multiplied thy Blessings upon me in many Prerogatives III. BVT to my shame O Lord I Confess that no Creature hath been so unthankful unto thee as I have been for instead of bringing forth the Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness I have turned all thy Blessings Graces and Mercies into Wantonness so that I have been a Provocation of thine Anger and of thy Fury from the day of my Birth even until this very moment IV. And though thou hast caled me to knowledge of the Faith in thee and thou hast Revealed unto me that inestimable Treasure of thy Love unto me in Christ Jesus yet notwithstanding I hade retained only the name but nothing of the Work of a Christian but have Dishonoured thee and Blasphemed thy Name but O Lord in the midst of Justice Remember Mercy call not to Remembrance my former Transgressions but Assist me by thy Grace to a speedy Repentance before I go hence and be no more seen Amen Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons for the Day Monday Evenings Meditations EVER O Lord thou beginst thy great Design with Prayer and thy Prayer with Retirement from the Distractions of the World thou callest whom thou pleasest and they come to thee thou choosest whom thou wil'st and freely bestowest on them thy precious Gifts 't is not of him that Wills nor of him that runs but of God that Vouchsafes to have Mercy Have Mercy O Lord and chase away those unclean Spirits that too often haunt my Fancy and walk up and down my weak Memory Chace them away least as they disturb my Peace they ruin my Innocence II. GIVE me O thou Author of all my Good a lively Faith in thee that I may believe thy Truth and hope thy Promises that I may Love thy goodness and continually Bless thee for all thy Mercies who camest into the World not to Judge the World but to save it Save me O glorious Son of Justice and with thy Heavenly Beams Illuminate my Heart that bringing my Works to the Light I may Learn to hate my own Darkness and Condemning my self Escape thy Judgment III. LORD in thy Hands are the Times and Seasons which thou kindly disposest in advantage of thy Servants that thy Favours may Encourage their Virtue and their Virtue encrease thy Favours Thou rewardest the Chastity of Virgins and the Fidelity of Wives thou Crownest the Holiness of Widdows and the perseverance of all who constantly love thee IV. GIVE me O Lord thy Holy Grace that my days may pass in Innocence and my Innocence sustain me in hope give me thy Holy Grace that my hope may encrease to Confidence and my Confidence be Establish'd in Peace and then in Peace dismiss thy Servant Lead me O thou Light of the World where thou usest to walk that my Eyes may happily see thee Shew me thy Blessed self O thou Glory of Heaven that my Soul may fast Embrace thee The PRAYER I. O Eternal God I have in a great measure deserved thy wrath I have Committed presumptuous Sins with a high Hand against thy Divine Majesty I have Crucified again the Lord of Life and have Trodden under Foot the Son of God I have counted the Blood of the Covenant which Sanctifies me an Vnholy thing and have done despight unto the Spirit of Grace II. INSTEAD of making head against those Temptations and Lusts that hourly be set me by Prayer calling to thee for thy Grace to Assist me against them and by Fasting and Austere Mortification by beating down my Body that I might not Conspire with Satan and my own Corraptions that betray me unto Sin I have Pamper'd the Flesh and suflered my self to be led Captive at the Will thereof III. I have not Subdued or Mortified the Works of the Flesh I have not endeavoured to cleanse my self from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit * Here Name the Particulars I have not made a Covenant with my Eyes neither have I kept the door of my Lips but as if thou hadst sent me into the World not to serve thee but to serve my own Lusts IV. I have been abominable in all my ways yea O Lord I have Committed too great Evils I have departed from thee the Ever-living God and leaving thee the Fountain of all Blessedness and Happiness in my Heart have set up the Creature I have set my Affections not on things above but on things below the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life these have been the Gods that I have Served V. THVS have I sold my self to Commit wickedness I have made all the Members of my Body Instruments of Sin and all the faculties both of Soul and Body Weapons of Vnrighteousness to obey it in the Lusts thereof O Lord thou hast found Iniquity even in my Holy things I have been negligent in hearing of thy Word unprepared at the Receiving of thy Sacrament Indevout in my Prayer weary of their length and displeased at the return For these and all other negligences and Ignorances O Lord be Merciful to me a Sinner Amen Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the Day