Disappointments I meet withal are innumerable and can I delight to dwell in such a Valley of Tears surrounded with so many Snares encompassed with so many Dangers Should not this make me desirous to be gone O my God make me willing to leave this world Take away from me the fear of death Why should I fear when my Great Master hath overcome this King of Terrours I will follow my Redeemer I will conform to his Example I will tread in his steps this is my resolution this the firm purpose of my Soul And why should I doubt of his assisting me Why should not I be confident that my death will be a passage from Mortality to Immortality from Corruption to Incorruption from Trouble and Misery to Rest and Tranquillity Death is the way to the Kingdom of Heaven I cannot inherit it except I die Do I long for that Kingdom and shall I be afraid of the way that leads to it I must die O sweet Jesu let me die contentedly Let Death be my choice Let me embrace it before this miserable life that after death I may live with thee for ever Amen A Prayer for thursday-Thursday-Morning relating to the Meditation prescribed for Thursday Exercise 3. O God whose Judgements are unsearchable and thy ways past finding out Who art just as well merciful and hast ordained a Dungeon for Rebels as well as a Paradise for the Innocent Horrour is ready to overwhelm me when I reflect on the eternal miseries of the Damned when I think on the unquenchable fire and on the Worm that dies not how should I tremble at the sins that lead men to those torments As eye hath not seen and ear hath not heard and the heart of man cannot conceive the joys of Heaven so I must judge of these future miseries too O dreadful day when God shall take vengeance of his Enemies when not onely all the Pain and Anguish that mankind endures here shall there be poured out on sinners but far greater too How unable am I to endure here the aking of a Tooth the torments of the Gout the misery of the Stone the fire of a Fever the raging of the Cholick the exquisite pain of the Strangury O then what must those miseries be which know no respit no interval no rest no quiet no ease no abatement Where Vengeance will come with a Deluge and not onely the pain of a single Disease will be inflicted but all pains together will meet in the miserable Sufferer Where all things will combine to make him wretched and all his former pleasures turn into Gall and Wormwood And yet how regardless of these miseries does Mankind live How little are they frighted with this Fire How little are they disturbed with this approaching Woe O my gracious Lord suffer me not to fall asleep with the foolish Virgins while the day doth last while I have time to work while I am on this side Eternity let me dread these terrours and the causes of it Whenever I am tempted to offend thee O let these Torments check mine inordinate desires O let me consider how short the pleasure is and how long the bitterness it ends in Surely thou wilt let the disobedient know one day how odious sin is in thy sight and how dangerous it was to abuse thy patience O give my Soul no rest till I firmly believe all this and believing it may escape the wrath to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for Thursday-Evening GReat God whose excellency is over Israel whose strength is in the Clouds who art terrible out of thy holy places who hast a mighty Voice a Voice that will one day shake the world and summon all Mankind to come out of their Graves and to appear before thy Judgement seat What confusion will the wicked and careless world be in when thou shalt with indignation send them away into the fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels where they must be for ever deprived of thy Favour and want thy gracious Influences where their fancy will be eternally affrighted with hideous and monstrous shapes where their Passions will be in a perpetual uproar where the remembrance of their former Mercies will continually sting them where their Reason will be their Tormentor their Conscience their Executioner and yet unable to make an end of them where their Souls will be everlastingly torn with grief and discontent where God will be the object of their Hatred and their minds will not be able to entertain one kind thought of their Judge where their Souls will be like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest and eternal darkness and gloominess make their estate most uncomfortable where no creature pities them and no man no Angel no Devil affords them any consolation O God! can I love my self and not endeavour to prevent this miserable condition O call to me bid me think of it convince me of it Cure my blindness Let Hell be the greatest object of my fear Let me not fear Poverty Contempt Sickness Exile or the unkindness of men so much as this horrible Tempest O let me not grow careless of it because I see it not and I have not as yet felt it Let me therefore dread it that I may never feel it Let not the world drown my thoughts of it Let not my Lusts put it out of my mind Let not the Devil perswade me that I am in no danger I am in danger O let me see it and run away Lord here cut burn torture and afflict me so thou wilt but make me happy for ever O let the King of Heaven hear me when I call through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for friday-Friday-Morning relating to the Meditation prescribed for Friday Exercise 3. GReat Saviour of the world who wast wounded for my Transgressions and bruised for my sins Thou art that innocent and immaculate Lamb which for sinners Enemies and condemned creatures gavest thy back to the Smiter and sufferedst thy self to be beaten crown'd with Thorns mocked derided and inhumanely abused A love fitter to be admired in silence than praised with imperfect expressions How freely didst thou part with thy bloud to save my life and to procure my safety Never was Bloud spilt upon such an account or if there were never was such precious Bloud spilt as thine was bloud which drives away Devils invites Angels cleanses Souls purifies the Tabernacle washes the whole world and opens the Gate of Heaven Who can be so irreligiour as not to be pricked at the heart with the thoughts of thy Passion Who can be so arrogant or proud as not to be humbled with the sight who so cholerick as not to be melted into meekness with the contemplation Who so luxurious as not to be tempted to self-denial with this spectacle O let thy Cross have that effect upon me that I may crucifie my Flesh with all its Lusts and Passions Let thy Charity to thine Enemies prevail with me to do good
