became a Sacrifice for all our sins and suffered himself to be taken by the malicious Jews and put to a painful and shameful death they being envious at him for the number of his Disciples and the reputation of his person the innocence of his life the mightiness of his Miracles and the power of his Doctrine and this Death he suffered when Pontius Pilate was Governour of Judea Was crucified Jesus Christ being taken by the Rulers of the Jews bound and derided buffeted and spit upon accused weakly and persecuted violently at last wanting matter and pretences to condemn him they asked him of his person and office and because he affirmed that great Truth which all the world of good men long'd for that he was the Messias and designed to sit on the right hand of the Majesty on high they resolved to call it Blasphemy and delivered him over to Pilate and by importunity and threats forced him against his Conscience to give him up to be scourged and then to be Crucified The Souldiers therefore mocking him with a Robe and Reed and pressing a Crown of thorns upon his head led him to the place of his death compelling him to bear his Cross to which they presently nail'd him on which for three hours he hanged in extreme torture being a sad spectacle of the most afflicted and the most innocent person of the whole world Dead When the Holy Jesus was wearied with tortures and he knew all things were now fulfilled and his Father's wrath appeased towards Mankind his Father pitying his innocent Son groaning under such intolerable miseries hastned his Death and Jesus commending his Spirit into the hands of his Father cried with a loud voice bowed his head and died and by his death sealed all the Doctrines and Revelations which he first taught the world and then confirmed by his Bloud He was consecrated our merciful High-Priest and by a feeling of our miseries and temptations became able to help them that are tempted and for these his sufferings was exalted to the highest Throne and seat of the right hand of God and hath shewn that to Heaven there is no surer way than suffering for his Name and hath taught us willingly to suffer for his sake what himself hath already suffered for ours He reconciled us to God by his Death led us to God drew us to himself redeemed us from all iniquity purchased us for his Father and for ever made us his servants and redeemed ones that we being dead unto sin might live unto God And this Death being so highly beneficial to us he hath appointed means to apply to us and to represent to God for us in the Holy Sacrament of his last Supper And upon all these considerations that Cross which was a smart and shame to our Lord is honour to us and as it turned to his Glory so also to our Spiritual advantages And Buried That he might suffer every thing of humane nature he was by the care of his Friends and Disciples by the leave of Pilate taken from the Cross and embalmed as the manner of the Jews was to bury and wrapp'd linnen and buried in a new grave hewn out of a Rock And this was the last and lowest step of his Humiliation He descended into Hell That is He went down into the lower parts of the earth as himself called it into the heart of the earth by which phrase the Scripture understands the state of Separation or of Souls severed from their Bodies By this his descending to the land of darkness where all things are forgotten he sanctified the state of Death Separation that none of his servants might ever after fear the jaws of Death and Hell whither he went not to suffer torment because he finished all that upon the Cross but to triumph over the gates of Hell to verifie his Death and the event of his sufferings and to break the iron bars of those lower prisons that they may open and shut hereafter only at his command The third day he rose again from the Dead After our Lord Jesus had abode in the grave the remaining part of the day of his Passion and all the next day early in the morning upon the third day by the power of God he was raised from Death and Hell to Light and Life never to return to death any more and is become the first-born from the dead the first-fruits of them that slept and although he was put to death in the flesh yet now being quickned in the Spirit he lives for ever And as we all die in Adam so in Christ we all shall be made alive but every man in his own order Christ is the first and we if we follow him in the Regeneration shall also follow him in the Resurrection He ascended into Heaven When our dearest Lord was risen from the Grave he conversed with his Disciples for forty days together often shewing himself alive by infallible proofs and once to five hundred of his Disciples at once appearing Having spoken to them fully concerning the affairs of the Kingdom and the Promise of the Father leaving them some few things in charge for the present he solemnly gave them his Blessing and in the presence of his Apostles was taken up into Heaven by a bright Cloud and the Ministery of Angels being gone before us to prepare a place for us above all Heavens in the presence of his Father and at the foot of the Throne of God From which glorious presence we cannot be kept by the change of Death and the powers of the Grave nor the depth of Hell nor the height of Heaven but Christ being lifted up shall draw all his Servants unto him And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty I believe that Jesus Christ sitteth in Heaven above all Principalities and Powers being exalted above every Name that is named in Heaven and Earth that is above every creature above and below all things being put under his feet That he is always in the presence of his Father interceding for us and governs all things in Heaven and Earth that he may defend his Church and adorn her with his Spirit and procure and effect her eternal Salvation There he sits and reigns as King and intercedes as our High-Priest He is a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which God made and not man the Author and Finisher of our Faith the Captain of our Confession the great Apostle of our Religion the Great Bishop of our Souls the Head of the Church and the Lord of Heaven and Earth And therefore to him we are to pay Dvino Worship Service and Obedience and we must believe in him
is easy to make them good Protestants unless they be abus'd with prejudice and suck venom with their milk they cannot leave our Communion till they have reason to reprove our Doctrine There is therefore in the following pages a Compendium of what we are to Believe what to do and what to Desire It is indeed very little but it is enough to begin with and will serve all persons so long as they need milk and not strong meat And he that hath given the following Assistances to thee desires to be even a door-keeper in God's House and to be a servant of the meanest of God's servants and thinks it a worthy employment to teach the most ignorant and make them to know Christ though but in the first rudiments of a holy Institution This only he affirms that there is a more solid comfort and material support to a Christian spirit in one article of Faith in one period of the Lord's Prayer in one Holy Lesson than in all the disputes of impertinent people who take more pains to prove there is a Purgatory than to perswade men to avoid Hell And that a plain Catechism can more instruct a Soul than the whole day's prate which some daily spit forth to bid them get Christ and persecute his Servants Christian Religion is admirable for its wisdom for its simplicity and he that presents the following Papers to thee designs to teach thee as the Church was taught in the early days of the Apostles to believe the Christian Faith and to understand it to represent plain Rules of good Life to describe easie Forms of Prayer to bring into your Assemblies Hymns of Glorification and Thanksgiving and Psalms of Prayer By these easy paths they lead Christ's little ones into the Fold of their great Bishop and if by this any service be done to God any