Supream Mercy of the Supream Majesty manifested in the Death and Resurrection of his Son I have deliberately in many Instances committed Impiety against my God and Saviour Iniquity against his Creation and Impurity against my own Soul and Body * Here you may confess particular Sins as I have at such a time and under such and such circumstances Yea this very day have I provok'd the Lord to Jealousie by the addition of a new Sin or Sins to my former crying Offences so like a Brute so like a Devil nay worse than either Brute or Deviâ— have I been before thee For nâ— Brute ever spurn'd at Conscience nor did ever any Devil trample upon Redemption Sinful Man alone is that Monster of Ingratitude that fights both against Light and a Jesus at once 3. Wrath and Vengeance Shame and Confusion ineffable Anguish and Bitterness of Soul Blackness and Darkness for ever Communion with Devils and all the Damn'd unquenchable Flames and disregarded Cries even the ever-gnawing and never consuming Envy of a Judas and laps'd Angels is O Lord I must acknowledge the true Portion of my corrupted Nature and the just Reward of this or these and all my other sinful Deeds All this I must own O Lord and all the known and unknown terrible Ingredients of Hell belongs to all who have forgot God and Crucify'd the Son of God afresh and therefore also unto me O God who have thus again sinn'd with so high a hand against thee and after all thy long-suffering and condescension have still presum'd by new Sins to make my self a Derision to Devils a Burden to my self a Traitor to Christ and a noisom Spectacle to God and Holy Angels nay for ought that I know the Dregs of thy Fury ought to be drunk by so vile and villainous a Soul if thou wert extream to mark what has been done amiss 4. But tho' to me belongeth Damnation yet to the Lord belongs Compassion for the Lord is God and not Man and as is his Majesty such is his Mercy For doubtless were thy Ways as our Ways or thy Thoughts like our Thoughts doubtless were not the Bowels of God larger in extent than the wide and deep Sea doubtless were it it impossible for fallen Man to find a favourable access to the Throne of Grace and to be reconcil'd to his offended Maker thou wou'dst never have sent thy eternal Begotten Son into this disorderly Portion of thy World For wherefore O Lord did he shed his infinitely precious Blood if Blood and Vapour and Smoak if showres of fierce and flaming Brimstone if eternal exile of Spirit Soul and Body from thee be the irreversible Fate of poor Man and he be not capable of a repentance which is more acceptable than the Repentance of Devil and those Souls who are departed this Life even a Repentance unto everlasting Life which is never to be repented of 5. Wherefore Heavenly Father since I make use of the Name of no less a Person than the Christ of God and the Jesus of Men since he is as mighty to soften and save as thou art to destroy since his Merits are as charming to thy Goodness as thy Rage is formidable to us let not the Dread Majesty of the Heavens and Earth and all that are therein take up the Weapons of his Anger against me tho' a vain Man which has not shew'd himself a Man venture to expostulate with his Maker and his Judge and to take unto himself Words and say Wilt thou enter into Controversie with a Worm Is there no difference betwixt the Strength of a Devil and a Man Is not Christ a potent Saviour Shall not thy Mercy have its Triumphs as well as thy Justice O Lord hearken O Lord be gracious O Lord forgive Lord hide not thy face from me but from my Sins O Lord most Holy O God most Mighty most Merciful God and Saviour suffer me not to fall into the bitter Pains of eternal Death O Preserver of Men do thou draw nigh unto me for as I have sinn'd so I return and draw nigh unto God I know now that 't is not in vain still to repent and therefore I humble my self and supplicate thee for thy Pardon I level my self with the Worms of the Earth under the Scepter of thy Grace I confess and grieve and hide my self in the Rock Christ Jesus for fear of the Lord and the Glory of his Majesty I come not Lord of mine own head or in mine own Name but by the Direction and in the Name of the great High Priest I beseech thee forgive me O speak peace to my Soul say to the Mempest within me Be still O do thou so wonderfully bless and be merciful unto me as to shew me the light of thy Countenance O that my Soul could hear thee saying I am reconcil'd thy Prayers and thy Tears are regarded my nâ—e Could I but believe in the Lord Jesus and repent effectually there would be no room for doubt for surely those Words are the Motto of that Cross on which Jesus Christ gave up the Ghost 6. O therefore I beseech thee do thou spare me a while till my Soul has thro' Christ recover'd that Strength which by my Sin I have lost 'T is not for the sake of living here that I desire a continuance of Life but that I may have an opportunity once more of enrobing my self with Divine