that of an Afflictive sense of having no Lot or Portion in the Love and Enjoyment of God an infinite Good Sin must needs be the greatest Evil the worst of any thing which is Enemy to either God or Man because 't is God's usual method to punish sin with sin when all his other Reclaiming Essays of Providence have through the obstinacy of the sinner proved ineffectual I will chuse their delusions says God and give them over to their Iniquities he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still As if to be a Sinner was misery sufficient and no vengeance for Impiety like that of being permitted a continuance therein The exceeding Great Malignity of Sin is in nothing more seen than in this that it cost God more to Redeem the World than at first to Create it cost him but the fiat of his Will but a Word 's speaking to make it out of Nothing but stood him at the invaluable Expence of his Son's Blood to Ransom it out of worse than Nothing a polluted sinful self-undone Condition At God's Creation of the World there was only want and absence of previous matter whereout to make it no repugnant inaptitude no contrariety in the subject whereby in the least to obstruct or retard the Divine Efficacy whereas in the Redemption of the lost World there was the deep rooted Corruption of our Nature inveteracy of Evil Custom and Habit depravity of Affection and perverseness of Man's Will to be conflicted with and overcome by God's Spirit by his holy Word and Sacraments before the Ransome purchased could be applyed and made Savingly Effectual So much more is there in Sin of inconquerableness and Difficulty of subjection than in the most difficult and miraculous material product of an Almighty power O let but our thoughts carry us to the places of our Saviours bitter Agonies and Sufferings and there let us behold him greatly Amazed and sore troubled Sweating great drops of blood bowing beneath the weight of his Fathers Displeasure crying out Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me and at last suffering on a painful and Ignominious Cross those extream torments both of body and mind which the sins of all Mankind had deserved which none but the Manhood in Conjunction with the Godhead could have undergone and which were abundantly Sufficient to Expiate the Guilt of the whole world and of multitudes of worlds were multitudes really existing Let us consider our Blessed Lord suffering all this though without Sin in himself only because he had taken it on him by Imputation and by becoming our Surety bore the iniquities of us all and then let us if we can continue to think so Lightly so harmlesly oâ— Sin as we do Here 's a sight our Redeemers Crucifixion which at once shews his inestimable Love to us and the mighty Malignity of Sin in that nothing Less than his precious Bloodshed that Seal of the New-Covenant could Aâ—one Divine Justice and do away the Guilt the Condemnation of our impieties The Prayer O Thou immaculate Purity Thou perfectly holy and Righteous Divine Being who hast manifested thy Love to holyness and thy Hatred against all impiety chiefly in sending thy Son into the World by his pure Example and by his holy Doctrine to destroy the sinful works of the Devil and to promote a Life of uprightness O that those Excellent Graces which shined so eminently in our Saviour may be formed within us thy servants the Hope of Glory that the life which we henceforth lead in the Flesh may be by the Faith of the Son of God Conform us we beseech thee to his Image in Holiness making us partakers of a Divine Nature Ah blessed Lord 't is not the Guilt 't is not the Condemnation of sin we so much desire to be deliver'd from as the foul stain and pollution as the Reigning power and prevalency thereof destroy then Vice within us as well with respect to the inward Love and Approbation as to the outward Act and Performance While we are in the World preserve us holy Father from the Corruptions of the World suffer not sin to have Dominion over us in any kind for we are not under the Law but under Grace O may thy Grace be sufficient for us Keep us holy Spirit by thy power thorough Faith unto Salvation Let not Sin Reign in our mortal Bodies that we should fulfil the lusts thereof but Grant that thy good Spirit thy holy Word and heavenly Graces may bear sway in us and abound Turn our Eyes from beholding sinful vanity and cause thou us to make much of thy Law O give us to behold more of the malignant Nature of Sin of the Turpitude Folly Baseness and Ingratitude thereof and then shall we more thoroughly Grieve Detest and Resolve on the abandoning of it Convince us gracious God that Sin 't is the greatest of Evils and then shall we betake our selves to Thee the greatest of Goods work in us that Holiness without which we not only Shall not but also Cannot see Thee the Lord by reason of a natural Incapacity in us for Seeing Thee O divine Object of blessedness imports Enjoying thee a seeing thee with Delight and Satisfaction and this we can never do unless we first become Like Thee in Purity in the holy Tempers and Dispositions of our Souls O lay in us that Foundation of future Happiness Grace the Hope and Qualification of inheriting Endless Glory Lord we are poor and blind and naked blind as to true saving Knowledge operative by Love poor and naked as to any inherent Acceptable Righteousness of our own O let us be cloath'd upon with the Robes of thy perfect imputed Righteousness we are Dead in sins and trespasses O do thou Quicken do Thou Raise us up to Newness of Life and Obedience Purge our Consciences from dead Works that we may henceforth serve more Acceptably thee the Everliving God Let our lives be a continual Endeavour of subduing in our selves the Love of Sin of becoming Enamoured with the Beauty of Holiness of becoming Like thee therein more Approved of by thee and every way such as Thou wouldst have us to be Cleanse us O God from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and cause us to endeavour after the perfecting of Holiness in thy fear And then Holiness the chief ingredient of Heavenly Happiness being our New-Nature being the fix'd Temper and Habit of our Regenerate Minds we shall be both Meet for Heaven and our Souls will Tend thither as to their proper place and most desireable state of Enjoyment Amen Amen Meditation V. On Watchfulness against Sin and Temptations THat this is a Duty our Saviour teaches us Watch and Pray says he that ye enter not into Temptation that ye come not within the reach or first Enticements thereof And St. Peter exhorts Be ye sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil goes about as a roaring Lion
