very well one for every severall Day of thâ—… Weeke And they may help on the Worke 〈◊〉 our Repentance if we will so often use thâ—… words of those pious Men that made them with their spirit And all the helps in thaâ—… worke are as necessary as they will be advanâ—… tageous For We are charged often and seriously to reâ—…member how we have provoked the Lorâ—… our God to wrath more then once Deu. 9 7 8â—… And the Lord our God is a consuming fireâ—… and a jealous God Deut 4. 24. Thereforâ—… humble thy selfe greatly For the vengeanâ—… of the ungodly is Fire and Wormes Ecclus. 7â—… 17. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where will the ungodly and sinner appeare 1 Pet 4. 18. The Meditation of these places of holâ—… Writ were enough to fright the Impenitenâ—… and make them long to be better acquainteâ—… with Penitentiall Psalmes Then may they heare more comfortablâ—… words For If wee confesse our fins God is faithfuâ—… and just to forgive us our sins 1 Joh. 1. 9. Noâ—… is not the voice of the Gospell only Solomon could put us in that hope long before thâ—… Gospel was sully revealed He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. And others before him have said the like It was God's mercy ever of old Hos. 14. 2 3 4. Hos. 6. 1 2. But we must lay hold on it while it is called to day Hebr. 3. 13 15. There is a long night coming when nothing can be done John 9. 4. And there is no relying or boasting of the little day of our life Prov. 27. 1. We know not how soon the Sun may set for ever upon us and we be conveyed out of the way into our everlasting House Eccles 12. 5. Therefore let us not put off from Day to Day to turne to the Lord. For suddainly his wrath may breake forth and in our security we may be destroyed and so perish in the day of Vengeance Ecclus 5. 7. But God is never so ready to punish as he is to pardon The Royall Prophet that had experience of that mercy tells us that when but he resolved to confes his transgressions unto the Lord the Lord forgave the iniquity of his Sin Psal. 32. 5. And if we would have it confirmed by the Evangelicall Prophet he could tell us God is so mercifull that upon our resolution before we call he will answer and while we are yet speaking He will heare Isay 65. 24. How then can they think to escape that neglect so great Salvation Hebr. 2. 3. After this so needfull and gainfull a Service of Confession As our Church doth so we should do well to addresse our selves to another Confession that of Praise and Thanksgiving In imitation of the Invitatory Psalme and the Te Deum and the like Hymnes in publicke we should have somewhat ready for that purpose in private Such as what now followes XV. A Morning Devotion framed according to St Basil's direction Constitut. Monast. c. 1 and the rare Patterne of the sweet Singer of Israel in many Psalmes PRaise the Lord O my Soul While I live will I praise the Lord yea as long as I have any being will I sing praises unto my God Psal. 146. 1. As long as I live will I magnify him on this manner and lift up my hands in his Name Ps. 63. 5. Every day will I give thanks unto Him and praise his Name for ever and ever Ps. 145. 2. Every day with all readines and thankfulnes of heart I will worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord my God my Maker Psal. 95. 6. By whom I was fearfully and wonderfully made Psal. 139 13 14. My soul cannot but be affected with that curious workmanship even to astonishment and amazement To consider how there is not the least bone or member in my body but tooke along with it an apparent stamp and impression of Divine Power and Wisdome While my whole Body to say nothing of the rate Faculties of the Soule was so cunningly and secretly wrought and embroidered with veines sinewes arteries and other incomparable varieties of necessary parts that as they were first framed and molded secretly in my Mothers wombe so they are not now all of them exposed to the view of every eye but show themselves onely by the use that is made of them Such are the wonders of my Creation How shall I then be able to expresse or conceive how mercifully and freely I was redeemed with a costly and mighty salvation 1 Cor 6. 20. Luc 1. 69. and by no lesse Providence and Goodnes miraculously preserved in fad and perilous times unto this day Therefore shall the first Fruits of every Day be Hâ—…s and the first opening of my mouth the serving and blessing of his holy Name My hearty Prayers and Praises shall come daily before Him like the Incense Psal. 141. 2. ascen ding upward and seasoning and sweetening my thoughts here for the whole day In this manner and for ever Praise the Lord O my Soule and all that is within mee praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my Soule and forget not all his Benefits Ps 103. 1. c. Which forgiveth all thy sinnes thy great sinnes and healeth all thy Infirmities thy manifold infirmities Which satisfieth thy Body and Soule with variety of good things and so often after a sweet and quiet sleep reneweth thy strength in the Morning and returneth thee to thy Friends and thy own imployments Young and lusty as an Eagle v. 5. that appeares in her fresh plumes vigorous and youthfull againe For this shall my mouth every morning be filled with thy praise O Lord and my Soule make her boast of Thee Ps. 34. 