it wander not our Office is more determined by words but we then actually think of God when our Spirits onely speak Mental prayer when our Spirits wander is like to a Watch standing still because the spring is down wind it up again and it goes on regularly but in Vocal prayer if the words run on and the Spirit wanders the Clock strikes false the hand points not to the right hour because something is in disorder and the striking is nothing but noise in Mental prayer we confess Gods Omniscience in Vocal prayer we call the Angels to witness in the first our Spirits rejoyce in God in the second the Angels rejoyce in us Mental prayer is the best Remedy against lightnesse and indifferency of Affections but Vocal prayer is the aptest Instrument of Communion that is more Angelical but yet fittest for the state of separation and glory this is but humane but it is apter for our present Constitution they have their distinct proprieties and may be used according to their several accidents occasions or dispositions You must often call to mind and examin your self of all your actions especially after much businesse speeches c. You must live as though you had nothing and yet possesse all things and remember that meat drink and cloth are a Christians riches Yield your selves wholly to God and though you have nothing to requite him with but your self yet he gives all that gives himself the Apostles left their Ship and their Nets the poor Widdow gave onely her two Mites to the poor mans Box and her Oblation was preferred before those of the richest persons he easily dispenseth all things that alwayes thinks he must die You must never go to Bed disquieted or troubled in mind but be at peace with God and Man as much as in you lyeth and daily use Jaculatory Prayers thereby to prevent the deceipts of the Devil Take special care in your reading of the Psalms of David for in them you will find much comfort towards your Service of God and praising his holy Name Since singing of Praises giving of Thanks and offering Oblations to the Throne of Grace is very acceptable unto Almighty God and since I have before Composed an Office for your use when you shall be so unhappy to fall into any Calamity Affliction or trouble I have thought fit that when it shall please God you shall be delivered out of any Calamity c. to provide for you a short Office of Devotions whereby you may give God thanks by praising him for your deliverance as followeth As you are standing say The Te Deum Laudamus WE praise thee O God we knowledge thee to be the Lord. All the Earth doth worship thee the Father everlasting To thee all Angels cry aloud the Heavens and all the Powers therein To thee Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboth Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory The glorious Company of the Apostles praise thee The goodly Fellowship of the Prophets praise thee The noble Army of Martyrs praise thee The holy Church throughout all the world doth knowledge thee The Father of an infinite Majesty Thine honourable true and onely Son Also the Holy Ghost the Comforter Thou art the King of glory O Christ Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man thou didst not abhor the Virgins Womb. When thou hadst overcome the sharpnesse of death thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers Thou fittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge We therefore pray thee help thy Servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious Blood Make them to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting O Lord save thy People and blesse thine Heritage Govern them and lift them up for ever Day by day we magnifie thee And we worship thy Name ever world without end Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this day without sin O Lord have mercy upon us have mercy upon us O Lord let thy mercy lighten upon us as our trust is in thee O Lord in thee have I trusted let me never be confounded Then kneeling upon your knees devoutly say IN the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost Amen Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Iesu hear our Prayers Iesu receive our Petitions Our Father c. The Collect for the 3. Sunday after the Epiphany ALmighty and everlasting God mercifully look upon our Infirmities and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us through Christ our Lord. The Collect for the 24. Sunday after Trinity LOrd we beseech thee assoil thy People from their offences that through thy bountiful goodnesse we may be delivered from the bonds of all those sins which by our frailty we have committed Grant this heavenly Father for Jesus Christs sake our Lord. The Collect for the 18. Sunday after Trinity LOrd we beseech thee grant thy People grace to avoid the infections of the Devil and with pure heart and mind to follow thee the only God through Jesus Christ our Lord. O Almighty God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Maker of all things Judge of all men I acknowledge and bewail my manifold sins and wickednesses which I have from time to time most grievously committed by thought word and deed against thy divine Majesty provoking most justly thy Wrath and Indignation against me I do earnestly repent and am heartily sorry for these my misdoings the remembrance of them is grievous unto me the burden of them is intolerable have mercy upon me have mercy upon me most merciful Father for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ his sake forgive me all that is past and grant that I may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newnesse of life to the honour and glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ Amen WIth all the faculties of my Soul I blesse and praise thy Name O my Lord Jesu Christ who vouchsafedst to creat me of nothing to thy Image and Similitude to Redeem me with thy precious Blood to associate me by holy Baptisme among thy Children of Adoption and to feed me with the most blessed Sacrament of thy Body To thee I render humblest thanks for expecting me from my Infancy to this time that through thy great patience I may come to amendment of my life I praise thee I glorifie thee who hast often delivered me from many tribulatiors distresses calamities and miseries and especially that thou hast kept me from eternal punishment I praise thee and glorifie thee that thou hast bestowed on me so many common Blessings equal with others and so many particular benefits which others have wanted and whereof I have not deserved the least I beseech thy unspeakable goodness my Lord God that thou wilt so perfect
Christ came to visit us in great humility that in the last Day when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead we may rise to the life immortal through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost now and ever Amen ALmighty and everlasting God which art alwayes more ready to hear than we to pray and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy forgiving us those things whereof our Conscience is afraid and giving unto us that that our Prayer dare not presume to ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. ALmighty and merciful God of thy bountiful goodnesse keep us from all things that may hurt us that we being ready both in body and soul may with free hearts accomplish those things that thou wouldst have done through Jesus Christ our Lord. O Eternal God Almighty Father of Men and Angels by whose mercy care and Providence I have been preserved blessed comforted and assisted I humbly beg of thee to pardon the sins and follies of this day the weaknesse of my service the strength of my passion the rashnesse of my words and the vanity and evil of my actions O just and dear God how long shall I confesse my sins and pray against them and yet fall under them O let it be so no more let me never return to the follies of which I am ashamed which bring Sorrow and Death and thy displeasure worse than death give me a command over my evil Inclinations and a perfect hatred of sin and a love to thee above all the desires of this world be pleased to bless and preserve me this night from all sin and all violence of Chance and the malice of the Spirits of darknesse watch over me in my sleep or wake and whether I sleep or awake let me be thy Servant be thou first and last in all my thoughts and the guid and continual assistance of all my actions preserve my Body pardon the sins of my Soul sanctifie my Spirit let me alwayes live holy justly and soberly and when I die receive my Soul into thy hands O holy and ever blessed Jesus that I may lye in thy Bosom and long for thy coming and hear thy blessed sentence at dooms-day and live in thy Kingdom singing praises to God for ever and ever Amen Save me Lord waking and keep me sleeping that I may watch with Christ and rest in peace Amen Preserve me as the Apple of thine Eye and protect me under the shadow of thy wings Vouchsafe O Lord to keep me this night without sin Have mercy on me O Lord have have mercy on me Thy mercy be upon me O Lord. As I have put my trust in thee O Lord hear my Prayer And let my Supplication come unto thee VIsit we beseech thee O Lord this Habitation this Countrey and Township wherein I live and repel far from it and them all the snares of the wicked Enemy of Mankind and let thy holy Angels dwell therein to preserve us in peace and thy Blessing be upon us and all that we have and all that belongs unto us both now and for ever through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen God the Father bless me Iesus Christ defend and keep me the vertue of the Holy Ghost illuminate and Sanctifie me this night and for ever Amen Concluding Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit Lord Iesu receive my Soul When you are in your Bed and cannot sleep exercise your self in some Spiritual Meditation If thou chance to awake in the dead of the night forthwith imagine thy self present amidst the Quires of Saints and Angels and with sudden Acclamation cry out with them reciting that Himn which they incessantly sing both day and night saying Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus c. Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabboth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen WHen I had ended these Devotions for the Morning and Evening for your private use I thought to have proceeded no further but when I considered the difference holy Church makes of Dayes some for holy Feasts and others for holy Fasts I thought it convenient to set you out some other Devotions for the great weekly Feast of the Church being the Lords day upon which he did rise from the Grave and that weekly Fast of the Church being Friday upon which he was Crucified besides the Publique I mean those appointed by the Church for those days and your other private Devotions For as those dayes are great in the esteem of the Church so they bring a greater duty with them DEVOTIONS For Sunday Mornings before the Church Prayers begin The fifth Psalm 1. POnder my words O Lord consider my Meditation 2. O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling my King and my God for unto thee will I make my Prayer 3. My voice shalt thou hear betimes O Lord early in the Morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up 4. For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednesse neither shall any evil dwell with thee 5. Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that work vanity 6. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing the Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitfull man 7. But as for me I will come into thine House even upon the multitude of thy mercy and in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple 8. Lead me O Lord in thy righteousnesse because of mine Enemies make thy way plain before my face 9. For there is no faithfulnesse in his mouth their inward parts are very wickedness 10. Their throat is an open Sepulchre they flatter with their tongue 11. Destroy thou them O God let them perish through their own imaginations cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness for they have rebelled against thee 12. And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoyce they shall ever be giving of thanks because thou defendest them they that love thy Name shall be joyful in thee 13. For thou Lord wilt give thy Blessing unto the righteous and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. Then humbly kneeling upon your knees say In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for ever Amen Our Father c. Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Jesu receive our Prayers Lord Jesu grant our Petitions BLessed Lord who hast caused all holy Scripture to be written for our learning grant that we may in such wise hear them read
Sighs of them that mourn attend to the Prayers which we pour out before thee in our distresse and tribulation and clemently hear them that whatever the malice of Man or subtilty of Satan can work against us may by the wisdom of thy Piety be dasht and brought to nothing so as being hurt by no Adversities but delivered from all Affliction and sorrow we may joyfully yield thanks to thee in thy Church Forgive O Lord our sins and bestow on us thy mercy look down upon our low and sad condition pity our many miserys and break asunder the bonds that lie heavy on us and in all our necessities graciously hear thy Suppliants through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy upon us Lord Jesu hear our Prayers Lord Jesus receive our Petitions Our Father c. ALmighty God the Fountain of all Wisdom who knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking we beseech thee to have Compassion upon our Infirmities and those things which for our unworthinesse we dare not and for our blindnesse we cannot ask vouchsafe to give us for the Worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the felloship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen I Shall not undertake to trouble you with the particular Opinions concerning the keeping of this day holy since some are of one Opinion and some of another and many Learned Treatises being thereupon already written to which when you shall by the good pleasure of God attain to a more mature judgment I shall refer you but rather advise you to sollow the Order of holy Church therein and withal to assure you of my own Experience and observations of that day which have been that when ever I have been so unhappy either by the perswasions of others or my own evil Inclinations to undertake or meddle with any Affairs of the World upon that day any more than of necessity they have alwayes had a very ill Successe and a most unhappy Conclusion therefore since it is the Command of God and holy Church that this day should be kept holy I would advise you not to be singular in neglecting your duty upon that holy day which the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the great God of all the holy Saints and Angels in Heaven who keep a holy and perpetual Sabboth grant you may perform with all holy devotions and pious works Amen DEVOTIONS for Friday FRiday being the Day of the Week upon which our blessed Lord and Saviour by most cruel hands was Crucified for the Redemption of the whole World hath by the Christian Church in all times been observed as a day of Fasting yet some Countrys have herein made some difference As first not to fast upon Friday within the twelve dayes of Christmas and Easter week Secondly others not to fast upon any Friday that happeneth to fall upon any holy-day observed by the Command of the Church Thirdly others not to fast upon any Friday between Easter and Ascension from that saying of our Saviour Mat. 9. 15. Can the Children of the Bride Chamber mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them But you may use your discretion herein having a special regard to the Order of your holy Mother the Church of England who commands all Fridays in the year to be observed as Fasts except Christmasse-day when it shall happen to fall upon a Friday Fasting dayes ought to be dayes of Repentance and abstinence from sin as well as from meat and drink And being dayes of Repentance you shall do well that day to recite the seven Penitential Psalms which are these the 6. the 32. the 38. the 51. the 102. the 130. and the 143. dividing them in your Devotions as you shall be hereby directed First when you prepare your self for your duty of Fasting standing before the place where you intend your devotion which may be so early as this Office may be ended by you before the Church Morning Service begin and say The sixth Psalm 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure 2. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed 3. My Soul is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me 4. Turn thee O Lord and deliver my Soul O save me for thy mercies sake 5. For in death no man remembreth thee and who will give thee thanks in the Pit 6. I am weary of my groning every night wash I my Bed and water my Couch with my tears 7. My beâ—uty is gone for very trouble and worn away because of all mine enemies 8. Away from me all ye that work vanity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping 9. The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord will receive my Prayer 10. All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned back and put to shame suddenly Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The 32. Psalm 1. BLessed is he whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven and whose sin is covered 2. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose Spirit their is no guile 3. For while I held my tongue my bones consumed away through my daily complaining 4. For thy hand is heavy upon me day and night and my moisture is like the drought in Summer 5. I will knowledge my sin unto thee and mine unrighteousnesse have I not hid 6. I said I will confesse my sins unto the Lord and so thou forgavest the wickednesse of my sin 7. For this shall every one that is godly make his Prayer unto thee in a time when thou mayst be found but in the great water-floods they shall not come nigh him 8. Thou art a place to hide me in thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with songs of deliverance 9. I will inform thee and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go and I will guid thee with mine eye 10. Be ye not like to Horse and Mule which have no understanding whose mouths must be holden with bit and bridle lest they fall upon thee 11. Great plagues remain for the ungodly but who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth him on every side 12. Be glad O ye Righteous and rejoyce in the Lord and be joyful all ye that are true of heart Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. Then say By the sign of the holy Crosse O Lord deliver me Then kneeling devoutly upon your knees say In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now
would be pleased to Command his holy Angels to take charge of you and to preserve you both in Body and Soul from all evil visible and invisible I rest Your most affectionate and Loving Father T. W. From the Prison at the Castle in Glocester 9 Novembris 1668. For my Worthy Friend Mr. Nathaniel Gwinn Master of the Free-School at Cyrencester these humbly present Most worthy Sir IT is said That if it had not been for Aristotle Alexander had not been Alexander although the Simile may not well hold yet truly what my poor Children have attained unto They and my Self must be very ungrateful if we do not acknowledge it to come from you And therefore Sir I do with all the Offerings of a free heart in all humility return you my humble and hearty thanks for your unheard of Civilities to my poor Sons hoping that your Indulgence to them will not be forgotten when ever it shall please God they may be Capacitated to return those thanks that are due for Obligations of so large a magnitude I must now beg you to contract another trouble upon your self viz. That you would he pleased to peruse the following Meditations and as you shall approve of them â—o give encouragement unto those â—hey are designed for to use them Thus beseeching your Prayers to â—he God of all Recompences for me a poor Prisoner in this Goal I remain Reverend Sir Your most obliged and faithful Servant T. W. From the Castle in Glocester 9 die Novembris 1668. Devout MEDITATIONS For the Morning for every Day in the Week When you awake in the Morning say O Saviour of the World who by thy Crosse and precious Blood hast redeemed us save us and help us we humbly beseech thee O Lord. And afterwards before you stir out of your Bed because the first thoughts ought to be offered to Almighty God say O Lord open thou our lips And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise O Lord deal not with us after our sins Neither reward us after our iniquities Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us OUr Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver uâ— from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen GLory be to God on high Anâ— in Earth peace good will to wards Men. We praise thee we blesâ— thee we worship thee we glorifâ—â— thee we give thanks to thee for thy great Glory O Lord God heavenly King God the Father Almighty O Lord the only begotten Son Jesu Christ O Lord God Lamb of God Son of the Father that takest away the Sins of the World have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the world receive our Prayers thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father have mercy upon us For thou only art Holy thou onely art the Lord thou onely O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most high in the glory of God the Father Amen And when you arise out of your Bed make a reverent bow with your body and say Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen When you are putting on your Apparel let your thoughts be truly towards God and of his most bountiful goodness towards you at all times and say O Sweet Jesu that the shame of my sinful Soul may not be seen cloath it with the robes of thy Justice and cover it with the Ornaments of all manner of grace and vertues Amen And before you stir out of your Chamber prepare your thoughts for Prayer repairing to some convenient place of the Room and with great reverence bow your body and say the eighth Psalm following O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world thou that hast set thy glory above the Heavens Out of the mouth of very Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the Enemy and the Avenger For I will consider the Heavens even the works of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained What is