I have acknowledged my wayes and thou heardest me O teach me thy Statutes After confession of sin and prayer for pardon new obedience is required 3. Make me to understand the way of thy Commandments and so shall I talk of thy wondrous works To talk of Religion without a right Understanding is but vain babling 4. My soul melteth away for very heaviness Comfort thou me according to thy Word Godly sorrow is the inlet to divine Consolation 5. Take from me the way of lying and cause thou me to make much of thy Law Errors in judgment must be corrected and abandoned that we may obey God sincerely and cordially 6. I have chosen the way of truth and thy judgments have I laid before me What the Word of God doth judge to be true or false is to be ever chose or refused 7. I have stuck unto thy testimonies O Lord confound me not Stedfastly to cleave unto what God hath testified to be the way of truth and holiness is a sure way to avoid confusion 8. I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou hast set my heart at liberty While the heart is enfettered with sensual or worldly lusts we can neith run nor walk in the ways of God's Commandments we ought Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer O Raise up my Soul blesse Lord out of the dust and rubbish of earthly desires quicken my dulness in thy service comfort me in all my sadnesses dispel all those mists of Ignorance and Error which cloud my Understanding enlarge my heart from the bondage of Sin and Satan and out of the fetters of all Temptations unto evil and so strengthen me to run in the ways which thou hast Commanded that I may obtain what thou hast promised through Jesus Christ Our Father which art in c. CHAP. II. Of Meditations for the Third Hour of Prayer or Nine a Clock in the Morning THis is called The holy hour in the Decrees of the Church and generally the hour of publick Assemblies in the Worship of God and not without very great reason For 1. Matth. 27.20 'T was at this hour my blessed Redeemer underwent the bitter sentence of death whilest Barabbas a Thief a Rebel and a Murderer was acquitted And I vile wretch am as guilty as Barabbas in many respects and justly obnoxious to the dreadful sentence of condemnation to death eternal but by the infinite Merits and Mysteries of thy Condemnation Good Lord deliver me 2. Matth. 27.26 'T was at this hour of the day my blessed Redeemer exposed his tender breasts and delicate back and shoulders to be rased rent and torn with forked whips by cruel blood-thirsty souldiers until his innocent Body was all over gore blood And my sins deserve the scourges and mine offences the rod of the Almighties just indignation but blessed Lord I humbly beg that I may so wash my polluted soul with the penitent tears of holy compunction through Faith in the blood of my Saviour and so chastise and keep under that body of sin which is and too much reigneth in my Members Eccles 39.28 that being delivered from the guilt and tyranny of sin in this life I may escape those fiery whips and scourgings of the spirits of vengeance which are the portion of the disobedient and impenitent in the other life 3. Act. 2.15 'T was at this hour of the day the Holy Ghost descended upon the holy Apostles and Disciples of Christ and by his celestial influences replenished them with extraordinary Gifts and Graces for the propagation of his holy Gospel and the plantation of his Church through the World And Vouchsafe holy God vouchsafe unto me also thy unworthy servant the guidance of the same spirit by whose Illumination and Sanctification I may both perceive and know what things I ought to do and also may have Grace faithfully to perform the same through Jesus Christ And the Earth was without form and void Gen. 1.2 darkness was upon the face of the deep And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters Such was thy condition O my Soul in thy state of Nature without form or comeliness the image of God wherein thy beauty consists was defac'd by original corruption void both of Grace and Truth an Abyss of darkness and in the shadow of death till the all-quickning Spirit of God moving upon the hallowed waters of Baptism caused the light to appear But still the dregs of thy natural corruption remain and the darkness of ignorance ever hovers upon the face of the Deep But where the Spirit of God is there is liberty both rightly to understand and acceptably to perform his Will COme Holy Ghost eternal God Proceeding from above Both from the Father and the Son The God of Peace and Love Visit my Mind and into me Thy heavenly Grace inspire That in all Truth and Godliness I may have the desire Kindle my heart with fervent love To serve God day and night Strength and stablish all my weakness So feeble and so frail That neither flesh the world nor devil Against me do prevail And grant O Lord that thou being My Leader and my Guide I may eschew the snares of sin And from thee never slide ALmighty God unto whom all hearts are open all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit that we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnifie thy holy Name through Jesus Christ Glory be to God on high on earth peace This Hymn is prescribed to be used in the Morning by the Apostolical Constit l. 7. c. 47. and at the Third Hour of the Morning because then the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles and replenished them with glory exultation and joy Dur. Rat. l. 4. c. 13. good will towards men We praise Thee we bless Thee we worship Thee we glorifie Thee we give thanks to Thee for thy great Glory heavenly King God the Father Almighty O Lord the only begotten Son Jesus Christ O Lord God Lamb of God Son of the Father that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the sins of the world receive our prayers Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father have mercy upon us For Thou only art Holy Thou only art the Lord Thou only O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most High in the Glory of God the Father Amen PSALMS for the Third Hour Legem pone Psal 119. Part. 5. Horâ tertiâ Psalmus Legem pone dicitur quia tunc lex nova data est Apostolis Dur. Rat. l. 5. c. 6. Verses 1. TEach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end The Understanding must first be enlightned that the Affections of the Heart
