Cor. 1.26 Matt. 19.23 24. 1. Cor. 9.27 1. Jo. 5.19 Joel 2.32 Zech. 13.8 9 spoken of the last times Luk. 13.27 And this also may be gathered from the small number of those saved in the flood and in the destruction of Sodome Types of the last destruction of the world and of the wicked 2. Pet. 2.5 6. comp 9. Matt. 24.38 And of those entring into the earthly Canaan 1. Cor. 10.5 a type of the Heavenly So in the Parable of the Seed Matt. 13. which was not sown every where where sown only one part of four fructified And experience shows most part of the world to be unbelievers of Christians wicked Luk. 18.8 21.35 14. For exciting affections meditate on 2. Pet. 3.11 1. Pet. 1.17 c. Luk. 21.36 §. 170. III. HEADS for Meditation on the Extreme and the Eternal Torments of HELL Use some of the Considerations p. 7 8. 27 28. p. 9. Digr §. 171. IV. MEDITATIONS on the unspeakable Joys of HEAVEN 1. Consider here that the greatest Saints and also our Lord himself have set before them this Contemplation as a most effective motive to encourage them against all present labours and hardships Inclinavi cor meum ad faciendas justificationes tuas in aeternum propter retributionem saith Holy David Psal 118. and Moses esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Aegypt for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward saith the Apostle of Him Heb. 11.26 And our Lord saith the same Apostle Ibid. 12. c. 2. v. for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross having despised the shame And Rejoyce saith our Lord Matt. 5.12 to his Disciples and be exceeding glad for your reward is very great in Heaven And again In this rejoyce not that the Spirits are subdued unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in the Heavens Luk. 10.20 2. Consider to ascend by degrees in the survey of this future bliss according as the Scripture in many fair Metaphors and Similitudes hath represented it unto us first at the resurrection the contemptible dust of these our vile bodies wherever scattered and dispersed by the four winds carefully gathered together again by God's holy Angels He shall send his Angels and they shall gather together his chosen from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other Matt. 24.31 The harvest is the end of the world the reapers be the Angels Matt. 13.39 Raised again by the love and affection to us Of our omnipotent and dearest Saviour And this is the Fathers will That of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day c. And I will raise him up at the last day Jo. 6.39 40. And of God his and our Father For if we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again even so them also which sleep by Jesus will God bring with him 1. Thess 4.14 Raised again by the sound of the Trumpet signifying our Lord's approach before or together with the change that shall be of the Saints also then living who then shall be caught up into the air and saved from the last flood of Fire that shall destroy the world as righteous Noah and his Sons were from the flood of Water that destroyed it See Matt. 24.36.40 41. comp Luk. 17.37 2. Pet. 3.6 7 12. 1. Thess 4.16 1. Cor. 15.52 2. Thess 2.1 These bodies then not built of corruptible flesh and blood Now this I say That flesh and blood cannot possess the Kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15.50 See 1. Cor. 6.13 But made like unto the Angels of God in heaven Matt. 22.30 Act. 6.15 Raised not in dishonour but in glory 1. Cor. 15.43 not in weakness but in power Immortal Spiritual 1. Cor. 15.44 Celestial vers 40. being an house of God An house from heaven 2. Cor. 5.2 bearing the image of the heavenly 1. Cor. 15.49 Fashioned like unto the Son of God's glorious body Who will reform our vile body that it may be configured to his glorious body Phil. 3.21 Glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and unspotted Eph. 5.27 Like our Saviour whatever his Glory is 1. Jo. 3.2 Sons of God in a glory and fashion suitable to this Title Luk. 20.36 by being then Sons of the Resurrection And Adoption and Redemption of our Body saith the Apostle which as yet we groan and wait for Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 5.2 These Eagles gathered together where our Lord is and our Bodies caught up as his was in the clouds to meet our dearest Lord in the highest regions of the air and so to be ever with him 1. Thess 4.17 Descending with him coming to Judgment and there after our receiving an Absolution before the Tribunal of Christ through the application of his merits to all his members informed with his Spirit and after the sentence Venite Benedicti sitting together with him or standing about his Throne in his passing Judgment upon the wicked Angels and Men. 1. Thess 4.14 Matt. 19.28 1. Cor. 6.2.3 2. Thess 1.1.8.10 Now all things made new Rev. 21.5 A new earth and a new heaven wherein inhabiteth no more sin but all purity and justice created for them 2. Pet. 3.13 And this new world enlightened by the glory of God himself Rev. 21.23 We here made partakers of the lot of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 Admitted to have fellowship with all the just men that ever were consummated and made perfect Heb. 12.22 Coming to the general Assembly and Church of the first born Heb. 12. Made fellow-citizens c. Eph. 2.29 Sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Matt. 8.11 To an innumerable company of Angels To Jesus the Mediator Heb. 12.24 Now making up altogether the measure of the stature of the fulness and compleatment of our Saviour's Body Eph. 1.23 4.13 To see him now as he is 1. Jo. 3.2 To God the Judge of all Heb. 12 23. To behold the face of God Matt. 5.8 Apoc. 22.4 Then to enter into a restored life Matt. 18.8 Life eternal everlasting In which life to enjoy rest from our labours Rev. 14.13 A perpetual Holy-day and Sabbath Heb. 4.9 to be comforted Luk. 16.25 having all tears wiped away from our eyes Rev. 7.17 21.4 Where there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor pain Rev. 21.4 No hungring nor thirsting any more They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more no more death neither sorrow nor crying nor pain quoniam priora transierunt And the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of water Rev. 7.16 17. 21.4 There to have our knowledge perfected 1. Cor. 13.12 And our Appetite satisfied Satiabor cum apparuerit Gloria tua Psal 17.15 To be rewarded with an open Matt. 6.4 full 2. Jo. 8. great Matt. 5.12 exceeding great Gen. 15.1 Reward pressed down and running over Which all the afflictions of
or approve you according to your doings 2. Making you most gracious promises upon obedience to his will and following his counsels and again grievously threatning you upon contempt of his laws and these promises And using all possible means your liberty being reserved and your will not forced to wean and fright you from the ways of death and allure you to the ways of life 3. Redeeming you after that in your natural condition you became dis-obedient when without strength Rom. 5 6 when a sinner ver 8. when an enemy ver 10. from sin death satan hell into whose cruel hands you were fallen by his own Son Him that was brought up with him his dayly delight Prov. 8.30 sent out of his own bosome Jo. 1.18 Even by him God that made the world to be given up to death to be hanged on the tree for you and in your stead Remitting all your Sin gratis for his sufferings without requiring of you so strict an account for offences how grievous soever committed in the time past before you were by the receit of the stronger iluminations of his Spirit converted unto him 4. Calling you by being born according to his good pleasure in a Christian Common-wealth to Grace i. e. To the hearing of his holy word To the use and benefit of his holy Sacraments the sure pledges of his love and seals of the future performance of all his promises of remission of sin of increase of Grace c. _____ To the guidance and assistance of his holy Clergy To the Example of many holy Saints 5. Having long patience and forbearance with you whilst notwithstanding these you continued still vicious ready to be reconciled whenever you would return unto him and with all patience waiting for your repentance and himself practising most exactly towards you all the rules of long-suffering and forgiveness which he hath enjoyned you towards others 6. In your Conversion preventing you with his Grace regenerating and making you a new Creature after the image of his Son by infusing into you a new principle the Spirit which remains in you during your whole life and sufficiently enabling you in all the parts of holiness if you be not wanting to it on your part 7. Giving you day by day many illuminations divine inspirations and admonitions and by his Grace in you making you capable of and rewardable with new mercies unto you 8. Ordaining you after a few days spent here on earth to an immortal condition and unconceivable joys in heaven and to have this your vile Body after its corruption raised again in great glory and beauty §. 174. 9. Affections and Resolutions Such as these 1. Admiring his Goodness Your Ingratitude 2. Sorrow for ever having offended him 3. Re-loving him 4. Indeavouring hereafter to serve him 5. Suffering any misery for him 6. Imitating his goodness to you in yours to others c. For Considerations are easily multiplied §. 175. VI. HEADS for Meditation on the Several Offices and Benefits to Mankind of Jesus Christ our Lord extracted out of the larger Discourse of our Saviour's Benefits Consider 1. The world being full of ignorance and sin Jesus Christ 1. Law giver and Apostle The Truth the holy one of God in the fulness of time anointed by the Father and sent into the world A new Law-giver ministring not the letter of the law but the Spirit An Apostle preaching the Gospel Remitting Sins Conferring the Holy Ghost having the Keys of and admitting some into and shutting others out of the Kingdome of Heaven And who before his necessary departure ordained others by succession of Ordination to be continued to the world's end Sending them as the Father sent him delivering over his doctrine and delegating his authority and embassy and keys unto them and unto the end of the world from heaven assisting their Ministry Matt. 28.20 Appellations relating unto this Office Shepherd Pastour Bishop 1. Pet. 2.25 1. Pet. 5.4 §. 176. 2. After thus teaching the Way of life Christ the Exemplar and Pattern to mankind in his life and death The Way 2. Exemplar of all obedience to God's commands and of all suffering for righteousness sake which God hath here required And in his Resurrection and Ascension of the reward which God hath for hereafter promised §. 