of thy mercy I here prostrate my Self before thee begging leave of thee that I may once more worship and adore thee and be admitted into thy Service which is perfect Freedome It is the unfeigned desire of my soul now wholly to attend upon thee and to devote my self entirely to thy Service I am come into thy presence to call my self to an Account for my Sins with Sorrow to bewail them most earnestly to deprecate thy displeasure for them and to renew my Vows and Obligations to thee against them for the time to come to acknowledg my dependance on thee to praise thee for thy Mercies and to make an absolute surrender of my self all the daies of my Life unto thy Service But alas O Lord what am I and what can I do without thee I do not attempt this great Work trusting in any power or strength of my own but in the gracious assistance of thy most holy and blessed Spirit O Gracious God who hast promised to give thy Holy Spirit unto them that ask it send it now down into my Soul and let him bring into my remembrance and convince me of every Sin and every Evil way What I see not teach thou me Search me O God and know my heart O try me and know my thoughts and see what way of Wickedness there is in me and lead me in the way everlasting Make the 〈◊〉 remembrance of my former sins bitter unto my soul Work in me a compleat repentance for them a loathing and abhorrence of them stedfast purposes and resolutions of forsaking them for the time to come and of making an entire resignation of my Self to thy service that so I may obtain the pardon of them in and through Jesus Christ O let not O Lord any of my former great and crying Sins the breach of former vows and promises my impenitency or obduracy or want of suitable Affections for this holy Exercise or any other thing interpose between me and thee this day to stop the current of thy mercy or cause thee to hide thy Face from me in displeasure But gracious God scatter all my Sins which may be as a cloud to hinder my prayers from coming up towards thee and thy mercies from coming down upon me that so in the end of this my Duty I may have an assurance of thy favour which is better than life and all the comforts of it I may have peace with thee and peace in my own Conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost and receiving Power and Strength from thee may run with chearfulness the ways of thy Commandments and serve thee by 〈◊〉 sincere impartial uniform obedience all the days of my Life through Jesuâ— Christ Amen Those whose Piety may inlarge their Devotions may here also fitly use thâ— two Prayers of the Author of the wholâ— Duty of Man for Sincerity and Contrition which because all those perhapâ— into whose hands this Manual may fall may not have by them I shall anon insert towards the end of it Then betake your self to a Seriouâ— and Impartial Examination of your seâ—â— concerning your Sins and if you be a person who use your self to those periodical Returns every Week your inquisition need go no farther than the preceding Week unless it be before every Sacrament when it may be necessary to renew your Repentance for the Capital Sins of your whole Life you may begin with reflecting upon the spending every day of the week where you were in what Company and what your Business or the like which will be apt to afford you fresh remembrances of your Sins and then if you please you may first consider and examine what your thoughts have been wherein they have been exorbitant and sinful what the bent and inclinations of your heart have been and how you have endeavoured to suppress the evil and to cherish the good and when you have found them humbly confess them and lift up your Soul to God in this Ejaculation Lord be merciful to me a Sinner Consider next your Words Whether they have been Vain Idle Corrupt Lying Detracting Uncharitable Passionate or the like Whether they have been mix'd with that Grave Discretion tending to Reprehension and Edification c And then after Confession annex the former Ejaculation God be merciful c. Last of all Examine thy self strictly also concerning all thy Actions thy Violations of the First and Second Table thy Sins of Omission and Comission towards God thy Neighbour and thy Self Examine how thou hast spent thy time resisted Temptations or compli'd with them and what the circumstances of aggravation have been then humbly confess them Endeavour to Work your heart to a true Sorrow and Contrition for them Be angry with your self that you should be so basely led away by the corruptions of your Nature and the pleasures of Sin which are but for a Moment by Evil company or the like Temptations then lift up thy Soul in this manner Thus thus O Lord have I sinned against thee yea I know not O Lord how often I have offended many a times more I am sure I have which I have either forgot or not adverted to O clâ—anse cleanse thou me from my secret faults Here make serious Resolutions against every Sin and especially those thou hast by Examination found thy self guilty of After this fall down up on thy knees or perhaps if the Sins be great and thy humility so too thou may'st think it more proper to prostrate thy self on the ground and Petition the Throne of Grace in this or the like Form following O God the Father of Heaven have Mercy upon me a miserable Sinner O God the Son Redeemer of the World have Mercy c. O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have Mercy c. O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Three Persons and one God have Mercy c. The Prayer taken out of the Whole Duty of Man magna ex parte O Most holy holy holy Lord God who art of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity how shall I who am nothing but Iniquity dare to appear before thee Or take so Sacred a Name into my unhallowed lips but yet O Lord whom shall I invoke but thee whom I have offended Against thee thee only have I sinned and done these evils in thy sight I know that thou alone canst forgive sin and that we might not be discouraged to come unto thee thou hast publish'd thy self to be the Lord gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great goodness a God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin yea thou hast promised That if we confess our Sins thou wilt be faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Relying therefore on this thy gracious promise I am now emboldened to postrate my self before thee in all Humility of Soul and Body desiring to be ashamed and to blush when I lift up mine Eyes unto thee for my Iniquities are increased over
my Heart unto Wisdom when I awake up I am ever with thee Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the ginning is now c. Then have an especial care that no vain filthy or impure thoughts have any entertainment within thy Breast but if any such endeavour to crowd themselves in presently discard them with detestation and abhorrency emembring that the First Fruits belong to God and he ought to have the râ—ime of all thy Thoughts then cast thy self out of Bed and whiles thou art dressing thy self desire God to cloath thee with the Righteousness of his Son Christ Jesus and use the following Ejaculations O Lord grant that I may put on the whole Armour of God that I may be able to stand against all the Fiery Darts of the Devil Above all things O Lord give me the Shield of Faith the Breast-plate of Righteousness the Sword of the Spirit the Girdle of Verity the Helmet of Salvation and let my Feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace O grant that I may put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no Provision for the Flesh to fulfil it in the Lusts thereof Before thou art throughly dressed kneel down by the Bed-side and say In the Name of the Father and of the the Son and of the Holy Ghost prevent me O Lord in all my doings with thy most gracious Favour and further me with thy continual Help that in all my works begun continued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. On Combing your Head or Plaiting the Hair you may use such Ejaculaions as these Grant O Lord my Ornament may not be that of the Hair but that of a lowly meek quiet and humble Spirit Let it not be that of the outer but of the inner and hidden Man of the Heart Make me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me While you are Washing you may Ejaculate thus O Lord wash me throughly from mine Iniquities and cleanse me from my Sin O cleanse me from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit Not only my Hands and my Face O Lord but my Heart also Purge me with Hysop and so shall I be clean O Lord wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow I am unclean I am unclean but O Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean O touch me and say I will be thou clean Being now compleatly dress'd withdraw to thy Closet or place of Retirement and there lift up thy Soul to God in this or the like manner O Lord I beseech thee let thy holy Spirit direct me how I may spend this day most of all to thy Glory and my own and others benefit And then ponder a while on the business of the day and consider what sins either thy natural Temper Business or Company may most subject thee to to what dangers thou art most liable and what opportunities thou art like to have either of doing God Service or thy Neighbour good Against the former implore Gods Aid and Assistance in a particular Petition which you may find a convenient place to insert in your Morning Devotions and also Arm your self before-hand with Resolutions and the best Means you can to prevent them that so you may avoid the occasions of Sin And for the latter resolve to embrace all opportunities for the discharge of your Duty and then use this Ejaculation Thus thus O Lord I purpose by thy Grace to spend this day O be thou pleased to be present with me by the preventings and assistings of thy Grace and Holy Spirit that so I may perform what I intend to the Glory of thy Name the discharge of my Duty the benefit of others the comfort of my own Soul here and everlasting happiness hereafter in and through Jesus Christ Let thy Grace be sufficient for me Consider also seriously what Sins have passed from thee since thy Evening Devotions Being thus prepared take Gods Holy Book into thy hands yet not without Reverence and to put a distinction between this and other Books it will be commendable if thou uncover thy head in the reading of it or stand up even the Hearhens pay it Reverence the Jews hear the Law with Adoration and the Turks kiss the Alcoran thou maist also use one of these or the like Ejaculation or the Collect of the second Sunday in Advent Assist me I pray thee O Lord with thy Holy Spirit in the reabing of thy holy Word enlighten the Eyes of my Vnderstanding that I may understand the same give me a retentive Memory and Grace to reduce the same into Practice in my Life and Conversation through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen Open thou mine Eyes O Lord that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Blessed art thou O Lord O teach me thy Statutes O Lord sanctifie unto me my present Reading and Meditations for Jesus Christ his sake Then read that portion of Scripture that is either accommodated to the day or most fitted for your own condition and that with much seriousness attention and particular application of it to your self When you have ended use the common Doxology of Glory be to thee O Lord. Then re-collect what things observable you have met with in your reading and spend some time in Meditation of them and consider what use you may afterwards make of them either to encourage to Vertue or deter from Vice without this Post Meditation you will reap no more benefit by this â—alutary Word than a Body by the reception of the most nutritious Aliment which is not well digested in the Stomach Nay as this will be apt to turn into Crudities and Diseases to the Body so will the other prove fatal to the Soul and that which should have been the savour of Life unto Life will be nothing else than the savour of Death unto Death Meditation being ended betake your self decently and reverently to your knees and with great fervency offer up your Morning Devotions unoâ— the Throne of Grace which being done follow your lawful Studies or Employments still having an awful sense of Gods Omnipresence But if you be a Master of a Family then call your Family together and let they as well as you serve the Lord. Read a Chapter unto them and Pray again with them before you dismiss them to their business And if you live in a place where Publick Prayers are Celebrated and your manner of Life be such that you can without considerable inconveniences dispense with it think your self not excused from the Prayers of the Church in the Congregation At Noon when you see the Table spread you may meditate concerning Gods Mercy and Bounty towards thee and all mankind and use those or the like Ejaculations hereafter prescribed for that purpose and then receive
nothing but what comes from the ground of the Heart is accepted by him and that only the Fervent Prayer is effectual and prevails with him how great need you have of those things you ask and that for ought you know this may be the last time you may have an opportunity of putting up any Petition unto him Then draw near unto God in Faith and in Humility in a sense of his great Majesty and thy own Wretchedness and Misery In the entrance to thy Prayer earnestly desire the Assistance of Gods Holy Spirit and have a care to keep out all vain and wandring thoughts In the close of thy Prayer remember to give God thanks for that gracious opportunity vouchsafed thee for that strength of Body and Assistance of his Holy Spirit which he hath been pleased to afford thee in the performance of thy Duty and desire him for the continuation of the same Mercies to pardon the Frailties and Imperfections of thy Holy Duties and to do more abundantly for thee than thou art able to ask or think c. This being done prepare thy self for thy Bed unless thou art Major Domo Master of a Family and then call thy Family together read unto them or cause them to read a Chapter or two and afterwards Pray with them and be not unmindful to adapt thy Prayers as near as thou canst to their as well as thy own particular wants and necessities which by having an eye over them thou mayst without any great difficulty observe and know As thou art putting off thy Cloaths Meditate that it will not be long before thou put off thy Body also Beg of God therefore by Ejaculation that when this Earthly Tabernacle of thy Body shall be dissolv'd thou mayst have a building with God not made with hands but Eternal in the Heavens and that when thy Body shall lie down in its Bed of Darkness thy Soul may pass into the Regions of Light and dwell with God for ever more through Jesus Christ Amen After thou art in Bed use these or the like short Prayers or Ejaculations I will remember thee in my Bed I will think upon thee in the Night Season At Midnight will I give thanks to â—hee because of thy Righteous Judgments O Lord deliver me from the place works and spirits of Darkness O Let â—e not walk in the Night of Sin lest I â—umble and fall In the midst of Darkâ—ess and the shadow of Death O Lord â—e thou my Light Give thy Holy Angels charge over â—e to keep me in all thy ways and be â—hou O blessed Saviour unto me both 〈◊〉 life and death advantage I will lay me down in Peace and â—ake my rest for thou Lord only makest â—e dwell in fafety Consider and bear me O Lord my â—od Lighten mine Eyes that I sleep â—ot in Death Into thy hands I commend my Spirit â—oul and Body for thou hast redeemed â—â—em O Lord thou God of Truth Glory be to the Father and to the â—on and to the Holy Ghost As it was 〈◊〉 the beginning is now and ever sha◠〈◊〉 c. If any time remains before sleep seizeth on thee you cannot do better than to spend it in Meditation of some portion of that Scripture which you before read If you awake in the Night fill up the Chasms and Intervals with short Prayers Ejaculations or Meditations upon the four last things Death Judgment Heaven and Hell So shalt thou sleep and awake with God Prov. 3.24 yea thy sleep shall be sweet and no dangers of the Night or Spirits of Darkness shall terrifie thee So shalt thou be in a continual epectation of the coming of thy dearest Lord that if he call for thee at Morning or at Evening at Midnight or at Mid-day at the third or fourth Watch thou wilt be found prepared for his coming thou wilt lay thy head down in the dusâ— with joy rest in hope and at length rise to a glorious Immortality which will make an ample Compensation for these thy pains and services Of a Private Fast and Directions for it FAsting in its Definition I take to be nothing else but an abstaining from our lawful Food upon a Religious account which although it be no where in Scripture injoyn'd simply for its own sake yet if we consider the many advantages of it in order to the benefit of our Souls we shall not think the Commands of the Church and the Practice of the Primitive Christians too severe and inimitable The Jews fasted twice every Week sc Tuesdays and Thursdays concerning which is the boast of the Pharisee Luke 18.12 and the Christians have not come behind them and the Sabbath being for good Reasons altered they have observed Wednesdays and Fridays for a Religious Fast which days are taken notice of by Tertullian and called Dies Stationarii But alas we that now live in this profligate and degenerate Age are so far from following the steps of pious Antiquity or the Commands of our Holy Mother the Church that if we set apart a Day for this purpose once in a quarter shall I say before the Sacrament or a year rather we think we have sufficiently deny'd our selves and discharg'd our Duty But certainly did we seriously consider and put a due estimate upon the great Emoluments and Advantages of this Holy exercise we should not be so remiss and negligent in it which I shall in the next place give you a taste of 1. And first of all Fasting is very instrumental to all Acts of Devotion for seeing there is so near an affinity between the Soul and the Body the former using the Organs of the latter for its Operations and for the most part follows the Temperament of it it cannot be when the Body is stuff'd even to Satiety and clog'd with a Load of indigested Humours that the Soul should be so active and vigorous as at other times and mount with those Wings of Devotion with that Zeal and Affection towards Heaven as when it is freed from that Burthen which still presses it down to the Earth And if there were no other reason to be given for it every good Christian's own Experience will sufficiently evince the Truth of the Assertion 2. Fasting is very instrumental in order to our humilation for Sins past and subduing of Lusts for the future Such is the misery of Mankind That whilst we are driven by an indispensable necessity to Eating and Drinking that we may support our frail Beings we also by the same Act cherish and foment our Vices Our Flesh is apt to be too rebellious and we find a Law in our Members constantly warring against the Law of our Minds and leading us Captive at will Now fasting is the Soul's Physick and there is no better way to tame this Monstrous Panther than by substracting that Pabulum which nourishes and feeds it This course Holy David took he wept and chastened himself with Fasting and many of God's Children imitate his Example