that persecute me O shew me thy Salvation My sensual Desires plead for tenderness and because they would not be displeased they suggest Motives and Reasons why I should spare my self They regard not what becomes of my Soul hereafter and so they can but enjoy present rest they think not of the Torments that will follow But my Soul sees how the Scene will change when God shall come to Judgment O my God I am in danger let me spare no cost no pains to be free from it Where gentler means will not free me from the Corruptions which do so easily beset me O let me not be afraid of using more violent remedies O that I were but more concerned about the Life to come O that I had more lively aprehensions of it O that I had that view of the Terrours of the Lord that my Soul might be convinced of the necessity of taking the Kingdom of Heaven by violence I am sensible of the hurt my Lusts and Passions have done me Fill my Soul O God with a holy rage against them that I may drive them out by force when softer Perswasions will do no good Had not I better endure some inconvenience here than be forced at last to make Tears my meat day and night to all Eternity O perswade me to lose all rather than the Joys set before me Shall I see thy Saints who had the clearest apprehensions of thy Will run and sweat and toil for a future Bliss and shall I imagine that laziness will procure that Kingdom O Lord leave me not Bid me rise and strive to apprehend that for which I am also apprehended of Christ Jesus I fight under the Banner of the best of Princes O let me so run that I may obtain and hear the voice of the Bridegroom Enter into thy Masters Joy This will recompence all If I arrive to this I shall be no loser by thy Service I have followed the World too long and have got nothing but vanity and vexation of Spirit It promised me much but my Soul is empty still If once I ascend into that City where all tears shall be wiped away where I shall not need the light of the Sun and Moon and Stars where God himself is the everlasting Light Whatever Troubles whatever Miseries I went through here they will all be forgotten they will all be swallowed up they will all be lost in that vast Ocean of Light and Glory O make me weary of this Wilderness I have wandred too long in this desert Heaven is my home Let that engross my Desires my Hopes my Expectations my Joy my Love my Affections I am a stranger upon Earth let me live like a stranger here Draw me draw me thou everlasting Magnet that I may cling to thee and neither Death nor Life neither Prosperity nor Adversity neither the Smiles nor the Frowns of the World may separate me from that Love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen Additional Prayers FOR Every Day of the WEEK Suited to the Exercise of Meditating Exercise Ordinary 3. A Prayer for sunday-Sunday-Morning relating to the Meditation on Sunday Exercise 3. O God! thou most sweet thou most lovely Object How little do those glorified Saints that enjoy thee in the other world regard our little pleasures and satisfactions here O that my Soul were with those Spirits of men made perfect I see nothing in this valley of Tears that 's worth desiring or breathing after The Beatitude to come is that I long for What are the glories of this World to that glory which e'erlong shall be revealed in us The magnificence of Triumphs the pomp of Princes the curiosity of Palaces the beauty of the Sun the brightness of the Moon the glistering of the Stars the variety of Flowers the fragrancy of Herbs what are all these to the Joys Glories at thy right hand for evermore One day in thy Courts above is sweeter than a thousand here There I shall behold the perfection of thy Essence the infinity of thy Nature the immensity of thy Grandeur the eternity of thy Duration the greatness of thy Majesty the stability of thy Throne the vast extent of thy Wisdom the abyss of thy Judgements the sweetness of thy Bounty the tenderness of thy Mercy the severity of thy Justice the latitude of thy Power the charms of thy Beauty and the lustre of thy Glory O what a ravishing sight will this be And shall I be afraid of encountring with Enemies that would keep me from seeing these wonderful objects These Enemies are already conquered The Lion of the Tribe of Judah hath already weakn'd their strength and power which makes my Victory more easie Therefore I will not despair O thou who hast promised that when the poor and needy want water thou the God of Israel wilt hear them Hear me from thy holy Heaven and encourage my Soul to force her way through all difficulties Give me lively apprehensions of that state For want of those lively apprehensions I work not I move not I press not forward I act not like a person in good earnest my endeavours are dull and my attempts feeble O write that bliss upon my mind engrave it on my Soul Let the beams of it warm my Spirit that no labour for Heaven may seem hard no Commandment grievous no exercise troublesome no industry tedious no pains too great no journey too long that I may not murmur that I may not complain of difficulties that I may not be weary that I may not faint in my mind It is not onely a glorious Garment not onely a magnificent House not onely a stately Palace that 's promised me but Glory it self and Magnificence it self and Splendor it self What if I must curb my Passions and break through my sinful Inclinations What if I must withdraw mine affections from the Creature and mortifie my Body What if I must submit my will to thy will and pardon the greatest injuries What if I must get habits of vertue give Law to my Tongue prescribe limits to my Thoughts put a restraint upon my foolish Desires in order to this Glory is not the promised Recompence encouragement enough O my God! thou art my Shield and exceeding great reward and shall I be afraid to serve thee Shall I tremble at the work thou settest me will not thy Wages be infinitely beyond my Labour How short will be my Task and how long my Rest How few will be the days I am to work in and how durable my Repose Shall I think Heaven too dear at the price thou hold'st it at O undeceive me pull down the vain conceits I have harboured shine powerfully upon my Soul that I may be insatiable in my desires after it and long to see thee who art Light it self and in thy Light may see light through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for Sunday-Evening O Most happy most blessed and most glorious God! How can I reflect on the rest of this