2 3. For this I will remember Thee in my Bed and when I awake Ps. 71. 7. And upon all opportunities sing of thy Honour and Glory all the day long So shall my Soule be more and more satisfied as it were with marrow and fatnes while I thus endeavour to praise Thee with joyfull lips Ps 63. 5. Here we may tender a particular recognition of some speciall mercy and favour showed to us or ours After which we may take others into our Confession of Praise And O that all others might joyn with me in the close of my thankful acknowledgments O that they would praise the Lord with me and let us magnify his Name together Psal ' 34. 3. Though not in the same place yet with the same heart and affection bearing a part in the Angels and our Churches Hymne Glory be to God on high and in earth Peace good will towards men We praise Thee O God we blesse Thee we worship Thee We laud and magnifie thy glorious name evermore praising Thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to Thee O Lord most high O that men would thus praise the Lord for his goodnesse
same mystical body of whose sufferings he should have a quick sense and expresse it in his good wishes and Prayers wrastling with God for them as an earnest coadjutor and fellow-intercessor the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15. 30. He that will give ear to the many Evangelical exhortations to daily and instant prayer Luc. 18. 1. 1 Thes. 5. 17 c. He that believeth God's omnipotence and all-sufficiency as being the Well of life the Father of lights and giver of every good thing the Lord of Hosts whom all creatures serve and obey He that hath acquainted himselfe with God's Fatherly promises to hear and grant our humble petitions Ask and you shall have Mat. 7. 7. Ioh 16 23. Psal 34. 6 50 15. 103. 13. 81. 11. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it He that will not deny or forget all these must necessarily acknowledg how foolish and carelesse he is that will rather want then seek that by Prayer which may be so easily purchased VII Other preparatory Meditations before prayers in the morning or at any other time BEfore thou prayest prepare thy self and be not as one that tempts the Lord. Ecclus. 18. 23. And let the first preparation be made in the Heart that thou maist with those in Ier. lift up thy Heart together with thy Hands to God in the Heavens Lam 3. 4. For Prayer is too great a businesse to be committed onely to the Tongue Nor can we expect that He which calls for the heart and directs us to seek him with all the heart and with all the soul Deut. 4. 29. will be any thing moved with the sound of our lips when the heart is silent or that he will be found of those that seek him carelesly Such as those in Isay 29. that draw nigh to God with their mouths and honour him with their lips but their heart is far from him Of whom our Saviour saith that they worship him in vain Mat. 15. 8 9. Now he that would prepare his heart must be told that a sinful impenitent Heart shall have no acceptance It must be such a one as will depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. We may learn that from Zohar the Naamathite if thou preparest thy Heart saith he and stretchest out thy hands towards God if iniquity be in thy hands put it far away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy Tabernacles Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot and without fear Iob. 11. 13. Zohar would have thee come with a pure heart and clean hands and not to forget the reformation of thy Tabernacles that is of thy House and Family too as well as of thy self If Zohar be thought of no great Authority let the Prophet Micah propose a question to this purpose VVherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God saith he Micah 66. and his answer would be out of the highest oracle v. 8. He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God VVhat Micah saith the Royal Prophet that had best skill in praying resolved long before If I incline to wickednesse with my heart the Lord will not hear me Ps. 66. 16. And the reason of it we may have in his own words elsewhere For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their Prayers But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil Psal. 34. 14. The wisest of Kings doth but comment upon those his Father's words when he tells us that a good man obtains favour of the Lord but the prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov 12. 2. and c. 15. 8. 29. VVhen such men pray and spread forth their hands before God he will hide his eyes from them yea though they make many prayers he will not hear saith the Prophet Isaiah c. 1. 15. but he that sets himself to serve the Lord shall be accepted with favour and his Prayers shall reach the clouds saith the son of Sirac Ecclus. 35. 16. And doth not the Gospel speak the same language VVe know that God hears not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he hears saith the blind man in the Gospel Ioh. 9. 