and no doubt when it is performed with good ends and designs as it is an act of Austerity and holy Revenge upon our Selves so by God's Mercy it will procure that Mortification that we aim'd at by it and we shall find either the Temptation removed or God impowering us from on High with Grace sufficient to withstand it 3. It is very profitable and instrumental for the removing or prevention of Judgments and that either particular upon thy Self Family or Friends or National Ahab though a wicked King yet because he fasted and humbled himself before God tho positive Judgments were denounced against him he receives a Suspension of them in his days 1 Kings 21.27 and 29. and tho David found not that effect when he fasted for the Child 2 Sam. 12.16 because his Sin was notorious and scandalous and God would have the punishment as publick to yet it is manifest that David expected it and thought that the readiest way to attain it The Heathen Ninevites succeeded in their Fast for the removal of a general Judgment upon the whole City Jonah 3.5 they proclaimed a Fast and in the tenth verse you have the good success of it God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them and he did it not Lastly Fasting is very seasonable when we have any extraordinary thing to beg of God I do not give much Credit to the many Stories amongst the Romish Credentials and what great things have been done by Prayer and Fasting but we have a much surer Word of Prophesie we know what the effect of Hester's Fast was Esther 4.16 how she obtained her request for the deliverance of the Jews We know that when Paul and Barnabas were to be ordained Apostles there was Fasting as well as Prayer premised Acts 13.3 Therefore if we have any Internal Mercy or Grace to desire of God or if we have any extraordinary External Blessing to implore at his Hands let us unto our Prayer joyn Fasting also One Emolument more I will by way of surplusage subjoyn which probably with some sort of persons may be more perswasive than all the rest and that is the advantage of it upon the Score of Health In most Constitutions when the Stomach does as it were keep Holy day and is not charg'd with a new load or taken up with the concocting of new Food it hath time to digest Crude and Superflous Humours which oppress it and so after Concoction either manifestly evacuates or insensibly dissipates them so that that which could not be before digested by a full Stomach is now effectually performed by an empty one All the ways and passages of the body are by this means rendred open and ready for Exclusion Fasting powerfully opens Obstructions makes Respiration more Free and Easie and the Mind and all the Senses more chearful quick and vegate Fasting is not onely the Physick of the Soul but the Body too Many Diseases have been by this prevented many cured Hence that of Fernelius Quos igitor morbos inediâ— non sustulit Medicatione curato So that you see if we had nothing else in Prospect but our own Health Fasting or rather in this sense Abstinence seems most fit and reasonable It will be impossible for me to prescribe to every one how often they ought to fast Every Man's piety and his necessary occasions must instruct him in the frequency of this Duty From those who labour and are bound in the Sweat of their Brows to procure a Competency for themselves and their poor Family little of this Duty is expected However seeing they ought to separate some time before the receiving of the Holy Sacrament for Examination of themselves Prayer and Preparation they cannot do better than add Fasting also But for those who are not under such indispensible necessities and have any tolerable leisure their Piety certainly may well prompt them to set apart one Day every Week for Fasting Calling themselves to an Account of their Sins Humiliation and Prayers unto God for Pardon Preventing or Strength'ning Grace It is Observed even in the outward affairs of this World that those who keep the closest Accounts thrive best and though there be a Day-Book as they call it in which they set down the Debentures of every Day yet once in a Week at least these are all summ'd up and put into a better Form in the great Shop-book that they mey be found and review'd upon all occasions Thus ought the Spiritual Merchant do likewise though he examines himself every day for the Sins thereof yet he ought to have other particular days to look them over again that so having a few of them altogether it may make him more humble more penitent If thou therefore art a Man of leisure and God hath wrought in thy Heart to set apart one Day in a Week thus to humble thy self before him to be reconciled to and to be at peace with him and thy own Conscience thou hast thy liberty to choose which Day of the Week thou wilt for this purpose only give me leave to inform thee That it hath been the Practise of the Primitive Christians and that not without some reason and it is the Command of our Church too to set a part Friday for that purpose as being the Day of our Blessed Saviour's Crucifixion which was thus long observ'd by the Christians after his Passion Others choose rather Saturday for that Action which was likewise kept as a Fast by the Christians who bewailed our Saviours absence he now lying in the Grave And others observe the same day because it may serve as a preparation to the Lords Day which may be best sanctified when some Preparatory Religious Acts have gone before casting off the Cares and Thoughts of the World before-hand that they may attend upon the Lord without distraction Either of these I judge convenient enough neither do I think it necessary to bind you to either of them Prudence and your own occasions must prescribe to you in this However this is my Custom I always design Fryday for my Fasting day because if by any Interposition of Friends or Company or accidential Business I am then hindred from my Design I may have the benefit of another Day i. e. Saturday to perform my Devotions in You may also perhaps see cause to set apart a particular day or days in a year to humble your self for any great or capital Sin that day committed or to praise God for any great mercy or deliverance that day received And that you may perform this Exercise the better I shall give you some particular Rules or Directions for it Rules for a Religious Fast THe Evening before you fast insert some such Petitions as these by way of preparation into your private Prayers O blessed God to whom all hearts are open and all desires known and from whom no secret is hid I could not think a good thought unless thou hadst first infused it into my Soul
much less can I perform any good Action that might please thee I most humbly beseech thee that as by thy special Grace preventing me thou dost put into my Mind good desires and intentions so by thy continual help I may bring the same to good Effect To that end I beseech thee cleanse the thoughts of my Heart by the Inspiration of thy Holy Spirit and give me such a preparation of Soul as may qualifie me for the Duties of the ensuing day and grant that I may perfectly love thee delight in thy service and worthily magnifie thy holy Name through Christ Jesus our Lord. The Morning being come consider what necessary business you have to do that day and dispose as prudently of it as you can that it may not interfere with your Holy Exercises of Religion when you begin upon it And if any such be you may do well to dispatch it in the Morning In your private Morning Devotions be not unmindful to continue your Requests unto God for his assistance in the Duties of the day in these or the like Expressions which you may find place to insert among your other Petitions O Most gracious God thou hast been pleased to discover unto me my Duty and hast given me an hearty desire to perform the same But O Lord I know without thee I can do nothing but through thine assisting Grace I shall be able to offer up such a Sacrifice this day as may be well pleasing and acceptable in thy sight Let that Grace O Lord be sufficient for me to quicken my Devotions to kindle my Zeal and to work in me a Godly Humiliation for all my past Sins together with stedfast Resolutions of forsaking them for the time to come And tho O Lord I know thou hearest not Sinners wilfully resolved to persevere in their Sins yet thou wilt hear those that confess and abandon them Hear me therefore O Lord in the multitude of thy Mercies even in the Truth of thy Salvation and remove my Sins from before thy sight that they may not hinder good things from me this day but set them full in mine and let them ever be before me that I may not only confess them with an humble lowly penitent and obedient Heart but also actually forsake them that so 〈◊〉 may obtain forgiveness of the same by thy infinite goodness and mercy in and through Jesus Christ Amen Another to this purpose out of the Method of Private Devotions O Lord who seest the purposes of alâ— Hearts and hast been privy to the Intentions of thy Servant touching calling himself this day to an account of his ways and humbling himself before thee for all his Transgressions and rendring thee praise and thanks for all thy Mercies Be thou in Mercy present to mâ— by the preventings and assistings of thy Grace that I may with a true Hearâ— and contrite Spirit perform what I intend Grant that no worldly cares oâ— business may so take off my mind from thee but that I may be able forthwitâ— to return and without distraction to imploy my whole Soul in my designeâ— Devotions to the Glory of thy Name my own amendment and comfort here and everlasting Blessedness hereafter iâ— and through thy Son Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen 1. First abstain from all Food and Sustenance unless thouart of a weak and valetudinary temper until the Solemnity be over If thou art if thou eat and drink sparingly with a design only to strengthen thy self the better for the carrying on of thy Duty I think thou hast not broken thy Fast The Fast it self being not injoyned so much for its own sake but as it is a help and furtherance to other Duties 2. Have a care that you do not only fast from Meat but from Sin also for if you abstain from the former and not from the latter it is a great Argument of your Hypocrisie and that your Righteousness doth not exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees who fasted to be seen of Men Matth. 6.16 and are promised their Reward shall go no farther than that of Men too This is not such a Fast as God hath chosen or will accept 3. Abstain likewise this day from all gratification of your Senses from all Pleasures and Recreations This day you have design'd for condemning your self for your sins for humiliation of your self for them and mourning over them then how inconsistent will this be with Mirth and Jollity Altogether as great a Soloecism as Musick and Dancing at a Funeral to have silence in the Kitchin and the noise of Mirth in the Chamber is a thing very indecent and incongruous 4. Lastly let not Intemperance be either the Preface or Conclusion to your Fast least the Fast be so far from taking off your old sins that it be an occasion to draw on new guilt Thus I have led you through those previous Acts towards this Duty of Fasting we now come more closely to the Exercises of it Being retired to thy Closet about Noon thy mind being as much as possible disburthen'd of Worldly Thoughts cast thy self down upon thy knees and humbly say In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Prevent me O Lord in all my doings with thy most gracious favour and further me with thy continuual help that in all my Works begun continuued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. And then taking Gods Holy Book into thy hands â—ay Sanctifie unto me O Lord my present Reading and Meditations that it may in some measure prepare me for that great Work I am now about Take off my mind from all Vain and Earthly Things and inspire it with a holy Zeal that I may with spiritual desires and affections perform this spiritual Duty and grant that nothing may find admitâ—ance into my heart but what shall reaâ—ilysubmit to thy Laws and Discipline Grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ â—is sake Amen After you have spent half an hour in â—he reading of that portion of Scripture which you have thought fit to select for his purpose or that good practical â—ook which you have made choice of â—pend another half hour in digesting it â—r Meditating upon it and make partiâ—ular applications of it to your self This â—roximate preparation also you will find â—ery necessary in Order to the calling â—f your Mind from Vain and Worldly â—houghts which without it would be too apt to Straggle and be Distracted and to fix and intend them on that Exercise which you are about This being done you begin again with Prayer after this manner O Lord thou High and Holy one whose glory is above the Heavens and hast Thousands of Angels Ministring unto thee and yet are pleas'd to humble thy self to behold the things that are done by us poor wretched Mortals here on Earth In confidence therefore
Lord I beseech thee mercifully hear my prayer and spare me who now confess my sins unto thee that I whose conscience by sin is accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved from all my offences through Christ our Lord. Amen O most Mighty God and Merciful Father who hast compassion upon all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made who wouldest not the Death of a Sinner but that he should rather turn from his Sin and be saved mercifully forgive me my Trespasses receive and comfort me who am grieved and wearied with the Burthen of my Sins Thy property is alwayes to have mercy to thee only it appertaineth to forgive Sins Spare me therefore good Lord spare me whom thou hast redeemed Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant who am vile Earth and a miserable Sinner but so turn thine anger from me who meekly acknowledg my vileness and truly repent me of my faults and so make hast to help me in this World that I may ever live with thee in the World to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen This being done you are next to review your Sins again and consider what were the occasions which drew you into each particular Sin and then consider and think of those ways and mean by which you may for the future avoid them and arm your self before-hand with reasons and holy resolutions against their assaults whensoever they invade which you may do well to commit to Writing After this consider what Graces directly oppose your Vices that you may in the next place petition for them for it is not enough that you are pardoned but you must also remember that that will not stand you in stead If you again return to your Old Vices An Examplification of this you have in one or two Sins following As January I fasted and upon Examination I found my self guilty of unclean and unchast thoughts and that with delight and approbation which sometimes brake forth into corrupt frothy Discourse and immodest or unclean Actions Upon reflecting into the Causes of this Sin I found them to be Eating and Drinking too highly keeping light or idle Company not keeping that Guard over my self as I ought nor behaving my self in all places with that gravity and seriousness as I should and giving way to the first motions of vain and impure thoughts Upon which I resolved to use my self to a spare low Diet to avoid Drinking much Wine or Strong Liquors to avoid light Company and not suffer mine ears to hear or my tongue to utter any frothy or corrupt Communication to carry my self always with a becoming gravity in my behaviour to deport my self as in the immediate presence of God remembering that he is a God of infinite Purity and Holiness I will be watchful over my own Heart that I do not permit any unclean thoughts or fancies to enter within me much less give them Entertainment and as soon as they offer themselves to my fancy I will endeavour to divert them by holy and heavenly Meditations And last of all I will be frequent in my prayers to God for a clean heart and purity of spirit and for the Graces of Temperance and Chastity When I fasted likewise I found my self guilty of muth deadness and dulness in my Devotions vain and wandring thoughts in them c. Upon Examination of my self I found the great Causes of it to be the want of keeping my self continually in a serious frame and temper of spirit my not spending some some time in Meditation before I came to pray my want of frequency in my Devotions and want of the due sense of God's great and dreadful Majesty and my own necessities of those things I come to pray for Upon which I resolved constantly to keep my self in an habitual frame and temper of piety to be more frequent in Prayer and to praemeditate of the dread and awfulness of that Majesty before whom I appear to consider before-hand that nothing but what is hearty and from the ground of the Soul will be accepted by him and how great need I have of those things I ask I will pray often for the Spirit of Devotion and Sincerity and will be sure to watch over my thoughts when I am at my Devotions but if any such enter I will presently repel them and then pray with greater fervency to cross the Devil's design therein These meditations and resolutions being over you may begin again thus O Lord increase my weak Faith Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief and give me Grace to live and die according to my belief for I believe in thee O God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord who was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into Hell The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into heaven and siteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins The Resurrection of the Body and the life everlasting Amen O Lord be with my Spirit O Most gracious God make me careful to discharge and perform all my Vows and Resolutions which I have made unto thee both in publick and in private Make me a serious and professed enemy to every sin and to all ungodliness especially O Lord to all c. Here meition thy most prevailing Sins and Corruptions and let no sinful thought surprize me without a sorrowful sigh no ungracious word pass me without a suddain retractation and devour confession no wicked action defile me without a sincere and godly humiliation Unto each measure of sin enable me to allow a due measure of sorrow Let those sins that have been reigning over me be at set times constantly revenged by me and as my body hath been a deep sharer in my Sins so let it have a daily share in my Sufferings Help me at set times to deny my self some of those outward Enjoyments which thou O Lord in mercy hast allowed me as a true sign of my godly sorrow for that sinful excess which I have too oft taken without thine allowance Let those sinful hours which have been vainly lost in idleness and emptiness be willingly redeemed in a constant observation of Religious Duties Let no day pass me with out a solemn and devout task of Devotion no hour without some sweet Ejaculation and when at any time the troubles and disturbances of this frail life shall deny me happy opportunities for those heavenly performances what is wanting in act let it be made up in desire which thou Lord I trust wi lt graciously accept and look upon because faithfully intended These and whatever mercies thou knowest needful and requisite I humbly beg in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ
Amen A Prayer for Grace out of the Whole Duty of Man O Most Gracious God from whom every good and perfect gift commeth I wretched creature that am not able of my self so much as to think a good thought beseech thee to work in me both to will and to do according to thy good pleasure O inlighten my mind that I may know thee and let me not be barren or unfruitful in that Knowledge Lord work in my heart a true faith a purifying hope and an unfeigned love towards thee give me a full trust on thee zeal for thee reverence of all things that relate unto thee make me fearful to offend thee in any thing careful to please thee in all things thankful for thy mercies humble under thy corrections devout in thy service sorrowful for my sins and grant that in all things I may behave my self so as befits a creature to his Creator a servant to his Lord Enable me likewise to perform that duty I owe to my self Give me that meekness humility and contentedness whereby I may always possess my Soul in patience and thankfulness Make me diligent in all my duties watchful against all temptations perfectly pure and temperate and so moderate in my most lawful enjoyments that they never become a snare to me Make me also O Lord to be so affected towards my Neighbour that I never transgress that Royal Law of thine in loving him as my self Grant me exactly to perform all parts of Justice yielding to all whatsoever by any kind of right becomes their due and give me such bowels of mercy and compassion that I may never fail to do all acts of Charity to all Men whether Friends or Enemies according to thy Command and Example Finally I beseech thee O Lord to sanctifie me throughout that my whole Spirit and Soul and Body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever Amen Here you may also pray more particularly for those graces you have found your self most of all to stand in need of better forms for which I can not advise you to thâ—n those contained in the Book of that Excellent Author The whole Duty of Man where you have devout Prayers for all those particular Graces which a Christian can stand in need of These Prayers being over spend some time again in Reading and Meditation afterwards having before prayed for your self you are next in Charity bound to pray for others also being as members of the same mystical body the Church which you may do in this or the like Form A Prayer of Intercession O Most gracious Lord who so tenderly lovedst Mankind as to give thy dear Son out of thy bosome to be a propitiation for the Sins of the whole World grant that the effect of this redemption may be as universal as the design of it that it may be to the Salvation of all O Let no person by impenitence and wilful Sin forfeit his part in it but by the power of thy Grace bring all even the most obstinate sinners to repentance Inlighten all that sit in Darkness all Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks take from them all blindness hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and so fetch them home blessed Lord unto thy Fold that they may be saved among the number of the true Israelites And for all those upon whom the Name of thy Son is called grant O Lord that their conversations may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ that his Name be no longer blasphemed among the Heathens through us O blessed Lord how long shall Christendom continue the vilest part of the World a sink of all those abominable pollutions which even Barbarians detest O let not our profession and our practice be always at so wide a distance Let not the disciples of the holy and immaculate Jesus be of all others the most profane and impure Let not the Subjects of the Prince of Peace be of all others the most contentious and bloody but make us Christians in deed as well as in Name that we may walk worthy of that holy vocation wherewith we are called and may all with one mind and one mouth glorifie thee the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Have mercy on this languishing Church and sinful Nation look down from Heaven the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory Where is thy zeal and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards us Are they restrained Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever but though our backslidings are many and we have grievously rebelled yet according to all thy goodness let thy anger and thy fury be turned away and cause thy Face still to shine upon thy Sanctuary which is in danger to be desolate for the Lord's Sake do thou compose our differences heal the wounds which our unhappy schisms and divisions have made in thy Church and make up the breaches of our Sion and so separate between us and our sins that they may no longer separate between us and our God Avert those heavy judgments which we either fear or feel and our sins cry aloud to Heaven for and deny us not the continuance of those mercies which we yet enjoy and are altogether unworthy of but whatever temporal mercies thou art pleas'd to deny us whatever temporal judgments thou art pleased to bring upon us O remove not thy Candle-stick from us nor quench the light of our Israel but blessed Lord be pleased still to continue unto us the liberty of thy House the freedom of thy Gospel the injoyment of thy Sabbaths Sacraments and Ordinances in their primitive purity and regularity until time shall be no more Save and defend all Christian Kings Princes and Governours especially thy Servant Charles our King and those to whom we owe subjection Plead thou their cause O Lord against those that strive with them and fight thou against those that fight against them and so guide and assist them in the discharge of that Office whereunto thou hast appointed them that under them we may live quiet and peaceable Lives in all godliness and honesty Bless them that wait at thy Altar by what Names or Titles dignified and distinguished whether Arch Bishops Bishops or other inferiour Clergy Grant that they may all speak as the Oracles and live as the Messengers of God that so they may both save themselves and those that hear them More especially be gracious unto thy Servants Here you may insert the Bishop of the Diocese your Parochial Minister the Authors of good Books yet living or any that have been instrumental to your conversation Pour down a double portion of thy Spirit into their hearts make them eminent Instruments for thy glory Let them turn many from their wicked ways unto thee the living God and hereafter let them shine as Stars of the Firmament in thy Kingdom O
let not the Lights of the World any more be put under Bushels but keep them in their Candlesticks that they may give light to all that are in the House Let not Jeroboam's Priests profane thy service but let the seed of Aaron still minister before thee And O thou Father of mercies and God of all comfort succour and relieve all that are in affliction and deliver the outcast and poor help them to right that suffer wrong Let the sorrowful sighing of the Prisoners and the Captives come before thee and according to the greatness of thy Power preserve thou those that are appointed to die Grant easie to those that are in pain health to those that are in Sickness Here mention any that you know in that Condition Give them patience and contentation under this thy Visitation and a happy Issue out of all their Afflictions when and which way it shall seem best to thy godly Wisdom only so preserve them by thy Grace that Christ may be unto them whether in Life or Death advantage Give suitable supplies to all that are in want to all presumptuous sinners give a sense of their sins and to all despairing a sight of thy mercy and do thou O Lord for every one above what they can ask or think forgive my Enemies Persecutors or Slanderers overcome all their evil with thy infinite goodness turn their hearts and draw them powerfully to thy self Pour down thy blessings on all my Friends and Benefactors all that have commended themselves to my prayer or that I am bound to pray for especially c. Here specify thy nearest relations particular Friends and all committed to thy Charge O Lord infuse Grace where it is not and where it is weak do thou strengthen it give them all things necessary for their Souls and Bodies guide them here by thy counsel and afterwards receive them to thy self in glory And grant O merciful Father that through this Blood of the Cross we may all be presented pure and unblamable and unreproveable in thy sight that so we may be admitted into that place of Purity where no unclean thing can enter there together with Saints and Angels to sing eternal Praises Doxologies and Alelujahs to Father Son and holy Ghost for ever Amen Either before or immediately after this Intercession make an oblation unto God of something for the Poor or Pious Uses and if it be the tenth of all thy Acquists thou wilt in the end be no looser by it but 't will prove unto thee a piece of frugal prodigality He that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 We put our money into sure hands it is but lent though it be given We engage God himself and he will pay us again Pro. 19.17 This is the Fast that God hath chosen and delights in Isa 58.7 This stock that you thus lay up is the treasure that you send before you to heaven your Friend of the mammon of unrighteousness that when these earthly things fail will receive you into everlasting habitations 'T is call'd a Sacrifice wherewith God is well pleased Heb. 13.16 and again Phil. 4.18 a Sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God St. Augustine saith that Jejunium sine Eleemosina Lampas sine Oleo Fasting without Alms is a Lamp without Oyl It may shew beautiful to the Eye but will never lead you by it's light to Heaven When you have separated that portion which you chearfully design for this Charitable Use it may not be amiss if you offer and devote it to God in this or the like manner O Blessed Lord God I know that my goodness extendeth not to thee thou art infinitely happy in and from thy self alone Lucret. and wants nothing of ours to make any addition to thy happiness Yea O Lord all that we have and enjoy is from thy bounty and goodness and I can retribute nothing to thee but what must first come from thee Yet O Lord seeing there are many of thy poor necessitous Servants that stand in need of our Charity and thou hast said that whatsoever we do unto these we do it unto thee in consideration of my duty and thy mercies I here offer and devote unto thee for pious and holy uses this small portion as thou hast been pleased to bless me the week past O let it be a Sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing in thy Sight throughâ— Jesus Christ Amen Put this up in the poor Man's Purse by it self By this course thou wilt have always something in store by thee to give all indigent persons as there is opportunity offered and this great advantage thou wilt have by it also thou wilt not give grudgingly as the Apostle terms it 2 Cor. 9.7 or murmur when a poor Man asks an Almes of thee Deut. 15.10 for thou lookest upon this stock as not thy own and thy self only as Gods Purser and the Hand to dispense it yea thou will rejoyce and give God thanks when thou hast a fit opportunity to distribute do good and refresh the hungry bowels of thy poor Brother After this spend some time in Reading or Meditating or both Then call to mind and consider your Mercies both Spiritual and Temporal which you have in the foregoing Week received at the hands of God and if they have been any way eminent omit not to commit them to your Diary where also you may place your Vows if you have made any the benefit which may accrue from hence I shall hereafter shew you If you have no other mercies but the preservation of you from your own vile-Lusts Lusts and Affections from Presumptuous Sins and from Death and Damnation for the Temporal Mercies of each particular day and the mercies even of this day thou hast Matter enough of thanksgiving therefore you cannot do better than conclude your Fast with Praises and Thanksgiving The Thanksgiving and Conclusion of the Work O Most holy and for ever blessed Lord God thy Name only is excellent and thy praise above Heaven and Earth Heaven is thy Throne and that thou fillest with thy Majesty the Earth is but thy Foot-stool and yet that thou fillest with thy Goodness O how great are thy tender Mercies to us O Lord how large is the Summ of them If I would declare them and speak of them they are more than I am able to express I may as well count the sands upon the Sea Shore or the drops of the Ocean as enumerate thy favours Thou didst at first create me out of nothing instamp thine own Image upon me and gavest me Dominion over the Works of thy hands Thou art he that took me out of my Mothers womb By thee have been holden up ever since I was Born thy Almighty hand hath constantly supported me and thy Providence watched over me and I still acknowledg my dependance on thee When Mankind had departed from thee by Disobedience and erased that Image and Innocency in which he was created and for feited that Right to all thy
Mercies which thou freely and undeservedly at first gavest him and made himself obnoxious to thy Wrath and eternal Misery thou hast not abhorred our Nature but hast so loved and honoured thy sinful Creatures as to manifest thy self in our Flesh O! that Men would therefore praise the Lord for his Goodness and declare the Wonders that he doth for the Children of Men. I revere and adore thee O Most Glorious Majesty for the Son of thy love and for all those mercies we enjoy in and through him I praise and magnifie thy holy Name for the Mission of thy holy Spirit to be the Seal of our Adoption the Sanctifier of our Souls the Earnest of the Inheritance of the Saints and the First Fruits of Everlasting Felicity that thou hast spared me so long and given me so large a time for Repentance whereas thou mightest have justly long since cut me off in my Sins and sent me headlong into eternal Destruction Had I no other Mercies but Here enumeraâ—â— thy spiritual Mercies I have sufficient matter for perpetual Praise and Thanksgiving O what what shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will take the Cup of Salvation and will call upon the Name of the Lord Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Riches and Wisdom and Honour and Power and Glory and Blessing Wherefore Blessing and Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Besides O Lord those Spiritual Mercies I have infinite Obligations upon me to bless and praise thee for those Temporal ones I have and do yet enjoy Thou followest me with thy goodness day by day and loadest me with thy benefits every moment It is a great mercy that I live and a greater that I enjoy not only the necessaries but the comforts of Life Thou hast been wonderfully gracious unto me in thy protections of me from and deliverances out of many apparent dangers I desire with all thankfulness to remember here mention thy deliverances many more I have forgotten or which I have suffered to pass unregarded through inadvertency for all which my Soul doth magnifie the Lord and all that is within me praiseth his holy Name Praise thou the Lord O my Soul Blessed be thy holy Name in particular for the fresh Testimonies of thy mercies this day for that thou hast put it into my heart and given me an opportunity now to humble my self before thee by Prayer and Fasting to call my self to an account of my Sins to make stedfast Resolutions against them to beg thy preventing Grace to render thee thanks for thy Mercies and to endeavour a reconcilation with thee and for any assurance of thy love and favour which thou hast given in unto my Soul Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all or any of his benefits And now I beseech thee O blessed God to accept of my Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving of my Fasting and Humiliation Alms and Oblation and do thou smell a sweet savour from them Let it be a Sacrifice well pleasing and acceptable in thy sight though not for any worth in it self yet in and for the Merits of Jesus Christ I confess O Lord should'st thou be extreme to mark the Iniquities of my holy things my Prayers have need to be prayed for my Repentance to be repented of and my Humiliations and Fastings to be humbled and fasted for But O Lord consider I pray thee that I am flesh and blood yea dust and ashes and so pity and pardon all my Infirmities and deal with me not according to the weakness of my performances but according to the riches of thy mercy in and through Jesus Christ Seal unto my Soul the pardon of all those sins that I have this day confess'd before thee and beg'd pardon at thy hands for especially c. and not only those but all others known or secret of what Nature or what kind soever Grant unto me all those Graces I have this day desired or thou seest me to stand in need of especially c. give me Grace to resist all Sin for the time to come not to regard any Iniquity in my heart but to abstain from the very appearance of Evil to have respect unto all thy Commandments and to serve thee by a constant sincere uniform and impartial Obedience all the days of my Life O mind me continually of all my Vows and Obligations and I pray thee let me receive such strength from thee as may enable me readily to perform the same Of my self I am a frail weak Creature obnoxious to the arrests and victory of all temptations O do thou perfect thy strength in my weakness and let thy Grace be sufficient for me O deliver me Blessed God from my own self and save me or I perish everlastingly that so when I appear again before thee in this manner I may find I have gotten Strength over my Corruptions and that I can now run the way of thy Commandments because thou hast set my Feet at liberty And now O Lord seeing thou hast been pleased to promise that thou wilt give thy holy Spirit to them that ask it I most humbly and ardently beseech thee to send down this holy Spirit into my heart and let him take possession there and rule and reign and govern therein for ever And let this Spirit of thine also if thou see it fit in the close of this Exercise assure my Soul of my pardon and reconciliation with thee and let me have any even the least taste of those joys those ravishments of thy Love wherewith some of thy Saints have been so transported that I may never be weary of well-doing nor faint in my mind but may run the way of thy Commandments with chearfulness and alacrity and may very feelingly and in the sincerity of my heart confess that thy ways are ways of pleasantness and all thy paths are Peace Hear me O Lord for my self Hear me for others Hear others for me and hear the Intercessions of thy dear Son Jesus Christ for us all In whose prevailing Name and holy Words I conclude my imperfect Prayers and Services saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. Thy grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy love O heavenly Father thy sweet and comfortable Fellowship O holy blessed and glorious Spirit of Grace be with me and remain with me always Amen This being over leave thy Closet and carry thy self with a Chearful gravity towards thy own Family or others that thon appear not unto Mâ—n to fast Mat. 6.18 then receive the good Creatures of God with moderation and thankfulness and conclude the day as you do other Days You having been for some time constant in this Duty your Soul will still call for it as your hungry Stomack will for food and you will delight in the â—eturns of it Some time the Week after it may be very profitable if you