Meditations for Tuesday Morning LORD make me Study how to follow thee and readily undertake any Labour to find thee not for the benefits thou sometimes givest me here but for the blessings thou wilt surely give me hereafter Strengthen my faith O Lord and graciously instruct me purifie my intention sincerely to seek thee II. LET me not so apply my mind O Lord to any trivial Observances that I begin to omit my more serious Duties let me not so attend to the inventions of Men that I grow to transgress the Commands of my God O guide me gracious Lord in thine own safe way and those solid exercises which really improve me and make my heart as well as lips draw nigh thee those blessed truths which thy self at first revealed and thy Holy Apostles hath fully confirm'd may those alone be my principal rule and every other Doctrine bow to them III. LORD how ungrateful are we compared to thy ancient Followers Thou chargest us to remember thy benefits and we forget them thou commandest us to Publish thy Mercies and we conceal them Behold O blessed Jesu I fall down at thy feet reach forth thy Hand and heal me that I may Glorifie thee the God of the Universe Too often have my Ears been Deaf to thy Voice and my Tongue Dumb to thy Praise too often have my Eyes been Blind to thy Directions and all my senses impediments to thy Service IV. We are often Wise in what imports us least and utterly ignorant of our greatest concern we can industrously argue what Weather it will be but strive not to discerne the seasons of Grace Forgive O Merciful Lord the perverseness of our nature and leave us not to our selves least we perish without bope O make us deeply Sigh in Compassion for the Sins of others and yet more deeply still in forrow for our own
Lord the Blindness of my understanding and Straighten the Crookedness of my Will and heal all the Infirmities of my weak Nature O do thou throughly Cure me that I sin no more but immediately take up my Heart which too long have Cleaved to this Earth and bear it after thee to walk from henceforth the ways of thy Commandments II. WHEN thou art present with me O thou Heavenly Spouse of my Soul When thou art pleased to stay and dwell in my Heart how strangely dost thou fill it with joy and sweetness Whatever happens I cannot be sad while thou art with me nor pleasant if thou leavest me infuse thy Holy Love into mine Heart O Lord and make me faithfully hold it fast for ever that I loose not my self by neglecting thy Grace but preserve them both to Eternal Life III. BUT alas How quickly am I weary of praying to my God how apt to give over my expectance from him Who yet as soon as he sees my necessities begins my relief and leaves nor off till he has perfectly finished it Let me not fear but believe and Obey and my Soul shall be safe why am I so impatient when any trouble befalls me and why do I disparage the extraordinary proceedings of God though I am Dead in sin and sorrow he can revive me and give me strength to walk in the ways of Life he will give me that Bread which came down from Heaven yea his own self which he gave for the Life of the World IV. BUT 't is not for Flesh and Blood to follow thee O thou great Exemplar of Sublime perfection 'T is not for Flesh and Blood to perform the Excellencies of an Evangelical Life but to the Almighty Grace of God nothing is impossible every exense is welcome to me every little difficulty is enough to divert me I am afraid of the hardship of Poverty I am in Love with my Kindred and Acquaintance and never can Nature alone overcome these difficulties but thou O Lord canst find a remedy and compose in me such a frame of Spirit whereby I may Vanquish all those thoughts which keep me from thy Glorious presence The PRAYER OEternal Lord God Infinite in thy Greatness Incomprehensible in thy Glory whose Pure and Just Eves cannot behold either Sin or Sinners with the least look of approbation be not offended with me thy unworthy Servant O Lord who art a Merciful and Reconciled Father to all such sinners as sincerely desire and endeavour to Repent and believe thy providence hath preserved me unto this moment to offer unto thy Majesty my Evening Sacrifice beseeching thee to make me a fit partaker at thy Holy Table II. I have been a foul and flat Idolator erecting the Idols of my own profit and pleasure in the Chappel and Closet of my Heart and then and there have fallen down upon the bended Knees of my Soul and worshiped them by regarding my lust more than the fulfiling thy Will in thy Word that Sacred Name of thine whereby I hope to be Saved I have taken in vain I have done that on thy day the Lord's Day which I can justifie or a Vouch on no day I have not given that Reverence and Respect to my Superiours I have broken all thy Commandements of the Second Table in my Demeanour towards my Neighbour and in my Deportment to my own