every good Christian be devoutly used say then with thy most ardent desires to extol the glory of God PSALM CXLV verse 1 I Will magnifie thee O God my King and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever verse 2 Every day will I give thanks unto thee and praise thy Name for ever and ever verse 3 Great is the Lord and marvellous worthy to be praised there is no end of his greatness verse 4 One generation shall praise thy works unto another and declare thy power verse 5 As for me I will be talking of thy worship thy Glory thy Praise and wondrous works verse 6 So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts and I will tell of thy greatness verse 7 The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed and men shall sing of thy righteousness verse 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful long-suffering and of great goodness verse 9 The Lord is loving unto every man and his mercy is over all his works verse 10 All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints give thanks unto thee verse 11 They shew the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power verse 12 That thy power thy glory and the mightiness of thy Kingdom might be known unto men verse 13 Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy Dominion endureth throughout all ages verse 14 The Lord upholdeth all such as fall and lifteth up all those that are down verse 15 The eyes of all wait upon thee O Lord and thou givest them their meat in due season verse 16 Thou openest thine hand and fillest all things living with plenteousness verse 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works verse 18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully verse 19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will help them verse 20 The Lord preserveth all them that love him but scattereth abroad all the ungodly verse 21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. An Evening Hymn NOw that the sable mantle of the night O're-spreads the earth and vailes the chearful light O Lord who art of light and life the spring Of Grace and Glory the eternal King Vpon thy servant cause thy face to shine And save me for thy mercies sake divine Forgive me what I have offended in This day by thought or word or deed of sin For my sweet Saviours sake propitious be To him who now pours forth his soul to thee All Glory be to thine eternal merit Most blessed Father Son and Holy Spirit Amen CHAP. VI. Of Bed-time Meditations I. I Am Alpha and Omega Rev. 1.8 Is 44.6 the Beginning and the End the First and the Last saith the Lord from the Lord I have my Beginning and he is the end of my Being 'T is therefore meet and just and thy bounden duty as to begin so to end the day with the service of thy God to make the outgoings of the Morning and of the Evening to praise him who hath made the Night and the Day The day is thine Ps 79.17 and the night is thine Thou hast prepared the light and the Sun Thou hast set all the borders of the earth Thou hast made the Summer 18. and the Winter II. 'T was at this hour my dear Redeemer was in a bitter Agony Luk. 22.44 Luk. 23.53 c. and sweat great drops of Blood under the pressure of the sins of men and out of a sad apprehension of his ensuing sufferings for the same 'T was at this hour also our Lord was laid in the Grave and lamented by the women that followed him to his Death Now then let tears distill from thine eyes in the devout remembrance of that precious Blood which flowed from thy Saviours veins Thy miscarriages and offences this very day of omission and commission of ignorance and knowingly of negligence and wilfully of thought and desire word and deed if they be not washed away in this Blood of thy Lord they will involve thee in blackness of darkness for ever and in the horrid sleep of death from whence there is no awaking O then cast them out of thy heart by a plenary particular Confession of all thy this dayes enormities wash away the filth and pollution of them with the tears of godly sorrow which being intermixt with Faith in the Blood of Christ makes an healing salve for thy sin-sick Soul O blessed Jesu Saviour of the world save me and deliver me from all mine offences nail them to thy Cross bury them in thy Grave let them never rise up in judgment against me to my condemnation at the last great day And O that now upon the Religious contemplation of my Saviours burial I could bid adieu to this wicked world and to all the pomps and vanities thereof that being delivered from the iniquities of this sinful life I may escape the bitter wailing and weeping of the wicked in the life to come PSALMS For the Compline or Bed-time The IV. Psalm Paraphrased verse 1 O God the donor preserver and rewarder of my righteousness thou hast set me at liberty from the bondage of sin and of Satan when I was in trouble through the tyranny they exercised over me have mercy upon me and hearken unto my prayer that I be no more involved in that sad condition which it highly concerns all men to avoid verse 2 O ye sons of men of the old Adam how long will ye blaspheme mine honour advancing the creature above your Creator and have such pleasure in vanity take such delight in what is empty vain and satisfies not and seek after leasing pursuing the lying vanities of this wicked world verse 3 Know this for your instruction that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is godly hath selected from among the children of men certain vessels of honour devoted to his service and were I so happy as to be one of these elect people of God holy and separate from the vanities of the world I could not doubt but when I call upon the Lord he will hear me verse 4 Stand in awe and sin not or fear the Lord and depart from evil and that you may do so Commune with your own heart examine what thoughts what desires do harbour in every corner of your heart in your Chamber and be still in the silence of the night recollect the actions of the day silently and closely that ye may do it exactly and having cleansed your hearts verse 5 Offer unto God the sacrifice of righteousness vow unto him a new obedience to his holy Will and Commandments which is the rule of righteousness and if you perform this vow you may with some