177. 3. God's former Covenant of Works being found unprofitable unto us 3. Mediatour upon the breach thereof now liable to God's wrath and eternal death Jesus Christ the Mediator of a new Covenant and Testament founded in remission of sins reconciling sinners to God Sealing this Covenant with his Blood the blood of the New Testament Luk. 22.20 and ratifying this Testament with his death and after his Resurrection having put into his own hands by the Father the donation of the rewards promised to those that keep the conditions of this Covenant §. 178. 4. God's justice not pardoning Sin gratis Christ the Sacrifice 4. Sacrifice the lamb of God the true sin-offering for the world expiating our guilt and our passover delivering us sprinkled with his blood Heb. 12.24 from the destroying Angel And our peace-offering by eating whereof we have Communion with God with his Son and all that is his with the Saints and all that is theirs Lastly by eating whereof being the Bread of Life our Souls and Bodies are preserved unto everlasting life as in paradise they should have been by the tree of life §. 179. 5. Man being indebted to God's justice by him unsatisfiable and in bondage to sin 5. Redeemer to the law to death and to Satan the grand Executioner of God's justice and Prince of this lower world Jesus Christ the Redeemer by paying a ransome freeing us from our debt and by making a conquest delivering us out of our slavery By whom we are freed already from the dominion of sin from the condemnation of the law from the chains of Satan from the approach of death eternal from the hurt and therefore from the fear of death temporal that being now only a passage to happiness But when the good time is come shall be by the same Redeemer yet more perfectly freed from all these than as yet we are namely from any adherence or possibility of sin from any temptation of Satan from being restrained to any law from being capable of any mortality through Jesus Christ our Lord. §. 180. 6. God making a Covenant with the first Adam made of the earth involving his seed 6. Second Adam The Life 1. Cor. 15.45 and he by his pride transgressing it so both losing the reward and bringing death both on himself and his posterity Jesus Christ the second Adam descending from heaven assuming our nature entring a Covenant involving his seed fulfilling it by walking a contrary way to the first i. e. by humility and so receiving the reward for himself and for his seed Both the holy spirit and immortality which were lost by the first Adam being now in their due time
much secrecy knowing that God and his Angels see you and thus you shall seldome do amiss for according to the praise we look after God's or Men's either not the same Actions will be done by us or not after the same manner 2. Upon some Good done by you suddainly diverting any thought of receiving praise from men for it least such a thought if long dwelt on stain the Purity of your good Deeds and this Praise be your empty reward thereof and you lose your reward with God consider Matt. 6.2.5.16 Faciunt ut honorificentur ab hominibus Amen dico vobis receperunt mercedem suam Luk. 14.12 Hindring it also as not indeed due to you but to God and only by their error it is if by men given to you and if your good works are to be seen of men Matt. 5.16 yet it is that they may glorify not you on earth but your Father in Heaven Again what Praise is brought to you against your Will immediately transmitting it entire to God with a Non nobis Domine sed nomini tuo For it is certain what you do any way Good all the good thereof is not from You but from God and so the praise thereof to be transferred without your retaining it at all to the right owner the rest that is yours are only the infirmities and defects joined with it and for these you ought to blush and not desire praise but pardon of God the only Author of all Good and very free and communicative of it yet in return of Praise for it stands much upon his Right and usually suffers his Rivals that rob him of it afterward to fall shamefully See Act. 12.23 3. Silently suffering causeless Infamy and meekly accepting and offering it to God as a deserved punishment for other faults especially practising thus where Malice seems unsatisfiable and more contention only likely to arise from a defence and where a just vindication bears shew of too much self-esteem Considering our Lord's behaviour to the admiration of the Judge at his Arraignment for Seditions Treason Blasphemy Matt. 26.63 27.12.14 Who saith St. Peter 1. Pet. 2.23 when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously And the Apostles 1. Cor. 4.12 Being defamed we intreat being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it knowing that God sooner undertakes for those the Justification of their Innocence who for Peace-sake and out of much humility leave it wholly to him and in his good time performs it much more convincingly than themselves could Recommendation of Self Contempt 4. Chearfully entertaining any Contempt Which is a breeder of Humility in the same manner as Honor is of Pride And which contempt of secular Reputation and also of secular Contempt out of an affection to things divine that are usually much disparaged by the world keeps men steddy in Goodness and cutts off most of the Sins of Discourse much of which Discourse is directed to vain Glory and Applause to be attained only in bad things from corrupt judgments or is spent in justifying our selves against Contradictors all which our love of Contempt avoids as also it cutts off all discord hate and envy arising from emulation for Precedency and Honor when every one striving to be uppermost and quarrelling with those that obstruct it he that can be content to be below is always at rest and enjoys himself Joyfully also entertaining the being evil-entreated and evil-spoken of so it be not for evil which causlesly and patiently received with perseverance in that goodness for which you so suffer hath an exceeding reward hereafter for a small loss sustained here In such a case happy are yee saith St. Peter 1. Pet. 4.13 Count it all joy saith St. James Jam. 1.2 Jubilate exultate saith our Lord Luk. 6.23 Nor may any think themselves to stand obliged from that Text 1. Thes 5.22 To avoid all appearance of evil when to any Person good things appear evil Or obliged from that Text Col. 4.8 To do whatsoever things are of good report when the report of good is not such as it ought nor things of good report such things as are good But we are to avoid all appearance of evil when the things appearing evil are such as we may forbear i.e. are among things indifferent and we are to do all things of good report i.e. good report among the good §. 17. n. 1. 3. Of lawful sensual Pleasures 1. Forbearing sensual though lawful Pleasures 2. Avoiding at the first as much as may be any knowledge and experience of or skill in them for by this is cutt off the longing after them Digr How hardly such Pleasures can consist with Piety 3. Especially chusing rather if you can live continently a single life than Marriage To which the more to excite and encourage you §. 17. n. 2. 1. Consider The greater dignity of this than of a conjugal life For as Vncleanness is more especially opposite to Holiness than other vices See Rom. 6.19 Thes 4.7 Eph. 5.3 and hath a natural shame and guilt upon it which makes it seek privacy beyond any other Sin whatever See the shame of our first Parents upon the first appearance of Concupiscence Gen. 2.25 comp Gen. 3.10 And as there is a Purity and Holiness of the Body as well as of the Soul See 2. Cor. 7.1 1. Thes 4.4 Jud. 23. comp 8. And 2. Pet. 2.10.14 opposite to this Fornication and Vncleanness and enjoined to be observed in reference to Christ he being now the Husband of the Body and it his Spouse See 1. Cor. 6.20 compared with 13.18 c. So there seems to be a greater degree of this Purity of the Body opposite to Matrimony See 1. Cor. 7.34 and Rev. 14.4 where defilement with women is opposed to Virginity as another defilement with Harlots is opposed to Matrimony Heb. 13.14 The marriage bed is undefiled that is with Sin for this was appointed as for a means of propagation to Adam innocent so for a remedy against Fornication 1. Cor. 7.2 to man fallen and troubled with Concupiscence But the Virgins bed it seems is more undefiled more Angel-like in respect of corporeal Purity undefiled being opposed to an imperfection of Chastity Virginal as well as to the sin of Lust to the act of Concupiscence as well as to prohibited Copulations And therefore hereafter not to marry nor be given in marriage but to be like the Angels of God is reckoned as a thing more honorable for the Body Luk. 20.35 And Concupiscence one cause now of Marriage and which could it be remedied the Apostle would not advise so many to Marriage was not known by Adam when perfect and was a thing when appearing upon his fall which he was ashamed of and sought to hide as his Posterity ever since do those acts even of the lawful bed To a higher degree then of this primogeneal virginal Purity of the Body I suppose that
