very well one for every severall Day of thâ—… Weeke And they may help on the Worke 〈◊〉 our Repentance if we will so often use thâ—… words of those pious Men that made them with their spirit And all the helps in thaâ—… worke are as necessary as they will be advanâ—… tageous For We are charged often and seriously to reâ—…member how we have provoked the Lorâ—… our God to wrath more then once Deu. 9 7 8â—… And the Lord our God is a consuming fireâ—… and a jealous God Deut 4. 24. Thereforâ—… humble thy selfe greatly For the vengeanâ—… of the ungodly is Fire and Wormes Ecclus. 7â—… 17. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where will the ungodly and sinner appeare 1 Pet 4. 18. The Meditation of these places of holâ—… Writ were enough to fright the Impenitenâ—… and make them long to be better acquainteâ—… with Penitentiall Psalmes Then may they heare more comfortablâ—… words For If wee confesse our fins God is faithfuâ—… and just to forgive us our sins 1 Joh. 1. 9. Noâ—… is not the voice of the Gospell only Solomon could put us in that hope long before thâ—… Gospel was sully revealed He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. And others before him have said the like It was God's mercy ever of old Hos. 14. 2 3 4. Hos. 6. 1 2. But we must lay hold on it while it is called to day Hebr. 3. 13 15. There is a long night coming when nothing can be done John 9. 4. And there is no relying or boasting of the little day of our life Prov. 27. 1. We know not how soon the Sun may set for ever upon us and we be conveyed out of the way into our everlasting House Eccles 12. 5. Therefore let us not put off from Day to Day to turne to the Lord. For suddainly his wrath may breake forth and in our security we may be destroyed and so perish in the day of Vengeance Ecclus 5. 7. But God is never so ready to punish as he is to pardon The Royall Prophet that had experience of that mercy tells us that when but he resolved to confes his transgressions unto the Lord the Lord forgave the iniquity of his Sin Psal. 32. 5. And if we would have it confirmed by the Evangelicall Prophet he could tell us God is so mercifull that upon our resolution before we call he will answer and while we are yet speaking He will heare Isay 65. 24. How then can they think to escape that neglect so great Salvation Hebr. 2. 3. After this so needfull and gainfull a Service of Confession As our Church doth so we should do well to addresse our selves to another Confession that of Praise and Thanksgiving In imitation of the Invitatory Psalme and the Te Deum and the like Hymnes in publicke we should have somewhat ready for that purpose in private Such as what now followes XV. A Morning Devotion framed according to St Basil's direction Constitut. Monast. c. 1 and the rare Patterne of the sweet Singer of Israel in many Psalmes PRaise the Lord O my Soul While I live will I praise the Lord yea as long as I have any being will I sing praises unto my God Psal. 146. 1. As long as I live will I magnify him on this manner and lift up my hands in his Name Ps. 63. 5. Every day will I give thanks unto Him and praise his Name for ever and ever Ps. 145. 2. Every day with all readines and thankfulnes of heart I will worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord my God my Maker Psal. 95. 6. By whom I was fearfully and wonderfully made Psal. 139 13 14. My soul cannot but be affected with that curious workmanship even to astonishment and amazement To consider how there is not the least bone or member in my body but tooke along with it an apparent stamp and impression of Divine Power and Wisdome While my whole Body to say nothing of the rate Faculties of the Soule was so cunningly and secretly wrought and embroidered with veines sinewes arteries and other incomparable varieties of necessary parts that as they were first framed and molded secretly in my Mothers wombe so they are not now all of them exposed to the view of every eye but show themselves onely by the use that is made of them Such are the wonders of my Creation How shall I then be able to expresse or conceive how mercifully and freely I was redeemed with a costly and mighty salvation 1 Cor 6. 20. Luc 1. 69. and by no lesse Providence and Goodnes miraculously preserved in fad and perilous times unto this day Therefore shall the first Fruits of every Day be Hâ—…s and the first opening of my mouth the serving and blessing of his holy Name My hearty Prayers and Praises shall come daily before Him like the Incense Psal. 141. 2. ascen ding upward and seasoning and sweetening my thoughts here for the whole day In this manner and for ever Praise the Lord O my Soule and all that is within mee praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soule and forget not all his Benefits Ps 103. 