among all that Profess thy Name As they have but one Head let them be but one Body as they are but one Body let them have but one Spirit The Spirit of Truth and Holiness in Doctrine and Life be in all Cease Schisms and Wars in the Christian World Let them not Spill one anothers Blood for whom thy Son shed his Let there not be many Hearts under one Head nor more Heads with it least they make a Massacre in thy Body or a Monster of it O let thy Scepter have Obedience and thine Orders Observance every where Suffer none by Delusion or Depravation of Mind or Ambition of Spirit to pull down thy Throne whilst they pretend for thy Scepter and take down thy House to set up thy Glory and let Confusion and Tyranny into thy Church whilst they profess to bring in Liberty and Order From Violence Avarice Sacriledge Schism Herefie Anarchy and Tyranny O thou King of the Church do thou keep us Do thou Govern us and let us Obey thee Do thou save us and let us serve thee Even all Christian Souls save throughout the World Dear Jesus Amen A Charitable Prayer for Times of Affliction O Lord that do'st not willingly afflict the Children of Men Behold from thy holy Habitation of Heaven the multitude of Miserable and Afflicted Souls and Lives amongst us and have Mercy upon us HAVE Mercy on all Ignorant Souls and instruct them on all Deluded Minds and Enlighten them on all Seducing and Seduced Spirits and Convert them Have Mercy on all broken Hearts and heal them all strugling with Temptation and Rescue them All languishing in spiritual Desertion and receive them Have mercy on all that stagger in Faith and Establish them That are fallen from thee and Raise them That stand with thee and Confirm them Have Mercy on all that groan under their Sins and Ease them That bless themselves and go on in their Wickedness and Curb and stop them Iesus That did'st shed thy Blood for all Souls to save them shed thy holy Spirit on all and heal them AND Lord have Mercy on all Miserable Bodies Those that are ready to famish for want Feed them Those that are bound to Beds of Pain loose them Those that are in Prison and Bonds Release them Those that are under the Fury of Persecution and Cry under the Yoke of Oppression Relieve them Those that lie smarting in their Pain and Wounds Cure them Those that are distracted in their Thoughts and Wits Settle them Those that are in Perils of their Estates and Lives Preserve them Iesus That didst freely distribute thy Comforts and Cures to all Miseries and Maladies of Men when thou wast on Earth have Mercy on all and help them far or near with us or from us Lord have Mercy on all even every Son and Daughter of Adam at this time in Pain and Anguish upon the face of the Earth where-ever they are whosoever they be what Help I would pray for my self from Thee or Comfort from Man in their Condition I beseech Thee the GOD of all Help and Comfort to give it them Take them to thy Care and Tender them supply them and Succour them Have Compassion on them and heal them Iesus That didst give thy Blood for them deny not thy Bowels to them Thou that didst Redeem them all Preserve them Even all Miserable Souls and Bodies I beseech Thee for thine infinite Mercies sake Amen A Prayer against the Temptations of Troublesome Times O God who wilt not suffer us to be Tempted above what we are able to bear succour me that the Temptations of this Time of Trouble does not over-whelm me Discover to me the ways of thy Providence so far that I may see why I shou'd neither Deny it nor Doubt it And make me know thy Judgments to be so unsearchable and thy ways past finding out that I may humbly submit my Will to thy Wisdom and admire and adore that Justice which I cannot Comprehend Let me not be of so narrow a Mind as to confine thy Work to one World which Thou do'st not finish but in Two Nor let me be such a Creature of Sense as to believe thou hast no other Reward or Punishment than what I See and Feel O let my Eyes look to the End of all which is Heaven or Hell And let me Envy no Ill Mans Happiness which shall end in Hell Nor bewail any Good Mans Wretchedness who shall have Heaven for his End And let me understand that the Prosperity of Sinners is a heavy Plague because it spurs them on to Hell which is the greatest Punishment And that the Adversity of the Saints is to them a Mercy because it is thy Rod to whip them into Heaven the best Reward Mean while let me not give a Brest full of thy Peace for an Armful of that Wealth which breeds Nests of Vipers and Adders in their Hearts and continual Stings in their Bosoms But let me Prefer the Sufferings of Innocence before the Spoils and Triumphs of Violence O God since a guilty Conscience is the greatest Punishment on Earth because next to Hell and Accusing and Condemning thy Providence and Forsaking my Innocence the greatest Guilt To that