the evening of thy life but then it concerns thee to be active and industrious in the service of thy Lord having been all the day of thy former life idle and negligent therein And as at other times then so neglect not to offer up thine evening Sacrifice unto God for I. 'T was in the evening of Time the blessed Son of God came down from Heaven for the Redemption of the world If then Christ be a new formed in thee now and every evening bless God for thy Renovation and with all joyful exultation say with the blessed mother of our Lord St. LUKE I. Verses 46. MY Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour 'T is the greatest joy of the devout Soul to praise the Lord my Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness when my mouth praiseth Thee with joyful lips Psal 63 6. 47. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his hand-maiden 'T was a great respect our Lord had to the humble and gracious disposition of this blessed Virgin to humble himself to be made man in her sanctified Womb. 48. For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed Since all the nations of the earth are blessed by the holy Seed of her immaculate body 49. For he that is mighty hath magnified me and holy is his Name God's Almightiness is most manifested by his mercifulness and in respect of both his name is great wonderful and holy 50. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him Act. 10.35 51. He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts By the arm of the Lord is meant the Son of God Isa 53.1 the strength of whose wisdom appeared in confounding the fond imaginations of the proud Pharisees and all such as justifie themselves 52. He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meek And in casting out the Prince of this world Joh. 12.31 and all the spirits of pride and vengeance and in raising up faln man from under the power and tyranny of the Devil and his Angels 53. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away Such as hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be satisfied but they who are pure in their own eyes and justifie themselves are rejected for he came not to call the righteous in their own conceit but sinners to Repentance Mat. 9.13 54. He remembring his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel as he promised to our forefather Abraham and his seed for ever To all the spiritual Sors of the faithful Abraham do the promises of God in Christ appertain Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Blessed Jesus the eternal and only begotten Son of God who for us men and for our Salvation came down from Heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and made man By the merits and mysteries of thy holy Incarnation and miraculous Birth of a spotless Virgin I humbly beg a lowly humble pure and virginheart for 't is only such a heart thou regardest for thy habitation and abode and 't is only such a heart cleaves stedfastly unto thee by the ardent love awful fear and sincere service of thy Sacred Majesty who livest and reignest with the Father c. The XCVIII Psalm PARAPHRASED Being A Thanksgiving for the Redemption of the World by the Son of God verse 1 O Sing unto the Lord a new Song Praise him for the renovation and redemption of the world wherein he hath done marvellous things even such as the Angels of heaven desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 verse 2 With his own right hand by his works of righteousness and with his holy arm the extent of his Piety He hath gotten himself the victory over the world the flesh and the Devil sin death and hell verse 3 The Lord declared his Salvation which under the Law was shadowed in types and figures but now under the Gospel his righteousness whereby he justifies and saves He hath openly shewed in the sight of the heathen not to the Jews only but to the Gentiles also verse 4 He hath remembred his mercy in the promise of Salvation and his truth in the performance of this promise towards the house of Israel to them was the promise of the Messias but upon his appearance all the ends of the world have seen the Salvation of our God And therefore verse 5 Shew your selves joyful unto the Lord all ye lands fince all have seen his Salvation 't is very meet and just and our bounden duty that all should sing rejoyce and give thanks for Salvation from eternal death to life everlasting is the greatest cause of joy and thanksgiving verse 6 Praise the Lord upon the harp which mystically represents the heart of man sing to the harp open your lips to shew forth his praise with a Psalm of Thanksgiving as wherein the praises of God are divinely celebrated verse 7 With Trumpets also and Shawms all kind of musical instruments to elevate the heart to shew your selves joyful before the Lord the King who is best pleased with joy exultation and delight in his service verse 8 Let the Sea make a noise and all that therein is even all the inhabitants of the Isles of the Sea the round world and they that dwell therein they that dwell in the Continent also verse 9 Let the floods clap their hands and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord both they that dwell in the low valleys and they that inhabit the hilly countreys have equal cause of joy and thanksgiving unto the Lord of all men and all places for he is come to judge the earth to separate the precious from the vile the elect from the reprobate which is done in this life by the preaching of the Gospel in truth and purity and exercising the power of the keys for thus verse 10 With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity absolving from their sins the penitent and contrite but binding upon their souls the sins of the obdurate Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. 'T is thy duty O my Soul as to praise God for the Redemption of the world so to pray unto him that he would have mercy upon all men and display the sacred beams of his holy Gospel over all the Nations of the earth that they may come to the knowledge of Grace and Salvation through Jesus Christ Pray we therefore for all men and with all Christian people in the words of Gods holy Spirit PSALM LXVII verse 1 GOD be merciful unto us and bless us and shew us the light of his Countenance and be merciful unto us verse 2 That thy
dayes are but as a span short and uncertain I humbly beseech thee O Lord to wean my heart from the disquietude of worldly cares and that I may be fruitful in all the good works of obedience and charity to repair the breaches of thy blessed image which mine offences have made before my departure hence that so recovering the spiritual health and strength of my Soul I may dye in thy Grace and favour through Jesus Christ The XC Psalm Verses 1. LOrd thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another Holy men have in all ages of the world applied themselves unto the Lord for succor support and protection in all conditions 2. Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made thou art God from everlasting and world without end Who being eternal is also immutable in his mercy goodness power and providence over all 3. Thou turnest man to destruction again thou sayst Come again ye children of men Dispensing both health and sickness prosperity and adversity life and death to the sons of men according to his all just all merciful all wise good pleasure 4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday seeing that is past as a watch in the night The longest course of mans life in respect of Gods eternal praevision is but as a day that is already past or as one of the night-watches which is both swift and short and also dark and gloomy through frequent cross and adverse occurrents 5. As soon as thou scatterest them they are even asleep and fade away suddenly as the grass As sleep is the image of death so the life of man is but the image or shadow of life for as a shadow it fleeth the pursuer and fadeth as the grass 6. In the morning it is green and groweth up in the evening it is cut down dried up and withered Which the same day beholds both growing and cut down flourishing and withered 7. For we consume away in thy displeasure and are afraid at thy wrathful indignation This frailty of humane life is the punishment of sin which incurs most justly God's indignation and wrath 8. Thou hast set our mis-deeds before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun both seeing and recording the most secret of our sinful waies 9. For when thou art angry all our days are gone we bring our years to an end as it were a tale that is told 'T is through Gods just anger for our sins that our dayes are shortned and our years are spent in vanity and trouble 10. The dayes of our age are threescore years and ten and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow so soon passeth it away and we are gone The miseries of mans life are not so great through the shortness thereof as that his sorrows and troubles are increased with his daies 11. But who regardeth the power of thy wrath for even thereafter as a man feareth so is thy displeasure Gods displeasure for our sins is either more or less according as we do less or more stand in awe thereof 12. So teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom True wisdom is attained by the serious contemplation of the frailty of life and certainty of death 13. Turn thee again O Lord at the last and be gracious unto thy servants Intermixing with our meditations devout Prayers for the propitious grace and favour of God 14. O satisfie us with thy mercy and that soon so shall we rejoyce and be glad all the daies of our life Which alone can satisfie the desires of the immortal soul and throughly rejoyce the same 15. Comfort us again now after the time thou hast plagued us and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity We may reasonably alledge our sufferings though for our sins as motives to implore the consolations of Gods Spirit 16. Shew thy servants thy work and their children thy glory Gods proper work is mercy and 't is his glory to be gracious for the which the righteous do pray both for themselves and their children 17. And the glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us prosper thou the work of our hands upon us prosper thou our handy work God's glorious Majesty appears by the gracious influences of his holy Spirit whereby we work the works of God to his glory and our own eternal happiness Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer ALmighty God the fountain of all Wisdom grant me so wisely to number and compare the short and sorrowful daies of this mortal life with that joyful and never ending day of a blessed eternity that despising the vanities of the one I may zealously aspire to the happiness of the other O satisfie the panting desires of my Soul with the sense of thy mercy in the pardon of my sins and let the glory of thy grace appear in prospering me to perform all those good works of Faith and Obedience which conduce to my eternal Salvation through Jesus Christ THE Second general Meditation Upon JUDGMENT And first the PARTICULAR JUDGMENT IT is appointed unto man once to dye and after that the Judgment Heb. 9.27 no sooner shall this house of flesh wherein the immortal Soul doth now inhabit be shattered in pieces by the hand of death but in the same moment the departing Soul shall be conveyed by the Angels of God before his Judgment-seat and this is call'd The particular Judgment that shall pass upon every person in particular immediately upon his death Eccl. 12.7 when the dust shall return to the earth as it was then shall the Spirit return unto God that gave it 14. To give an account of the works done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil That grand enemy of man Ille enim tunc saeviens capit quos nunc blandiens decipit Greg. the Devil awaits thy Souls departure hence to dog thee to the great Tribunal of Heaven In this life he fawns to seduce but in the other he will roar to devour as a Lyon over his prey to this end he will vehemently accuse thee aggravating all thy miscarriages through his suggestions committed and claiming thee as one of the subjects of his kingdom of darkness saying to the great Judg of all as several Fathers observe This person thou Judge of the world Euseb Emiss Hom. Aug. orat cont Judaeos Bag. though he be thine by Creation yet he is mine by Depravation He is thine by nature but mine by sin for he has obeyed my suggestions and disobeyed thy laws and therefore though he belong to thee by right yet he is faln to me by default he is thine in respect of his workmanship but mine by the rebellion of
