Prayer we have to do Have we that importunity and Earnestness of Supplication that warmth and Zeal of Devout Address which is any way suitable to those pressing Indigencies we have to be supply'd To those burthensome miseries we have to be delivered from Or does not coldness and indifferency of affection wandering and distraction of thoughts Dulness and weariness of mind mix with and deprave our Divine Worship Ah how Little fervour of Spirit have we in serving the Lord how Little of the true Spirit of Prayer in our praying unto him Do not Gods Sabbaths his Religious Ordinances seem Tiresome unto us A very Toil and Burthen does not his Easie Yoak of precept sit Heavy on our Necks And 〈◊〉 Commandments appear Grievous by reason of our want of Approbation Love and Affection towardâ— them which would breed pleasure and Delight in their performance Ah 't is for that we are Ignoranâ— how God's Service is perfect freedom and hat a Slavery there is in serving diverse Lusts and Passions which makes us so Dead and Listless in his service when otherwise we should be all Spirit and Life whilst Employed in pious Exercises Ah had we more Love for God it would render us more Active more Warm and spirightly in his Worship it would put us upon doing our utmost to please him and we should not Endure coldness and flagging of affection in our religious Addresses But Lukewarmness of Devotion would appear to us â—igh as distasteful as perfect Deadness in Duty and we should never think that flat Lifeless Service Acceptable to God which we could not Approve of to our selves The Prayer BLessed and Glorious Lord God who infinitely Deservest our most warm and Zealous Services who makest thy Angels Spirits and those thy Ministers a flame of fire flames indeed of Devotion of Divine Love and Gratitude of Delight and fervour in holy Obedience O make us also all flame and Spirit in thy Worship that we may worship thee with Zeal and Ardour of Affection as well as with Sincerity and uprightness of heart Produce in us holy Father a Zealous importunity in prayer Suitable to 〈◊〉 wants we have to be Supplyed suitable to the Dangers and Evils we have to 〈◊〉 delivered from suitable to the worâ—â— the Necessity the Importance of thâ—â— Divine blessings Temporal Spiritual and Eternal which we stand in Neeâ— of and which are only to be derived froâ— thee the fountain of all Blessedness O cause us to Evidence our high Value and Esteem of thy Heavenly favours of the Gifts and Graces of thy Holy Spirit by our Zealous Concernment for the obtaining them by our coveting Earnestly those best Gifts and Seeking 〈◊〉 such things which are more Excellent Give us Give us Good Lord more Love to thee our God that we may have a greater Zeal for thy Honour and Glory that we may boldly Rebuke vice Earnestly promote Holyness be Grieved principally for sin because thy blessed Spirit is Grieved thereby may our hearts burn within us with pious Love Reverence and Delight when we Read and meditate on thy Sacred Word when we Pray when we return Thanksgivings or are any ways Employed in Religious Duties let our hearts be sad when our Affections are cold and languid in thy Service O Endue us with the burning Love with the flame and Zeal of holy Cherubims that we may Experience also their Transports of Delight their Extasies of Joy and Satisfaction in thy Worship make us we beseech thee thus Exceeding Jealous for Thee the Lord God of Hosts may the Zeal of thine House well nigh Consume us may we account it our very Meat and Drink to be doing thy Will and let nothing flat and lifeless mingle it self with our piety and Devotion Does Gracious God our Eternal Salvation depend upon our aright worshipping thee and do we worship thâ—â— with a faint and heartless Service Aâ—â— cure the Deadness and formality of thy Servants best Religious performances cure the indifferency and Earthlyness 〈◊〉 our Affections Make s rather tobe on the wing of Devotion to be always Zealously affected in a Good matter 〈◊〉 be fervent in Spirit Serving the Lordâ— that so we may Anticipate much of 〈◊〉 Heavenly State and Temper which shall be compleated hereafter that our lives at present may be full of inward peace and comfort our Deaths of Joy and Consolidation in believing and our Eternity full of Glory and Celestial Happyness Amen for the sake of our dying Redeemer Amen Meditation XII On Trust in God TRust and Relyance on God is our Duty and our Priviledge 't is our Duty as we were created frail impotent Necessitous Beings and for that reason Confiding Dependant ones as also God our Sustainer is a Self-sufficient