we may be armed against all temptations 8. I see that all things come to an end but thy Commandment is exceeding broad We see by dayly experience that all those worldly things and carnal delights whereby we are tempted to sin do quickly vanish but he that doth the Will of the Lord abideth for ever Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer I Am thine O Lord not only by Creation but also solemnly devoted by regeneration in Baptism and I am resolved to continue thine O save me from every transgression of any of thy most holy Laws which all creatures in their several kinds do obey Let not the secret underminings of the Devil or the open flattering felicities of the world cozer and ensnare me for these shall suddenly come to an end but obedience to thy Commandments is the way to life without end through Jesus Christ The Thirteenth Part. Verses 1. Lord what love have I unto thy Law All the day long is my study in it He that truly loves God loves also what he commands and frequently meditates thereupon 2. Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with me God's commandment extending to the love of our enemies exceeds the utmost wisdom of the heathen who have not the knowledge of his Laws 3. I have more understanding than my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my study But he that will be truly wise must not cursorily read the Letter but studiously consider and dive into the spirit and life of the Law 4. I am wiser than the aged because I keep thy Commandments Wisdom is increased and perfected by obedience to the dictates thereof 5. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I may keep thy Word He that will do what God commands must refrain from all that he forbids First cease to do evil and then learn to do well 6. I have not shrunk from thy judgments for thou hearest me 'T is the secret teaching of God's Spirit in the heart that keeps the feet firm from backfliding 7. O how sweet are thy Words unto my throat yea sweeter than honey unto my mouth The fruits of a true Faith or sincere Obedience is more sweet to the soul than honey to the mouth 8. Through thy Commandments I get Vnderstanding therefore I hate all evil wayes The right Understanding of good and evil discovers both the beauty of obedience and the deformity of every sinful action The Prayer ALmighty God the fountain of all wisdom give me I humbly beseech thee a wise and understanding heart hating and refraining from every evil way loving Thee and thy Laws and mine enemies also in obedience thereunto Let me never shrink from thy judgments but stedfastly believe the Truth of thy revelations and regularly obey the same that I may reap the sweet fruits of holiness in eternal happiness through Jesus Christ The Fourteenth Part. Verses 1. Thy Word is a Lanthorn unto my feet and a light unto my paths Gods Word as a Lanthorn in the night directs us in our passage through the darkness of this life to the light of life eternal 2. I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous judgments Therefore every truly wise man resolves stedfastly to follow and obey the directions of this holy Word according to his Vow in Baptism 3. I am troubled above measure quicken me O Lord according to thy Word But the flesh lusting against the spirit disturbs such holy resolves and endeavours but by the grace of God the pious soul is quickned and the spirit fortified against all such encounters and this God hath promised in the same Word 4. Let the freewill-offerings of my mouth please thee O Lord and teach me thy judgments For the which grace 't is our duty to pray and that more willingly and chearfully and more frequently than at ordinary and accustomed times 5. My Soul is alway in my hand yet do I not forget thy Law The continual dangers of the souls safety should engage us often to meditate upon divine Truths 6. The ungodly have laid a snare for me but I swerved not from thy Commandments From the which all the temptations of wicked spirits should not make us to swerve 7. Thy Testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever for why they are the very joy of my heart 'T is obedience that entitles to the inheritance of Heaven which fills the hearts of the righteous with joy unspeakable and glorious 8. I have applied my heart to fulfil thy Statutes alway unto the end Therefore are the hearts of the godly inclined to persevere in their obedience unto the end of their lives Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer WHen I was first enrolled a member of thy Church O Lord I solemnly vowed and have often since renewed this Vow to keep thy holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the dayes of my life but the lustings of the flesh against the spirit and the snares of Satan do daily trouble such my holy resolutions and promises Vouchsafe blessed Lord to quicken and fortifie my spirit against all the crafts and assaults of my ghostly adversaries that I may have power and strength to get the victory and to triumph over the Devil the World and the Flesh and to continue thy faithful Servant and Souldier unto my lifes end through Jesus Christ The Fifteenth Part. Verses 1. I hate them that imagine evil things but thy Law do I love He that truly loves God and his Truth will detest not the persons of any but the sinful imaginations of all men 2. Thou art my defence and my shield and my trust is in thy Word Whilst we sincerely trust in the Truth of God's promises in his Word we need not to doubt of his protection and defence 3. Away from me ye wicked I will keep the Commandments of my God The society of wicked men must be avoided by every one that rightly resolves to keep God's Commandments 4. O stablish me according to thy Word that I may live and let me not be disappointed of my hope 'T is by the divine assistance continually implor'd that we are so establish'd in the life of grace that we be not disappointed of our hopes of the life of glory 5. Hold thou me up and I shall be safe yea my delight shall be ever in thy Statutes Being supported by the divine Grace this hope stands firm and 't is strengthned by holy love and delight in the service of God 6. Thou hast trodden down all them that depart from thy Statutes for they imagine but deceit They are justly deprived of this blessed hope who transgress the lawes of God their own fond imaginations deceiving them 7. Thou puttest away all the ungodly like dross therefore I love thy Testimonies The judgments of God pursuing the wicked to their