unto Thee who art of purer Eyes than to behold the least iniquity with Approbation With what Joy and Thankfulness ought we to acknowledge this thine inestimable favour that thou who art so highly Exalted wilt humble thy self to take notice of such Despicable polluted Beings as we are For ever blessed be thy Goodness who hast made Prayer our Duty which is so much our Interest and Priviledge O how inexcusable should we be should we neglect so Great a means of Grace and Salvation Wilt thou O Lord Admit and Accept our poor unworthy Services and shall not we Gladly Embrace the Vouchsafement Since our Righteousness Extendeth not unto Thee since we only are the Gainers by thy Service which is its own Reward which is our perfect freedom O cause therefore all that is within us to bless thy holy Name Cause all that is within us to render thee most willing and Chearful Obedience But O God most Glorious whose Transcendent Excellency is Exalted above all Glory and Praise the more we Speak of thine Honour the more we become Sensible how infinitely we fall short of it O make us to shew forth thy praise not only with our Lips but in our Lives by giving up our selves to thy Service by conforming our selves to thy Likeness in Holyness by â—aising Spiritualizing and Enflaming by thy help our Affections towards thee in Prayer Yet Alass Alass how soon are we weary of this most Delightsome most Beneficial Duty of Devotion How much Averseness is there in us unto the Vndertaking how much Distraction of Thoughts and Deadness of Spirit in the performance What formality want of Relish want of Zeal and fervour is there mingled with the best of our Religious Services How prone have we been to Deceive our selves with Shadows of Piety and Devotion instead of the Substance With a form of Godlyness instead of the Life and power thereof How prone to Content our selves with the bare praises of thy Divine perfections which we have not had the Godly Ambition the Sincerity of heart to imitate O pardon the sins and iniquities of these our Holy things But besides the imperfections of our best performances how many ways have we presumptuously offended thee our God! By innumerable Omissions and Commissions Omissions of Duty Commissions of Evil by many frequently Repeated and long Continued acts of wickedness by sinful provocations in Thought Word and Deed against thy Divine Majesty O how often have we Stifled the Convictions the Reproofs of our own Consciences How often Resisted the holy motions the Restraints of thy blessed Spirit How long neglected the Great Salvation of thy Gospel How many times violated our most Solemn Baptismal Vow and Covenant The very Multitude of our sins is Enough to Amaze and Affrighten us to cover us with Shame and Confusion of face but the Heinousness the Baseness the Ingratitude of our mis-demeanours towards so Gracious and heavenly a Father so Long-suffering a preserver so Mercyful a Benefactor Sanctifier and Redeemer O how Grievous is the Remembrance thereof to us the burthen of so much wickedness how Intolerable O our God Strong and patient hadst thou not been God how couldst thou have had patience with such perfidious such ungrateful such willfully Disobedient Rebells Well for us is it that thy mercy and forbearance Exceed that of Man are like the self unlimited O the Riches of thy Grace wilt thou again Receive such prodigal Children into thy favour Wilt thou Still be Reconciled unto us Ah let thy Goodness let thy Reconcileableness lead us to Repentance to a more compleat consummated one and our Repentance may it fit us for thy pardon and Acceptance And not meerly for the Pardon of our sins implore we mercy at thy hands but for a Divine power to enable us to subdue them Set we beseech thee O Lord our hearts in such a perfect Enmity against all things contrary to thy blessed Will and Nature that we may never be Reconciled to them any more dispose us to such an Entire Affection to thy Commandments that they may become our Choice our Desire our Exceeding Great Rejoycing O that we may walk more circumspectly Redeeming the time because the days are Evil O that we may give all Diligence to make our Calling and Election Sure O that the life the pure unspotted life of Christ Jesus may be formed within us the hope of Glory Fill us Gracious God with the whole Knowledge of thy Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding and Assist us with thy Grace unto the Conscientious practice of such knowledge Increase in us that faith which worketh by Divine Love which purisieth the heart and life and overcometh the wicked world Excite in us that ardent Affection to thee which may make us chearfully Do thy Will or patiently suffer it in all instances and which will cause us to Love our brethren as our selves for Christ's sake with a pure heart out of Love unfeigned not in Tongue only but also in Deed and in Truth Keep us O Lord pure and unspotted with the World Temperate Chaste and Unspotted with the flesh keep us Safe and unseduced by our own hearts lusts by Satans wicked Suggestions and Allurements Cause us to have our Conversation without Covetousness to have it