ministery to the Soul of a Child or an ignorant Woman it is hoped that God will accept it and it is reward enough if by my Ministery God will bring it to pass that any Soul shall be instructed and brought into that state of good things that it shall rejoyce for ever But do thou pray for him that desires this to thee and endeavours it Jer. Taylor CREDENDA OR What is to be Believed A SHORT CATECHISM For the Institution of young persons in the Christian Religion Quest. IN what does true Religion consist Answ. In the knowledge of the one true God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ and in the worshipping and serving them Quest. What doest thou believe concerning God Answ. 1. That there is is a God 2. That he is One 3. Eternal 4. Almighty 5. That he hath made all the world 6. That he knows all things 7. That he is a Spirit not of any shape or figure or parts or body 8. That he is present in all places 9. That his seat is in Heaven and he governs all the world so that nothing happens without his order and leave 10. That he is the Fountain of Justice 11. Of Mercy 12. of Bounty or Goodness 13. That he is unalterably happy and infinitely perfect 14. That no evil can come near him 15. And he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Quest. What other Mystery is revealed concerning God Answ. That God being one in Nature is also three in Person expressed in Scripture by the names of Father Son and Holy Spirit The first Person being known to us by the name of The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The second Person is called The son and the Word of the Father The third is The Spirit and promise of the Father And these are Three and One after a secret manner which we must believe but cannot understand Quest. What is this God to us Answ. He is our Creator and Father and therefore he is our Lord and we are his Creatures his Sons and his Servants Quest. Wherefore did God create and make us Answ. That we might do him honour and service and receive from him infinite felicities Quest. How did God make man Answ. By the Power of his word out of the slime of the Earth and he breathed into him the breath of life Quest. Was man good or bad when God made him Answ. Man was made pure and innocent Quest. How then did man become sinful and miserable Answ. By listening to the whispers of a tempting spirit and breaking an easy Commandment which God gave him as the first tryal of his obedience Quest. What evils and chages followed this Sin Answ. Adam who was the first man and the first sinner did both for himself and his posterity fall into the state of death of sickness and misfortunes and disorder both of Body and Soul we were thrown out of Paradise and lost our Immortality Quest. Was man left in these evils without Remedy Answ. No but God pitying his creature promised That of the seed of the Woman he would raise up a Saviour and Redeemer who should restore us to God's favour and to the felicity which we lost Quest. How did God perform the promise Answ. By sending Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature to die for our sins to become our Lord and the Author of holiness and life and Salvation to mankind Quest. Who is Jesus Christ Answ. He is the Son of God the Second Person of the holy Trinity equal with the Fathe rtrue God without beginning of life or end of daies Quest. How then could he be our Redeemer and the promised seed of the Woman Answ. The Son of God in the fulness of time by the miracles of his Mercy took upon him Humane nature and united it after a wonderful manner to his Godhead so that he was both God and Man He was born of a Virgin who conceived him not by any natural means but by the power of the holy Ghost and was called Jesus Christ and his Mother's name was Mary of the seed of Abraham of the family of David And all these things came to pass when Augustus Caesar was Lord of the Roman Empire Quest. How did Jesus Christ work this promised Redemption for us Answ. By his holy and humble life and his obedient dying a painful death for us upon the Cross. Quest. What benefits do we receive by the life and death of Jesus Christ Answ. We are instructed by his Doctrine encouraged by his excellent Example we are reconciled to God by his death He hath given us an excellent Law and glorious Promises and himself hath received power to make good all those Promises to his Servants and fearfully to destroy them that will not have
him to reign over them Quest. What Promises hath Jesus Christ made us in the Gospel Answ. He hath promised to give us all that we need in this life That every thing shall work together for our good That he will be with us in tribulation and persecution He hath promised his Graces and his holy Spirit to enable us to do our duty and if we make use of these Graces he hath promised to give us more He hath promised to forgive us our sins to hear our prayers to take the sting of death from us to keep our souls in safe custody after death and in his due time to raise our bodies from the grave and to joyn them to our Souls and to give us eternal life and joys that shall never cease Quest. How is Jesus Christ able to do all this for us Answ. When he had suffered death and was buried three days God raised him up again and gave him all power in Heaven and Earth made him head of the Church Lord of Men and Angels and the judge of the quick and dead Quest. By what means doth Jesus Christ our Lord convey all these Blessings to us Answ. Jesus Christ had three Offices and in all he was Mediator between God and man He is our Prophet our Priest and our King Quest. What was his Office as he was a Phophet Answ. This Office he finished on earth beginning when he was thirty years old to â—…each the Gospel of the Kingdom Faith and Repentance Quest. When began his Priestly Office and wherein does it consist Answ. It began at his death for he was himself the Priest and the Sacrifice offering himself upon the Altar of the Cross for the sins of all the World Quest. Did his Priestly Office then cease Answ. No He is a Priest for ever that is unto the end of the world and represents the same Sacrifice to God in Heaven interceding and praying continually for us in the virtue of that sacrifice by which he obtains relief of all our necessities Quest. What doth Christ in Heaven pray for on our behalf Answ. That our sins may be pardoned our infirmities pitied our necessities relieved our persons defended our temptations overcome that we may be reconciled to God and be saved Quest. How is Jesus Christ also our King Answ. When he arose from his grave and had for forty days together conversed with his Disciples shewing himself alive by many infallible tokens he ascended into Heaven and there sits at the right hand of God all things being made subject to him Angels and Men and Devils Heaven and Earth the Elements and all the Creatures and over all he reigns comforting and defending his elect subduing the power of the Devil taking out the sting of Death and making all to serve the Glory of God and to turn to the good of his Elect. Quest. How long must his Kingdom last Answ. Till Christ hath brought all his enemies under his feet that is till the day of judgment in which Day shall be performed the greatest acts of his Kingly power for then he shall quite conquer Death triumph over the Devils throw his enemies into Hell-fire and carry all his Elect to never-ceasing glories and then he shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father that God may be all in all Quest. How is Christ a Mediator in all these Offices Answ. A Mediator signifies one that stands between God and us As Christ is a Prophet so he taught us his Father's will and ties us to obedience As he is a Priest he is our Redeemer having paid a price for us even his most precious blood and our Advocate pleading for us and mediating our Pardon and Salvaon As he is a King so he is our Lord our Patron and our Judge yet it is the Kingdom of a Mediator that is in order to the world to come but then to determine and end And in all these he hath made a Covenant between God and us of an everlasting interest Quest. What is the Covenant which Jusus Christ our Mediator hath made between God and us Answ. That God will write his Laws in our hearts and will pardon us and defend us and raise us up again at the last day and give us an inheritance in his Kingdom Quest. To what Conditions hath he bound us on our parts Answ. Faith and Repentance Quest. When do we enter into this Covenant Answ. In our Baptism and at our ripe years when we understand the secrets of the kingdom of Christ and undertake willingly what in our names was undertaken for us in our infancy Quest. What is the Covenant of Faith which we enter into in Baptism Answ. We promise to believe that Jesus Christ is the Messias or he that was to come into the world That he is the Anointed of the Lord or the Lord 's Christ That he is the Son of God and the Son of the Virgin Mary That he is God incarnate or God manifested in the flesh That he is the Mediator between God and Man That he died for us upon the Cross and rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven and shall be there till the day of Judgment that then he shall be our Judge in the mean time he is the King of the world and head of the Church Quest. What is the Covenant of Repentance Answ. We promise to leave all our sins and with a hearty and sincere endeavour to give up our will and affections to Christ and do what he hath commanded according to our power and weakness Quest. How if we fail of this Promise through infirmity and commit sin Answ. Still we are within the Covenant of Repentance that is within the promise of pardon and possibility of returning from dead works and mortifying our lusts and though this be done after the manner of men that is in weakness and with some failings yet our endeavour must be hearty and constant and diligent and our watchfulness and prayers for pardon must be lasting and persevering Quest. What Ministeries hath Christ appointed to help us in this duty Answ. The Ministery of the Word and Secraments which he will accompany with his Grace and his Spirit Quest. What is a Sacrament Answ. An outward Ceremony ordained by Christ to be a sign and a means of conveying his grace unto us Quest. How many Sacraments are ordained by Christ Answ. Two Baptism and the Supper of our Lord. Quest. What is Baptism Answ. An outward washing of the Body in Water in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost in which we are buried with Christ in his death after a Sacramental manner and
God through Jesus Christ to read and hear the Scriptures read and expounded to provoke each other to love and to good works to advance the honour of Christ and to propagate his Faith and Worship I believe this to be a Holy Church Spiritual and not Civil and Secular but sanctified by their Profession and the solemn Rites of it professing holiness and separating from the evil manners of heathens and wicked persons by their laws and institutions And this Church is Catholick that is it is not confined to the Nation of the Jews as was the old Religion but it is gathered out of all Nations and is not of a differing Faith in differing places but always did doth and ever shall profess the Faith which the Apostles preach'd and which is contained in this Creed with whosoever believes is a Catholick and a Christian and he that believes not is neither This Catholick Church I believe that is I believe whatsoever all good Christians in all Ages and in all places did confess to be the Catholick and Apostolick Faith The Communion of Saints That is the Communion of all Christians because by reason of their holy Faith they are called Saints in Scripture as being begotten by God into a lively Faith and cleansed by Believing and by this Faith and the Profession of a holy life in obedience to Jesus Christ they are separated from the world called to the knowledge of the Truth justified before God and indued with the holy Spirit of Grace foreknown from the beginning of the world and predestinated by God to be made conformable to the image of his Son here in holiness of life hereafter in a life of glory and they who are Saints in their belief and profession must be so also in their practice and conversation that so they may make their calling and election sure lest they be Saints onely in name and title in their profession and institution and not in manners and holiness of living that is lest they be so before men and not before God I believe that all people who desire the benefit of the Gospel are bound to have a fellowship and society with these Saints and communicate with them in their holy things in their Faith and in their Hope and in their Sacraments and in their Prayers and in their Publick Assemblies and in their Government and must do to them all the acts of Charity and mutual help which they can and are required to and without this Communion of Saints and a conjunction with them who believe in God through Jesus Christ there is no Salvation to be expected which Communion must be kept in inward things always and in all persons and testified by outward acts always when it is possible and may be done upon just and holy conditions The Forgiveness of sins I believe that all the sins I committed before I came to the knowledge of the Truth and all the slips of humane infirmity against which we heartily pray and watch and labour and all the evil habits of which we repent so timely and effectually that we obtain their contrary graces and live in them are fully remitted by the blood of Christ which forgiveness we obtain by Faith and Repentance and therefore are not justified by the Righteousness of Works but by the Righteousness of Faith and we are preserved in the state of forgiveness or justification by the fruits of a lively Faith and a timely active Repentance The Resurrection of the Body I believe that at the last day all they whose sins are forgiven and who lived and died in the Communion of Saints and in whom the Holy Spirit did dwell shall rise from their grves their dead bones shall live and be clothed with flesh and skin and their Bodies together with their Souls shall enter into the portion of a new life and that this body shall no more see corruption but shall rise to an excellent condition it shall be Spiritual Powerful Immortal and Glorious like unto his glorious body who shall then be our Judge is now our Advocate our Saviour and our Lord. And the Life everlasting I believe that they who have their part in this Resurrection shall meet the Lord in the Air and when the blessed Sentence is pronounc'd upon them they shall for ever be with the Lord in joys unspeakable and full of glory God shall wâ—…pe all tears from their eyes there shall be no fear or sorrow no mourning or death a friend shall never go away from thence and an enemy shall never enter there shall be fulness without want light eternal brighter then the Sun day and no night joy and no weeping difference in degree and yet all full there is love without dissimulation excellency without envy multitudes without confusion musick without discord there the Understandings are rich the Will is satisfied the Affections are all love and all joy and they shall reign with God and Christ for ever and ever Amen This is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved Tertull. de velandis Virgin Regula quidem fidei â—…na omnino est sola immobilis irreformabilis credendi scilicet in unicum Deum Omnipotentem c. Hac lege fidei manente caetâ—…ra jam disciplinae conversationis admittunt novitatem correctionis operante scil proficiente usque in finem Gratia Dei The Rule of Faith is wholly one unalterable never to be mended never changed to wit I believe in God c This Law of Faith remaining in other things you may encrease and grow S. Aug. de Fide Symb. Haec est Fides quae paucis verbis tenenda in Symbolo Novellis datur Quae pauca verba fiedelibus not a sunt ut credendo subjugentur Deo subjugati recte vivant recte vivendo cor mundent corde mundo quod credunt intelligant This is the Faith which in few words is given to Novices These few words are known to all the faithful that by believing they may be subject to God by this subjection they may live well by living-well they may purifie their hearts and with pure hearts they may relish understand what they do believe Max. Taurin de Tradit Symb. Symbolum tessera est signaculum quo inter fideles Perfidosque secernitur This Creed is the Badge or Cognizance by which the Faithful are discerned from Unbelievers Hujus Catholici Symboli brevis perfecta Confessio quae duodecim Apostolorum totidem est signata sententiis tam instructa est in munitione coelesti ut omnes Haereticorum opiniones solo possint gladio detruncari Leo M. ad Pulcheriam Aug. This short and perfect Confession of this Catholick Creed which was consigned by the Sentences of twelve Apostles is so perfect a celestial
Religion Lord have mercy c. Remember not O Lord our uncharitable behaviour â—…towards those with whom we have conversed our jealousies and suspitions our evil surmisings and evil reportings the breach of our promises to men and the breach of all our holy vows made to thee our God Lord have mercy c. Remember not O Lord how often we have omitted the several parts and actions of our duty for our sins of Omission are infinite and we have not sought after the Righteousness of God but have rested in carelesness and forgetfulness in a false peace and a silent Conscience Lord have mercy c. O most gracious Lord enter not into judgment with thy servants lest we be consumed in thy wrath and just displeasure from which Good Lord deliver us and preserve thy servants for ever II. For Deliverance from Evils FRom gross ignorance and stupid negligence from a wandring head and a trifling spirit from the violence and rule of passion from a servile will and a commanding lust from all intemperance inordination and irregularity whatsoever Good Lord deliver and preserve thy servants for ever From a covetous mind and greedy desires from lustful thoughts and a wanton eye from rebellious members and the pride and vanity of spirit from false opinions and ignorant confidences Good Lord deliver c. From improvidence and prodigality from envy and the spirit of slander from idleness and sensuality from presumption and despair from sinful actions and all vitious habits Good Lord deliver c. From fierceness of rage and hastiness of spirit from clamorous and reproachful language from peevish anger and inhumane malice from the spirit of contention and hasty and indiscreet zeal Good Lord deliver c. From a schismatical and heretical spirit from tyranny and tumults from sedition and factions from envying the Grace of God in our Brother from impenitence and hardness of heart from obstinacy and apostasie from delighting in sin and hating God and good men Good Lord deliver c. From fornication and adultery from unnatural desires and unnatural hatreds from gluttony and drunkenness from loving and believing lyes and taking pleasure in the remembrances of evil things from delighting in our Neighbour's misery and procuring it from upbraiding others and hating reproof of our selves Good Lord deliver c. From impudence and shame from contempt and scorn from oppression and cruelty from a pitiless and unrelenting spirit from a churlish behaviour and undecent usages of our selves or others Good Lord deliver c. From famine and pestilence from noisome and infectious deseases from sharp and intolerable pains from impatience and tediousness of spirit from a state of temptation and hardened consciences Good Lord deliver c. From banishment and prison from widowhood and want from violence of pains and passions from tempests and earthquakes from the rage of fire and water from Rebellion and Treason from fretfulness and inordinate cares from murmuring against God and disobedience to the Divine Commandment Good Lord deliver c. From delaying our repâ—…ntance and persevering in sin from false principles and prejudices from unâ—…hankfulness and irreligion from seducing others and being abused our selves from the malice and craftiness of the Devil and the deceit and lyings of the World Good Lord deliver c. From wounds and murther from precipices and falls from fracture of bones and dislocation of joynts from dismembring our bodies and all infatuation of our Souls from folly and madness from uncertainty of mind and state and from a certainty of sinning Good Lord deliver c. From Thunder and lightning from phantasms Spectres and illusions of the night from sudden and great Changes from the snares of wealth and the contempt of beggery and extreme poverty from being made an example and a warning to others by suffering sad judgments our selves Good Lord deliver c. From condemning others and justifying our selves from misspending our time and abusing thy Grace from calling good evil and evil good from consenting to folly and tempting others Good Lord deliver c. From excess in speaking and peevish silence from looser laughing and immoderate weeping from giving evil example to others or following any our selves from giving or receiving scandal from the horrible sentence of endless death and damnation Good Lord deliver c. From cursing and swearing from uncharitable chiding and easiness to believe evil from the evil spirit that walketh at noon and the arrow that flieth in darkness from the Angel of wrath and perishing in popular diseases Good Lord deliver c. From the want of a Spiritual Guide from a famine of the Word and Sacramants from hurtful persecution and from taking part with persecutors Good Lord deliver c. From drowning or being burnt alive from sleepless nights and contentious days from a melancholick and a confused spirit from violent fears and the loss of reason from a vitious life and a sudden and unprovided death Good Lord deliver c. From relying upon vain fancies and false foundations from an evil and an amazed Conscience from sinning near the end of our life and from despairing in the day of our death Good Lord deliver c. From hypocrisie and wilfulness from self-love and vain ambition from curiosity and carelesnes from being tempted in the days of our weakness from the prevailing of the flesh and grieving the Spirit from all thy wrath and from all our sins Good Lord deliver c. III. For gifts and graces HEar our Prayer O Lord and consider our desire hearken unto us for thy truth and righteousness sake O hide not thy face from us neither cast away thy servants in displeasure Give unto us the spirit of Prayer frequent and fervent holy and persevering an unreprovableâ—… Faith a just and an humble Hope and a never-failing Charity Hear our Prayers O Lord and consider our desire Give unto us true humility a meek and a quiet spirit a loving and a friendly a holy and a useful conversation bearing the burthens of our neighbours denying our selves and studying to benefit others and to please thee in all things Hear our Prayers c Give us a prudent and a sober a just and a sincere a temperate and a religious spirit a great contempt of the world a love of holy things and a longing after Heaven and the instruments and paths that lead thither Hear our Prayers c Grant us to be thankful to our Bene factors righteous in performing promises loving to our relatives careful of our charges to be gentle and easie to be intreated slow to anger and fully instructed and readily prepared for every good work Hear our Prayers c. Give us a peaceable spirit and a peaceable life free from debt and deadly sin grace to abstain from appearances of evil and to do nothing but what is of good report to confess Christ and his holy Religion by a holy and obedient life and a mind ready to die for him when he shall
persevering duty to all families visited with the rod of God give consolation and a holy use of the affliction and a speedy deliverance to us all pardon and holiness and life eternal through Jesus Christ Amen The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communication of the Holy Spirit be with us all for ever Amen A short Prayer to be said every Morning I. O Almighty God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the God of mercy and comfort with reverence and fear with humble confidence and strong desires I approach to the throne of Grace begging of thee mercy and protection pardon and Salvation O my God I am a sinner but sorrowful and repenting Thou art justly offended at me but yet thou art my Lord and my Father merciful and gracious Be pleased to blot all my sins out of thy remembrance and heal my Soul that I may never any more sin against thee Lord open my eyes that I may see my own infirmities and watch against them and my own follies that I may amend them and be pleased to give me perfect understanding in the way of godliness that I may walk in it all the days of my pilgrimage Give me a spirit diligent in the works of my calling chearful and zealous in Religion fervent and frequent in my prayers charitable and useful in my Conversation Give me a healthful and a chast body a pure and a holy Soul a sanctified and an humble spirit and let my body and Soul and spirit be preserved unblameable to the coming of the Lord Jesus Amen II. BLessed by thy Name O God and blessed be thy Mercies who hast preserved me this night from sin and sorrow from sad chances and a violent death from the malice of the Devil and the evil effects of my own corrupted nature and infirmity The out-goings of the Morning and Evening shall praise thee and thy Servants shall rejoyce in giving thee praise for the operation of thy hands Let thy providence and care watch over me this day and all my whole life that I may never sin against thee by idleness or folly by evil company or private sins by word or deed by thought or desire and let the imployment of my day leave no sorrow or the remembrance of an evil conscience at night but let it be holy and profitable blessed and always innocent that when the days of my short abode are done and the shadow is departed I may die in thy fear and favour and rest in a holy hope and at last return to the joys of a blessed Resurrection through Jesus Christ in whose name and in whose words in behalf of my self and all my friends and all thy Servants I humbly and heartily pray Our Father c. A Prayer for the Evening ETernal God Almighty Father of Men and Angels by whose care and providence I am preserved and blessed comforted and assisted I humbly beg of thee to pardon the sins and follies of this day the weaknesses of my services and the strength of my passions the rashness of my words and the vanity and evil of my actions O just and dear God how long shall I confess my sins and pray against them and yet fall under them O let it be so no more let me never return to the follies of which I am ashamed which bring sorrow and death and thy displeasure worse than death Give me a command over my evil inclinations and a perfect hatred of sin and a love to thee above all the desires of this world Be pleased to bless and preserve me this night from all sin and all violence of Chance and the malice of the spirits of darkness Watch over me in my sleep and whether I sleep or wake let me be thy servant Be thou first and last in all my thoughts and the guide and continual assistance of all my actions Preserve my body pardon the sin of my Soul and sanctifie my spirit Let me always live holily and justly and soberly and when I die receive my Soul into thine hands O holy and ever blessed Jesus that I may lie in thy bosom and long for thy coming and hear thy blessed Sentence at Doomsday and behold thy face and live in thy Kingdom singing praises to God for ever and ever Amen Our Father c. For Sunday A Prayer against Pride I. OEternal God merciful and glorious thou art exalted far above all heavens thy Throne O God is glory and thy Scepter is righteousness thy Will is holiness and thy Wisdom the great foundation of Empire and Government I adore thy Majesty and rejoyce in thy Mercy and revere thy Power and confess all glory and dignity and honour to be thine alone and theirs to whom thou shalt impart any ray of thy Majesty or reflexion of thy honour but as for me I am a worm and no man vile dust and ashes the son of corruption and the heir of rottenness seized upon by folly a lump of ignorance and sin and shame and death What art thou O Lord The great God of Heaven and Earth the Fountain of Holiness and Perfection infinite But what am I So ignorant that I know not what so poor that I have nothing of my own so miserable that I am the heir of sorrow and death and so sinful that I am encompassed with shame and grief II. AND yet O my God I am proud proud of my shame glorying in my sin boasting my infirmities for this is all that I have of my own save only that I have multiplied my miseries by vile actions every day dishonouring the work of thy hands my understanding is too confident my affections rebellious my will refractory and disobedient and yet I know thou resistest the proud and didst cast the morning Stars the Angels from Heaven into chains of darkness when they grew giddy and proud walking upon the battlements of Heaven beholding the glorious Regions that were above them III. THou O God who givest grace to the humble do something also for the proud man make me humble and obedient Take from me the spirit of pride and hautiness ambition and self-flattery confidence and gaiety teach me to think well and to expound all things fairly of my brother to love his worthiness to delight in his praises to excuse his errours to give thee thanks for his graces to rejoyce in all the good that he receives and ever to believe and speak better things of him than of my self IV. O Teach me to love to be concealed and little esteem'd let me be truly humbled and heartily ashamed of my sin and folly teach me to bear reproaches evenly for I have deserved them to refuse all honours done unto me because I have not deserved them to return all to thee for it is thine alone to suffer reproof thankfully to amend all my faults speedily and do thou invest my Soul with the humble robe of my meek Master and Saviour Jesus and when I have
humbly patiently charitably and diligently served thee change this robe into the shining garment of immortality my confusion into glory my folly to perfect knowledge my weaknesses and dishonours to the strength and beauties of the Sons of God V. IN the mean time use what means thou pleasest to conform me to the image of thy holy Son that I may be gentle to others and severe to my self that I may sit down in the lowest place striving to go before my brother in nothing but in doing him and the honour staying for my glory till thou shalt please in the day of recompences to reflect light from thy face and admit me to behold thy glories Grant this for Jesus Christ's sake who humbled himself to the death and shame of the Cross and is now exalted unto glory Unto him with thee O Father be glory and praise for ever and ever Amen For Monday A Prayer against Covetousness I. O Almighty God eternal Treasure of all good things thou fillest all things with plenteousness Thou clothest the lilies of the field and fecdest the young ravens that call upon thee Thou art all-sufficient in thy self and all-sufficient to us Let thy providence be my store-house my dispensation of temporal things the limit of my labour my own necessity the measures of my desire but never let my desires of this world be greedy nor my labour immoderate nor my care vexatious and distracting but prudent moderate holy subordinate to thy Will the measure thou hast appointed for me II. TEach me O God to despise the world to labour for the true riches to seek the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness to be content with what thou providest to be in this world like a stranger with affections set upon Heaven labouring for and longing after the possessions of thy Kingdom but never suffer my affections to dwell below but give me a heart compassionate to the poor liberal to the needy open and free in all my communications without base ends or greedy designs or unworthy arts of gain but let my strife be to gain thy favour to obtain the blessedness of doing good to others and giving to them that want and the blessedness of receiving from thee pardon and support grace and holiness perseverance and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. For Tuesday A Prayer against Lust. I. O Eternal Purity thou art brighter than the Sun purer than the Angels and the Heavens are not clean in thy sight with mercy behold thy servant apt to be tempted with every object and to be overcome by every enemy I cannot O God stand in the day of battel and danger unless thou coverest me with thy shield and hidest me under thy wings The fiery darts of the Devil are ready to consume me unless the dew of thy grace for ever descend upon me Thou didst make me after thine image be pleased to preserve me so pure and spotless chast and clean that my body may be a holy Temple and my Soul a Sanctuary to entertain thy divinest Spirit the Spirit of love and holiness the Prince of Purities II. REprove in me the spirit of Fornication and Uncleanness and fill my Soul with holy fires that no strange fire may come into the Temple of my body where thou hast chosen to dwell O cast out all those unclean spirits which have unhallowed the place where thy holy feet have trod pardon all my hurtful thoughts all my impurities that I who am a member of Christ may not become the member of an harlot nor the slave of the Devil nor a servant of lust and unworthy desires but do thou purifie my love and let me seek the things that are above hating the garments spotted with the flesh never any more grieving the holy spirit by filthy inclinations with impure and phantastick thoughts but let my thoughts be holy my Soul pure my body chast and healthful my spirit severe devout and religious every day more and more that at the day of our appearing I may be presented to God washed and cleansed pure and spotless by the blood of the holy Lamb through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen For Wednesday A Prayer against Gluttony and Drunkenness I. O Almighty Father of Men and Angels who hast of thy great bounty provided plentifully for all mankind to support his state to relieve his necessities to refresh his sorrows to recreate his labours that he may praise thee and rejoice in thy mercies and bounty be thou gracious unto thy servant yet more and suffer me not by my folly to change thy bounty into sin thy grace into wantonness Give me the spirit of temperance and sobriety that I may use thy creatures in the same measures and to the same purposes which thou hast designed so as may best enable me to serve thee but not to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Let me not as Esau prefer meat before a blessing but subdue my appetite subjecting it to reason and the grace of God being content with what is moderate and useful and easie to be obtained taking it in due time receiving it thankfully making it to minister to my body that my body may be a good instrument of the Soul and the Soul a Servant of thy Divine Majesty for ever and ever II. PArdon O God in whatsoever I have offended thee by meat and drink and pleasures and never let my body any more be oppressed with loads of sloth and delicacies or my Soul drowned in Seas of wine or strong drink but let my appetites be changed into spiritual desires that I may hunger after the food of Angels and thirst for the wine of elect Souls and may account it meat and drink and pleasure to do thy will O God Lord let me eat and drink so that my food may not become a temptation or a sin or a disease but grant that with so much caution and prudence I may watch over my appetite that I may in the strength of thy mercies and refreshments in the light of thy countenance and in the paths of thy Commandments walk before thee all the days of my life acceptable ot thee in Jesus Christ ever advancing his honour and being filled with his Spirit that I may at last partake of his glory through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Thursday A Prayer against Envy I. O Most gracious Father thou Spring of an eternal Charity who hast so loved mankind that thou didst open thy bosom and send thy holy Son to convey thy mercies to us and thou didst create Angels and Men that thou mightest have objects to whom thou mightest communicate thy goodness Give me grace to follow so glorious a precedent that I may never envy the prosperity of any one but rejoyce to honor him whom thou honourest to love him whom thou lovest to commend the vertuous to discern the precious from the vile giving honour to whom honour belongs that I may go to Heaven in the
came from Heaven which whosoever is rightly partaker of shall not perish but have life everlasting V. As for the precedent days of Preparation how many they should be or how they should be imployed you are to refer your self to your Guide who may advise you not to be over-scrupulous of the Time for the Primitive Christians communicated every day and if your life be innocent from great offences your Preparation need not be long Only be sure you bring with you Faith and Charity clean hands and a penitent heart which if you do be confident the Master of the Feast will not find fault with you for want of a Wedding-garment VI. That upon the blessed day of your Receiving you do more vigorously prepare your self by lifting up your Heart and Hands to God and offering up your private Prayers fitted for that purpose with all possible Devotion And that being done you may compose your self in quiet and in silence till the time of the Morning Sacrifice be come when being called to a more Publick Oratory you may be the fitter to go with an humbly Confidence to meet your Saviour and with that Ardour and Affection as a chaste Virgin goes to an holy Marriage VII That during the Celebration of this Holy Sacrament you attend earnestly to what is done by the Priest When he breaks the Bread imagine to your self that you see the Body of your dear Saviour torn and crucified and when he pours out the Wine consider that his Blood was thus poured out upon the Altar of the Cross and last of all when he that consecrates shall stand before you ready in particular to apply it you may then think that you see Christ himself reaching out his own Body and Blood to you to feed your Soul unto Eternal Life VIII That farther you are really to believe the words as they are spoken This is my Body This is my Blood and not to doubt but that it is effectually made good to you in the Receiving without any dispute at all or scrupulous inquiring into the manner of it which neither Christ hath revealed and neither Men nor Angels are able to pry into IX That the Celebration of these Holy Mysteries being ended you are to retire with all Thankfulness of heart for having been admitted to that Heavenly Feast wherein your Saviour who gave himself for you on the Cross hath now more particularly given himself to you in the Sacrament never to depart from you unless you again wilfully offend him which you are the more earnestly to beware lest by frequent Relapses the Sacrament it self prove not only useless but dangerous to you and your latter end prove worse than your beginning Advice concerning Fasting I. YOU are to consider Fasting either as a Duty enjoined by the Church or as a voluntary undertaking of your own Your Obedience is required to the former in every particular as far as it is enjoyned unless the want of Health or some other Accidents may unavoidably hinder you wherein not only the Bishop may dispense with you but he that hath the charge of your Soul especially if the Necessity be evident II. Besides the ordinary Fasts prescribed by the Church you are advised to set aside some Day either Weekly or at least Monthly wherein you may mourn in private not only for your own sins and personal calamities but for those publick Judgments now fallen on the whole Church and Nation and those crying sins which have occasioned them offering up your earnest prayers to God for the removing of them which when they come from a mortified Body and a contrite Heart are such a Sacrifice that God who deceives no man being true to his Promises cannot possibly despise III. That the Fast for the time designed be such as may in some measure be afflictive to you abstaining totally that day from all manner of food if the condition of your health will bear it or if that cannot be that you be so moderate in your feeding that it may appear that you rather serve your Necessities in eating than satisfie your Appetite IV. That you imploy this Day or such a part of it at least as you may keep free to your self as a Retreat from the world the business and the pleasures of it that so you may with the more freedom make up the Accounts between God and your own Soul and by Prayer and Penitence reconcile your self to him for without this Fasting is of no use Expressions of Humiliation preparatory to the following Devotions RIghteousness O Lord belongs unto thee but unto me confusion of face the vainest the vilest the sinfullest of all the children of men Lord I am vile in mine own eyes and I will be yet more vile because my sins have made me vile in thine I am not worthy of the Air I breath of the Earth I tread upon or of the Sun that shines upon me much less worthy to lift up either hands or eyes to Heaven For thou hast said that no unclean thing shall come within thy sight and how then shall I appear who am so miserably defiled If the Man according to thine own heart could say that he was a Worm and no Man O what am I If Abraham who had the honour to be called thy Friend could say that he was but Dust and Ashes O what am I O my God thou madest me of nothing and thou feest how I have spoiled this work of thine for I have made my self worse than nothing For I am still in my Sins and what to do I know not Acts of Resolution to second this Humiliation But this I will do I Will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sins I will stand aloof with the Publican and smite my breast and say Lord be merciful to me a sinner I will return with the Prodigal and say Father I am not worthy to be called thy Child make me as one of thine hired Servants I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep nor mine eye-lids to slumber till I have by the mediation of thy dear Son obtained my pardon And what shall I say more I will pour out my prayers in the bitterness of my Spirit and if my dry Eyes want Tears I will call unto my Heart for Tears of Blood wherewith I may supply them And therefore now Lord call my sins to my remembrance and when thou hast done so blot them out of thy remembrance and pardon me A Litany of Confession to be made use of by the Penitent Soul that finds it self burthened with a true sense of Sin I. WO Wo unto me O God that being a Creature of thine and made by thee capable of enjoying everlasting felicity I have lived so wickedly and leudly that unless thy mercy prevent it I shall utterly forfeit the very End of my Creation But I Repent O my God I Repent I am utterly ashamed of it Lord be thou merciful to me a Sinner II. Wo Wo unto me O God that
my life and the unexhausted Fountain of Mercy which can never be drawn dry I have now by the assistance of thy holy Spirit gone through though with weak and trembling steps the whole exercise of Repentance for I have confessed my sins and thou hast promised upon my confession of them not to impute them to me I have gone one step farther for I have repented of my sins and thou hast promised again that upon my repentance thou wilt remember them no more and because thy holy Word hath taught me that a new life is the only life of a true Repentance I have this day in thy sight and in the presence of all the Holy Angels that attend thee in the Conversion of a Sinner made my firm resolution never to fall again into the sins which I have repented of And now what remains for a poor Penitent to do more but humbly and earnestly to beg thy Pardon The Penitent's Prayer O God the Father who canst not be thought so cruel as to make me only to destroy me Have mercy on me O God the Son who knowing thy Father's Will didst make it thy business to come into the world to save me Have mercy on me O God the Holy Ghost who to the same end didst sanctifie me in my Baptism and hast so often since breathed holy thoughts and motions on me Have mercy on me O Holy and Blessed and Glorious Trinity whom in three Persons I adore as my one and onely true God Have mercy on me Hear me O Lord. Help me O Lord. Save me or else I perish Lord carest thou not that I perish Thou that wouldest have all men saved Thou who wouldst have none to perish And wilt thou now shew thine anger against a Worm against a Leaf against a Vapour that vanisheth before thee O remember how short my time is and deliver not my Soul into the power of Hell For alas what profit is there in my Bloud or who shall ever give thee thanks in that bottomless pit No let me live in thy sight let me live O my God that my Soul may praise thee Forget me as I have been disobedient provoking thee to anger and regard me as I am distressed crying out to thee for help Look not upon me as I am a Sinner but consider me as I am thy Creature A Sinner I am I confess a Sinner of no ordinary strain but let not this hinder thee O my God for upon such sinners thou gettest the greatest glory O remember for whose sake it was that thou camest from the bosom of thy Father and didst let thy self down so low as to be content to be born of thine own humble handmaid Remember for whom it was that thy tender body was Torn Scourged and Crucified and thy precious Blood shed Was it not for the sins of the whole world and shall I be so narrow-hearted to my own Soul or so injurious to thy Glory as to think that in all this crowd thou hast particularly excepted me Or which is as great a dishonour to thee can I possibly imagine that thou diedst only for Sinners of a lower kind and leftest such as I am without remedy What had become then of him who filled Jerusalem with blood What of the noted Woman who had lived in a trade of Sin Nay what had become of thine own Disciple who with Oaths and Curses thrice denied thee O how easie is it for thee to forgive for it is thy Nature How proper is it for thee to save for it is thy Name How suitable is it to thy only End of coming into the World for it is thy Business And when I consider that I am the chief of Sinners may I not urge the Father and say Shall the very chief of thy business be left undone Mercy Mercy good Lord. I ask not of thee any longer the things of this world neither Power nor Honours nor Riches nor Pleasures No my God dispose of them to whom thou pleasest so that thou givest me Mercy O that I could hear thee once say as thou didst to him in the Gospel My Son be of good chear thy Sins are forgiven thee How would my drooping Spirits revive at such a sound and my now wounded Soul break forth into Hymns and Praises and Hallelujahs for a mercy so utterly undeserved of me and which the Angels which fell could never hear of But O my weak Soul what dost thou fear or what dost thou scruple at For thou art not yet in such a desperate condition but thou mayest expect that what was said to him may possibly be said to thee Nay be confident though it be with a mixture of fear and trembling that if thou dost not act the part of an Hypocrite all this while thy Saviour stands ready at the very doors of thy Heart to breath the very same words in a heavenly whisper to thee Be of good chear thy Sins are forgiven thee Return then unto thy rest O my Soul for thy Sins are forgiven thee Only take this Counsel along with thee Sin no more lest a worse thing fall unto thee O that I could never sin against thee more never purposely deliberately wilfully sin against thee more And for those sins of daily Incursion those over-familiar