Graces that I may be a Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light to look on the Lamb of God that was slain for returning Sinners hear the Sighs of a broken Heart supply me with a practical Faith work in my Mind an effectual Change from all Unrighteousness to a steddy flourishing fruitful Habit of universal Holiness make me truly lowly in Heart a zealous Imitator of Christ fight my Battels against the Hosts of Hell and bring me at last I entreat thee to thy everlasting Kingdom 7. With this Hope I will labour to purifie my self and do commit my self with all my Fellow-Creatures especially my particular Friends and Enemies to the kind Influences of thy Grace and thy protection this Night Grant that my Sleep may be wholesom and temperate that I may rise early the next Morning to renew my Thanks to thee for thy continu'd forbearance and to offer my Vows of Gratitude in all sincerity Let not my being now inspir'd with this soft Temper of Soul puff me up or make me less aware of the deceitfulness of Sin But may the Grace Mercy and Peace which I enjoy now from God the Father thro' Christ by being husbanded with Vigilance and Humility usher me into the Regions of Glory Amen Amen so be it for Christ his sake In his Name and Words I conclude my Address together with my Thanks to thee for all thy Mercies Our Father c. CLASS III. THE Wary Christian's EVENING OFFICE OF Daily Repentance for Sins of Infirmity 1. MY Lord and my God Glory be to thy
my Soul the Lord and his Strength seek his Face evermore All other things when weigh'd in the Balance are found wanting God alone can be the Marrow and real Plenitude of a Spirit whose are infinite Worlds and all the Fulnesses of the same He and He alone can be an Enjoyment adaequate to a Will 3. O theresore Love the Lord who is the Heaven of Angels He is my stony Rock and my Defence my Saviour my God and my Might in whom I will trust my Buckler the Horn also of my Salvation I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised so wall I be safe from mine Enemies For whoso dwelleth under his Defence doth abide under the Shadow of the Almighty CLASS III. An Address to God for Spiritual Strength and Christian Violence in general GReat Creator of the Vniverse Benefactor of Angels Humbler of Devils and Restorer of Man Marvellous for Strength marvellous for Wisdom and marvellous for Goodness Thou hast promis'd to hear them that call upon thee faithfully in time of Trouble O do thou now say unto my Soul in this state of Difficulty I am thy Salvation Pity O Lord my darkned Mind cleanse a Heart stain'd with Sin Terrible Hosts thou seest O Lord do encompass my poor Soul Thousands fall beside me and thousands behind me and ten thousands round about me Thrones and Principalities plot against us and those whom we are too apt because of Sense to reckon our Best Friends do ensnare and betray us But alas tho' we are beleper'd with Guilt tho' we are near the Portals of Death and the Talons of Hell how apt are we to put the evil Day far from us Wherefore I beseech thee do thou by a Divine Power make me constantly sensible of Death and Judgment and the Tortures of the Damn'd invest my Soul with that Noble Violence wherewith the Kingdom of Heaven must be taken O my God I know thy Grace and that only is sufficient for me work in me therefore I beseech thee effectually in the inner Man by thy Spirit that I may habitually will and do according to thy gooâ— Pleasure so shall I be strong indeed even in the Lord and thâ— Power of his Might and be morâ— than Conqueror thro' Christ anâ— hold out to the end so shall I noâ— be dismay'd for any Terror by Night nor for the Pestilence thaâ— invisibly wounds at Noon so shalâ— I triumph the Triumphs of thy Saints and trample upon Dangers Death and Devils and keep a perpetual Jubilee with my God and his Christ CLASS IV. Prayers for particular Graces collected out of our Blessed Lord's Sermon on the Mount and St. Paul AND to the end O Lord I may be found in the Blessed Number of those who are Christ's Disciples indeed make me I beseech thee poor in Spirit a godly Mourner meek hungry and thirsty after Righteousness merciful pure in Heart dispos'd to promote Peace and Vnity ready to be persecuted for Righteousness sake and to rejoice when I am revil'd instead of reviling again O suffer no worldly Emulation to sway in my Heart and to taint my Fastings and Prayers Give me a Heavenly Prudence that my Light may shine before Men and I may nevertheless do many Good Works secretly looking for my Praise and Reward from thee Give me courage to pluck out my scandalous Eye and to cut off the scandalous Hand of my corrupt Nature and all Superfluity of Tongue and Thought for the mean Concerns of this Life O may thy Name never be utter'd without Reverence by me Suffer me not so to be angry with my Brother as to sin or to be a Judge but rather a Doer of thy Law Make me so mindful of my own Ingratitude and of that great Goodness which