call upon thee even to all that call upon thee faithfully depending upon thee alone for help and safety verse 6 Give ear Lord to my prayer not slightly hearing the sound of my words but ponder the voice of my humble desires the intense desires of my humbled soul I humbly desire to be considered verse 7 In the time of my trouble and that 's the whole time of my pilgrimage here upon earth I will call upon thee for protection and deliverance whereof I will never despair for thou hearest me if my prayer be pure and humble and therefore will I call upon thee as long as I live verse 8 Among the gods that be either falsly so called or be so called by participation of divine power as the Angels in Heaven and Kings of the earth there is none like unto thee O Lord either for power or wisdom there is none that can do as thou dost thy works do far exceed the power of any created beings to do the like and therefore in fulness of time verse 9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall no longer make gods unto themselves but shall come and worship thee O Lord the maker of all men and of all things and being admitted members of thy holy Catholick Church shall glorifie thy Name both with heart and voice and by the good works of their obedience to the Gospel of Christ verse 10 For thou art great which all thy works declare and dost wondrous things not to be apprehended but admired and 't is therefore in all the parts of the world confessed that thou art God alone all others being either falsly or feignedly called gods And that I may accordingly worship thee aright verse 11 Teach me thy way O Lord that I neither mistake the right way nor stumble and fall therein but stedfastly and constantly walk in thy truth and this way and this truth is my blessed Redeemer who by his doctrine and example doings and sufferings life and death is the way that leads to life eternal O knit my heart unto thee by the indissoluble bonds of a true Faith firm Hope fervent Charity that I may fear thy name so as that I neither dare to sin against thee nor too much presume upon thy favour and grace verse 12 I will thank thee O Lord my God as from whom both my whole self and all the little good that is mine does proceed with all my heart as being hereunto excited by the fear and love of thy Name and I will praise thy name for evermore And there is very great reason I should do so verse 13 For great is thy mercy toward me not only manifested in all the good things I do enjoy but in my deliverance from manifold evils and especially from the greatest of evils for thou hast delivered my soul from the nethermost hell in the broad way that leads thereunto I have a long time walked and 't is of thy great mercy that I have not long since been hurled headlong to that dismal place of torments And still I have great cause to complain verse 14 O God the proud are risen against me proud Lucifer and his infernal fiends and the congregation of naughty men have sought after my soul the wicked of the world conspire with the Devil and his Angels by their sinful suggestions to subvert the innocence of my soul to have her portion with them in the nethermost hell verse 15 But thou O Lord art full of compassion especially to all them who chuse rather to suffer than to do what is offensive to thy Majesty and mercy in pardoning the offences of the truly penitent long-suffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance plenteous in goodness abounding in thy blessings and truth both in performing thy promises of mercy to the penitent and in rendring to every man according to his works verse 16 O turn thee then unto me who by my sins have justly provoked thee to turn away thy face from me and have mercy upon me a miserable sinner and that I may no more offend thee give thy strength unto thy servant even ghostly strength and fortitude manfully to resist the Devil and all his numerous troops of sensual and worldly lusts in all whose assaults vouchsafe to help the son of thine handmaid that I may overcome all their temptations unto evil and carefully keep my vow and promise made when I was first admitted to be a Son of thy handmaid the Church verse 17 Shew some token upon me for good let some sign of thy favour towards me appear that they who hate me my ghostly enemies may see it and be ashamed when they shall behold all their conspiracies and assaults against my soul defeated by the assistance of thy divine grace because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me thy help to overcome when I am tempted unto sin is a great comfort to my soul for I have hereupon a good ground of hope that thou wilt deliver my soul from the nethermost hell and that being raised up from the gates of death I may shew all thy praises within the ports of the daughter of Sion saying Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The LXXXVIII Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 O Lord God of my salvation my corporal and spiritual temporal and eternal Salvation is from thee and therefore I have cryed day and night at all times and seasons and in all conditions prosperous and adverse before thee as unto whom alone the inmost intimate desires of my soul are naked and open O let my prayer enter into thy presence be received and accepted by thee incline thine ear unto my calling so graciously hear as to grant my humble requests verse 2 My soul is full of trouble which being the consequent of sin is the forerunner of death and my life draweth nigh unto hell which openeth wide her mouth to swallow down such polluted Souls verse 3 I am counted as one of them that go down to the pit lookt upon as a dead man and a cast-away and I have been even as a man that hath no strength which is derived from the Lord of life to escape the snares and terrors of death verse 4 Free among the dead not likely to be freed from my troubles but by death which puts an end to all the miseries of this sinful life like unto them that are wounded by the fiery darts of the devil and lye in the grave of corrupt conversation which leads to the grave of death the wages of sin and whosoever thus lye there are out of remembrance both forgotten by the righteous and also are cut away from thy hand repulst from amongst those blessed sheep which shall be rankt on thy right hand in the day of Judgment verse 5 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit I confess I have so far incur'd thy wrathful displeasure as to be laid in the nethermost hell
THE THIRD PART OF THE PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN Consisting of Meditations and Psalms illustrated with Notes or Paraphrased relating to the Hours of Prayer the ordinary Actions of Day and Night and several Dispositions of Men. By R. SHERLOCK D. D. Rector of Winwick Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous Judgments Psal 119.164 LONDON Printed by R. Flesher for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty at the Angel in Amen-corner MDCLXXV THE PREFACE OF Continuing in Prayer and frequent Meditation and the Design of this Second Part. THAT holy Catholick Church which is one of the XII Articles of the holy Christian Faith is partly Triumphant in Heaven and partly Militant on Earth both make but one Spouse of Christ and therefore the true Members of both are alike minded and alike employed in reference to the worship of the common Lord of both They who are true Members of Christs Church below are conform to the glorious Saints in Heaven above a Exod. 25.40 Act. 7.44 Heb. 6.11 They do the will of God on earth as 't is done in heaven b Mat. 6.11 and that 's undoubtedly the way to Heaven we cannot possibly lose our way thither whilst we follow their steps who are thither gone before us Those Triumphant Saints in Heaven rest not day nor night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty c Isa 6.3 Rev. 4.8 Whereunto conforms the man after God's own heart saying O Lord God of my Salvation I have cryed day and night before thee d Ps 88.1 Our Lord commends it as a Duty incumbent that men ought always to pray e Luk. 18.1 And by his Apostle commands it positively Pray without ceasing f 1 Thesl 5.13 Giving thanks always g Eph. 5.20 Praying alway with all Prayer and Supplication h Eph. 6.18 But these Examples and Commands are not so to be understood as if we should do nothing else but pray S. Aug. l. de haer Theod. Eccles hist l. 4. c. 10. which was an old Heresie of the Messalians and Euchites long since condemned by the Church of Christ as being a thing impossible to pray without ceasing in the bare literal sense because this corruptible body presseth down the Soul and corporal necessities do call for supply Neither yet That we should make long Prayers which is the new Error and great mistake of these Times The which though generally the most used and best liked as being set off with the paint of seeming zeal and pretense of the Spirit yet the unlawfulness of such long Prayers will appear if we will without prejudice and partiality consider that 1. They are forbidden by our Lord saying When you pray use not vain repetitions Matth. 6.7 in which words our Lord means not the same Prayers repeated as is falsly objected against the Prayers of the Church for thus our Lord prayed himself Matth. 26.39 44. Where his Prayer was short and three times repeated And therefore undoubtedly by vain repetitions in Praying is understood multitude of words and variety of expressions to the same purpose or rather to no purpose since our desires both may and ought to be expressed in few words and pertinent according to the Pattern our Lord hath given us And that 't is the meaning of our Lord when he saith After this manner pray ye that our Prayers should be generally formed to the length of his Prayer prescribed will appear 1. From the Context if seriously weighed and rightly understood wherein is manifest that the manner of Praying by such a short Form is commanded in opposition to the heathenish use of much speaking in Prayer 2. From the parallel Text in the Margin Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few 3. From the Prayers of Christs Church which are in all Liturgies of the Christian World for the most part of the same length and surely the general practice of the Church is the best interpreter of holy Scripture 4. Such are generally also all the Prayers of the holy Spirit of God which stand upon record in holy Writ viz. the Book of Psalms with many more we meet with none that are of such a continued length as are in use amongst us but they are all divided by distinct Verses into so many several shorter Prayers Long Prayers are forbidden by our Lord because such is the custom of the Heathen Matt. 6.7 as the Heathen do who mind more the Oratory and Language Tone and Pronunciation than the Humility and Devotion of the Soul in Prayer and 't is much misbecoming Christians to worship the true God as the Heathen do their false and feigned Deities And Because they imply a false Notion of the Majesty of Heaven and a misbelief of his divine perfections as if he were asleep and must be awakened or did not understand our wants and desires or being otherwise imployed he could not intend our petitions except in multitude of words exprest and loud talking for audience So prayed the Priests of Baal 1 King 18.27 and so saith our Lord of all Heathen people That they think they shall be heard for their much speaking which is directly contrary to the true Faith of a Christian who believeth and acknowledgeth the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God as it follows in the 8. vers Your heavenly Father knoweth what things you stand in need of before you ask which divine Truth is implicitly denied by loud and long Prayers Long Prayers are not only forbidden by our Lord Matt. 6.5 cap. 23.14 Mark 12.40 Luk 20.47 Joh. 12.43 as the custom of the Heathen but also frequently reproved by him as the practice of Hypocrites who love to stand praying in the Synagogues and in the corners of the Streets that they may be seen of men that they may be taken notice of for godly men desiring rather to seem than really to be religious loving the praise of men more than the praise of God To pray continually then is neither to be understood of doing nothing else but pray nor yet of using long Prayers the one being prohibited by our Lord and the other condemned by his Church but in this and the like expressions is commanded The intense Devotion of the Soul in prayer So our Lord expounds his own Cammand that men ought always to pray viz. that they faint not a Luk. 18.1 to wit for want of that holy fervour and devout Zeal which is the Life and Soul of an effectual Prayer and this same celestial fire of holy zeal in Prayer spends not it self in multitude of words and much babling of the lips but is expressed in sighs and groans which cannot be uttered b Rom. 8.26 which are tru◠〈◊〉 breathings of the holy Spirit of God in Prayer who dwells not upon the Tongue but in the
