not from the teeth only but from the bottom of their hearts Ps 16.6 The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintain my lot 7. The lot is faln to me in a fair ground I have a goodly heritage And surely he must needs be most exorbitantly covetous that will not be content with such a heritage and to possess the Lord himself who possesseth all things is the riches of Heaven 4. PLEASURE Pleasure consists in the union of the Soul with an object of Delight and in heaven the Soul shall be united with the most beautiful and blissful object viz. The Lord of glory The light of the World The God of all Consolation We read 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit which is the height of pleasure and perfection of Delight to be so intimately joyned to the Lord as to become one spirit with him such do deliciously taste and fully see how gracious the Lord is Ps 34.8 There is no earthly pleasure like the taste and fense of the Lords grace and favour to us 'T is yet a greater pleasure to enjoy the Lord as the only object of Love and Delight 'T is yet more sweet and pleasurable to acquiesce and be fully satisfied in the enjoyment of the divine Majesty But the fulness of joy is not only to enjoy but to know that we shall ever enjoy the beatifical vision and have the fruition of the supreme beauty and divine goodness for ever and ever Now then O my Soul Delight thou in the Lord Ps 37.4 and he shall give thee thy hearts desire In the satisfaction and peace of thy desires does thy happiness consist and this is alone in the Lord obtainable Blessed are the people Ps 89.16 O Lord that can rejoyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy countenance 17 Their delight shall be dayly in thy name and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast 18. For thou art the glory of their strength But the soul that will rejoyce in God must be stampt after his image and be like unto him pure as he is pure holy as he is holy merciful as he is merciful Be ye followers of God as dear children and walk in love Eph. 5.1 2. and so thou maist hope to enjoy the Lord as the supreme object of love and delight in heaven O Lord who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass mans understanding Pour into our hearts such love towards thee that we loving thee in and above all things may obtain thy promises which exceed all that we can desire through Jesus Christ MEDITAT III. Of the Company of Heaven 1. Of Gods presence there 1. GOd who is Father Son and Holy Ghost is the chief and principal Inhabitant of the Heaven of heavens God indeed is every where in respect of his Essence Presence Power but in Heaven in respect of his Glory and the supereminent brightness of his Majesty which is in heaven most conspicuous full and ravishing nor could Heaven be called so it were not heaven if not enlightned and enhappied by Gods superlative presence there And where ever O Lord Tho. Ã Kom thou art present either in grace or glory there is heaven and death and hell is every where where thou art 2. But what doth it avail the company of Heaven that God is there especially present since God dwelleth with the light which no man can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.17 whom no man hath seen or can see The very Angels of Heaven cover their faces with their wings in the presence of God that the excessive brightness of his Majesty and great Glory overwhelm them not Isa 6.2 'T is true but however so much of this eminent glory shall appear and so fully the splendid Raies thereof be display'd in Heaven as shall ravish all the blessed beholders thereof with a joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.7 They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house Ps 36.8 viz. of Celestial glory and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures as out of a river so full and overflowing shall be their satisfaction and contentment For with thee is the Well of life 9. and of all the joys and consolations of life and in thy light shall we see light even the ravishing light of glory in the light of Gods countenance in whose presence is fulness of joy 2. The Angels of Heaven Next to the blissful presence of God the society in Heaven is Angels and Archangels Cherubims and Seraphims Thrones and Dominions Col. 1.16 Principalities and Powers and all the several Orders of celestial Spirits The very sight of one blessed Angel upon earth would be more joyous and ravishing than to behold the greatest beauty and most splendid excellency that is lyable to the eyes of flesh yea all the pomp and glory of the world is not comparable to such a sight how much more joyful and glorious will it be not only to behold but to enjoy the society of those innumerable ministring spirits of whom we read Thousand thousands ministred unto him Dan. 7.10 and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him These rest not day and night crying Is 6.3 c. Rev. 21.10 Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy glory To make one in this Hymnidical Quire and to be received into one of those Mansions of Glory from whence the Apostate Angels fell is such an astonishing joy as cannot by the tongue of men and Angels be expressed 3. The Saints in Heaven To these Angelical spirits are joyned in society as members of the same Church Triumphant in Heaven The glorious company of the Apostles the goodly fellowship of the Prophets the noble army of Martyrs the innumerable train of holy Confessors Priests and people of each Sex and of every condition of whose numberless number we read Rev. 7.9 10. Rev. 7.9 And I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kindreds and people and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and Palms in their hands and cryed with a loud voice Salvation to our God Into this glorious Communion of Saints in Heaven there dayly are and daily shall be for ever received all such true servants of God and stout soldiers of Jesus Christ who under his banner have overcome the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world all the sinful lusts of the flesh who have warred a good warfare over these their ghostly enemies and kept the Faith whereinto they were baptized without any tincture of Heresie or Schism observed God's holy Will and Commandments and walked in the same all the days of their life All of these returning from their wearisome pilgrimage through
do I lift up my soul At your Vp-rising Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years Rev. 20.6 O holy Jesu who early in the morning didst raise up thy self from death to life for me raise me up I meekly beseech thee from the death of sin unto the life of Righteousness Grant me by the power of thy Death and vertue of thy Resurrection early and betimes even to day while it is called to day to arise out of the mire of sensuality and out of the dust and rubbish of worldly vanities unto newness and all holiness of life that when that long day of Eternity shall dawn I may be raised up out of the grave of death to live and reign with thee for ever Amen I laid me down and slept Psal 3.5 and rose again for the Lord sustained me Blessed be the name of the Lord Psal 113.2 3. from this time forth and for evermore The Lords name is praised from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same A Morning Hymn NOw that the day light doth arise Breaking through the azure skies To heaven I lift my heart and eyes Begging of God with humble cries All hurtful things to turn away Whilst I duly spend the day And from his Laws go not astray But of true vertue keep the way To turn away my wandring eyes From the beholding vanities To guard my lips from speaking lies To keep my heart both pure and clean From all desires wicked or vain And my unruly Passions rein To tame proud flesh whilst I deny it A full cup and wanton diet Avoiding all excess and riot That when the day light shall go out And darkness clouds the earth throughout Time bringing on the night about The Light of thy bright face may shine Vpon my Soul and Beams divine Display into this heart of mine Whilst leaving wicked worldly ways I in silence sing thy praise Chanting forth these following Laies All glory to the Trinity Which I adore in Vnity The Father Son and Holy Ghost One Lord which is of mighties most As it hath e're been heretofore Is now and shall be evermore At your Apparrelling I Put on Righteousness and it cloathed me my judgment was a robe and a diadem Job 29.14 And to the Spouse of Christ it was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white for the fine linnen is the righteousness of the Saints Blessed Jesus cloath my soul with thy spotless Robes of Righteousness and beautifie me with the celestial ornaments of the graces of thy Spirit Let it be my constant desire and endeavour to appear more amiable in thy sight than in the censorious eyes of men II. ANd why take ye thought for raiment Matth. 6.28 consider the Lilies of the field they toil not neither do they spin And yet I say unto you 29. that Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these How then fond Soul canst thou be proud of thy bodily apparrel wherein the grass of the field excels thy utmost bravery To be proud of thy gay clothing is to glory in thy shame to cover which shame and nakedness as the issue of sin and disobedience the use of Garments was given by God The true ornaments of a Christian consist in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price At your Washing I. BLessed be the Lord God my Heavenly Father who hath washed me from my Original pollution in the sacred waters of Baptism and hath therein called me to the state of Salvation through Jesus Christ And I pray God to give me his Grace that I may continue in the same unto my lifes end This I promised by my Undertakers when I was Baptized 1 Pet. 3.21 Ch. Cat. but I have not been so careful as I ought to make good my promise O wash me throughly from my wickedness as in the Laver of Baptism and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51.2 whereby I have unhallowed those saving Waters Thou shalt purge me with Hysop through the bitter sorrows and sufferings of my dearest Saviour and I shall be clean 7. Thou shalt wash me in the fountain of thy inexhaustible mercy and I shall be whiter than Snow II. 