has nevertheless been continu'd by thee to me that in imitation of this thy great Perfection I may forgive bless and pray for mine Enemies Drive earthly Solicitude out of my Mind that my Distributions to the Necessities of the Saints laying up for me a Treasure in Heaven my Heart may be there also O illuminate my Mind that that Faculty which thou hast planted in me to be my Light may not by being dark it self overwhelm me all over with horrible Darkness I earnestly entreat thee to lay a deep Foundation of Faith within me that like a wise Builder I may build upon the Rock and be proof against Storms and Waves and Tempests always striving more and more earnestly to enter in at the strait Gate that I may bring forth the excellent Fruits of a Mind thoroughly chang'd and with diligence and trembling do those things which my Lord commands O that when my Lord comes when Death seizes me I may be found so doing O subject my Body to my Soul and my Soul entirely unto thee and erect and enlarge the Kingdom of God in it that it may be fill'd with an equitable Disposition of behaving it self so towards God and God Man Angels and Devils its Fellow Creatures and the whole subordinatâ— Creation as becomes a Christian and so be fill'd with Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Finally O Lord since thou hast promis'd it to those who ask it of thee with Faith and Purity Importunateness and Humility give me I beseech thee all Celestial Favours and truly valuable Bounties in that inestimable Gift of Gifts thy Holy Spirit Lord how shall our Souls be nurs'd for Heaven without the support of this Manna of the Seraphim Give me therefore thy Spirit I do again and again beseech thee else I perish to all Eternity Lord I trust in thee O let me not be confounded 2. O my God thy Mercies towards me are ineffable wherefore I present my Body which is daily fed and preserv'd by thy Bounty before thee O do thou so renew my Mind that it may be transform'd from the World to thy Likeness and make my Body and all my Actions in their Station wherein I am or hereafter may be plac'd by thy Providence a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto thee and I may experimentally prove what is that good and acceptable Will of God 3. Awe me I beseech thee with a sense of thy Greatness and my own Meanness that I may not think of my self more highly than I ought to think supply me with Grace to have my Conversation in Heaven anâ— with all Men in all godly simplicity to love without dissimulation to abhor that which is evil and to stand fast in the Lord to prefer others in Honour before my self not to be slothful in Business to be fervent in Spirit to rejoice in the Hope to be patient in Tribulation and instant in Prayer to rejoice with them that rejoice to weep with them that weep in indifferent things to be of the same mind with others not to minâ— high things but to condescend not to be wise in my own Conceit not be overcome of evil but to overcome eviâ— with good For Christ his sake O my Father
withstand not thy tender of that Peace which is a Pearl of such great Price Verily Verily my Lord and my God now I may and ought and will laud and address thee tho' it be with Trembling and Confusion For as Dread belongs unto Creatures and Sinners so doth Confidence belong unto the Immaculate the Eternal and only Begotten Son of God CLASS II. Expressions of Praise both by way of Recital and Address 1. GLory therefore be to God Condescension to his Creatures Grace and Mercy Peace and Purgation Redemption and Forgiveness to me a Sinner May the Good God who pardoneth Iniquity Transgression and Sin accept the Incense of a lowly Heart 2. Great is the Lord and marvellous worthy to be prais'd there there are no bounds of his Greatness 3. He is Wonderful in Counsel Mighty in Working Glorious in Holiness Fearful in Praises He dwells in inaccessible Light The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him His Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom His Dominion lasteth longer than Ages Ten thousand times ten thousand and Thousands of thousands of Glorious Spirits are the awful Retinue of the Lord God 4. The Heavens declare the Glory of God the Firmament shews his Handy-work One Day tells another and one Night certiâ—â—es another 5. Thou Lord in the beginning didst lay the Corner-stone of the Earth when the Morning-Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy All the Beasts of the Forest are thine and so are the Cattel on a thousand Hills 6. Fearfully and Wonderfully hast thou made Man and O that my Soul did ponder it well Thine Eyes did see my Substance when I was yet imperfect and in thy Everlasting Book were all my Members written Day after Day were they a fashioning To this Day are they preserv'd by thy hand 7. Every Morning thy Loving Kindness is renew'd I laid me down and slept and rose again for the Lord sustain'd me O how dear are thy Counsels unto me O God O how great is the summ of