Soul and Body III. O Lord I have been ashamed to confess my sins in the presence of the World but I have been Vile and bold and no whit ashamed to commit them when I knew full well that thee the great God of Heaven and Earth did at that instant behold me Oh! lend me thy Spirit effectually to admire thy Patience and â—ong-Suffering towards me who permits such a Prefane and Presumptuous sinner at this hour of my Life still to remain from everlasting Burnings IV. SVRELY Lord there are many in that Pit of Perdition whose sins against thee were never Aggavated with those high Circumstances O Lord I have no Varity of Reasons to move thee to Mercy I have no Exchange of Motives to perswade thee to Pitty but only the same over and over again for thy own sake for thy Names sake for thy Mercies sake for thy Son and my Saviour Christ Jesus his sake forgive my-Sins for they are great wash the Guilt and Filth of my sins away in his Blood and Lord for the time to come give me Grace to spend the remainder of my days to thy Glory In whose most powerful Name I sue unto thee for all that is comprehended in this my weeks preparation or whatever else for want of Memory I have Omitted in thy most perfect form of Prayer sayong Our Father c. Read the Psalms and Lessons for the Day Sunday Mornings Meditations at Home WELCOME Blest day unto my Heart but far more Welcome unto my Soul I have now put off the Old Man with his Affections and Lusts and I must now put on my Wedding Garment even the Lord Jesus Christ that I may be made wholly conformable to him in the Image of his mind that my Soul may be Clothed with his Righteousness and all its faculties proportioned and vested according to the perfect Pattern of Christs Life II. THIS is the day of the Holy Feast therefore my Soul lay aside all Cares and Impertinences of the World remember this day is appointed for thee a day of Traffique and Entercourse with Heaven O Lord therefore will I magnifie thy Holy Name and evermore adore thy goodness O What a happy opportunity my God hast thou given me of receiving the greatest favour I can receive in this World even the Body and Blood of my dearest Savour III. O Lamb of God thou hast used many Arts to save me when I was lost thou hast given thy Life to Redeem me when I was a Slave to Sin and Satan and thy Holy Spirit to Sanctifie me O now come Lord Jesus come quickly My Heart is desirons of thy Presence Thirsty for thy Grace and I am earnest to entertain thee not as a Guest but as an Inhabitant to dwell with me forever IV. LORD the place thou art Invited to is full of Passion and Prejudice Disobedient Lustful and Intemperate and full of sad Remembrances that I have often provoked to Jealousie and to Anger thee my God my dearest Saviour him that died for me him that Suffered Torments for me that is Infinitely good to me and infinitely good perfect in himself Lord I am as sure thou didst the great Work of Redemption for me all Mankind as that I am Alive This is my Hope the Strength of my Spirit my Joy and my Confidence Here I will dwell for I have a delight therein Here I will live and here I desire to Die V. LORD whither shall I go but to thee Thou hast the Words of Eternal Life as the Hart desireth the Water Brooks So longeth my Soul after thee O God my Soul is a Thirst for
of the Lord I will pay my Vows now in the Presence of all his People When you receive the Cup of Blessing from the Minister say with all humility after him The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for me preserve my Body and Soul unto everlasting life Here take the Cup with Reverence and proceed I Drink this in Remembrance that Christs Blood was shed for me and am thankful After the Cup. O let this most pretious Blood of thine Purge away the Filthiness of my Corrupt Heart and Purifie the Dross of my Guilty Conscience from all Luke-warm and Dead Works to serve thee the living God in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my life Then Meditate O Lord may this Holy and Blessed Sacrament of thy most pretious Body and Blood which I though much unworthy by reason of my manifold sins have now received Seal unto my Soul both Pardon and Peace and that now being made whole I may sin no more II. O Lord most holy I do verily believe thy Body was Crucified and thy Hands and Feet Bored through and that thy Blood was shed out of thy Body and a Spear run into thy Blessed Side as really as I have Received this Bread and this Wine separately for the perfect Remission of all my sins and I believe that in the Receiving this Bread and Wine I have spiritually Received thy Body and Blood whereby my sins are wholly washed away and my sinful Soul refreshed and Purified O Lord this I believe O help my unbelief III. LORD now lettest thoâ— thy Servant depart in Peace according to the Word For mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People