Man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him Thou madest him lower than the Angels to crown him with glory and worship Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet all Sheep and Oxen yea and the Beasts of the field The Fouls of the Air and Fishes of the Sea and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the Seas O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Then kneeling down upon your knees with your heart and hands lift up to Almighty God say In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for ever Amen O Lord save the King And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee OUr Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Everlasting God who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and Men in a wonderful order mercifully grant that as thy holy Angels alway do thee service in Heaven so by thy appointment they may succour and defend us on Earth through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen ALmighty and everlasting God who hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent Create and make in us new and Contrite hearts that we worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchednesse may obtain of thee the God of all Mercy perfect remission and forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen ALmighty God who seest that we have no power of our selves to help our selves keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen O Almighty God whose dwelling is in the highest Heavens and yet vouchsafest to regard the lowest Creature upon
very perfect accompt and Experiment of the sad and Hellish effectâ— of their Schismatical Pragmatical and most diabolical opinions so directly opposite to the doctrine of the Prince of Peace that they can never march under his Banner without a sad and serious Repentance Therefore beware the Jesuite with one hand and them with the other for if the Jesuite seize you by one hand or the Presbyterian by the other you shall be then certainly led either into Rebellion or Apostacy or into both for indeed they seldom go asunder From which good Lord deliver you and all good people Amen WHen ever you hear the Bell toll for the publique Prayers of the Church presently take into your thoughts the great goodnesse of God in Redemption of the World by his blessed Son and your own unworthinesse occasioned by your evil Custom of sin and with this Meditation repair to the Church But if it should happen that you are in such a place that you cannot go to the Church as my unhappinesse is at this present and I pray God deliver you from the like then if opportunity will give you leave upon your knees beseech God that you may pertake of the benefit of the Prayers of the Church When you are come to the Church and entring within the Gates thereof make a reverend bow towards the East end and say GLory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen When Prayers are beginning make a reverent bow and be very ready in all the Responsals of the Church Liturgy If it shall so happen that you may hear a Sermon and not the Service of the Church or the Church Service and not a Sermon rather make choice to hear the Service of the Church than a Sermon although if your occasions will permit you neglect not the other When you are in the Church where you meet with God and his holy Angels never behave your selves irreverently but attend your duty there with all reverent postures as your head being uncovered and not sitting at any part of the Divine Service considering the businesse you have there is either to hear God speak to you by his Priest or you speaking to God in your Prayers As we ought to take all opportunities of serving of God so I would advise you when ever you come to any place where you never were before privately to your self at your entrance desire God to bless your coming thither and say OUr Father which art in Heaven c. And if you come to any place where you have been before then privately to your self desire of God pardon for the sins you have committed and praise his holy Name for all his Mercies you have received since you were last there and say OUr Father which art in Heaven c. When ever you come to any Town or other place about any businesse where you may hear the publick Prayers of the Church so order your affairs as to do that before you go about your other businesse that God may give a greater blessing to your endeavours and the better success in what you came about When any poor person shall beg of you meditate with your self what a great blessing God hath bestowed upon you that you are not the person begging of him and what you can spare freely but privately give Remember to hold your peace in such things as appertain not to you use no extravagant speeches or gestures at any time but especially in open or publick Assemblies but in all things observe a grave modesty and discretion In all things desire and prefer that which may most redound to the greater service of God as to comfort the afflicted to reconcile the discentious to visit the Imprisoned and relieve the poor Observe the learned and pious Dr. Taylor in his History of the Life and Death of the holy Jesus in his Discourse of Prayer saith he That Prayer in publick or private in the Communion or Society of Saints or in our Closets these prayers have lesse temptation or vanity than others have more advantage of Charity example fervour and energy In publick Offices we avoid singularity in the private we avoid hypocrisie those are of more edification these of greater retirednesse and silence of spirits those serve the needs of all the world in the first Intention and our own by consequence these serve