and All sufficient Store of Happyness whose infinite Perfections render him an object of our Hope and Trust proportionable to our greatest Wants of Ability to Remove or Relieve our most extream acutest Distresses And what more Natural and Reasonable than that we should there place our Confidence and Relyance where we have our Support and Dependance But that we should there found our Trust where we cannot be Disappointed But that a poor helpless distress'd Creature should seek abroad for Succour and Relief And where should he Seek it so Suitably and Effectually as in God-Almighty the fountain oâ— all Strength the inexhaustible Magazine of Relief the protecting Sanctuary of the distress'd who fly unto him for Refuge A God as Willing and Ready as Sufficient and Powerful to Relieve us And that this flying to God for Help and Succour and reposing all his Trust and Confidence in the Deity is the Confiding person's Priviledge and Advantage as well as bounden-Duty is evident for what can give that Man inward Quiet and Tranquillity even in his best Condition who is subject every moment to the uncertainties and vicissitudes of Human Affairs to all the Dangers all the Hazards all the Actual Evils and Misfortunes of this mortal life but a Relying Assurance that nothing can befall him beside the wise Counsel gracious Will and Ordination of that God in whom he puts his Trust Whose power is of that extent as to furnish all our Needs and Satisfie all our desires as to secure to us his favours and blessings and to keep off from us or else Sanctifie our troubles and afflictions whose Omnipotence is directed by infinite Wisdome to Know that 's best for us his Wisdom exercised in Contriving and Ordering what 's best for us and both his Power and Wisdom vigorously moved in their operations by infinite Love and Goodness to Do what 's best for us An humble confidence in God makes us deâ—â—e the worst of the Creature 's Threatenings frees us from Carking troubles within our selves preserves a firm peaceful temper in the midst of Storms and Adversities giving us an unbroken Magnanimity of Spirit a true Dominion of Mind over all outward things and occurrences All our inordinate Care taken without Gods immediately Ordaining
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
seeking whom he may devour He watches for our Ruin and Seduction and therefore we ought to watch for our own preservation he is diligent to betray us and therefore it imports us to be very careful that we avoid his treacherous Snares He walketh about is never at Rest from attempting our Corruption seeks occasions lies in wait to offer us Temptations then when he finds us most unguarded then when he finds our hearts most light and vain and consequently most liable to entertain his Suggestions He watches what sinful Allurement is likeliest to take Effect with us by means of his observing what our General Temper of body most inclines us to or what our occasional disposition of Mind renders us the most subject to comply with and he baits his hook with such a Temptation as is most agreeable to our sinful Inclination which he hath aforehand discover'd or at least shrewdly Ghest at and therefore it nearly concerns us to Guard our selves against him with Watchfulness to keep us from those sins we are most inclinable to that they gain not the Dominion over us to keep us from Constitutional Sins to which our Tempers byass us from those of frequent occurrence from sins of Infirmity which being Lesser ones are on that account less Observable and Dreaded and consequently the more Dangerous to be very careful to avoid the Occasions of sinning the pre-dispositions means and opportunities leading thereunto to shun the very shews and Appearances of Evil In short to watch against all Sin and Temptation in General There is no Condition of life free from its Enticements to sinning they are apt to intermingle themselves with whatever we Think Speak or Act Wealth and Prosperity is a dangerous Temptation to the sinful Abuse of Divine Blessings into Excess and Wantonness into Pride and Carelesness into Forgetfulness of God and our Duty owing to him and Want and Adversity is a strong tho' undue Provocative to Distrust and Diffidence of God's Goodness presiding Care over us is an Incitement to Murmuring Impatience and Discontent with his Providential Dispensations So that in every state we are Unsafe and Insecure in every thing Sin lies at the door to surprize and Assault us its Snares are spread for us every where though we are insensible of them though perhaps for the present they have not in