destructive and their right hand is full of gifts even their righteous actions are for bribes and sinister ends transacted and such are all they who make a gain of godliness verse 11 But as for me though others pursue their worldly interests through injustice and bribery yet I will walk innocently that 's the desire and resolution of my Soul O deliver me through the precious blood of my Redeemer which was shed for my deliverance defend me from all my ghostly enemies that would destroy mine innocence and be merciful unto me let thy mercy both pardon my by-past transgressions and support me through all the perils of this mortal life verse 12 My foot standeth right fixed in my affections to cleave unto thee and I will praise the Lord in the congregations in the assemblies of the Lord's people in the house where his Honour dwelleth and so shall I hope to be hereafter admitted into the blissful company of Angels and Saints to Praise the Lord for ever saying Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The XLIII Psalm PARAPHRASED verse 1 GIve sentence with me O God when I stand before thee to be judged according to my works done in the body whether good or evil O then defend my cause against the ungodly people Plead for me against all the accusations of men women devils in whose company or by whose temptations I have done any evil O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man that I be not ranked amongst such upon the left hand of unrighteousness and infelicity verse 2 For thou art the God of my strength By whom I am enabled to resist all my ghostly enemies why hast thou put me from thee leaving me to mine own weak frail and sinful self And this is the reason why go I so heavily in the ways of thy service and of mine own salvation whilst the enemy oppresseth me being destitute of thy help the grand enemy of God and man overpowers me with his temptations and assaults But that I may manfully resist and overcome verse 3 O send out thy light and thy truth the light of thy Grace and the truth of thy righteousness which discerns the cause of the righteous from the ungodly that they may lead me out of all the errors of this sinful life that being separated from the allurements and society of the ungodly they may bring me to thy holy hill where thy Temple is scituate and to thy dwelling the place where thine honor dwelleth verse 4 And that I may go to the Altar of God both Sacramental and Mystical upon the Altar of my heart to offer up my whole self to be a living Sacrifice Holy acceptable unto God even the God of my joy and gladness who makes glad my heart by the consolations of his Holy Spirit when I approach his Altar and upon the Harp which is an instrument of a Triangular figure and represents the heart of man wherewithal I will give thanks unto thee O holy and ever blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost one God over all blessed for ever and my God even the God of my joy and worship my glory and my Crown O then verse 5 Why art thou so heavy O my Soul There is no sorrow but for sin because this alone separateth the Soul from the God of all consolation and why art thou so disquieted within me 'T is thy unquiet passions and unruly lusts which disturb thy reason and withdraw thee thus disquieted from a sincere dependance upon thy God but return return unto thy rest O my Soul verse 6 O put thy trust in God all thy sorrows and distempers are from thy self thy health and joy is from the Lord and for this I will yet give him thanks who is to be praised in both the seasons of sadness and joy for in both He is the help of my countenance the lightsome gladness of my heart and my God both of my Being and Well-being even the God of all that I am and all that I have and all that I hope to be which is to enjoy the beatifical vision of his divine Majesty for ever to sing Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. THE Third general Meditation Upon the PAINS of HELL MAny are the opinions and disputes and too curious also the disquisitions touching the place and nature matter manner and duration of the pains of Hell But it would be more Christian prudence strictly to search and find out those crooked deceitful and polluted paths which lead to that dismal place of torments that we may decline and avoid them 'T is surely better by much not to feel by woful experience the miseries of the damned than exactly to know and accurately to discourse of them And may this be ever my study blessed Lord my continual care and fear and constant endeavour not in the least particular to sin against thee for thy wrath and indignation which resteth upon sinners is a fierce wrath and a terrible 't is not in the power of frail man to sustain the fury of it MEDITAT I. Of the pain of Loss THe first and 't is esteemed by many holy Fathers the greatest of Hell Torments is that which is call'd by Divines The pain of Loss whereunto the wicked of the world are sentenced in these several expressions Mat. 22.13 25.30 41. Luc. 13 27. Take him away Cast him out I know you not Depart from me ye cursed The Pains of Sense in hell are intolerable saith Chrys yet for a man to suffer a thousand Hells is less irksome S. Chrys Hom. 28. than to be banisht from Heaven to be driven from the presence of God to be exil'd out of the regions of Light and Joy to be rejected of the Lord and to hear from him I know you not Depart from me The Loss of Heaven must needs be the greatest of evils because 't is the Loss of the greatest and most perfect good and of all that is truly good To lose good things we do now enjoy in the world may be recompenced with advantage by the gain of heaven but to lose Heaven it self to forfeit the right and title we once had happily obtained to be inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven is a loss irreparable Nothing can compensate nothing can equal nothing to be compared to this Loss Id. Serm. 't is hell enough it self if there were no other In this life the most wise and holy understand not throughly the fulness of Heavenly joys and so cannot be sensible of the torment of their Loss but in the next life our eyes shall be opened and the veil upon our hearts removed and then shall the ungodly see to their unspeakable grief and anguish of spirit the vast difference betwixt the never fading pleasures of the right hand of God and the empty transitory pleasures of sin betwixt that fulness of joy in the presence of