vain but that they are faisible Exempla inprimis hoc in se boni babent quod approbant fieri posse quoe praecipiunt And that those greater illuminations and holiness under the Gospel which the Scripture so largely promiseth are continued to and fulfilled in all times none of which are destitute of some men Apostolical Whereby we are extreamly encouraged in a holy emulation even of the Apostles themselves leaving still the things which are behind to reach forth to those things which are before and to attempt perfection whereas without these patterns the magnalia in Scripture are read as a Romance or an History of another perfecter age which we willingly admire but despair to imitate Whereby we best learn not to lay all the burthen of our Religion upon repentance but holiness nor to reckon salvation so cheap a purchase for which we see others have taken so much pains For the higher we discern others to go in Piety the less still do we think that God will be content with ours when he is presented with other m ns of the like abilities so much beyond it Which thing more than any other provokes any generous Spirit to a holy jealousy and imitation and as one observed Horum librorum lectio plerumque primus est melioris vitae gradus And most of those who are commonly called Saints became so first by reading the Lives of other Saints Lastly which more than any other thing will preserve you tho amidst the flatteries of your friends in a true humility and mean conceit of your self and in a constant indeavouring to your lives end to grow better and which example of holy men since the chiefest cause of wicked life in professed Christians so point-blank contrary to our Saviour's Precepts is nothing but ill example will serve you for an antidote to the poison of the other by which so many so heedlesly lose their eternal Life §. 144. Vsing pious Discourse and Company 7. Accustoming your self to pious discoursing which much nourisheth good thoughts to the production at length of good actions And quanto piu spesso parleras di Dio tanto piu Iddio parlera teco in anima God's holy Spirit never speaking by any but that it also speaks to them 8. Repairing often to pious Company and holy Meetings From such conference ariseth a mutual excitement to and fortifying and confirming one another in all virtues Medicamentum vitae fidelis amicus Ecclesiasticus 6.16 Gaudia conduplicat maerores diminuit And such discourse is commonly more beneficial Because descending to particulars admitting replies indulged more freedome digressions c. then general exhortations made more at randome in publick 9. In such meetings not leaving your discourse to be casual for so it will be many times unfruitful but designing before-hand some subject fit for such conference §. 145. Worshipping God with the Celebration of the Eucharist Thus much from § 77. concerning that continual duty of Christians worshipping God with Prayer II. Worshipping God also with the frequent Celebration of the Eucharist Breaking of Bread and eating the Lord's Supper and with observing the Christians solemn Sacrifice and Passover And Commemoration of our Saviour's Death c till his second coming §. 146. 1. Being the most effectual intercession to God made on Earth Of the necessary Duty and great Benefit of Celebrating the EUCHARIST 1. Being an intercession with Christ's Blood performed on earth by the Minstery of his servants like as to that in Heaven by himself Who since without a Sacrifice he cannot be a Priest and is a Priest for ever therefore himself offers to his Father within the veil this Sacrifice for ever See Heb. 8.3 4. 9.12 By this intercession with his Blood applying as it were and making effectual to every single Believer and to all successive Generations of men all those mysteries and benefits of their redemption purchased and perfected upon the Cross And appointing his Ministers to do the same in this Holy Sacrament on earth for the same purpose he doth it there and that is for all the same purposes for which he first offered it upon the Cross §. 147. 2. The Seal of the new Covenant and the Christians perpetual Sacrifice 2. Being the Seal of the new Covenant And that sacred Rite and Ceremony which was instituted by our Saviour to be observed by Christians for the celebrating and representing and shewing forth that one only true Sacrifice of the world offered upon the Cross and for blessing and giving thanks and praise to and invocating his Father by It from the time of his resurrection till the Consummation of the world instead of all those more antiquated varieties of Sacrifices and Oblations under the law To which Sacrifices It is correspondent in many particulars As §. 148. Sacrifice 1. Propitiatory 1. Being the Christians commemorative Sacrifice of Christ's Death answering to the Jews sin-offering by the Symbols of Bread and Wine consecrated and sanctified by the invisible operation of the Holy Ghost as St. Austine borrowing the Phrase from Rom. 15 16. procuring as well as the legal Sacrifices did i. e. in virtue of that only one expiatory Sacrifice once offered upon the Cross to him who comes to it with due preparation Remission of his sins Matt. 26.28 This is my Blood shed for remission of sins Malac. 1.11 3.3 1. Cor. 11.26 27.29 1. Cor. 10.16 c. §. 149. 2. Impetratory 2. Being the Christians Sacrifice c answering the Jews burnt-offering through the due celebration of which in virtue of that only offering of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 comp Levit. 1.9 Exod. 29.41 which it represents both a devotement and a dedication of themselves as they also being Christ's Body to God is then made Ecclesia seipsam per Christum offert Austin and also all their petitions for themselves and intercessions for others are then accepted of God and also the descent of all good things spiritual and temporal from him is procured Therefore anciently after Consecration and before receiving of these sacred Elements were supplications for all estates of men absent as well as present See 2. Chron. 29.24 and for all needful blessings c. offered unto God over the Lamb of God then lying upon the table slain from the beginning before his coming in the Sacrifices of Beasts and since his coming unto the end of the world represented here in the Eucharist and also at the same time it is presented by himself to the Father in the heavenly Sanctuary Heb. 13.15 1. Pet. 2.5 Rom. 8 32. Jo. 16.23 Gal. 3.1 Mal. 1.11 Therefore I say is Christ's Sacrifice in these mystical rites commemorated unto the Father and the Father invocated by and through it for all persons and things c. the Ancients using this Phrase We offer unto thee for such and such c. §. 150. 3. Federal 3. Being Oblatio Faederalis a Celebration of God's new Covenant of Grace made in the Blood of our Saviour which
restored unto them Men now being translated from their former stock and becoming his seed by the derivation upon them first repenting and believing of this nature i. e. the spirit which by little and little produceth in all such the perfect image of this their second Father This spirit first working that image in the Soul in all Graces planted there like to his Secondly in the Body hereafter in all corporal glory and perfection like to his when they also like him shall be the sons of God Heirs c. He for this effect instituting two Sacraments the one of Remission and dying to our former life of sin as we were Children of the former Adam and then of our beginning to be born again and shaped after the image of the new Adam The other of our nourishment in a new life to righteousness and of our union to the second Adam §. 181. The several Relations mentioned in Scripture of our Saviour Christ to us as second Adam 1. Father Children 2. Husband Wife 3. Head Members 4. Root Branches 5. Foundation Building 6 Elder and Younger Brethren in respect of God now our common-Father In which respect our Saviour is called also the first-born the first fruits Hence all things done by him accounted to be done by us received by him to be received by us done and given to him to be given and done to us And so things done to us to be done to him So we now dead to sin Rom. 6.1 to the law Rom. 7.4 Col. 2.20 to the world i. e. the affections thereof Gal. 6.14 now risen Col. 3.1 now ascended and sitting in heavenly places Eph. 2.6 Sons of God Heirs Gal. 3.27 Matt. 25.40.45 §. 182. 7. The Holy God not admitting in his service the approach of common sinners 7. High-Priest and Intercessor but only of some chosen and consecrated person for them and in their stead and Aaron's Order who were themselves also sinners being therefore unless typically useless and unserviceable Jesus Christ was the true Priest after the perfectest Order Melchizedechical i. e. Regal and Eternal This Priest after he was first made like us in our nature that he might officiate for his brethren and in the infirmities thereof that he might be more compassionate in his Office First offering the Sacrifice a sin-offering Secondly after the entring into the true and heavenly Sanctum Sanctorum carrying in thither the sacrifice and there now sprinkling the blood thereof before the Lord and making Intercession for the sins of the people Intercession both in presenting his own prayers to the Father for us and also in presenting our prayers and oblations to the Father and in procuring our admission to present them to the Father at the Throne of Grace our selves only this always to be done in his name Thirdly By this his intercession procuring us the descent of the Holy Ghost from the Father Jo. 16.7 14.16 and all blessings spiritual and temporal which blessings himself also from the Father confers upon us as having a Priest-hood Royal in respect of which Regality as he is like Aaron a Priest so like Moses and Joshuah the Captain of God's people going before them into the celestial Canaan and their fore-runner into the place of rest Fourthly Substituting others in this office in his own necessary absence here on earth both to present here as he in heaven the same sacrifice and to make intercessions for the people Till in the consummation of all things he returning again out of the heavenly sanctuary Heb. 9.28 shall give the compleat blessing even eternal salvation unto the people when also all his brethren like him shall be made Kings and Priests and serve God for ever in his most holy Temple §. 183. 8. The son of God always the Lord and King by whom before his Incarnation God the Father created 8 King and afterward sustained and governed the whole world and more especially the Church from the beginning But man being also partly at his first Creation possessed of a dominion and partly upon his obedience through many temptations being promised yet a higher advancement and losing by his sudden dis-obedience both what he had and what he had hopes of This eternal King in pity to man and zeal to the reparing of his Fathers Glory descended from his throne divested of all his Glory and Majesty and became man of the meanest fashion and by his obedience and sufferings the way prescribed to attain it regained this Kingdome in his humane nature and so by him shall as many of Adam's Posterity as truly follow the Example he hath shewed them In which Enterprize for a reward of his great humiliation the man Christ Jesus is now advanced above all principality and power hath absolute dominion given him over all Angels good evil Men good evil over souls and bodies the living and the dead over all the Creatures and is to be the last Judge of all men brought back again into life to stand before his dreadful Tribunal Of Angels the bad and also the good for the increasing at that time of their glory for their good service to man correspondent to the increasing at that time of the torments of the evil for their mischievous endeavours against God's Creatures the great Arbitour of bliss and torments and at that time the maker of a new world Meanwhile exercising this his absolute dominion and power by certain degrees not all at once according to his infinite wisdome 1. Both in subduing his enemies where he first destroys the first Beast 2. Then the second Beast or image of the first Beast revived together with the false Prophet or Anti-Christ that is joyned with him Rev. 19.20 3. Then Satan Rev. 20.10 4. Last of all Death it self Rev. 20.14 1. Cor. 15.26 2. And in the enlarging of his dominions which he extendeth 1. To the Jew and to them in part only 2. Then to the Gentile 3. Then upon their fulness come in Rom. 11.25 to the Jews in their whole Body and so at last perfectly reigning in his members here on earth i. e. for the outward profession of the Gospel in the full harvest both of Jew and Gentile all Kingdomes or States opposing the Gospel being quite subdued After which the number of God's Elect being accomplished and just punishments and rewards at the general resurrection distributed he shall resign his Kingdome to the Father when both himself as Man and all the rest of the Sons of God shall be fully perfected by God becoming all in all 1. Cor. 15.23 §. 184. 9. Consider Lastly All these Benefits of our blessed Saviour common to all Generations the one looking forward the other backward upon them ever since the fall i. e. since the time they first needed a Saviour From which time God hath ever had a peculiar Church separate from the rest of the world Of which Church the Son of God was in all times the more special Protector Patron and