our needs first and the publick only by a secondary intention these have more pleasure they more duty these are the best instruments of Repentance where our confessions may be more particular and our shame lesse scandalous the other are better for Eucharist and Instrustion for edification of the Church and glorification of God The Postures of our Bodies in Prayer had as great variety as the severiâ—ies and Civilities of several Nations came to The Jews most commonly prayed standing so did the Pharisees and the Publicans in the Temple so did the Primitive Christians in all their greater Feastivals and Intervals of Jubilee In their Pennances they kneeled the Monks in Cassia sate when they sung the Psalter and in every Country whatsoever by the Custom of the Nation was a Symbole of Reverence and humility of silence and attention of gravity and modesty that posture they translâ—ted to their prayers but in all Nations bowing the Head that is a laying down our glory at the feet of God was the manner of Worshippers And this was alwayes the more humble and the lower as their devotion was higher and was very often expressed by prostration or laying flat upon the ground And this all Nations did and all Religions Our deportment ought to be grave decent humble apt for adoration apt to edifie and when we address our selves to Prayer not instantly leap into the Office as the Judges of the Areopage into their Sentence without preface or preparatory affections but considering in what presence we speak and to what purposes let us behave our selves with reverential fear And when we have done not rise from the ground as if we vaulted or were glad we had done but as we begin with desires of assistance so end with desires of pardon and acceptance concluding our longer Offices with a shorter mental prayer of a more private reflexion and reference designing to mend what we have done amisse or to give thanks and proceed if we did well and according to our powers In private Prayer it is permitted to every man to speak his prayers or onely to think them which is a speaking to God Vocal or Mental prayer is all one to God but in order to us they have their several advantages the Sacrifice of the heart and the Calves of the lips make up a Holocaust to God but words are the arrest of the desires and keep the Spirit fixt and in lesse permissions to wander from fancy to fancy and mental Prayer is apt to make the greater fervour if
and where miserable Man has committed the trespass the Son of God layes down his own life to satisfie the debt Whither has thy humility descended What has thy fervent love enforced thee to do How far has thy mercy extended it self To what a point is thy compassion come I have done wickedly and thou art punished I have commited a grievous fault and it is laid to thy charge I am the offender and thou art put to the torture I was puffed up with pride and thou art made of no reputation I was disobedient and thou sufferedst the punishment of my rebellion I have pampered my self with delicacies and thou wert often afflicted with hunger and thirst my inordinate affections have made me to do things unlawful thy perfect Charity has brought thee to suffer an ignominious death I presumed to do what I was forbidden and thou submittedst thy self to rebukes even for thy good works I delight in liberty and pleasure and thou art fastened to the Cross with intollerable grief I live at ease and thy hands and feet are pierced with Nails I tast the pleasant apple and thou the bitter gall Eve laugheth and rejoyceth with me blessed Mary laments and sorrows with thee Behold O King of Glory what mine iniquity is and what thy mercy how excessive my wickednesse and how infinite thy goodness O my King and my God what may I possibly offer thee in acknowledgment of thy Bounty mans heart is not able to think much less can his poverty furnish a worthy Oblation for so great benefits I beseech thee therefore for thy mercies sake cause me from henceforth to renounce all the enticements of the World and for love of thee not to fear any adversities by it but despise even Death it self and having perpetually in remembrance the blessednesse of Heaven make no account either of the pleasure or afflictions of this transitory life Let nothing please me but that which is acceptable to thee nor any thing offend me but that which is disagreeable to thy Will let all things besides thee seem tedious to me and may I never be wearied in seeking after thee let no joy delight me that is without thee and let me rejoyce in all afflictions I suffer for thee may the remembrance of thee be my consolation and turn my tears into nourishment whilst I seek thy Righteousness let the Law of thy mouth be more precious to me than thousands of gold and silver let it be my chief delight to obey thee and greatest grief to displease thee I humbly beseech thee my onely hope that thou wilt be propitious to me and pardon all my iniquities open my ears to hear what thou Commandest and suffer not my heart to decline from thee nor through words of wickednesse to seek excuse for my sins but alwayes to keep my self in the paths of thy Commandments that at my death I may be found in the true way to thy Felicity who livest and reignest for ever and ever Amen LOrd have mercy on us Christ have mercy on us Lord have mercy on us Jesu receive our Prayers Lord Jesu grant our Petitions O God the Father Creator of the World have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of Mankind have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity three Persons and one God have mercy on us Jesu eternal Son of the living God have mercy on us Jesu most blessed Son of the