Heart To pray continually enjoyns the constant and continued returns of this holy Duty that we lose no time neglect no opportunity either of publick Prayers of the Church or of private Prayer and Closet-devotions upon the set solemn and accustomed times thereof remembring that the time only which is employed in the sacred acts of Piety towards God and Charity towards Man is redeemed c Eph. 5.6 out of the all-devouring jaws of death and dark oblivion to be the Seminary of a blessed Eternity d Gal. 6.8 when Time shall be no more That we ought always to pray i. e. say the Fathers upon the Text at those appointed Hours observed by the Church of God both under the Law called therefore the hours of the Temple and under the Gospel called the Canonical hours so generally observ'd formerly of all devout Christians that S. Hierome with his Quis nescit takes it for granted that no godly Christian is either ignorant or negligent in the observation of such hours as being probably observed by holy David saying Psal 119.164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments To continue in Prayer is to have our hearts so inflamed with the love of God as to be in a continual disposition to Pray and this not only at all set and accustomed times but at all times and upon all occasions and objects presented to raise up our Souls upon the Spiritual wings of holy Meditations celestial affections devout colloquies and ejaculatory converses with Heaven Thus Enoch walked with God and was translated a Gen. 5.24 Heb. 11.5 Thus King David professeth I have set God always before me b Ps 16.9 And I will give thanks unto the Lord his praise shall ever be in my mouth c Ps 34.1 no time omitted Evening and Morning and Noon-day d Ps 55.17 18. early and late e Ps 63.1 7 no place pretermitted in the Wilderness in the land of Jordan and the unbeaten paths of Hermon f Ps 42.8 S. Hierom professeth of himself that often on the tops of Mountains and in hollow Valleys and craggy Rocks with eyes lifted up to Heaven and flowing with tears he poured forth his Soul in holy Prayers and Meditations g S. Hierom Ep. ad Eustor So Meditates S. Austin also Te Domine mediter per dies sine cessatione Te sentiam per soporem in nocte Te alloquar h Aug. Medit. O that I could Meditate upon thee O Lord through the whole day and not cease to be affected with thee in the night my Spirit speaking unto thee and my mind conversing with thee alway and alone Blessed are they who think of nothing speak of nothing but the Lord who love nothing above thee desire nothing besides thee Blessed are they whose hope alone is the Lord and all whose work is Prayer And several of the devout Fathers computed all that time lost wherein God was not in their minds and memories and there is great reason for it as the same S. Austin meditates For as there is no moment of time wherein we enjoy not the sweet influences of the divine goodness and stand in need also of God's protecting presence with us So there should be no time wherein we have not God in our thoughts i Aug. Marcu Wait on thy God continually k Hos 12.16 Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore l Ps 105.4 Thus S. Paul and all truly devout Christians with him have their conversation in heaven m Phil. 3.20 whilst they are upon earth and that 's the way surely to have our conversation in Heaven when we shall be taken from the earth This Second Part of the Practical Christian consists of Ejaculatory Prayers and Meditations with several Psalms paraphrased and illustrated relating to the hours of Prayer and to other subjects both useful and necessary to be considered by every such devout person as seriously minds the eternal Salvation of his Soul 'T is not hereby intended magisterially to impose upon any persons either at what hours they shall pray precisely in their Closets or that they should thus or thus punctually Meditate and Pray at all such times and upon every such subject prefixed But To put all good Christians in mind of those hours of Prayer which the Church and people of God and many thousands in all the parts of Christendom do still observe as such and therefore they are the most fitting seasonable times wherein to make our religious addresses to Heaven if we desire to be true Members of the holy Catholick Church and to practise the Communion of Saints and to reap the fruits of the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Faith That the ensuing Meditations may be helps of Devotion to the more weak and imperfectly religious who may have here seasonable hints to raise up their Souls to converse with Heaven at all times and upon all occasions And the more perfect also may here meet with some Notions and remembrances to excite them unto higher and more sublime elevations So many Psalms are added to every Chapter of Meditations to recal if possible the Devotion of the present times to the ancient and sure way of Religious exercise which was and is still by all sound and Orthodox Devotaries in the devout use of the Psalms of David 't was thus that all the triumphing Saints in Heaven have prayed themselves thither as far forth as their Religious practises appear unto us upon record in Ecclesiastical Story and 't is a safe way to follow their steps rather than the fanciful conceptions of our own heads especially remembring that it is acknowledged by all Christians that the Psalms of David are the Treasury of all Devotion 'T is known that they are and ever were the constant Prayers of the Church and People of God at all times and upon all occasions It cannot be denyed but that they are the immediate Dictates and Prayers of the holy and true Spirit of God and therefore it must surely follow that they are of higher dignity greater efficacy and acceptation with God than the most seemingly-zealous and pathetical expressions in Prayer which flow from the spirit of the most learned and ready tongue'd man It is to be lamented even to astonishment at the madness and folly of many persons professing to be godly that they do so highly extol the Praying by the Spirit and yet altogether neglect the use of those Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs commanded Eph. 5.19 Col. 3.16 and are the infallible and undeniable Prayers of the Spirit of Truth and Holiness But 't is the fond imaginations of their own hearts that such do mean by the Spirit if they blaspheme not and 't is these indigested conceptions of their own brain which blinds their Zeal and darkens their Vnderstanding to slight both the Prayers of David and of the Son of David also even all the immediate