of every prayer say an hearty Amen a Custom which our times which pretend to so much zeal hath quite laid aside not following our Saviours example Matth. 6.13 who placed it at the end of his own Prayer nor the commands of the Apostles 1 Corinth 14.16 Be very attentive to the Absolution and when the Minister pronounceth those Words And hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins He pardoneth c. Do thou thus ejaculate O Lord confirm now I beseech thee this power unto thy Servant Do thou ratifie and establish in Heaven what thy Servant doth now on Earth Amen even Amen Lord Jesus Make your alternate responses with an audible voice and still bear your part in the Doxology Glory be to the Father c. Do not slubber over your Devotions but regard the manner as well as the matter pray with fervency and that for others in any Sickness or Affliction as well as for thy self and as if thou wert in the same condition thou wouldest desire them to do for thee sing and praise God with the Spirit Attend unto the Word of God read and preached with all diligence and carefulness and as unto the Word of God and not of Man Suffer not thy Eyes to rove and wander or any vain thoughts to enter within thee to choke the good Word and to that end fix thy eyes constantly on the Minister and what things are profitable for instruction revolve often in thy mind that thou mayest remember them or if thou be so disposed write down the Sermon Shew respect to the Place and Ordinance by keeping thy head uncovered 〈◊〉 never knew any take Cold in the Church Depart not from God's House without the final Blessing which receive according to the primitive manner upon thy knees and rise not till thou hast made his short prayer BLessed be thy Holy name O Lord for all thy mercies chiefly for this thy gracious opportunity O Lord accept of my weak and imperfect Services pardon their frailties and imperfections Sanctifie unto me all thy Ordinances and continue such thy mercies unto me for Jesus Christ his sake Amen As soon as thou returnest from the Church retire into thy Closet offer up a short prayer of thanksgiving again unto God praising him for his mercies and desiring him to sanctifie unto thee that good Word thou hast heard that it may bring forth Fruit in thee to the amendment of Life that so it may in the end prove to be the Savour of Life unto Life and not of Death unto Death that he will bring again to thy rememberance what profitable Instructions thou hast heard and write them in thy mind and by the power of his Grace dispose thy Soul to a constant obedience of them Then if thou hast omitted to do it before commit to Writing what mos◠practical Lessons thou hast been taught Then receive the good Creatures provided for thee with chearfulness and thankfulness yet keeping a more strict Watc◠over thy self than on other days tha◠thou be not guilty of vain idle an◠worldly discourse Eat moderately 〈◊〉 as not to make thy self dull or drowsie in the remaining Duties of the day but so that thou may'st return unto them with greater cheerfulness and gladness of heart After a little Parenthesis or Breathing betake thy self again to thy Retirement and offer up thy Meridian Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving as well for the Refreshments of thy Body as the Soul and desire God to go with thee again into his House and to be present with thee by the Assistances of his Holy Spirit in the remaining Duties of the day c. Then call thy Family together make each read a Chapter and read thy self unto them out of some good Book or explain those places of Scripture they have read or if thou art not able to do it thy self make use of an Expositor When the time calls thee again to the Church repair there with cheerfulness holy Meditations and Ejaculations behaving thy self there as directed for the Forenoon When thou returnest home again give Thanks meditate on what thou hast heard and consider whether nothing particular to thy condition hath proceeded out of the Ministers mouth which hath been the effect of thy former Prayer if so give God thanks that he hath heard thy Prayer and be sure to make particular Application of it to thy self Spend not the residue of the day as too many loose and profane persons do either in Recreations or Pastimes or which is worse at the Taverns and Ale-houses but either in Reading Medicating holy Conference Visiting the Sick praying either with them or in private for them especially for any who have that day desired the Charity of the Publick Prayers pray also for those Graces thou seest thy self to stand in most need of as Faith Hope Chastity Temperance Patience Charity Preseverance c. After Supper call thy whole Family together examine each person what they have learn'd that day and make them give thee an account Encourage those that have done wcll and reprehend those that have been faulty If they have not been Catechiz'd at the Church Catechize them at home and instruct them in the Principles of Faith and other their Duties Spend an hour or more in repeating the Sermons reading to them out of the Bible or some Practical Author or causing them to read and then conclude with a Psalm Then you may with-draw and suffer your Family to do so too for a little while that both your self and they may have time to meditate on what hath been read or taught Examine now your own Conscience impartially concerning the Sins of Omission and Commission of the day and of the Mercies received both Spiritual and Temporal that so you may beg pardon for the former and render praises for the latter Then offer up your private Evening Devotions which being done prepare your self for publick Prayer in your Family by Meditation not only of the subject Matter of your Petitions but even of the most accomodated Expressions especially if you do not pray by a Form and if you do you may before-hand consider of a convenient place to insert such Petitions as either the extraordinary occasions of the day or the particular necessities of any of your Family require which you should be watchful over to understand Then close the duties of this day with your publick Family Prayers in which you may find a place also to insert a Repetition of some profitable Truths that you have learned from the Minister You may pray against that Vice that hath been condemned or for that Grace which hath been commended and desire God to write his Law in your inward parts and to give you all Grace to practise it in your Lives and Conversations Pray to God also for the pardon of your Frailties and Imperfections in the discharge of your holy Duties
us and then most strongly assails us when we have the least power to resist him There was a time when Satan did suspend his Tyranny sit close in the heart feeding on those lusts he found there without any outward shew of violence Certa quiscendi tempora fata dabant But now he awakes as a Lion out of sleep and as a young Lion greedy of his prey ready to tear the poor Languishing Soul in pieces calls in all his powers and artifices because he knows that he hath but a short time and if he miss this opportunity he must then let it alone for ever Therefore it will be very necessary that you pre-arme your self against his Objections or Assailings and they may be such as these 1. First He may assail thee by setting before thee the multitude and hainousness of thy Sins that they are so many and so great that thou canst not expect that God should pardon them and so endeavour to draw thee to a despondency of God's mercy But then presently oppose this Temptation of his by calling to Mind the multitude and infinitness of God's mercies which cannot be out-numbred by our Sins nor out-weighed by our most presumptuous transgressions Remember that place of Micah 7 and 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of thine heritage Who retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy and that other in Isa 1.18 Though your Sins were as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be Red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll Consider also that the greatest Sinners repenting have found Mercy as Manasses Mary Magdelen Peter Paul yea the Thief on the Cross who at the last breath found mercy 2. The Devil may in the time of thy Sickness assail thee by setting before thee the Strictness and Severity of God's Justice and tell thee It is true God is merciful indeed but he is just too Zephan 3.5 Psal 92 15. And he will not let the Wicked go unpunished his justice runs parallel with his mercy and as the one is infinite so is the other too To this oppose Christ's full and compleat Satisfaction Indeed by the Law no Man could be justified but Christ was made a Curse for us that he might redeem us from the Curse of the Law That he might receive the Adoption of Sons Gala. 3.13 Christ by one Oblation of himself once offered made a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World Christ himself will answer for thee These are mine and shall be made up with my Jewels for their transgressions was I stricken and cut off from the Earth for them was I bruised and put to grief my Soul was made an offering for their Sins and I bare their transgressions they are my seed and the travel of my Soul I have healed them by my Stripes I have justified them by my Knowledge they are my sheep who shall take them out of my hands 3. Satan may object that thou hast no part in these promises because thou art not elected To this oppose God's free Covenant all are invited to receive mercy God excludes none but such as exclude themselves Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters and drink is the Language of God by the Prophet Isa 55.1 Nay our blessed Saviour confirms it also John 7.37 If any excluding none Man thirst let him come unto me and drink and again in the 55. of Isa 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous Man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon And so in the 33. of Ezekiel 11. As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil way for why will ye die O house of Israel And therefore if thou be one that hath turned from thy evil ways never dispute thy election but as sure as God lives and that his Oath and Word are Truth so sure shalt thou live with him in everlasting bliss and happiness and therefore here thou may'st call to mind some of the fruits of thy Faith that thou hast at any time found in the Course of thy Life and thence comfort thy drooping Soul concluding that thou art certainly of the number of those that are ordained to Salvation 4. Fourthly The Devil may perhaps endeavour to perswade thy Soul that because thou art as it were in some kind of desertion and wantest that clear evidence which formerly thou hadst by reason of Gods present dealings with thee that God is not thy God that thy unpardoned Sins causeth him now to hide his Face from thee in thy greatest Extremity and that he will no more be intreated by thee Indeed if thou hast not repented of thy Sins the Devil's argument is good but if thou hast the Testimony of thy Conscience that thou hast truly repented of all thy sins and that in simplicity and godly sincerity thou hast had thy conversation in this life never be discouraged but assure thy self that though God seems to hide himself from thee yet he has no other design in it but to try thee and the strength of thy Faith thy Christian courage and resolution This will be but for a short time and then the sweetness of his return will abundantly compensate for his short with-drawing For a small moment saith God Isa 54.7 have I forsaken thee but with great Mercies will I gather thee Job had sufficient confidence of the return of God's favour and mercy though for the present there was no manifest appearance of it but lay under the greatest pressure of affliction that a poor mortal could bear and was advised because God had forsaken him to curse God and die and therefore with a generous and noble Spirit resolves that though he kill him yet will he trust in him Job 13.15 Holy David's faith and courrage was no less when he could confidently say though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death yet will I fear none evil Psalm 23.4 I have read of a Martyr that during the time of his Imprisonment being under some trouble of Mind had often besought God for some irradiations of his Love and Favour and that he would send him the Comforter but could receive nothing of it but rather more disquiet and anxiety of mind but yet he was resolved to wait God's leisure which he did and when he was fastened to the Stake he cries out with a heart too full of joy to express it in larger terms He is come He is come I shall conclude this with the words of the Prophet Isaiah ch 50.10 Though a Man walk in darkness and see no light yet may he trust in the Lord and lean upon his God Of Meditation IT is
thee he sees all thy wants and necessities He is an All-sufficient God he is able and will always succour and relieve thee take up then holy David's resolution Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me put thy trust in God Psalm 42.5 Or that of the Church Lamen 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him 5. This should stir up in thee longing and ardent desires after the full enjoyment of his more immediate presence in Heaven where our joys shall be full and our pleasures everlasting Psalm 16.11 Draw nearer yet then O my Soul Is there in his presence such fulness of joy Bring forth then thy strongest love towards him that hath prepared such great things for so contemptible Worms as we are Thy strongest endeavours to please him here and desires to enjoy him hereafter I have had some prelibations or fore-tastes of the sweetness of thy presence in Praying Meditating Hearing thy Word and Receiving the Holy Sacrament but these have been incompleat and interrupted It will not be long before I shall by his Mercy be admitted unto a more full perfect and compleat enjoying of his more immediate presence where I shall for ever behold his Face and be united to him without any divorce or separation to all Eternity Eo feror quocunque feror Nihil aliud velim quam permanere illic in aeternum St. Aug. Conf. If those Servants were accounted happy that stood continually in the presence of an Earthly Prince 1 Kings 10.8 and if the Twelve Apostles were happy in the enjoyment of the sweet company of our Saviour here on Earth though in the State of his Humiliation then thrice happy are those Men and those Servants which shall stand continually before thee in thy Kingdom who art King of Kings and Lord of Lords One day in those Coelestial Courts is better than a thousand My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my Flesh and my Heart rejoyce in the living God My Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Like as the Hart desireth the VVater brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God My Soul is athirst for God even for the living God when shall I come and appear before the presence of God Of the Mercy of God MErcy in God is an Attribute Essential to his Nature by which he pitieth those that are in Misery relieveth those that are in Necessity and passeth by many sins and frailties in his Creatures which he might in Justice severely punish Mercy and Misery are relatives and were there no Want nor Trespass there needed no Mercy Mercy is either in the Affection or Expression In the Affection it is termed Bowels of Mercy in the Expression Works of Mercy The former God always hath for it is one of his principal Attributes and cannot be separated from him no not at the time when he is in the Execution of his Justice for when his hand strikes his heart as I may so speak melts and pities and his Bowels yearn within him like a merciful Judge who at the same time being compell'd by justice that he condemns the Criminal relents in his heart for him In the very midst of Judgment God remembers Mercy The latter every Man living hath daily fresh Experiences of in the plentiful Largesses of his undeserved Bounty That thou yet livest is an unparallell'd Mercy for thou mightest have been now in Hell beyond the Hopes of any more Mercy as well as many thousands who perhaps have deserved it less than thy self It is of the Lords Mercy that we are not consumed Lam. 3.22 Should I go about to enumerate the variety of Gods Mercies towards us as Men and as Christians I might in the next page recount what the Philosopher foolishly attempted the sands of the Sea-shore or the drops of the Ocean Gods Mercies towards us as they are undeserved so they are free he hath no other motive than what proceeds from his own goodness and pleasure He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy Rom. 9.18 Alass there is nothing in us that could invite his Mercy but our own misery and wretchedness he pitied us when we lay in our blood and said unto us live God's mercy is universal illimitable His mercy is over all his Works Psalm 145.9 The wicked as well as the godly daily taste of his mercies for he sendeth Rain upon the just and the unjust Matt. 5.45 but yet his Mercy is more special towards his Elect Servants 1 Tim. 1.16 for those he hath mercies tender mercies yea multitudes of tender mercies Psalm 51.1 God is great in mercy Psalm 119.156 2 Sam. 24.14 He is rich in Mercy Eph. 2.4 The duration and constancy of God's mercy it is for everlasting Psal 100. ul◠136.1 God is delighted in mercy He is mercy in the abstract and therefore David calls him his mercy Psal 59.10 It it said that Mercy rejoyceth or triumpheth over Judgment 2 Jam. 2.13 as if there were a pretty kind of contention between them and mercy had gotten the upper-hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God in the Second Commandment threatens to punish to the third and fourth Generation but his mercy extendeth to thousands There is no perfection in God the Acts of which are more manifest than in that of his Mercy Let us Consider it's opposite Justice How few Acts can we find of this for multitudes of his mercies And when he does smite how many warnings doth he give before-hand How long is he whetting his Sword and lifting up his hand to strike He seems even to lay aside his Omnisciency that he might be frustrated in doing this work This his strange Work Isaiah 28.21 I will go down saith God and see if their wickedness be altogether so great as the Cry which is come up unto me and if not I will know Genes 18.21 God delighteth in mercy Micah 7.18 But it grieves him to the very heart if I may so speak when he is forced to execute his Justice Dolet Deus quoties cogitur esse Deus Who is there that can say he hath been punished according to his demerits Nay canst thou find out any Act of his Justice which hath not an Alloy or Mixture of his Mercy for his tender mercies are over all his Works Psal 145.9 1. Learn then hence O my Soul to admire and adore this infinite perfection of Almighty God and to labour after a due Sense and Consideration of it that rhou mayst glorifie him for it 2. Learn hence to acknowledge God's mercy in all that thou hast and dost enjoy All thy mercies come from him 1 Chron. 29.14 What hast thou which thou hast not received from his benign hand Every good gift comes down from above James 1.17 and St. Paul tells us 2 Corinth 1.3 That he is the Father of all mercies and