Extremity let no Temptation ever lead me JESUS keep me from it by thy Grace and Mercy Amen The Concluding Prayer O Lord it is thy Promise to grant whatsoever I ask in thy Sons Name and thou wilt not perform less because I ask so in his Words In his Blessed Breviary therefore I sum and offer up these my Imperfect Prayers saying as he hath taught me Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Blessing GOD the Father Bless me GOD the Son Defend me GOD the Spirit Preserve Me and all Mine and His now and Evermore Amen EVENING PRAYER Psal. XLIV LXXVII LXXVIII or LXX LXXXIII XCVIII or CXXXVII CXL CXLI Proper Lessons 2 Chron. XIII or XX 1 Cor. X. or Iudes Eistle A Collect or Prayer against Revenge O Thou to whom Vengeance belongeth Keep me from a Revengeful Spirit that I fall not into the hands of thy Vengeance And since it is thy Will that I should exercise Pity and Patience and Pardon let me not study Revenge and Returns of Injuries What tho' I have lost my Estate wrongfully and been turn'd out of my Place for my Loyalty to the King yet have I not justly deserved it for my Rebellion against thee my God why shou'd I then Meditate Revenge against the Instruments whom thou O Lord hast made the just Executioners of thy will for my Deserts O help me rather to look unto thee who hast justly suffered these things to befal me for my sins than to study Revenge against those that have Injur'd me Thou O most Meek and Merciful Saviour didst pray for thy bloody Enemies O let me then forgive my greatest Foes Committing my Cause to thee who wilt do Justice for me on them if I seek not to revenge my self and for thy self upon me
thou hadst most occasion for 'em then they left thee and fled away to strangers Is it not therefore far better to trust in the Living God than in uncertain Riches For Riches profit not in the Day of Wrath but Righteousness delivereth from Death And if thou mak'st it thy chief Business to seek first the Kingdom of GOD and the Righteousness thereof there is nothing necessary for thee but GOD has promis'd it shall be added to thee And wilt thou grieve because thou art depriv'd of Unnecessary Things Learn O my Soul to make the Will of God the measure of thy Desires And when thou desirest nothing but what God wills thou may'st desire what thou wilt and obtain it Thou mayst assure thy self that God wills what is best for thee and when thou hast conform'd thy Will to his thou needest not fear a blessed Issue And if what God has done appears not at the present best to thee it is not because it really is not best but because by reason of thy present Darkness thou canst not see it so God sees the End of all his Works from the beginning and perfectly knows the Events of all his Dispensations but thou O my Soul are short-sighted can'st not see far before thee and since thou canst not see what God intends by his present Providences 't is now thy time to live in the Exercise of Patience and glorifie him by believing A PRAYER O Most Merciful and gracious God who art the Well-spring of Life and an inexhaustible Fountain of Goodness be pleased to look in Mercy upon me poor and miserable Sinner who had been immers'd in the things of this Life and drown'd in the Love of the World hadst not thou in mercy taken them away from me O help me to acknowledge thy righteous hand herein and kiss that Rod wherewith thou hast so mercifully chastiz'd me And O most gracious God wilt thou please for the time to come to take off my Heart from the inordinate Love of Riches and all other things of this World and to place my Affections upon thy blessed Majesty who art my Souls supreme and ultimate Happiness and it s exceeding great Reward Convince me more and more of the Wickedness as well as Folly of my former Life in forsaking Thee the Fountain of Living Waters and hewing out to my self Cisterns broken Cisterns that could hold no Water Suffer me O Lord no longis to follow after Lying Vanities and so to forsake my own Mercy And let thy Love O thou God of my Life purge my Soul from the love of all other things whatsoever Thou hast said in thy Word That those that love Thee shall inherit Substance whilst I like a wretched Prodigal have been feeding on Husks and grasping at Shadows O let me not henceforth trust in uncertain Riches but in Thee the Living God and buy of Thee Gold Try'd in the Fire that so I may be truly rich and white Rayment that I may be cloathed Grant this O Lord and whatsoever else Thou seest necessary for me for Iesus Christ his sake Amen Our Father c. Meditation III. Of the Vanity of Worldly Pleasures PLEASURE is that which all pursue and covet tho' most mistake the Object of it It is that for which Men value their lives and without which they think it wou'd scarce be worth the Living But if they mean the Pleasures of this World abstracted from the Love