may be inflamed with love and obedience 2. Give me Vnderstanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I will keep it with my whole heart The Understanding must first be enlightned that the Affections of the Heart may be inflamed with love and obedience 3. Make me to go in the paths of thy Commandments for therein is my delight And because all holy desires are not but by the influences of God's holy Spirit therefore it follows Incline my heart 4. Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not unto covetousness God is to be obeyed not for any earthly ends and therefore a sincere obedience is inconsistent with covetousness 5. O turn away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in thy way The way of the world is vain and unsatisfying and Christ the Way the Truth and the Life 6. O stablish thy Word in thy servant that I may fear thee God's Word must not be slightly heard but deeply settled in the heart to beget therein the true fear of God 7. Take away the rebuke I am afraid of for thy judgments are good We would fear reproach for our sins did we seriously consider the righteousness of God's Judgments 8. Behold my delight is in thy Commandments O quicken me in thy righteousness The more active we be in all holy obedience the greater delight shall we find therein Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer 'T Is the desire of my Soul O Lord to know and obey thy Commands as being the way of true delight and give me a right understanding thereof with a firm adhesion and obedience thereunto Mortifie the exorbitant lusts of mine eyes and of mine heart whose issue is shame and reproach Ecclus. 23.1 5. Leave me not to their counsels and let me not fall by them but turn away from me vain hopes and concupiscence and thou shalt hold him up who is desirous always to serve thee through Jesus Christ The Sixth Part. Verses 1. Let thy loving mercy come also unto me O Lord even thy Salvation according to thy Word In the Word of God mercy and salvation is promised to his people 2. So shall I make answer to my blasphemers for my trust is in thy Word The manifestation whereof shall stop the mouths of all evil speakers 3. O take not the word of thy Truth utterly out of my mouth for my hope is in thy judgments He that hopes for Mercy in the day of Judgment must now profess the truth in the day of Trial and Temptation 4. So shall I alway keep thy Law yea for ever and ever Charity which is the end or Love which is the fulfilling of the Law continues for ever 5. And I will walk at liberty for I seek thy Commandments The love of God diffused in the heart doth enlarge our steps in the wayes of obedience to his Laws 6. I will speak of thy Testimonies even before Kings and will not be ashamed And animate us undauntedly to profess the Truth before the greatest Powers upon earth 7. And my delight shall be in thy Commandments which I have loved These are inseparably urited the Love of God and the Love of whatever he Commands 8. My hands also will I lift up to thy Commandments which I have loved and my study shall be in thy Statutes The love of the heart sets the hands on work and both in holy Actions and divine Contemplations is the pious Soul delighted The Prayer GReat is thy mercy O Lord in promising and great is thy Righteousness in performing the promise of Salvation to all them that trust in Thee let this thy Mercy and Truth appear in my Salvation Set my heart at liberty from all extravagant lusts which tyrannize there and grant that thy Laws may be so much my delight that I fear not to profess the same even before Kings when called thereunto Let thy holy Will revealed be my dayly study and my hands lift up carefully to perform the same all the days of my life through Jesus Christ The Seventh Part. Verses 1. O think upon thy servant as concerning thy Word wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust A holy confidence in the promises of God is a good ground of Prayer to be made partakers thereof 2. The same is my comfort in my trouble for thy Word hath quickned me and of consolation in the greatest extremities 3. The proud have had me exceedingly in derision yet have I not shrinked from thy Law And of perseverance in spite of all the scoffs and contradictions of Sinners 4. For I remembred thy everlasting judgments O Lord and received comfort To remember the joyes of Eternity supports the pious soul in the greatest of temporal afflictions 5. I am horriby afraid for the ungodly that forsake thy Laws The impiety of others doth more terrifie a godly person than his own sufferings by their injustice 6. Thy Statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage The equity of the divine precepts is the most proper subject of melodious poely upon earth 7. I have thought upon thy Name O Lord in the night season and have kept thy Laws Night meditations do much conduce to the right ordering all the actions of the day 8. This I had because I kept thy Commandments Obedience is rewarded with Grace for Grace Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Think upon thy servant in great mercy O Lord and let no external troubles no reproaches of the proud and scornful withdraw my heart from that love and obedience which I owe unto thee But let thy Grace so prevent me in all my doings that I fail not of thy following Grace to continue thy faithful servant and souldier to my lifes end through Jesus Christ The Eighth Part. Verses 1. Thou art my portion O Lord I have promised to keep thy Law The Covenant betwixt God and his people is reciprocal God promiseth to be their exceeding great reward and they promise to keep his Commandments 2. I made my humble petition in thy presence with my whole heart O be thou merciful unto me according to thy Word And that this Covenant may stand firm we must heartily implore both the assistance of divine Grace to keep our promises unto God and his mercy to perform his promises unto us 3. I called mine own ways to remembrance and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies The iniquity of our own ways must be frequently remembred that we may walk in the ways of God 4. I made haste and prolonged not the time to keep thy Statutes He that hath any care of his soul will not put off his conversion from the errors of his ways and the practice of new obedience 5. The Congregation of the proud have robbed me but I have not forgetten thy Law The heart of the faithful continues firm in holy affections even when through violence of
are wonderful therefore doth my Soul keep them The wonderful depth of Wisdom admirable equity and purity of the divine revelations engage all men to observe them 2. When thy word goeth forth it giveth light and understanding to the simple The word of God explained dispels the darkness of ignorance error and sinfulness 3. I opened my mouth and drew in my breath for my delight was in thy Commandments The revelation of divine Truths are the longing and delight of the righteous for the which they pour forth their souls in ardent prayers 4. O look thou upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name And such persons may with a holy confidence beg and also reasonably hope for the mercy and propitious favour of God 5. Order my steps in thy Word and so shall no wickedness have dominion over me Temptations to evil shall not prevail where the steps or affections of the soul are regulated by the laws of God 6. O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men and so shall I keep thy Commandments The injuries of men must not cause us to disobey the Laws of God 7. Shew the light of thy Countenance upon thy servant and teach me thy Statutes 'T is the light of divine grace that teacheth both the knowledge and obedience of Gods holy Will and Commandments 8. Mine eyes gush out with water because men keep not thy Law Not only our own sins but the transgressions of others also are to be lamented Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer LOok upon me O Lord with the eyes of Grace and Mercy and not in the rigor of justice Let not the wrongful dealings of others or any wickedness of mine own get so much dominion over me as that I swerve from those steps which Thou hast commanded me to observe and follow from the which I cannot fall whilest the light of thy Countenance shines upon me and that mercy is extended unto me which thou shewest unto them that love thy Name through Jesus Christ The Eighteenth Part. Verses 1. Righteous art thou O Lord and true is thy Judgment 2. The Testimonies that thou hast commanded are exceeding righteous and true God's Commandments are called his Judgments because they are the Rule by which he will pass judgment upon all And he is most just both in his Laws and in his judgments according thereunto 3. My zeal hath even consumed me because mine enemies have forgotten thy Words Great therefore is the zeal of the righteous against all transgressors of such just and holy Laws whom he esteems his enemies because the enemies of truth and justice 4. Thy Word is tried to the uttermost and thy servant loveth it But his heart is inflamed with the love of God's Word the truth and equity whereof hath appeared upon trial at all times 5. I am small and of no reputation yet do I not forget thy Commandments The most strictly conscientious persons do in all Humility acknowledge themselves to be the meanest of his servants 6. Thy Righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and thy Law is the Truth Obedience to the Law of God is truth everlasting or the true way to everlasting blessedness 7. Trouble and heaviness have taken hold upon me yet is my delight in thy Commandments No troubles whether outward or inward can rob the righteous of that delight which is the issue of their obedience 8. The righteousness of thy Testimonies is everlasting O grant me understanding and I shall live The practical understanding of those holy truths God hath testified or revealed is that righteousness which is immortal Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer MOst Righteous Lord God give me a right Understanding of thy revealed Will as the path that leads to everlasting Righteousness inflame my soul with an ardent love and delight in thy Laws and with a discreet zeal against all the transgressors thereof let a very humble and mean esteem of my self be the foundation of all my righteousness lest it evaporate into vain-glory and lose its reward which thou hast promised through Jesus Christ The Nineteenth Part. Verses 1. I call with my whole heart Hear me O Lord I will keep thy Statutes So prayeth the devout Soul for Grace and obedience not only with the lips but with the whole heart 2. Yea even upon Thee do I call help me and I will keep thy Commandments The discipline of the Law and the devout use of Prayer do support each other the Law commands the use of Prayer and Prayer obtaineth grace to keep the Law 3. Early in the Morning do I cry unto thee for in thy Word is my trust An holy confidence of Gods promises in his Word prefers the duty of Prayer before all other actions or concerns 4. Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I may be occupied in thy Words Holy Meditations and Prayers are both night and day early and late the employment of the Righteous 5. Hear my voice O Lord according to thy loving kindness quicken me according as thou art wont Whom God will vouchsafe to hear and quicken their zeal and holy endeavours whilst they beg it upon the account of God's loving kindness not for their demerits 6. They draw nigh that of malice persecute me and are far from thy Law Our ghostly enemies are ever at hand to disturb our holy resolutions and devotions in opposition to God's Commands 7. Be thou nigh at hand for all thy Commandments are true To disappoint their assaults God's assisting presence is to be implor'd who will not be wanting to his own Truth 8. As concerning thy Testimonies I have known long since that thou hast grounded them for ever The foundation of which Truth which is the Word of God is from everlasting and the true way to that blessedness that shall last for ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer NIght and day will I call upon Thee O Lord and that not from the rind of my lips only but from the root of my heart beseeching Thee to be ever nigh at hand to disappoint the subtle practices of the Devil and his Angels who are ever at hand to entrap me in the paths of thy most holy Laws which from everlasting do lead to life everlasting through Jesus Christ The Twentieth Part. Verses 1. O consider mine adversity and deliver me for I do not forget thy Law That we may be delivered from the temptations of our spiritual adversaries we must be mindful both of the precepts and promises of God's Word 2. Avenge thou my cause and deliver me quicken me according to thy Word According to these promises we must pray to have the cause of our contest with the Devil to be vindicated and our endeavours to resist him to be quickned 3. Health is far from the
ungodly for they regard not thy Statutes These endeavours for the health of the Soul are not regarded by such persons as have not God in their thoughts and desires 4. Great is thy mercy O Lord quicken me as thou art wont But the righteous are frequently sensible of God's mercy in quickning them unto their duty And 5. Many there are that trouble me and persecute me yet do I not swerve from thy Testimonies Even in the greatest and most troublesome temptations of their numerous adversaries continue firm and upright in their innocence and obedience 6. It grieveth me when I see the transgressors because they keep not thy Law And are grieved also to see others in the time of temptation to fall away 7. Consider O Lord how I love thy Commandments O quicken me according to thy loving kindness And this their love of obedience unto God moves him the more to quicke and increase their zeal therein 8. Thy Word is true from everlasting all the judgments of thy righteousness endure for evermore All the acts both of Gods mercy and judgment are according to the equitie of his precepts most righteous and immutable Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer COnsider O Lord how adverse to my holy resolves are the continual temptations of my ghostly enemies and withal remember the love I have to thy Law and zeal to thine Honour and deliver me from the one and quicken me in the other that I neither swerve from thy Testimonies or be dull and dead-hearted in my obedience thereunto Give me a heart to lament both my own and the transgressions of others that I may escape that bitter weeping and wailing of the nether hell from the which good Lord deliver me through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ The One and Twentieth Part. Verses 1. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word Stand in awe and sin not whatever persecutions may arise from any of the powers either of earth or hell 2. I am as glad of thy Word as one that findeth great spoyls The spoils of our ghostly enemies are taken through delight in God's Word 3. As for lies I hate and abhor them but thy Law do I love The love of the Truth and hatred of all falshood whether in opinion or conversation are the inseparable qualifications of a righteous Soul 4. Seven times a day do I praise Thee because of thy righteous judgment The righteousness of God's Laws and of all his judgments according thereunto excite the devout Soul to praise him continually 5. Great is the peace they have who love thy Law and they are not offended at it The fruit of Righteousness is Peace which cannot be disturbed by whatever may befal for Truth and Righteousness sake 6. Lord I have looked for thy saving health and done after thy Commandments He hopes for salvation in vain who lives not in obedience of Gods most holy Laws 7. My Soul hath kept thy Testimonies and loved them exceedingly 'T is zealous affections to do whatever God Commands which product a sincere and constant obedience thereunto 8. I have kept thy Commandments and thy Testimonies for all my ways are before Thee Both holy affections and holy actions do flow from the serious consideration of Gods omnipresence Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer MOst blessed Lord before whom are all the ways of men let this consideration make me sincere and upright both in all the affections of my heart and the actions of my life standing more in awe of sinning against Thee than to incur the greatest of troubles from all the Princes and Powers of darkness And grant unto thy servant that peace which is the fruit of righteousness even peace and saving health through Jesus Christ The Two and Twentieth Part. Verses 1. Let my complaint come before Thee O Lord give me understanding according to thy Word A right understanding of what God commands and promises in his Word is continually to be beg'd by Prayer 2. Let my supplication come before Thee deliver me according to thy Word As also to be delivered from all ignorance and error whether in opinion or conversation 3. My lips shall speak of thy praise when thou hast taught me thy Statutes As the praises of God do best become the obedient and wise so they misbeseem the lips of sinners 4. Yea my tongue shall sing of thy Word for all thy Commandments are righteous The equity of Gods Law is the exultation of all holy men and the constant burden of divine Songs 5. Let thine hand help me for I have chosen thy Commandments To obey God's Will by the assistance of his Grace is the choice of every wise man 6. I have longed for thy saving health O Lord and in thy Law is my delight He that loves his Souls health and longs for it will also love and delight in the Commandments of God as the way thereunto 7. O let my Soul live and it shall praise Thee and thy judgments shall help me God is praised by the life of grace and obedience and such shall be supported by his righteous judgments 8. I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost O seek thy servant for I do not forget thy Commandments Though the best men do sometimes err from the sacred paths of God's Commandments yet they are not withal unmindful of that obedience they owe thereunto The Prayer BLessed Jesu who camest into the world to seek and save that which was lost vouchsafe to seek and save me too often wandring like a lost sheep in the by and too much beaten paths of vanity and iniquity Bring me home into thy fold who art the great shepherd and Bishop of our Souls that being saved with the remnant of the true Israelites I may sing thy Praises with the celestial quire of holy Angels and Saints for ever saying Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. Our Father which art in heaven c. CHAP. V. Of Meditations for the Evening THe light of Nature dictates an Evening and a Morning Sacrifice due unto God not only Jews and Christians but Heathens and Turks all men of all perswasions observe it The holy Patriarch Isaac applied himself to holy Meditations in the Evening a Gen. 24.63 At this time prayed holy David also b Ps 55.18 141 2. And so did the Son of David our blessed Lord himself c Luk. 6.12 And he commands us to do so also both by precept d Mar. 13.35 and by that Parable of the labourers sent out into the vineyard by the Lord thereof as at other times so at the last hour of the day and these were as well paid as the former Despair not then O my Soul of the forgiveness of thy sin if thou dost truly repent though it be in
every good Christian be devoutly used say then with thy most ardent desires to extol the glory of God PSALM CXLV verse 1 I Will magnifie thee O God my King and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever verse 2 Every day will I give thanks unto thee and praise thy Name for ever and ever verse 3 Great is the Lord and marvellous worthy to be praised there is no end of his greatness verse 4 One generation shall praise thy works unto another and declare thy power verse 5 As for me I will be talking of thy worship thy Glory thy Praise and wondrous works verse 6 So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts and I will tell of thy greatness verse 7 The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed and men shall sing of thy righteousness verse 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful long-suffering and of great goodness verse 9 The Lord is loving unto every man and his mercy is over all his works verse 10 All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints give thanks unto thee verse 11 They shew the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power verse 12 That thy power thy glory and the mightiness of thy Kingdom might be known unto men verse 13 Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy Dominion endureth throughout all ages verse 14 The Lord upholdeth all such as fall and lifteth up all those that are down verse 15 The eyes of all wait upon thee O Lord and thou givest them their meat in due season verse 16 Thou openest thine hand and fillest all things living with plenteousness verse 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works verse 18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully verse 19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will help them verse 20 The Lord preserveth all them that love him but scattereth abroad all the ungodly verse 21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. An Evening Hymn NOw that the sable mantle of the night O're-spreads the earth and vailes the chearful light O Lord who art of light and life the spring Of Grace and Glory the eternal King Vpon thy servant cause thy face to shine And save me for thy mercies sake divine Forgive me what I have offended in This day by thought or word or deed of sin For my sweet Saviours sake propitious be To him who now pours forth his soul to thee All Glory be to thine eternal merit Most blessed Father Son and Holy Spirit Amen CHAP. VI. Of Bed-time Meditations I. I Am Alpha and Omega Rev. 1.8 Is 44.6 the Beginning and the End the First and the Last saith the Lord from the Lord I have my Beginning and he is the end of my Being 'T is therefore meet and just and thy bounden duty as to begin so to end the day with the service of thy God to make the outgoings of the Morning and of the Evening to praise him who hath made the Night and the Day The day is thine Ps 79.17 and the night is thine Thou hast prepared the light and the Sun Thou hast set all the borders of the earth Thou hast made the Summer 18. and the Winter II. 'T was at this hour my dear Redeemer was in a bitter Agony Luk. 22.44 Luk. 23.53 c. and sweat great drops of Blood under the pressure of the sins of men and out of a sad apprehension of his ensuing sufferings for the same 'T was at this hour also our Lord was laid in the Grave and lamented by the women that followed him to his Death Now then let tears distill from thine eyes in the devout remembrance of that precious Blood which flowed from thy Saviours veins Thy miscarriages and offences this very day of omission and commission of ignorance and knowingly of negligence and wilfully of thought and desire word and deed if they be not washed away in this Blood of thy Lord they will involve thee in blackness of darkness for ever and in the horrid sleep of death from whence there is no awaking O then cast them out of thy heart by a plenary particular Confession of all thy this dayes enormities wash away the filth and pollution of them with the tears of godly sorrow which being intermixt with Faith in the Blood of Christ makes an healing salve for thy sin-sick Soul O blessed Jesu Saviour of the world save me and deliver me from all mine offences nail them to thy Cross bury them in thy Grave let them never rise up in judgment against me to my condemnation at the last great day And O that now upon the Religious contemplation of my Saviours burial I could bid adieu to this wicked world and to all the pomps and vanities thereof that being delivered from the iniquities of this sinful life I may escape the bitter wailing and weeping of the wicked in the life to come PSALMS For the Compline or Bed-time The IV. Psalm Paraphrased verse 1 O God the donor preserver and rewarder of my righteousness thou hast set me at liberty from the bondage of sin and of Satan when I was in trouble through the tyranny they exercised over me have mercy upon me and hearken unto my prayer that I be no more involved in that sad condition which it highly concerns all men to avoid verse 2 O ye sons of men of the old Adam how long will ye blaspheme mine honour advancing the creature above your Creator and have such pleasure in vanity take such delight in what is empty vain and satisfies not and seek after leasing pursuing the lying vanities of this wicked world verse 3 Know this for your instruction that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is godly hath selected from among the children of men certain vessels of honour devoted to his service and were I so happy as to be one of these elect people of God holy and separate from the vanities of the world I could not doubt but when I call upon the Lord he will hear me verse 4 Stand in awe and sin not or fear the Lord and depart from evil and that you may do so Commune with your own heart examine what thoughts what desires do harbour in every corner of your heart in your Chamber and be still in the silence of the night recollect the actions of the day silently and closely that ye may do it exactly and having cleansed your hearts verse 5 Offer unto God the sacrifice of righteousness vow unto him a new obedience to his holy Will and Commandments which is the rule of righteousness and if you perform this vow you may with some
assurance put your trust in the Lord especially for spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ nor greedily desiring with most men the good things of this life verse 6 There be many that say who will shew us any good meaning worldly goods but the man that is godly doth say verse 7 Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us by the Lord saith one is meant the Father by his Countenance the Son and by the light of his Countenance the Holy Ghost whose light of Grace and Truth embeams our souls to the hopes of the eternal light of Glory verse 8 Thou hast put gladness in mine heart Cordial joy is a beam displayed from the light of God's Countenance since the time their corn and wine and oyl increased such increase adds nothing to the true joy of the heart which consists in being rich towards God not to the world verse 9 I will lay me down in peace and take my rest being confident of thy grace and favor I shall sleep securely not fearing the worst of evils this night can befal for 't is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety to whom be all Glory even to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. PSALM XXXI To the Seventh Verse verse 1 IN thee O Lord as a powerful protector have I put my trust that my hopes in thee may prevent my fears against which I also pray let me never be put to confusion not eternally though I temporally suffer for my due correction deliver me in thy righteousness not for mine but for thine own righteousness sake who hast promised deliverance to them that trust in thee verse 2 Bow down thy ear of mercy and hear me being bowed down in misery and the proper object of mercy make haste to deliver me Come holy Jesus my Redeemer come quickly to deliver me that I fail not in my temptations and troubles verse 3 And be thou my strong rock that I may stand firm against every shock of temptation and my house of defence like a house built upon a rock sure is my defence whilst my sure trust is in thee that thou mayst save me In no other do I seek for Salvation verse 4 For thou art my strong rock and my castle which renders me inexpugnable by all the assaults of my adversaries Be thou also my guide that I neither presume too much upon thy favour nor yet despair of thy mercy but betwixt these extreams lead me in the right way for thy names sake not for any desert in me but that thy name may be glorified by me verse 5 Draw me out of that net of inveigling temptations which they my ghostly adversaries have privily laid for me suggesting evil under the shew and pretence of what is good for thou art my strength against which no powers of earth or hell can prevail verse 6 Into thy hands I commend my spirit So prayed my blessed Redeemer when he gave up the ghost and so will I ever say to him who dyed for me Into thy hands who art mighty to save I commend my spirit in all the concerns of its health and Salvation For thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth O suffer not that Soul to perish which thou so dearly purchased Glory