them * Here particular Mercies may be inserted 8. How should I count them They are more in number than I can conceive Whenever I awake they are present with me Have I not for this reason remembred thee on my Bed and thought upon thee when I was waking Now do I sing and always will sing of thy Mercies betimes in the Morning even unto thee O my strength for thou art my Refuge and my mercifuâ— God CLASS IV. The Dedicatory THis Day I dedicate my self Spirit Soul and Body to thy Spirit Honour and Service and do resign all my Care and Concerns to the Direction and Influence of thy Providence and am dispos'd chearfully to embrace all the Dispensations of thy Fatherly Goodness Thus will I by thy Grace and Assistance throughout my whole Life wait upon thee in Holiness that I may at last behold thy Power and Glory everlasting 2. I hate and abhor all my past evil ways and from the depth of my Soul do renounce mine own Wickedness * Here you may confess your Constitution Sin or other Sins O that I may obtain Victory over my whole Body of Sin and live Then shall Jesus be my Jesus indeed and say Soul Be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee and at the Great Day declare before Angels and Saints and Devils and the Desperate Thy monstrous iniquities are blotted out They shall not be thy ruine Thou shalt live for I dy'd for the penitent 3. Hence 't is O Lord that my Soul hangs upon thee To this purpose with extreme Thirst of Soul I seek thy Strength and thy Face O therefore do thou who delight'st not in the Desolation but divine Resurrection of Humane Spirits chear and replenish me with the Light of thy Countenance for without thee we must needs be desolate CLASS V. Acts of Daily Petition for God's Protection and Blessing LORD I have dedicated my Judgment to thee O shew me the way that I should walk in I lift up my Soul unto thee Lord sanctifie it I have devoted my Spirit Lord separate the Light from the Darkness thereof and refine it with the fiery Baptism of the Holy Ghost that thy Will may be the Magnet of mine Lord I beseech thee set a Watch over my Heart and Lips that my Words and Meditations may please thee 2. O that all my Actions and Intentions and Discourses may be begun and govern'd and ended in thy Fear so shall the Lord prosper my Handy-work so shall my Studies thrive under his Blessing and all my Resolutions be establish'd O that the Disposals of my Heavenly Father be they grateful or ungrateful to Flesh and Blood may find their Ends answer'd by my Demeanor under and use of them 3. Arm me I beseech thee with the Armour of God that no presumptuous Sin may ever again get the Dominion over me Array my Soul with a competent Conformity of Mind to the Image of thy Son that I may grow in Grace and heavenly Experience that so this and every remaining Day of my short stay here may be reflected on with less Sorrow and more spiritual Joy in the Lord than the foregoing O may thy Loving Spirit lead me in the ways of Evangelical Righteousness so shall the Land of Righteousness be mine Inheritance and the God of Righteousness my Portion for ever CLASS VI. A Catholick Conclusion LOrd I beseech thee of thine infinite Compassion over-look my numerous Infirmities accept of this imperfect Sacrifice and of the following Expression of my Delight in the Joys of the Church Triumphant and of my Commiseration of all the Perils Straits and Necessities of thy Israel Militant here on Earth in the powerful Name and Words of thine only Son and Man's only Saviour JESUS CHRIST Our Father c. Noon-Office OF VIGILANCE AND CHARITY CLASS I. Vigilance excited by Expressions of a sense of Man's and the World's Vanity 1. VAnity of Vanities all is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit 2. God made Man upright little lower than the Angels and plac'd all sublunary Things under him But Man hath sought out many foolish Inventions and lets some Creature or other lord it over his Heart tho' they were all put under his feet 3. For the Lord look'd down from Heaven on the Children of Men to see if there were any seeking after God But oh how are they gone out of the way Destruction and Vnhappiness is in their ways The way to Reconciliation and Glory they neither see nor seek 4. Nay the humble Soul and his Care for Eternity is had in derision by them numerous are those Wretches which combine with the disorderly Tendencies of Birth and the Princes of Darkness to pluck him from his God CLASS II. Expressions of Trust in God and Holy Resolution 1. BUt my Soul shall not run any more after Idols neither shall their Scoffs make me draw back for I will seek the Kingdom of God and Christ and the Righteousness thereof 2. Seek seek I say O