31. And if we will hear our Saviour himself we must conclude that every one that asketh as he should do shall receive Mat. 7. 8 21. But not every one that carelesly or hypocritically saith Lord Lord shall have his prayers â—…ound so potent as to pierce the Heavens and make way for them or himself to ascend thither That is a priviledge reserved for him that in preparation of heart is ready to do the will of our Father which is in heaven But he that is otherwise minded may receive his answer before hand from the Prophet Isaiah that though God's hand be not shortned nor his ears heavy yet iniquity will separate between God and such a suiter and make him hide his face from him when he would be looked upon with some favour Is. 59. 2. 1. 17 18. VIII A farther supply of such Preparatory Meditations as may make us fitter to be heard in our Prayers WE have shewed already what need we have to come with a penitent heart and resolutions of a good life and how far that may prevaile Shall I now shew if we would have yet more hope of Audience and be sure to have our prayers more acccepted how we should improve a penitent heart truly prepared with Contrition and Humiliation of spirit for those Prayers are most successful that come up to that In which regard as much as we are affected with the desire of a good issue of our Prayers so much we should endeavour more and more to prostrate and cast down our selves before the throne of Grace For he that in a sense of his own miserable està te esteemes himself the most unworthy to be suffered to look up to Heaven or be admitted to any accesse neer the Mercy-seat he is likely to be the first that shall be looked upon and called nearer He that in his own opinion of himself placeth himself lowest as a worme and no man He that descends so far into the thought of his own vilenes that he sees his soul ready to cleave to the dust and his body so despicable that he thinks it worthy to be trod upon his Petition is not unlikely to be look'd upon in the first place and himself preferred before all those that expected to have an Answer before him I say not this without some reason For then we have the best foundation to build high when we are at the bottom of Humility And if we will hear what God himself saith of this kind of addresse to him we will easily believe that as he which exalts himself will be abased according to the degree
Verus Christianus Or DIRECTIONS For Private DEVOTIONS And Retirements Dedicated to the Most Reverend Father in God GILBERT L d Arch Bishop of Canterbury Primate c. By DAVID STOKES D. D. and Fellow of Eaton Colledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Basil. de abdic reruÌ„ To which is added by the same Authour an APPENDIX Containing in it some private Devotions of the late Learned Bishop Andrewes never before extant OXFORD Printed by A. L. LICHFIELD Printers to the University for R. DAVIS 1668. The Preface With some praevious Advice to the true-Christian Reader A True Christian doth not intend to serve his own turn of Christ servirsi de Christo as the Italians say but is His true faithfull humble and hearty servant to his power to make him the more able to be so He admits of good Helps and Advice and till he hath gotten the habit of Devotion he is not unwilling to be made devout by the book as we use to speak He cannot but think that service a hard task at the first For true Christianity is the conformity of our selves to Christ and an undertaking to fight under Christ's Banner against Sin the World and the Devil and so continuing Christ's faithful Soldiers and servants to our lives end This we undertook in our Baptism at our Initiation and Admission into the Church Militant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet who settles himself seriously and quietly about it though upon that depends Etennity Who makes the holy Scripture his chief Oracle and daily Counsellour in that point taking-in other Helps as they offer them selves till our Lord Jesus Christ by His own glorious Epiphany takes him off and disposeth of him according to his blessed will and pleasure But this end of all things is at hand It 's high time to serve Christ indeed and in this practice of Christianity we may well make use of others labours and devotions But let us withall be ready to second all their good thoughts and Memorandum's by our own fervent prayers and such like endeavours for the little time of our short life and Christian warfare So shall we end in Rest and Glory and Immortality having lived the life and died the death of such true Christians In order to that 1. Let our sorrow for our sinnes and our combates with our future infirmities keep some Analogy with our former offences 2. Let not us misapply our sorrow to any of those troubles that may cause death but spend all our sorrow upon our sinnes in a true Repentance And let us not allay or charm any stormes that arise from sin by speculations of the Book of Life or other mysteries that exceed our capacity but by an Oracle within us the answer or stipulation of a good conscience that saies Amen to the better performance of God's Will