assurance put your trust in the Lord especially for spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ nor greedily desiring with most men the good things of this life verse 6 There be many that say who will shew us any good meaning worldly goods but the man that is godly doth say verse 7 Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us by the Lord saith one is meant the Father by his Countenance the Son and by the light of his Countenance the Holy Ghost whose light of Grace and Truth embeams our souls to the hopes of the eternal light of Glory verse 8 Thou hast put gladness in mine heart Cordial joy is a beam displayed from the light of God's Countenance since the time their corn and wine and oyl increased such increase adds nothing to the true joy of the heart which consists in being rich towards God not to the world verse 9 I will lay me down in peace and take my rest being confident of thy grace and favor I shall sleep securely not fearing the worst of evils this night can befal for 't is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safety to whom be all Glory even to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. PSALM XXXI To the Seventh Verse verse 1 IN thee O Lord as a powerful protector have I put my trust that my hopes in thee may prevent my fears against which I also pray let me never be put to confusion not eternally though I temporally suffer for my due correction deliver me in thy righteousness not for mine but for thine own righteousness sake who hast promised deliverance to them that trust in thee verse 2 Bow down thy ear of mercy and hear me being bowed down in misery and the proper object of mercy make haste to deliver me Come holy Jesus my Redeemer come quickly to deliver me that I fail not in my temptations and troubles verse 3 And be thou my strong rock that I may stand firm against every shock of temptation and my house of defence like a house built upon a rock sure is my defence whilst my sure trust is in thee that thou mayst save me In no other do I seek for Salvation verse 4 For thou art my strong rock and my castle which renders me inexpugnable by all the assaults of my adversaries Be thou also my guide that I neither presume too much upon thy favour nor yet despair of thy mercy but betwixt these extreams lead me in the right way for thy names sake not for any desert in me but that thy name may be glorified by me verse 5 Draw me out of that net of inveigling temptations which they my ghostly adversaries have privily laid for me suggesting evil under the shew and pretence of what is good for thou art my strength against which no powers of earth or hell can prevail verse 6 Into thy hands I commend my spirit So prayed my blessed Redeemer when he gave up the ghost and so will I ever say to him who dyed for me Into thy hands who art mighty to save I commend my spirit in all the concerns of its health and Salvation For thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth O suffer not that Soul to perish which thou so dearly purchased Glory be to God the Father who hath Created me and all the world Glory be to God the Son who hath Redeemed me and all mankind Glory be to God the Holy Ghost who hath Sanctified me and all the elect people of God PSALM XCI To be used at this time by the direction of St. Basil verse 1 WHoso dwelleth and flitteth not but continues under the defence of the most high in a holy and humble confidence of the protection of the most high God of Heaven shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty be continually protected by him who hath all might and power to defend And therefore verse 2 I will say not with my lips only but with an affectionate heart unto the Lord who seeth and inclineth to the secret desires of the Soul Thou art my hope even all the happiness I hope for and my strong hold against all my weaknesses and defects my God in him will I trust not presuming upon any power that is either in or from my self or from any other doubt not then O my Soul verse 3 For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter that great pursuer of Souls unto death the Devil and from the noysom pestilence the pestilential tongues of scoffers detractors slanderers c. verse 4 He shall defend thee under his wings of merciful protection and thou shalt be safe under his feathers as the hen gathereth her chickens under her feathered wings when any storm or danger appears His faithfulness and truth in keeping promise with his people shall be thy shield and buckler against all the fiery darts of the Devil verse 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night of any terrifying dreams or black illusions suggested by the spirits of darkness nor for the arrow that flyeth by day more open and day-time assaults of the Devil verse 6 For the Pestilence that walketh in darkness such diseases as secretly and in the night season do unperceivably infect either the soul or body nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noon-day which do more openly and in the day-time seise and consume this mortal life verse 7 A thousand shall fall beside thee and ten thousand at thy right hand many shall fall away into destruction that presume to be numbred among the Sheep of Christ on his right hand but it shall not come nigh thee thou shalt not thus fall either into sin or condemnation verse 8 Yea with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the ungodly to thine unspeakable consolation not for their distress but that thou hast escaped the same recompense of evil works verse 9 For thou Lord art my hope and whilst he is so O my Soul thou hast set thy house of defence very high for 't is setled in him who dwelleth in the high and holy Heavens and therefore thou maist be confident that verse 10 There shall no evil either of sin that is mortal or of punishment that is eternal happen unto thee casually befall thee but through thine own fault neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling any temporal evils to afflict thee but for thy good verse 11 For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 verse 12 They shall bear thee in their hands be ready at hand powerfully to assist thee that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone stumble and fall not upon any rock of offence verse 13 Thou shalt go upon the Lyon and Adder the young Lyon and the Dragon-shalt thou tread under thy