Virgin Mary have mercy on us Jesu God and Man in two Natures one divine Person have mercy on us Jesu the increated Wisdom of the Father by whom all things were made and by the Word of whose Power they are sustained have mercy on us Jesu who for us sinners descendedst from thy Throne of Glory and tookest upon thee the form of a Servant choosing a poor Stable for the place of thy Birth have mercy on us Jesu who in thy holy Circumcision receivedst that blessed Name and after wast declared for the Worlds Redeemer by the Tribute and adoration of Kings have mercy on us Iesu who in the tender age of a new born Child was forc't to save thy life by flying into Aegypt have mercy on us Iesu who becamest subject to thy Parents so much inferiour in dignity to thee and disdainedst not to serve them in their humble life have mercy on us Iesu who after a long concealment of thy self didst publish to the world thy admirable manner of life travelling on foot in poverty hunger and thirst and begging as an alms even a Cup of cold Water have mercy on us Iesu who healedst every where the diseased both in Soul and Body and weariedst thy self to relieve our Infirmities passing the day in Works of Mercy and watching whole Nights in Prayer often retiring alone and Fasting many dayes together to teach us the way and practise of Contemplation have mercy on us Iesu who for our encouragement vouchsafedst to be tempted in the Desart where having there subdued the Enemy of Mankind thy Victory was celebrated by the adoration of Angels have mercy on us Iesu whose sacred Life was a continual course of suffering evil for us and doing good to us opening by thy Doctrine an easie way to Heaven and soliciting by thy Miracles our acceptance of Salvation have mercy on us Iesu who for our Example didst wash thy Disciples feet and for our Comfort didst Institute thy blessed Sacraments have mercy on us Iesu who prostrate with thy face upon the Earth prayedst thrice to thy Father for deliverance and in the fervour of thine Agony swettedst drops of Blood till thou wert relieved by an Angel have mercy on us Iesu who wast betrayed by one of thine own Disciples and forsaken by all the rest who forbadst the resistance of Publick Authority and restoredst to thine Enemy the Ear he had lost in assaulting thee have mercy on us Iesu who for our Redemption deliveredst thy self to the violence of thine Enemies freely suffering them to bind thy hands which even for them had wrought so many Miracles and to spit on thy Face which the Angels behold with joy and adoration have mercy on us Iesu who for us enduredst their malitious impiety to blindfold thy eyes and strike thee on the Cheeks to accuse thee falsly and condemn thee unjustly to compare Barrabas to thee and prefer him before thee have mercy on us Iesu who for us enduredst their barbarous insolence to strip thee of thy Clothes and mock thee with a purple Vestment to wound thy Head with a Crown of Thornes and all thy Body with cruel Scourgings have mercy on us Iesu who for us enduredst their insatiable fury to load thee with a heavy Cross and shamefully Crucifie thee between two Thieves to affront thy thirst with Vinegar and Gall and blaspheme thy meekness with bitter reproaches all which thy incomparable patience chearfully received and offered to thy Father even for thy Persecutors have mercy on us Iesu who having Conquered the power of Darkness releasedst thy Servants from their long Captivity and overcoming Death didst raise thy crucified Body to a glorious Life have mercy on us Iesu who by thy Triumphant Ascension openedst the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers and Seated at the Right hand of thy Father vouchsafedst to become our eternal Mediator have mercy on us Iesu who in thy tender Providence didst send miraculously the Holy Ghost to lead thy Church into all truth and comfort thy Servants in all their tribulations have mercy on us Iesu who at the great and general Day shalt judge severely every one according to his works rewarding thy Servants with Eternal Life and Condemning Sinners to everlasting Death have mercy on us Be merciful O Iesu and pardon our sins Be merciful O Iesu and hear our Prayers O Soveraign Lord and blessed Saviour of the World who by the sole motive of thy Mercy humblest thy self to Death for our Redemption and Ascendedst to thy Father for the full accomplishment of our peace graciously apply to our Souls the infinite merits of thy sacred Passion and with thy precious Blood cleanse us from all our sins nail them to thy Cross and bury them in thy Grave that they may dye in us and we live in thee the life of Grace here and be united to thee in thy Kingdom of Glory hereafter where with the Father and the Holy Ghost thou livest and raignest one God world without end Amen The 121. Psalm I Will lift up mine eyes unto the Hills from whence cometh my help my help cometh even from the Lord who hath made Heaven and Earth He will not suffer thy foot to be moved and he that helpeth thee will not sleep Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep The Lord himself is thy keeper and the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand So that the Sun shall not burn thee by day neither the Moon by night The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil yea it is even he that shall keep thy Soul The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for ever more Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen FINIS