hereafter which being well done the trouble of the soul will be accepted as a welcome sacrifice 3. Let our purged and sanctified Hearts be the more pltale to obey God hereafter and more open to receive his holy Graces and more dilated in giving Praise and Thanks to God for them 4. Let us while we walk still upon Nets and Snares be the more wary and attent to our Christian duty keeping our Tinder from dangerous Sparks and our Matches from Fire 5. Let us employ our Anger in chiding our sinnes and our Fear in keeping Gentinel that they may creep into our hearts no more 6 Let the notice of Gods threats against sinners make us scorn the allurements and temptations of sin hereafter 7. Let our Good-Fellowship spend it self most in the entertaining and cherishing of good thoughts and resolutions that they may grow up the faster into divine Comforts 8. Let our zealous opposing of bad thoughts be like the bruising of the Cockatrice Egges in the sâ—…ell and dashing those children of Fdom against the stons If that will not serve let us bring a counterpoise a Meditation of Death and Hell that may roughly turn them out 9. Let us if we meet with troops of sorrow not look upon them but upon Him that is the Lord of Hostes and can turn all our sorrowes into joyes as easily as he turned Water into Wine 10. Let us give a serious check with some authority to those Idle devices that are hatched by a luxurious fancy and spend the animal spirits upon mere toyes 11. Let us noâ—… forget that all things are transient as we our selves are our bodies being like houses of clay or Earthen Uessels quickly broken and become of no use therefore let us hasten to be setled in Religious duties 12. Let us contract and correct our buisiest worldly thoughts and never show them much welcome but in their due time 13. Let our care of this world like stubble and straw be burned with the fire of divine love and the zeal of God's Honour 14. Let some private Humiliation be used upon our bodies if not a kind of buffetting in St. Paul's way yet some other way of punishing them that God may shew the more Mercy and Pittie to our Souls 15. Let us instead of Idle Visites and fruitless discourses with others be often retired to a Parly with our own Souls in a Soliloquie and visitation of them which are the richest Jewels in the world and for which cheifly our Saviour laid down his pretious blood 16. Let our ardent desire of Heavenly things confound our love of Earthly For a little viaticum will serve a short life and a little is more then God owes us But A little of God's favour is of more value then much wealth and prosperity He can make us amends where it will be most welcome i. e. Where many that are last shall be first and the first last 17. Let us look narrowly even to our Meditations of Divine comforts the good aspects of Heaven that we be not deceived in them and take an ignis fatuus a sodain flash for a sacred burning bush That 's ever false fire that brings any thing with it against the restraint of sin or care of amendment of life 18. Let this be our great care to keep our Soul in that state wherein we would have it leave this world and in the mean time anticipate our assumption to Heaven by earnest wishes to be with Christ. So may we take our flight towards God before hand like clouds elevated to Heaven and in our flight drop down somewhat that may advance the growing Goodness of some that we leave behind us 19. Let not our good Resolutions through excuses and delayes be spunne out in little Threds and so by degrees come to nothing 20. Let our Prayers be as ready for doing as asking i. e. Let 's labour to doc what we pray we may doe I conclude with Hierocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the same sense A Transition of what follows in the Booke it self YOu have had the Preface to the whole Book with a general previous Advise by way of
Introduction fitted for them that desire to live like true Christians Wherein if I have said somewhat which by the Good Grace and Blessing of God hath so moved the Heart of some One of my Readers that he wisheth himself worthy the name of Veruâ—… Christianus and that Salvation may this day come to his House as it did to Zacheus's upon the first hearing Christ's voice Let him remember qui non est Hodie Cras minus And if he be but as well affected as Agrippa seemed to be when he said he was almost perswaded to be a Christian. Then I will use the like words to him that the Angel did to Gedeon Dominus tecum i. e. I will say God be with thy good heart goe on in this thy strength God and Men and Angels will be thy Spectators Take Christ's Crosse upon thâ—… and â—…ight under his Banner And that thou mayest pâ—…evail with others Wrastle with God Himself first as Jacob did in his importunate Prayers and let Him not goe without a blessing Then let St. Paul acquaint thee with all the Armour of God and ceâ—…se not to use it till thou hast taken the Kingdome of God by violence It is likely upon such good intentions our worst enemie will rouse himself and prepare to have about with thee and threaten some of his fiery darts and subtle assaults drawn from the