of God and those unspeakable Delights that are in him there 's nothing in which men are more mistaken So far is Worldly Pleasure from making of Men happy that it puts 'em in a state of Death This St. Paul assures us 1 Tim. V. 6. She that liveth in Pleasure is dead while she liveth And large Experience confirms this Truth for those that have most affected it have always found it fatal LET us give a few Instances For we are apter to be led by Examples than Precepts The Philistines had taken Sampson thro' the Treachery of Dalilah Sampson wou'd needs enjoy his Pleasure with Dalilah but she refus'd to let him unless he told her where his strength lay which when she knew she straight betray'd him to his Enemies And this was the effect of Sampson's Pleasure When the Philistines had obtain'd this Prize it made 'em mighty merry and they must needs go take their pleasure too And Sampson whom they barbarously had blinded must be sent for that he might make them Sport But it was fatal Sport to the Philistines for Sampson having with some assistance grop'd out the two Supporters or chief Pillars of the House praying to God to strengthen him that he might be aveng'd for his two Eyes was heard and answer'd and Sampson pulls the House about their Ears whereby they all were slain which put a bloody Period to their Pleasure THE Persians were a People given up to Pleasure above other Nations which made 'em so effeminate as render'd 'em an easie Conquest to their Enemies Belshazzar was a Prince given to Pleasure and liv'd in great Voluptuousness and that not only in a time of Peace but when he was surrounded by his Enemies and Darius lay with a Vast Army on the other side the River Euphrates This notwithstanding Belshazzar was resolv'd to take his Pleasure and makes a great Feast to a Thousand of his Lords and drinks Wine before 'em even out of the sacred Vessels taken out of the Temple of the House of God which was at Ierusalem But while Belshazzar was taking of his Pleasure and Carrousing with his Lords there appears suddenly a Hand Writing upon the Wall which tho' the King understood not yet his Countenance was chang'd and his Thoughts so troubled him that the Ioynts of his Loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another This quickly put an End to all their Pleasure and fill'd 'em with Confusion and Astonishment And the sad Epilogue to this Jovial Feast was That God had number'd his Kingdom and finished it and that he was weigh'd in the Balances and found wanting and his Kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians And that Night Belshazzar himself was slain which put a final End to all his Pleasure So that it is very evident that what is affirmed of Wordly Sorrow is much more true of Worldly Pleasure That it worketh Death And Solomon who of all Men was best able to Extract the quintessence of Pleasure and taste what was in it gives us this poor yet true Account of it after he had made the Experiment Behold this also is Vanity Eccles. II. 1 2. Not only Vain but Vanity it self in the Abstract and as if this was not enough he lays a greater Imputation on it in the next Verse where he tells us I said of Laughter It is mad and of Mirth What doth it And this he further Exemplifies by telling us It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to go to the House of Feasting Eccles. VII 2.
INDEED all Pleasures if they die not like Children in their very Birth yet they are liable to so many accidents that they quickly wither and decay and all their Gust is gone The pain in one Tooth the Cramp in one Joynt the Gout in one Toe the Megrim in the Head the Collick in the Guts the Feaver in the Blood the Sciatica in the Thigh the Fistula or Hemorrhoids in the nether parts or any one of these takes away the relish of our Pleasures and imbitters all the Voluptuous Persons Enjoyments turning his Singing into Sighing his Musick into Mourning and his Riot into Rage And who wou'd mourn the loss of things so Subject to a Thousand Accidents which have so little real Good in the Enjoyment The Soul's Expostulation AND now O my Soul consider with thy self how vain and how pernicious the Pleasures of the World are For tho' Mankind do generally give up themselves to the Pursuit thereof yet how full of Pain do they find these Pleasures Consider O my Soul that sensual Pleasures are the Pleasures of Beasts which relish them with more delight than Men and use 'em according to the Dictates of Nature and for the Satisfying of their Wants and that with more Moderation for they only drink for the quenching of their Thirst and Eat for the satisfying of their Hunger Whilst Men endow'd with Reason and born to a higher End even to Glorifie and Enjoy their Maker do immerse themselves in the filthy Puddles of Drunkenness and Gluttony and other base Carnal Delights and