more in Heaven less on Earth teach us contempt of Earthly things teach us to deny our selves to conquer all Temptations to live above the corruptions which so much abound in the Age Give us Patience give us supporting comfort and quiet submission in Adversity let a contented mind be instead of all we want and a thankful heart sweeten all our Enjoyments O that we may mind more the one thing Necessary that we may seek in the first place the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness and whatever other things we leave undone we may be still working out our Salvation with fear and trembling Make us O our God more careful of pleasing thee fearful of offending thee diligent and industrious in thy Service more observant of thy Good Providence in every thing more grateful for thy benefits Received more readily disposed in all conditions to every good thought word and work * Stir us up we entreat thee to a frequent mindfulness of our Latter End and fit and prepare us for it let our approaching sleep this Night put us in mind of our last sleep our Bed remind us of our Grave and the darkness of the evening of the days of Darkness which shall be many in the Chambers of Death Lighten our Eyes O Lord that they sleep not therein but that we may Awake with the morning Light unto thy Praise and Glory Forgive those actual sins of thy servants which the day past hath been witness unto Lord give us a Godly sorrow for them a perfect hatred of them and more carefulness to avoid them for the future and whether we sleep this night in death or awake to the fresh Mercies of the following day O Grant that Christ
Imprimatur Geo. Royse RRmo in Christo Patri ac Dom. Dom. Johanni Archiep. Cantuar. a Sacris Domest Januar. 17 169â— Conversation in Heaven BEING DEVOTIONS Consisting of MEDITATIONS and PRAYERS ON Several Considerable Subjects in Practical Divinity Written for the Raising the Decay'd Spirit of PIETY By LAWRENCE SMITH LLD. Fellow of St. John's College in Oxford LONDON Printed by J. R. for Thomas Speed at the Three Crowns near the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1693. TO The most Reverend Father in God JOHN Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of all England and one of Their Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council May it please your Grace I Beg your Pardon for my Presumption in Dedicating this Performance to your Name but my Experience of your Goodness and Obliging Temper has encouraged me to this freedom of Recommending it to your Patronage My Lord 't was not an Ambition of appearing in Print which induced me to this Publication but an hearty Desire since I am not in a Publick Station to do all the Good I can in my Private Capacity and if this Endeavour may but prove Instrumental to the encrease of Piety and Devotion in any I shall not Repent my Pains but acknowledge the Success with all Thankfulness to God's Glory May the Almighty long preserve your Grace and make you a great Blessing to this Church which is the earnest Prayer of My Lord Your Grace's most Obedient Son and humbly devoted Servant Lawrence Smith THE PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader THE Subjects here treated on are some of the weightiest and most considerable in all Practical Divinity and being Matters of the greatest Importance to a good Life and consequently to our future Everlasting Welfare were therefore industriously handled with all imaginable Plainness and Perspicuity that Persons of all Ranks and Qualities being nearly concern'd in them they might accordingly lye Level to the Capacities of all men The Author is not Ignorant that several excellent Treatises of this Nature have been transmitted into publick View and Consideration which though he has not the Vanity to think he has excell'd yet he hopes this further Help to Devotion may not be without its proper Vsefulness The Composer of these Devotions is indeed conscious of his inability to Gratifie the Expectations of a nicely Critical Reader but however he had much rather expose himself to the Censures of the Over-curious than fail of promoting in the least the Piety and Devotion of â—ruly Religious and well-disposed People To such he Writes who having a Spiritual discerning of Spiritual things these Spiritual Exercises of Prayer and Holy Meditation are the likeliest to prove Relishing and Acceptable unto them Devout and Pious Meditation is that which at once Delights and Profits Recreates and improves in Goodness rendering the Mind by degrees of a Godlike Celestial Temper It ennobles the faculties of our Souls by making them conversant about truly Great and Noble Objects things Spiritual Divine and Heavenly It withdraws us from the Noise and Tumult exempts us from the Cares Fears Troubles and Vexations of this Lower World and causing us to dwell much in our thoughts and desires Above it makes our Spirits too Big and Haughty too Nice and Delicate for any impure sublanary Enjoyments nay of such an Indifferency of Affection even to this Worlds Innocent and Allowable Gratifications as that no Loss or Detriment which befalls them no imaginary Excellency which is in them is able to Excite our Passions to Discompose our Thoughts to abate our Religious Diligence to weaken our Faith impair our Trust or so much as Cool our Love for God Holiness and Celestial Happiness All other things Cloy and Satiate with their often Repeated use but the more we exercise this most Excellent Duty devout Contemplation the more shall we desire to be still exercised therein Its Pleasures will grow upon our Hands and we shall find no Sensual Entertainment half so Quick and Relishing our Vnderstandings will be hereby Enlarged and Exalted our Wills Rightly Byassed and Inclined our Affections Purified and Refined and our whole Spiritual Powers Disintangled from the Depraving Profits and Delights of this inferiour Animal Life and