day without summoning my thoughts to survey the nobler Rest whereof this present is but an Emblem I have gone this day with the multitude to the house of God but what is this to the company I shall ere long meet in Heaven if I imitate them in their severities here Happy Society where is no Chaff among the Corn no Tares among the Wheat no Thistles among the Roses Where all are Children of God all are Kings all are Saints all are full of grace and glory all are wise all courteous all affable all adorn'd with celestial qualities If I take such pleasure in the conversation of a wise discreet and prudent man here what delight shall I take in the company of the wisest holiest and most accomplished Souls that want nothing that have all things that abound in Knowledge in Prudence in Wisdom and in Sanctity How do I admire men of great parts and abilities here in what admiration then will my Soul be when it shall converse with persons deckt with the light of Gods Glory who know all things without reading understand the greatest Mysteries without studying comprehend the abstrusest things without labour who forget nothing whose Memory never decays whose Parts never faile who know without errour apprehend without doubting understand with assurance and perceive with the greatest evidence imaginable who can unfold all Riddles resolve all difficulties answer to all Questions and think and speak nothing but truth whose Mindes know no darkness whose Understandings are free from Clouds whose Knowledge is eternal How can they but be happy when the place where they for ever live is so How can they but know the deep things of God when God is the Glass in which they behold all Mysteries O my God make me in love with that place where I shall love thee perfectly where my Soul shall be eternally united to thee where it cannot but love thee cannot but embrace thee and cannot but be ravished with thee forever If they which running in a Race strive for the mastery are temperate in all things shall not I be so If they mortifie themselves to gain a corruptible Crown shall not I do so much to gain an incorruptible What pains do ungodly sinners take to get to Hell and shall not I be at some cost and charge to get to Heaven O Lord let it never be said of me that I valued thy Heaven less than other men do the Devils Kingdom Thou offerest me the honour to reign with thee for ever and in order thereunto requirest nothing of me but to reign over my self on this side Heaven Thou bid'st me rule my Lusts and shall I give them vent Thou bid'st me curb my vain Desires and shall I cherish them in my Bosom Thou bid'st me triumph over my Flesh and shall I set it on the Throne Thou bid'st me subdue my worldly inclinations and shall I give them entertainment How great are the Glories thou intendest me and shall I deprive my self of them out of love to Slavery and Bondage O give me courage to command my self O let me not be afraid of displeasing my self My dearest Lord teach me so to rule my outward and inward man that I may rule at last with my blessed Redeemer for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for munday-Munday-Morning relating to the Meditation prescribed Exercise 3. for Munday GReat All-seeing and Almighty Judge of the World before whom all Mankind must e'erlong appear Righteous art thou in all thy ways and holy in all thy works If the righteous shall scarcely be saved where shall I a poor sinner appear I that have so long so frequently neglected my Duty delayed my Repentance undervalued thy Mercies despised thy Patience and abused the riches of thy Grace and Favour O Lord how watchful should I be over my self if the terrours of the Great day of account stood before me in lively Characters O dreadful day when I a poor wretch must stand before thy Tribunal and see my self surrounded with vast Legions of Angels all expecting to hear what my Sentence will be This day I talk of This day I have frequently in my mouth but O that my Soul were frighted more with the mention and consideration of it I should not then lead so easie so soft a life I should then spend more time in Weeping and Praying I should then be afraid of defiling my Soul with the least spot of sin Lord Jesu Great Saviour of the world look upon me and let me feel thy power in my Soul even such power to represent this day to my mind in all its terrours and circumstances that I may make haste to enter into thy rest The Judge is at the door let me bring presents to him that ought to be feared and since no gift is so pleasing to thee as a heart entirely devoted to thy service O perswade me O help me O assist me to mind the one thing necessary and to chuse the better part which may never be taken away from me for thy Name sake for thy Mercies sake for thy Merits sake Amen A Prayer for Munday in the Evening OThou Omniscient Omnipotent and Omnipresent Being who hast appointed a day wherein thou wilt judge the Secrets of mens Hearts and all their Words and Actions and Desires by thy Gospel I believe this day will come a day when pure hearts will be esteemed more than eloquent Speeches and a good Conscience will to farther than Purses of Gold Thou Lord givest me frequent warnings of the approaches of this day My Conscience puts me in mind of it The Sicknesses and Calamities thou sendest upon me tell me of it My heart misgives me that I am not safe that my Soul is in danger and that my eternal interest is not yet secured O my God who art not tired with the Prayers of thy Servants nor displeased with the importunities of thy Children I earnestly beg it is the desire of my Soul to be enliven'd and awaken'd into a sense of this day that to day while I hear thy Voice I may not harden my Heart I have delay'd my serious care of a future happiness too long too long indeed O that mine Eyes were Fountains of tears to weep for this neglect I am sensible I must not trifle any longer I must not defer a concern of that importance to another day O my God let me admire thy patience that I have liv'd unto this hour and accept of my Sacrifice of the remainder of my days which I humbly consecrate to Faith and Love in Christ Jesus O let this future Judgement swim before mine eyes when I speak when I think when I follow my lawful Calling when I am in company when I am alone when I walk when I sit when