thereby degenerate below the Beasts that Perish Raise up thy Affections therefore O my Soul and place them upon Things above there are Pleasures and Delights that are worthy of thee even such as are adequate to thy Wants and capable of Satisfying the Desires of an Immortal Soul And tho' thy outward Circumstances and late Losses have render'd thee uncapable of Pursuing the Pleasures of this World thou art thereby the more fitted to aspire to those Pleasures that the World cann't take from thee and which alone are Worth the Enjoying If thou hearkenest to the Enchanting Syrens of Worldly Pleasure they do but intice thee with their Pleasant Songs as they would have doue Vlysses till they bring thee to cast thy self into the Sea of Destruction and over-whelm'd thee with Eternal Ruine But if O my Soul thou waitest at the Gates of Wisdom and hearkenest to her Voice thou soon shalt find not only that her Ways are Ways of Pleasantness but also that all her Paths are Peace A PRAYER MOST Gracious and Merciful Father who art the God of all Consolation and Comfort in whose Presence there is fullness of Ioy and at whose right hand there are Pleasures for evermore be pleased to look down in mercy upon me a wretched and miserable Sinner who have been so long seeking that Pleasure and Satisfaction in the Creature which is alone to be found in thy Self and grant that my Mind and Affections being taken off from all Carnal Delights and fix'd upon thy Self I may henceforth lay aside every weight and the Sin that doth so easily beset me and may run with Patience the Race that thou hast set before me And since I find in thy Word that that it is the Character of some in the last Day That they shall be Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God make me I humbly beseech thee in the Number of those that have rather chose to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season Like Moses esteeming the Reproaches of Christ to be far more Eligible than the Pleasures of Egypt Grant this O Lord for Iesus Christ his sake thy Beloved Son and my alone Saviour who has further taught me to Pray saying Our Father c. Meditation IV. Of the Nature and Causes of Afflictions NOtwithstanding what has been said in the three former Meditations of the Uncertainty and Emptiness of Honours Riches and Pleasures and what little Cause we have to be troubled at the loss of them yet since the best of Men are apt to look upon the loss of those things as Afflictions and are more forward to bemoan themselves under them than to Enquire into their Causes and since the finding out of their Causes is the best way to remove their Effects I will now Enquire into the Nature and Causes of Afflictions and therein what were the Sins that procur'd those Calamities under which our Royal Master and his Family has so long suffer'd AFFLICTIONS are always Evils in themselves and in their own Nature tho' through the Over-ruling Providence of Almighty God they are often turn'd to the great Advantage of those that suffer 'em So the Author to the Hebrews tells us No Chastening for the Present is Ioyous but Grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness to them that are excercised thereby Heb. XII 11. And this was the Experience of the Royal Prophet Before I was Afflicted I went astray but now says he have I kept thy Word And in another place he tells us It is good for me that I have been afflicted And yet these Afflictions were grievous to him to bear for he cries out They made him go mourning all the Day long But these sufferings are never brought upon a People or a Family without a Cause for God does not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men and St. Peter tells us expresly that it is not without need be that we are in Heaviness And it is as sure that Sin is always the cause of Suffering And therefore the Psalmist says When thou with rebukes doest correct Man for Iniquity thou makest his Beauty to consume as the Moth And the Prophet Ieremiah asks Wherefore does a living Man complain a Man for the Punishment of his Sins So that nothing can be more clear then that Sin is the cause of Affliction Which being laid down as an Undoubted Truth it remains that we Enquire what those Sins are which are most likely to bring down National Judgments and then to Examine whether we have not been guilty of those Sins that so we may thereby come to know wherefore it is that God contendeth with us and knowing that that we may repent of our Iniquities and return unto him against whom we have Sinned that he may return unto us with Mercy and with loving kindness 1. THE Sin of Prophane Swearing and Cursing is that which brings Gods Judgments on a Nation Hence the Prophet tells us That because of Swearing the Land mourns and this Sin is expresly forbidden by the third Commandment which enjoyns us not to take the Name of the Lord our God in vain and threatens that God will not hold him guiltless that does so whereby is implied That GOD will charge the guilt and violation of his holy Law upon such a one the taking his Name in vain being a Prophaning of it Whereas we are commanded to