Farth I humbly adore thy Sacred Majesty and with all the forces of my Soul exalt and praise thy holy Name for the infinite blessings thou hast so freely bestowed on me for electing me in thy Love and Creating me after thine own Image for Redeeming me by thy Son and Sanctifying me with thy holy Spirit for preserving me in all the chances and encounters of this Life and raising up my thoughts to the hope of a better And particularly for thy gracious protection from the dangers of this night and bringing me safely to the beginning of this day Continue O Lord thy mercy to me and as thou hast awakened my Body from sleep so raise my Soul from sin that I may walk soberly and chastly as in the day in all holy obedience before thy face Deliver me O merciful God from the evils of this day and guid my feet in the wayes of peace Strengthen my Resolution to embrace with gladnesse the opportunities of good and carefully avoid all occasions of sin especially those which I by experience do most endanger my Soul with And when through frailty I forget thee do thou in mercy remember that as I often fall by the evil inclinations of my nature I may alwaies rise again by the good assistance of thy grace make me diligent in the duties of my Condition and not too solicitous for the success of my Affairs but in all the miscarriages and crosses of this world absolutely submit to thy divine pleasure and wholly rely on thy merciful providence Let thy Blessings be upon my Actions and thy grace direct my intentions that the whole Course of my life and principal design of my heart may alwaies tend to the advancement of thy glory the good of others and the eternal salvation of my own Soul through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen I Adore and glorifie thee O blessed Trinity God Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Ghost I offer my self to thy divine Majesty humbly beseeching thee to take from me and from all thy faithful what ever displeaseth thee and give us that which is grateful in thy sight grant that we may here do what thou commandest and hereafter receive what thou promisest To thee O Lord I commend my Soul and Body my Father and Mother my Brethren and Sisters my Kinsfolks and Benefactors my Friends and Familiars and all those for whom I am any wayes bound to offer up my Prayers To thee I commend the holy Catholick Church Grant O Lord all may know thee all may honour and reverence thee all may love thee and be loved by thee those that erre reduce and bring into the way destroy Heresies Convert all to the true Faith who as yet do not know thee grant us O Lord thy grace and conserve us in thy peace May thy holy Will be done and not ours comfort all those that lead their lives in Sorrow Misery or Temptations and mercifully relieve their Afflictions whether Spiritual or Corporal Lastly I commend all universally to thy holy Protection that thou wouldest vouchsafe unto them forgivenesse of all their sins and life everlasting INto the hands of thy unspeakable mercy O Lord I commend my Soul and Body my Sences my Words my Thoughts and all my Actions with all the necessities of my Body and Soul my going forth and coming in my Faith and Conversation and the course and end of my Life the day and hour of my Death my rest and Resurrection with thy Saints and Elect for ever Amen O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come unto thee Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us OUr Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen ACcept O most gracious God for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ his sake this Office of my Service and if by thy grace I have performed any thing according to my duty in thy Clemency regard it and what I have done with negligence mercifully pardon who livest and reignest one God in perfect Trinity world without end Amen THe Imperial Majesty of God bless me the Regal Divinity protect me the everlasting Deity keep me the glorious Unity comfort me the Incomprehensible Trinity defend me the Inestimable Goodnesse direct me the Power of the Father govern me the Wisdom of the Son quicken me the Vertue of the Holy Ghost illuminate me and defend me from all mine enemies visible and invisible and be with me and preserve me this day and for evermore This being performed arise from off thy knees with reverence making an humble bow with your body and saying Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen At your going forth of the House where you did lodge the night before say privately to your self Shew me O Lord thy wayes and teach me thy paths direct my steps according to thy Word that no Injustice rule over me by the guiding of thy holy Angels make perfect my goings in thy paths that my steps be not moved from the wayes of thy Righteousnesse Devout MEDITATIONS At the time of your going to Bed WHen you have entred your Chamber and your thoughts are retired from your worldly Affairs repair to some convenient place and with great reverence bow your Body and say the thirteenth Psalm HOw long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long shall I seek counsel in my Soul and be so vexed in my heart How long shall mine enemies triumph over me Consider and hear me O Lord my God lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death Lest mine enemy say I have prevailed against him For if I be cast down they that trouble me will rejoyce at it But my trust is in thy mercy and my heart is joyful in thy Salvation I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt so lovingly with me yea I will praise the Name of the Lord most Highest Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for ever O Lord shew thy mercy upon us And grant us thy Salvation Our Father c. ALmighty God give us grace that we may cast away the works of darknesse and put upon us the Armour of light now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus