when you first awake lift up your Eyes to God and say I lift up mine Eyes to the Hills from whence cometh my help Open thou mine Eyes O Lord that I may see the wonders of thy Law My voice shalt thou hear betimes O Lord Early in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up At your up-Rising In the name of God the Father who Created me God the Son who Redeemed me and God the Holy Ghost who Sanctifieth me Amen I arise from my Bed of rest to praise and glorifie him the Preserver of all the World He of his infinite mercy and goodness Bless and keep me this day and for ever Amen I laid me down and slept and rose up again for the Lord hath sustained me Then kneel down and say this Prayer Prevent me O Lord in all my doings with thy most gracious favour and further me with thy continual help that in all my works begun continued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy Holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting life through Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen O Lord my heavenly Father Almighty and everlasting God who hast safely brought me to the beginning of this day defend me in the same with thy mighty power and grant that this day I fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger but that all my doings may be ordered by thy governance to do always that which is righteous in thy sight through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen O God who art the author of peace and lover of concord in knowledge of whom standeth my eternal life whose service is perfect freedom defend me thy humble Servant in all assaults of my Enemies that I surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ my Lord Amen Almighty God the Fountain of all Wisdom who knowest my necessity before I ask and my ignorance in asking I beseech thee to have compassion upon my infirmities and those things which for my unworthiness I dare not and for my blindness I cannot ask vouchsafe to give me for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen Almighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Son's name I beseech thee mercifully to incline thine Ears to me that have made now my Prayers and Supplications unto thee and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of my necessity and to the setting forth of thy Glory through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen O Almighty God behold me a wretched Sinner here prostrate before thee do with me as seems best in thine own Eyes only give me a penitent and a patient Spirit to expect thee and make this my service acceptable to thee while I live and my Soul ready for thee when I die Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with me and remain with me this day and for evermore Amen Read the Psalms appointed for the Morning Service and the First and Second Lesson Devotions for the Evening for every day in the week Evening Ejaculations O Lord let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the Incence And the lifting up of my hands as an evening Sacrifice My trust and hope hath been in thee all the day long and under the Shaddow of thy Wings shall be my Refuge day and night for ever Lighten mine eyes O Lord that I sleep not in death Almighty God who hast made the day for labouâ— and the night for rest let thy Sons blood cleanse me from this days Guilt that I may sleep in thy peace and rise again refreshed and preserved by thy favour through Jesus Christ my Crucified Saviour Amen O Eternal God who hast preserved me this day from many sins and dangers for which I humbly magnifie thy Holy Name for thy Grace and goodness towards me beseeching thee to forgive me all the Errors of this day whereof my Conscience doth or may accuse me and grant that those things which by my frailty I have committed may be by the help of thy Spirit more carefully avoided that I may ever walk in thy favour and under thy Protection and now rest and lye down in thy peace and at last come to thy heavenly Kingdom through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ Amen O God from whom all holy desires all good Councels and all just works do proceed give unto me thy Servant that peace wich the world cannot give that my whole heart may be set to obey thy Commandments and also that by thee I being defended from the fear of my Enemies I may pass my time in rest and quietness through the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour Amen Lighten my darkness I beseech thee O Lord and by thy great mercy defend me from all perills and dangers of this night for the love of thy only Son my only Lord and Saviour Our Father which art in Heaven c. The peace of God which passeth all understanding keep my heart and mind in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ my Lord and the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be with me this Night and all the days of my life at the hour of my death and at the day of Judgment Amen When you lye down say I will lay down my head in peace and take my rest for thou only O Lord makest me to dwell in safety Into thy hands I commit my Soul and Body keep me for thy mercy sake Amen On Monday morning and every day in the Week use these Ejaculations Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou regardest him Thou madest him lower than the Angels to crown him with glory and worship Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me Thou shalt purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and establish me with thy free spirit Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be now and evermore acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer A preparatory Meditation upon the most Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper I. O who will give to my head Water and to my eyes a fountain of Tears that I may weep day and night for my sins and ingratitude towards God my Creator Consider O my Soul the multitude of Gods benefits bestowed upon