if I do Thine O Lord is the Sword of Vengeance and thine is the sharpest Sword O let me not dare to take it out of thy hand Lest while I strike others I fall justly by thy Sword Tho' Flesh and Blood provoke me to it let thy holy Spirit withhold me from it And cast and keep out of me that Evil Spirit by thy Power O good God and Saviour for thy infinite Mercies sake Amen A Collect or Prayer against Malice O Thou Divine Goodness that wouldst not have me be of a Revengeful Spirit neither wouldst thou have me be of a Malicious Spirit and therefore O Lord be pleased to keep me from Malice which is the very Soul of Satan and Sin of the Devil Thou O God art Love but he is Hatred And if Malice be in me I shall be as he is even one whom unless thou hatest thy self thou canst not love Thou hast commanded that I should love my Enemies and wouldst not have me be malicious against them nor bear them ill will for what they have done to me but rather to pray for them yea tho' they use me despitefully thou wouldst not have me be despiteful towards them And therefore from such a hateful and damning Disposition O Lord Deliver me Let not Satan's Brand be on my Brest and his Soul in my Body lest being marked for him he seiz me as his own But O Lord do thou stamp me as thy own and set the Seal of thy Love on my heart that I may be owned by thee and have thy Badge continually upon me which is That we love one another O let me not wear the Devils Badge in a visible or secret Malice to any Make me O Lord a Child of thy Family a Dove of thy Flock without any Gaul or Rancor a Lamb of thy Fold harmless to all and not doing Mischief to any but delighting like thy Blessed Self to do good unto all Even for his sake who is holy harmless and undefiled who did good to all and Evil to none even Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Collect for Grace O Thou that hast promised thy holy Spirit to them that ask it give me thy Grace O God that being strengthened thereby I may with Courage and Constancy Engage all my Spiritual Enemies and subdue them That I may pass my Pilgrimage here in thy fear and at last receive my Triumphs in thy Glory Through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Collect for Peace O God of Peace which art incomprehensible give me Thy Peace which passeth all understanding Let me so live according to thy Rule that I may have Peace with my Conscience and let me be so ruled by thy Will and Word that my Conscience may have Peace with Thee Lord make an Everlasting Peace with me and let me never do that which has any Tendency to break that League Dear Jesus Let it be Ratified and Confirmed in thy Blood and maintain it in me by thy holy Spirit Amen Amen A Collect for Health IT is the wonder of thy Providence O Lord that a Body subject to thousands of Frailties and Casualties every Day should Enjoy Health or Life an Hour yet through thy Mercy I have both at this instant Lord continue to me what I have and let me so improve it to thy Honour that thou mayst continue it and suffer me not by any Sin to provoke thee to take it away from me and to Smite me with Sickness Hear me I beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Collect for Friends O Lord it is Ioyful for Friends to love and live together on Earth but the Ioy of all Ioys to live with thee in Heaven I beseech thee let this happiness be the Portion of all whom thou hast made more Nearly and Dearly to be Mine Let us so live in thy Service that we may die in thy Salvation In the mean while what we want of any Earthly Good necessary for us Give us What is amiss and offensive to thy Heavenly Majesty in any of us Forgive us What is requisite to make us so to serve thee now that thou mayst save us then in thy Bounty bestom upon us Even Truth and Grace aright to See and Seek thy Face in Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the Kingdom O Lord Our Distractions threaten Desolations to us Preserve us Our sins cry aloud for thy Vengeance upon us Pardon us Thy Mercies have been great to this Nation O Lord remember them Thy Deliverances of us have been many O Lord Renew them That Iniquity be not our utter Ruine give us Repentance The Guilt and Blood upon us Forgive Our Breaches Repair The Order which may bring Peace Establish The Government thou hast Establish'd maintain What is Iust and Right in thine Eyes set up What thou seest Evil cast down What makes the Nation miserable Remove What may make it happy Restore Lord for thy Mercies sake say We have been miserable enough and make us more happy