'T is the clean hands and pure heart wherewith God is well pleased even the heart that is pure from all evil affections and the hands that be clean from all sinful actions Blessed are the pure in heart Matt. 5.8 for they shall see God see him in Grace and Mercy here and in Glory hereafter Make me a clean heart Psa 51.10 O God and renew a right spirit within me A Spirit cleaving stedfastly unto thee my God and to thy Covenant with me in holy Baptism Water the dry barren ground of my Heart with the dew of Heaven the celestial influences of thy holy Spirit that I may bring forth the fruits of good works to the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ Amen Upon the Use of the Creed I Have many Enemies to encounter and such as are not corruptible flesh and bloud but spiritual and invisible quick and powerful active and vigilant to insnare me in all my thoughts and desires words and actions And therefore 't is necessary O my Soul before thou go forth to enter upon any worldly affairs that thou be well armed as with fervent Prayers and the Sword of the Spirit so with the shield of faith Eph. 6.12 13. to quench all the fiery darts of the Devil Confess then the holy Christian Faith with Understanding and affectionate Devotion I. I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth II. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord III. Who was conceived by the holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary IV. Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried V. He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead VI. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father VII From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead VIII I believe in the Holy Ghost IX The holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints X. The forgiveness of Sins XI The Resurrection of the Body XII The Life everlasting Amen I believe Lord help my unbelief And grant a right and a full understanding of all these Articles of the most holy Faith and Grace to square all the actions of my life according thereunto Let this Faith be my shield from all errors in Judgment and miscarriages in Conversation and from the Devil and all his Instruments that would seduce me to either Before you go forth of your Chamber or undertake any imployment first in all holy Humility
Numb 21.9 S. Joh. 3.14 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And my soul is wounded by the frequent bitings of that old Serpent the Devil but mine eyes are ever looking up unto thee Holy Jesus the great Physician of Sin-sick Souls who hast made a salve for such of thine own wounds and blood Heal O heal my Soul Ps 41.4 for I have sinn'd against thee Blessed Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world take away mine also O blessed Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world grant me thy Peace even that Peace which as at this hour thou so dearly purchased for me IV. At this Hour my dear Redeemer was expanded upon the Cross as on a tormenting rack where wounded nayled and bleeding he continued for three long hours together whilst the Sun being in its full strength withdrew the influence of its Light from those merciless wretches who Crucified the Lord of Glory S. Mark 15.33 And when the Sixth hour was come there was darkness over the whole Land The Sun hid his face being as 't were ashamed to behold the Sun of Righteousness eclipsed and in the shadow of death And this most justly ought to represent to my Conscience my manifold deeds of darkness which were the cause of my Saviours death and do dayly eclipse the light of Gods countenance from shining upon me O Holy Jesus who didst humble thy self unto death upon the Cross for us miserable sinners who sate in darkness and in the shadow of death vouchsafe to illuminate my darkned Soul with the light of Grace and Truth which lead to that everlasting Light which is not liable to any Eclipse in the least degree of diminution The great Captain of our Salvation having by his painful sufferings and meritorious death vanquisht him who hath the power of death the Devil having overcome both the first and second Death and shewed himself alive to his Apostles by many infallible proofs being seen of them forty dayes and speaking of all things pertaining to the Kingdom of God having in a word perfected the great and mysterious work of our Redemption for the which he invisibly descended from Heaven 'T was V. At this Hour he visibly ascended again into Heaven Now then raise up thy self O my Soul and let thy most ardent affections thorough thy gazing eyes be thither enwrapt whither thy glorious Redeemer at this hour ascended Shall not the heart be there where the Treasure is Act. 1.11 All thy Treasure surely all thy hopes of life and happiness are treasur'd up in thy blessed Saviour who is gone into Heaven GRant I beseech Thee Almighty God that like as I do believe thy only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the Heavens So I also may in heart and mind thither ascend and with him continually dwell who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen PSALMS For the Sixth Hour of Prayer Psal CXIX Part 11. Verses 1. MY Soul hath longed for thy Salvation and I have a good hope because of thy Word God's promise of Grace and Salvation in his Word inflames the pious Soul with longings thereafter 2. Mine eyes long sore for thy Word Saying O when wilt thou comfort me Which is expressed by the frequent elevation of the Eyes which are the windows of the heart unto Heaven waiting for the Consolation thereof 3. For I am become lik a bottle is the smoak yet do I not forget thy Statutes Contemplation is not to be so dry and withered as to be forgetful of holy works commanded 4. How many are the days of thy servant when wilt thou be avenget of them that persecute me The more short and uncertain our dayes be the more vigorously should we resist and more earnestly implore the divine assistance against our ghostly adversaries 5. The proud have digged pits for me which are not after thy Law Whose temptations to assault and entrap the Soul are such as tend continually to the transgression of Gods Commandments 6. All thy Commandments are true they persecute me falsly O be thou my help The more such suggestions oppose the Truth the more earnest we must be in our prayers unto God for his help to resist them 7. They had almost made an end of me upon Earth but I forsook not thy Commandments And to continue constant in our obedience to the divine precepts though the oppositions do even destroy all our earthly interests 8. O quicken me after thy loving kindness and so shall I keep the Testimonies of thy mouth But such a holy obedience proceeds from the power of Gods quickning Spirit which is therefore constantly to be prayed for Qui conservat legem multiplicat orationem Ecclus. 35.1 Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer BOth my heart and mine eyes do I lift up unto Thee O Lord longing greatly for that Grace and Salvation which thy Word doth promise Let no persecutions either from my bodily or ghostly adversaries rob me of the hopes thereof Let no false suggestions either withdraw my heart from the love of thy Truth or from the practice of it in all the actions of my life but of thy loving kindness vouchsafe so to quicken all my holy desires and endeavours that when the few days of this life take end I may inherit that life which knows no end through Jesus The Twelfth Part. Verses 1. O Lord thy word endureth for ever in Heaven The Counsels of God are immutable in Heaven though they seem variable in their respective dispensations upon Earth 2. Thy Truth also remaineth from one generation to another thou hast laid the foundation of the Earth and it abideth God's revealed Truth to his Church and People upon Earth is successively continued from one generation to another whilst the world continues 3. They continue this day according to thine ordinance for all things serve thee There is a law impos'd upon all men and upon all things who both by their obedience and disobedience thereunto do serve the ends of Gods ordinances and decrees 4. If my delight had not been in thy Law I should have perished in my trouble Which Lawchearfully obeyed is a sure support in the worst of troubles 5. I will never forget thy Commandments for with them thou hast quickned me He therefore forgets himself who forgets Gods Commandments which quicken the soul to life eternal 6. I am thine O save me for I have sought thy Commandments I am devoted thy servant by solemn promise in my Baptism and I am resolved to continue thine and therefore vouchsafe as thine to preserve me to keep thy holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of my life 7. The ungodly laid wait for me to destroy me but I will consider thy Testimonies By devout Meditations upon those truths God hath testified
the evening of thy life but then it concerns thee to be active and industrious in the service of thy Lord having been all the day of thy former life idle and negligent therein And as at other times then so neglect not to offer up thine evening Sacrifice unto God for I. 'T was in the evening of Time the blessed Son of God came down from Heaven for the Redemption of the world If then Christ be a new formed in thee now and every evening bless God for thy Renovation and with all joyful exultation say with the blessed mother of our Lord St. LUKE I. Verses 46. MY Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour 'T is the greatest joy of the devout Soul to praise the Lord my Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness when my mouth praiseth Thee with joyful lips Psal 63 6. 47. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his hand-maiden 'T was a great respect our Lord had to the humble and gracious disposition of this blessed Virgin to humble himself to be made man in her sanctified Womb. 48. For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed Since all the nations of the earth are blessed by the holy Seed of her immaculate body 49. For he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his Name God's Almightiness is most manifested by his mercifulness and in respect of both his name is great wonderful and holy 50. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Act. 10.35 51. He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts By the arm of the Lord is meant the Son of God Isa 53.1 the strength of whose wisdom appeared in confounding the fond imaginations of the proud Pharisees and all such as justifie themselves 52. He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meek And in casting out the Prince of this world Joh. 12.31 and all the spirits of pride and vengeance and in raising up faln man from under the power and tyranny of the Devil and his Angels 53. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away Such as hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be satisfied but they who are pure in their own eyes and justifie themselves are rejected for he came not to call the righteous in their own conceit but sinners to Repentance Mat. 9.13 54. He remembring his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel as he promised to our forefather Abraham and his seed for ever To all the spiritual Sors of the faithful Abraham do the promises of God in Christ appertain Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Blessed Jesus the eternal and only begotten Son of God who for us men and for our Salvation came down from Heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and made man By the merits and mysteries of thy holy Incarnation and miraculous Birth of a spotless Virgin I humbly beg a lowly humble pure and virginheart for 't is only such a heart thou regardest for thy habitation and abode and 't is only such a heart cleaves stedfastly unto thee by the ardent love awful fear and sincere service of thy Sacred Majesty who livest and reignest with the Father c. The XCVIII Psalm PARAPHRASED Being A Thanksgiving for the Redemption of the World by the Son of God verse 1 O Sing unto the Lord a new Song Praise him for the renovation and redemption of the world wherein he hath done marvellous things even such as the Angels of heaven desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 verse 2 With his own right hand by his works of righteousness and with his holy arm the extent of his Piety He hath gotten himself the victory over the world the flesh and the Devil sin death and hell verse 3 The Lord declared his Salvation which under the Law was shadowed in types and figures but now under the Gospel his righteousness whereby he justifies and saves He hath openly shewed in the sight of the heathen not to the Jews only but to the Gentiles also verse 4 He hath remembred his mercy in the promise of Salvation and his truth in the performance of this promise towards the house of Israel to them was the promise of the Messias but upon his appearance all the ends of the world have seen the Salvation of our God And therefore verse 5 Shew your selves joyful unto the Lord all ye lands fince all have seen his Salvation 't is very meet and just and our bounden duty that all should sing rejoyce and give thanks for Salvation from eternal death to life everlasting is the greatest cause of joy and thanksgiving verse 6 Praise the Lord upon the harp which mystically represents the heart of man sing to the harp open your lips to shew forth his praise with a Psalm of Thanksgiving as wherein the praises of God are divinely celebrated verse 7 With Trumpets also and Shawms all kind of musical instruments to elevate the heart to shew your selves joyful before the Lord the King who is best pleased with joy exultation and delight in his service verse 8 Let the Sea make a noise and all that therein is even all the inhabitants of the Isles of the Sea the round world and they that dwell therein they that dwell in the Continent also verse 9 Let the floods clap their hands and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord both they that dwell in the low valleys and they that inhabit the hilly countreys have equal cause of joy and thanksgiving unto the Lord of all men and all places for he is come to judge the earth to separate the precious from the vile the elect from the reprobate which is done in this life by the preaching of the Gospel in truth and purity and exercising the power of the keys for thus verse 10 With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity absolving from their sins the penitent and contrite but binding upon their souls the sins of the obdurate Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. 'T is thy duty O my Soul as to praise God for the Redemption of the world so to pray unto him that he would have mercy upon all men and display the sacred beams of his holy Gospel over all the Nations of the earth that they may come to the knowledge of Grace and Salvation through Jesus Christ Pray we therefore for all men and with all Christian people in the words of Gods holy Spirit PSALM LXVII verse 1 GOD be merciful unto us and bless us and shew us the light of his Countenance and be merciful unto us verse 2 That thy
way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations verse 3 Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee verse 4 O let the nations rejoyce and be glad for thou shalt judge the folk righteously and govern the nations upon earth verse 5 Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee verse 6 Then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God even our own God shall give us his blessing verse 7 God shall bless us and all the ends of the world shall fear him and with one heart and with one mouth glorifie the Lord and say Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. II. 'T was at this Hour my blessed Lord having first washed his disciples feet did institute consecrate and administer the blessed Sacrament of his most holy body and blood and the next day at the same hour he was taken down from the Cross I have very great reason then at this hour with all thanksgiving and devotion to commemorate the infinite love of my Redeemer in giving himself to be not only the price of my Redemption by his death upon the Cross but also to be the food of my Soul in that blessed Sacrament humbly beseeching his gracious Majesty that the merits of the one may be applied to my Soul in the devout and reverent participation of the other But I will not presume to come to thy Table O merciful Saviour having not first washed my polluted feet and the disordered affections of my soul with the tears of godly sorrow having not by true Repentance taken down the pride of this corruptible flesh laid aside and abjured all my sins that so with clean hands and a pure heart I may receive the holy Communion of thy precious Body and Blood not to my condemnation but to the eternal salvat on of my Soul O blessed Jesu Saviour of the world save me and deliver me from all mine offences nail them to thy Cross bury them in thy grave that they never rise in judgment against me at the last great day And O that now upon the remembrance of my dearest Saviours burial in the grave I could from the bottom of my heart bid adieu to the world and to all the pomps and vanities of this life to the assured hopes of the joyes of the life to come The XV. Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 LOrd who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle be entitled to the solemn worship of thy house and continue a true member of thy Church militant here below or who shall rest upon thy holy hill be admitted into the rest and felicity of thy Saints in heaven above verse 2 Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life unspotted of the world unstained by the flesh uncorrupted by the Devil and doth the thing that is right Beneficence or to do good as Innocence to do no evil are equally necessary to Salvation and speaketh the truth from his heart whose heart thinketh and whose mouth speaketh the truth without which knowledge and profession of the truth there can be no righteousness either of Innocence or of Beneficence in the actions of life verse 3 He that hath used no deceit in his tongue nor done evil to his neighbor who hath neither in his words deceived nor in his deeds wronged any and hath not slandered his neighbor either First being too credulous to believe an evil report of any or Secondly aggravating and making worse the mistakes and miscarriages of others or Thirdly blazoning them abroad to his disgrace verse 4 He that setteth not by himself is not conceited of his own worth or esteem wisdom or holiness but is lowly in his own eyes hath a mean and low opinion of himself of his deserts parts and performances or as according to another reading discountenanceth a vile person in his wickedness and maketh much of them that fear the Lord by commending and giving all respects and encouragement to such verse 5 He that sweareth to his neighbour in the promise of any benefit whether by love or gift and disappointeth him not but is as good as his word unto him though it be to his own hinderance in respect of his present worldly interests verse 6 He that hath not given his money upon usury neither lending nor giving ought unto any upon the hopes of temporal advantage thereby forbidden by our Lord Luk. 6.35 nor taken reward against the Innocent that will not be fee'd or bribed to speak or act any thing against truth and Innocence verse 7 Whoso doth these things carefully conscientiously constanly shall never fall from the state of Grace but pass through that to the state of Glory to rest upon Gods holy hill or to enjoy eternal rest in the high and holy Heavens where the Language constantly used is Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. III. 'T was at this time of the day my Blessed Lord being risen from the dead appeared to two of his Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 2.13 ad 31. with whom discoursing and by whom being entertained he was known of them by breaking of bread O how good and profitable a thing it is to speak of the holy Jesus with affectionate desires and devotions but much more effectual are good deeds than good words Friendly discourses upon Divine subjects are profitable but charitable entertainments are more acceptable to the Court of Heaven To hear from the blessed mouth of our Lord himself the holy Scriptures expounded did undoubtedly ravish the minds of these Disciples but yet their eyes were not opened to know the Lord till charity enlarged their hearts to invite nay to compel their fellow traveller to eat bread and lodge with them Tene hospitem si vis agnoscere Salvatorem Aug. 'T is divine Charity that passeth all things for illumination were my heart throughly infir'd with this Celestial flame I could not be destitute of the light of Truth for fire and light both spiritual and material are inseparable To these hospitable Disciples our Lord was known in the breaking of bread and thus he is especially known and entertained also in that Celestial bread of the blessed Eucharist to the great and endless comfort of every worthy Communicant Lord evermore give us this bread feed our Souls with thy most precious Body and Blood as a pledge and assurance to eat bread with Thee in the Kingdom of God for ever Amen IV. An evening Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving is due unto thy God as well as the morning Praise and a better Sacrifice cannot be offered unto him either evening or morning with the calves of our lips than in the words of the CXLV Psalm which is an Epitome of the Praises of God diffused through the whole Book of God and 't was therefore one part of the dayly service of God in his Temple and therefore 't is most meet it should daily by