the flesh and delighteth in the severest afflicting and subduing thereof especially taketh pleasure in its Purity and Chastity and eminently opposeth all uncleanness and those risings of Concupiscence which sin first discovered in our first Parents Who also continually warreth against this world opposing the vain shews of this present life with the representation to the eye of Faith of the Glories of that to come Who also fighteth against Satan and being stronger than he hath cast him out and possessed his house from whose gracious descent upon our Saviour's ascension this evil Spirit hath suffered a great restraint of his former delusions by his Oracles being silenced and Idolatry destroyed §. 192. The Internal Intercessor and Advocate The Holy-Ghost the Paraclete our Intercessor and Advocate here on earth within us to the Father and as the Son is in heaven with God Who helpeth our Infirmities not knowing what we ought to pray for and maketh intercession within us for us with groans that cannot be uttered Who maketh intercessions according to the will of God because he knoweth the deep things of God and God that searcheth the heart knoweth the secret mind of this Spirit Who crieth in our hearts Abba Father and teacheth us to pray by which Spirit all our Prayers must be offered as they are offered through the Son that we may find any access unto the Father Who abiding here on earth with us is the effectual Reconciler and maker of our peace for any sins which we commit whether against the Father or the Son But when we sin against him also and make him depart from us we are desolate since there is no person any more left that can acceptably sue or make request for our pardon without this Spirit §. 193. The Internal Comforter The Holy-Ghost the Comforter whose Divine presence rendreth all sufferings not only supportable but pleasant that which is contrary to the flesh being so much the more grateful to the Spirit who graciously doth afford in all mortifications and sufferings sufficient ability internal peace and spiritual joy who freeing us from the former spirit of fear is the author of a lively constant hope and confidence in God whereby we always rejoyce in and long and wait for that blessed day of our Consummation and the appearance of our Saviour that so we may enter into the joy of our Lord. §. 194. The Spirit of Obsignation and Vnction The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of Vnction and Obsignation an Vnction and a nointing from the holy one whereby we are consecrated unto God as the Lord Jesus was and made Kings and Priests hereafter to reign under Him and to serve Him in his heavenly Temple who is the Seal of God upon us that we are already his adopted Sons and shall be Heirs of all his rich Promises in their due season who is the Earnest of his Covenant made with us and first fruits of the plentiful Harvest to come by whom we have now a foretast of those heavenly Gifts and of the good word and promise of God and of the power of Christ's Kingdome and of the world to come §. 195. The Spirit of Miracles and wonderful Works The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of Power and Might of all miraculous and wonderful Works over all the Creatures and over all the Works of Nature which at first he made Spiritual and Corporal over Satan and all his instruments expelling them and confining them at pleasure over all infirmities and diseases Who only doth great wonders upon the earth above and contrary to the course of Nature healeth the sick enlighteneth the blind strengthneth the lame restoreth the withered multiplyeth food raiseth the dead freeth the possessed cureth the wounded Soul and broken Spirit sanctifieth perverse inclinations to testify to men the power and presence of God amongst them §. 196. The Internal Seed of Immortality The Holy Ghost the Seed of Immortality in our corruptible Bodies and a fountain in us springing up unto eternal life By whose virtue and efficacy It being here sown in shame will hereafter spring up glorious weak shall come up in power natural shall come up spiritual and angelical Who dwelling in this our flesh will never forsake it until as it did raise the Body of Christ our Head from the Dead so it shall have raised up the Body of us his Members and until these Bodies also by the virtue of this Spirit shall ascend like unto his and be caught up in the Clouds to meet him Until this our vile Body shall be made like unto his glorious Body and until as we now bear the image of the earthly Adam so we shall bear the image of the heavenly into which we shall be changed by the Spirit of the Lord from Glory to Glory till with the Angels and Saints the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs we be all made one in God and God all in all To whom be given all Glory unto all Eternity Amen FINIS LITANIES The LITANY to the Sacred Trinity O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the World Have c. O God the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son Have mercy on us O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three Persons and one God Have mercy on us Holy Holy Holy Lord God Omnipotent which art which wast and art to come Have mercy on us Who manifested'st thy Name I am that I am to Moses whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain and the whole Earth is filled with thy Majesty Have mercy on us Everlasting King Immortal Invisible who inhabitest that Light unto which no man can approach great in counsel and mighty in work and of whose wisdome there is no end Have mercy on us Who only dost great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number who workest all things according to the purpose of thy will and madest all things for thy self Have mercy on us One God and Father of us all who art above all and thro all and in us all from whom by whom and in whom are all things in whom we live and have our Being Have mercy on us Who hast disposed all things in number weight and measure who madest heaven and earth and all things therein who createdst the earth by thy power and the universe by thy wisdome Have mercy on us The Lord forming light and creating darkness making peace and creating evil in whose hands is the life of every living thing and the breath of all flesh Have c. The Lord that searchest the heart and triest the reins who quicknest the dead and callest those things that are not as if they were whose eyes are brighter than the Sun beholding all the ways of men Have mercy on us On whom the eyes of all wait and thou givest their meat in due season who openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living thing Have mercy on us Who executest judgment for the oppressed who givest food to the hungry
who healest the broken in heart and bindest up their wounds God of the Fatherless and Judge of the Widows which loosest the Prisoners and openest the eyes of the blind Have mercy on us The Lord God that killest and makest alive who sendest to the grave and bringest back again who increasest the nations and destroyest them who enlargest the nations and straightenest them Have mercy on us God who takest no pleasure in iniquity with whom is no accepting of persons terrible in thy Counsels concerning the Sons of men the strong and jealous God visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children Have mercy on us God whose anger none can withstand the just Judge strong and long-suffering and a consuming fire Have mercy on us The Lord who liftest up the meek and humblest the wicked down to the ground who hast power to cast body and soul into Hell who takest the wily in their own craftiness and scatterest the counsel of the wicked Have mercy on us The Lord compassionate long-suffering of great mercy and truth our Protector and exceeding great Reward Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Sacred Trinity Be merciful and hear us O Sacred Trinity From all evil Deliver us O Lord. From all pride and loftiness of mind from gluttony and surfeiting and all intemperance Deliver us O Lord. From envy hatred and malice from luxury and uncleanness from sloth and inordinate heaviness and anxiety Deliver us O Lord. By the Eternity of thy Glory and Majesty by the infiniteness of thy power by the abundance of thy goodness by the unspeakable greatness of thy love and mercy and by the abysse of thy justice and judgments Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may adore our Lord God and serve thee only in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may never take thy holy Name in vain that we may keep holy the Festivals of thy Church in exercises of religion and devotion We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may obey and reverence with due honor our Parents Prelates Superiors and all thou hast set over us We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we injure no man's life good name or honor out of anger hatred or envy We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we keep our hearts clean from all inordinate lustings of the flesh and impure affections That we hurt none by stealing damage or any other wrong through cousinage or violence That we never speak a ly or bear false witness against our Neighbour nor covet his goods We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we love thee O God with all our heart with all our soul and with all our strength and that we do to others as we would should be done to our selves We c. That thou wouldest make us grow in all grace that we despise not