for Confirmation or have I slighted the Prayers and Benediction of God's Priest Have I wholly forsaken Satan or rather am I not still under his power by being a slave to the habits of folly and disobedience Have I ever at any time used Charms or Amulets or consulted Witches or Conjurers Am I not yet in love with the pomps and vanities of the World a great frequenter of sports to the hindrance of Religious Duties and do I delight in profane and lascivious representations and are not my Lusts yet unmortified and have I not derogated from the honour of the Captain of our Salvation by cowardise and negligence Eucharist Have I not profan'd the holy Supper of the Lord by not acquainting my self with the nature of the Mystery and the necessity of preparation or by coming to it without Faith and Repentance without an universal charity and a thorow reconciliation to God and my enemies without examination without a due sorrow and amendment of Life Have I not often received that Sacrament without those ardors of devotion which I am obliged to or without that bodily reverence which the most Sacred and Heavenly Mysteries require Have I not made rash promises when I have received and never minded them afterwards Have I not suffered the House to lye idle when it hath been so swept and garnish'd to encourage Satan to take with him seven other Spirits worse than himself and to come and dwell in my Soul till its later estate be more deplorable than its first To which I subjoyn Lord be merciful to me a sinner and so strengthen me by thy Grace that I may perform my Vows and keep the robes of my Baptism unspotted and tho I have approach'd thy Table without the Wedding Garment yet cast me not into outer darkness whence there is no deliverance Now these and all other Transgressions are either heightned or lessened by their circumstances the Examinant therefore ought to consider 1. The Time when he offended Was it on the Lord's day Here additions and alterations may be made by the devout penitent according to his own state or any other publick Festival on a publick Fasting day or the days of my own private humiliation during the hours of Prayer either at the Temple or in my Closet either at or immediately before or after the receipt of the holy Sacrament and have I often committed one and the same sin for these circumstances argue a perverse frame of mind and that it is not infirmity but wilfulness that makes the offender 2. The place where the sin was committed Was it in the Church at the holy Table or in my Closet or in any publick place where the offence became scandalous incouraging the vicious and offending my weaker brethren 3. The state and condition of the Offender Am I not in Holy Orders one of God's Priests that Minister at his Altar have I not more knowledge and a better acquaintance with my duty hath not God afforded me more convictions greater light and frequenter opportunities of doing good was the sin committed when I was under some affliction of mind body or estate or after some sudden deliverance out of some severe judgement on me for my former failings hath not God by his holy Spirit laid many hinderances in my way to ruine and have I not overcome all difficulties and often been my own tempter have I not continued to be wicked after many checks of Conscience and many solemn Vows to the contrary after the experience of much mercy many deliverances and great tenderness compassion and long-suffering in my Saviour towards me 4. The persons injured Are not my sins committed against my God my Master my Saviour my best and only Friend have I rob'd the House of God of its ho nour or revenue have I ground the face of the Poor or rob'd the Fatherless and Widows have I given evil counsel to the ignorant or those that cannot discern the fallacy have I been unjust to my Children or Relatives who are nearest to me and as it were parts of my self Among all which sins I must particularly mourn over and detest those to which I have been most inclined by natural temper or custome and resolve to avoid all provocations and temptations and whatever hath or may promote such evil habits and to practice the contrary virtues To which I subjoyn Lord I have caused thy Name to be blasphemed among the enemies of Religion and Piety but be thou pleased to pity and pardon me the greatest of sinners and give me thy Grace that I may do so no more Besides all which I am bound to reflect on my many secret sins and forgotten offences and to subjoin Lord who can understand how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults and keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion over my Soul so shall I be innocent from the great offence The Collect. ALmighty Lord and everlasting God Grant I most humbly beseech thee to thy distressed Servant Pardon and Peace and vouchsafe to direct sanctify and govern both my heart and body in the ways of thy Laws and in the works of thy Commandments that through thy most mighty protection both here and ever I may be preserv'd in body and soul through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen To this I add the 38 Psalm or the 51. or some other penitential and after that the 22 Psalm Then follows the Litany much agreeable to the former method LORD let thy Ear be attentive to the Prayer of thy Servant who desires to fear thy name O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him the Father of Mercies have mercy upon me the most miserable of sinners O God the Son the Redeemer of the World and the lover of Souls have mercy upon me the most miserable of sinners O God the Holy Spirit of Peace and Love the giver of every Grace and every good Gift have mercy upon me the most miserable of sinners O Holy Powerful and Compassionate Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon me the most miserable of sinners O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon me O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world grant me thy Peace Lord hear Lord forgive hearken O Lord and do and defer not for thine own sake O Lord our God From polluting the robes of my Baptisme and making new leagues with Satan from a feigned sorrow and an outside repentance Good Lord deliver me From sin and shame from the paths of folly and destruction from great boasting and little performance and from a vain and empty frame of mind from stoath and idleness and the neglect of my best concerns Good Lord deliver me From Self-Love and love of the World from being busy about nothing and slighting the thoughts of Eternity from deferring my repentance and putting off my accounts to the day of