Let the Light of thy Countenance shine again upon us and grant us thy Peace The Power and Authority which may procure it Preserve and those to whom thou hast given that Power Bless them to us and us in them and all in thee For Iesus Christ his sake Amen A Collect for the Church Catholick BEhold O God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ I a Christian and Child of his True Catholick Church Pray thy Mercies on my Good and great Mother and all my Brethren and her Children in thee and thy Son For Errors amongst them send them Truth For Schism Vnity For Superstition Warrantable Worship For Confusion Order For Prophaness Piety For Variance Concord for War Peace That all may as one Body with one Mind and Heart and Mouth and Knee Believe Love Confess Adore and so serve Thee and Him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ the Great Lord and Common Saviour of us all as thou mayst save us all in the World to come O Thou Head of the Church Save thy Body By thy Blood Cleanse it by thy Spirit Sanctifie it by thy Power Preserve it and every Limb of it dear Iesus Amen A Collect for the Church O Christ Head of thy Body the Church let not this poor Member of it amongst us Perish What it is Thou seest Lord with Pity behold us What it was thou knowest O Lord in Mercy Restore us Thy Primitive Order in Christian Truth and Worship for the saving of Souls which is cast down set up The Present Confusions Distractions Innovations Errors which are got up cast down Set up thy Glory O Lord amongst us And what is set apart to support it do Thou maintain and continue to us and our Posterities after us for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Collect for Safety FORGIVE O Lord the Forfeitures I have made of thy Protection by the Wanderings of my Life And tho I have not been as I should a Dutiful Child yet be Thou O Lord as
Thou ever art a Merciful Father Forget not thy Fatherly Goodness to me who pray thy Pardon for offending Thee Thy Grace to serve Thee and Thy Providence to preserve me this Night and Evermore through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for one in Affliction O Lord That Affliction which is now my Lot is the Result of thy good Pleasure and as such let me Eye it and improve it to Reclaim me from Evil Ways and to direct my course into those that are Good If it be so grievous to bear it for a Time what is it O God to suffer it and ten thousand times more misery than it for Ever Then if it be ill let it be thy Rod to reclaim me and if Good thy Staff to make me stand better in Grace and advance me to thy Glory Thy Fan to Purge me Thy Furnace to Prove me So Adversity to my Body be the Prosperity of my Soul let it come and Welcome O Lord that my Soul may at last everlastingly Prosper with Thee in that Day of Bliss which knows no Cloud of Ill nor end of Good to Eternity Since Affliction is a sign of thy Mercy a Badge of thy Favour and a means of Glory let me not be Impatient under it lest I perpetuate my Woes to two Worlds and whom Thou hast but for a Time make my self miserable for ever Blessed Jesus who didst go from a Cross to a Crown and doest Cross me to Crown me let me carry mine Patiently that I may come to thy Throne and not cast my self from a Cross of Woe into a Gulph of Confusion From such Miscarriages under my Present Afflictions O Lord deliver me Dear Jesus By the Merits and Example of thy holy Cross and by the Vertues and Works of thy holy Spirit Do it for me and Sanctifie it to me Amen A Concluding Prayer BEhold O Lord what I have Prayed unto thee for and grant I humbly beseech thee the Requests that I have put up unto Thee this Evening and hear the Petitions of thy Servant And do for me for the Nation for thy Church and for all Estates and Conditions therein not only according to what I have Prayed but according to what I should and ought to have Prayed and what any else have prayed with me for Jesus Christ his sake in whose Name I have presented them with whose Words I desire to Perfume and Perfect my Prayers Beseeching Thee That his Spirit may breathe in those Words in which I know I Pray both what and as I ought And therefore as Devoutly Confidently say Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Blessing BLESSED are the Afflicted and Troubled and those that mourn under those Calamities we feel and fear The Blessing and Comfort of God the Father and the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Consolations of the holy Spirit be upon me and upon all such sad and sorrowful Souls with me this Night and Evermore Amen Meditations and Prayers FOR THE NOLY COMMUNION BOTH Before At and After Receiving A Meditation before the Receiving the holy Communion O My dear Lord Thy Passion makes me full of all Passions I am in Love and yet I Hate I have my Longings and my Loathings I both