greatness of thy sinnes and late Repentance wherein he will as good as say to thee what David's enemies said to him upon occasion of his Two Scandalous Sinnes and the punishments that flew after them For then Many there were that said unto his Soul there was no help for him in his God None in this world none in the world to come as Kimchi doth well expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pregnant double word as the Jewish Grammarians call it Many said so but He was not troubled at it He laid himself down and slept quietly and so rose again in confidence that God would protect him and strike his enemies upon the Cheek Bone i. e. with a blow of disgrace Vse you the like faithfull prayers and such a blow will be enough to silence your stoutest enemies Trust God for this Cherish the good Motions of his Holy Spirit and goe on with your Resolutions and you have done well for this day Betake your selves to your quiet rest close-up the day with these Meditations upon your Pillow And you shall not want a supply of more particular advise I will be ready for you as soon as you awake GENERAL ADVICE more briefly set down for their sakes that have much other businesse In the Morning 1. When we are fully awake we may use these or the like Ejaculations PRaise the Lord O my Soul that hath delivered me from the dangers of this night and by a sweet and quiet rest fitted me the better for his service this day And O my Soul let his service be the chief work of this day O let the first-fruits of this and every day be His and the first opening of my mouth the blessing of his holy name Let my hearty prayers and praises come before him like the Incense to season and sweeten my thoughts for the whole Day that I may the more chearfully serve my God the God of all Mercy and Consolation 2. When we are retired into our Closets or Studies some Ejaculations or prayers may be used to this purpose Lord give me grace to study how I may love Thee above all in whom are all things most eminently that are most worthy of our love Teach me how to serve and honour Thee above all whose Service is both perfect freedom from the slavery of sin and the most honourable way of Employment Teach me how to fear thee above all that I may need to fear nothing else Before we come out of our Closets let us ask our selves how we mean to spend the present day in what actions or entertainments And that we may choose the best let us take a short Memorandum from the wise man which may serve as a short Sermon or Instruction for every day A short Sermon taken chiefly out of the first and last words in the book of the Preacher VAnity of vanities saith the Preacher Eccl. 1. that is All things in the world whatsoever they may be in our mistaken opinion are indeed extreme vanity in respect of those things which are above which should be the chief object of our desires If you will hear the Preacher This is the summe of all that is worth the hearing c. ult v. 13. Fear God and keep his Commandements for that is the whole Dutie of man who being a reasonable Creature owes that service to his Creator and to Him alone Therefore the Preacher adds v. 14. that God will bring every thing unto Judgment discovering all our secret thoughts and actions good or bad and passing his last irrevocable sentence upon them all The best Use that can be made of this truth may be gathered out of the Preachers own words directed to every one of us c. 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thy hand that is Lay hold upon all opportunities of doing good every day Begin and persevere to the end and do it with all thy might as well as thou canst c. 9. 10. For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou art going apace This short Sermon may sharpen our desires endeavours to make this everyday a Preparation to the last day that we may be fitted for mercy before that day come after which it cannot be done in all the infinite length of Eternity And in all our Meditations of Death and the last Judgment let me comfort my self with this that He only is to be my Judge that is my blessed Saviour and hath fully paid the ransom for my Sinnes and desires not the death of a Sinner but the death of Sin 3. Before we leave our Closets let us have recourse to some sett form of Devotion wherein we may faithfully and thankfully expresse God's tender mercies and our bounden duty Such expressions we may find in the Psalms and Hymns and Anthems or other parts of our publick Service and such are these Be merciful to me O Lord the God of all mercy and consolation give me grace not to pore too much upon the greatnesse of my sins but to fix my thoughts rather upon the greatness of my Saviours love that suffered for them and so purchased my lihertie changing my slavery under sin and Sathan into the happy and honourable Title of the Servant of the most high God which carrieth perfect freedom along with it Teach me to make thy holy praecepts sweeter to me then the hony and the hony comb and of more value then the richest treasures and beauties honours of the world For thou O Lord art the thing that I long for Ps. 7. 4. Thy loving kindness