1. c. Which forgiveth all thy sinnes thy great sinnes and healeth all thy Infirmities thy manifold infirmities Which satisfieth thy Body and Soule with variety of good things and so often after a sweet and quiet sleep reneweth thy strength in the Morning and returneth thee to thy Friends and thy own imployments Young and lusty as an Eagle v. 5. that appeares in her fresh plumes vigorous and youthfull againe For this shall my mouth every morning be filled with thy praise O Lord and my Soule make her boast of Thee Ps. 34. 2 3. For this I will remember Thee in my Bed and when I awake Ps. 71. 7. And upon all opportunities sing of thy Honour and Glory all the day long So shall my Soule be more and more satisfied as it were with marrow and fatnes while I thus endeavour to praise Thee with joyfull lips Ps 63. 5. Here we may tender a particular recognition of some speciall mercy and favour showed to us or ours After which we may take others into our Confession of Praise And O that all others might joyn with me in the close of my thankful acknowledgments O that they would praise the Lord with me and let us magnify his Name together Psal ' 34. 3. Though not in the same place yet with the same heart and affection bearing a part in the Angels and our Churches Hymne Glory be to God on high and in earth Peace good will towards men We praise Thee O God we blesse Thee we worship Thee We laud and magnifie thy glorious name evermore praising Thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to Thee O Lord most high O that men would thus praise the Lord for his goodnesse
maiest chearfully go through the works of thy Calling In this manner and for ever praise the Lord O my soul. And O that all others would joyn with me to magnifie the Lord together as it was that holy Prophets earnest wish O that we might all praise Him In the Angels and Churches Hymne O that we might with Angels and Arch-Angels and all the Company of Heaven laud and magnifie Thy Holy Name O Blessed Lord. Evermore Honouring and Praising Thee Evermore Worshiping and Glorifiing Thy Blessed Name For all Thy great Mercies rejoycing in Thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts which was and which is and which is to come Heaven and Earth are full of Thy Glory Glory be to Thee O Lord most High And let all in Heaven and Earth say Amen Amen Halelujah After the Hymn if you are not inclinable to sleep then that the better use may be made of your last Prayers and Meditations concerning the wonders of our Creation Preservation and Divine Omni-present Assistance I will furnish you with a short Paraphrastical Exposition of those Verses of the 139 Psalm which I commended to you before as fit for the time A Paraphrastical Exposition of some Uerses in the 139 Psalme 1. O Lord thou knowest me as well as if thou had'st made a narrow search and strict examination of all my inward parts Thou art privy to my times of Rest and Retirement and after them thou seest how I fit my self for employment and how I demean my self in it Thou observest my intimate and familiar thoughts and inclinations and intentions long before they are actually mine 2. Thou art no stranger to my labour in the day or my repose sleep and dreames in the night Thou art throughly acquainted will all my recreations and all my best and worst actions and all my faillures or more perfect proceedings in the whole course of my life 3. There is not a word at my tongues end but thou can'st discern it wholely and infallibly before it come óut Thou hast no need that I should express it unto Thee for Thou Lord knowest it better then I doe And as well do'st Thou know and observe what care I use not only in the governing of my thoughts and deeds but also in the bridleing and regulating of my Tongue which I keep not in with good heed besides the hedge of my Teeth which is my Monitor to warn me of it all my Religion will prove vain and of no esteem in thy pure eyes who art the great Judge and rewarder of all 4. Thou do'st compass me as close on every side as a City is beset in the straitest siege I can stirre as little from thy Presence as if thou had'st laid thy hands upon me to hold me fast 5. This Thy knowledge of me and of all my thoughts words and deedes is so high above my capacity that I can neither comprehend it nor hinder it nor be concealed from it 6. For whether can I goe to hide my self from thy knowledge of me How can I be secured from thy dreadfull omnipresence that frights thine enemies or deprived of thy comfortable omnipresence which is the unspeakable defence of thy servants 7. 