Refreshed with new varieties of a lively prospect into the Joys Celestial which are Pure Sincere Holy and Intellectual Let us then in frequent Solemn Meditation on the Divine most Amiable Perfections the very Life and Employment of Angels become more exact Representations of the Divine Purity and Holiness Let us Spiritualize our Minds Becalme our Passions Deaden and Suppress our Appetites to all Earthly Pomps and Vanities and then neither this World's Honours Profits or Pleasures shall seduce and soften us nor shall its Changes and Mischances Grieve and Disquiet us but being Exalted in our Devout Conversation to Regions whither the Storms and Tempests of this Lower State never reach we shall enjoy an undisturbed Peace and Tranquillity nay a delightsom Enravishment of Mind while Living and when we Dye shall go whither our Pious Thoughts Holy Desires Zealous Endeavours Fervent Prayers and Grateful Thanksgivings went before to prepare us Mansions even into the Heavenly Jerusalem Of which that we may be all Inheritors is the Hearty Prayer of him who earnestly desires thy Spiritual and Eternal wellfare L. Smith The CONTENTS Meditation I. ON the Vanity Vexation and Contempt of the World page 1 The Prayer p. 14 Meditation II. On the Redemption of Time p. 17 The Prayer p. 28 Meditation III. On the Folly and Danger of deferring Repentance p. 32 The Prayer p. 41 Meditation IV. On the Malignity and Evil Nature of Sin p. 45 The Prayer p. 60 Meditation V. On Watchfulness against Sin and Temptations p. 65 The Prayer p. 73 Meditation VI. Against the Sin of Pride p. 77 The Prayer p. 85 Meditation VII Against the Sin of Vnchastity p. 89 The Prayer p. 97 Meditation VIII Against the sin of Immoderate Anger p. 101 The Prayer p. 114 Meditation IX Against the sin of Murmuring and Impatience amidst Divine Chastisements p. 119 The Prayer p. 129 Meditation X. On Love to God p. 135 The Prayer p. 140 Meditation XI On Zeal in the Service of God p. 145 The Prayer p. 151 Meditation XII On Trust in God p. 155 The Prayer 162 Meditation XIII On the Fear of God p. 166 The Prayer p. 176 Meditation XIV On Love and Charity to our Neighbour p. 179 The Prayer p. 197 Meditation XV. On Improvement in Grace p. 202 The Prayer p. 211 Meditation XVI On Death p. 215 The Prayer p. 225 Meditation XVII On the Last Judgment p. 229 The Prayer p. 240 Meditation XVIII On Heaven p. 244 The Prayer p. 253 Meditation XIX On Hell and the Eternity of its Torments p. 258 The Prayer p. 271 Meditation XX. On Prayer and the Powerful Efficacy thereof p. 276 The Prayer p. 291 A Prayer for the Morning p. 298 A Prayer for the Evening p. 311 A Prayer for a Sick Person p. 320 Another Prayer for the
Exstatick Raptures And besides the Fears and Dangers and Dis-Grace of a Discovery in the Unchaste Action when the beastly desire is Satisfied then Succeed Dissatisfaction Shame and Regret of Mind in a bashful Novice Sinner of this Nature and worse than Shame and Regret an hardned Impudence and confirm'd Searedness of Conscience in an old habituated fornicator But alas alass that Men should buy Repentance of unlawful Satisfaction of fleshly Appetites at the Dear ratâ— of Disease Torment and Unsoundness of Body in Conjunction with Disquietude of Spirit Alas that they should purchase so high Eternal Miseries as to incur them for the Dyeing sensual pleasures of a few moments Ah where is I say not Religion but where is even Reason and Understanding in such Unclean Persons It shews impure Sense that the Animal and Brutish part is uppermost in them Ah shall we be Ashamed to Commit Acts of Uncleanness in the sight of Men in the sight of but a Child and yet shall we without blushing Commit them in the sight of an Omniscient God Shall not His Excellency make us afraid of any filthyness of flesh or Spirit And His dread fall upon us that we become not Guilty of the same If any Man defile the Temple of God says St. Paul him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. and he must have little sense either of the Majesty and Purity of God who will dare to Desecrate his Temple or of the Divine Justice and Power who will hazard his own Salvation thereby Alas Unclean Wretch one would think thou shouldst have more Reverence for the Dignity of Humane Nature for the Awful and Stupendiously beautiful Structure of thy Body than to make it the foul instrument of Lust and Uncleanness that to take thus the Members of Christ and make them Members of an Harlot God forbid Thou shouldst do it Ah dost thou know what a 〈◊〉 't is to Grieve to Resist to Quench to Drive from thee in this manner the Good Spirit of Grace What Sin did I say Nay dost thou know what a Loss what a Prejudice it is unto thee both Corporal and Spiritual While the Holy Ghost inhabits the Temple of a Sober Pure and Chaste Body Angels are its Guardians the Holy Spirit its Guide its Defendeâ— against all Assaults of Temptations but when Unchastity has forced him from that Abode and sent both Him and our Tutelar Angels Sadden'd away then Enters the Unclean Spirit the Devil takes possession of an Impure Body as of his own proper Right and House of Inheritance and the Man lyes exposed to as many other Sins aâ—d Temptations as will please to Assail him For the Fence of Vertue Modesty being broken down Modesty that Greatest Restraint on Degenerate Human Nature next to the checks of Conscience and of God's Spirit being lost what shjould hinder Unchast Persons who have yielded their Members instruments of Uncleanness already from proceeding to yield them further Servants of iniquity unto iniquity without any stop or forbearance Oh Unchastity it is a very Stupisying sin It Seals a Man up in impenitence and renders him usually beyond the force of a Reclaimment any otherwise than as Disease and Disability of Body prove his Reformers The Debauch'd Mind within for all that remaining Unreclaimed but as lasciviously inclined as ever Ah for Remedy of Unclean Cogitations and Desires which lead to Corporal Pollutions and which defile the Soul as much as Unclean Acts do the Body nay which arrived to a plenary unchaste Consent of the Will become the Adultery of the Heart Matth. 