and his Father grant these Petitions 4. Give me Grace O Father of Lights to add to my Faith Fortitude and to Fortitude Temperance and to Temperance Piety and to Piety Lowliness and to Lowliness Charity To be subject to the higher Powers to render to all their Dues to esteem the Laborers in thy Vineyard for their Works sake to live up to my Light and to walk honestly as in the day to please my Neighbour to Edification to bear the Infirmities of the Weak and the Reproaches of the Wicked to resist the Devil mortifie the Body and be one Spirit with the Lord. This I beg for the sake of Christ Jesus hear me therefore O my God 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and all thy Soul and all thy Mind and all thy Strength This is the First and Great Commandment and I cannot but own my God that it is most Holy and Just and Good Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self This is the next and like unto it 6. But Lord who is sufficient for these things Where is the Man that liveth and transgresseth not these Laws O therefore Lord enter not into Judgment with me but for Christ's sake pardon my manifold Violations of thy Laws and for the future I beseech thee fortifie me with a plentiful Portion of thy Grace and Spirit Henceforward I will not receive the former in vain nor quench the latter but will love my God with a Supream Love entirely and constantly and my Neighbour as my self and my self according as my Love of God shall recommend me So help my God CLASS V. Office of Charity PART I. The Gratulatory of the Church Triumphant HAppy are those Spirits that wait on God's Throne and do continually minister with Halelujahs to the Holy Holy Holy God and the Lamb for ever and ever Happy and Blessed are those Saints who live in the Regions of inaccessible Light where neither Moral nor Natural Death hath any place Happy indeed are they that are made eternal Priests and Kings to God and are above the need of Care and Watching gratulated be their Joy May it be mine and mine theirs in the eternal Salvation of my Soul 2. A Heavenly Aspiration My Soul is a thirst for the Living God This is the Communion which my Soul is inflam'd with Longings after O that I had Wings like a Dove then should I flee away and be at rest When shall I gratulate and be gratulated there O that I may be united to my God! When shall my Exile be at an end When shall I see and know him as I am seen and known O that I were certify'd that I am a true Son and Servant of God that I might long to be dissolv'd and say How long Lord how long holy and true The Submission But be this as the Lord will whose it is to appoint the number of the Days of his Servant if so be that while Days do not commence Eternity I may number them and be wise and fit my self for my great Change This is my Desire Lord regard it this shall be my Endeavour Lord further it PART II. Intercession for the Church Militant 1. MAy the Creator of all Universes both visible and invisible visit the dark parts of the Earth with the glorious Beams of the Sun of Righteousness that the Knowledge of Christ crucify'd may fill the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea Let the People praise thee O God yea let all Peoples Nations and Languages praise thee 2. And oh that those Countries which enjoy the Gospel may not slander it so shamefully by the black and blasphemous Lives of its Professors Lord grant that the Power of thy Gospel may display the Lustre of its native Brightness Simplicity and Purity in our Lives 3. Restore I beseech thee Beauty and Discipline Soundness of Faith genuine Ordinances and Decency and Perfection of Worship to all Ecclesiastical Bodies professing Christianity And to this end give to them such true Christian Ingenuity as that they may all severally and unanimously own lament and reform their different Excesses and Defects that as there is but one true Christ and but one true Christianity which can secure a Soul of Happiness so we may all glorifie thee the same God and Father of us all with one Mind and with one Mouth 4. Look down O Lord I beseech thee from the Habitation of thy Glory with a special Eye of Favour on this Church and Kingdom which thou hast so long bless'd with many signal Mercies and preserv'd in such amazing and endearing Methods of Providence Pardon our great and crying Abuses of the same and wherein soever all Orders of Men amongst us in our own and the days of our Forefathers have fallen short of the Glory of God let it not any longer I pray thee be laid to our charge Put a stop to that Latitude of Life and Opinion which divides and corrupts us O Lord reform us if we are still reformable that we may not be deliver'd over into the Will of our Enemies whose Mercies are cruel 5. Guard with the Guardianship of thy Holy Angels the Sacred Person of William our King grant that all his Designs and Vndertakings may be so truly Christian and Honourable that they may prove in the end successful Let no Weapon form'd against him prosper and whensoever the number of his Days on Earth shall be fulfill'd grant that he may be found such a Conquerour of all his spiritual and temporal Enemies as may make Death to him a kind Translation of his Soul into a World of glorious Spirits Bless him in