I stand and let me ever fear that Judge who hath power to destroy both Soul and Body into Hell that both my Soul and Body may be preserved from damnation through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen A Prayer for tuesday-Tuesday-Morning relating to the Meditation prescribed for Tuesday Exercise 3. OLord how wonderful are all thy Works in wisdom hast thou made them ill the Earth is full of thy riches What a Monument am I of thy Mercy How kind hast thou been to this miserable Creature How am I bound to magnifie thy goodness How excellent how great how vast how large how diffusive is it not confin'd to a day not restrain'd to a place not limited to an hour From my Cradle unto this moment I have seen and tasted how sweet and how gracious thou art Thou hast carried me on thy Wings as the Eagle doth her young thorough the various stages of my life what Miracles of Providences have mine Eyes beheld How hath thy Providence been at work for me while I have been asleep while I have been thinking and contriving something else even how to derogate from thy honour and glory Truly Lord thy Mercy and Patience ought to be my Song in the house of my Pilgrimage This I have reason to boast of to speak of to meditate of day and night by that I subsist by that I am supported fed maintain'd and preserv'd from the clutches of the Devil O let thy Mercy melt my Heart O let Mercy prevail with me to give up my Heart to thee Let mercy and goodness force me to love thee Give me that ingenuity that generous temper that noble Spirit that thy goodness may do more with me than Threatnings and Hell and everlasting Torments Let thy Love and Charity and constant Murificence oblige me to run in the way of thy Commandments Let these be greater motives with me to do thy Will than all the terrours of the burning Lake O let thy Love be of that force in my Soul that I may not be able to resist its motions but by the strength of that may hope believe endure deny my self love and obey thee to the end of my days through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for Tudsday-Evening GReat Governour and Disposer of the world who hast promised to them that love thee so to order all things that they shall all conspire to their good I am sensible of the good thou hast intended and dost intend me by the various Dispensations mine eyes have seen The various Spiritual and Temporal Blessings that have been conferred upon me what have they been but motives to be enamou'rd with the best of Beings Thou knowest if I depart from thee or love any thing better than thee I run away from mine own happiness and go to undo my self therefore so many various Tokens and Expressions of thy Love are sent to me to unite my Heart to thee to preserve me in thy Fear and to uphold my goings in thy Paths O wise O gracious O bountiful Master kinder to me than I am or have been to my self Let me find the good thou designest for me in thy numberless Blessings even the good of my Soul let that grow stronger under thy Favours warmer in thy Sunshine more fervent under these Beams more flaming with love under these enforcives The very afflictions thou sendest upon me are intended for my good I have found it I have seen it I have known it by experience I have learned Repentance Humility Submission fear of sinning by Afflictions which I should never have learned by Prosperity when I have thought I had great wrong done me by the contempt reproach trouble misery others have thrown upon me thou hast let me see that this was to make me reflect on the affronts and indignities I have put upon thee my best and greatest friend O let me never mistrust thy Providence Whatever befals me let me believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living and let me not be disappointed of my hope through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for wednesday-Wednesday-Morning relating to the Meditation prescribed Exercise 3 for Wednesday O Thou in whose hand is the power of Life and Death who art immortal invisible Blessed for evermore Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever the Earth and the World were made thou art God from Everlasting to Everlasting thou art he I am a frail dying creature and though I carry an immortal Soul about me yet the Vessel in which that glorious guest abides will soon grow leaky and decay and that must turn to dust and how soon I know not I admire thy wisdom in concealing the Day and Hour of my Death from me I am sensible it 's done to hasten my Repentance to keep me from adding sin unto sin to restrain me from the Vanities of this world to make me think of a better and to secure that happy Life which shall be after Death And O that my death might be ever before me How great are the things that depend upon it Two great Eternities whereof one of them will certainly fall to my share O let my death be my daily Meditation that I may prevent my everlasting death What a miserable creature should I be if my Soul should leave this Body to go into a more dismal Prison from whence there is no returning O make me wise O let me understand what preparation is necessary for that hour teach me to undervalue the World and to mind the things which are above that when I come to die I may die with joy and cheerfully resigne my Soul into the hands of my Creator Let Lust and Pride and Envy and Anger die in me before I die that they may not endanger my Soul after death Let me converse with Death more that I may die to sin more and live more to him that died for me Let the thoughts of death mortifie in me whatever is offensive to thy Holiness In all my actions let me remember my latter end that my death may be my gain and my departure out of the world an entrance into a better through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for Wednesday Evening O My God to whom belong the issues of Life and Death naked came I from my mothers Womb naked shall I return thither What is my life but a Vapour which appears for a while and then vanishes away O Lord thou hast made this life transitory dangerous short full of misery subject to vanity and as it were a span long and all to make me desire to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ yet how dreadful is death to me How do I tremble at the thoughts of it What should make me so deeply enamour'd with this Life At the best it is a Warfare within are Tumults without are Fightings I am in a continual state of War here with Covetousness with Passion with Pride with Ambition with carnal Lusts with Allurements of the world with suggestions of the Devil when one sin is beaten away another rises when I think I have mortified one Corruption another starts up The Discontents and Vexations the Troubles and the