which is a place of darkness even blackness of darkness for ever and in the deep abyss of inextricable torments verse 6 Thine indignation lyeth hard upon me whereto I have provoked thee by manifold offences and thou hast vexed me with all thy storms those tempests of affliction and trouble which disturb my peace are sent from thee to scowr the rust of corruption off my Soul verse 7 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me and made me to be abhorred of them The invisible society of holy Angels with the prayers and good wishes of holy men I enjoyed whilst I was innocent and heavenly minded but now being polluted they are estranged from me and abhor me in my sins verse 8 I am so fast in prison that I cannot get forth I am so enfetter'd in the bonds and chains of my sins that without the help of a divine hand I cannot be loosed from them verse 9 My sight faileth for very trouble the bright eye of my mind is dimm'd and darkned through the pressures of my spirit and in this sad condition Lord I have called upon thee as being my only refuge in danger support in trouble and succour in all distress I have stretched forth my hands unto thee by my practice according to my prayer verse 10 Dost thou shew wonders among the dead or shall the dead declare thy works of wonder or shall the dead rise up and praise thee They must have part in the first Resurrection which is from the corruption of sin who worthily shew forth thy praise verse 11 Shall thy loving kindness be shewed in the grave or thy faithfulness in destruction both in the state of the first and of the second death there is a deep silence of thy goodness and of thy truth verse 12 Shall thy wondrous works be known in the dark and thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten Thy righteous and admired deeds are not once mentioned either in the grave of death or in the pit of hell in both estates there is an utter forgetfulness of all thy goodness and truth But that I may be delivered from such a sad condition verse 13 Vnto thee have I cryed O Lord and early shall my prayer come before thee Before I have made my peace with thee my God or be surprized by death let my prayer for thy preventing and assisting grace be not rejected verse 14 Lord why abhorrest thou my soul I am unclean I confess and 't is but just I should be abhorred and forsaken but being withal penitent and humbled why hidest thou thy face from me as being still displeased with me and deaf to my petitions verse 15 I am in misery and like unto him that is at the point to dye Death as the wages of sin dogs me at the heels even from my youth up thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind The terrors of my Conscience for sin have been alway accompanied with a troubled and contrite spirit which thou hast promised not to despise verse 16 Thy wrathful displeasure goeth over me The apprehension of thy wrath and displeasure invades and overflows my soul and the fear of thee hath undone me the fear of thy wrath in the day of judgment and of the never dying torments of hell the effects thereof hath ruin'd all my worldly consolations verse 17 They come round about me dayly like water overflowing all the powers and passions of my Soul and compassed me together on every side leaving no visible means of evasion and peace verse 18 My lovers and my friends who professed themselves to be such in my worldly prosperity and amidst my carnal delights hast thou put away from me they are alienated and estranged in time of my trouble and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight they will not now see me who formerly frequented my company And therefore being thus desolate and deeply endangered unto thee as my only hope and refuge O Lord God of my Salvation I have cryed day and night continually for deliverance and Salvation that my soul may continually bless thee and say Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. THE Fourth general Meditation OF HEAVEN 1. THe land of Canaan was promised to Abraham the Father of the faithful in these words of command Gen. 13.14 Lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where thou art Northward and Southward Eastward and Westward For all the land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever The celestial Canaan is herein promised unto thee if a true son of the faithful Abraham Lift up then thine eyes O my Soul and contemplate the ravishing Felicities of this Land of promise This is thy native countrey where thou wast at first framed by the hands of the Almighty after his own Image Why then dost thou not pant and breath and sigh and long to be at home Why art thou so well pleased with a strange land and delightest rather to be a Pilgrim in the valley of Tears than a free Denizon in the land of Peace a Foreigner in the city of Babylon than a Citizen in the heavenly Jerusalem Away away from Lebanon O my Soul thy beloved calleth thee away from the dens of Lyons Can. 4.8 and the mountains of the Leopards Ps 55.6 O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I flee away and be at rest 2. We read that the Lord brought Moyses to the top of mount Pisgah and shewed him the promised land where having the wilderness behind him and the happiest of all lands before him he represents the devout and heavenly minded Soul who considering the manifold troubles in the wilderness of this world and the joys and felicities of the world to come is highly ravished in the contemplation and desire of the one to the extream contempt of the other 3. The happiness of Heaven is the end of all Holiness upon Earth and that must needs be the greatest good which is the end of all that is good for the end is more noble than the means 'T is the last good we hope for and so the most perfect as being the perfection and accomplishment of all the good we can imagine or desire nay 't is a blessedness beyond our frail imaginations to comprehend as it is written eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him a Quod Deus praeparavit diligentibus se fide non capitur spe non attingitur charitate non comprehenditur desideria vota transgreditur acquiri potest aestimari non potest Aug. 1 Cor. 2.9 4. Raise up thy affections O my Soul as to be ravisht with the love of Heaven so to lament with tears of sorrow and shame thy sloth and negligence thy coldness and indevotion thy sinful security and earthly mindedness and what
subdued to the spirit rejoyce in the living God there 's no joy like the joy of his presence who giveth life and a heart to pant and breath after the joys of life eternal verse 3 The sparrow hath found her a house and the swallow a nest where to lay her young even thy Altars And O that my Soul could mount as doth the Sparrow upon her wings with inflamed affections after the pleasures of thy house and that my flesh might be instrumental to my Soul in bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit to be sacrific'd upon the Altar of Praise and Thanksgiving unto thee O Lord of hosts my King and my God whom alone I desire to adore worship and obey verse 4 Blessed are they here in hope hereafter in fruition who dwell in thy house of Grace below of Glory above They will alwayes be praising thee 'T is our principal errand to the house of God upon earth and shall be our only employment in his house of Heaven always to praise the Lord. But we of thy house and family here below like the young birds near thine Altar are unfledged and empent in the nest of this corruptible body which weigheth down the Soul so that mount to Heavenward we cannot without the divine assistance therefore verse 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee who derives strength of Grace from thee to praise and glorifie thee and this not only with their mouths but in whose heart are thy ways cordially resolving and uprightly walking in the wayes of thy service and of their own salvation verse 6 Who going through the vale of misery in their pilgrimage through the miseries of this sinful life below use it for a Well even the deep fountain of a broken heart from whence the Pools are filled with water the eyes flow with tears of that godly sorrow which worketh Repentance unto Salvation not to be repented verse 7 They will go from strength to strength from one degree of grace to another adding to Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledge to Knowledge Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godliness to Godliness Brotherly kindness and to Brotherly kindness Charity 2 Pet. 1.5 Vnto the God of gods appeareth every one of them in Sion each person thus qualified shall appear in the presence of the supreme Majesty of Heaven which being the felicity whereunto I am created and earnestly long for I therefore humbly beg verse 8 O Lord God of hosts hear my prayer thou art the Donor of all those powerful Graces which mount up our Souls to Heaven and the Lord of all those hosts of Heaven amongst whom my Soul longeth to be enroll'd Hearken O God of Jacob assist me in all my wrestlings with my ghostly enemies that I may prevail and obtain thy blessing which is to be call'd Israel Seeing God the felicity of Heaven verse 9 Behold O God our Defender against all the crafts and assaults of the Devil the world and the flesh Look upon the face of thine anointed our blessed Redeemer sitting on thy right hand and interceeding for us and may the sacred beams