certainly if we are dutiful Children we shall not suffer the remembrance of them to be buried in ungrateful silence but as the Heart will be filled with the sense so will the mouth with the acknowledgment of his Mercies Who can express the noble Acts of the Lord or shew forth all his praise Psal 106.2 Oh how great is the Sum of them If we tell them they are more in number than the Sand Psal 139.17 18. Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his Holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits 3. And is God so merciful Then this O my Soul should teach thee humility and to have low thoughts of thy self If thou wert not miserable thou hadst no need of Mercy If thou wert righteous 't were but justice to receive good from the hands of God not mercy Every particular blessing I enjoy is the fruit and effect of the mercy of God and ought to each me a Lesson of Humility Many Stripes many Judgments indeed have I deserved but I must confess with holy Jacob That I am not worthy of the least of all his Mercies Gen. 32.10 4. Is God a God of such infinite Mercies This then should teach thee O my Soul in all thy difficulties and distresses in all thy wants and necessities to have recourse unto him to rest and depend upon him The Angel of the Lord saith holy David tarrieth round about them that fear him Psal 34.7 and delivereth them And Psal 34.22 The Lord delivereth the Souls of his Saints and all that put their trust in him shall not be destitute And as in temporal dangers so in temporal wants we must cast all our care upon him for he careth for us 1 Pet. 5.7 They that fear the Lordlack nothing Psal 34.9 and v. the 10. They that seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good God is a God all-sufficient and able to help me in my greatest necessities He is a God rich in Mercy and will not suffer me to want therefore I will cast my burden upon him I will put my trust in him 5. Is God so Merciful This should teach me to fear him This may perhaps seem strange What shall I fear him because of his Mercifulness I have great reason to trust him indeed and to love him but shall I fear him for it Yes certainly we ought to fear him even for his Mercy There is forgiveness with thee saith David therefore thou may'st be feared Psal 130.4 and 67. ult God shall bless us and all the ends of the Earth shall fear him Though he forgives though he blesses though he shews us mercy yet we must fear him Yea I must needs say that of all Gods Attributes Mercy is the dreadfullest for where-ever his Mercy lights and is neglected or returns empty without answering Gods Designs he will certainly recompense his abused Mercy with double Severity Laesa patientia furor fit 6. Is God thus Merciful This should teach us to imitate his Mercy by being merciful to our poor necessitous Brethren Let us imitate it in its universality it is over all his works Who is there under the Sun that hath not tasted of it in its reality He giveth liberally and upbraideth not It is far from God to do any thing seemingly 't is not enough to profess Compassion and to say as those in St. James ch 2.16 Depart in peace be ye warmed be ye filled and yet give nothing to cloath or to feed them But thou shall do according to the Precept in Deuteronomy ch 15.10 Thou shalt surely give him and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him And to encourage thee take Gods own promise annex'd to it Because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy Works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto Thus we must imitate God in being merciful unto all and in being really merciful All our acts of mercy to our poor Brethren Christ takes as done to him Matth. 25.40 In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me The miseries of my Brethren are my own miseries and therfore your mercies to them are in a sense mercies to me Lastly Is God thus merciful This should teach thee O my Soul to be continually praising him for his Mercies Praise is a Duty incumbent on all the Sons of Men because that all have tasted of his goodness and his mercy Give the Lord saith David the honour due unto his Name Psal 29.2 Shewing that it is not an arbritrary or voluntary act but a just debt which we owe to God God not only supplieth but even daily loadeth us with his benefits as the Psalmist observes and as he expects no other so we can make no other retribution unto him but our Praises and Thanksgivings O let us never then defraud him of that so easie Tribute but let our Hearts be continually filled with the sense and our Mouths with the acknowledgment of his Mercies We confess O Lord that we are not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies and therefore the less we deserve them the more thou deservest our Praises O let us not by our ingratitude provoke thee to discontinue thy Mercies or to shut up thy tender Mercies in displeasure and so teach us to value them by making us feel the want of them Alelujah Of the certainty of Death and Judgment Hebrew 9.27 And as it it appointed unto Men once to die but after this the Judgment GOD at first Created Man in a state of Innocency and appointed him Laws to observe and gave him withal a power to keep them and to the keeping of which he annexed the continuation of a happy life and immunity from death and lest his credulous Nature might be too easily imposed upon to his own and his posterities ruin lest the ties of Love and promise of a Reward were not strong enough to bind him to his Duty and Allegiance God was pleased to hedg in his way with a denunciation of threatnings and judgments in case he should any way disobey those Laws set and tells him Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof transgressest my commands for I have told thee positively thou shalt not eat of it thou shalt surely die but Man degenerate Man soon cast off his primitive Innocence violates those Laws and thereby renders himself and all his posterity obnoxious to that Judgment of Death before threatned And now God ratifies his former denunciation establishes it by a perpetual Decree That unto dust he shall return Gen. 3.19 So that now we see whence Death had its first beginning Rom. 5.12 It is but the product and birth of Sin Sin having once conceived never prove abortive but brings forth Death James 1.15 It is now appointed unto Men once to die and as certain as the Decree of God is
such days approaching and is the time uncertain this then should teach thee O my Soul to be continually preparing for them Upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this moment of time depends eternity After a few years perhaps months or days it may be minutes thou shalt be arrested by Death and thence pass to Judgment Are thy Accounts fair Canst thou give them up with joy and not with grief Art thou reconciled to God and hast thou peace with him and thy own Conscience then come blessed day But if not neglect not one day nay one minute more thou knowest not what a day may bring forth How many have thy Eyes seen or thy Ears heard of that have been one day frollicking and taking their fill of pleasure and the next shut up in the prison of the grave whence there is no return to rectify thy former aberrations and where there is no more repentance The Grave is a safe repository and as it receives so it will keep thee to the Judgment of the great Day He that goes thither filthy will be filthy still and he that is unjust will be unjust still He that is righteous will be righteous still and he that is holy will be holy still Revel 22.11 Give me grace Good God all the days of my appointed time to wait until my Change shall come to think every day my last and to prepare Accordingly that so though the time be uncertain I may not be at any time unprovided but when I come to die I may have nothing else to do but to die that my Soul in the Arms of the Holy Jesus may be deposited with safety and joy there to expect the Revelation of his day and then to partake the Glories of his Kingdom 3. Are there such days approaching Then this should strike Horrour and Amazement to all loose and wicked persons The consideration of a Judgment to come made stout Felix tremble The foolish Virgins did bethink them of Oil for their Lamps when they heard the noise of the Bride-groom's Coming and perhaps these when on their Death-beds will then too late think of this Day but 't is not then a few still-born abortive prayers a Lord have mercy upon us or the like will serve their turn The Sinner may frollick it now follow his intemperance and unlawful pleasures and say still these are but tricks of youth or frailties of his Nature but let him remember that for all these things God will bring him into Judgment Eccles 11.9 'T is strange that Sinners should be so stupid and put so far from them the evil Day they think they shall still rejoyce as in their youth and see no evil and so never bethink them of their condition till they find themselves in the confines of Hell Tell them now of preâ—aration for Death they will answer â—ou 't is time enough yet and the fitâ—est season for that is when they are â—perannuated and unfit for any thing â—â—se Their time must now be divided â—etween their lusts and vanities between â—nlawful pleasures and imoderate sleep 〈◊〉 idleness they cannot now find a time â—r Repentance Prayer and attending upâ—n the things of God never considerâ—â—g that they must find a time to die in â—â—d that when Death comes they must â—e at leisure for that All their false pleasures are vanished like a shadow and â—ow nothing remains but the sense of â—uilt and a fearful expectation of Judgment they now perceive the Arrows of â—â—e Almighty stick fast on them and â—â—at there is no profit but extreamless 〈◊〉 those things whereof they are now â—hamed they now feel their Torments â—â—gin and court death to be freed from â—â—e stingings of Conscience but that onâ—â— consigns them over to greater and â—ore impassible miseries who like priâ—ners condemned to die they are â—rought out of prison their Chains â—nock'd off and yet carried to a more â—eadful Execution 4. Are there such Days approaching Then this brings great comfort and satisfaction to the Godly Man he is ready to say with Jonah Chap. 4.3 And now I beseech thee take away my Life for it is better for me to die than to live or with Saint Paul I desire to be dissolved Death I know is but a stepping behind the Dark Curtain and a passage into another Room I set here in this Horizon but I shall presently rise in another 'T is not a Period but a Parenthesis which may be put in or left out To me to die is gain I have had my Portion of evil things in the World my share of miseries and troubles but now I shall be free'd from them all and gain my port which I have so long looked out after And can you blame a Man that is toss'd up and down the turbulent Waves of the Sea to desire a safe Harbour to land in Can you blame the poor Man that labours and toils all the day long in the sweat of hiâ— Brows when his Work is done to desire the night wherein he may take hiâ— ease and sweet repose Neither is the Godly man by Death only free'd froâ— those Calamities and Troubles from with out but from the depraved Corruption of his Nature from Temptations from within and without and from Sin it self the greatest joy to a pious Soul who more rejoyceth that he cannot sin than that he cannot suffer And as the approach of this Day brings great comfort and satisfaction to the Godly upon the score of those Negatives so it is much enhansed upon the consideration of those positive Rewards styled by the Apostle the recompence of Reward promised by Almighty God which they have oftentimes some praelibations or foretastes of This makes them chuse Death rather than Life and to take up St. Austin's Words breaking out in a holy rapture commenting upon Moses's desire of God Exodus 33. That he would shew him his glory and God's answer Thou can'st not see my Face for there is no Man shall see my face and live O let me die that I may behold thy glory Eia Domine moriar ut videam videam hic ut moriar nolo vivere volo mori dissolvi cupio esse cum Christo St. Aug. I know that my Redeemer liveth that where he is there his Servant shall be I shall see him as he is and my eyes shall behold him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 face to face and then Olim haec meminisse juvabit It will be very pleasant to think of those many past troubles and escaped dangers Grant me gracious God so to live that at last I may lay down my Head in the dust with joy rest in hope and at length rise to a blessed and glorious Immortality Amen even Amen Lord Jesus Of Heaven and Hell the Joys of one the Torments of the other JVxta se posita magis elucescunt The darker the Foyl the more radiant doth the Diamond appear The blackness and deformity of the Maid makes the Mistris's Beauty more remarkable
him the Torments of others and others his yet withal of so violent a burning that should it glow on Mountains of Steel it would melt them like Snow Suppose thou shouldest be confined to lie but one Night grievously afflicted with a raging Fit of the Stone Strangury Collick Gout Toeth-ach or the like though thou had'st a soft Bed to lie upon Friends and Companions about thee and all things necessary that thou couldest desire but ease from thy pains how long would'st thou count the minutes and blame the Clock for its slow progression What will it be then for thee to suffer the torment of the hottest Flames And that not for a Night only but for Myriads of Ages and when that circle is gone through there is yet no point or end 'T is Labor actus in orbem a continual Revolution Believe it This is no Poetical Phantastical Styx or Acheron but a real Hell Ixion's Wheel was a place of Rest compared with this Wheel of Justice The Task of Sisyphus or Danaus's Daughter but a sport compared with this Torture And besides these external Torments of the Body the Soul the more sensible part drinks most deeply of this Cup of God's fury All the Furies of Hell afflict his Conscience Thought calls to Fear Fear to Horrour Horrour to Despair Despair to Torment Torment to Extremity all to Eternity The damned Soul hath no Soul now capable of comfort and tho his Eyes distil like Fountains and his Prayers and Cries were loud enough to silence the dismal Shreeks of all his miserable Companions yet God is now inexorable and speaks to them in this Language You refused to hear me when I have called yea when I have so often wooed and intreated you I have waited to be gracious and stretched out my hand all the day long and you have not regarded I will not now hear your Cry I will laugh at your Calamity and mock at your Fear this shall be your portion for ever This is the Damned's Poena Sensus their positive punishment There is also Poena Damni to be considered their privative punishment and this the Contemplation of the Blessedness of the Righteous will much help them too when they shall too late consider that such joys as the Righteous are now partakers of might have been their lot and portion if they had obeyed the Laws and Commands of God as the others did The consideration of this is that Worm of Conscience that never dies that cruel Vulture that continually gnaws upon the Liver of this Tityus and cannot be shaken off Haeret latori laethalis arundo I could speak much more to aggravate the misery of the Damned and represent the Torments of Hell out par nulla figura Gehennae Reflections upon Hell and the Yorments of it Is Hell such a direful Place And are the Torments of it so acute so inexpressible so remediless so eternal Then this should teach thee O my Soul 1. First to avoid Sin which was the Founder of it and which if persevered â—n will certainly bring thee to that dismal Place those dire Torments from which there is no Redemption Did sinners seriously consider of the evil consequences of Sin and had they â—ut one glympse of those Torments they are to suffer in Hell to all Eternity how would it charm their Spirits appale their Faces and strike fear and astonishment to their Hearts for who can think of the Divine Wrath without trembling Or Who can dwell with Everlasting Burnings O poor secure sinners what will ye now do Where will you hide your selves Or what shall cover you Mountains and Rocks are gone the Earth and Heavens that were are passed away the devouring Fire hath consumed all except your selves who must be the Fuel for ever There is no remedy for you but Repentance that plank after Shipwrack that can rescue you from this Vengeance Think O think of this ye that now forget God lest he pluck you away and there be none to deliver you 2. Is Hell such a direful place c. Then this should teach thee to mind those things that are above The way of Life is above to the Wise saith Solomon that he may depart from Hell beneath The way to depart from Hell which is the lowest is to mind those things which are highest which are above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seek or be wise for those things that are above This is the truest Wisdom the greatest piece of Understanding 'T is not enough to cease to do evil but we must also learn to do well Non progredi est regredi If we lie still we shall never come to our Journeys end There is no standing idle or loitering in the School of Vertue As we must abstain from the appearance of Evil so we must follow after Holiness without which no Man shall see God so shall we be free'd from the fears of this dreadful place And when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory Coloss 3.4 3. Is Hell such a direful place And are the Torments of it so insupportable so endless Then this should teach me to pity instruct and pray for those that are posting thither We see Dives even in Hell pities his poor Brethren and would could he have found a Messenger have sent them an account of the Torments he felt that they might escape their coming into that place And although this Province be chiefly the Ministers yet private Persons as place and fit opportunity occurs may also instruct and reprove the unfruitful works of Darkness or if that doth not take place we may at least pity them mourn in secret for them and pray for their Conversion and though they perhaps may not reap the benefit yet we may God accepts our Charity and will reward our Prayers they shall return into our own bosom Psal 35.13 4. Is Hell such a direful place And have I any assurance that I shall escape it This then should raise my thankfulness to God for this his great and distinguishing Mercy towards me that he hath called me from under the power of Darkness into his marvellous Light This should cause me to be continually magnifying his great and glorious Name for so unspeakable so inestimable a Mercy that whereas others lie wallowing in the puddle of their Sins heaping up Wrath against the day of Wrath and hastning to their eternal ruin he hath been graciously pleased to snatch me as a Fire-brand out of the Fire and hath given me some hopes and assurance that I shall never come into this Place of Torment Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits who saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness And now being delivered out of the hands of these my spiritual Enemies I may serve God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of