any Gross instance Caught and Entangled us and when we live thus among vicious Baits and Dangers always Near always Expos'd to 'em ought we not to be extream wary and vigilant Alass the Partition Line between Lawful and Unlawful is so small and narrow that the passage from one to the other is but a Step or rather if we advert not a sudden and easie Slip The utmost Freedom in things Allowable is a Bordering on the confines of Disallowable nay not only a Bordering upon what 's prohibited but also an hazardous Temptation thereunto We must not come Nigh a Pest-house if we would not be infected with its Contagion Temptation is indeed the Subject-Matter and Exercise of Vertue so far from Moral Evil in it self that 't is the Tryal and Improvement of our Graces the Tryal of an honest upright Heart of our sincere Love to God and Goodness of our resolved Constancy in the ways of Holy Obedience But however 't is a perilous proof of our Vertue and better be without the Proof than without our Innocency better be out of the reach of Temptation than by coming in its way endanger our being over-power'd therewith Yet since we can never be wholely out of the Reach of Temptation at least out of a Liableness thereunto good Reason have we to be continually watchful and circumspect over our Hearts and our Behaviour that sin through its Deceitfulness Gain not upon us For Satan's wicked Allurements his vicious suggestions could never take hold on us would never find Admittance into our souls were not the way prepared for their Entrance by our evil Lusts and corrupt Appetites those Foes of our own Household who like Treacherous false friends in a Besieged Cittadel set open the Gates thereof in time of Rest and Security for the Besiegers to enter in at Let us chiefly therefore have an observant eye over our own Hearts endeavour our utmost to free them of all impurities and beg of God that he would cleanse the Thoughts the Desires of our Hearts by the Inspiration of his most Holy Spirit and then we might bid safe Defiance to all the Devils wicked solicitations to all the Worlds enticeing Flatteries We are apt to say of Smaller sins of sins of humane Frailty and Infirmity of some Bosom Lust as Lot did of Zoar is it not a Little one and my Soul shall live But ah how do we deceive our selves with such vain words For can any Sin be Small which is an offence against an infinitely Great and Glorious Divine Majesty which is a violation of an Holy Just and Good Law can any sin be Small the wages whereof is Death Eternal The Price of whose Expiation was the precious Bloodshed of the Son of God The Distinction of sins into Greater and Lesser ones is made not in regard that Lesser sins for their matter are not Great ones in their Evil Quality are not great Repugnancies to the Divine Purity highly displeasing unto God equally exposing of us with Greater Vices to the Sentence of Condemnation and to a suffering the vengeance of Eternal fire but for that they are Lesser breaches of the Established Order and Harmony of things in this World Offer Less violence to the checks of our Consciences are Less offences against the well-fare of our brethren or smaller injuries to our own Temporal Interests whether of Mind or Body of Goods or Good-Name However in strictness of speaking Small Sins are of a great Guilt because more easily Resistible because the Temptation to them is Lighter and therefore a complyance with it is an Evidence of great Degeneracy of Spirit of an evil Heart within which chooses sin with Little Bait in great measure for Sinnings sake The Weakness of Assaults from Lesser Temptations adds to the inexcusableness of our Cowardice if we suffer them to vanquish us and therefore they ought the more unyieldingly to be withstood This then being my Duty watchfulness against all iniquity against all Temptations all Occasions tending thereunto I will by the Grace of God be very diligent in the Exercise of it And dothou O God strengthen my Purposes confirm my Resolutions Assist my sincere Endeavours of Striving against sin of Resisting all its Allurements of being brought under the Dominion of none of them O Lord lead me not permit me not to be led into Temptation but Deliver me from all evil both Moral and Natural Corporal and Spiritual for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Prayer O THOV Divine Supporter of the weak thou strengthner of such as do stand and Raiser up of them that fall
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