be to God the Father who hath Created me and all the world Glory be to God the Son who hath Redeemed me and all mankind Glory be to God the Holy Ghost who hath Sanctified me and all the elect people of God PSALM XCI To be used at this time by the direction of St. Basil verse 1 WHoso dwelleth and flitteth not but continues under the defence of the most high in a holy and humble confidence of the protection of the most high God of Heaven shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty be continually protected by him who hath all might and power to defend And therefore verse 2 I will say not with my lips only but with an affectionate heart unto the Lord who seeth and inclineth to the secret desires of the Soul Thou art my hope even all the happiness I hope for and my strong hold against all my weaknesses and defects my God in him will I trust not presuming upon any power that is either in or from my self or from any other doubt not then O my Soul verse 3 For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter that great pursuer of Souls unto death the Devil and from the noysom pestilence the pestilential tongues of scoffers detractors slanderers c. verse 4 He shall defend thee under his wings of merciful protection and thou shalt be safe under his feathers as the hen gathereth her chickens under her feathered wings when any storm or danger appears His faithfulness and truth in keeping promise with his people shall be thy shield and buckler against all the fiery darts of the Devil verse 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night of any terrifying dreams or black illusions suggested by the spirits of darkness nor for the arrow that flyeth by day more open and day-time assaults of the Devil verse 6 For the Pestilence that walketh in darkness such diseases as secretly and in the night season do unperceivably infect either the soul or body nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day which do more openly and in the day-time seise and consume this mortal life verse 7 A thousand shall fall beside thee and ten thousand at thy right hand many shall fall away into destruction that presume to be numbred among the Sheep of Christ on his right hand but it shall not come nigh thee thou shalt not thus fall either into sin or condemnation verse 8 Yea with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the ungodly to thine unspeakable consolation not for their distress but that thou hast escaped the same recompense of evil works verse 9 For thou Lord art my hope and whilst he is so O my Soul thou hast set thy house of defence very high for 't is setled in him who dwelleth in the high and holy Heavens and therefore thou maist be confident that verse 10 There shall no evil either of sin that is mortal or of punishment that is eternal happen unto thee casually befall thee but through thine own fault neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling any temporal evils to afflict thee but for thy good verse 11 For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 verse 12 They shall bear thee in their hands be ready at hand powerfully to assist thee that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone stumble and fall not upon any rock of offence verse 13 Thou shalt go upon the Lyon and Adder the young Lyon and the Dragon-shalt thou tread under thy
God of Hosts And if thou desirest to serve God upon earth according to the pattern of his worship in Heaven then let not thy sensual inclinations to sleep and ease defraud thee of the happiness to joyn in the night as well as in the day with the Celestial quire in the praises of God For if this be done cordially chearfully and constantly in this life there will be no question of being admitted into that blessed society to glorifie God in a higher degree of perfection and joy in Heaven PSALM VIII Which is believed to be divinely composed for the praise of God in the night because therein is mention of the Moon and of the Stars and not of the Sun Verses 1. O Lord our Governour a The Lord is Governour of all men and of all things by his power and providence but especially of his Church and people by his Righteousness and Truth how excellent is thy Name in all the world b The glory of God's name is celebrated in all the parts of the world more especially in the Heaven above Thou hast set thy glory above the Heavens And yet 't is far above what those most intelligent Beings the Angels of Heaven are capable to behold or conceive 2. Out of the mouths of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger The most imperfect Beings have in them strength of argument sufficient to maintain both the providence of God over all and the d spensation of Grace and Salvation through Jesus Christ against the most bitter enemies of either witness the cry of little children Mat. 21.26 and the conversion of the World by illiterate Fisher-men 3. For I will consider the Heavens the work of thy Fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained To consider the excellent workmanship influences and revolutions of the heavens and all the hosts thereof ordained for the service of man and the highest heaven also for his everlasting abode enwraps the devout soul with admiration of the love of God to man 4. Lord what is man that thou art so mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him Especially that frail sinful man should be so regarded by the great Lord of heaven as to be visited by him in the likeness of humane flesh 5. Thou madest him lower than the Angels to crown him with glory and worship Though man be lower than the Angels above yet is he adorned with eminence above all earthly things and with respect subjection and obedience from them 6. Thou makest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet God having given him power over all sublunary creatures and made to submit to his Command and service 7. All Sheep and Oxen yea and the beasts of the field 8. The Fowls of the Air and the Fishes of the Sea and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the Seas Even all the inhabitants of the air and of the Sea and of the dry land 9. O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world And therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the Company of Heaven and Earth I will magnifie God's holy Name and praise him saying Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. V. Meditations for the Night HOw aptly doth the darkness of the night represent the gloomy shades of death wherein all those lightsome Consolations which this vain world affords are buried in the grave of dark Oblivion That 's the land where all things are forgotten Ps 88.12 The living know that they shall die but the dead know not any thing Eccl. 9.5 and Sleep is the image the brother of Death in many respects they resemble each other for 1. In both thou art blind deaf dumb only Death is a longer and more perfect privation of sense 2. Rev. 14.13 In both thou art at rest from thy labours and thy works follow thee being often represented to thy fancy by way of Dream but more fully and clearly to thy Conscience when thou shalt awake to Judgment 3. Both are temporary For as thou dost dayly awake from thy natural Sleep and arise from thy Bed upon the approach of the day So certainly shalt thou awake from the sleep of death and be raised out of thy bed of clay the Grave when the day of the Lord shall come And since that day will come as a Thief in the night 2 Pet. 3.10 Psal 119.148 let mine eyes prevent the night O Lord that I may be occupied in thy words 4. As Sleep is the brother of Death so Death is the sister of Sin And this also in Holy Writ is called a Sleep Eph. 5.14 1 Cor. 15.34 Awake thou that sleepest Awake to Righteousness and sin not 'T is fabled that Somnus tempting Palinurus when he fell asleep tumbled him into the Sea and drowned him And if the sleep of Death find thee securely sleeping in any known Sin unrepented he that hath the power of death will hurl thee headlong into the bottomless Abyss of death eternal Ps 13.6 O lighten mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in death lest mine enemy say I have prevailed against him Grant me blessed Lord Aug. med so to order govern and end my life that death may seize me but as a sleep and this sleep may be in rest this rest in Security and Security in eternity Amen PSALMS For the Night season PSAL. XCII Verses 1. IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy Name O most Highest To praise the Lord is good in both the kinds of goodness viz. of Profit and Pleasure 2. To tell of thy loving kindness betimes in the morning and of thy truth in the night season In the morning which represents the rising prosperity of man it is good to give thanks for the loving kindness of the Lord and in the night of adversity also to praise him for his truth and righteousness at all times and in all conditions 3. Vpon an Instrument of ten strings and upon the Lute upon a loud Instrument and the Harp To employ both our hearts and voices as the loud instruments of his praise 4. For thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works And I will rejoyce in giving praise for the operation of thy hands The works of God do then truly delight the Souls of the righteous when in them they both see the goodness wisdom of the Lord and praise his name that made them 5. O Lord how glorious are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep The pious Soul is ravisht with love and admiration in contemplation of Gods works as excelling in glory and depth of wisdom her frail capacity 6. An unwise man doth not well consider this and a fool doth not understand it And
't is the extreamest of folly not so to consider the superexcellency of the divine wisdom in his works as to see and love him in them and for them 7. When the ungodly are green as the grass and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish then shall they be destroyed for ever but thou Lord art the most highest for evermore The wicked that do not this though they may flourish for a time yet their punishment proceeding from the decree of the most high God shall be everlasting 8. For lo thine enemies O Lord lo thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed and unavoidable because all wicked persons are the enemies of God 9. But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an Vnicorn for I am anointed with fresh oyl But the strength and vigour of the righteous shall encrease through the Unction of the Holy One or the Graces of Gods Spirit 10. Mine eye also shall see his lust upon his enemies and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that rise up against me Whereby all the sinful lusts of the flesh are master'd and all the assaults of ghostly enemies are subdued 11. The righteous shall flourish like a Palm tree and shall spread abroad like a Cedar in Libanus Like a Palm the righteous man sinks not under the weight of afflictions or violence of temptations but grows the more in Grace thereby 12. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God Whilst they are and continue to be true members of Christs Church against which the gates of hell shall not prevail 13. They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age and shall be fat and well liking They shall increase in Grace as in years being fruitful in all good works acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ 14. That they may shew how true the Lord my strength is and that there is no unrighteousness in him And such happy people do truly praise the Lord both with their lips and in their lives as from whom all their strength in Grace and goodness is derived Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer I Know O Lord that 't is a thing both joyful and profitable and my bounden duty to give thee thanks both night and day in prosperity and adversity for the great mercy and truth of thy promises is manifested at all times and in all conditions Let me never forget to meditate in thy works and though I cannot fathom the depth of thy wisdom in them grant me the more to love and admire thy transcendent perfections appearing in all the operations of thy hands works of Wonder for and in the which I humbly beg I may continually praise thy Name not only in word but also in deed and in truth and that as the night of my life cometh on and I grow more full in dayes so I may be also more fruitful in all good works to the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ PSALM CXXXIV To be used in the Night as wherein the people of God excite each other to the praise of God in their night Assemblies in his house Verses 1. BEhold now praise the Lord all ye servants of the Lord. Divine praise being the highest of Religious duties becomes the lips of such only as are devoted to the service of God 2. Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord b Who both night and day are intent upon this high and holy employment in the Courts of the house of our God But especially such as be ordained to the administration of Holy Offices in the House of God Mystically God hath 3 Courts through which we must enter into his House the Church and be entitled to his Praise 1 Faith which is the outer Court 2 Hope gives a nearer admission into his presence 3 Charity unites our hearts unto God and inflames them to his praise 3. Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary and praise the Lord. Not by our words only but by the works of our hands God must be glorified Mat. 5.16 And to do this worthily 4. The Lord that made heaven and earth give the blessing out of Sion Is a blessing that descends from above but is conveyed by the ministery of the Church Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Lord who hast made Heaven and Earth for the service of man and man more immediately to serve Thee Give unto all thy servants Grace and to me also to lift up holy hands and pure hearts to praise thee night and day in the Courts of thy house and in all the works of our hands to glorifie thy Name And to this end let thy blessing through the ministery of thy Church descend upon us in this life that we may inherit the blessings of thy Church triumphant in heaven through Jesus Christ The CXXXIX Psalm PARAPHRASED Verse 1 O Lord the Righteous God who tryest the very hearts and reins Thou hast searched me out through all the windings and turnings of my deceitful heart and known me in all the most hidden and inmost of my thoughts and desires Thou knowest my down-sitting both withwhat company and when alone both with what intentions and what affections and my up-rising with what guilt or innocence I arise from every of my actions in all which thou understandest my thoughts long before even before they be conceived in my mind as knowing my inclinations to entertain such or such thoughts verse 2 Thou art about my path wherein I walk and about my bed wherein I rest and spiest out all my ways seeing both the equity and iniquity both of my affections and actions in all my ways both of rest and motion ease and labour verse 3 For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether both First It s original conception in my mind Secondly My intention in its utterance with my mouth Thirdly It s good or bad influence upon others O set a watch over my mouth and guard the door of my lips that I offend not in my tongue Thou hast fashioned me behind and before moulded me throughout into this goodly shape and proportion of parts whereof I consist and laid thine hand upon me supported me in this being thou hast given me verse 5 Such knowledge as appears both in my Creation and preservation is too wonderful and excellent for me I cannot attain unto it it excells the reach of my apprehension even to wonder and astonishment verse 6 Whither then shall I go from thy Spirit which filleth the world and containeth all things or whither shall I go from thy presence who art every where by thy Essence Power and Presence both within and without the world verse 7 If I climb up into heaven thou art there in highest Majesty and
Glory if I go down to hell thou art there also in the nether hell by the execution of thy righteous judgments and in the grave also for that very dust whereinto the dead bodies of men are dissolved is preserved from annihilation by thy essential presence therewithal verse 8 If I take the wings of the morning which even in a moment overspreads and embeams the face of the whole earth and be conveyed as swift as lightning to remain in the utmost parts of the Sea beyond all the habitable parts of this inferior world verse 9 Even there thine hand of powerful influence shall lead me I should not otherwise live and move and have a being And thy right hand which renders to every man according to his works shall hold me to give an account of all my wayes and doings I will not therefore assay to fly from thee though justly displeased for my sins but rather upon the wings of true Repentance I will fly unto thee even into the arms of thy unspeakable mercy through the merits of my dearest Saviour verse 10 If I say through the deceitful imaginations of my darkned heart surely the darkness which hideth all things from the sight of men shall cover me from the sight of God also I shall soon be convinced of the folly of such a gross conceit for then shall my night the most secret of my thoughts and closest deeds of darkness be turned unto day be as clearly seen as in the noon day Sun verse 11 Yea the darkness that which is such to us is no darkness with thee the darkness and light to thee are both alike who seest all things in the brightness of thine own transcendent Essence without the mediation of material light verse 12 For my reins are thine my innate and most secret lusts and pronenesses to evil escape not thy scrutiny and view Thou hast covered me in my mothers womb by the influence of thy Power and Providence I was in the materials of my being preserved from abortion verse 13 I will give thanks unto thee as for my being so also that I am fearfully and wonderfully made my Formation in my mothers womb being a prodigious piece of workmanship and indeed marvellous are all thy works both of Creation Preservation verse 14 My bones though hid from the eyes of men under the covering of flesh and skin are not hid from thee for they are framed by thee though I be made secretly both invisible and inconceivable is the way of my Formation and fashioned like some curious Embroidery or Net-work through the variety of my spreading Veins Arteries Sinews Ligaments beneath in the earth or in my mothers womb than the which the earth affords not a more secret shop or work-house verse 15 Thine eyes of Prescience Power and Providence did see my substance yet being unperfect decree me to be a living man when I was yet but an unshapen Embryo and in thy Book were all my members written every joynt sinew vein were delineated as in a Book by thy hand of power goodness and wisdom verse 16 Which day by day were fashioned grew up by degrees into a perfect shape and proportion of parts when as yet a little space before there was none of them they did not exist in nature or were no other than a deformed Lump of unclean Seed verse 17 How dear and precious yea mysterious and profound are thy counsels unto me O God when I consider with what an unfathomed depth of wisdom mercy and justice thou dost order all things in heaven and earth O how great is the sum of them the number variety use and beauty of them cannot be sum'd up verse 18 If I tell them I undertake an impossible task for they are more in number than the sand upon the Sea shore which cannot be numbred and therefore when I awake up I am present with thee in contemplation of thy marvellous works and of thy good providence over me both sleeping and waking verse 19 Wilt thou not slay the wicked O God who forget thee and the wondrous works which thou hast done Depart from me ye blood-thirsty men I will not communicate with you in your sinful desires and doings which tend to the murder and everlasting destruction of immortal Souls verse 20 For they speak unrighteously against thee If they speak of thee O Lord 't is nor aright and as becometh the honour of thy Name And thine enemies take thy Name in vain And therefore they are thine enemies because thy Name which is great wonderful and holy is profaned by them verse 21 Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee I should not otherwise love thee O Lord did I not hate all them not in their persons but in their sinful actions whereby they are hateful and offensive to thy Majesty And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee Their rebellion and disobedience is a great grief and a wound unto my spirit verse 22 Yea I hate them right sore as though they were mine enemies even because they are thine enemies through the iniquity of their doings And herin verse 23 Try me O God as the silver is tryed when the dross is purged thence that I may both love mine enemies as they are mine but hate them as thine and seek out the ground of my heart purge out that Core of corruption from whence all unlawful love and hatred issues Prove me and examine my thoughts Purifie my Soul in all her imaginations affections and intentions that no dregs of sinful pollution cleave thereunto verse 24 Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me Assist me by thy all-seeing Spirit to look into mine heart and diligently to search and try my ways lest in any respect I swerve from thy most holy Laws And lead me in the way everlasting the way that leads to the full enjoyment of thee my God the fountain of everlasting Life and Happiness that without distraction or cessation I may ascribe Glory to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. CHAP. VIII Of Meditations fitted to every Dayes ordinary Actions and several Dispositions of the Soul of men When you go forth out of your House or Chamber Say THe Lord preserve my going out and my coming in Ps 121.8 from this time forth for evermone He shall give his Angels charge over thee Ps 91.11 to keep thee in all thy wayes In their hands they shall bear thee 12. lest at any time thou hurt thy foot against a stone O hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Ps 17.5 Hold thou up my goings in thy paths that I may dayly perform my Vows Lead me forth in thy Truth Ps 25.4 and learn me for Thou art the God of my Salvation in Thee hath been my hope all the day long As you walk or travel by the way I am the Way Joh. 14.6 the Truth and
the Life saith my blessed Redeemer The Way I must follow the Truth I must believe the Life I must hope for the Way which leadeth me the Truth which teacheth me and the Life whereunto he bringeth me the Way is undefiled the Truth is infallible and the Life without end Blessed are they that are undefiled in this Way and walk in this Truth that leads to life everlasting As you stand upon some high Place Thy mercy Ps 36.5 O Lord reacheth unto the heavens and thy faithfulness unto the clouds Thy righteousness standeth like the strong mountains 6 and thy judgments are like the great deep Thou 7 Lord shalt save both man and beast how excellent is thy mercy O God! and the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy House 8. and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures as out of the river For with thee is the Well of Life 9. and in thy Light shall we see Light even the light of joy unspeakable and glorious in the light of thy Countenance As you behold pleasant Grounds and variety of Objects O Lord Ps 104.24 how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches So is the great and wide Sea also 25. wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts These wait all upon thee 26. that thou mayst give them meat in due season When thou givest it them 27. they gather it and when thou openest there hand they are filled with good When thou hidest thy face they are troubled 28 when thou takest away their breath they dye and are turned again to their dust When thou lettest thy breath go forth 29 they shall be made and thou shalt renew the face of the earth The glorious Majesty of the Lord shall endure for ever 31 the Lord shall rejoyce in his works The earth shall tremble at the looks of Him 32 if he but touch the hills they shall smoke I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live 33 I will praise my God while I have my being And so shall my words please him 34 my joy shall be in the Lord. As for sinners they shall be consumed out of the earth 35. and the ungodly shall come to an end Praise thou the Lord O my Soul praise the Lord. Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. When you hear or see any thing extraordinary Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Rev. 15.3 just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Who will not fear thee O Lord 4. and glorifie thy Name For thou only art holy Blessed be the Lord God Ps 72.18 even the God of Israel who only doth wondrous things And blessed be the name of his Majesty for ever 19. And all the earth shall be filled with his Majesty Amen Amen When you hear the Clock or see the hour of the Day How fast doth hour after hour come on time hasting to be swallowed up of Eternity Man is like a thing of nought Ps 144.4 his time passeth away like a shadow Our days upon earth are as a shadow Ps 90.9 and we bring our years to an end as a tale that is told So teach me to number my days 12. that I may apply my self unto wisdom wisely providing for that long day wherein the Sun of Righteousness shall shine without setting When you go to Read or Study Study to shew thy self approved unto God 2 Tim. 2.15 a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the truth Open thou mine eyes Ps 119. O Lord that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law in the true sence and meaning of thy holy Spirit therein being not deceived by any false glosses and misinterpretations of men Grant blessed Lord that what I Read or Meditate may conduce to a more clear understanding of thy Will Jam. 1.25 and that I may confirm the same by the holiness of my Life being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of thy work Being wearied therewith Much study is a weariness to the flesh Eccl. 12.12 And of making Books there is no end Turn again unto thy rest Ps 116.17 O my Soul return to converse with thy God who is the center in whom alone the immortal Soul finds rest Hearken unto the sweet refreshing call of thy dear Lord and Saviour saying Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.18 and I will refresh you Behold I come holy Jesus relying upon this and that other gracious saying S. Joh. 16.33 In me ye shall have peace but in the world ye have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world Lord let me never be weary in well-doing but when I may do better and prevent me in all my doings with thy most gracious favour and further me with thy continual help that in all my Prayers and Meditations studies and endeavours begun continued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy holy Name and finally obtain everlasting life through Jesus Christ When you go about any worldly Employment God shall bring every work into judgment Eccl. 12.14 with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing Ps 141.4 let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness neither let me be ensnared with their delights Deliver me 2 Tim. 4.18 O Lord from every evil work and stablish me in every good word and work Blessed Jesus let all my works be accepted through the merits of thy sacred and renowned actions and the imperfections thereof pardoned through Faith in thy blood Amen When you are sad or discontented When I am in heaviness I will think upon God Ps 77.3 when my heart is vexed I will complain even unto God will I make my moan Why art thou so full of heaviness Ps 42.6 O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Put thy trust in God 7. for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his Countenance Put thy trust in God and be doing good Ps 37.3 whilst I do the thing that is good and abstain from evil I may reasonably hope upon my devout Prayers for the return of God's favour unto me and that the light of his Countenance shall dispel all my darksom imaginations all my gloomy fears and the perturbations of my Spirit Return return O Lord God of hosts and cause thy face to shine upon thy servant O shew the light of thy Countenance and I shall be whole When you sit idle Why stand you here all the day idle Mar. 20.6 the Devil who tempteth unto all other