to them that hate me Let thy Patience under Reproaches oblige me to be silent under Calumnies Let thy love to my Soul wound my Heart that I may long for thee breathe after thee as my greatest comfort think of nothing so much as of thee value nothing so much as thee delight in nothing so much as in thee for thou hast done for me beyond expectation beyond imagination more than Father and Mother ever did more than my dearest Friends ever did more than mortal man can do O chain my heart to thine and let nothing separate me from thy love but be thou mine and let me be thine and dwell with thee for ever Amen A Prayer for Friday-Evening OJesu who hast led Captivity Captive spoiled Principalities and Powers made a shew of them openly and triumph'd over them How powerful was thy Death How victorious thy Cross How potent were thy Agonies How effectual thy Sufferings Thy Cross is my Conquest Thy Gibbet is my Triumph At that Devils tremble and they that are not afraid of splendid Palaces are afraid of the Tree on which thy sacred Body was stretched out How shall Sin reign any longer in my body after such Compassion Shall not I blush after such Mercy to offend that Friend who died for me Shall I reward evil for good or dare to act against thee any more who hast conquered my greatest Enemies for me They would have swallow'd me up quick when they were so wrathfully displeased at me but thou camest to my rescue and wouldest not let me perish by their fury I can plead no more that Sin and the Devil and the World are not conquerable for thou hast made them so They have lost their force and power and a poor Christian can make even Devils tremble O let the world be for ever crucified to me and me unto the world Let me not be afraid of Affliction when my Lord and Master hath endured so much for me I hope to share in the glories of thy Crown O let me not be ashamed to bear thy Cross. O blessed Jesu who art a Guide to the Blind a Way to the erring Soul a Staff to the Lame a Comforter to the Poor a Harbour to the tossed with Tempests a Counsellour to the Perplexed Wisdom to the Foolish the glory of Martyrs the joy of Angels the Foundation of the Church the Physician of the Sick Meat to the Hungry Drink to the Thirsty Clothes to the Naked be thou all this to me and let thy Cross supply all my wants and in this let me glory and rejoyce day and night that being in some measure crucified with thee here I may be glorified with thee hereafter Amen A Prayer for saturday-Saturday-Morning suited to the Meditation prescribed Exercise 3. for Saturday OGod who art Purity and Holiness it self How despicable how odious how contemptible have I made my self in thy sight by departing from thy holy Commandments delivered unto me How like an Adversary how like an Enemy of the Cross have I lived How may I stand amazed at thy patience that I am yet on this side Hell What ingratitude have I been guilty of to thee the best of Masters and the kindest Father who hast been tender of me to a Miracle How can I reflect upon my unthankfulness without blushing O that I might not be able to remember any of my sins without horrour How have I undervalued thy wisdom by thinking my self wiser than my God and by approving that which thy wisdom hath condemned as folly and bruitishness What fruit had I then in those things whereof I am now ashamed What warnings hast thou given me not to venture on those dangerous baits and yet I have set light by them I have been loath to believe those who poison'd by this Viper have cried out that they have been cheated and murthered I would not believe till I found death in the pot and by woful experience saw that all the fair promises of sin are meer Delusions Lord discover to me my secret errours and the sins I have been loth to know convince me of their odiousness and fearful consequence Teach me to remove my foot far from them and let me not come near the door of their house Instead of excusing of them give me grace to confess and fight against them Let not the present satisfactions tempt me to run into that fire and anguish they end in Though the World lies in wickedness yet let the familiarity and common practices of men be no temptation to me Let me ever look up to that Great and Glorious God who interdicts it and count my self happier in thy favour than in all the Solaces and Flatteries of evil men Anoint me with the oyl of gladness and let me rejoyce in nothing so much as in doing thy will through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for Saturday-Evening O Thou at whose presence Devils tremble and Sinners are afraid How blind hath sin made me How hath it darkned my Understanding and clouded all my Faculties How hath it deprived me of spiritual strength and thrust me into the very Jaws of the roaring Lion What power have I given to my spiritual Enemies by offending thee and how have I armed those Foes against mine own Soul How like an Atheist have I lived while I have been careless of thy Omniscience and Omnipresence How basely have I preferred mine own will and the favour of men before thy Precepts and the light of thy Countenance O the many idle foolish silly lascivious ridiculous censorious Words Speeches Discourses and Answers that I have been guilty of How little regard have I had to thy Day thy Name thy Word thy Ordinances to the duty of Prayer and to the Ministry How inattentive in hearing thy Word how cold in Prayers how negligent in the duties of my respective Relations have I been What pettishness peevishness impatience touchiness What envy hatred passion secret grudges have I harboured in my Bosom What impure covetous unclean disorderly thoughts and desires have I suffered to lodge in my Breast What a stranger have I been to that veracity meekness patience humility charity tenderness compassion steddiness in holiness and readiness to every good word and work which thou hast peremptorily commanded How have I rendred railing for railing mistrusted thy Providence allowed my self in discontentedness and been a Coward in thy service O my God! I renounce all these swarms of sin and beg thy Illumination Assistance Power Grace and Influence against them Come Lord Come into this Soul of mine and erect thy Throne in my Breast Whenever I am tempted for the future let me say I am a Christian I am not mine own I am bought with a price and I cannot yield O make me stand in awe of mine own Conscience and give me Rivers of Tears to deplore what is past O my God! I desire to walk in the light even as thou art in the light that I may have fellowship with thy