his Royal Relatives and especially Catherine the Queen-Dowager her Royal Highness the Princess Ann of Denmark Counsel O Lord our Counsellors and teach our Senators true Wisdom Plant a true Affection for the Welfare of true Piety and these Kingdoms in all the Nobility Judges and Inferior Magistrates that Righteousness may run down like a mighty Stream and there may be no Complaints of Oppression in our Streets 6. Showr down a very liberal Portion of thy Spirit on all that are separated to wait at thine Altar give them all a commanding Sense of their own Insufficiency of themselves and Sufficiency in and by Christ to turn many to Righteousness of the great Dignity of their Office of the infinite Value of Souls and that Blood which was shed for them and of the Greatness of their Trust and of that Account which at the last Day will be exacted from them Enflame them with a genuine Zeal from above for thy Glory that their Loins may be always girt for every good Enterprize which may promote the Plantation of New Colonies of Souls in Heaven Adorn them with Meekness and Prudence Circumspection and Humility that they may be burning and shining Lights in this perverse Generation that so they may recover the drooping Credit of their Sacred Function and manifest it to be no less Honourable in the sight of God
and Angels than 't is slighted by Men of scornful and licentious Minds and Manners Sublimate their Minds with a noble Degree of Sincerity that they may divide the Word without deceit and without reserve Set their Faces like a Flint against the reigning Impudence of the Age and against the unjust Reproaches of unreasonable and disorderly Men and in what respect soever they may sometimes happen to be partly too Just may they thereby be provoked to an Holy Jealousie over themselves O fortifie them with the Courage of a Baptist that they may denounce the Terrors of the Lord against all Impiety without partiality or respect of Persons rebuking Vice boldly both in season and out of season with that spiritual Majesty and Authority and that degree of Faith and Faithfulness which becomes the Embassadors of Christ and the Stewards of the Mysteries of the Gospel O send skilful and laborious Husbandmen into thy Vineyard in the midst of our great distress Furnish all Bishops with a wise and discerning Spirit that they may lay hands suddenly on no Man but stock the Church with such Holy and Judicious such Active and Orthodox Priests as may honourably and manfully employ the Power of the Keys put to shame and silene all Gainsayers and win many Strangers nay even profest Enemies over to Christ that so having cultivated the Seeds of Heaven in themselves and others they may stand with great Joy before Christ's Tribunal and save both their own and the Souls of them who are committed to their Care Lord of thy abundant and unbounded Goodness do thou hasten this Enlargement of thy true Invisible Church O how long how long O our God shall it be before the great Affairs of Eternity prosper in their hands 7. Do thou so prosper the Education of our Youth in our Universities and other Seminaries of Learning that the Publick Spiritedness Profound Learning and Generous Piety of our Posterity may shame the Selfishness conceited Ignorance and Degeneracy of this present Generation 8. Give to Children Servants and all Inferiors Docility and Submission and to all Parents Masters and Benefactors the Gift of wise Inspection and Conduct that their Management of those that are under them may not fail of thy Blessing and the making them prove Blessings to themselves and the whole Community in their several Stations Vocations and Relations 9. Reward all that have done me good with the Rewards of the better sort Pardon and pacifie all that have wrong'd or slander'd me Blast all malicious Intrigues and breathe kindly on all laudable Endeavours 10. Sanctifie all Afflictions to all afflicted Persons and as soon as the ends of thy Fatherly Goodness have been answer'd do thou speedily deliver them 11. Finally I laud and magnifie thy Holy Name in the behalf of my Country for all thy Mercies conferr'd on me in my National Capacity 12. Lord pardon my manifold Infirmities and accept of this poor Tribute of Worship in the Mighty Name of Christ and concluded with that compleat Form of Prayer which he himself hath taught us Our Father c. Evening Offices OF Daily Repentance CLASS I. A PRAYER Proper to be us'd before the Evening Office of Self-Reflection 1. INcomprehensible Soveraign of the World thou art encircled with Light with thee there can be no Darkness for the Dahkness and Light to thee are both alike The highest Heights and the deepest Depths even Angels and Devils Heaven and Hell are naked before thee How much more then the Hearts of the Children of Men. 2. The Great and Good God print a firm and lively Sense of this All-searchingness of his Nature on my Mind that by being always mindful of the piercing Consciousness of him with whom