for his plaâ—â— of Worship and Residence Make 〈◊〉 such a Remove from all uncleanness 〈◊〉 the outer 〈◊〉 as to hate the very Garment 〈◊〉 with the Flesh as to become 〈◊〉 of Angelick Purity as if we were not cloath'd on with Rayment of Moriality as if whether will St. Paul we were in the Body or 〈◊〉 of the Body it was uncertain O Divine Spirit of Purity thou Author and Preserver thou Beginner and Finisher of the Grace of Chastity as 〈◊〉 all other Good and perfect Gifts let 〈◊〉 Consideration of thy unspotted Purity preserve us from all filthines both 〈◊〉 Flesh and Spirit and may the apprehension of thine All-seeing inspection who art of purer Eyes than to behold 〈◊〉 least Speck of iniquity with Approbation Awe us into an entire Sanctity O our God how ought we to offer up our Souls and Bodies Living Saerifices Holy Pure and Acceptable unto Thee whenas both are the purchases of thy Dear Son 's most precious Blood both are the Care and Protection of thy Good Providence the Temples of thy blessed Spirit when as both bear the beautiful impressions of thy Wisdom Power and Goodness both were Dedicated to hy Service in Baptisme and have frequently since Renewed their Engagement of Renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil O keep us to the performance of this solemn Engagement keep us to a Reverencing of our Humanity which God hath Dignified by his susception thereof keep us undesiled both in Soul and Body And wherefore O blessed Saviour to what End were we Redeem'd by thee But that we should be Redeem'd from all Iniquity and purified unto thee a peculiar peopole Zealous of Good works O purifie us thoroughout by the Spirit in Soul Body and Spirit May we live no longer after the flesh fulfilling the impure Lusts thereof having a Name indeed to live yet being Dead unto the Life of Grace but Grant that mortifying through thy Spirit the deeds of the Body we may live a life of inward Peace and Joy and Freedom from the slavery of serving diverse corrupt Lusts and Passions Enable us holy Jesu to take up the Banner of thy Cross against the World the Flesh and the Devil to Crucifie the Flesh with its corrupt Desires and Affections hereby shewing that we are Thine followers of thee as dear Children in all Purity and Chastity That so possessing our vessels in Sanctification and Honour we may lay them down in a pious Hope and receive them again in a Joyful Resurrection when the Bodies of Saints shall Rise first and the Bodies of Virgin-Innocencies with a brighter Lustre and Ray of Revived Glory Amen Thou Resurrection and the Life Amen Meditation VIII Against the Sin of immoderate Anger AH did but a furious Angry Person behold himself in the midst of his unrulely Passion and see his own Blood-shot Eyes his Distorted Face his wild Disorders of Countenance Speech and Gesture he would I perswade my self be so out of Love with the unseemly Picture his Anger drew of him as to fly and abhor it ever after for 't is a Passion which for the time is Raging Madness which puts a man Besides himself out of his own power and keeping perverts the Order of God and Nature in our Primitive Constitution causing Reason that Spark of the Divinity that at first design'd Ruling Faculty of our Souls to Crouch and become Obeysant and headstrong Lust and Passion to be Uppermost and Domineer Ah how doth impotent Wrath and Fury debase and vilifie Humane Nature transforming a man into Wolf or Bear into a Lion or Tyger so that with some shew of Reason did the Pythagoreans Fancy a Transmigration of such wild and savage Souls into the Bodies of as wild and savage Beasts for how should they be suitable inhabitants of more calâ—â— and peaceable Receptacles And upon account of this Tumult and Disorder of Soul which the Vice of inordinate Anger and other Passions put us in the Stolck-Philosopher advises his Wise Man to a Total suppression and Eradication of all Passion that hereby he may live undisturb'd and at Peace in his own Bosom But the Good Christian abstains from undue Anger upon higher Considerations viz. for that 't is contrary to his known Duty and to the Divine Precepts enjoyning Meekness of Spirit for that 't is Displeasing unto God rendering of us unlike Him who is Patient and Long-suffering contrary to our Saviour's Calm and Gentle Temper and Behaviour for that also Anger indisposes a man for Communion with God in Prayer and other holy Exercises and makes his Soul an unquallifed Temple for the Dove-like Spirit of Grace to keep his Residence therein For if the Divine Spirit of Prophesie under the Law a Law for the Hardness of Jewish hearts less strictly restraining Anger and a desire of Revenge rested not however on the head of a furious passionate