5. 28. Let us consider how unfitting it is that the Soul and Body which are both the deaâ— purchase of Christ's most precious Blood should be Debased and Vilified by any Lustful indulged Desires or Actual uncleannesses rather let the Remembrance of the blessed Jesus Crucified Crucifie in us all sensuaâ— appetites of the flesh let the Remembrance of Everlasting burnings Quench and Extinguish in us the fire of Concupiscence Let the fear of God make thy flesh Tremble and so Awe it into Subjection that thy fleshly lusts may not at any time war against thy Soul and gain the Victory Think Think each hour on the mortifying Considerations of Death Hell and the Grave on Rottenness and Putrefaction therein and on thy Appearance at the General Resurrection before the Tremendous Majesty of thy Judge who is of purer Eyes than to behold impurity with Approbation and this will suppress in thee lustful thoughts and wishes even in their Infancy and first motions Be alwayes busied in some lawful Employment and then Satan when he comes will find no Share in thee no Room for his unchaste Temptations to Enter no impure matter within for their setting fire thereto and Exciting it into a flame of Desire Consent or Unclean Action Observe but Sobriety and Moderation of Dyet joyned with Prayer and occasional Fasting and thou shalt soon observe how all Carnal Appertites will dye and become vanquish'd within thee Yes I will endeavour do Thou O my God Assist me thereunto I will endeavour by the strength of thy Grace to Conquer all Temptations all the least Tendencies to this vice of Unchastity I will suppress the first unclean Fancy with loathing and indignation I will stifle the first impure Desire after Satisfying my undue Sensual Appetites I will Fly and not Fight I will keep out of the way of Unchaste Allurements rather than Try and hazard my Chastity by Resisting them I will Escape out of the filthy Sodom of impure Cogitations without looking back or so much as Revolving them in my mind My Mortifications my habitual Mortificatious and Temperance shall shew how much I abhor to Gratifie the flesh into Rebellion against the Spirit I will Quel Concupiscence in its Primeval Origine for the very Entertaining of foul Thoughts though they proceed no further is an Abomination before God a Repugnancy to his Unspotted Purity and a dangerous Temptation or praedisposition to go on to more Advanced degrees of Unchastity I will therefore by the help of my God abstain from all manner of Impurity External and Internal Corporal and Spiritual Amen Blessed Jesus Thou Author and Pattern of all Purity and Holyness Amen Amen The Prayer O Holy Jesu immaculate Lamb of God Prince of Purities Captain of Salvation to all those who have kept themselves pure and unspotted with the World and the Flesh keep us pure keep us sober chaste and modest in all our Deportment Create clean hearts O God and renew right Spirits in thy Servants that we may dread all impure Thoughts all polluting Desires all ecrrupt Communication much more may fly all Actual compliances with fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul O let no impure Imaginations pollute our Spirits which God hath sanctified no immodest obsâ—ere Speech pollute our Tongues which God hath commanded to be Instruments of his Praises no unchaste Actions rend the Veil of those Temples our Bodies which the Holy Ghost hath chosen
Essentials of his Religion let our Wills also be conjoyn'd for what an Absurdity is it that we who are to live together in Heaven if our Uncharitableness hinder not should live at variance here below O Heavenly Samaritan Thou holy Jesu Prince of peace Look down Look down behold here a miserably torn and Divided Church torn with Schisme and Faction fallen among Robbers and Spoilers who most inhumanely have Entreated her behold with a succouring compassion her bleeding wounds which are as so many Mouths importunately begging it Pour thy suppling Oyl and Wine of Union into her Sores bind up with the bond of Love and Concord her broken and Disjoynted Members Pass not by on the other side of the way as did the Relentless Levite but let the Distress'd sight of our misery move thee to compassion and thy Compassion produce a Speedy Relieving us Suppress in us blessed Saviour Entirely banish from us that Stingy Selfishness of Spirit that narrow Confinement of Love to a Sect or Party which so much abounds in the Nation and make us of a more publick Generous Temper more Consultive of the Good of the Community both in Church and State And then the Spirit of God the Spirit of Love and Unity shall dwell amongst us Love shall be our Guide and Love shall be our Guard and Defence Love shall fit us for Heaven and Love shall Conduct us thither Nay Love shall bring down Heaven upon Earth unto us shall make us live in Peace in Amity in a Joyous Complacency at each others Happyness Amen Amen The Prayer O OUR God who hast taught us that all our doings without Charity are nothing worth that he only who dwelleth in Love dwelleth in Thee and Thou in him send thy Holy-Ghost and pour into our hearts that most Excellent Gift of Charity the very bond of Peace and of all Vertues make us Children of thee our God Disciples of our Dear Lord and Master in loving one another as he hath loved us in being Merciful as Thou our Heavenly Father art Merciful O that the same mind may be in us which was in Christ Jesus who went about doing Good healing the Diseas'd comforting the Afflicted compossionating the Distressed and whose pity did not content it self with a bare saying Be ye warmed be ye cloathed be ye filld and deliver'd from your Sufferings but which did