuance but arm us O good Lord against all manner of sin that we may all say with the Kingly Prophet I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous Judgments Direct and guide us O Lord with thy Holy Spirit thy All seeing eye and thy Heavenly hand that though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we may fear no evil for thou art with us Amen Meditations out of the Psalms O praise the Lord with me and let us Magnifie his name together I sought the Lord and he heard me yea he delivered me out of all my fears O fear the Lord ye that be his Saints for they that fear him do lack nothing The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles The Lord is nigh unto all them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble Spirit Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all He hath not dealt with us after our sin nor rewarded us according to our iniquities For he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth we are but dust The Lord delivereth the souls of his servants and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. A Concluding Prayer I Thank thee O thou great Creator that thou hast at this time given me such a supply of thy Grace whereby I may come to thy Eternal Glory thou hast now entertained me at thy Holy Table and received me with that fatherly affection by speaking peace unto my conscience and saying to my soul thou art my salvation O what reward can I return for these unspeakable mercies I will rejoyce and be exceeding glad admire and celebrate the love of my Saviour O ye Almighty powers it is my duty to extol him to whom you pay all these praises let me for ever Magnifie thy Holy Name O Lord and thy praises for ever shall be in my Mouth for thou only art Holy and it is thy peace alone which passeth all understanding O let it keep my heart and mind in the knowledge and love of thee and of thy Son Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour and let thy favour and blessing O merciful Father with thy Son my only Saviour and the Holy Ghost my only sanctifier remain with we alwaies Amen A Prayer at home the same day O Thou Fountain of everlasting happiness strike my soul with an Holy admiration of thy Divine goodness thou hast of thine infinite Pitty and Compassion to me a poor wretched Sinner received me into the bosom of thy Mercy and art reconciled unto me by the Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ thou hast issued forth a free and full pardon unto me of all my sins and transgressions from that great office of Mercy thou hast opened to thy Church and People and I have now again renewed my Covenant of Love and Allegiance unto thee my God and anâ— again consecrated unto thee in the Holy Blood of the Lord Jesus O let the Holy sense of this thy great goodness and loving kindness rest for ever upon my Soul and oblige my heart for ever unto thee and I beseech thee that thou wâ—lt never leave me nor forsake me but let me walk in the light of thy countenance to my lives end Amen Lastly how to live well a righteous godly and sober life after receiving this most Holy Sacrament Psal 50. 23. Whoso offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the Salvation of God I. And the better to attain these directions let us follow what the Kingly Prophet layeth down to eschew evil and do good seek peace and ensue it which is the banishing from the Soul all kind of Vices and adorning it with Virtues and this is by becoming a new creature destroying of the image of old earthly Adam and reforming it with the Image of the new Adam our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ II. By this means we attain to that supernatural end for which we were created which is to see Almighty God in his own glory and excellency which that we may all do let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God As soon as you awake in the Morning give the first fruits of thy reason to the Divine Majesty let your memory understanding will and heart discharge their duties let your tongue and mouth hands and arms contribute in offering up this Morning Sacrifice to thy great Creator Which thou mayest do in this manner A Prayer for the Morning O Most Powerful Lord God which sittest upon the Cherubims and stretchest out the Heavens like a Curtain I adore thee my God from the centre of my Nothing with all the Creatures of the Vniverse and come unto thee upon the bended knees of my heart humbly beseeching thee in thy mercy to look upon me and fully to remit unto me all my sins and transgressions whatsoever and give me unfeigned repentance and newness of life for the time to come as thou hast now awakened my body from sleep so I beseech thee awake my soul from sin and carnal security as thou hast caused the light of the day to shine upon my bodily eyes so good Lord cause the light of thy Word and Holy Spirit to illuminate my heart and give me grace to walk in all holy obedience before thy face this day teach me to fear thee continually wheresoever I am to neglect all things in regard of thee to love thee and my Brethren for thy s 〈…〉 ke let whatsoever I do this day be pleasing in thy sight who art my alone Creator let not any temptations this day delude me but O Lord my God be thou ever near me with me and about me to protect preserve and defend me from this time forth and all the days of my life now and for evermore Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for Noon O Eternal God every hour of the day will I lift up my heart unto thee stop not thine ear O Lord but hear me and that right soon let me not nourish the disease of sloth in my blood but spend my life as the clouds execute their offices to be still in motion quench and kill O Lord in me the weed of Covetousness and let me not be over careful for my self but pittiful and merciful to those that want Keep my hands clean from touching riches unlawful last with Ahab and Jezabel I commit Murder and shed Naboth's blood to wring from him his Vineyard or with Achan be stoned to death for taking goods that are to me forbidden give me grace to be content with what portion thou hast allowed me and to remember that this is no continuing City but I must seek one to come in which Heavenly Kingdom of thine thou art my portion for ever which God grant me for his Mercy sake Amen Our Father c. A Prayer for the Evening O Almighty God the only keeper of Israel who neither slumbrest nor sleepest behold me thy servant who by reason of my sin and the corruption of my nature am wholly subject to sloth and am now even ready to ease and rest my self upon my Bed I know not whether thou wilt this very night make my Bed in the dark and the hour of my visitation be this present Evening my years are but a span long my age is nothing unto thee my days pass like a Weavers shuttle and my life is brought to an end as it were a tale that is told this hour may be my last hour and my next sleep my last and long sleep therefore I beseech thee let me every Evening seriously ponder and meditate and though my eyes sleep yet let my soul continually watch to attend thy coming keep me this night both in body and soul from all mine enemies both visible and invisible now and for evermore Amen Our Father c. FINIS