corruptions of my nature which thou hast not yet given me strength enough to conquer Lord either subdue them to me by degrees or lay them not to my charge But wherein soever my Conscience most accuseth me therein O my God be thou most merciful unto me Save me O God as a Brand snatched out of the Fire Receive me O my Jesu as a Sheep that hath wandred but is now returned to the great Shepherd and Bishop of my Soul The Jubile of the Penitent Soul after the sense of Pardon obtained REjoyce over me O God the Father that this thy Child was lost but is found was dead but is alive again Rejoyce over me O God the Son that thy loud Cries and Tears and bitter Agonies which for my sake thou enduredst upon the Cross were â—…ot so unhappily lost as to be cast away in vain upon me Rejoyce over me O God the Holy Ghost that thy so many secret and powerful touches have at last got the upper hand of me Rejoyce over me O ye holy Angels a great part of whose Ministery it is to rejoyce at the Conversion of a Sinner Rejoyce over thy self O my Soul that thou hast received so much grace from Heaven this day as sadly to confess thy Sins seriously to repent of them and stedfastly to resolve never to be guilty more of so much bruitishness as to be likened to the Dog that returns to his Vomit or to the Swine wallowing in the Mire The Penitent closeth all with this short Prayer LET this day O my God be noted in thy Book Do not thou forget my Prayers nor suffer me to forget my Resolutions For though I am weak though I am unworthy though I
like himself went spotless hence A sacrafice to Innocence Which now does ride Trampling upon Herod's pride Passing from their fontinels of clay To heaven a milky and a bloody way All their tears and groans are dead And they to rest and glory fled Lord who wert pleas'd so many Babes should fall Whilst each sword hop'd that every of the All Was the desired King make us to be In Innocence like them in Glory thee Amen Upon the Epiphany and the three Wise men of the East coming to worship Jesus A Comet dangling in the air Presag'd the ruin both of Death and Sin And told the wise man of a King The King of Glory and the Sun Of Righteousness who then begun To draw towards that blessed Hemisphere They from the farthest East this new And unknown light pursue Till they appear In this blest Infant-King's propitious eye And pay their homage to his Royalty Persia might then the rising Sun adore It was Idolatry no more Great God they gave to thee Myrrhe Frankincense and Gold But Lord with what shall we Present our selves before thy Majesty Whom thou redeem'dst when we were sold W'have nothing but our selves and scarce that neither Vile dirt and clay Yet it is soft and may Impression take Accept it Lord and say this thou hadst rather Stamp it and on this sordid metal make Thy holy image and it shall out-shine The beauty of the golden Mine Amen A Meditation of the Four last things  Death For the time of Lent especially Judgment Heaven Hell A Meditation of Death DEath the old Serpent's Son Thou hadst a sting once like thy Sire That carried Hell and ever-burning fire But those black days are done Thy foolish spite buried thy sting In the profound and wide Wound of our Saviour's side And now thou art become a tame and harmless thing A thing we dare not fear Since we hear That our triumphant God to punish thee For the affront thou didst him on the Tree Hath snatcht the Keys of Hell out of thy hand And made thee stand A Porter to the gate of Life thy mortal enemy O thou who art that Gate command that he May when we die And thither flee Let us into the Courts of Heaven through thee Allelujah The Prayer MY Soul doth pant tow'rds thee My God Source of eternal life Flesh fights with meâ—… Oh end the strife And part us that in peace I may Unclay My wearied spirit and take My flight to thy eternal Spring Where for his sake Who is my King I may wash all my tears away That day Thou Conqueror of Death Glorious Triumpher o're the Grave Whose holy breath Was spent to save Lost Mankind make me to be styl'd Thy Child And take me when I die And go unto my dust my Soul Above the sky With Saints enroll That in thy arms for ever I May lie Amen Of the day of Judgment GReat Judge of all how we vile wretches quake Our guilty bones do ake Our marrow freezes when we think Of the consuming fire Of thine ire And horrid phials thou shalt make The wicked drink When thou the wine-press of thy wrath shalt tread With feet of lead Sinful rebellious clay what unknown place Shall hide it from thy face When earth shall vanish from thy sight The Heavens that never err'd But Observ'd Thy laws shall from thy presence take their flight And kill'd with glory their bright eyes stark dead Start from their head Lord how shall we Thy enemies endure to see So bright so killing Majesty Mercy dear Saviour thy Judgment-seat We dare not Lord intreat We are condemn'd already there Mercy vouchsafe one look Of life Lord we can read thy saving Jesus here And in his Name our own Salvation see Lord set us free The book of sun Is cross'd within Our debts are paid by thee Mercy Of Heaven O Beautious God uncircumscribed Treasure Of an eternal pleasure Thy Throne is seated far Above the highest Star Where thou prepar'st a glorious place Within the brightness of thy face For every spirit To inherit That builds his hopes on thy merit And loves thee with an holy Charity What ravish'd heart Scraphick tongue or eyes Clear as the morning's rise Can speak or think or see That bright Eternity Where the great King 's transparent Throne Is of an intire Jasper stone There the eye O' th' Chrysolite And a skie Of Diamonds Rubies Chrysoprase And above all the holy Face Makes an Eternal Clarity When thou thy Jewels up dost bind that day Remember us we pray That where the Beryll lies And the Crystal 'bove the skies There thou may'st appoint us place Within the brightness of thy face And our Soul In the Scrowl Of life and blissfulness enrowl That we may praise thee to eternity Allelujah Of Hell HOrrid darkness sad and sore And an eternal Night Groans and shrieks and thousand more In the want of glorious light Every corner hath a Snake In the accursed lake Seas of fire beds of snow Are the best delights below A Viper from the fire Is his hire That knows not moments from Eternity Glorious God of Day and Night Spring of Eternal Light Allelujahs Hymns and Psalms And Coronets of Palms Fill thy people ever more O mighty God Let not thy bruising rod Crush our loins with an eternal pressure O let thy mercy be the measure For if thou keepest wrath in store We all shall die And none be left to glorifie Thy Name and tell How thou hast sav'd our Souls from Hell Mercy On the Conversion of St. Paul FUll of wrath his threatning breath Belching nought but chains and death Saul was arrested in his way By a voice and a light That if a thousand days Should join rays To beautifie one day It would not shew so glorious and so bright On his amazed eyes it night did fling That day might break within And by those beams of Faith Make him of a child of wrath Become a vessel full of glory Lord curb us in our dark and sinful way We humbly pray When we down horrid precipices run With seet that thirst to be undone That this may be our story Allelujah On the Purification of the Blessed Virgin PUre and spotless was the Maid That to the Temple came A pair of Turtle-doves she paid Although she brought the Lamb. Pure and spotless though she were Her body chast and her Soul fair She to the Temple went To be purifi'd And try'd That she was spotless and obedient O make us to follow so blest Precedent And purifie our Souls for we Are cloath'd with sin and misery From our Conception One Imperfection And a continued state of sin Hath fullied all our faculties within We present our Souls to thee Full of need and misery And for Redemption a Lamb The purest whitest that e're came A Sacrifice to thee Even he that bled upon the Tree On Good-Friday THE Lamb is eaten and is yet again Preparing to be slain The cup