of it to dine with him treating them with all affability and humble carriage relieving their bodily wants and instructing their minds and by this means earning their Prayers And this he does over and above what he hath given at the Offertory where he hath liberally according to his ability offered unto God and the Poor remembring that a thinking Heathen never came in sight of an Altar tho but occasionally but he tendred something thereon if it were but a little Salt or a handful of Flower and thought himself also obliged to provide for the indigent as for his brethren § 23. At his return he does not think fit to go immediately to his own dinner but retires to his Closet * Scalig. de Emendat temp l. 6. the Jews were obliged that night on which they did eat the Passover to taste nothing after it for the whole night that the relish of the Paschal Lamb might continue in their mouths a long time and the reason holds good in the Christian Church for our Blessed Saviour after he had eaten of this Supper resolved never to eat more till he had accomplish'd our redemption for says he I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine till I drink it new in my Father's kingdom In the Closet the good man recollects the proceedings of the day and in his thoughts acts over again the solemnities of that glorious triumph for he dares not spend any part of this day but in holy Offices in Meditations and Prayers in acts of Faith and Love of Piety and Charity in Reading and Conference and in all other exercises that may serve to increase his virtues both in number and degree especially in holy praises and solemn thansgivings to God for all his benefits § 24. And after this manner he expresses himself I am thine and nothing shall separate thee from my love on the Cross every member of thy body every faculty of thy soul had its sufferings and its agonies for my sins and should I reserve any thing from thee No my most obliging Saviour I make an intire oblation of my self to thee a whole burnt-offering sacrificed in the flames of holy love and this I do with all my might and power nothing could atone for my sins but thy sufferings nor can any thing testify my gratitude but the devoting of my self to thy service Thou hast redeemed me thou God of Truth and I will be thy servant for ever My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour For I have found him whom my soul loveth Jesus the Messiah of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits I will receive the Cup of Salvation and will praise the name of the Lord. I will go into thy House with my offerings and will pay my Vows which I promis'd with my lips when I was in trouble § 25. To which he subjoins Lord my single praises make but an insignificant and low sound they are the poorest of recompences and the most disproportioned to thy Majesty and thy Merits I therefore call in the assistances of Angels and of the whole host of Heaven of Sun Moon and Stars of the Earth and Sea and all that is therein to joyn with me in the magnifying of my Redeemer Let all the World worship thee sing of thee and bless thy name let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord for great is the Glory of the Lord and let all the Earth be filled with the knowledg of his Glory for his Name alone is excellent and his Glory above Heaven and Earth Amen Amen Glory be to the Father c. Then follows the Trisagios Holy God Holy and Powerful Holy and Immortal have mercy upon us § 26. After which he thus expresses himself How unwillingly have I left the place where my blest Saviour dwells and how well pleased should I be could I live and communicate with him always How amiable is that Palace where my dear Friend fixes his residence And how do I long to be treated continually at the Supper of the Lamb Oh that I could dye this very moment if it were but pleasing in the sight of my Heavenly Father and pass immediately from this antepast of joys to the intire entertainment of that Glorious Feast And would my Redeemer affist me how readily would I be this moment his Martyr How acceptable would a Prison or the Rack the Flames or a Sword be to me so I could by any means embrace an opportunity to let my beloved Jesus know how dear he is to me how much I value him and how ready I am to offer him my Blood who hath shed his own Blood for me upon the Cross and sed me with it at his Table And if that be an Honour that I am not worthy of and perhaps not capable of yet O Lord let me always be thy Martyr in resolution and since there is so much happiness in communicating with thee let me never leave the World so suddenly but that I may have the assistance of a good Priest to give me in thy name Absolution and to strengthen me in the agonies of death with the blessed Sacrament § 27. After which Meditation the worthy Communicant uses this Prayer taken out of the * Ps 8. c. 14.15 Constitutions commonly called the Apostles How ready and willing is my soul which hath been cherish'd and fed with the most Precious Body and Blood of my Saviour to offer him the thanks which I can pay tho neither what he deserves nor what I ought since he hath vouchsaf'd me the honour to partake of his holy Mysteries Grant holy Jesu that it may be for my Health not for my Ruin for my Happiness not for my Condemnation for the Security of my Soul and Body for the increase of Piety for the remission of Sins and for the introducing me into thy Palace for thy Name is called upon me and into thy Family I am adopted among thy faithful Servants Strengthen me and them by thy Holy Spirit inlighten our ignorance and supply all our defects and confirm us in the resolutions of a holy Life rescue and defend us from Satan and all our enemies ghostly and bodily sanctifie and protect help and keep us in our going out and in our coming in and at last assemble us in thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all Glory Honour and Worship now and for ever Amen To which he adds this other Collect. ALmighty God who hast united the Christian World in one common Brotherhood by the Holy Sacrament that we being many might be one body because we are all partakers of that one Bread let me be partaker this day of the Prayers of all that this day have communicated whereover thy Church be dispers'd over the face of the whole earth and let my Petitions be available in