the riches of thy bounty patience and long-suffering We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we present our bodies a living and holy Sacrifice well-pleasing to Thee that at length we may attain to that kingdome which thou hast prepared for us from the beginning of the world We sinners beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pacify thy Father towards us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world By thy merits and sufferings redeem us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send thy holy Spirit into us O Blessed Trinity hear us O Adored Sacred Trinity hear us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Blessed art thou O God the God of our Fathers Praise-worthy and glorious for ever All the Angels and Saints bless thee Praise and magnify thee for ever Bless we the Father Son and Holy Ghost Praise him and exalt him for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty and everlasting God from whom descends every good and perfect gift mercifully grant that the serious consideration of thy incomprehensible Majesty may beget in us profound humility and constant obedience and the frequent meditation of thy infinite goodness may move our wills to love thee above all things that we may here in reverence to thy word believe what we do not see and may hereafter in the blissful Vision of thy glory see what now we cannot comprehend thro Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen The LITANY to God the Father O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Father which art in Heaven Father of Glory whose face the holy Angels behold continually in heaven who hast life in thy self Have mercy on us Father of whom are all things who hast made us after thine own Image and gavest us dominion over the rest of thy Creatures Have mercy on us Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom all paternity is called and derived in heaven and in earth Have mercy on us Who art well pleased in thy Son who lovest him and hast given all things into his hands And who by a voice from heaven didst glorify Him Have mercy on us Who so lovedst the world that thou gavest thy only begotten Son that we should have life by him and would'st have thy Son take upon him the form of a Servant to redeem us that were in bondage Have mercy c. Who by thy Son hast predestinated us into the Adoption of Sons and hast elected us in him before the foundation of the world that we might be holy and unspotted before thee Have mercy on us Who would'st have us conformable to the Image of thy Son and hast called us into Fellowship with him and hast made us acceptable in thy beloved Son without whom none cometh to the Son unless thou O Father drawest him Have mercy on us O Father who sendest out thy Spirit and they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth who fillest the world with thy spirit and givest it to them that ask it of thee Have mercy on us Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth who hidest thy mysteries from the wise and revealest them to little ones Have mercy on us Father of mercies and God of all consolation by whom all the hairs of our head are numbred who comfortest us in all our tribulations and hast blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Have mercy on us Who out of thy abundant charity hast vouchsafed to make us partakers of the inheritance of thy Saints and
hast translated us into the kingdome of the Son of thy love Have mercy on us Who without accepting of persons judgest every man according to his work Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. Be merciful and deliver us O Lord. From all evil and from the power of Satan Deliver us O Lord. From anger hatred and malice from the imminent mischiefs of sin and from everlasting death Deliver c. By thine infinite wisdome whereby thou seest the most secret things by thine endless power by which out of nothing thou createdst all things by thy infinite goodness whereby thou filledst all things by thy gracious providence whereby thou sweetly governest and disposest all things and by thine eternal charity wherewith thou lovest the world Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners do beseech thee to hear us O Lord. That thy name may be always and every where sanctified that thy Kingdome may come into us that thy Will may be done in and by us in earth as it is in heaven by the holy Angels We beseech thee to hear us That thou would'st vouchsafe to give us this day our dayly bread to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and to defend us under the shadow of thy wings and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil We beseech thee to hear us That our works may so shine before men that they may glorify thee our Father which art in heaven We beseech thee to hear us That what we faithfully ask may effectually be obtained We beseech thee to hear us O Father in the name of thy Son We beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away sins Have mercy c. O Lord our Protector behold us And look upon the face of thy Christ Remember us O Lord with thy good pleasure And visit us with thy Salvation Convert us O Lord God of Hosts Shew thy face and countenance upon us and we shall be saved O Lord hear our Prayer And let our cry come unto thee See the Prayer Pag. 277. LITANIES to God the Son O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O only begotten Son of God who art in the bosome of thy Father the beloved Son of God in whom the Father is well pleased in whom the fulness of the Trinity inhabiteth bodily Have mercy on us Arm of God upholding all things by the word of thy power God by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made Father of the world to come Have mercy on us The splendor of eternal light the brightness of the glory of God and the express image of his person whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Have mercy on us Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge the way the truth and the life the Sun of Justice and bright Morning-Star Have mercy on us The Alpha and Omega the beginning and end the first and the last who art who wast and art to come the Heir of all things the beginning and first-born of every creature Have mercy on us The Word made Flesh full of grace and truth Immanuel our God seen on earth and conversant with men the Messias the expectation of all Nations Have mercy on us The true light which enlightenest every man that cometh into the world the righteous branch of God truth sprung out of the earth Have mercy on us The great Prophet that was to come upon the earth mighty in word and deed before God and all the People Have mercy on us The anointed of God by the Holy Ghost with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Have mercy on us O Son of God who emptiedst thy self taking upon thee the form of a servant who wast sent to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken in heart and to publish freedome to the captives Have mercy on us O Son of Man meek and humble in heart who camest to seek and save Sinners that were lost who camest not to be ministred unto but to minister a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmities Have mercy on us O Son of God made obedient to thy Father even to the death of the Cross that wast led like a sheep to the slaughter and dumb before the shearers the good Shepherd that layedst down thy life for thy sheep Have mercy on us Who lovedst us and washedst us from our sins in thy own blood on whom was laid by thy Father the iniquities of all Have mercy on us Who truly barest our infirmities and by whose stripes we were healed who wast wounded for our trangressions and broken for our offences Have mercy on us O immaculate Lamb slain from the beginning of the world who takest away the sins of the world the propitiation for our sins the author and finisher of our faith the Mediator and Angel of the New Testament the faithful and true Witness Have mercy on us The Stone which the Builders refused and yet made the head of the corner who wast delivered for our offences and didst rise again for our justification who art the resurrection and the life and the first-born from the dead Have mercy on us Who art made unto us by God wisdome justice sanctification and redemption the great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls the Apostle of our profession and High-Priest of good things to come Have mercy on us Our Peace who hast made of two one Nation who hast made us Kings and Priests to God and the Father the Bridegroom of the Church beloved fair and ruddy chosen amongst thousands Have mercy on us Who art ascended above all Heavens a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech an High-Priest holy innocent unspotted and separate from Sinners one Mediator betwixt God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Have mercy on us Who sittest at the right hand of his Majesty in the highest at whose Name every knee doth bow both of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth to whom a Name is given above all Names Have mercy c. The Head of all Principalities and Powers the Lord of Lords and Prince over the Kings of the earth who hast the keys of hell and death who are constituted by God Judge of the living and the dead Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. From all evil Deliver us O Lord. By thy eternal generation of the Father by thy Nativity in the fulness of time of thy Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary by thy most holy life and conversation and by thy death and most bitter