To be a Light to Lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the begining c. Meditations whilst others â—re a Communicating Blessed are they that dwell in thy House and are fed though it be with the Crums that fall from thy Table Happy are those Servants whom when their Lord cometh he shall find so doing Behold thou art whole sin no more least a worst thing happen unto thee As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Col. 2.6 Blessed be the Holy and Vndivided Trinity now and for ever more Amen When thou art going Home and seest an Object of Charity remember Psal 41.1 Blessed is the Man that provideth for the Sick and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the time of Trouble Sunday Evenings Meditations at Home after Receiving the Holy Sacrament O Lord when ever I enter thy Holy Temple let me leave behind me my Bargains and Business and carry nothing thither but Adoration for thy Majesty and Prayers for my necessities thou who didst open the Mouths of little Children to praise thee enable the weakness of me thy Servant to Obey thee Lord I am thy Temple and should be Consecrated intirely to thy Service Enter O Gracious Jesu into my Heart and throughly purge me from all impieties II. GOOD God! How tenderly dost thou Consult to preserve us Wretches How kindly resolve to send even thine own thine only thy Beloved Son to Redeem us This is our Lord 's doing and 't is marvelous in our Eyes But O! How did our graceless World entertain him then and how does it now Yet still he continues his Correspondence with us and daily comes to meet us on his Holy Altars he there Feasts our Souls with his Body and Blood and Chears our Hearts with his Holy Spirit III. O the indulgent Providence of our God! How many ways has he contrived to save us How many Messengers has he sent to instruct our Ignorance How many Embassador to reclaim us to our Duty What could an insinite Power and Goodness do that he has not done What could the Vilest Ingratitude do that we have not done often he sends a Blessing to invite our Love and we abuse it into Pride and Wantonness sometimes he sends a Cross to Check our Vanity and we turn it into Murmuring and Dis-Obedience IV. LORD Grant that I may persevere in Grace and with all humble Obedience learn how to carry my self in all my Necessities let me go to my God with Fear and Reverence let me Prostrate my self at his Sacred Feet and with an humble Confidence say to his Mercy Lord if thou wilt thou canst bring it to pass all I am concern'd to fear is my person is unworthy or the things I Petition for unfit to be granted else I securely may relie on thy Bounty and withthe least doubt say to thy Power that nothing to thee is Impossible As I have received Christ Jesus the Lord so will I walk in him Col. 2.6 A Prayer of Thanksgiving after Receiving of the Sacrament To be Used at Home O Thou Infinite Ocean of Mercy from whence flows all the benefits we receive and enjoy and to whome all Praise Glory and Honour is most due I desire with all the most highest Affections of a sincere Heart to Laud and Bless thee for those Transcendent Mercies and Blessings thou hast at this time and at all others bestowed upon me Here Name the Particular Mercies Lord what is Man even poor sinful Dust and Ashes that thou shouldest thus Regard him as to send thy welbeloved Son into the World to purchase his Redemption even with the Price of his own most Precious Blood but Lord what am I the vilest of sinners that I should partake in this Attonement whâ— have so often Trampled him under my Feet II. O the Riches and fulness of thee my Saviour who hast now admitted me to the renewing of that Covenant I entered into at my Baptism but have since by my own perverseness so often broken that I who am unworthy of the Daily Bread which I Eat to support the Body should participate of this Spiritual Bread which nourisheth the Soul to Eternal Life and that the God of Holiness should Condescend to so Vile a Wretch O Lord I beseech thee suffer me not for the time to come to turn thy Grace into Wantonness or make thy Mercy an Occasion of Carnal Security but let this wonderful loving kindness of thine win me to Obedience that since my Saviour hath Suffered and Dyed for me I may no longer live unto my self but to him O Lord thou hast now been pleased to enter my Heart O never let me permit any one Lust to Chase thee from it but as thou hast so dearly bought me with thy pretious Blood do I beseech thee still keep possession of me and suffer no unclean thing to take me out of thy keeping to this purpose be thou Graciously pleased to be Vigilant ever me and Prosect me from all my Ghostly Enemies but more especially deliver me from the Deceitfulness of my own Heart which is ever ready to yield it self a Prey And where thou perceivest I am either by Nature or Custom