Soul receiving no more of its objects what ever they be than it doth by intention and design apply himself to them XX. It must needs be that unpreparedness through ignorance or inconsideration of what I do cannot but frustrate my Soul of the good end of any action and most of all in so sacred and solemn a one as this is which concerns my Souls good in so high a nature and the negligent performance of it must needs render me guilty of a great sin of prophaneness and irreverence towards the Majesty of ingratitude towards the mercy of my God and Saviour whose ordinance this is and with whom in it I have to do besides I am conscious to my self that although for the habits of grace and general purpose of my heart I may be or strive to be at no time utterly indisposed to the service of God in holy duties as they are presented to me in private or publick occasions yet I see not without some degree of sorrow and humiliation that through the variety and distraction of secular affairs and the cares that attend them the commotions and suddenness of passions and irregular affections the common but then of humane and corporal infirmities the multitude and vanity of sensual objects and desires sin daily prevails upon me and my mind is much taken off from that constant regard and delight which I would and ought to have of God and his commands and becomes indispos'd to holy duties XXI By all which my faith and hope in God my Saviour is much weakned and undermined while my understanding grows dim and clouded in the knowledge of them my memory is blotted and defaced in its notions and impressions of them my will is declined wraped from its conformity with them and my desires are cool and indifferent to them as objects of a pure and remote nature of a sublimer speculation pleasure than these which are present and fall under the senses to which our Souls have a daily nearer and more easy access so that my Conscience tells me by the light of nature that it is necessary for me to recollect my Soul by a special and renewed preparation when ever I approach these holy and extraordinary duties to recover the lost and forgotten notions to clear that dimness which the light of knowledge hath contracted to rectify the swervings and obliquities of my will to compose the levity and extravagancies of my thoughts to reinflame the coolness and deadness of my affections to reinforce my vows and resolutions against sin in a word by unfeigned repentance and renewed sorrow by a serious meditation of God my Saviour my self and the means of Communion between us by frequent and servent prayer to settle and reestablish my faith and hope in the mercies of God and merits of Christ to wind up and raise my Soul judiciously to see seriously to intend earnestly to desire succesfully to obtain the hope and comfort of my Eternal happiness which is that great and highest end to which this as all other holy actions are by Divine ordination appointed XXII This then being the present state of my Soul in this vale of mortality both of its self by an innate burthen alwaies sinking and declining towards the Creature and besides wanting not many temptations which daily seek to quench depress and indispose it from aspiring to Heaven and a supernatural end and happiness it is necessary for me before I use these means which may advance me towards that end to take a survey of my heart by examining both the register of my Conscience for sins past and the present state and disposition of my will as also my after purpose and intentions how they stand inclined to good or evil to God or the Creature to things of this life or that to come that so I may recover what I have lost renew what I am decayed in repent what I have offended in and reform what I have failed in obtaining what grace and power I want and daily advance to what high measure and ability I can till I attain the end of all my prayers and endeavour the glory of God in the salvation of my Soul XXIII I examine my understanding what thoughts and conceptions I have of this holy Sacrament for if in this I am either grosly ignorant or damnably erroneous I must necessarily miscarry in my receiving and fail of my duty and its end nor will the goodness of my Intentions or Devoutness of my affection which cannot be lively and hearty but flashy and languishing true and sound knowledge being the fuel which feeds the flame of good and constant affections those I say countervail so gross defects in my Judgment but as in physick misapplying in the use must needs follow mistaking in the doctrine and nature of it although I do not aim or presume to attain a full and exact comprehension of this great mystery in the manner of its being and working which is most secret divine and spiritual in the cloud and dimness of mortality this knowledge then of this great mystery I conceive necessary to be had and I hope to be true and agreeable to the nature of the thing and the Will of God revealed concerning it Rules and directions to a weeks preparation I. When thou hearest the warning read in the Church by the Minister consider and contemplate with thy self that God Almighty hath sent forth his servant to bid thee to this great Supper where not his fat Oxen are killed but his only beloved Son and thy dear Saviour who was crucified on the Cross for thine and for the sins of the whole World is offered to thee to feed upon in thine heart with faith and thanksgiving therefore to fit and prepare thy self for this royal Feast thou must put on the Wedding Garment and cast off those filthy rags thy sins from thee and desire of God that he would remove them as far from thee as the East is from the West and to remember them no more II. Thus by a serious and narrow search into thy heart thou mayest become a worthy receiver and eat and drink this spiritual Food with comfort to the benefit and improvement of thy immortal Soul but if on the contrary thou receive it unworthily thou eatest and drinkest thy own damnation not discerning the Lords Body therefore examine thy heart and search and try thy ways and turn unto the Lord. How canst thou tell but this is the acceptable time of working out thy own Salvation therefore work now while it is day for the night cometh wherein no man can work use all possible means and endeavours to receive the same worthily and endeavour to purge thy Conscience from dead works to serve the living God and so will I conclude this Section in the words of St. Paul Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. Morning Devotions MOnday morning and the rest of the week