always Exert it self in Real Acts of Mercy and Beneficence O make us also thus followers of our Redeemer's Steps being Exceeding pittyful and compassionate and actually employing all our abilities for our necessitous Brethrens Succour and Relief Give us we beseech thee O most merciful God such a Sympathizing Tenderness of Spirit that we may be deeply affected with both the miseries and Prosperities of our Neighbours mourning with those that mourn and Rejoycing with those that Rejoyce as Living Members of our Saviours mystical body his Church O that it may become the Center of Unity and Concord the very Joy and Delight of the whole Earth Fulfil O Lord that promised blessing of thine unto the Christian State whereby the Wolf is to dwell with the Lamb the Loeopard to lie down with the Kid the Calf and the young Lyon together a little Child to lead them a weaned Child to put his hand on the Cockatrice-Den and nothing to hurt or destroy in thy holy mountain but all fury malice and bitterness being done away Gospel-Love and Peace and Gentleness of Spirit is to succeed O may this Gracious Promise be near its Accomplishment may this blessed State this Kingdom of thy Dear Son come Quickly O thou Composer of differences thou God of all Peace Compose those unhappy Animosities which are too much propagated among Christians let them not any longer Dishonour thy Name bring an evil Report upon our Holy Profession in General nor weaken the Interest of the Protestant Religion in particular But grant that by Brotherly Love and Concord we may Adorn the Gospel of our Saviour may win over Converts thereunto and thereby Enlarge Strengthen and Advance the Kingdom of the Ever-blessed Jesus Let the Peace of Thee our God Rule in our Hearts to the which we are call'd in one and the same hope of an Heavenly Inheritance that as we have one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all so we may henceforth be all of one Heart and of one Soul united in one holy bond of Truth and Peace of Faith and Charity And being thus Studious of Emulating each other in kindness provoking thus one another to Love and Good works and being in such a manner the Sons of Peace on Earth we shall be fitted and made meet for the joynt participation of Heavenly Glory where may we all Reign Rejoycing in each others Happyness as Sincerely if not Equally as in our own Amen Blessed Jesus Amen Meditation XV. On Improvement in Grace THe Life of Grace is best evidenc'd by Growth therein Spiritual Life no more than the Natural one can subsist without Activity and progressive Motion where-ever the seed of God is sown in Truth and Reality it will fructifie and become prolifick In the School of Grace as well as in that of Humane Learning not to Go forward and make improvement is to Go backward and Vertue like a tender young Plant if it does not Thrive and Flourish is in a Tendency to Decay and Wither The slothful unprofitable Servant who did not improve his Talent is in the Scripture-reckoning in our Lord and Saviour's account nigh as bad and as severely punish'd as the unjust Steward who wickedly embezzled it and not to make use of Grace is here reputed the same thing as not to have had it To have it by Exercise and Improvement is judg'd by God the only true Possession and he who has not the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit in this manner is said in Holy Writ only to seem to have them And instead of encreasing their Store 't is denounced there that he shall loose even those measures of Divine Vertues which were once afforded him Genuine Grace cannot stand at a stay if it does not Ascend and improve it infallibly Declines And when God gives us this Talent to Trade withal and encrease it shall we frustrate his End of Giving it by letting it lye Dead and unexercised Did Christ purchase us the Graces of the holy Spirit at the Dear and inestimable Rate of his own Bloodshed and shall we Neglect them when so purchased Did He by his precious Death and All-prevalent Intercession procure the Effusion and sending down of those Graces and shall we slight them when so sent and bestow'd on us Ah what will not obstinate Ingratitude of Sinning do It will make us turn the blessed means of Grace into occasions of Damnation make what was intended towards us a Savour of Life unto Life to become the Savour of Death unto Death through our mad folly and supine Negligence If we would but cooperate with Divine
Grace would but duely Exercise those proportions of it we Already have we should soon find larger ones flowing in upon us from Above and we should have more Abundantly of God's Spirit If we would but water and cultivate upon his implanting Gracious Dispositions in our Souls he would give Encrease to them and perfect them into holy Habits for former measures of Grace well comply'd with fit and Qualifie us for further Succeeding ones and the Sanctifying Light of the Holy-Ghost like that of the Sun shines in upon every Eye of the humane Understanding which will open to Receive it And therefore whenever we find a Good Motion in our Hearts let us remember 't is afforded us to improve that Good Disposition into a vertuous Act and to Grow thereby in Grace when-ever we find a check of Conscience against Sin a Restraining suggestion of God's Spirit let us carry it on till we arrive to an Hatred of that Vice let us proceed from an hatred of it to a Resolution of Amendment and from that to an actual Endeavour against the particular iniquity We are accountable to God not only for that measure of Grace we have Receiv'd but also for further Degrees thereof which had we well-managed the present ones we should have been made partakers of and therefore not only the mis-using Divine Gifts we were possessors of but likewise the hindrance by that misusage of God's bestowing on us future ones will be charged upon us to our Condemnation if we set not to the work