passion Deliver us O Lord. By thy glorious resurrection and ascension by thy coming to judgment by thy coeternal glory with the Father Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may learn of thee who wast meek and humble in heart that we may deny our selves and take up our Cross and follow thee We beseech thee to hear us That we lay not up treasures for our selves on earth but in heaven that we may lose our lives in this world that we may preserve them to eternal life and fear not those that can kill the body only but him that can throw both Body and Soul into hell-fire We sinners beseech c. That we freely and willingly take up thy easy yoke and light burthen that with all diligence we put out to usury our talents we receive from thee and receiving thy word into honest and good hearts may bring forth much fruit with patience We sinners beseech Thee c. That whatsoever we would that men should do unto us we do so unto them that we judge none rashly but love one another and do good to those that hate us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That being uncertain of the hour of death and thy coming to judgment we endeavour to watch and be always ready that we seriously provide to give up the account of our Stewardship We sinners beseech Thee c. That persevering thro thy grace unto the end we may be saved We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That asking the Father in thy name we may be worthy to be heard according to thy promise We sinners c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Spare us c. Hear us c. Have mercy upon us Every day will we repeat thy perfections O glorious Jesus that every day we may grow in esteem of thee every day will we attentively reckon over thy mercies that every day we may still increase in thy love We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. All that we have and are we received from thy grace All we desire and hope we expect in thy glory O Lord hear our prayers And let our supplication come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty God and most merciful Saviour the light of this world and glory of the next vouchsafe we beseech thee to illuminate our understandings enflame our Wills and sanctify all the faculties of our Souls that whilst with our lips we recite thy praises we may inwardly with our hearts adore thy person and admire thy goodness and conform our lives to thy holy example till at length by frequent meditation on the bliss thou hast prepared for us hereafter we break off our affections from all irregular adherence to this world and place them intirely on the enjoyment of thee who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God world without end Amen See the other Litany and Commemorations below LITANIES to God the Holy Spirit O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son who art the intimate love communion and complacency of the Father and the Son Have mercy on us Who art the finger strength and power of God the omnipotent worker of what the Father decrees and the Son the Word of God commands Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit by whose inspiration the holy men of God formerly spake Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit by whose admirable vertue the Incarnation of our Lord was wrought in the Virgins womb and who descendedst in the likeness of a Dove upon our Blessed Saviour Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit who at Pentecost appearedst resting upon the Disciples in cloven tongues of fire and with whom the Apostles being replenished boldly confessed and preached our Saviour Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Promise of the Father and the Son who descendedst to abide with us and in us here on earth in the absence of our Lord until his second coming Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who having cast out the strong one Satan and possessed his house vouchsafest to inhabit in our persons as the Son of God in our nature and to make us thy Temples Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who finishest the internal work of our Salvation by our Sanctification as the Son of God did the external by our Redemption Have mercy on us Who descendedst to glorify our Lord to bring to our remembrance testify and confirm all his heavenly doctrine to us Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Paraclete abiding with us for ever our Intercessor and Advocate here on earth within us to the Father as the Son now is for us in heaven Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who art the Seed of God in us by whom we are born again and made new creatures partakers of the Divine nature and Sons of God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the earnest and first fruits and pledge of our future inheritance the foretast of the good word and promise of God and of the power of Christ's Kingdome and of the World to come Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry Abba Father bearing witness to our Spirits that we are the Sons of God and by whom we are sealed to the day of Redemption Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit the Seed of Immortality in our corruptible bodies by whose vertue and power after sown in dishonour they shall be raised again in glory Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit who guidest and preservest the Church of God in all truth illuminating its Doctors strengthening its Martyrs and perfecting its Saints Have mercy c. O Holy Spirit the bond of the mystical union between Christ our Head and us his Members and between all the fellow-members making them all of one heart and one soul as being all actuated by one and the same Spirit Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who enlightenest and leadest us into all truth by whom the Charity of God is poured forth in our hearts who writest the laws of God within us and inclinest our wills not out of servile fear but love and choice to obey his commands Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who helpest our infirmities we not knowing what to pray for as we ought and makest intercession for us with groans that cannot be uttered Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who knowest all the hidden things of God and makest intercession according to his will and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth there the mind of the Spirit Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who revealest the mysteries of Religion the secrets of men's hearts and things to come Have mercy on us
O Holy Spirit the Comforter in all afflictions and sufferings giving ability to bear them internal peace and spiritual joy in them and who art the author of a constant lively hope and confidence in God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who distributest and dividest thy gifts and graces variously to every one according to thy good pleasure Have mercy on us The Spirit of wisdome and understanding the Spirit of knowledge and truth the Spirit of counsel and fortitude Have mercy on us The Spirit of sobriety chastity and temperance the Spirit of modesty patience and prayer Have mercy on us The Spirit of humility benignity and meekness the Spirit of compunction sanctification and the fear of God the Spirit of peace and love Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart and reproving the World of sin of justice and of judgment Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Holy Spirit Be merciful and hear us O Holy Spirit From all temptations and deceits of the Devil from all sin and every evil Spirit Deliver us O Holy Spirit From all filthiness and uncleanness of soul and body from the Spirit of fornication from the Spirit of anger strife contention and envy and all uncharitableness Deliver us O holy Spirit From all presumption and despair from opposing the known truth from hardness of heart and final impenitency Deliver us O holy Spirit By thy eternal procession from the Father and the Son by the miraculous conception of the Son of God by thy operation by thy descent upon our Saviour at his Baptisme and by thy sitting upon his Apostles Deliver us O holy Spirit In the day of Judgment Deliver us O holy Spirit We Sinners beseech Thee to hear us O holy Spirit That thou would'st spare us That thou wouldst keep us from blaspheming thee O Holy Ghost and from doing any contumely to the Spirit of Grace We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may never quench grieve or neglect this Holy Spirit but may prepare our hearts for thy holy inspirations and may diligently hearken to discover and obey thy godly motions which lead us to all perfection We sinners beseech Thee c. That remembring how we are the Temples of the Holy Ghost we may take heed of violating them and that as we live by the Spirit we may walk in the Spirit and fulfil no more the lusts of the flesh but by the Spirit mortify the deeds thereof so that sowing in the Spirit we may of the Spirit reap life eternal We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to stir up and cherish in us poverty of Spirit and enkindle in us a hunger and thirst after Justice that we may be peaceable and worthy to be called the Sons of God We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou wouldest infuse into us perfect charity and mercy and that we may constantly and manfully endure persecution for Justice sake We sinners beseech Thee c. That thou would'st vouchasafe us to continue unto the end in faith hope and charity and that we may be careful to keep the unity of the Spirit that is in all thy servants in the bond of peace We sinners beseech Thee c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pour on us the holy Spirit O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send us the promised Spirit from the Father O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us the Spirit of Peace Our Father which art Heaven c. Create in us clean hearts O God And renew right Spirits in our Bowels Cast us not away from thy face O Lord And take not thy holy Spirit from us Restore unto us the joy of thy Salvation And confirm us with thy principal Spirit The Grace of thy Holy Spirit Enlighten our senses and hearts O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray O Holy Ghost the Comforter we commend to thee our souls and bodies the beginning and the end of our lives give us grace to be heartily sorry for our sins for the love of God and to do true penance for them that we may be perfectly purified from them before we depart hence out of this mortal body Of our selves O Lord we are corrupt and blind in our affections and desires if we rely on our own judgments easily seduced into error easily overcome by temptation Wherefore to thee O Holy Spirit we wholly offer and commit the guidance of our Souls defend and keep us thy servants from all evil teach and illuminate our minds strengthen our weak Spirits against inordinate pusillanimity and superfluous scruples of conscience and keep us humble that we fall not into presumption Give us a right faith unmovable hope and perfect charity that we may sweetly delight in thee and every-where fulfil thy will and pleasure who livest and reignest with the Father and Son one God world without end Amen O Eternal God who didst send thy Holy Spirit upon thy Church and didst promise that he should abide with it for ever let the same Spirit lead us to all truth defend us from all sin enrich us with his gifts refresh us with his comforts and rule in our hearts for ever And grant O bountiful Lord the Doner of every good and perfect gift that we may prepare our hearts for his holy inspirations may diligently hearken to clearly discover believe and obey his godly motions may never quench never grieve this Holy Spirit but living in him may by him be sealed to the day of redemption through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth world without end Amen O Blessed Spirit the Almighty Paraclete the communication bond and union of the Father and Son the conduit conveying to us all that we receive from the Father and the Son The dear pledge and token of our absent Lord until his blessed return by whose power all things are enlivened which do truly live and whose delight is to reside and converse in the hearts of the simple which thou vouchsafest to consecrate as Temples to thy self Come gracious Spirit have mercy upon us descend from heaven into our hearts waiting for thy comfort and so fit us for thine own self that through the multitude of thy compassions our meanness may be accepted of thy greatness and our weakness of thy strength Sanctify the temples of our bodies and consecrate them for thy own habitation Make glad with thy presence our Souls that long after thee make ready a mansion fit for thy self adorn thy bride-chamber furnish thy resting place with the variety of thy own gifts and graces drive out from thence whatsoever is old and fading renew in us thy own workman-ship with beauty incorruptible for ever convey into us heavenly light heat and motion that having tasted of the heavenly gift and the powers of the