8. If I could mount my self as high as Heaven or couch my self as low as Hell If I were as nimble and swift as Light it self which is like the wings of the morning and could be conveyed in a moment from East to West land disposed of in the most remotest parts of the Sea 9. Even there must I expect to be led by Thy hand and no other but Thy gratious conduct could be my guide 10. If I should think to hide my self in some dark corner the darkest night would not therein differ from the clearest day 11. For to Thee the glorious Fountain of Light the day and night the clearest and the darkest places are all one 12. And the abstrusest and most secret parts about me my very Reines the seat of Affections and Original Inclinations to sinne lie all open and naked to thy view who did'st cover me with flesh and compact me with bones and sinewes in a secret place in my Mothers womb 13. So that if there were no other cause yet for my very Creation alone I am bound with all thankfulness to admire and blesse and praise thy holy Name My soul cannot but be affected with that strange and curious workmanship even to astonishment and amazement 14. For there is not so much as the least bone or member of my body but takes along with it an apparent stamp and impression of thy divine Power and Wisdom while my body it self to say nothing of the rare faculties of the soul was so cunningly and secretly wrought and imbroidered with Veines and Sinewes Arteries and other incomparable varieties of necessary parts which as they were first framed and moulded secretly in my Mothers womb so are they not now all of them exposed to the view of every eye but shew themselves only by the use that 's made of them 15. All this frame and substance of the body lay open and naked to thy all-seeing eye while it was yet an imperfect Embryo under the hand of thy mighty power and unsearchable wisdom that lap'd up all the several parts rowling and winding them up together as orderly and exactly to their compleat number as if they had been all Registered in a Book with directions how and in what method they should be placed 16. All this seemed to be so punctually contrived before they had their right frame and fashion that they might be day by day moulded and ordered by a strict and insensible way of growing to perfection 17. O how dear and pretious should all these things that belong to thy Creation and Providence be in my sight that seem in my poor apprehension as the effect of much thought advice and contrivance in the variety of so many several parts and wayes that I should be never able to recollect the summe of them 18. Should I venter upon it with my poor Arithmetick I were as good settle my self to number the sand of the Sea In various meditation of them I may lull my self a sleep and yet when I awake return to Thee again in a fresh way of Rapture and Admiration of thy wonderful works And if this were my employment every day and constant entertainment of my thoughts every night Yet were it too impossible for me in the course of my whole life to comprehend A TABLE Containing The Heads and Chapters In this Book General advice more briefly set down for their sakes that have much other business pag. 1. Ejaculations to be used in the Morning when we are awake p. 1. Ejaculations to be used when we are retired into our Closets p. 2. A short Sermon taken cheifly out of the First and Last words of Ecclesiastes p. 2. A Short Set Form of Devotion to be used before we leave our Closets p. 4. Advice concerning our
aut unum saltem mensem fiat cum poenitentia sufficiet ut perfectus virtutis habitus generetur And now my Lords papers failing me I must make use of my own paines and my English tongue again for the present help of those of whom I would but cannot otherwise be understood Can we carelesly cast our eyes over such powerful Motives to a nocturnal scrutiny and Inquisition into our sinful souls Dare we venter to fleep in sin so perhaps to loose those souls before we know where to find them again May we not in such a necessary task prevail with our selves to bestow a peice of a night or two in that employment which is able to make them prove the happiest nights that ever we spent in our lives There was a time when the Royal Prophet found it so that many a night watered his bed with his teares or rather made it swimme so emphatically doth he himself express it Psal. 6. 