affliction Ro. 8.28 remembring that all things work together for good to them that love God When you suffer any bodily Pain Both this and the greatest of the pains my corruptible fiesh can possibly suffer are but as a Hea-biting to the least of the pains of the nether hell And these my sins have justly deserved but blessed Lord let me have my punishment in this life and spare O spare me in the life to come I am not master of my self except in patience I possess my Soul in spite of what flesh can do unto me A furious man cannot be justified Ecclus. 1.22 or escape punishment for the sway of his fury shall be his destruction A patient man will bear for a time 23 and afterwards joy shall spring up unto him He will hide his words for a time 24. and the lips of many shall declare his wisdom I know O Lord that thou dost not willingly afflict the Sons of men S. Paul had his thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.77 but 't was to prevent the swelling of his heart with spiritual pride and vain-glory And I humbly beg O Lord that my present pain in body may through my patient sufferance conduce to the better health of my Soul And O that I were as feelingly sensible of the many sores and diseases of my Soul as I am now of my bodily pains I should then more affectionately and with greater devotion apply my self to the great Physician both of Soul and Body Being sensible of your want of Knowledge and Wisdom Who will set scourges over my thoughts Ecclus. 23.3 2 and the discipline of wisdom over my heart that they spare me not for mine ignorances and pass not by my sins Lest mine ignorances increase 3. and my sins abound to my destruction That it may please thee O Lord to forgive me all my negligences and ignorances and to endue me with the Grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend my life according to thy Word O God of my Fathers Wisd 9.1 4 and Lord of all mercy give me wisdom that fitteth by thy Throne and reject me not from among thy Children O send her out of thy holy Heavens 10. and from the Throne of thy Glory that being present she may labour with me that I may know what is pleasing unto thee Though I have the gift of Prophecie 1 Cor. 13.2 and understand all mysteries and have all knowledge and though I have all Faith so that I could remove mountains and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing Being dull and averse from holy Duties How long wilt thou forget me Psal 13.1 O Lord for ever how long wilt thon hide thy face from me How long shall I seek counsel in my Soul 2 and be so vexed in my heart how long shall mine enemies triumph over me Consider and hear me O Lord 3 my God lighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death Lest mine enemy say 4 I have prevailed against him for if I be cast down they that trouble me will rejoyce at it But my trust is in thy mercy 5 and my heart is joyful in thy Salvation I will sing of the Lord 6 because he hath dealt so lovingly with me yea I will praise the Name of the Lord the most high Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. Upon the sense of your Sins and the mispending of your Time When I call to mind the dayes of my vanity and the sins of my younger and wanton years when I commune with mine own heart and search out my spirits When I remember how little a portion of my Time hath been employed in the service of my God and how much hath been spent in the service of Sin and Satan and the fulfilling of mine own unruly Lusts When I consider how small or no treasure of good works I have laid up in Heaven and what a mass of sinful works I have treasured up against the day of wrath my spirit is wounded within me and my heart within me is desolate my flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments Call to remembrance Psal 25.5 O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness which have been ever of old Oh remember not the sins and offences of my youth nor of my riper years 6. O deal not with me after my sins neither reward me after mine iniquities but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness And as thou tellest my flittings Ps 56.8 so put my tears into thy bottle that as my sins so my sorrows for sin may be noted in thy Book Assist me to redeem that precious time which I have too much mis-spent in vanity and iniquity Oh spare me a little Ps 39.13 that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen Holy Resolves of future Holiness Unto thee O God Ps 56.12 will I pay my vows unto thee will I give thanks For thou hast delivered my Soul from death and my feet from falling 13. that I may walk before God in the light of the living that enlightned with divine Grace I may enjoy the light of life immortal before God for ever Teach me thy way Psal 86.11 O Lord and I will walk in thy Truth O knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy Name I will thank thee 12 O Lord my God with all my heart and will praise thy Name for evermore For great is thy mercy toward me 13. and thou hast delivered my Soul from the nethermost hell adding day after day unto my life and space for repentance unto my days O God my heart is ready Ps 108.1 my heart is ready I will sing and give praise unto the Lord Rom. 2.4 for the riches of his goodness forbearance and long-suffering leading me to repentance And my heart is ready O God my heart is ready to do thy will and to keep thy Commandments only strengthen me with thy divine Grace to do what thou Commandest and then Command whatsoever pleaseth thee My heart is ready both to serve thee in all the duties of holy Religion and to serve my neighbour also in the duties of Innocence and Beneficence and to watch over myself against all irrational desires that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts I may now for the future Tit. 2.12 live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessed hope 13. and the glorious appearance of the great God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ Holy Breathings of the Soul after God As the Hart hunted and wearied panteth after the water brooks for refuge and refreshment Psal 42.1 so my Soul in her weary pilgrimage pursued by her ghostly enemies longeth after thee O God in whom the weary findeth rest and the persecuted succour and support My Soul
the change of a troublesome for a quiet life of a frail for a fixed and permanent being of an uncertain for a certain abode and of a temporary for life everlasting 'T is but the falling in pieces of an earthly Tabernacle and when it is dissolved 2 Cor. 5.1 thou hast a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens The Prayer O Almighty God who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men grant unto thy people and to me with them to love the thing which thou commandest and desire that which thou dost promise that so among the sundry and manifold changes of the world our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found through Jesus Christ MEDITAT III. Of the frequent Remembrance of Death 1. CLimacus records a story of a Brother that had lived negligently for many years Clim scal grad 6. and was at last surprized with such a desperate disease that he continued for a long space of time deprived of his senses and supposed to be dead but recovering again he immediately secluded himself from all society and continued for twelve years together which was the remainder of his life lamenting the sins and negligences of his by-past life and seriously pondering the sad condition of all such persons as dye in their sins unrepented And when the time of his death indeed approached many of his fraternity flockt to him desiring to hear some more than ordinary instructions and directions from him for the good of their Souls but all that he would say unto them was this as the sum of Christian wisdom If you desire so to live that ye may dye happily then meditate continually upon death for 't is scarce possible for that man to sin who with due regard remembers Death the wages of sin This is also the advice of the wise Syracides Remember thy end Ecclus. 28.6 and let enmity cease Remember corruption and death and abide in the Commandments 1 Cor. 15.31 And 't was surely thus S. Paul dyed daily 2. To dye the death of the righteous is the desire even of the wicked but his last end shall be very unlike the others for he that will dye the death must live the life of the righteous The only way to dye well Numb 23.10 is to live well and he that will live well must live by dying principles saying with holy David Psal 119.109 My Soul is continually in my hand and for ought I know it may expire at my next breathing since many thousands in this very moment do breath their last And 't is only this moment I can call mine what is past cannot return to be again enjoyed and what 's to come is not in mine but in the Lord's hand Ps 31.17 Act. 17.28 My Time is in thy hand In him we live and move and have our Being Ask thy self then in every thing thou dost Would I now do this were I ready to dye 'T is the Wise mans advice Ecclus. 7. ult Whatsoever thou takest in hand Remember the end and thou shalt never do amiss From the forgetfulness of my end and of the uncertainty of my Life from every evil work and from a sudden and an unprovided death good Lord deliver me 3. The Lord clothed our First Parents with the skins of beasts to put them in mind of that mortality and corruption of the flesh they had contracted by their disobedience to his Commandments The which as we their sinful off-spring do dayly bear about us so ought we also to have the same in a continual remembrance for the keeping under the unruly lusts of the flesh that we pass not from a spiritual to death eternal And thus O that I may thus daily remember the imminent the unavoidable death of my corruptible body so as to keep my Soul unspotted of the world and alive from the death of sin continually mortifying all my evil and corrupt affections and daily proceeding in all vertue and godliness of living 4. With the holy Apostle of our Lord to dye daily is not only daily to remember death but also so to dye unto sin and live unto righteousness as thereby to live up to the hopes of eternal life and happiness slighting all the false and flattering felicities of this fawning world as being not only empty and unsatisfying but also mortal and dying A holy confidence to dye well De imit Christi lib. 1. ca. 23. and in hopes to enjoy eternal life after death is begotten in the heart saith the spiritual Akempis 1. By a perfect contempt of the world 2. By a through self-denyal 3. By a fervent desire and endeavour of proficiency in Grace 4. By the love of Discipline or strict corporal austerities 5. By the unwearied labour of true Repentance 6. By a willing and ready obedience to all Gods Commands 7. By suffering contentedly and joyfully all adversities for the love of Christ And thus prepare for thy Change to come looking not as becomes an Immortal Soul at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal The Prayer O God the Protector of all that trust in thee without whom nothing is strong nothing is holy Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy that thou being our Ruler and Guide we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal Grant this O heavenly Father for thy Son Jesus Christ MEDITAT IV. Of the Horror of Death 1. SAint Augustine being with his Mother Monica invited to Rome by Pontianus the Prefect to view the stately Edifices and ancient Monuments of that eminent City amongst other rarities he saw the great Caesars Sepulchre and therein his Carcase of a livid ghastly colour his Face faln away to such a meagre leanness as scarce of skin and bone consisting his Lips being rotted his Teeth were seen black and corrupted his Nose so consumed that only the wide hollows of his nostrils appeared his Belly burst and swarming with Worms and Serpents his Eyes sunk into his head and in the two holes thereof two loathsome Toads were feeding Then turning towards his Mother he said What now dear Mother is become of the great Caesar whose Pomp Power and Policy whose Riches Honour and Dignity whose many Victories Conquests and Triumphs rendred him the most admired Heroe the world afforded Where now is all his glory where the conquering Armies he commanded The Nations Countries Cities he subdued The numerous train of Nobility Gentry Souldiery that attended him The vast Riches and boundless Authority he acquired Whereunto the pious Matron answered O my Son no sooner did his spirit fail and his breath expire but all his splendid enjoyments all his flattering worldly felicities forsook him his Riches his Friends his Attendants all his Conquests and Triumphs all the Honour