about me a Body of Flesh which is ready to shrink at the approach of any thing grievous do thou O Blessed Jesu pray for me that my Faith fail not that no terrors of Death or Pains may ever shake my constancy or cause me to deny that Lord that suffered such bitter Agonies for me but that I may continue faithful unto Death and so receive a Crown of Life 13. Vpon an Epileptick Person falling into the Fire and being thereby Cured of his Disease THis Person had for a long time laboured of his Epilepsie the accessions of which at length were so frequent and violent that it would often precipitate him to the Ground without as much as giving him any warnings of it's approaches where he would lie as incapable of helping himself as he was insensible of his condition The Patient used to have a Servant attending him to prevent danger but was now by God's providence out of the way In the mean time a fit seizes him he falls into the Fire which being fervent scalded and burned the hinder part of his Head and Neck whereby were produced many Blisters and Ulcers which afterwards unexpectedly by Gods blessing effected a Cure of that obstinate Disease which hitherto had eluded the force of all Medicines Good God! what a Providence is this how wonderful art thou in all thy doings what an allay of Mercy with Judgment is here judgment in Afflicting mercy in Relieving The impotent Man which thirty and eight years had been Diseased lay a long time at the Pool Bethesda but could not be cured till our Saviour came when we are all together unable to help our selves and when all outward means do fail then God comes with his seasonable Relief and to our amazement and admiration perfects that which we could not expect He that once brought light out of darkness can still bring good out of evil nothing shall impede or hinder his Designs but even that which in humane Judgment seems contrary shall prove a salutary Remedy This shall teach me even in the mid'st of the heaviest pressures not to despond but to trust in him who is able by ways tho altogether unknown to me to relieve me in the greatest difficulties Ejaculations for several Occasions For Pardon of Sin HAve mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender Compassions blot out all my Transgressions Wash me throughly from my Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin For I acknowledg my Transgressions and my Sins are ever before me O God thou knowest my foolishness and my Sins are not hid from thee Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow If thou Lord should'st be extream to mark what is done amiss O Lord who could abide it But there is forgiveness with thee therefore thou may'st be feared Hide thy Face from my Sins O Lord and blot out all mine Offences Be Merciful unto me O Lord heal my Soul for I have sinned against thee Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and loving kindness for they have been ever of old For thy Names sake for thy Mercies sake yea for thy dear Son Jesus Christ his sake pardon all my Iniquities for they have been very great For Grace TEach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God Shew me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy Truth O knit my heart to thee that I may love and fear thy holy Name Lead me in thy Truth and teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation on thee do I wait all the day With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thy Commandments Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousness Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way Everlasting Set a Watch O Lord before my Mouth and keep the door of my Lips Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy Statutes So teach me O Lord to number my days that I may apply my heart unto Wisdom Lord make me to know mine end and the measure of my days what it is that I may know how frail I am For the Light of Gods Countenance O Lord hide not thy Face far from me put not thy Servant away in anger thou hast been my help leave me not neither forsake me O God of my Salvation O Lord whatever thou art pleas'd to deny me yet lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon me Thy loving kindness is better than life My Lips shall praise thee Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Withhold not thy tender Mercies from me O Lord let thy loving kindness and truth continually preserve me Turn me again O God of Hosts and cause thy Face to shine upon me and so shall I be saved Make me to hear of joy and gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Speak peace unto my Soul and Conscience and say unto my Soul Thou art my Salvation Thanksgiving I Will praise the Lord according to his Righteousness I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord most high I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart I will shew forth all thy marvellous Works I will freely sacrifice unto thee I will praise thy Name O Lord for it is good Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which only doth wondrous things Morning and Evening and at Noon will I praise thee Seven times a day will I praise thee because of thy Righteous Judgments While I live I will praise the Lord I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits Blessed be the Lord God which daily loadeth us with his benefits who is the God of our Salvation and blessed be the Name of his Majesty from everlasting and to everlasting Amen Amen In the time of outward or inward Trouble O Lord rebuke me not in thine Anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure Look upon my Adversity and Misery and forgive me all my sin Be merciful unto me O Lord for my Soul trusteth in thee and under the shadow of thy Wings shall be my refuge until these Calamities be overpast Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my Bones are vexed My Soul also is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long Be not far from me for trouble is near at hand and there is none to help Give me help for I am in trouble and vain is the help of Man Keep me as the
Apple of thine Eye hide me under the shadow of thy Wings O keep my Soul and deliver me let me not be disappointed for I put my trust in thee Comfort in Troubles THe Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom then shall I fear He is the strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid When my Father and Mother forsake me the Lord will take me up Many are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of them all But thou O Lord art a shield for me my Glory and the lifter up of my Head I have set the Lord always before me He is at my right hand therefore I shall not be moved My defence is of God which saveth the Upright in Heart At what time I am afraid I will put my trust in thee In God have I put my trust I will not be afraid what Man can do unto me The Righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my Strength and my refuge is in God Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God Thanksgiving for deliverance from Troubles BLessed be the Lord God for he hath heard the Voice of my Supplication With my Song will I praise him O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me I will praise thee O Lord my God with my whole heart and I will glorifie thy Name for evermore for great is thy Mercy towards me and thou hast delivered my Soul from the lowest Hell The Snares of Death compassed me round about and the pains of Hell got hold upon me I found trouble and heaviness and I called upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my Soul Gracious is the Lord and Righteous yea our God is Merciful I was in misery and he helped me Sing unto the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me sing praises at the remembrance of his Holiness Blessed be God which hath not cast out my Prayer nor turned his Mercy from me What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will offer to thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and praise thy Name for ever and ever Going to the Church or House of God I Will wash my hands in Innocency and so will I compass thine Altar O Lord. It is good for me to draw near unto God even unto God in his Sanctuary How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of my God When shall I come and appear before him As the Hart panteth after the Water brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God Immediately before entring into Church I Will enter into thy Gates with Thanksgiving and into thy Courts with Praise I will Worship in thy holy Temple and will praise thy Name I will wait for thy loving kindness O God in the mid'st of thy Temple In Church if thou happen to be there before Service begins BUt as for me I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy Mercies and in thy Fear will I Worship towards thine Holy Temple Lord I have loved the Habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I might dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary Who is so great a God as our God I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever I will trust in the Covert of thy Wings Blessed are they that dwell in thy House They will be alway praising thee A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him Thy Testimonies are very sure Holiness becometh thine House O Lord for ever This is my rest for ever Here will I dwell for I have a delight therein O let my Soul be satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness when my Mouth praiseth thee with joyful Lips Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning c. Returning from the Church O What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all thy benefits towards me I will receive the Cup of Salvation and will call upon the Name of the Lord. Worthy art thou O Lord to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Wherefore Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever The Law of thy Mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver I have had as great delight in thy Testimonies as in all manner of Riches I have thought of thy loving kindness O God in the midst of thy Temple O let my heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed Hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my foot-steps slip not Order thou my Steps in thy Word so shall I not be disappointed of my hope Thy Word is a Light unto my Feet and a Lanthorn unto my Paths O lead me in thy Truth and Teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation on thee do I wait all the day In the time of Sickness or approach of Death I. O Lord Correct me not in thine Anger neither Chasten me in thy heavy displeasure For thine Arrows stick fast on me and thy hand presseth me sore Mine Eye is consumed because of Grief There is no Health in my Flesh because of thy displeasures neither is there any rest in my Bones by reason of my Sin My Soul also is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my Soul O save me for thy Mercies sake For in Death no Man remembreth thee and who will give thee thanks in the Pit What profit is there in my Blood if I go down into the Pit Shall the dust praise thee Shall it give thanks unto thee or declare thy Truth The living the living shall praise thee even as I do this day O Let my Soul live and it shall praise thee Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my Bones are vexed Cast me not away in the time of Age Forsake me not when my Strength faileth me Hide not thou thy Face from me for I am in Trouble make haste O Lord to deliver me Hear me O God and have
mercy upon me Lord be thou my helper O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen II. I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou preserver of Men The Lord is Righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandments Lam. 1.18 I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Thy ways are equal but mine have been very unequal The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his Works Thou hast punished me less than mine Iniquity hath deserved I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son no not the meanest of all thy Servants But yet O do not thou cast off the bowels and compassions of a Father but as a Father pitieth his own Children so be thou merciful unto me Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no Flesh living be justified But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou may'st be feared Thou art full of Compassion and Mercy long Suffering and very Pitiful and forgivest Sins and savest in time of Affliction Eccles 2.11 Look upon my Affliction and my Pain and forgive me all my Sin My sins have deserved Eternal Torments make me cheerfully and thankfully to bear my present Pains Chasten me here as thou pleasest that I be not Condemned with the World III. I have set the Lord always before me Because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no Evil for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staff shall comfort me Thy Word standeth fast for ever in thy Word and gracious Promises is my hope This is my Comfort in my Affliction In the multitude of the Sorrows that I have on my Bed thy Comforts shall refresh my Soul My Flesh and my Heart faileth but God is the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever I will wait patiently for the Lord untill he incline his Ear unto me and hear my cry I know that my Redeemer liveth and because he lives I shall live also He that spared not his own Son but delivered him for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Put thy trust in God for I shall yet give him thanks who is the health of my countenance and my God I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Glory IV. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better than to remain in this Vale of Tears for there all Tears shall be wiped away from mine Eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain O that I had Wings like a Dove for then would I fly away and be at rest My Soul is athirst for God even for the living God When shall I come to appear before the presence of God In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation Thou art my Helper and my Redeemer O Lord make no long tarrying Into thine hands I commend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed it O Lord thou God of Truth Come Lord Jesu come quickly Thanksgiving for Recovery BEhold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit of Corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back Isaiah 38.17 The Lord was ready to save me therefore will I sing unto him as long as I live yea I will sing praises to the God of my life while I have any being I should utterly have fainted but that I believed verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my Salvation The Lord hath Chastned and Corrected me but he hath not given me over unto Death Open to me the Gates of Righteousness I will go into them and will praise the Lord and pay him the Vows which I promised with my Lips and spake with my Mouth when I was in trouble Gracious is the Lord and Righteous yea our God is merciful The Lord preserveth the simple I was in Misery and he helped me Return into thy rest O my Soul for the Lord had dealt bountifully with thee For thou hast delivered my Soul from death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling What shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living Hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my Foot-steps slip not Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning c. A Prayer for the Morning in private EArly in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee O â—ord and will look up O hear me in the multitude of thy mercies and for the sake of Jesus Christ O thou great Creator both of Heaven and Earth and of all things contained therein thou art a God infinately Wise Holy Powerful Just and Good transcendent in all perfections give me I beseech thee O Lord a firm belief and an acknowledgment of thy divine Nature and Existence a deep sense and due apprehensions of all thy excellencies and goodness together with sutable affections and demeanor towards thee that I may daily more and more adore thee love thee fear thee honour thee and depend upon thee Give me a deep sense of thy infinite Purity and Holiness which may cause in me aversness unto and an abhorrence of whatsoever is sinful and impure and excite in me the fear of Reverence and Caution of offending thee by doing any thing that may displease thee or omitting to do what may be pleasing unto thee I confess O Lord hadst thou been exact to mark iniquity and laid judgment to the Line and righteousness to the Plummet I had long since been cut off in the midst of my sins and felt the Effects of thy severe displeasure but because thy mercy triumphs over thy justice I am not consumed unto this day I have one opportunity more praised be thy holy name to beg pardon at thy hands for all my sins which to my own shame and confusion I confess to be exceeding great and hainous but yet O Lord I know thy mercies do far exceed the multitude and haniousness of my Transgressions O magnifie therefore the Riches of the same mercy in the full pardon and forgiveness of them all cast them behind thy Back bury them in my Saviour's Grave
that they may never rise to shame me here or to condemn me hereafter and I pray thee O Lord to give me every day a deeper sense of my sins and a more compleat repentance for them a loathing and detestation of them and let their remembrance be bitter unto my soul Send down thy holy Spirit into my heart and let him root out every accursed unmortified Lust and sinful corruption from my Soul and destroy in me all the remaining affections unto Sins and dispose my Soul to a constant obedience of all thy Commandments and keep me in an habitual frame and temper of Piety all the days of my Life O Lord give me daily a clearer sight of my Duty and incline my heart to walk exactly and so acceptably continually before thee make me sensible of thy exuberent Love and let not all thy mercies longanimity and patience towards me a miserable Sinner prove successless but raise in my heart all grateful acknowledgments Blessed be thy great and glorious Name O Lord God for all the mianfestations of thy love and goodness towards me unto this day for the Mercies of thy right as well as thy left hand but especially for the Fountain and Foundation of all our Mercies Jesus Christ for the means of Grace for the hopes of Glory for thy particular preservation of me and mine this Night past and for all other thy goodness and loving kindness and I pray thee O Lord Give me that due sense of all thy Mercies that my heart may be unfeignedly thankful and that I may shew forth thy praise not only with my lips but in my life by giving up my self to thy Service and by walking before thee in Holiness and Righteousness all my days And now O Lord since thou hast been pleased in thy Mercy to bring me safe to the beginning of another day preserve me I beseech thee in the same by thy mighty power from all sin and from all danger Let thy spirit and providence direct and preside over all my Actions this day and keep me by the power of thy Grace from those Sins to which my wicked and disorderly Nature subjects me to but especially free me from Here mention thy most prevailing Sins or such as thy Nature Business or Company may that day incline thee to Make me exactly watchful over my self to behave my self as in thy presence and to set thee always before my Eyes that so I do nothing which may dishonour thee my God or wound my own Soul and grant that by the conduct of thy Grace I may be directed and assisted in keeping strictly close unto all thy Commandments and in the discharge of my Duty in that place and Calling in which thou hast set me Let thy blessing O Lord attend me in my Studies Labours or Employments this day give me holiness of intention in them and succeed all with thy benediction Let thy Providence signally watch over me and thy Presence secure me from all evil either of Soul or Body this day and for ever Hear me O Lord and answer me graciously and do for me more abuundantly then I can ask or think and all I beg for Jesus Christ his sake for whom my Soul desires to bless thee and in whosemost prevailing name and holy words I farther pray unto thee saying Our Father which art in heaven c. A Prayer for the Morning in publick with thy Family which with little variation may be also used in private It is a good thing to give thanks unto thee O Lord and to sing praise unto thy name O thou most high to shew forth thy loving kindness in the Morning and thy faithfulness every Night Hear our Prayers O Lord and accept of our praises in Jesus Christ O Most Gracious Lord our God whose Mercies endures for ever and thy Remembrance throughout all generations Thou art boundless in thy compassions towards all thy Creatures and art infinitely good unto them not only beyond what they can deserve but what they can wish We the unworthyest of them desire at this time to give glory unto thee in a humble and hearty acknowledgment of those many mercies and favours both Spiritual and Temporal which thou from time to time hast vouchsafed unto us and most liberally heaped upon us We confess O Lord that we are not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies but most worthy of the greatest and severest of all thy Judgments especially when we consider the sinfulness and wickedness of our lives past for we have drank iniquity like water gone on very Stubbornly and Rebelliously against thee and thy Commandments all the days of our lives continually committing those things thou forbiddest and leaving undone those things which thou commandest yea all the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts have been evil and only evil and that continually and which is worst of all we have still the same proneness to all that is evil but aversness and obstinacy towards that which is good We have still impenitent hard hearts that are not mollified with the sense of our Sins or of thy Wrath due unto us for them But O thou who art a God of infinite Mercies and Compassions manifest the same unto us in the full pardon and forgiveness of all the Sins that ever we have committed against thy Divine Majesty Accept of that satisfaction and attonement made by thy innocent and beloved Son Jesus Christ and for the merits of his suffering pardon all that is past and be thou fully reconciled unto us And so assist us with thy Grace and Holy Spirit that we may be able for the time to come to repel all the temptations of the Devil the World and the Flesh and to live more Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present evil World that so having our fruits unto holiness here we may have our ends everlasting Life O make us stedfastly resolved to despise all the pleasures of sin rather than offend thee our God and to chuse the most difficult parts of Virtue and Piety to obtain and secure thy Love O let us delight in thy Service and desire thy favour above alâ— things which is better than life it self and all the comforts of it Let us love what thou lovest and hate what thou hatest wish nothing so much as to please thee fear nothing so much as to offend thee and in all things be conformable to thy holy Will and walk before thee in all well pleasing O Lord put us in mind of Death and Judgment that every day we draw nearer to our last day and that we shall all shortly give a severe account of all that we have done in the Body and all that we have left undone of all that we have spoken nay of all that we have thought So teach us therefore O Lord to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom and continually so to demean our selves as those that must one day appear before the Judgment seat