of his celestial light shine in our hearts and appear in the holiness and righteousness of our lives that going from strength to strength we may appear before the Lord in Sion verse 10 For one day in thy Courts amongst the Quires of Heaven where the day is but one as knowing no morrow day is better than a thousand of the fliting transitory dayes of this mortal life verse 11 I had rather be a door-keeper lye at the threshold submit to the lowest condition in the house of my God the place where his Honor dwelleth who is the God of my worship and joy than to dwell in the tents of ungodliness be conversant amongst the ungodly of this world in the most splendid condition with all the delights of the sons of men for 't is not all the pomp and glory all the pleasures and treasures of this life can give any solid satisfaction to the vast desires of my immortal Soul verse 12 For the Lord is a light and defence a light for direction in the way of peace and a defence for perfection against all whomsoever or whatsoever might disturb the innocence and peace of my Soul He will give grace and worship Grace to serve him truly here and Worship or Glory to crown our services hereafter and no good thing will he withhold from them that lead as godly life who truly love and fear God and wait for his promises in the obedience of his precepts shall enjoy all that is truly good or conducible to their eternal happiness in heaven And therefore verse 13 O Lord God of hosts blessed is the man that putteth his trust in thee not roving in his hopes and desires after the exterior empty transitory consolations of the creature but among the sundry and manifold changes of the world hath his heart surely fixed there where true joyes are to be found which is alone in the presence of the God of Heaven where all do rejoyce together and sing for ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. AS an Earnest of this everlasting joy and felicity One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will require Ps 27.4 even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple A MEDITATION Upon the VOW in BAPTISM Out of S. Chrysostome de Martyribus SERM. II. REmember the Covenant Attend the Condition Acknowledge the Warfare The Covenant thou hast made with God the Condition whereby thou wast received into this Covenant the Warfare unto which thou art hereby engaged The Covenant is to be a member of Christ a child of God and an heir of Heaven or the Covenant of Grace and Salvation the Condition is to renounce the Devil and all his works the pomps the Warfare thou hast undertaken is manfully to fight under the banner of Christ against these ghostly enemies to this end thy Christian name is enroll'd amongst the musters of the Church Militant wherein thou hast promised to continue Christs faithful servant and souldier unto thy lifes end Thou art too delicate a Christian to dream of a Victory without fighting for it of a Conquest without exercise of armes of a Triumph without tryal of strength Phil. 3.14 The price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus is not to be obtained but by contest with and mastery over all our ghostly adversaries Rev. 2.7 17 26. ch 3.5 To him that overcometh only is the promise made Rowse up then thy self thou secure and slothful Christian stir up the Grace of God within thee and which was communicated unto thee when first by holy Baptism thou wast enlisted a Christian soldier under the Captain of our Salvation draw not back thy foot from the combate but take courage and
drowsiness O my Soul begging of God with humble Prayers Heb. 1.14 that those Celestial Spirits who are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation and more particularly that thy guardian Angel may both guide and protect thee that no destroying Angel no terror of the night no pestilence that walketh in darkness no fiery darts of the Devil no arrows of Temptation by any filthy dreams or noysome lusts may infect and taint thy innocence or disturb thy peace in the Lord. For ye were sometimes darkness Eph. 5.8 but now are ye light in the Lord walk therefore as children of the light And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness ver 11. but rather reprove them O blessed Father of Lights Jam. 1.17 with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning shew the light of thy Countenance upon thy servant and save me for thy mercies sake II. 'T is in the Night we generally believe the Son of man shall come to judge both the quick and the dead Mat. 25.6 Mar. 13.36 37. and he hath commanded thee to watch for his coming that he find thee not sleeping remembring that his coming shall be in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that obey not his Gospel whereof this is a part watch and pray confirmed by his own example who continued all night in prayer unto God by the example of holy David frequently at his prayers in the night Luk. 6.12 Ps 6. 63 119. Isa 26.9 of the Prophet Isaiah With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early and of the Prophet Jeremiah Arise Lam. 2.19 cry out in the Night in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord. Thy heart may now most opportunely most intensely most freely and fully be poured out unto the Lord whilst the cares and businesses of the day distract thee not whilst no external objects or tumultuous noise disturb thy wandring imaginations to withdraw thy heart from divine and celestial Contemplations Tu Christe somnum discute Tu rumpe noctis vincula Tu solve peccatum vetus Novumque lumen ingere III. 'T was in the deep silence of the Night thy blessed Saviour was born And the Shepherds who kept watch over their flock Luk. 2.7 8 had therefore the happiness to receive the first tydings of Salvation by an Angel from Heaven 'T is now very seasonable to Meditate upon those great mysteries of Salvation the Incarnation and Birth of thy Redeemer the Holiness and Innocence of his Life his whole nights Devotions and Prayers the many conspiracies against his life which he purposely assumed to lay down for the sins of the world 'T was in the night as being the cursed deeds of darkness that thy Lord was apprehended in the Garden and then bound with Cords of violence and by rude hands drag'd and hurry'd to be arraigned as a Malefactor falsly accused spit upon and buffeted examined with intents of blood judged and condemned say then now in the words of the holy Spirit of God PSALM II. Verses 1. WHy do the heathen so furiously rage together and why do the people imagine a vain thing By the heathen is meant Infidels and such as be without the pale of the Church By the People Hereticks and Schismaticks within 2. The Kings of the earth stand up and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed b This Prophecie is remembred to be fulfilled by the Conspiracies and practises of the Chiefs both of the Jews and Romans against Christ Acts 4.25 26 27. Saying 3. Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us By Bonds are meant the Laws of Christ and by Cords those promises threats exhortations examples which draw our hearts to obey his Laws 4. He that dwelleth in Heaven will laugh them to scorn the Lord will have them in derision The neglect and contempt whereof God is said to deride as seeing it to be the high-way to destruction 5. Then shall he speak unto them is his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure For when he shall call such proud contemners to account it shall be not in mercy but in wrath to their eternal vexation and torment 6. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Sion 'T is not the utmost malice of men or Devils can weaken the power or frustrate the Government of Christ in his Church 7. I will preach the Law whereof the Lord hath said unto me g Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Not hinder the publication of his Gospel received from God Founded in the eternal and temporal Son-ship of Christ who was both begotten from all eternity as the Son of God and born in fulness of Time as the Son of Man 8. Desire of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession In respect of his Godhead he is Lord of the whole earth in respect of his manhood he obtained by intercession as Mediator betwixt God and Man that all people both Jews and Gentiles be called to the state of Salvation through him 9. Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron and break them in pieces like a Potters vessel Whom he governs by subduing and mortifying their rebel lusts both sensual and worldly 10. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Judges of the earth Which is that true wisdom which chiefly all that are in authority should learn as by whose power and example others may be conrerted 11. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce unto him with reverence Both fear and joy are necessary qualifications in Religious duties that we neither be affrighted with the difficulty nor puft up with the consolation that attends his service 12. Kiss the Son lest he be angry and so ye perish from the right way if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are they that put their trust in him There is a Kiss both of Love and Honour and of Obedience the which in all respects is due to our Redeemer the neglect whereof is the way to perish by his wrath as to obey him and trust in him is the way of true blessedness Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Blessed Jesus in Thee have I put my trust let me never perish from the right way of that love and obedience I owe to thy Sacred Majesty and let all the Nations of the earth submit to thy Sceptre of Righteousness that they perish not in thy wrath but may inherit the blessings of them that put their trust in Thee who art only Saviour and Redeemer Amen IV. Meditations for the Night THe Angels of Heaven rest not day and night crying Holy holy Lord