Pictures in the Closet while at other times any draught that represents a grave and honest Subject may well enough become the place except a Mary Magdalen or Peter in his penitent posture after the denial of his Master or a lively Representation of my dying Saviour with this Motto I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified For I would willingly have my bleeding Master always present to my eye when I am well inclined to encourage me when bent to do evil to reclaim me He pray'd often and meditated frequently and was continually a man of sorrows and mortification But his Passion is an indispensible Obligation to Piety For what can endear holiness so persuasively as the remembrance that Christ died to purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Can I look upon that sad spectacle and not be toucht with remorse and compassion and with a due consideration that my sins brought my Saviour to so much shame and torture and nothing but my Repentance can answer the ends of his sufferings A Lute or some such grave instrument if the devout person hath any skill in Musick were very proper to joyn with the Voice in the praises of God The room also should be hung so as the Windows may be darkned to make the Closet gloomy and awful upon any time when it may be convenient but more especially during the Lent the weekly Stations or half fasts of Wednesday and Friday but above all on Good-Friday and the Holy-Saturday the days when our blessed Master suffered on the Cross and lay in the grave I know nothing more necessary but that the place should be furnisht with Books according to every mans capacity as he is able to buy and to understand but nothing should be there but what is devotional such as Sacred History Divine Poems devout Meditations and the Rules of Holy Life Nor should these be intermixt with any Books of other sorts for tho Secular History and Poems Romances and Plays be an allowable diversion yet because the Closet is a Chappel I think them not allowable in that place For the men who are lovers of those Writings never carry them to Church with them And therefore any other room in the house is better fitted for such Books Those who can only read English for the Masters of Languages are best able to advise themselves I counsel That whatever else may be either admitted or wanting the devotional Works of the Reverend Dean of Peterborough Dr. Patrick with his excellent Paraphrases may always find a shelf there and with them the Writings of that good person the Author of the Whole Duty of Man who hath given so liberally to the Treasury of the Church and so humbly denied himself his due praises by a studious concealing of his Name together with the Primitive Christianity of Dr. Cave that they who cannot read the Works of the Ancients may in that Learned Author admire and imitate their transcendent Virtues And I mention these Books only not that I undervalue any other Authors who have writ on Pious Subjects for I know that there are now extant many very valuable Treatises set out by the Divines of our Church and perhaps more and better than all the rest of the Christian World can boast of but because in so great a multitude there ought to be some choice and I think these the most convenient and best adapted to the necessities of the persons to whom I undertake to prescribe tho at last I must acknowledg that all this discourse hath its relation only to people of condition of estate and leisure For to the poor every room in the house that is private is a Closet and the Liturgy of our Church with the Whole Duty of Man a Library When the Closet is so furnisht the next thing considerable is what time must be spent in it And here it is impossible to prescribe the same Rules to all persons only it is to be remembred that the rich and prosperous are freed from the drudgeries of Life and so have much time to dispose of as also have Scholars and all that are studiously inclined And that whereas twice or three times a day may be enough for a man of business to retire and serve his Maker I much question whether people of leisure can be dispenc't with unless they observe all the Canonical hours at lest those which happen between six in the morning and nine at night inclusively as long as health will permit I am injoin'd in the Name of our Holy Saviour and St. Paul * Luke 21.36 1 Thes 5.17 to pray always and without ceasing that is as often as I can conveniently for the other duties of my Calling as a Man and a Christian but I must never omit doing it every day at some set seasons and returns of time For so the good Widow is said * Luke 2.37 to have served God day and night at the Temple i. e. at the accustomed hours of the Jewish devotion And so this Example binds me also to the publick service of the Church if I am where I can enjoy that honour and priviledg as well as to the private performances of my Closet And to encourage this it is well worth the remembring * Act 2.1.15 V. Basil regul fusior inter 37. that the Holy Ghost the most glorious and useful donative that ever the Christian Church did enjoy was bestowed on the Apostles when they were celebrating the Festival of the Pentecost with prayers and praises and that upon one of the solemn set-hours of prayer the third hour of the day My first employment in my closet is Prayer and that either supplication or praises as I am sensible of what either sins I have lately committed or blessings received And if the Aegyptians acted only by the light of Nature in the beginning of all their ceremonies made three solemn acclamations to the Unknown Darkness i. e. to that God whom humane faculties cannot comprehend ought not I to preface my service with as many acts of solemn adoration to the blessed Trinity After I have prayed I am under obligation to read some part of Holy Writ and after it some Paraphrase or other suitable discourse with awe and attention And when I have so done I meditate which when I do I fly the society of the World to converse with God and good Angels I put my self into the true way to that peace of mind which a sinner wants and I walk directly toward Heaven I follow my Saviour who left the multitude and went into a mountain apart to enjoy the society of his Father I am taken from the occasions of censuring others or judging my Neighbours and have nothing to do but to contemplate the state of my own foul and the Mercies of my God In this place also do I chuse to fast that I may do it in secret and by avoiding being seen of men may earn an open