fit to correct us let 's look upon the providence as intended for our good Whenever we are exercised by Temptations let 's not grow impatient but rest in an humble and cheerful resignation to thy Will Fit us for the hour of our death and let 's not delay our seriousness to a sick bed Let 's readily obey thy present call and take heed of procrastinations Let the great things that depend upon our death be much in our thoughts and let 's not put the evil day far from us Encourage us so to so journ here that at our journeys end we may be received into everlasting habitations Take us all into thy protection this following night O thou great Shepherd of Israel who neither slumberest nor sleepest spread thy wings over us and we shall be safe Fit us for the duties of the following day Teach us to commune with our hearts upon our beds and to meditate of thy wondrous works Let our rest be comfortable to the refreshing of our bodies and that we may be the better able to discharge our duties the following day Let our everlasting rest be never out of our minds and from the sweetness of our rest on our Beds let 's take occasion to consider how much sweeter our eternal rest will be in thy bosom Banish from our minds all foolish and vain imaginations and let 's ever think our selves most happy when we do most converse with thee who art most blessed for ever Visit us with the favour thou bearest unto thine own people and give us all such resolutions to serve thee that we may never be faint or weary in thy service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Grace before meat O Lord thy bountiful hand hath provided these thy good Creatures for me us Let me use them with Moderation Temperance and Sobriety to the glory of thy Name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or LOrd let me see thee the great Creator in these thy Creatures and as thou dost intend them for my nourishment so let my Soul be encouraged by these Mercies to abound more and more in Goodness and Vertue through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Grace after meat O Lord who art the great Preserver of men and who hast fed me at this time with thy Blessings receive my humble Praises for these thy Mercies and engage me to walk before thee in Righteousness and true Holiness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or HOw excellent O Lord is thy loving Kindness I have seen and tasted again how sweet and gracious the Lord is Make my will perfectly conformable to thy Will and let these and all thy other Mercies prove Motives to me to love thee unto the end thorough Jesus Christ our Lord Amen FINIS THE TABLE A Prayer relating to Exercise 1. which is to pray without ceasing Page 1 A Prayer relating to Exercise 2. which is every Morning to resolve to tie our selves that day to certain Rules of Living 5 A Prayer relating to Exercise 3. viz. Every day to spend half an hour or some such time in thinking of good things 10 A Prayer relating to Exercise 4. viz. To study deep Humility 16 A Prayer relating to Exercise 5. viz. To bridle our Tongues 21 A Prayer relating to Exercise 6. viz. To watch against little sins 26 A Prayer relating to Exercise 7. viz. To keep a strict guard over our Eyes 33 A Prayer relating to Exercise 8. viz. To make use of the Virtues and Vices of our Neighbours 40 A Prayer relating to Exercise 9. viz. To put a charitable interpretation upon what we see or hear 45 A Prayer relating to Exercise 10. viz. Conscientiously to discharge the duties of our several Callings and Relations 51 A Prayer relating to Exercise 11. viz. To resist all sorts of Temptations 56 A Prayer relating to Exercise 12. viz. To stand in awe of God when we are alone and no creature sees us 62 A Prayer relating to Exercise 13. viz. To do all things to Gods Glory 67 A Prayer relating to Exercise 14. viz. To stir up and exercise the Graces God hath given us 73 A Prayer relating to Exercise 15. viz. Every night before we go to bed to call our selves to an account for the actions of the day 80 A Prayer relating to Exercise Extraordinary 1. viz. To enter into solemn vows and promises 85 A Prayer relating to Exercise Extraordinary 2. viz. To subdue the body by fasting 91 A Prayer relating to Exercise Extraordinary 3. viz. To use watching or abstinence from sleep 97 A Prayer relating to Exercise Extraordinary 4. viz. To apply our selves to Self-revenge 103 A Prayer for Sunday Morning 109 A Prayer for Sunday Evening 117 A Prayer for Munday Morning 124 A Prayer for Munday Evening 128 A Prayer for Tuesday Morning 132 A Prayer for Tuesday Evening 136 A Prayer for Wednesday Morning 140 A Prayer for Wednesday Evening 144 A Prayer for Thursday Morning 149 A Prayer for Thursday Evening 154 A Prayer for Friday Morning 159 A Prayer for Friday Evening 163 A Prayer for Saturday Morning 167 A Prayer for Saturday Evening 172 A Prayer for the whole Race of Mankind 178 A Prayer for the universal Church of Christ. 180 A Prayer for the King 181 A Prayer for the Royal Family 183 A Prayer for the Bishops and Clergy 184 A Prayer for the People of the Land 185 A Prayer for persons distressed in body or mind 187 A Prayer for Relations 189 A Prayer for Benefactors 190 A Prayer for Enemies 192 A Prayer for a Sick person 193 A Thanksgiving after Recovery 195 A Prayer for a Woman with Child 197 A Thanksgiving after safe Deliverance 199 A Prayer for one that intends a single Life 201 A Prayer for one that is entring into a Married state 203 A Prayer before a Journey 205 A Thanksgiving after a safe Return 207 A Prayer for one that is going to Sea 209 A Thanksgiving when one is returned safely 211 A short Prayer before Divine Service or Sermon 213 A Prayer after Divine Service and Sermon 215 A Morning-Prayer for a Family 217 An Evening-Prayer for a Family 224. A Grace before Meat 231 A Grace after Meat 233. FINIS Here the Benefactors Names may be mentioned