sins is himself tempted by idleness Watch ye therefore Mat. 13.36 for you know not when the master of the house cometh at Even or at Mid-night or at the Cock-crowing or in the Morning Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping 37. Upon wandring wanton Eyes A Wicked eye is an evil thing Ecclus. 31.13 and what is created more wicked than an Eye and therefore it weepeth upon every occasion How dare I look up unto Heaven which is the throne of Gods Purity with those eyes that have been set upon vanity and iniquity A wise mans eyes are in his head Eccl. 2.14 but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth I have made a Covenant with mine eyes not to look upon a maid Job 31 1. For whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her Mat. 5.28 hath already committed adultery with her in his heart But mine eyes shall be ever looking unto the Lord Ps 25.15 for he shall pluck my feet out of the net my affections from being ensnared with unlawful objects When you are tempted to any Sin Meditat. I. Avoid Satan thou wicked and unclean spirit avoid Thou hast no part or lot in me I am solemnly devoted to the service of my God and my Jesus and thy sworn adversary I have solemnly abjured thee and all thy works and must not now yield to any of thine unclean suggestions Be merciful unto me Ps 57.1 O God be merciful unto me for my Soul trusteth in Thee and under the shadow of thy Wings shall be my refuge until this tyranny be overpast I will call unto the most high God 2. even to the God that shall perform the cause I have in hand He shall send from Heaven and save me 3. from the reproof of him that would eat me up God shall send forth his mercy and truth 4. my Soul is among Lyons the Devil and his Angels have too great a hank upon my Soul But my trust is in the tender mercy of my God therefore I shall not fall Meditat. II. When I am tempted to any evil I complain of the Devil but my self is the greatest Devil to my Soul whilst I do not deny my self the fulfilling of its irrational appetites All the forces wherewith the enemy fights against my Soul are within me 'T is from those warring members within they are both raised armed and maintained But whensoever I call upon God Ps 56.9 then shall mine enemies be put to flight this I know for God is on my side In Gods word will I rejoice 10. in the Lords word will I comfort me Yea in God have I put my trust 11. I will not fear what man or Devil can do unto me Meditat. III. Being Tempted Say 'T is the Lords cause I must now maintain 't is his quarrel I must fight for the grand enemy of God and Man would now rob God of his Honour and of that Obedience which is due to his most holy Laws and I being Tempted am thereby challenged to be the Lords Champion But I will not trust in my Bow Ps 44.7 't is not my Sword that shall save me But it is thou Lord 8. that savest us from our enemies and puttest them to confusion that hate us Arise Ps 74.23 O God maintain thine own cause remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee dayly Forget not the voice of thine enemies 24. the presumption of them that hate thee encreaseth ever more and more Meditat. IV. Vpon Temptations The victory over the Devil and all his temptations were easily obtained could I but once get the mastery over those lusts which war against the Soul In which spiritual warfare the banner under which I must fight is the Cross of my Redeemer by the vertue whereof all my intestine foes may be vanquisht in the Crucifixion of them and the old man with all his mutinous troops of deceivable lusts be subdued and led captive in the Chains of holy Mortification O blessed Jesus the Captain of my Salvation strengthen and encourage me manfully to fight under thy banner against all my ghostly adversaries And let thy Grace so prevent and follow me that I may follow thee by the Cross to the Crown through the School of Grace to the Throne of Glory Amen Upon the Prevailing of any Temptation I will say unto the God of my strength Ps 42.11 why hast thou forgotten me and why go I thus heavily while the enemy oppresseth me My bones are smitten asunder as with a Sword 12 while mine enemies that trouble me cast me in the teeth Namely 13. while they say daily unto me where is now thy God Have mercy upon me O God Ps 41.10 have mercy upon me raise thou me up again and I shall reward them being more careful to resist the Devil and all his suggestions Forsake me not O Lord my God Ps 38. ult be not thou far from me Haste thee to help me O Lord God of my Salvation Having escaped a Temptation The snares of death compassed me round about Ps 18.3 and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid The pains of hell came about me 4. the snares of death overtook me If the Lord himself had not been on my side I may well now say Ps 124.1 if the Lord himself had not been on my side The waters of Temptation had drowned me 3. and the stream had gone over my Soul Yea the deep waters of the proud had gone even over my Soul 4. But praised be the Lord who hath not given me over for a prey unto their teeth My Soul is escaped even as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler 5. the snare is broken and I am delivered Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord 6. who hath made heaven and earth To whom be all Glory Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. When you Hunger or Thirst I. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness Mat. 5.6 for they shall be satisfied They shall receive such a satisfaction as the most delicious of bodily meats and drinks cannot give He that drinketh of this water shall thirst again Joh. 4.13 but whoso shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst But the water that I shall give him 14. shall be in him a Well of living water springing up to everlasting life Lord evermore give me this water that I thirst not 'T is the Graces of thy holy Spirit I humbly beg which alone can satisfie the vast desires of my Soul II. Labour not for the meat that perisheth Joh. 6.27 but labour for that meat which endureth to everlasting life which the son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed sent into the world to be the incorruptible Food of our immortal