Rejoyce and Grieve and Cherish Hope and Fear I am Incens'd and Ravish'd I am in Love with Thee O blessed Jesus I am Enamour'd of thy Person O Thou God-Man The Son of God! The Beauty of Heaven and Earth The Center of all Created and Uncreated Excellency The Mirror of the Godhead The Wonder of Angels The Glory of Mankind I am Inflamed with thy Love Thou mad'st thy Love to Lazarus legible in thy Tears See how he loved him said the Jews and shall not I read it in thy Wounds They saw Love in thy driping Eye and shall not I in thy Bleeding Side They in the Hot-water thou didst bestow on his Dead Body and shall not I see it in that reaking Blood thou sheddest for my lost and Dying Soul O let not my heart be so hard to see those Wounds of so great Love to me and yet to have no Woundings of Affection for Thee For thee Lord Yes and all in Heaven and Earth that have Relation to Thee I am also in Love with the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ who would give his Son his only Son the Son of his Love so to suffer on Earth for a Time that I might not suffer for Ever in Hell I am also in Love with Thee O Thou Blessed and Holy Spirit of GOD who didst anoint Jesus to be my Christ and thereby Inaugurate him to his Crown of Thorns and Blessed tho' most Bloody Passion which he suffered for me I am in Love with the whole Blessed Trinity whose glorious Essence and Ineffable Unity I Adore tho' I cannot comprehend and whose Counsels fill my Soul with the highest Admiration tho' I am never able to search out their Unfathomable depth I have also Love for the Sons of Men for them especially for whom my Lord Jesus shed his precious Blood thereby to make them the Sons of God and Brothers of Christ Thy Cross O Jesus shall make all Mankind my Friends for where thou gavest thy Blood why shou'd not I give my Heart THUS Lord I love all for thee and thee in all And now I will love my self for thy sake amongst them O Lord I am one in whom is thy Flesh a Man I am one in whom is thy Spirit a Christian I am one for whom thou didst shed thy Blood on whom thou hast shed thy Spirit A redeemed esteemed Man by Thee and shall I be so poor as to Value Dirt to thy Blood Shall I be tempted to give my self from Thee to the Flesh and to the World O Lord I will Value thy Blood more I will keep the Spirit better I will set a higher price on my self than to sell thy Blessed Purchase to the Devil for a base Piece of Flesh and a small portion of the World So am I and let me ever be in love with Thee O Lord. BUT O Sin I am in Hate with Thee for my own and for my Saviour's sake O thou Enemy of God and Man how execrable art thou More than heart can think That madest him lamentable more than Eye saw AND O Devil I hate Thee who didst tempt Man out of Paradise and so draw Christ to a Cross And could thy Temptations have prevail'd and thy Power been equal to thy Malice wouldst have cast the second Adam out too that so nor the First nor his Seed might ever have come in again AND O World I abhor thee as the Imp of the Devil who of his Jews and Gentiles couldst find hands for such horrid Acts and Sins that made those Bloody Passions So Sin Devil World for the Death of my King and Lord and Christ you have my Hate I have also my Longings too I Long for the Lord My Soul Longeth for God even the
Body thy Temple more pure from Sin and holy to Thee and my Heart thy Bed more clean from Lust and undefiled before Thee In the strength of Thee the Living Bread let me grow more able to serve thee And by Vertue of so near an Vnion and Communion with thee let not mine but thy holy Spirit from henceforth Lighten Lead and Enliven me that I may shun Sin which thou hatest and daily do those Duties of Devotion and Charity which please Thee So let this holy Sacrament at once Seal to me thy Mercy and my Glory where I shall for ever Communicate with Thee in Perfect Purity and Felicity To that happy Communion by thy Grace dear Saviour ever Prepare me and Now for a holy Communion with Thee Amen Amen Say Amen Lord Jesus A Prayer At our Receiving the Holy Communion DIDST Thou not Invite me to thy holy Table O Lord I durst not come Now thou callest me I dare not keep away And yet when I do consider Who and What is here I fear and tremble to come Thou O Lord art a holy and dreadful Majesty and so thy Mysteries be Holy Bread and holy Wine A most holy Body and Blood No Taint in his Blood who is GOD as well as Man The Lamb of God Immaculate Undefiled without Spot All-Pure most High and Holy But alas I am Unclean Unclean Unclean Originally Actually Every-way in Heart Hand and Lips throughout Childhood Youth and Manhood most Unworthy to approach a Presence so Pure who am so Unholy TRUE Lord But I Lament my Uncleanness I Renounce my own Unworthiness I come not because Worthy but Needy I come to be made Clean and Worthy That