I have to do I may always act and speak and intend as in the Presence of the Highest and by a profound Reverence of thy unspotted Purity and unlimitted Presence I may be excited to make it the great Business of my Life to cleanse my self daily more and more from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 3. Particularly I intreat God at this time to enlarge my Conscience with the Presence of that Spirit which searcheth the very Depths of God that I may dexterously apply the Maxims of my Blessed Lord to the state of my Soul and pass an impartial Sentence upon my Behaviour this day O place me in a clear Light to my self O enable me to re-call to my Memory all the Actions Words and Thoughts that not the least Rebellion may be overlook'd I know O Lord to what a gracious and wonderful Being I offer this Request all Natures lie dissected in thy infinite Mind how therefore should any Crevise of my Soul be hid from thee Vniversal Knowledge is the Lord's and to Him alone it does belong Such Knowledge is too wonderful for Man What Creature is there that can attain unto it The Knowledge of my self Lord is the subject oâ— my Petition a Knowledge which is most necessary for and which with thy Blessing is attainable by me O Witness of all my Ways thy Wisdom can impart to me this Gift thy Goodness will not suffer thee to let such an useful Pursuit go without a Blessing O therefore I beseech thee make the Method of my Pursuit acceptable in thy sight and so prosper it whatever things thou think'st fit to keep secret suffer not any wilful sin to lie hidden from me and if my present Recollection discovers any wilful Sin or Sins that has been hitherto undiscern'd by me do thou direct and enable me so to bewail and lament it or them and whatsoever new Guilt of this Day may be charg'd upon me by my Conscience as never to sink under the everlasting Terrour of the Flame or the Horrour of the Dark where there is endless Weeping and gnashing of Teeth O bow down thine Ear to this humble Desire even for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee Father and the Holy Ghost all Honour Praise and Glory as by Mights and Thrones Principalities and Dominions Angels and Archangels and all the Triumphant Host above so by me be ascrib'd for ever and ever Amen CLASS II. After the careful Application of that daily Method of Self-Examination prescrib'd in the Directory if your Conscience accuses you of any wilful Sin or Sins committed the Day past or brings to memory any Sin or Sins of a longer Date which you never solemnly unsinn'd by Repentance use this following Form THE First Evening Office OF Daily Repentance for Deliberate Sin 1. GReat and Terrible God! the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a Scepter of Equity for thou art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity with delight Thy Wrath is insupportable and tames the most Haughty of Apostate Spirits Who can withstand the Judgment who can grapple with the extream Justice of the Most High 2. And yet sottish and ungrateful Wretch that I am I have departed from my God and liv'd as tho' I could escape his eyes In spight of the
A Rational Method OF Daily RELIGION Consisting of Four New Offices of Ordinary Devotion AND A Practical Directory Concerning the Reasonableness and Vse of them By a Divine of the Church of England LONDON Printed for Percivall Gilbourne at the George in Chancery-Lane near Fleet-street 1697. TO THE READER CHRISTIAN READER THE DIRECTORY discharging the part both of Preface and Commentary the only favour I have now to desire of thee is to peruse the whole or none at all since both parts of the Book have a necessary dependance one upon the other I have ventured to publish this small part of the whole Work if I do not flatter my self foâ— swaying Reasons by it self foâ— a Trial of the World's receptioâ— of the Design and sooner than â— once intended in obedience to â— particular Motion of Divine Providence Whilst I was composing it my great Master's Honour was alâ— along in my Eye and it has been and still is my own earnest Request to God that his Spiriâ— might breath kindly on my Attempt and I hope too it has been the Request of many others who if their visible Demeanour be the Transcript of their Hearts can't but reasonably be supposed to have Interest at the Court of Heaven Nevertheless I am no stranger to the Byass of the Age or the Magick of old plausible popular Titles and admired Names or the Moral Necessity of the co-operation of free Agents with even the immediate good Motions of God's Spirit before they can attain their End much more with external succours that are tendred by sinful Creatures in order to make God's Blessing on a work of this Nature truly compleat by its proving thoroughly effectual with those who use it And therefore though the honest measures I have taken in this Vndertaking encourages me to hope for success with Souls yet at the same time I have took care to be prepared