thy Saints we may also imitate their faith and patience We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may keep inviolably the Catholick Faith so stoutly maintained by them that like as thine Elect in heaven so we may readily do thy will on earth that we may hate our own Souls in this world that we may preserve them to eternal life that thou wouldst vouchsafe to admit us into the inheritance of thy chosen in light We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may continually praise thee in thy Saints that we may laud thee with thy Saints in Heaven and magnify thee for ever We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Our Father which art in Heaven c. PRaise the Name of our Lord praise him ye Servants of our Lord. Who stand in the house of our Lord in the courts of the house of our God Praise our Lord for he is good sing unto his Name for it is sweet Sing unto our Lord a new Song his Praise in the congregation of his Saints For our Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will magnify the meek with Salvation Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high Praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged Sword in their hand To execute vengeance upon the Nations and punishment upon the people To bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron To execute upon them the Judgment written This Honor have all his Saints Hallelujah Let us pray WE give thee thanks O Lord with all our hearts for that thou hast chosen thy Saints and justified them by thy infinite grace for that thou hast prevented them with the blessings of thy sweetness and preserved them in their way thro all the impediments of their Salvation We give thee infinite thanks O God for all the Graces and Benefits which thou hast bestowed upon them in time and reserved for them to Eternity O ye blessed Servants and Friends of God who confirmed in all Grace and now have received the Crown of heavenly Glory and with joy behold the Sacred Trinity face to face praising him with unspeakable gladness everlastingly obtain for us your Supplicants free pardon of our sins and a perfect denial of our selves that we may follow your steps thro the narrow way as also an intimate and sincere love of God wherewith you being enflamed have valiantly and gloriously overcome the world the flesh and the devil with all the crosses of this present life pray for us now and at the hour of our death that when we are to pass hence and to appear before the fearful Tribunal of the great Judge he would not enter into judgment with us but judge us according to his infinite mercy that so at length we may be admitted into the blessed Fellowship in that supernal Jerusalem where we altogether may praise extol and magnify our Lord God for ever and ever Amen O Lord God multiply upon us thy Grace and grant us to follow in a holy profession the joy of thy Saints whose memories we celebrate through Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord. Amen MOst gracious God the Author of all Sanctity and lover of Unity whose wisdome hath established an admirable communion between thy Church triumphant in heaven and militant on earth as members of the same mystical Body whereof thy Son Christ Jesus is the Head mercifully grant that as thy Blessed without ceasing pray to thee for us we may continually praise thee for them and in correspondence to their perfect Charity with pious observance celebrate their memories till we all meet before thy glorious Throne and with one heart adore the Saviour of us all who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen O All ye blessed Saints of heaven and Spirits Angelical whom God with the brightness of his presence makes everlastingly joyful pray for us We salute and honour you we give praise and thanks to our Lord who hath chosen you and made you eternally happy with his benedictions obtain from him for us forgiveness obtain for us grace that at the end of this frail life we may be admitted to the fruition of your heavenly Society thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God and most merciful Father favourably regard the imperfect Prayers of thy servants here on earth which we present unto thee by the most efficacious intercession of our fellow members the Saints in heaven and grant that as their Sanctity is exalted by thee to a supreme degree of glory so their Charity may obtain for us the especial assistance of thy Grace thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen GRant O Almighty God that we who celebrate the Memories and reverence the Holiness of all thy Saints may be assisted with Thee by their intercession and rejoyce in their protection thro Jesus Christ Amen O Almighty and Eternal God who vouchsafest us the Grace to reverence the Holiness of all thy Saints Grant us we beseech Thee the desired plenty of thy mercy by their multiplied intercessions thro our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The LITANY of Penitents O God the Father of heaven our Creator Have mercy on us O God the Son our Redeemer Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier Have mercy c. O strong just and jealous God taking revenge upon all sin and iniquity who sparedst not the Angels that sinned but castedst them down into hell to be tormented From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who hast appointed death the stipend of Sin who didst shut Adam after he had sinned out of Paradise and subjectedst him to many Curses From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who sparedst not the old world but punishedst it overwhelmed in sin by the flood From thy great wrath c. Who utterly consumedst Sodom and Gomorrah burnt to ashes and miraculously punishedst Pharoah and the Aegyptians hardening their hearts against thee From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who sparedst not thine ancient people the Jews rebelling against thee but deliveredst them up into the hands of their enemies and into the Babylonish Captivity From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who at last scatteredst them throughout all the world whilst persevering in their sins and gavest thy beloved City and thy Sanctuary to be trodden under foot of the Enemy From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us O God to the relenting and penitent gracious and merciful long-suffering and abundant in mercy and repenting thee of evil who lovest every thing and hatest nothing that thou hast made From thy great wrath c. Who pitiest all and winkest at the sins of men for their amendment of life who wouldst have none to perish but all be converted and in whose presence there is joy over one sinner that doth penance From all thy great wrath c. Who calledst
judge the living and the dead Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God at whose presence the earth shall be moved and the heavens melt away Give rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed O Lamb of God in whose blessed book of Life their names are written Give eternal rest to the Souls of the Faithful departed The Antiphon DEliver us O Lord and all thy Faithful in that day of terror when the Sun and Moon shall be darkned and the Stars fall down from heaven in that day of calamity and amazement when heaven it self shall shake and the Pillars of the earth be moved and the glorious Majesty of Jesus come with innumerable Angels to judge the world by fire Deliver us O Lord in that dreadful day And place us with thy blessed at thy right hand for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come to thee ALmighty God with whom do live the Spirits of the perfect and in whose holy custody are deposited the Souls of all those that depart hence in an inferior degree of thy grace who being by their imperfect Charity rendred unworthy thy presence are detained in a state of grief and from thy beatifical sight as we bless thee for the Saints already admitted to thy glory so we humbly offer our Prayers for thy afflicted servants who continually wait and sigh after the day of their deliverance Pardon their sins supply their unpreparedness and wipe away the tears from their eyes that they may see thee and in thy glorious light eternally rejoyce Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Eternal God who besides the general precepts of Charity hast commanded a particular respect to parents kindred and benefactors grant we beseech thee that as they were the instruments by which thy providence bestowed on us our birth education and innumerable other benefits so our Prayers may be a means to obtain for them a speedy delivery from any privation of bliss which they may suffer for their sins and a free admittance to thy infinite joys Thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen MOst wise and merciful Lord who hast ordained this life as a passage to the future confining our Conversion to the time of our Pilgrimage here and reserving for hereafter the state of punishment and reward vouchsafe us thy grace who are yet alive and still have opportunity of reconcilement to thee so to watch over all our actions and correct every least deviation from the true way to Heaven that we be neither surprised with our sins uncancelled nor our duties imperfect but when our Bodies go down into the grave our Souls may ascend to thee and dwell for ever in the mansions of eternal felicity