of Christ As to all our outward concerns here in this life we desire to refer our selves wholly unto thee our good God Thou art infinitely wise and knowest what condition is best for every one of us give us therefore any measure of prosperity or adversity riches or poverty health or sickness whereby we may most of all glorifie thy holy Name and in every condition give us grace to look up unto thee as the author and disposer of it and therein to be really content Together with us we beseech thee to be mindful of all mankind Let thy ways be known upon earth and thy saving health among all nations Bless thy universal Church lead it into all truth and let not the Gates of Hell be ever able to prevail against it Be gracious unto our Soveraign Lord the King the Queen and all the Royal Family to all the Ministers and Magistrates toall that fear thee and call upon thyname Remember all the Sons and Daughters of sorrow and affliction in what case or state soever and relieve them all according to thy Mercies and their several necessities for thou only knowest them all Bless all our Friends Kindred and Benefactors and all that we are under any Obligation to pray for whether Friends or Enemies infuse Grace where it is not and where it is weak do thou strengthen it give them all things necessary for their Souls and Bodies guide them here by thy Counsel and at length receive them to thy self in Glory And now O Lord because it is very meet right and our bounden duty at all times and in all places to give thanks unto thee we desire at this time to praise and magnifie thy holy Name for all the freeness and fulness of thy Mercy and loving kindness towards us and others Thou daily loadest us with thy benefits spiritual and temporal who art the God of our Salvation thou hast given a fresh Testimony of thy Goodness and Mercy to us in our preservation this Night past from those many sad Casualties and Accidents which might justly by reason of our sins fall upon us and brought us safe unto another day O Lord thou mightest have made our Beds our Graves our Sheets our Winding Sheets and our rising again this Morning a rising unto judgment What is man that thou art mindful of him Or the Son of Man that thou visitest him Praise the Lord O our Souls and all that is within us praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O our Souls and forget not all his benefits and grant that we may render thee not only the fruit of our Lips but the obedience of our Lives by consecrating our selves entirely to thy Service and walking before thee in a sincere and impartial observance of thy holy Commandments all the days of our lives And seeing thou hast been graciously pleased to add another day unto our Lives so we beseech thee to give us Grace to add more Wariness Repentance and Circumspection unto our days Make us O Lord carefully to watch against all Sin especially those that do so easily beset us and that we have been so often conquered by Teach us by the Strength of thy holy Spirit to deny our selves to pluck out even our right Eyes to cut off even our right hands to undergo the severest afflictions rather than to offend so Sacred a Majesty Let our thoughts be always holy and heavenly and when we are about our Studies and Employments let them be often carried up unto thee by holy Meditations and Divine Ejaculations Let our words be seasoned with Salt with prudence and discretion not stained with filthiness and vanity lying detraction or any other sin but such as may tend to the use of Edifying and minister Grace unto the hearer Set a watch O Lord before our Mouths and keep the doors of our Lips Let our Actions O Lord be always holy and just or at least innocent and unblameable give us grace to walk as in thy sight and evermore to set thee before our Eyes Make us careful in the well spending of our time so as we may best prevent or resist Temptations and by discharging our Duties in our places and callings may glorifie thy holy Name Take from us O Lord all slothfulness and give us diligent and active Spirits that when the Devil assaults us he may not find us idle but improving those Talents intrusted to every one of us that we may at length receive from our great Lord and Master Jesus Christ that blessed Sentence Of Well done ye good and faithful Servants enter ye into your Masters Joy Do thou O Lord be with us in our labours and employments this day and bless us bless and prosper O Lord the works of our hands upon us yea prosper thou our handy-work Give thy holy Angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways that we rush not into any Temptation nor fall into any kind of bodily danger which our sins may justly expose us to but preserve us as the Apples of thine Eye and hide us under the shadow of thy Wings that in our going out and in our coming in we may be blessed and have always thy watchful protection over us These and whatever other Mercies thou knowest needful and requisite for us for all thine and thy whole Church we humbly begg in the Name and for the sake of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and in whose words we shut up our imperfect Petitions saying as he hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer at Noon Morning and Evening and at Noon will I praise thee and thou wilt hear my Voice Open thou my Lips O Lord and my Mouth shall shew forth thy praise O Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort and Consolation Thou art to be Worshipped and Adored with my continual Praises and Thanksgivings for thou continually followest me with thy Goodness and thy Mercies are renewed upon me every moment In thee I live and move and have my being and without thy succour and support I should quickly return to my first Principle of no being at all Thou hast created me redeemed me and by thy Fatherly care and providence constantly provided for me Thou art the God of my life and the Author of all those Mercies I enjoy whether Spiritual or Temporal and therefore thou alone deservest my praises and unto thee I ascribe as is most due all honour praise and glory both now and for evermore More especially I desire to bless and praise thy holy Name for thy particular Mercies towards me at this time that thou hast so plentifully refreshed my Body with thy good Creatures and filled me with the Flower of Wheat Blessed be the Lord God who daily loadeth me with his benefits even the God of my Salvation O Lord refresh my Soul also with the Spiritual Manna of thy Heavenly Grace and grant my pursuiâ— may not be after the Meat that perisheth but after that
which endureth to Everlasting Life Pardon I beseech thee O Lord as all my sins in general so especially whatever amiss hath passed from me this day and for Jesus Christ his sake do thou become unto me a reconciled Father own me for thy Child and continually preservr me by thy providence keep in me always a Religious Sense of thee and of thy goodness towards me and sanctifie my heart with thy holy Spirit that I may walk before thee the remaining part of this day and all the days of my life to thy honour and glâ—ry through Jesus Christ my blessed Lord and Saviour in whose Name and Words I continuâ— to implore thy Mercies saying Our Father c. A Prayer for the Evening in private O Most holy holy Lord God Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory Thou art a God of purer Eyes then to behold the least Iniquity with the least Approbation thou chargest thine Angels with folly yea the Heavens are not pure in thy sight How shall I then so sinful and impure a Wretch dare to appear before thee or to take so holy a Name into my sinful and unhallowed Lips But O Lord thou art God and not Man thy ways are not as our ways nor thy thoughts as our thoughts but as high as the Heavens are above the Earth so are thy thoughts of Love and Peace higher than our thoughts and therefore relying on thy Mercies and gracious Promises I am bold at this time to prostrate my self before thee humbly confessing that I am corrupt in my very Nature having an inability and aversness to that which is good and an aptitude and proneness to all that is evil but I have corrupted my self yet much worse by many vicious Customs and sinful Habits I have transgressed my duty to thee my Neighbour and my self followed too much the devices and desires of my own wicked heart and not only not obeyed but many times wilfuâ—ly broken thy Commandements which are holy just and good and to my former provocations I have added the sins of the day past of omission and commission of thoughts words and actions Here particularize any sin Yea I know not how often I have offended O cleanse cleanse thou me from my secret faults And now O Lord should'st thou be extream to mark what I have done amiss I could not be justified in thy sight nor be able to answer thee for the sins of this one day but thou O God delightest in Mercy and there is forgiveness with thee that thou may'st be feared O I beseech thee let Repentance and Contrition prepare me for that Mercy of thine and then be thou pleased to take away all mine Iniquity and to receive me graciously into thy favour Neither do I desire thee only for the pardon of my past sins but do most bumbly beg for a Divine Power that I may be able to subdue them for the time to come and get a compleat Victory over all the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil To that end let thy Grace and goodness and tender mercies prevent and follow me all the days of my life and bring into obedience whatsoever exalteth it self against thy blessed will that at last I may come to be such as thou would'st have me to be even holy in all manner of Conversation And as I pray unto thee so I desire likewise from an unseigned heart to praise and to bless thee for thy infinite Mercies for those which relate to this life and a better particularly for the Mercies of the day past Here enumerate them O Lord the least of these deserves my hearty Thanksgivings let not the universality and commonness of thy goodness make me to have the slighter regard of it but fill my Soul with a Sense of thy Love and my Tongue with sincere acknowledgments that as I daily receive blessings from thee so I may daily from an affectionate and devout heart offer up thanks unto thee and let my whole life and all my actions be the verification of my Praises And now I beseech thee O Lord receive me this Night into the Arms of thy providence hide me under the shadow of thy Wings Give thy holy Angels charge over me to pitch their Tents round about me that no evil happen unto me nor any plague come nigh unto my Dwelling but that I and mine and all my Concerns may be safe under thy gracious protection that lying down in thy fear and being refreshed with moderate rest I may be the fitter to serve thee in the duties of the ensuing day And all I beg in the Name and for the sake of Jesus Christ my alone Saviour and Redeemer for whom my Soul hath endless cause to bless and to praise thee to whom with thy self and Holy Spirit of Grace be by me ascribed as is most due and all thy Saints and Servants both in Heaven and in Earth all possible Praise Might Majesty and Dominion both now and for evermore Amen A Prayer in publick with the Family for the Evening HEar us O Lord in the multitude of thy Mercies even in the truth of thy Salvation and let not O let noâ— the loud cry of our sins hinder our Prayers from coming up unto thee or thy Graces and Mercies from coming down upon us but pardon our sins which make us unworthy to appear in thy presence and our services to be accepted by thee and assist us we pray thee with thy holy Spirit which may make us fervent and earnest in our Devotions that so we may obtain our Requests at thy hands in and through Jesus Christ O Eternal and Everliving Lord our God thou art in thy self most glorious and in thy Son most gracious Heaven is thy Throne and that thou fillest with thy Majesty the Earth is but thy Foot-stool and yet that thou fillest with thy Goodness both Heaven and Earth loudly proclaim the exceeding greatness of thy Glory and transcendent Excellencies We thy sinful Creatures who are not worthy to lift up our Eyes unto Heaven for we have sinned against Heaven and before thee are yet bold in the Bowels and Mercies of Jesus Christ to cast our selves down at the Foot-stool of thy Majesty desiring in all humility of Souls and Bodies to acknowledg our own vileness and wretchedness O Lord we brought into the World with us evil and wicked Inclinations and we have since made it our business to improve them into practice As the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts so the very words of our Lips and actions of our Lives have been evil and only evil and that continually Our provocations against thee our God have been very great and hainous and as for their number more than the Sands of the Sea We have lived in an universal disobedience to thy Laws and violated all thy holy Commandments in the keeping of which there is great Reward And this O Lord not only through ignorance and frailty but too many
times knowingly and wilfully against the Motions of thy holy Spirit against the Checks of our own Consciences against those various methods of thy Mercies and thy Judgments which thou hast used to draw us to thy self yea against those many Promises Vows and Resolutions which we have so often made betwixt thee and our own Consciences both in publick and in private of better obedience and amendment of Life And now O Lord what belongeth unto us but shame and confusion of Face And should'st thou abandon and cast us out of thy favour for ever we must needs confess that the Lord our God is Righteous and that we reap but the fruit of our ways but unto thee our God belong Mercies and Forgiveness though we have rebelled against thee Thou hast published thy self to be the Lord Merciful and Gracious slow to Anger and abundant in goodness and in truth A God forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin and therefore it is that we yet hope and because we hope we pray Have Mercy therefore upon us O God according to thy loving kindness and according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out all our Transgressions washus throughly from our Iniquities and cleanse us from our Sins for we acknowledg our faults and our sins are ever before us We know O Lord that though our sins are exceeding great and many yet they cannot exceed the multitude of thy Mercies nor the greatness of Christ his Merits O we beseech thee therefore remember thy tender Mercies which have been ever of old and remember the bitter Sufferings of our blessed Redeemer and for the Merits thereof pardon all that is past and become unto us a reconciled Father and own us for thy Children Neither do we desire thee only to forgive unto us our past sins but we pray thee also to sanctifie our Natures to instruct our Understandings that we may know the things that belong to our Peace to regulate our Affections and place them on their right Objects and to dispose and incline our Wills readily to choose and cheerfully to imbrace what relates to thy Glory and our own Eternal Happiness Subdue all our Lusts mortifie all our Corruptions and bring into obedience whatsoever exalteth it self against thy most holy and blessed will that at last we may come to be such as thou wouldest have us and canst delight in Strengthen us O Lord against all the Temptations of the Devil the World and our own corrupt Flesh O Lord thou knowest the Frailties and weaknesses of our Natures and the number and strength of those Temptations we have to struggle with We humbly pray thee leave us not to our selves for then we shall quickly leave thee but assist us with thy Grace perfect thy Strength in our weakness and where thou feest we are either by Nature or Custom Company or Temptation most apt to be drawn aside to sin there do thou more especially magnifie thy power in our preservation Set a watch O Lord before our Mouths and keep the doors of our Lips Turn away our Eyes from beholding Vanity our hearts lest they think on Vanity and our hands lest they at any time act it and quicken thou us in thy way Search us O God and know our hearts O try us and know our thoughts and see what ways of Wickedness there are in us and lead us in the way Everlasting Give us grace to abstain from the very appearance of Evil and to watch and pray that we enter not into Temptation Possess our Souls continually with an holy fear and love of thee our God Make us holy as thou art holy pure as thou art pure and merciful as thou our heavenly Father art Merciful and Crown all thy Graces in us with Patience and Perseverance that notwithstanding all those discouragements and oppositions which we may meet withal here in this sinful World we may go on chearfully and constantly to do and suffer those things which thou requirest of us in order to thy Glory and the Salvation of our precious and immortal Souls O grant that we may not recede from any Christian performance upon the sight of any Obstruction lying in the way but may be willing to resist even unto Blood for the Name and for the sake of Jesus Christ Fit and prepare us O Lord for all Estates and Conditions whatsoever thou in thy Divine Providence hast allotted for us for Adversity as well as prosperity for Sickness as well as health for an Evil as well as a good Report But above all fit and prepare us for the hour of Death and the day of Judgment that so whensoever wheresoever or howsoever it shall please thee to call for us out of this Vale of Tears we may be found prepared for thy coming and may cheerfully and contentedly resign our Souls up into thine hands as into the hands of a faithful Creator But seeing that whilst we are here below we have a continual need of supply of all those outward things for supportance of these Houses of Clay we humbly beseech thee give us such a portion of them as thou knowest may make most for the glory of thy Name and the good of our selves and others Grant that we may seek first thy Kingdom and the Righteousness thereof and then let all those outward things be added unto us in such a measure as thou in thy Divine Wisdom seest best for us and in every condition that it shall please thee to place us give us Grace to be content Take away from us O Lord both the Evil of Sin and the Evil of Punishment O keep thy Servants from presumptuous Sins deliver us from thine Anger from the withdrawing of thy Grace and from Everlasting Damnation and as for all Temporal Afflictions not as we will O Lord but thy holy and blessed will be done in all things only whatsoever thou shalt please to inflict upon us give us patience and contentment under it and then chasten us here O Lord as thou pleasest that we be not condemned with the World With us we humbly beseech thee to be mindful of all thine the World over give thy Enlightning Grace to all that are in darkness Thy Converting Grace to all that are in Sin O be favourable and gracious unto Zion Build thou the Walls of Jerusalem look upon the Tribe of thine own Inheritance and the place where thou hast dwelt Let thy Mercies and Blessings rest upon all people of this Nation from the highest to the lowest more especially bless with thy choicest blessings our Gracious King Charles The Queen and all the Royal Family Bless all our Ministers and Magistrates Grant that they may be Men fearing God and hating Coverousness Charge thy Providence with all our Friends and Relations Let those that are near and dear unto us be near and dear unto thee let their Souls be bound up in the bundle of Life give them all things necessary for their Souls and Bodies guide them here by thy