7. with an Hyperbole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Would not St Aug. make us fear that the omitting or deferring of that Scrutiny may bring us into extream hazard For he hath said that which may prove too true in many Poenitentia quae ab infirmo petitur infirma est quae autem à moriente petitur timeo ne ipsa moriatur that is It is best to make strict examination and compleat our Repentance while we are in health and have time enough to look into all that is past and prevent all Relapses into the like sins hereafter For the future is a time most uncertain to us and wherein we know not what Indisposition Sicknesses Hinderances or Obstructions may suddainly fall out though we might chance to live longer Now therefore while it is called to day and our day lest us make haste to break off our sins and let us take a penitentiall Psalm into our mouthes or one of the publick Confessions in the first or second Service or one out of the good Bishop's Penitential papers And make a sad and serious resolution for present and real amendment of life and have a great care against all Relapses into sin especially into our darling and habituall sins without which Intention and Resolution all our Nocturnal Scrutinies will bè fruitless and to no purpose Shall I say a little more to help you forward First then I will propose several places of Holy Writ wherein we are most earnestly admonished to beware of Relapses 2. After you have chew'd a litle upon them Iwill prescribe a Prophetical Antidote by way of prevention against the foul returns of sin 1. The First shall begin with the words of the two great Apostles Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. Receive not the grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6. 1 Giveing all diligence adde to your Faith Virtue c. 2 Pet. 1. 5. He that lacks these things is blind and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins verse 9. If they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousnes then after they had known it to turn from the holy Commandement But it is happened to them according to the true Proverb The Dog is returned to his own vomit c. Continue thou in the things that thou hast learned 1 Tim. 3. 14. Be not shaken in mind 2 Thes. 2. 2. If I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor Gal. 2. 18. What these two cheif Apostles have said we may find to be the frequent advise of holy Scripture elswhere Such as return back to their own wickedness the Lord will lead them forth with evil doers i. e. to be punished with them Psal. 123. ult When the Righteous turnes away c. Ezek. 18. 29. He that hath washed himself after the touching of a dead body if he touch it again what avails his washing Ecclus. 34. 25. No man having put his hand to the Plow and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of God Luke 9. 61. Therefore let not your goodness be as a morning cloud or the early dew that soon vanish away Hos. 6. 4. What God hath cleansed doe not thou make common Act. 10. 15. Be not weary of thy repenting of thy sin least God be weary of his repenting of thy punishment Jer. 16. 6. Turn not your backs and start not aside like a broken Bow Psal. 78. 5. Slide not back as a back-sliding Heifer Hos. 4. 16. But follow on to know the Lord cap. 6. 3. And bring forth fruites worthy of Repentance Mat. 3. 8. Walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdome and glory 2 Thes. 2 12. O how I wish that all men would make good use of all that refers to this Inquisition and narrow search into the state of our souls that should have more care taken upon them then is ordinarily spent upon the body every day Therefore I hope none will be offended that I mustered up so many good Admonitions together with such a noise about your eares as it were with so many Drums and Trumpets at such an unseasonable time of the night rather to keep you waking then to afford some help towards your quiet rest I think indeed the first night though you make choice of a Fasting night wherein you settle your selves to the purpose about this most Christian and most necessary expression of our duty unto God and love to our selves will prove full of trouble for that part of the night and your prayers may seem to be the voice of crying as the Royal Prophet speaks of his in his several nights Psal. 8. 6. But this is your happiness that such a troublesome and sad peice of such a night may by God's blessing work as great a Miracle as the turning the Water into Wine and the changing a Face sullied with salt teares into a most cheerfull countenance The solitariness of that part of a night may be answered with the company of a merry heart of our own which is a continual Feast all the dayes and nights of our life And after this uncertain life ended it may be crowned with everlasting Joy and Happiness in that only place of blisse where all teares shall at once be wiped quite away from all faces and all hearts compleatly filled with true Joy 2. In hope of this beleif in you I will now goe on to that which I promised in the second place Of an Antidote and Preservative against future Relapses worthy to be remembred every night You shall receive it from the hands of St. Basil that you may know to whom you are beholden for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil. Regul brev Interogat 28. That is If a man hath repented of a sin and after fallen into the same sinne again it is a sign that he pulled