Thro Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen The LITANY of Christian Virtues O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have c. O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Lord just and good and a rewarder of all those that seek thee diligently Have mercy on us Who createdst our first Parents in innocency and holiness after thine own image and gavest a testimony to the offerings of just Abel Have mercy on us Who savedst in the Ark from the Flood Noah a Preacher of Justice and deliveredst from the Fire just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked Have mercy on us Who gavedst the Promise to Abraham found faithful after many trials Have mercy on us Who deliveredst Jacob endued with a wonderful patience and confidence in adversities from all evils and gavest a joyful end to thy servant Job that pattern of patience Have mercy on us Who rewardest the singular modesty and chastity of Joseph with the rule over Aegypt Have mercy on us Who choosest Moses the meekest man upon earth to be Ruler over thy people and electedst Joshuah notable for valour and constancy to lead thy people into the land of Promise Have mercy on us Who gavest the Priesthood to the Sons of Levi for their great courage in vindicating thine honor and deliveredst from all dangers the Prophet Elias for his incomparable Zeal for thy true worship against the false Prophets and at length took'st him up into heaven Have mercy on us Who set'st Samuel Judge over thy people a lover of Justice and free from bribes And liftedst up David a man after thy own heart in the faithful service of thee to be King of Israel Have mercy on us Who replenishedst Solomon humbly begging Wisdome of thee both with it and many other Graces And adornedst Daniel and his Companions being singularly temperate and sober with wisdome and beauty Have mercy c. Who chosest the Blessed Virgin Mary adorned with singular chastity humility obedience and all other Virtues to be the Mother of thy Son Have mercy on us Who sentest John Baptist a fore-runner of thy Son a Preacher of penance and of great austerities and abstinence Have mercy on us Who sentest JESUS Christ thy only begotten Son into the world the pattern of all Holiness that we should follow his example Have mercy on us Who hast chosen us in him before the foundations of the world that we also should be holy and unblameable in thy sight Have mercy on us Who hast predestinated us that we should be made conformable to the image of thy Son and hast created us in him to good works which thou hast ordained that we should walk in them Have mercy on us Who hast redeemed us from our vain conversation by the precious blood of Christ and hast regenerated us by thy word unto a lively hope of an eternal inheritance Have mercy on us O Jesu who knewest no sin neither was guile found in thy mouth but appearedst to take away the sins of the world Have mercy on us JESUS who barest our sins in thy body on the Cross that we being dead unto sin may live unto Justice and Holiness Have mercy on us Who hast delivered us out of darkness into light from the power of Satan into thy Kingdome and hast bestowed upon us the remission of sins and an inheritance amongst thy Saints Have mercy on us Who promisedst thy Disciples that forsook all for thee twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel who committedst unto St. Peter notably confessing and loving thee the feeding of thy sheep Have mercy on us Who vouchsafest to St. John notable for chastity the singular priviledge of thy love Have mercy on us Who sendedst thy holy Spirit whereby divine Charity is spread abroad in our hearts Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and grant unto us O Lord The virtue of humility and patience spiritual poverty and meekness longanimity and obedience to those that are set over us Grant unto us O Lord A quiet mind and contented with our present condition true peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Grant us c.
with Grace seasoned with Salt that we may know how to answer every man and our discourse such as may some-way edify and minister Grace to the hearers that this busy member being defiled with no filthy or vain communication here may be the more hallowed in the world to come to sing Hallelujahs Doxologies and Thanksgivings for ever and ever to the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen A DOXOLOGY to the Blessed Trinity GLory be to the Father of mercies the Father of Men and Angels the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Glory be to the most holy and eternal Son of God the blessed Saviour and Redeemer of the world the Advocate of Sinners the Prince of Peace the Head of the Church and the mighty Deliverer of all them that call upon him Glory be to the holy and eternal Spirit of God that searcheth all things even the depths and hidden things of God the Holy Ghost the Advocate the Comforter the sanctifying and life-giving Spirit All glory and thanks all honour and power all love and obedience be to the blessed and individual Trinity one God Eternal It is most just and right to praise and to glorify to worship and adore to give thanks and to magnify thee the great Maker of all Creatures visible and invisible the Treasure of all good temporal and eternal the Fountain of all life mortal and immortal the Lord and God of all things in heaven and earth the great Father of thy servants the great Master of thy children The Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens and every Power therein the Sun and the Moon and all the Stars of the Sky the Sea and the Earth the heights above all the depths below Jerusalem which is from above the Congregation celestial the Church of the first born written in the heavens the Spirits of the Prophets and just men made perfect the Souls of Apostles and all holy Martyrs Angels and Archangels Thrones and Dominions Principalities and Powers the Spirits of Understanding and the Spirits of Love with never ceasing Hymns and perpetual Anthems cry out night and day and let the humble voice of thy servants also be heard amongst them saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts heaven and earth are full of thy glory The Heavens declare thy glory the Earth confesseth thy providence the Sea manifests thy power and every Spirit and every understanding Creature celebrates thy greatness for ever and ever Especially thy miserable creature Man is bound to praise thee because thou mad'st him according to thy own Image because thou gav'st him the riches and the rest of Paradise and when he fell and broke thy easy Commandment thou didst not despise his folly nor leave him in his Sin but didst chastise him with thy Rod and restrain him by thy law and instruct him by thy Prophets and at last by the coming of the second person God the Son into the world did'st renew and repair this thy broken Image for which praised be the Lord God Almighty good and gracious dreadful and venerable holy and merciful to the works of thy hands Hosannah blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest for ever and ever Amen A DOXOLOGY concerning the Ways of God's Providence § 1 O The depth of thy Knowledge and Wisdome O God! how unsearchable are thy Judgments and thy Ways past finding out O Lord how great are thy works how deep are thy thoughts Who can utter thy mighty Acts O Lord Who can shew forth all thy Praise Even from the Creation thy Power delighteth to manifest it self in high and difficult matters and thou walkest contrary to the wisedome of men Thy whole work is to do wonders and by these thou being invisible in person declarest thy presence on the earth Thou bringest light out of darkness good out of evil and strength out of weakness Content and satiety out of poverty and glory and honour out of humility True wisdome and knowledge out of holy simplicity and self-disesteem the greatest consolations and joys out of adversities and sufferings Thou makest thy foolishness to be wiser then men and thy weaknes stronger then men By the foolish things of this world thou confoundest the wise and by the weak things of the world thou confoundest things that are mighty By the base and despised and things that are not thou bringest to nought things that are On the contrary thou bringest scorn and contempt out of the highest of pride ambition and glory covetousnes and unsatiableness out of plenty and abundance Extreme folly out of secular wisdome and cunning and sudden want out of ill gotten wealth Distraction out of the fulfilling our desires and sighing and mourning out of secular joys and pleasures Thou delightest to take the wily in their own craftiness and to deceive the deceivers To make his own net that he hath hid to catch himself and himself to fall into the same destruction he hath prepared for others Thou lovest to judge men by their own self-condemnation and to make the guilty pronounce sentence upon himself To punish men by their faults and to make their own way and not thy power to overthrow them Out of deep security and confidence thou bringest adversity and trouble and death when men think most enjoying life When they say Peace behold a sudden destruction and in the midst of War behold a sudden Peace Thou shewest strength with thy arm O Lord and scatterest the proud man in the imaginations of his heart Thou puttest down the mighty from their seat and dost exalt the humble and meek Thou fillest the hungry with good things and the rich thou sendest empty away Thou makest him who disperseth his goods to the poor to abound in wealth and those who heap them up to suffer penury The Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the strong nor Bread to the wise nor Favour to the skilful nor Riches to the Understanding but as thou distributest them O Lord to those who depend on thee § 2 The way by which thou appointest man to be happy is that which humane reason judgeth contrary to it Here repeat the Preface and which seemeth to render him most unhappy By his abondoning all things he comes to possess all things and by his desire of nothing he attains to want nothing By his being careful for nothing but the serving of thee he becomes provided of all things by thee and in his flying from the world the good things thereof follow him To cross and forsake his own will he finds the way to true tranquility of mind and to forsake his own reason with dependance on thee the way to true wisdome To be careless of and to lay down his life for thy sake the surest way to save it whilst others by seeking to preserve do lose it By his humility he attaineth to honour and in voluntary poverty he findeth content He taketh pleasure in infirmities in necessities in