apparelled in mockery with white and red garments for my sake thou wast contenâ—ed to be torn with whips crown'd with thorns smâ—tten with a reed and to have thine eyes covered with a Veil to be condemn'd to death and to be led to the place of Execution with that heavy cross upon thy shoulders whereon thy blessed hands and feet were nailed thou wast crucified between two Theeves and reputed amongst the wicked thou hadst Vinegar and Gall given thee to drink and in the end put to a most shameful and cruel death III. In this manner O Lord with so many intollerable troubles pains and agonies hast thou redeemed me but I a most vile and wretched sinner have shewed my self unthankful for all these benefits and have so often by my sins crucified thee afresh that without hearty contrition humiliation and repentance I can expect nothing but thy wrath and damnation I have loved vanity more then truth and have esteem'd the Creature more than the Creator it is high time O Lord that I should now begin to weep and bewail for those hainous sins I have committed against thee IV. This sorrow and grief for my sins is the thing which thou hast so long look'd for at my hands even from the time thou first gavest me life thou hast often called me and I have like the deaf adder stopped my 〈◊〉 and would not hearken to thee thou hast given me a long time to repent me of my sins and I have consumed it in pride and vanity the more I have been chastised and cherish'd by thee the more hath mine heart been hardned shewing my self unthankful towards the one and rebellious towards the other But yet for all this O Lord since thou hast suffered for my sake so many things and hast commanded me never to despair nor mistrust thy goodness I therefore refer my self wholly to thy mercy and do beseech thee to grant me grace to amend my life that from henceforth I may serve and please thee in holiness and newness of Life and continually remain in thy grace and favour world without end Amen Meditations on Wenesday morning on the most holy Sacrament COnsider after this what troubles our Saviour suffer'd in that doleful night when the Soldiers had him in Custody mocked and laughed him to scorn Luk. 22. 63. and used as a means to pass away their drowsiness to scoff and jest at the Lord of Majesty Consider O my Soul how thy sweet Saviour is set here as a mark to receive all the strokes and buffets their malice could invent O cruel and unquiet night in which O sweet Saviour thou tookest no rest nor thy adversaries any repose but accounted it even a pastime and recreation to vex and torment thee II. The night was ordain'd for this end that all creatures should therein take their rest and that the Senses and Members that are wearied with toils and labours of the day might be refresh'd and reliev'd but these wicked men use it now as a fit time to torment all thy Members and Senses striking thy Body afflicting thy Soul binding thy Hands buffeting thy Cheeks and spitting in thy Face that at such time as all Members should be at rest all thy Members were in great pain and anguish III. Now let us Consider the denial of Saint Peter who was so familiar a friend of our Saviours that he chose him to see the glory of his transfiguration yet not once but three several times even in the very presence of his Lord and Master sweareth and for sweareth that he knows him not O Peter is he that stands by thee so wicked a man that thou account'st it so vile a shame only to have known him Consider that this is a Condemnation of him by thee before he is Condemn'd by the High Priests since by this denial thou giv'st the whole World to understand that he is such a man that even 〈…〉 self dost 〈…〉 great reproach and dishonour to thee ever to have known him IV. Our Saviour hearing this denial turned back and beheld Peter and cast his eyes on the lost sheep with a look full of vertue mystery and signification Peter understood right well the voice and language of that look and although the Crowing of the Cock was not able to awake his Spirits yet was this able as indeed it did for the eyes of our Saviour do not only speak but also work as it plainly appears by the tears of Saint Peter which though they gush'd from the eyes of Peter yet did they much more proceed from the look and eyes of Christ V. Wherefore when thou art at any time awak'd out of thy sinful life and dost with grief and sorrow call thy sins to remembrance wherein thou hast offended Almighty God think with thy self that the merciful eyes of Christ looks upon thee the Cock had already crowed but Peter remembred not himself because our Saviour had not as yet look'd on him but when Christ look't upon him then he remembred himself and repented and bewail'd his offences for the eyes of Christ do open ours and awake such as are asleep Lord let my eyes then be for ever open that I may behold those heavenly gifts which thou hast prepared for all those who love and fear thee VI. O then receive me a poor sinner at thy holy Table this most holy Medicine cures all the wounds of Sin this quickning flesh overcometh all mortal sin this is the most holy Seal of divine Promises which we may shew before Gods Judgment Seat having this pledge we may glory and be secure of eternal Life if Christs Body and Blood be exhibited unto us assuredly all other benefits by that most holy Body and most blessed Blood are prepared for us how then can he that hath given us greater things deny us the less He that hath given his Son to us how shall he not give all other things with him Rom. 8. 32. Let the Spouse therefore be glad and rejoyce for the time is at hand when she shall be called to the Marriage Supper Rev. 19. 7. Let her put on precious apparel let her put on her Wedding Garment Mat. 22. 12. That she be not found naked this Garment is the Bridegrooms righteousness which we put on in our baptism but our righteousness is so far from being a Weding Garment that it is nothing but filthy rags O let us endeavour to cast them of and not bring them with us to this great Solemnity A Litany of Confession of Sins to Almighty God before the holy Sacrament O Lord I have committed many grievous sins against thee I have not piously frequented thy house with that filial fear and holy reverence which becometh thy Child but have too often sinfully absented it so that mine attendance upon thee in thy Service of the day hath been formal my Devotion hypocritical and my Expectation of a blessing deceitful Lord be merciful to me a sinner All the faculties of my Soul all the