Counsel and afterwards receive them to thy self in Glory Extend thy Compassions towards all that are in any Want Trouble Sorrow Sickness or other Adversity either of Soul or Body O visit and relieve them according to thine own Mercies Reward those that have done us any good and pardon those that have done or wish'd us any Evil. And now O Lord we desire to mingle praises with our Prayers and to bless and magnifie thy glorious Name for all thy Mercies and Favours from time to time vouchsafed unto us but more especially for the Fountain of all our Mercies Jesus Christ for the means of Grace and the hopes of Glory for all those Temporal Mercies which thou hast given us richly to enjoy For the Mercies of the day past to our Souls and Bodies to our selves and others Blessed be the Lord God which daily loadeth us with his benefits even the God of our Salvation and blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever and ever Finally we recommend unto thee our good God our Souls and our Bodies all that we have and all that are near and dear unto unto us most humbly beseeching thee to receive us this Night into thine Almighty protection and whensoever it shall please thee that our Souls depart our Bodies receive them O Lord receive them into the Arms of thine Everlasting Mercy in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Grant us quiet and comfortable Refreshment by sleep and awaken us again the next Morning with hearts full of the sense and with mouths full of the acknowledgments of thy Mercies that we may all of us return with more cheerfulness to serve thee in the respective places of our calling Hear us O most merciful Father and graciously answer us in these our Requests and not only in these but in whatever else thou knowest more needful and requisite for us Accept we humbly pray thee both of our persons and our Prayers at this time pardon the many frailties and imperfections of our holy things and deal with us not according to their weakness or our demerits but according to the Richness of thy Mercy in and through Jesus Christ for whom we bless thee and in whose Name and Words we farther pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy sweet and comfortable Fellowship O holy and blessed Spirit of Grace be with us remain with us guide defend and comfort us this Night and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Sunday Morning in the Family which with very little variation may be used by any single person in his Closet Hear our Prayer O Lord give Ear to our Supplications In thy faithfulness answer us and in thy righteousness O Thou high and lofty One that inhabitest Eternity Thy Name is great wonderful and holy and thou dwellest in the high and holy place with them also that are of a contrite and humble Spirit howshall we then sinful Dust and Ashes who dwell in Houses of Clay and are very far from that Humility and Contrition which should render us fit for thy Co-habitation dare to appear before thee or approach the place where thine honour dwelleth But though thou art high yet hast thou respect unto the lowly and art pleas'd to humble thy self to behold the things that are done by us poor wretched Mortals here on Earth Thou art pleased not only to permit but to invite and command us miserable and needy Creatures to make known our Requests unto thee and it is our interest as well as our duty so to do In obedience therefore unto thy Commands in a sense of our Duâ—y and in a sense of our own Necessities which can no where else be supplied but from the riches of thy Bounty we are now emboldened at this time to present our Petitions unto thee And because thou hast said that if we confess our sins thou wilt be faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness relying an thy Mercies and gracious Promises we desire in the first place most humbly to confess before thee that we were not only conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity but as if that had been but a small matter we have proceeded on to the commission of many actual Transgressions To Sins of omission we have daily added sins of commission To sins of weakness and surprize sins of wiljulness and obstinacy To sins of ignorance sins of presumption Yea O Lord if we reflect upon the actions of our lives past and seriously consider how we have behaved our selves even from the first use of our Reason to this very moment we can scarcely find that sin which we have not committed that Commandment of thine which we have not often broken although to the keeping of it thou hast annexed a great reward Thou hast not been wanting unto us in any thing that might invite or incourage us to promote the welfare of our precious and immortal Souls Thou hast given us the knowledg of our duty and instructed us in it and followed it with the inward work of thy Grace whereby we might be enabled to perform it and to conquer our sinful Lusts and Desires But O Lord we still retain a darkness in our Vnderstandings an unruliness in our Affections and a crookedness in our Wills bending down towards the carnal part and great proneness to gratifie it Thou hast deterred us also by thy menaces and denunciation of Judgments saying Thou wilt by no means clear the guilty Tribulation and Anguish Indignation and Wrath upon every Soul that sinneth and yet neither have thy Mercies allured us nor thy Threats affrighted us from following the dictates of our own sinful Inclinations but we have gone on in a continual Rebellion against thee as if we meant speedily to fill up the measure of our Iniquity and to hasten our own destruction And now O Lord what can we say for our selves But that we have deserved the severest of thy wrath and displeasure and that it is purely of the Lords Mercy that we are not consumed And now Lord what is our hope Truly our hope is even in thee Thou hast revealed thy self to be a God gracious and merciful slow to Anger and of great kindness repenting thee of the evil We Appeal therefore from the Bar of thy Justice to the Throne of thy Mercy humbly beseeching thee not to deal with us after our sins nor to reward us according to our Iniquities but for thy Names sake for thy Mercies sake yea for thy dear Son Jesus Christ his sake in whom thou hast said thou art well plsased blot out the multitude of our Transgressions pardon all our sins and receive us graciously yet once more into thy favour And as we destre thee to free us from the guilt and punishment of our sins so we pray thee also to free us from the power of them too
Give us grace to apply it to our selves and to reduce it into practice that thy word may be unto us the savour of life unto life and not unto any Soul of us the savour of death unto death These Mercies O most merciful Father for our selves or any of thine and whatever else thou knowest fitting for us together with the acceptance of our praises we humbly beg at thy hands though not for any worthiness that is in our selves for we utterly disclaim all but for the Merits of him who alone is worthy Jesus Christ the Righteous in whose endearing Name and holy Words we continue to pray unto thee saying Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ c. A Prayer for Sunday Evening in the Family Open thou our Lips O Lord and our Mouths shall shew forth thy praise O Most blessed and glorious Lord God Father of Mercies and of our Lord Jesus Christ Thou fillest Heaven with thy Glory and the Earth with thy Goodness All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints give thanks unto thee Thy Name only is excellent and thy praise above Heaven and Earth but because thou art good and delightest in doing good thou art pleased to permit us thy poor unworthy Creatures here on Earth to offer up our Prayers and our Praises unto thee who dwellest in the highest Heavens that thou may'st reward them with thy favour and loving kindness And that we might never be wanting to our selves thou art daily pleased to give us new and fresh occasions of Praising and Magnifying thy Holy Name Even this very day we have had large Experiences of thy Goodness which call for our highest Thanksgivings The temporal Mercies we have received in thy protection of us from those many dangers to which we were exposed by reason of our sins and the plentiful refreshment we have had in the use of thy good Creatures deserve our due acknowledgments but that thou hast given us Dust and Ashes an opportunity and leave to come into thy more immediate presence to wait upon thee in thy House to speak unto thee the glorious Majesty of Heaven before whom Angels cover their Faces and to hear thee speaking unto us instructing us in our Duties and offering unto us terms of Reconciliation most justly challenge our devoutest Affections and most exalted Praises Thou hast given thine only Son to be a Sacrifice for us by whom we have Redemption through his Blood thou hast given him Victory over Hell and the Grave by his Resurrection from the dead and he is now sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high making continual Intercession for us Thou hast given us the constant Solicitations of thy blessed Spirit of Truth the Seal of our Adoption and the earnest of the Inheritance of the Saints together wih a succession of Pastors and Teachers to be the Dispensers of thy Word and Will and the Guides of our Souls And thou hast prepared such things for those that fear thee as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor ever entred into the heart of Man to conceive Lord what is Man that thou art mindful of him Or the Son of Man that thou hast done such great things for him Praise the Lord O our Souls and all that is within us praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O our Souls and forget not all his benefits O that all this Goodness of thine might ingage us by way of just return to thy free and undeserved Mercies more heartily to love thee more devoutly to worship thee and more diligently to live after thy Commandments Give us a due savour and relish of those Divine Truths we have learned this day Grant that we may not be only hearers but doers of thy Word lest we deceive our own Souls Cherish those holy Thoughts Affections and Resolutions which thy good Spirit hath raised in us O Let not them pass out of our minds with the day but leave Impressions upon our hearts the whole Week following and all our days that as we have received how we ought to walk and to please thee our God so we may abound more and more Bless all the faithful Dispensers of thy Word and Sacraments however dignified or distinguished More especially bless him O Lord who hath this day blessed us in thy Name Pour down a double portion of thy holy Spirit into his heart make him an eminent Instrument for thy Glory Let him turn many from their wicked ways unto thee the living God and hereafter let his Soul shine as a Star in the Firmament of thy Kingdom Continue unto us O Lord such holy opportunities and seasons of Grace as thou now affordest us and send them where they are not Let not O let not the loud cry of our national Sins provoke thee to remove thy Candlestick from us or to quench the Light of our Israel but blessed God whatever temporal Judgments thou art pleased to bring upon us whatever Mercies thou art pleased to deny us yet for thy Names sake and for thy Truth and Righteousness sake be pleased still to continue unto us the free liberty of thy House of thy Word Sacraments and Ordinances in their primitive purity and regularity until time shall be no more Pardon we pray thee good God whatever thou hast seen amiss in us the day past even the many frailties and imperfections of our holiest Duties and Performances Look not upon the weakness of our Flesh but upon the sincerity of our Hearts and Desires Pity all our Infirmities and let those Sacrifices which we have this day offered unto thy Divine Majesty be accepted in and for that Sacrifice which thy Son Christ Jesus hath offered up upon the Cross for us Finally O Lord we commend into thine hands this Night our Selves Souls and Bodies and all our Friends every where to be protected by thy providence refreshed with moderate rest and raised again the next Morning by thy power to serve thee with more cheerfulness and to praise thee for thy renewed Mercies And all we beg for the alone sake and love of thy Son who is the Son of thy love Jesus Christ our Lord In whose holy Name we are bold to beg the acceptance of our Petitions and Thanksgivings and to continue to supplicate thy Divine Majesty Saying as he hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ c. A Prayer preparatory for Death to be often used in the time of Health O Immortal and Everliving Lord God thy years endure throughout all Generations from everlasting to everlasting thou art God I thy frail Creature created at first by thy power to a state of Immortality with thy self which by Adams Transgression the representative of all mankind I have long since forfeited my right to and am become liable to Death I acknowledg thy mercy towards me in my Creation and thy justice and faithfulness in the execution of thy Threatnings upon breach
of the first Covenant The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Behold thou hast now made my days as it were a span length and mine age is even as nothing in respect of thee and I am altogether vanity The sentence of Death hath passed upon all for that all have sinned And I who have had so great a share in sinning cannot but expect to receive the due Wages of it Death Only I beseech thee blessed God to make me wise now in the time of my Health and Srength to understand this and to consider my latter end Grant O Lord that by departing from every known sin by keeping Innocency and always taking heed to the thing that is right I may be in an habitual preparation for Death and find peace at the last Wean my heart daily more and more from the love of the World and worldly things and place my affections upon their right and more deserving Objects Heaven and Heavenly things that my heart may be where my Treasure is and that whenever I shall be called to part with them I may leave all without any murmuring or reluctancy and be willing and content to die Let every pain and sickness mind me of my last And that Death may not be a surprize unto me furnish my Soul with all those Graces before-hand which I shall have greatest occasions to make use of in my last Conflict Give me Repentance unto life not to be repented of A Stedfast Faith that worketh by Love towards thee my God and Charity to all the World A Firm Hope such as maketh not ashamed but may become an Anchor of my Soul entring even within the Vail True Christian Courage and Patience and a resolvedness of a cheerful submission to thy Fatherly Correction And Grant that in all things I may so put my Soul and House in order that when I come to die I may have nothing else to do but to die Let not my Death be unexpected untimely or violent if it be thy holy will And when it shall please thee to cast me on my last Bed give me Grace to search my Heart to renew my Repentance and Interest in Jesus and to compose my Soul for God Give me the opportunity and refreshment of thy holy Sacrament the Seal of the Divine Love the benefit of Absolution Some irradiations of thy Love and Favour in the assurances of pardon and peace together with a patient and comfortable expectation of the performance of all thy promises Let not the Devil take advantage of my weakness nor any of his Suggestions prevail upon me Let not his Accusations or my Sins distract me in my last hour but do thou interpose thy seasonable Relief O forsake me not when my strength faileth me but in the mid'st of the sorrows and temptations that I have upon my Bed let thy Comforts refresh my Soul O suffer me not for any pains of death to fall from thee And in my last Agonies when my Soul shall quit the ruinous habitation of my Body let thy holy Angels convey it into the Regions of a glorious Eternity where there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain Grant this O merciful Father for the sake of him who by death hath overcome death even Jesus Christ my High Priest and blessed Redeemer Amen A Prayer for Sincerity out of the Whole Duty of Man O Holy Lord who requirest Truth in the inward parts I humbly beseech thee to purge me from all Hypocrisie and unsincerity The heart O Lord is deceitful above all things and my heart I fear is deceitful above all hearts O thou who searchest the Heart and Reins try me and seek the ground of my heart and suffer not any accursed thing to lurk within me but purifie me even with Fire so thou consume my dross O Lord I cannot deceive thee but I may most easily deceive my self I beseech thee let me not rest in any such deceit but bring me to a sight and hatred of my most hidden Corruptions that I may not cherish any darling Lust but make an utter destruction of every Amalekite O suffer me not to speak peace to my self when there is no peace but grant I may judge of my self as thou judgest of me that I may never be at peace with my self till I am at perfect peace with thee and by purity of haert be qualified to see thee in thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ Amen For Contrition out of the same Author O Holy Lord Who art a merciful Embracer of true Penitents but yet a consuming Fire towards obstinate sinners how shall I approach thee who have so many provoking sins to inflame thy Wrath and so little sincere Repentance to incline thy Mercy O be thou pleased to soften and melt this hard obdurate heart of mine that I may heartily bewail the Iniquities of my life Strike this Rock O Lord that the Waters may flow out even Floods of Tears to wash my polluted Conscience my drowzy Soul hath too long slept securely in sin Lord awake it though it be with Thunder and let me rather feel thy Terrors then not feel my sin Thou sentest thy blessed Son to heal the broken hearted but Lord what will that avail me if my heart be whole O break it that it may be capable of his healing Virtue and grant I beseech thee that having once tasted the bitterness of sin I may fly from it as from the Face of a Serpent and bring forth Fruits of Repentance in amendment of Life to the praise and glory of thy Grace in Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer Amen Those whose Devotions are apt to be assisted by variety or are desirous of Forms for other Graces or more particular occasions may find a plentiful supply in the Books of the aforementioned-Pious Author in Dr. Tailor's holy Living and Dying but more especially in the Book of Devotions composed by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Patrick A Prayer to be used by any Pious Christian in these difficult times O Most just and holy Lord God thou art Righteous in all thy ways and holy in all thy Works I must needs confess that when I seriously consider the multitude and hainousness of my own Sins and those of the whole Nation which cry loudly to Heaven for Vengeance that it is even a miracle of Mercies that we have not long since felt the severities of thy Wrath in some direful Judgments but thou O Lord hast been exceedingly gracious and with much patience and long suffering hast waited for our Repentance and Amendment of Life but yet we have abused this Mercy of thine beyond all the former and have not returned unto thee And now O Lord seeing we would not be allured by thy Mercies thou art pleas'd to threaten us with the approach of thy Judgments which if thou wilt not avert O fit and prepare me for the cheerful Entertainment of whatsoever thy Wisdom shall think fit to