Body and Blood can make me Clean it is my Saviours and his Merits can make me Worthy They are thy Sons O Lord And here is a Conveyance of that blessed Body and Blood It is thy Sacrament LORD Think me Worthy for his sake and make me Worthy for thy Mercies sake by my Coming Give my Sins thy Pardon my Soul thy Grace my Self thy Acceptance in thy Beloved And what thou doest Convey Seal to me by what I now Receive from Thee the Blessed Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer and Thanksgiving After the Receiving of the holy Communion PARDON O Father the Errors and Infirmities of thy poor Child which have pass'd in thy holy Service whether Before or In or Since the Sacrament And in and for the Precious Blood of thy holy Child Jesus of which I have had the holy Communion Seal me my Pardon And behold and accept thy Servant from a Heart full of thy Love pouring out Praises to Thee for the Inestimable Benefits Received in those high and holy Mysteries What am I O Lord or what is in me that thou shouldest do this great Honour and Favour to me I am unworthy to touch the Tresholds of thy House and Thou hast taken me to thy Table I am not worthy to stand amongst thy Saints and thou hast made me Sit with my Saviour I am not worthy to come before thee and fall down before thy Footstool and Thou hast been pleased to come into me and make my Heart thy Throne I am not worthy to Eat the Bread of Men and thou hast given me the Bread of Angels Yea Lord the Angels hunger but have not this Bread What they admire I have Received whom they Adore I have Entertained The Body and Blood of Jesus their Mirror is my Meat Christ and they are two but I and my Saviour are One Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone One Blood one Body O unspeakable Mystery O incomparable Mercy LORD I beseech Thee since of my self I cannot enough Praise Thee make me some way worthy of Thee Let my Hands which have Received thy Blessed Body and Blood be henceforth Sacred and do no Deeds that may offend Thee Let my Lips which have touched those holy Mysteries be hallowed from all Words that may displease thee And let my Heart the Habitation of my Lord and Saviour be hereafter holy and no Vain Thoughts lodge within me As I am one with him in Body and Blood let me be one in Spirit the Spirit of Wisdom Love and Holiness Truly to know Thee serve Thee and cleave unto thee By the blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood convey it to me Confirm it in me Let it be to my Soul the Signet of thy Love and Seal of thy Glory And Even for the precious Merits of that Blood and Body receive me to it I beseech Thee that I may be one in Everlasting Union and Communion with Thee for Jesus his sake Amen Amen A Thanksgiving for a Devout Soul After Receiving the Communion O Thou that hast given the Bread of Heaven to feed me give me the Tongue of Angels to praise Thee Lord the very Angels are not blessed with such Bread O what an high Mystery and Mercy is this that my Saviour is my Sustenance and their Maker my Meat The Body and Blood of Christ the Eternal Son of God to be in an holy Communion Eaten and Drunken by the Mouth of a Mortal Man O the Infinite Condescending Goodness of a gracious God! To make my humble Heart the Habitation of his Holiness To come to me Enter in me and become one not by Reconciliation only but Heavenly Vnion and Communion with me O miraculous Vnion O mysterious Incorporation O happy Soul that art so near to thy Saviour O blessed Saviour that art so near my Soul O wretched Soul if thou esteem'st any thing too dear for such a Saviour Wilt thou not give thy Body and Blood for his Truth Wilt thou not offer thy Life as a Sacrifice to his Glory O Lord Let my Soul which by thy Sacrament is made so happy by my Sin never be made wretched And since I have received thy Body and Blood let thy Spirit take Possession of my Heart and Guide me Lead me Command me and Rule me Be thou the Spirit of my Soul and Soul of my Body Let not the Flesh World or Devil have any Power in me Live O Live Thou in me O Christ Live in my Earthly Tabernacle and let me live for Ever with Thee in thy heavenly Habitation Even by the Merits and Vertues of thy pretious Body and Blood O sweet Iesus I beseech Thee Amen I AM now come through the Divine Assistance to the last thing I Promised which is Some General Rules and Directions for our Daily Practice In which I shall be very short a few things well digested being better than many which oftentimes prove burdensome to the Memory and hinder instead of help I HAVE already set down a Form of Prayer to be us'd Morning and Evening in Times of Affliction besides which I will add Rules of Devotion for the Morning IN the Morning when you first awake lift up your Eyes to God and say I lift up mine Eyes to the Hills from whence cometh my help THEN lift