and improve present Gracious intrustments And what should hinder us from doing it The Difficulty of such an undertaking Alass this is Lessen'd by the Divine Aids proffer'd and which will certainly Assist us in the performance And what I pray can seem Grievous when an Almighty power lends an helping hand to alleviate the Burthen Ah it argues a weak and Low Measure of Grace to Covet after so much of Holiness only as will barely exempt us from Hell and carry us to Heaven Such a mean Spirited person in Religion shews that Grace is not his desire upon its own account upon its pure intrinsick worth but meerly as it frees him from Divine punishment 'T is not for Love of the former so much as for fear of the Latter that he would be partaker of Holiness at all but ah how Little do they deserve Eternal Glory who are not desirous of the most Essential part thereof Divine Grace in an encreasing Measure Ah be there Different Degrees of Celestial Blessedness attainable by different Degrees of Piety and shall not this raise in us an holy Emulation a Godly to Aim at Heroick Extraordinary Measures of Goodness At the very Highest procureable Let us consider that the Longer the credited Loan of Grace remains in our Custody unimproved the Greater daily will Grow its Debt and the more ample and enflamed the Reckoning which we shall at the End of all things be call'd to give in and then to whom much was Given of him shall much be Required and whether we have put out our Talents of Grace to Usury or no yet Interest and Encrease of them will be demanded at our hands It being that we should have been busied about the procuring however we have left it unprocured Then at the Day of final Accompts it will not be Enough to say Lord here is what is Thine what thou committedst to my Trust but where is the Improvement of it where is the multiplying of it will be Enquired O then rest not Satisfied with present Attainments with weak unprogressive Measures of Sanctity but forgetting the things in Religion which are behind which are already arrived unto let us press forward to the mark for the Prize of our high Calling in Christ endeavouring after the perfecting of Holiness in God's Fear And then He who is an overflowing Fountain of Grace and Goodness and who communicates of it where ever he finds Subjects Capable of his Communications will cause us to proceed from Strength to Strength in Holyness from one Degree of Grace unto another till he has compleated our Renew'd Nature and fitted us for Eternal Glory Amen Amen The Prayer O Thou Divine Fountain and Dispenser Thou Author and Finisher of every Good and perfect Gift perfect we beseech thee that Good work of Grace which Thou hast begun to work in us carry it on to a full Growth and Maturity Assist us Holy Inspirer so constantly from Above that we may be always in our Thoughts and Affections there that whatever Good â—houghts are at any time suggested to our Minds may Spring up into fixt Principles and all our heavenly desires may become a New-Nature the constant Tenour and â—emper of our Spirits and all our holy purposes and Resolutions may Advance into a serious practice and Zealous Exercise of Godliness and all our pious Actions may improve into confirm'd Habits may become more free chearful vigorous and Delightsome O may we evidence the Sincerity of Grace within our hearts by a daily Growth and Encrease thereof may we Evidence our selves to be Alive unto God to be Quicken'd by thy Spirit by a Religious motion and progression Make us O God who are thy Husbandry like unto Trees planted by the Rivers of water which bring forth fruit in their due season O Suffer us not to be like Trees without fruit ' twice Dead pluckt up by the Roots but grant that our Leaf of holy Profession may never fall nor our Good fruit wither but that whatever pious work we take in hand it may prosper Grant that the more we Advance in years the Greater progress we may make in Grace that we may bring forth much fruit of Righteousness in our mature Age and may then be chiefly fat and well-liking as to our improvements in Holyness O blessed Lord give us to become thus more and more Like thee partakers in a larger measure of thy Divine Nature and Excellencies Give us to hunger and thirst more after Righteousness that we may in an higher Degree be Satisfied therewith Give us to lay up to our selves Treasures of Grace for Heaven rather than Treasures of Mammon upon Earth to multiply and encrease our Spiritual Talents to Grow Rich in Faith and Good Works to Rise up to a fulness of Stature in Christ Jesus to walk worthy of thee our God unto all well-pleasing perfecting of holiness in thy fear to be fill'd with all the fruits of thy Spirit which accompany Salvation That these things being in us and Abounding an Entrance may be administred unto us abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen blessed Saviour for thy Cross and Passion Sake Amen Meditation XVI On DEATH DEath the very Thoughts the very Name thereof strikes us with Horror and Affrightment but alas the first Temporal Death what is it if compared with the second Eternal one which is to be the sad Portion of all finally impenitent Sinners Were the Temporal Death