THE EXERCISE OF PRAYER OR A Help to Devotion BEING A SUPPLEMENT TO THE Happy Ascetick OR Best Exercise Containing Prayers and Devotions suitable to the respective EXERCISES With Additional PRAYERS for several Occasions By ANTH. HORNICK D. D. â—ONDON Printed for Mark Pardoâ— at the Black Raven over against Bedford-house in the Strand 1685. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe Book-seller being upon Printing a second Edition of the HAPPY ASCETICK or BEST EXERCISE I thought it might not be amiss in order to make those Exercises more effectual to adde some Prayers and Aspirations whereby Souls enamour'd with those pleasing Severities might be enabled to arrive to a greater facility in the practice of them I intended at first to adde them to the Book but the Devotions swelling under my hand I was upon second thoughts prevailed with to let them come forth in a Treatise by it self Though the Age we live in be full of dangerous Diseases and Impiety be mounted up to a very great height yet in the midst of this crooked and perverse Generation there are persons and those of the Church of England too who seem ambitious to emulate the Holiness of Martyrs and the Sanctity of the Primitive Christians and as we have reason to bless God who lets such Wheat thrive in the large spot of ground that is over-run with Weeds so it is but necessary we should upon all occasions strengthen and help their Faith who like Lot in Sodom do not onely preserve their innocence but by a secret Fire working in their Hearts rise to more than ordinary fervours As in all other Sciences there are young beginners as well as persons who are arrived to perfection so it is in Religion There are Children in Grace as well as Young men and Fathers and as no man can be so weak as to imagine that I design these Helps for the greater Proficients in goodness so without my telling him the Reader may guess that these Crutches are intended for the weaker Christians who if they receive any benesit by them I have my wish To assist such I was willing to let these Devotions come abroad not for the goodness of the composure but to put more Oyl to those Lamps which already shine before men that they may go on like the Sun unto a perfect day and preserve their brightness till the coming of the Bridegroom and be ready against a cry is made at midnight Behold the Bride groom comes go ye out to meet him BOOKS Printed for and sold by Mark Pardoe at the sign of the Black Raven over against Bedford-house in the Strand THe Happy Ascetick or the best Exercise to which is added a Letter to a Person of Quality concerning the holy Lives of the Primitive Christians by Anthony Horneck D. D. in Octavo Delight and Judgement or a Prospect of the great day of Judgement and its Power to damp and imbitter Sensual Delights Sports and Recreations By Anthony Horneck D. D. in Octavo A Sermon preached before the King on the Fifth of November By George Hooper D. D. in Quarto A Sormon preached before the Lord Mayor on the 30th of October By George Hooper D. D. in Quarto Another Essay in Political Arithmetick concerning the Growth of the City of London with the Measures Periods Causes and Consequences there of 1682. By Sir William Petty Fellow of the Royal Society In Octavo Observations upon the Dublin Bills of Mortality and the State of that City By Sir William Petty Fellow of the Royal Society in Octavo Novels of Queen Elizabeth Queen of England containing the History of Queen Ann of Bullen of Bassa Solyman and the Princes Eronima in two Parts in Twelves Observations on Fevers und Febrifuges Twelves The Plain mans way to Worship and Practice In Twelves Becheri Minera Arienaria In 4. de Nova Temporis 4. THE EXERCISE OF PRAYER A Prayer relating to Exercise 1. which is to Pray without ceasing O God Gracious and Merciful who givest power to the Weak and strength to the Feeble who knowest the backwardness of my Heart and the unwillingness of my Soul to Spiritual Duties who understandest all my Wants and art acquainted with all my Weaknesses behold how loth my Soul is to have her conversation in Heaven and what excuses my Flesh makes to hinder my mind from frequent addresses to thy Mercy-seat I entreat thee to apply thy healing Hand to my sickly Soul and to fill it with Spiritual desires Oh give me a praying Spirit and let my Soul follow hard after thee Teach me to make a Spiritual use of every thing and instruct me to see the Creator in the Creature Lord free my Spirit from the bondage of the Flesh that it may mount up cheerfully to thy Throne upon all occasions Direct my Mind to look up in all my Actions and let me take notice of the Operations of thy Hand in all occurrences whatsoever Let thy good Spirit help my infirmities and when I know not what to say my dearest Lord suggest unto me how to fill my Mouth with Arguments Acquaint me with the art of Extracting good out of every thing O that I had that Spiritual temper which might incline me to think of God whenever I behold the works of Creation and Providence How sweet is it to walk with God! O let no company be so pleasing to me as thine Make me desirous to embrace all opportunities to reflect on thy Perfections and Excellencies Thou hast both commanded and promised spiritual Wisdom O bestow upon me that excellent gift that I may know how to glorifie thee in this world and arrive at last to that glory which thou hast promised to them that overcome and continue faithful unto death through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer relating to Exercise 2. which is Every Morning to resolve to tie our selves that day to certain Rules of Living OThou who dwellest in the Heavens and yet humblest thy self to behold the ways of the Children of men Thou hast been graciously pleased to reveal thy Will to me and given me Rules to walk by Rules which if a man follows he shall live for ever How sweet are thy Testimonies They enlighten the Eyes and give understanding to the Simple How glorious is that Soul in thy sight that makes thy Will a Lanthorn to her Feet and a Light unto her Paths Lord in these pleasant Paths I desire to walk there is nothing like them They end in peace I read of those who have found it so they could not be mistaken Thy Spirit inflamed their Souls They have ventured their lives to attain unto it O the Serenity O the Calmness of mind O the inward Joy they found by walking in the Paths of Righteousness Why should not I take of this Tree of Life as well as they and live This O Lord I often think of and see great loveliness in all this But my Will is weak my Resolutions faint When I resolve I meet with Waves and