aforehand for a defeat My best though weak endeavour is my part Success and Disappointment Honour and Dishonour are of God's disposal and either of them in this World should be chearfully submitted to by a Christian The truth of it is some Assaults must be expected from the Grand Adversary of Mankind whatever be the Event of this Assay But that God whom I serve and trust in is both mighty and good and will not suffer a poor Christian that flies to him for Succour to be the Caitiff either of Vanity or Despondence or his good intention to miss of its Aim with respect to himself if he does not neglect other Branches of Duty and Perseveres in a Course of entire Fidelity to Christ unto the End remembring that the proper Rewards of a Christian are not those of this State but such as will abundantly recompence the chearfull patience of a short Life If in some places the stubbornness of the Subject or haste in the Composure of the expressive parts of the Directory for to deal justly by the matter that has been well studied has occasioned me to be tedious and rough in my Sentences I now desire thee to take first a rough View of the whole Chapter you are reading and always not to read the Parentheses if they be so noted by these Marks till you have read to a full Period By this means upon a second reading over the Chapter the most illiterate Reader may understand it and so digest it the better so also if a hard word occur that 's taken out of another Language because more expressive than any in ours the Connection if a Man be attent will explain it The parts unfinished are I. Large penitential Offices of solemn Repentance framed according to St. Paul's Apostolical Model of the several Gradations of Repentance II. Large Prose Eucharistical Offices in Honour to the several Attributes of God and for the most signal Works and Providences of God with others suited to the most remarkable Feasts of the Church III. Variety of occasional Offices for Sabbaths New-Tears-Birth-Baptism-Ordination-Wedding Anniversary Fast-Days and Days of Mourning for the Dead with Prayers proper to be used at Visitations of the Sick and the like with an ejaculatory Office IV. A large gratulatory Office with Triumphs of Faith Hope and Charity by way of Anticipation of the Beatifick Vision and Everlasting Jubilee as also large intercessive Offices adapted to most possible Relations and Stations of a Christian in this Life V. A large Deetical Office of Vigilance Deprecations and Petitions for Graces VI. A large Office of Abstraction adapted to the different and inmost Self-Consciousnesses of Men in this State with Glances on Death the separate State the future Judgment and the two Eternal States VII An Office of Sacramental Devotions os which there has been great Numbers and such as under the Titles of Weekly and Monthly and such like stinted formal Preparations have betrayed many to a profanation of it and filled the Age with unworthy confused Notions of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper VIII Large Offices of sociaâ— Devotion fitted for occasion of two or more Persons conjoynâ— Exercise of social Repentance for sins committed together as also for the Exercise of social Gratitude for the same Mercy as also for Families Religious Societies or Fraternities and the like To each of which are to be added suitable Directories by way of Appendix with suitable Discourses as shall be found most proper prefixed before each concerning solemn Repentance solitary or social Birth Regeneration Solitude Divine Gratitude Gratulation Fraternal Confession Heaven the separate State Vows Scope Contingencies God Angels Heaven Devils Eternity Hell Self-Penetration Charity Poverty of Spirit Family-Religion Hope Religious Societies Heavenly Aspiration and the like Which will be done if God permit the furtherance of thy Prayers is humbly desired Reader Farewel THE Morning Office OF GRATITUDE CLASS I. Expressions of Holy Dread and Filial Confidence intermix'd GReat and Glorious Sovereign of Heaven and Earth with the Gratitude of a Creature and the Shame of a Sinner I own thy Works to be full of Wonder and Love tho' my ways have been ful of Vanity and Perversness 2. But tho' I cannot offer the Tribute of a Cherub nor pay the Gratitude of Paradise to my great Creator yet since so vast is thy Mercy that thou senâ—est thy Son to take holâ— of fall'n Man and in his Name Creatures uncreatur'd by Apostacy may find access to the Throne of Grace and tremendous Brightnessâ— and fo5 seeking be recreatur'd by his Grace and Spirit Be not O Lord I beseech thee incens'd if sinful Dust and Ashes dare in the Name of the Mighty Jesus to bow before 〈◊〉 most High God 3. 〈…〉 nd Judge of An 〈…〉 d I blush to present the Homage of a Worm much more the Praise of a Rebel But tho' I blush to present it yet I dare not withhold it I am drawn to thee by the irresistible violence of that Love and that Blood which has pav'd a new and living way to God for all who