particularly as by name to make thy appearance at this general Assizes to be held at the great and last day and there to give an account of every passage through thy whole life which shall be as strictly and throughly sifted and examined as if there were none but thy self to be tryed as if no cause but thine alone were to be heard Prepare then prepare thy self now now that thou hast time and leisure prepare thy self for that great day for upon thy Tryal then depends either thy everlasting well-being or miserable undoing for ever Now then cast up thy accounts carefully examine try 1 Cor. 11.31 Jam 4.8 9 10. Act. 10.4 Luc. 2.37 2 Cor. 11.27 Eccl. 7.17 and judge thy self confess thy manifold amisses Humble thy self greatly under the mighty hand of God Appease the wrath of the great Judge of the world by Prayers and Tears and all the sacred offices and acts of true Repentance by Alms and Offerings and Fastings often and in a word by all the kinds of those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 Stir up we beseech thee O Lord the wills of thy faithful people quicken our dead and cold Faith with the sacred fire of holy Charity the very bond of perfection and all vertue that we plenteously bringing forth the fruits of good works may of thee be plenteously rewarded at the last day through Jesus V. And there was a cry at midnight Mat. 25.6 Behold the bridegroom cometh Wo unto me then faith a devout Father if I be found sleeping in my bed at midnight Ambr. in Luc. when the great Judge of all the world shall appear it concerns me much rather to resolve with holy David At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee Ps 119.62 because of thy righteous Judgments Happy are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find upon their watch Mar. 13.33 34. awaiting his coming with their loins girt their lusts restrained and their Lamps burning The light of the holy and true Faith flaming by divine Love and shining through all the actions of their Life that others seeing their good works may glorifie God the Father of Heaven Mat. 5.16 I will stand upon my watch to guard the innocency of my Soul I will watch and also pray Mat. 26.41 that I fall not in o the snare of the Devil when tempted by him and that day come upon me unawares There be two sorts of sins especially against which my blessed Redeemer hath commanded me to watch that the day of the Lord surprize me not First Surfeiting and drunkenness or the pleasures of the flesh Luc. 21.34 Secondly The cares of the world or Ambition and Covetousness against these grand enemies which continually war against my Soul it concerns me continually also to watch and pray Blessed Lord let not I humbly beseech thee any importunate cravings of this corruptible flesh seduce me nor the flattering false felicities of worldly wealth and dignity deceive me but grant that I being free from all pollutions both from the one and the other may await thy coming in all holy but humble confidence to be ranked not amongst the cursed goats on thy left hand but amongst thy blessed Sheep on the right hand and hear that joyful sentence saying Come ye blessed of my Father receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world Grant this O heavenly Father Our Father which art in c. The XXVI Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 BE thou my judge O Lord not to condemn me for my sins but to approve my services though imperfect and weak for I have walked innocently not according to the Innocency of thy Saints in Heaven but according to that of frail Man upon Earth Neither do I herein presume to justifie my self but my trust hath been also in the Lord 't is not my innocency but the Lord's mercy I rely upon and therefore shall I not fall in the day of Judgment verse 2 Examine me O Lord and prove me now is the time assisted by thy all piercing Spirit to examine my self in order to my grand examination that day Try out my reins and my heart as the silver is tryed when the dross is purged out and this even in the furnace of affliction if it so seemeth good unto thee that my reins and my heart may be cleansed from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and yet even so I dare not undergo thy strict and severe examination of me but with reflexions upon thine immense goodness verse 3 For thy loving kindness is ever before mine eyes 'T is my constant meditation my hope and my refuge and I will walk in thy truth inwardly delighting and outwardly performing the commands thereof and that I may do this verse 4 I have not dwelt with vain persons made my abode with such as follow the pomps and vanities of this wicked world neither will I have fellowship with the deceitful I have not so delighted in the society as to be tainted by the evil examples of such as through their deceivable lusts keep not the Covenant they have made with their God nor is it enough to avoid the society but verse 5 I have hated the congregation of the wicked not their persons but their wickedness all their consultations to do evil and will not sit among the ungodly so as to continue and be delighted with the errors of their ways verse 6 I will wash my hands in innocency O Lord with the tears of true Repentance I will wash the sinful works of my hands and keep them clean and innocent for the future and so not in my sins unrepented will I go to thine Altar to offer up my Vows and Prayers also verse 7 That I may shew the voice of thanksgiving publickly declare the great Thanks and Praise which is due to thy divine Majesty and tell of all thy wondrous works joyning with the Ministers of thy Temple in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual songs wherein thy great works both of Mercy and Judgment are celebrated verse 8 To this end Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house the place where thou inhabitest more especially than any other houses and 't is my delight to come to this house because 't is the place where thine honour dwelleth where the honour of thy Name is continually celebrated for in his Temple doth every man speak of his Honour verse 9 And since 't is the joy of my heart to joyn with thy people in the praise of thy Name O shut not up my soul with the sinners though in this world I cannot altogether escape their temptation and trouble yet rank me not amongst them in the world to come nor my life with the blood thirsty let me not perish with the cruel uncharitable and covetous of the world verse 10 In whose hands is wickedness the works of whose hands are unjust and
God and the deplorable sorrow of its loss and absence I have called but ye have refused Pro. 1.24 Ezck. 33.11 saith the Lord called saying Turn ye turn ye unto me with all your heart Come unto me all ye that are weary But we vain men slight and neglect Mat. 11.28 Joh. 6.37 44 56. nay too many contemn such gracious invitations they are not affected or delighted with the presence of God or if they come to his house approach his presence there 't is not either with that internal Devotion and external Reverence 't is not with such pure hearts and clean hands as becomes the presence of so great and glorious so holy and pure a Majesty and is it not then most just and equal that all such irreligious irreverent and profane persons be banisht the blissful presence of God for ever But though this be the guise of the multitude to walk every one after the lusts of their own hearts and to follow their own imaginations in the contempt of the Lords admonitions and commands Ps 5.7 yet as for me whilst I have life and liberty I will come into thy house even upon the multitude of thy mercies and in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy Temple My heart hath talked of thee and of this gracious command of thine Ps 27 9. Seek ye my face Thy face Lord will I seek 10. O hide not thou thy face from me under the cloud of my sins and the thick cloud of my transgressions nor cast away thy servant in displeasure but vouchsafe that my approaches to thy divine Majesty may be so frequent and fervent and with such Humility Reverence and Devotion performed that my person and my services may in this life be accepted before thee that I hear not at the last day that dismal doom of the wicked Depart from me ye cursed MEDITAT II. Of the Darkness of Hell TO be banished the presence of God who is the Fountain of Light is to be involved in the terrors or Darkness and therefore after Take him away it follows Mat. 22.13 cast him into outer darkness And so is the place of Hell described ca. 25.30 A land of darkness and of the shadow of death a land of darkness as darkness it self and of the shadow of death Job 10.21 22. without any order and where light is as darkness And this must needs be so because Hell is farthest remote from Heaven the Region of Light being seated as 't is generally believed in the centre of the earth where neither Sun Moon nor Stars display the least ray or glimmering of their Light There is Fire indeed in Hell but such a Fire as burns without shining a Fire without light not unlike whereunto is the fire of blind Zeal Jam. 3.6 the tongue whereof setteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of Hell All the light which the sulphureous Fire of Hell affords serves only to discover the ghastly sight of infernal Fiends reviling scourging tormenting the damned without mercy without intermission and there perhaps may the wicked see some of their friends and acquaintance and of their companions in their sins involv'd with them in the same punishment which are sights so dreadful as shall augment their torments This dismal darkness of Hell is call'd The outward darkness respecting the inward darkness of humane Souls and those manifold deeds of darkness which issue from the one and run headlong to the other If then thou hast followed the lusts of thine own darkned heart and obeyed the suggestions of Satan the Prince of darkness if thou hast loved and acted the works of darkness of sinfulness and error more than the sacred acts and influences of Grace and Truth it is most just that thy portion be with blackness of darkness for ever Joh. 3.19 Vouchsafe blessed Lord of light and life vouchsafe to display the sacred beams of thy Celestial light into my darkned Soul dispel and dissipate thence all the black stain and guilt of sin contracted by my dayly backsliding from thee all those clouds of ignorance and error which darken my understanding all those noysome lusts of the world and of the flesh which incessantly infest and infect my Soul that I pass not from these inward to that outward darkness where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth MEDITAT III. Of the Fire of Hell OF all the torments invented and practised by the malice of men or devils that by Fire is the most fierce and frightful How does it amaze the minds of men when they see it flaming in their houses and consuming their habitations and estates and yet the Fire of Hell is far more dreadful and tormenting as differing from our ordinary fire especially in three respects 1. Our fire feeds only upon gross and corporeal substances but Hell fire feeds upon spirits and damned souls and 't is therefore as much more fierce and piercing than our fire as a spirit is more quick and active than a gross heavy body Be not deceived O my Soul with any fond conceits of vain men that this fire is only metaphorical or phantastical or poetical because 't is prepared for the Devil and his Angels who are spirits and not lyable to visible flames But the word of God which cannot lye and many undeniable reasons by the learned deduced thence do confirm it to be a real yea a material fire Mat. 3.12 ca. 13.42 ca. 25.41 Mar. 9.43 47. Mat. 3 12 Isa 66. ult Isa 30. ult but more spiritual and refined and so more eating piercing and tormenting than the fire which burns upon our hearts 2. Our fire may be quenched nay 't will quench it self when its fuel is wasted but the fire of Hell is unquenchable because First The breath of the everlasting God like a stream of Brimstone doth enkindle it Secondly The fuel that feeds this fire shall never be consumed viz. Immaterial immortal Beings of whom being tormented in these flames 't is affirmed that they shall seek death Rev. 9.6 and shall not find it they shall desire to dye but death shall fly from them Miserable wretches whilst they had time and leisure to seek life they neglected it nay it is too common that when life in Christ is offered unto many in the blessed food of their Souls they slight and contemn it Vt cujus vita mortua fuit in culpa illic mors vivat in poena Greg. and therefore 't is most just as the Father observes that they whose life in this world was no other than a death in sin their death hereafter should be a life in punishment for sin everlastingly But as to the unquenchable fire of Hell Remember O my Soul that there is now a fire within thee the which if it be not quencht in this life will bring thee to fire unquenchable in the other world and this is the rank and fulsome fire of