and Sermon O Thou who livest for ever and ever I have pray'd I have heard thy Word I have joyn'd with thy People in their Supplications and Prayers If thou Lord shouldest mark Iniquities who shall stand Pardon I beseech thee the iniquities of my holy things and what imperfections thou hast seen in my Devotions cover them with the unspotted righteousness of Christ Jesus and cleanse them with his Bloud Cast me not away from thy presence neither take thy holy Spirit from me Accept of my imperfect Services and make me more circumspect in all my ways Let thy Word be written in my heart and let neither the cares nor riches nor pleasures of the world steal it away O give me thy Grace to walk according to this rule through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A morning-Morning-Prayer for a Family O God great and glorious the Day is thine and the Night is thine thou hast made Summer and Winter thou hast made the out-goings of the Morning and Evening to rejoyce How great is thy loving kindness therefore the Children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy Wings We praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. Thou art the great preserver of men Thou hast protected us the night past and through thy mercy we have escaped innumerable dangers thou hast been our refuge our hiding place our fortress and our deliverer One Generation shall praise thy Works unto another and declare thy mighty acts We see thy goodness again in the land of the living Thou hast spread thy Wings over us thou hast covered us with thy Feathers Thou knowest our frame and remembrest we are dust Thou knowest how unable we are to keep our selves and therefore hast taken care of us and unto this moment thy favours and loving kindnesses rest upon our Souls and Bodies O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and declare his wonderful works to the Children of men We cannot but remember how like a Father thou hast pitied us all our days We have always found thy help in the time of trouble How precious are thy thoughts which are to us ward they cannot be reckon'd up in order unto thee If we would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred What Sacrifices of thanksgiving are we bound to offer unto thee for thy love to our Souls in Christ Jesus for the assistances of thy Holy Spirit for thy Word and Ordinances and for all the encouragements we have to lay hold on eternal life O make us sensible of thy goodness Let us see how sweet and how gracious thou art and let this sight work in us a perfect hatred of sin and a fervent love to the ways of holiness Discover to us the errours of our ways Reveal to us our secret corruptions Let not only greater but even all lesser sins become odious and loathsom to our Souls Establish us with thy grace uphold us with thy free Spirit Leave us not to our selves rule us by thy power direct us by thy wisdom Enable us to do thy will Encourage us to cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and whatever things are praise-worthy let 's not onely think of them but practise them Give us earnest desires to imitate the best of mankind Let 's delight greatly in thy Commandments Lord open the eyes of our Understandings that we may look more earnestly upon the spiritual riches thou hast vouchsafed unto us and may be enamour'd with them and despise the vanities of the world and set our affections upon the things which are above and may at last obtain the end of our Faith even the salvation of our Souls Be with us this following day Make us watchful over our senses Work in us a detestation of all filthy discourses and of all the ill we see in the world Teach us how to live in thy fear and whatever sin we are tempted to let 's tremble at it and say how can we commit this wickedness and sin against our God! Let thy holy Angels keep us in all our ways Order our steps according to thy Word Direct and guide our thoughts and words and actions Bless all our lawful endeavours Cross and disappoint us in that which is offensive to thy holiness Prosper that which is expedient for us Give us courage and wisdom discretion and resolution in our behaviour toward God and men and let 's use the world as if we used it not Keep our thoughts fixed upon a better life that whenever thou shalt call us away from hence we may be ready and willing to obey thy Summons through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Here the Prayers for the King Royal Family Church c. may be added An Evening Prayer for a Family MOst holy and ever-glorious God! how excellent is thy Name in all the World Thou art to be seen in all thy works and we have seen thee the day past in thy various Mercies and gracious Providences for which we do here render our most humble and hearty thanks O God! who is like unto thee For though thou dwellest on high yet thou humblest thy self to behold the ways of the Children of men What are we that thou shouldest take notice of us or what is our frame that thou shouldest have such respect unto us We see thy condescention and admire it We see thy loving kindnesses and praise thy Name Thy Mercy reacheth unto the Heavens thy Faithfulness unto the Clouds Thou givest unto us all that our Hearts and Faith and Reason can desire What a glorious gift is the Son of thy bosom what rich Presents are thy Promises how industrious is thy Providence to engage our hearts to love thee yet how backward are we to this duty How loath to raise our Souls above the world How unwilling to take thee for our greatest treasure We say and speak glorious things of thee now and then but we feel them not O touch our hearts and warm them with the fire of the Sanctuary and let 's know no other thing than to love thee with all our hearts and with all our Souls Be thou the pleasing object of our Souls and let 's be displeased with nothing but what displeases thee Teach us to neglect our own will that we may the better comply with thine and let 's walk by this golden Rule to speak little to think little and to do much Thou hast done great things for us denied thy self in thy glory majesty and splendor to do us good let 's therefore scruple nothing that thou commandest and give us strength to do what thou commandest and then command what thou pleasest Enable us to act and speak and live as in thy presence where-ever we are and whatever we are doing and let 's so live in the world as not to be of the world Let no condition thou shalt call us out unto be uneasie or unpleasant to us and whenever thou shalt think