be heal'd Wash his Soul clean O God in Christ's most Precious Blood Conform him more and more to the Holy Doctrine and Example of the Ever-blessed Jesus Sanctifie him with all the Saving Graces of thy Renewing Spirit Give him if it be thy Will some Delightful Foretastes and Anticipations of Celestial Blessedness Hope towards Thee an Enravisht Sense of thy Favour Joys in the Holy Ghost unspeakable and full of Approaching Glories However if this be too great a Vouchsafement make him at least Willing to be Dissolved Fit for Heaven Full of his Saviour Empty of himself and of all Trust in his own Defective Righteousness and whenever thou takest him out of this World take him we Beseech Thee unto thy self into Everlasting Felicity Amen Holy Jesu for thy Precious Death and Passions sake Amen A Prayer to be used on the Lord's Day in the Morning Preparatory to the Duties of the Day BLessed and Glorious Lord God Thou Lord and Instituter of the Sabbath who allowest us Six Days in Seven for our Temporal and Worldly Concerns and hast Set Apart the Seventh only for thine own more Especial Service O how wisely hast thou Provided for both our â—ouls and Bodies For how would our Outward Man want Food and Raiment were not Days of Labour afforded it wherein by honest Industry to procure those Necessaries and how would our Spirit Pine away and Languish as to all Gracious Endowments were not Seasons appropriated to thy Divine Worship O that therefore at present we may Rest from the works of Sin as well as from those of our particular Callings O that we may be in the Spirit on this thine own Day that we may worship thee thereon in Spirit and in Truth that we may keep it so Holy and Sanctified unto Thee as that it may be a Pledge and Earnest of an Eternal Sabbatisme with thee in Light and Glory This is the Day which the Lord hath made by his Justifying Resurrection O may we Rejoice and be Glad therein with an Holy Rejoycing This is the Day which was the Birth-Day of our Hopes and future Blessed Expectations O may it prove a Day of Growth and Improvement in Grace of holy Ardours and Devont Enravishments Grant Gracious Father that we may not find our own Pleasure nor Speak our own Words nor do our own Deeds on this thine Hallowed-Day but may both Call and Esteem it a Delight Holy of the Lord Honourable O that Heaven an a Heavenly Frame and Temper of Spirit may be Begun in us Here by means of our pious Intercourses with Heaven amidst the Duties of thy Day We are Going O Lord unto thy House of Prayer the Place where thine Honour dwells O pardon us that we are not Prepared according to the Preparation of thy Sanctuary that we have not yet put off our Carnal and Earthly Affections Considering that the place whereon we are to stand is Holy Ground O do Thou our God vouchsafe to Go along with us into thy Temple by the Holy Aids and Assistances of thy Spirit Cause us to Approach Thee there with Reverence and to worship before thee with a Zealous Affection when we Meditate let us do it with all Seriousness Heavenly-Mindedness and Edification when we Pray let it be with the utmost Attension Faith and holy Fervour when we Hear the Glad Tidings of thy Gospel may it be with all Diligent and hearty Attendance on thy Word and Doctrine when we Read thy Holy Scriptures may they make us wise unto Salvation may we Read them with Vnderstanding with an Affectionate Gust and Relish with a Reforming Change and inward Digestion of them into Spiritual Grace and Nourishment O may this Day be added to our Share in an Happy Eternity by our Religious Improvement of it mayst Thou our God come Down unto us herein by thy Divine Influences and may we be Taken up unto thee by Devout Praises and Adorations Accompany we beseech Thee O Lord with thine own more Especial Presence thine own more Especial Ordinances and holy Institutions Cause us by the Spiritual food of pious Duties to Increase in Grace and to be Nourished up to a perfect Manhood in Christ Jesus Being Rooted and Grounded in Divine Love and built up through Faith unto a Capacity of Eternal Salvation How Earthly O God would beour Affections How Carnal and Sensual our Souls were their Thoughts and Desires alwayes busied about the things of this World Blessed be thy Name therefore that thou hast Enjoyn'd us a Season wherein to call off our Thoughts and Affections from things Temporal wherein to unloosen our Spirits from Sense and Sensual Concernments and allowest us a Sweet Converse and Communication with Thee the Fountain of all Happyness O make us more to value this inestimable Priviledge make us at present to Improve it to the best Advantage Cause us to hold a pious Harmony of Praises and Hallelujahs with thy Blessed Saints and Angels now in Heaven 'T is the Employment will be our Continual Joy and Blissful Recreation in the Regions Above O give us therefore to Habituate our selves to it Now and thereby partake of Heavenly Satisfactions even on Earth Give a Blessing to thy word Preached and to the Prayers offer'd to thy Divine Majesty on this Day while Paul plants and Apollos â—aters do Thou O God Give the Sanctifying Increase That we may be able Experimentally to say we have Tasted and Seen â—ow Gracious the Lord is we have of a Truth found how 't is Good for us that â—e have waited upon thee in the midst of thine holy Ordinances And then by these means of Grace being Train'd up and Fitted for Everlasting Glory we shall at length be Translated thither where the Exercises of Holyness shall Cease being means of Begetting or Confirming us in Grace and shall only be our Delight and Joy and Heavenly Entertainment for an Eternal Duration Amen Blessed Lord Amen FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Thomas Speed at the Three Crowns near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1693. THirty Six Sermons viz. 16 Ad Aulum 6 Ad Clerum 6 Ad Magistratum 8 Ad Populum With a large Preface by the Right Reverend Father in God Robert Sanderson late Lord Bishop of Lincoln The Eight Edition corrected and amended Whereunto is now added the Life of the Reverend and Learned Author Written by Isaac Walton Folio Conversation in Heaven Being Devotions consisting of Meditations and Prayers On several Considerable Subjects in Practical Divinity Written for the Raising the Decay'd Spirit of Piety By Lawrence Smith LL. D. Fellow of St. John's College in Oxford A Sermon at the Funeral of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Grey Late Vicar of Dedham in Essex Preach'd in the Parish-Church of Dedham Febr. the 2d 1691 2. With a short Account of his Life By