God of Hosts And if thou desirest to serve God upon earth according to the pattern of his worship in Heaven then let not thy sensual inclinations to sleep and ease defraud thee of the happiness to joyn in the night as well as in the day with the Celestial quire in the praises of God For if this be done cordially chearfully and constantly in this life there will be no question of being admitted into that blessed society to glorifie God in a higher degree of perfection and joy in Heaven PSALM VIII Which is believed to be divinely composed for the praise of God in the night because therein is mention of the Moon and of the Stars and not of the Sun Verses 1. O Lord our Governour a The Lord is Governour of all men and of all things by his power and providence but especially of his Church and people by his Righteousness and Truth how excellent is thy Name in all the world b The glory of God's name is celebrated in all the parts of the world more especially in the Heaven above Thou hast set thy glory above the Heavens And yet 't is far above what those most intelligent Beings the Angels of Heaven are capable to behold or conceive 2. Out of the mouths of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger The most imperfect Beings have in them strength of argument sufficient to maintain both the providence of God over all and the d spensation of Grace and Salvation through Jesus Christ against the most bitter enemies of either witness the cry of little children Mat. 21.26 and the conversion of the World by illiterate Fisher-men 3. For I will consider the Heavens the work of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained To consider the excellent workmanship influences and revolutions of the heavens and all the hosts thereof ordained for the service of man and the highest heaven also for his everlasting abode enwraps the devout soul with admiration of the love of God to man 4. Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him Especially that frail sinful man should be so regarded by the great Lord of heaven as to be visited by him in the likeness of humane flesh 5. Thou madest him lower than the Angels to crown him with glory and worship Though man be lower than the Angels above yet is he adorned with eminence above all earthly things and with respect subjection and obedience from them 6. Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet God having given him power over all sublunary creatures and made to submit to his Command and service 7. All Sheep and Oxen yea and the beasts of the field 8. The Fowls of the Air and the Fishes of the Sea and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the Seas Even all the inhabitants of the air and of the Sea and of the dry land 9. O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world And therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the Company of Heaven and Earth I will magnifie God's holy Name and praise him saying Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. V. Meditations for the Night HOw aptly doth the darkness of the night represent the gloomy shades of death wherein all those lightsome Consolations which this vain world affords are buried in the grave of dark Oblivion That 's the land where all things are forgotten Ps 88.12 The living know that they shall die but the dead know not any thing Eccl. 9.5 and Sleep is the image the brother of Death in many respects they resemble each other for 1. In both thou art blind deaf dumb only Death is a longer and more perfect privation of sense 2. Rev. 14.13 In both thou art at rest from thy labours and thy works follow thee being often represented to thy fancy by way of Dream but more fully and clearly to thy Conscience when thou shalt awake to Judgment 3. Both are temporary For as thou dost dayly awake from thy natural Sleep and arise from thy Bed upon the approach of the day So certainly shalt thou awake from the sleep of death and be raised out of thy bed of clay the Grave when the day of the Lord shall come And since that day will come as a Thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 Psal 119.148 let mine eyes prevent the night O Lord that I may be occupied in thy words 4. As Sleep is the brother of Death so Death is the sister of Sin And this also in Holy Writ is called a Sleep Eph. 5.14 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake thou that sleepest Awake to Righteousness and sin not 'T is fabled that Somnus tempting Palinurus when he fell asleep tumbled him into the Sea and drowned him And if the sleep of Death find thee securely sleeping in any known Sin unrepented he that hath the power of death will hurl thee headlong into the bottomless Abyss of death eternal Ps 13.6 O lighten mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in death lest mine enemy say I have prevailed against him Grant me blessed Lord Aug. med so to order govern and end my life that death may seize me but as a sleep and this sleep may be in rest this rest in Security and Security in eternity Amen PSALMS For the Night season PSAL. XCII Verses 1. IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy Name O most Highest To praise the Lord is good in both the kinds of goodness viz. of Profit and Pleasure 2. To tell of thy loving kindness betimes in the morning and of thy truth in the night season In the morning which represents the rising prosperity of man it is good to give thanks for the loving kindness of the Lord and in the night of adversity also to praise him for his truth and righteousness at all times and in all conditions 3. Vpon an Instrument of ten strings and upon the Lute upon a loud Instrument and the Harp To employ both our hearts and voices as the loud instruments of his praise 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works And I will rejoyce in giving praise for the operation of thy hands The works of God do then truly delight the Souls of the righteous when in them they both see the goodness wisdom of the Lord and praise his name that made them 5. O Lord how glorious are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep The pious Soul is ravisht with love and admiration in contemplation of Gods works as excelling in glory and depth of wisdom her frail capacity 6. An unwise man doth not well consider this and a fool doth not understand it And
't is the extreamest of folly not so to consider the superexcellency of the divine wisdom in his works as to see and love him in them and for them 7. When the ungodly are green as the grass and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish then shall they be destroyed for ever but thou Lord art the most highest for evermore The wicked that do not this though they may flourish for a time yet their punishment proceeding from the decree of the most high God shall be everlasting 8. For lo thine enemies O Lord lo thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed and unavoidable because all wicked persons are the enemies of God 9. But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an Vnicorn for I am anointed with fresh oyl But the strength and vigour of the righteous shall encrease through the Unction of the Holy One or the Graces of Gods Spirit 10. Mine eye also shall see his lust upon his enemies and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that rise up against me Whereby all the sinful lusts of the flesh are master'd and all the assaults of ghostly enemies are subdued 11. The righteous shall flourish like a Palm tree and shall spread abroad like a Cedar in Libanus Like a Palm the righteous man sinks not under the weight of afflictions or violence of temptations but grows the more in Grace thereby 12. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God Whilst they are and continue to be true members of Christs Church against which the gates of hell shall not prevail 13. They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age and shall be fat and well liking They shall increase in Grace as in years being fruitful in all good works acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ 14. That they may shew how true the Lord my strength is and that there is no unrighteousness in him And such happy people do truly praise the Lord both with their lips and in their lives as from whom all their strength in Grace and goodness is derived Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer I Know O Lord that 't is a thing both joyful and profitable and my bounden duty to give thee thanks both night and day in prosperity and adversity for the great mercy and truth of thy promises is manifested at all times and in all conditions Let me never forget to meditate in thy works and though I cannot fathom the depth of thy wisdom in them grant me the more to love and admire thy transcendent perfections appearing in all the operations of thy hands works of Wonder for and in the which I humbly beg I may continually praise thy Name not only in word but also in deed and in truth and that as the night of my life cometh on and I grow more full in dayes so I may be also more fruitful in all good works to the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ PSALM CXXXIV To be used in the Night as wherein the people of God excite each other to the praise of God in their night Assemblies in his house Verses 1. BEhold now praise the Lord all ye servants of the Lord. Divine praise being the highest of Religious duties becomes the lips of such only as are devoted to the service of God 2. Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord b Who both night and day are intent upon this high and holy employment in the Courts of the house of our God But especially such as be ordained to the administration of Holy Offices in the House of God Mystically God hath 3 Courts through which we must enter into his House the Church and be entitled to his Praise 1 Faith which is the outer Court 2 Hope gives a nearer admission into his presence 3 Charity unites our hearts unto God and inflames them to his praise 3. Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary and praise the Lord. Not by our words only but by the works of our hands God must be glorified Mat. 5.16 And to do this worthily 4. The Lord that made heaven and earth give the blessing out of Sion Is a blessing that descends from above but is conveyed by the ministery of the Church Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Lord who hast made Heaven and Earth for the service of man and man more immediately to serve Thee Give unto all thy servants Grace and to me also to lift up holy hands and pure hearts to praise thee night and day in the Courts of thy house and in all the works of our hands to glorifie thy Name And to this end let thy blessing through the ministery of thy Church descend upon us in this life that we may inherit the blessings of thy Church triumphant in heaven through Jesus Christ The CXXXIX Psalm PARAPHRASED Verse 1 O Lord the Righteous God who tryest the very hearts and reins Thou hast searched me out through all the windings and turnings of my deceitful heart and known me in all the most hidden and inmost of my thoughts and desires Thou knowest my down-sitting both withwhat company and when alone both with what intentions and what affections and my up-rising with what guilt or innocence I arise from every of my actions in all which thou understandest my thoughts long before even before they be conceived in my mind as knowing my inclinations to entertain such or such thoughts verse 2 Thou art about my path wherein I walk and about my bed wherein I rest and spiest out all my ways seeing both the equity and iniquity both of my affections and actions in all my ways both of rest and motion ease and labour verse 3 For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether both First It s original conception in my mind Secondly My intention in its utterance with my mouth Thirdly It s good or bad influence upon others O set a watch over my mouth and guard the door of my lips that I offend not in my tongue Thou hast fashioned me behind and before moulded me throughout into this goodly shape and proportion of parts whereof I consist and laid thine hand upon me supported me in this being thou hast given me verse 5 Such knowledge as appears both in my Creation and preservation is too wonderful and excellent for me I cannot attain unto it it excells the reach of my apprehension even to wonder and astonishment verse 6 Whither then shall I go from thy Spirit which filleth the world and containeth all things or whither shall I go from thy presence who art every where by thy Essence Power and Presence both within and without the world verse 7 If I climb up into heaven thou art there in highest Majesty and
is a thirst for God 2. even for the living God the fountain of living waters when shall I come to appear before the presence of God Oh my God when will that happy hour come wherein I shall be fatisfied with thy presence wherein I shall praise thee according to my duty and desire wherein thou wilt be all in all to my Soul When I awake up after thy likeness I shall be satisfied with it till then I must not hope to enjoy any real solid contentment For Whom have I in heaven but thee Ps 73.24 and there is none upon earth that I defire in comparison of thee There is none in heaven or earth that can satisfie the desires of my Soul which being stampt after the image of God and capable of her Creator cannot be filled with the greatest sufficiency of all created Beings My heart and my flesh faileth 25. my flesh will soon wither and fail to be the habit tion of my Soul and my heart will be also swallowed up of sorrow and despair but that God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever II. O God Psal 63.1 thou art my God my God and my All all that I am and all that I have and all that I hope to be and therefore early will I seek thee in the morning of the day in the morning of my life in the morning or light of divine Grace for 't is thereby I am excited both early and late to seek thee My Soul thirsteth for thee 2 my flesh also longeth after thee my flesh that being in subjection to the Spirit both Soul and Body may rejoyce in thee in whom alone true joy and satisfaction is attainable for I am here in a barren and dry land where no water is such is the wilderness of this world it affords no waters of refreshment to satisfie the desires of the immortal Soul Thus have I waited for thee in holiness 3 And O that I could wait for thee and wait upon thee with such separate affections from all sensuality and earthiness that I might behold thy power which is chiefly manifested in shewing mercy and pity and thy glory even the Glory of thy Grace and Favour For thy loving kindness is better than the life it self 4 without thy loving kindness O my God my life of nature is but a living death and my life of Grace with the hopes of the life of Glory are but the glimpses and scattered raies of thy loving kindness and therefore my lips shall praise thee and this also is an effect of thy loving kindness that my heart dictates to my lips to praise thy Name Blessed is the people Ps 89.16 O Lord that can rejoyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy Countenance Their delight shall be daily in thy Name 17 and in thy righteousness shall they make their boast For thou art the glory of their strength 18 and in thy loving kindness thou shalt lift up our horns For the Lord is our defence 19. the holy one of Israel is our King Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and world without end and let all the people say Amen even so Amen Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. MEDITATIONS Of Fasting and Almsgiving to be practised with holy Prayer and Meditation THat my Prayers and Meditations may ascend into Heaven and be there treasur'd up to my comfort in the day of my account 't is necessary that the Christian duties of Fasting and Almsgiving be frequently intermixed for these are the Two Wings whereupon Holy Prayer is mounted into Heaven and graciously accepted in the presence of God These Three are those spiritual Sacrifices acceptable unto God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 whereby every sincerely devout Christian as a member of the holy mystical Priesthood sacrificeth all that he is and all that he has unto God from whom he hath received all Heb. 13.15.16 Ro. 12.1 Phil. 4.18 His Soul is poured forth by Prayer his Body is sacrificed by Fasting and his Goods are offered by Almsgiving We have no more to give and not in some considerable proportion to give them unto God is to rob him of that tribute which is due unto him as an acknowledgment that all we are and all we do possess is held from him in Capite as the chief Lord of all To pretend that all these Christian duties are implied and may be supplied through the fulness of Faith in Christ is a false and mistaken notion of the holy and true Christian Faith which both Commends and Commands not the aiery empty notions but the real performance of all these Religious duties Our blessed Lord in his heavenly Sermon on the Mount joyns these together and we may not without danger to our Souls presume to part them or vainly conceive that any one without the other will be accepted of God but being all sincerely practised as our Lord directs Mat. 6.1 5.16 we shall then as he Commands lay up for our selves treasure in Heaven where are neither moth nor rust ver 20. Thus devout Cornelius sent up such a plentiful treasure into Heaven Act. 10.2 3. v. 30. as brought down thence one of those Celestial Spirits for his guidance and direction in the ways of life Holy Prayer is that whip which drives the Devil and all his Temptations out of the Temple of the heart leaving it to the possession of the Holy Jesus and Fasting is as that Scope or Besom which sweeps and keeps clean this spiritual Temple of the Lord Mar. 9.29 by both conjoyned the strongest Devil is master'd and ejected Prayer is as the Chain which tyes up Satan and by Fasting the Chain is strengthned and made to hold But a Three-fold Cord is not easily broken if with your Prayers and Fastings you conjoyn the Christian acts of holy Charity also a Chain of these several links composed will not only tye up the Devil that his temptations shall not reach to hurt your Soul but also secretly bind the hands of the Almighty that they be not stretched out for the punishment of your by-past Transgressions for Charity shall cover a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4.8 Let not the lust of the flesh or the lust of thine eyes so bewitch thee O my Soul as to rob thy God of what is due unto Him both from thy Body and Estate Whilst thou courtest thy God with Prayers alone thou servest him with what doth cost thee nothing nothing but the labour of thy lips 'T is my self my whole self the Lord requires with my Prayers my Soul in its devoutest affections my Body in the mortification of all its exorbitant Lusts my Goods in the relief of my wanting Brethren otherwise my Prayers will flag and grovel here below when they want these spiritual Wings whereupon to mount to the Throne of Grace to find
works only but even the inward thoughts intentions and desires of our hearts shall be expos'd to open view and censure the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness 1 Cor. 4.5 and will make manifest the counsels of all hearts The most seared Conscience of the wicked and the most subtle secret Conscience of the Hypocrite shall by the all-piercing light of the divine Majesty be displayed and appear as manifest and open as if all the counsels thereof had been written with a beam of the Sun Ps 90.8 For thou O Lord hast set our misdeeds before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance O who is so holy who so pure and innocent as to stand with any confidence in that all-discerning light of the Sun of Righteousness Eccl. 23.19 Whose eyes are a thousand times brighter than the Sun beholding all the ways of men and considering their most secret parts I have been guilty most merciful Father I have been guilty of manifold miscarriages which I have now forgotten nor can I through the strictest examination of my self recal to my memory many of mine offences But although I cannot yet thou remembrest my steps Job 14.16 17. dost thou not watch over my sin my transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sowest up mine iniquities So surely are all my transgressions kept in store against the day of my Tryal whilst I sensual and secure think all is well enough with me that my sins are forgotten Ps 19.12 O cleanse thou me from all my secret faults and as they are hid from my memory Ps 51.9 so hide thou thy face from them blot them out of thy Book of remembrance that they appear not to my confusion on that great and last day II. Sad and dismal is the sentence that upon this great day shall pass upon all such whose Faith hath not according to ability and opportunity been fruitful in the good works of Charity Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat Mat. 25.41 42. And if these shall be eternally damned who have not given of their own goods for the relief of others what shall become of the Oppressor the Extortioner