soever with his bone full of marrow might yet dare to live unprepared for death presuming still upon further time and space for Repentance and amendment Lord make me ever mindful of my latter end that I may so live in thy fear as to dye in thy favour and a well grounded hope to live with thee for ever 'T is to little purpose to remember my death except I remember also the sins of my by-past life both the sins of my youth and of my riper age mine ignorances my negligences my manifold omissions of my duty towards God towards my neighbour towards my self and these to bewail with the tears of godly sorrow that my polluted Soul being washed I may through Faith in the blood of my Redeemer chearfully commend the same into his merciful hands and say Into thy hands I commend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth Every change in my frail constitution every little pain and ache in my corruptible flesh all distempers diseases are as so many memorials of my mortality but the older I grow the nearer still is the approach of my dissolution by the hand of death Heb. 8. ult for that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away The Prayers LOok graciously upon me O Lord I beseech thee in the time of my approaching dissolution and the more the outward man decayeth strengthen me so much the more continually by thy Grace and Holy Spirit in the inner man give me unfeigned repentance for all the errors of my life past and a stedfast Faith in thy Son Jesus that my sins may be done away by thy mercy and my pardon sealed in Heaven before I go hence and be no more seen II. IN the midst of life we be in death of whom may we seek for succour but of thee O Lord who for our sins art justy displeased Yet O Lord God most holy O Lord most mighty O holy and most merciful Saviour deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts shut not up thy merciful ears to our Prayers but spare us O Lord most holy O God most mighty O holy and most merciful Saviour thou most worthy Judge eternal suffer us not at our last hour for any pains of death to fall from thee III. IN my last hour O Lord I humbly beg thy protection from the busie suggestions and direful insultings of my grand enemies the Devil and his Angels Oh let not then my Faith fail or my Hope wither or my Charity wax cold with the waining flesh But when all my joynts shall tremble by the batteries of death mine eyes be darkned and my tongue falter then O then let my heart be enlarged towards my God waiting upon thee longing for thee and incessantly praying shew me thy mercy O Lord and grant me thy Salvation The XXXIX Psalm Verses 1. I Said I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not in my tongue The meditation of death makes every wise man careful of all his wayes and more especially to avoid the offences of the tongue 2. I will keep my mouth as 't were with a bridle while the ungodly is in my sight The tongue is an unruly evil and must be tam'd as a wild horse with a bridle when provok'd by captious contentious and quarrelsome persons 3. I held my tongue and spake nothing I kept silence yea even from good words but it was pain and grief unto me Reproaches are best answered with a discreet silence so was our Lord as a Lamb dumb before the Shearers 4. My heart was hot within and while I was thus musing the fire kindled d To abstain from good words is sometimes necessary for the avoiding of an evil construction but such silence is grievous to the pious Soul which burns with the fire of divine love and zeal to God's glory The zeal of thine house bath even eaten me and at the last I spake with my tongue Though it be often inconvenient to speak before wicked men yet 't is alway necessary to speak unto God by Prayer 5. Lord let me know mine end and the number of my daies that I may be certified how long I have to live 'T is a blessing we ought alway to pray for to be feelingly sensible of the shortness of our life 6. Behold thou hast made my dayes as 't were a span long and mine age is nothing in respect of thee and verily every man living is altogether vanity The life of man if compar'd with God's everlasting being is rather to be called a death than a life a vanity not a verity of being 7. For man walketh in a vain shadow he disquieteth himself in vain he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them The hearts of men are darkned with the shadows of happiness whilst they vainly care for worldly wealth which is as transitory and uncertain as the life it self 8. And now Lord what is my hope truly my hope is even in thee 'T is not in riches nor in all the world affords but in God alone that all hope of true happiness is attainable 9. Deliver me from all mine offences and make me not a rebuke to the foolish Our sins deprive us of all true weh-grounded hopes in God and make us lyable to the scorn even of foolish men 10. I became dumb and opened not my mouth for it was thy doing We must with a patient silence suffer the reproaches of others because occasioned by our offences and because sent from God for our amendment 11. Take thy plague away from me I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand And confess withal that we deserve to be consumed by the just judgments of God 12. When thou with rebukes dost chasten man for sin thou makest his beauty to consume away as 't were a moth fretting a garment every man therefore is but vanity Whose lightest chastisements do easily deface the beauty and decay the strength of this corruptible body 13. Hear my prayer O Lord and with thine ears consider my calling hold not thy peace at my tears Therefore the devout Soul is poured forth in Prayers with tears of godly sorrow for her offences from whence all the miseries of this life do flow 14. For I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were The earth is a strange land to the Immortal Soul whose native home is heaven where she was framed by the hands of the Almighty after his own Image 15. O spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and be no more seen Which Image being defaced by her sins she humbly begs with tears time and space by Repentance Faith and new obedience to recover her native strength and beauty before she leave her tabernacle of flesh Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. The Prayer SInce my