the Cheater the Thief and of every one who either by force or fraud publickly or secretly hath either taken or detained what of right belongs unto others surely if the one shall go the other shall be driven hurried with a vengeance into everlasting fire Ver. ult Great unconceivably great shall be the perplexity and anguish of the impenitent sinner in this great day beholding as Anselm meditates on the one side his sins accusing him and on the other the strict and impartial justice of heaven ready to pass sentence upon him seeing below him the mouth of hell gaping to devour him and above him an angry Judge condemning him to that place of horror feeling within an accusing Conscience tormenting him and without the whole world in consuming flames And if the righteous shall scarcely be sav'd 1 Pet. 4.18 where shall the ungodly and sinner appear or where shall he hide himself that he may not appear For any wicked one to ly hidden on that day is impossible and to appear is dreadful and intolerable This is that dismal day foretold by our Lord himself wherein they shall say Blessed are the barren Luc. 23.29 and the womb that never bare and the paps which never gave suck Then shall they begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills 30. cover us And hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne Rev. 6.16 and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand 17. Wo is me that I have sinned wo wo is me that I have offended this great and terrible Judge of all the world but as is his Majesty so is his mercy great and wonderful Have mercy upon me O God on that great day have mercy upon me and deliver me now in this world from the society from the temptations from the guilt of the wicked Let me not be occupied in any ungodly works with the men that work wickedness Ps 141.4 that I be not reckoned and ranked amongst them in the world to come III. The day of Judgment is not only of all daies the most dreadful but the most joyful also To the impenitent and wicked of the world 't is a day of the greatest terror but to the holy and humble of heart and life a day of jubilee and greatest joy How great then shall be the glory of the holy Christian and how great the shame of infidelity and Atheism how great the joy of the true Believer whose Faith has been fruitful in all good works and how great the sorrow of the Heretick Hypocrite the prophane and dissolute for then and not fully till then shall God render to every man according to his works Rom. 2.6 To them who by patient continuing in well doing 7 do seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life But to them who are contentious 8 and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Tribulation 9 and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile But glory honour and peace 10 to every man that worketh good For there is no respect of persons with God 11. What heart can worthily think of these things without trembling and great astonishment if not purified and sincerely devoted to the service of God Teach me O Lord thy way Ps 86.11 and I will walk in thy truth O knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy name fear to offend thee the great and righteous Judge of the world in the least particular of thought or desire of word or of deed O Lord who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love keep us we beseech thee under the protection of thy good providence and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen IV. When the Son of man cometh Luc. 18.8 shall he find faith upon the earth All we who are called Christians profess to believe both the certain coming of Christ to Judgment and the uncertainty of the time That we must all stand before his dreadful Tribunal and receive every man according to his works but this is generally a dead Faith it quickens not the affections it excites not to such holy conscientious actions as the firm and cordial Belief of all this does imply and command and so will prove as dangerous to the Souls of such Believers as if they had no faith at all Thou art summoned whosoever thouart that readest these Meditations thou art hereby summoned
the wilderness of this world to their native home of Heaven shall be received into and rejoyce in their proper and peculiar mansions of peace each differing indeed in the degrees of glory according to their difference in the degrees of grace but all shall enjoy their full proportion of happiness and with common joy shall sing together perpetual Hallelujahs to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever Rev. 5.13 Happy and for ever happy were I if with a floud of Tears and incessant Prayers if with the devout surrender of all that I am all that I have to the service of God I might be admitted into this celestial Society Heb. 12.22 23 24. To come unto Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels To the general assembly and Church of the first born which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect And to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant All this I believe as a Christian but my Hope to be admitted into this blessed Society is too weakly grounded and this because my Charity both towards God and his Saints is too cold and benum'd I do profess to love God and do desire that my heart may be every day more and more inflamed with the same fire of his love but doubtless I must have withal a due regard and veneration for his Saints for as God is praised in his Saints so is he dishonoured in their disrespect Ps 150.1 Zach. 2.8 He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye If the zeal of some persons towards the Saints in Heaven exceed its due bounds and limits I must not therefore throw off that devout respect which is due unto them remembring that 't is the end of my Faith the sum of my Hope to be by divine Charity joyned with them in the same mystical body of Christ our common Lord and Redeemer and with them to love and to praise the Lord yea to praise and love him for ever which is the happiness of the Saints in Heaven Ps 84.4 for blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will always be praising thee But I am unworthy too much unworthy sinful dust and ashes to make one in this heavenly quire But I will not despair since my dear Redeemer hath 1. purchased this happiness for me a Heb. 9.12 15 24. since 2. he hath promised to receive me thereinto b Joh. 14.3 and 3. he hath prayed also for my actual possession thereof saying Father I will Joh. 17.24 that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold the glory which thou hast given me O sweetest Saviour who to save and redeem man vouchsafedst to be made man and to appear in the likeness of sinful flesh O when when will that happy hour come wherein I shall be admitted to behold thy blessed Face which the Angels in Heaven behold with joy and wonder When I shall awake up after thy likeness I shall be satisfied with it Ps 17.16 satisfied to the greatest height and fulness of content when I shall behold that glory thou hadst with the Father before the world was Joh. 17.5 even so come Lord Jesus come quickly MEDITAT IV. Of the perpetuity of Heavenly joyes THe most full enjoyment of all the good things this world affords is not to be called or accounted Happiness because they are not only vain and empty of true satisfaction but also not permanent and lasting To every purpose under the Sun tending towards satisfaction and happiness there is time and judgment Eccl. 8.6 a Time limited for its prosecution and enjoyment and Judgment also shall pass upon the actions relating thereunto it must needs follow therefore the misery of man is great upon him But the good things of Heaven are durable permanent and lasting hereunto shall no Time succeed no Judgment follow The Glory of them that dye in Grace is Immortal Eusmirierâ— their Happiness Immutable their Crown immarcessible their Life everlasting and their Raign with God and the Lamb for ever and ever No day does pass with these blessed Souls without its fulness of joy and content This joy shall be ever new and yet ever the same This glory shall never wither or decay but flourish for perpetual eternities And this must needs be joy because celestial joy consists as in the blissful vision of God so in an assimilation to him for just men made perfect are immutable in their perfection and felicity by beholding him who is unchangeable so the Apostle We all as in a Glass beholding the Glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Moon and the Stars receive their light from the Sun and become like unto him by being opposite and in a sort beholding the Suns bright face So the pure Souls in Heaven by seeing God who is the Light of lights are from him enlightened and made like unto him So saith the beloved Apostle Beloved now are we the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.2 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be made like him for we shall see him as he is And that is not as now in a glass darkly 1 Cor. 13.12 but face to face i.e. as fully as our measure will contain our proportion bear and our degree in Grace require That the inheritance of Heaven is for ever is manifest from the dearness of its purchase it cost no less than the precious blood of the Son of God how then shall that life of Glory ever fail or fade away since the Lord of life himself vouchsafed to dye for its acquisition and purchase The joyes of Heaven saith Gran. Gra. medit shall continue as many Millions of years as there are Stars in the Firmament and many more They shall last as many hundred millions of years as there have been drops of Rain faln from Heaven since the beginning of the world and more much more In a word they shall endure as long as there is a God in Heaven and this God the same which was which is and which is to come from everlasting to everlasting Shall not then my heart be fixed where such lasting joyes are to be found And thither my heart must first be sent by way of Harbinger before my person can arrive there I must now have my conversation in Heaven before I can have my consummation there I must now be heavenly minded or else never hope to be admitted into the joys of Heaven But O the heavy burden of my sins These do depress and weigh down the mind and make her affections grovel in the dust And yet even these shall not hinder thy ascent