person at least not till his Anger was over and dislodged much less can we think that under the state of the Gospel a more meek and Loving Dispensation the Celestial Spirit of Meekness and Gentleness will inhabit a passionate malicious or Revengeful persons Soul No 't is Meekness and Humility 't is Good Nature and Slowness to Anger which consecrate ouâ— Souls Sanctuaries to that God whose Sovereign Attribute is Clemency and Goodness and our being in a lower Measure endued with this is that which makes us partakers of the Divine Nature for God is Love says St. John And furthermore that a violeâ— passion of Anger or any other inordinate perturbation of Mind are utterly inconsistent with the Quiet and peaceable Spirit of God which 〈◊〉 it descended formerly on our Saviour in the Shape of a Dove descends now only on Meek Dovelike Dispassionate persons the sacred Scriptures do plainly and abundantly testifie for when the Prophet Elijah was upon the Mountain Horeb there came a Great Strong Wind but the Lord was not in the Wind and after the Wind an Earthquake but the Lord was not in the Earthquake and after the Earthquake a Fire but the Lord was not in the Fire Last of all came a Still Small Voice an Emblem of Meekness a Cessation of all former boisterous Commotions and then was it that the God of Peace Unity and Concord was more immediately present 1 Kings 19. 11 12. A Calm Joyous Unmolested temper of mind is a lively Representation of the Celestial state of Blessedness a fit Preparatory for it and which makes an Heaven upon Earth to the man who possesses it but a furious Angry Disposition is all its Contraries 'T is an Argument of a weak pusillanimous Spirit which can bear nothing to be in a passion upon every provocation a sign that the mind is Galled and fretted within that the Owner thereof has no Command or Governance over himself but is rather at the Disposal of others who can discompose him when they please But a truely Great and Noble Spirit is Superiour to many Lesser Affronts and not immoderately
much Larger measure Wean we pray Thee our affections from the Creature which can make no Suitable Return to our Love which cannot Satisfie the Longing of our Souls and win them unto Thee who by thy Mercies preventest our Love by thy Mercies dost nourish and improve it canst fully Gratifie the Good desires of our hearts and wil't amply Recompence and Reward them O Thou Joy of Angels and Soveraign Happynes of all thy Saints Oh that our Souls cold Love Thee without Limits as Thou art without Limits Lovely and Amiable Oh that we may Love Thee for thy Essential Goodness in Thy self as much as for thy Derived imparted Goodness unto us Let our thoughts let our desires and affections zealously Embrace Thee and may we be embraced with a peculiar love and favour by Thee may still new Degrees of thy Love widen and enlarge our Capacities of Receiving them and as they Enlarge do Thou flow in with an increase of Divine Communications Convince us O Lord that those Excellencies which are Borrowed which are Imperfect which are variously Dispers'd in the Creation are all concenter'd in Thee the Original in infinite Beauty and Perfection and shall we not Love Thee the Spring head of Blessedness more than the Derived Streams than the lesser Rivulets of felicity O perswade us that we are unkind to our selves if we Love not Thee the Author the Treasury of our Happyness Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Alass we find our hearts Cold Dead and Sluggish in thy Service Lord Quicken Lord enflame them Enflame them with thy Divine Love Quicken them in thy Righteousness They have gone Astray they have wander'd after many other Lovers after the pleasures profits and honours of this world which have miserably Deceived them O fix them upon Thee who wilt everlastingly Love them Everlastingly Contiâ—â— Lovely and never Disappoint them Make holy God our Love of Thee an Vniting an Assimilating Love that We may Love what Thou Lovest and hate what Thou hatest that we may do whatever will please Thee forbear whatever will offend Thee conforming our selves to thine Image in Holyness O that our Affections could Ever continue such towards Thee as they are at present O that we may demonstrate the Truth of our Love to Thee by our obeying with all Willingness Zeal and Chearfulness thy Divine precepts by obeying them Vniversally Sincerely and Constantly to our lives End Then only O Heavenly Father can we have Confidence towards Thee shall we be Assured we Love Thee aright when we Love Thee for thine Own self when we Love Thee Soveraignly and Supreamly when our Love is so Exalted as that we may be said to hate and Despise all other things in Comparison of Thee O give us thus Zealously to be affected towards Thee Grant that the Love of thy Self may Crucifie in us the Vndue Love of our selves the inordinate Love of the World or of any our Dearest Relations and that being Empty of our selves and of all Confidence in the Creature we may be wholely taken up with Admiration Love and Delight in Thine infinite Perfections and in the Astonishing Expressions of thy Goodness and Loving-kindness to the Lost Sons of Adam O may thy Love Conquer and Over-power our hearts Melt them into Gratitude and Obedience may it Disingage their Affections from every Narrow and particular Good and Setile them upon Thee the Vniversal One Causing us to Love Thee Above all things every created blessing as it bears the impressions of thy Wisdom Beauty and Power and all mankind for Thy sake and in Obedience to thy Commands Preserve 〈◊〉 us Good Lord such Devout flames of a Godly Affection and let us be our Beloved's and Thou our Beloved ours to all Eternity Amen Amen Meditation XI On Zeal in the Service of God HOW natural a Consequent is this of the Love of God Zeal to please him Zeal to Resemble him Zeal to promote his Honour and Glory Where if not here is Zeal Becoming Where else can it be so Suitably placed Nay our Divine Services how can they well be Acceptable without it For where there is Sincerity of Intention in doing our Duty without which no Duty can be pleasing to Heaven we can scarce conceive Fervency of Spirit to be wanting unless through weakness and indisposition of Body And for the Service of God the most Glorious and Excellent of Beings to be a cold and Languid Worship how Great an Absurdity how Great an Inconsistency is this Certainly the Service of the Temple the Sacrifice of the Altar requires the flame and Fire of the Altar to render it of a sweet-smelling Savour To perform Duty to God with formality and indifferency of Spirit is neither to consider the Nature of the Work we are about the Greatness and Excellency of the Divine Majesty nor yet what Earnestness and Zeal the Care of our own Salvation exacts from us The Love of God demands our whole heart Soul and Strength and consequently the keeping his Commandments the Genuine Evidence of our Love demands the utmost Exercise of our Powers and Faculties both bodily and Spiritual That is not a Service of God which is carelesly discharged but rather an Affront rather a Contempt of him 'T is a doing somewhat in Religion to Still and Quiet the uneasie Reproofs of our own Consciences but not doing any thing with a design of pleasing God out of Obedience and Love to his Commandments or from a desire of becoming Like unto him in Holiness which Regards alone can consecrate and render acceptable our Services Zeal where is it due if not in the Divine Worship Than which nothing is of greater Importance nothing of greater Worth nothing more for our Interest and Advantage Where the safety of our Immortal Souls our Heaven and Eternal Happiness are concern'd there certainly no warmth of Heart no Diligence of endeavour can be too much Ah did we but consider God's Zeal the sounding of his Bowels and tenderness of his Compassion toward us we could not sure want Zeal and Ardency of Affection towards him The holy Angels above who best understand the Value of God's Service who know best how Exalted a pitch of Love and Duty an infinitely Good and Gracious Divine Majesty merits at our hands what a Pattern do They set us of Industry Zeal and joyful Alacrity in Religious worship And how does their intense and flaming Affection in God's Service Shame and Reprove our doing the work of the Lord negligently Can we serve either a Greater Master or a Better One who Deserves better our Services or who is more willing and Able to Reward them plenteously Do we pray thy Will be done on Earth as 't is in Heaven with a like Universality Constancy Fervour and Chearfulness of holy Duty and yet do we contradict this our Petition by a partial formal and undelightful Obedience Have we that pious Reverence amidst our Devotions which is answerable to the Great and Glorious Presence of God with whom in
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
the End of all things with us did it Determine and Annihilate our Beings it would be so far from becoming affrightful to the Wicked and Impenitent that they would rather gladly Welcome it as the Rescuer of them from what they most seared a Penal Retribution for all their heinous Provocations in this Life but the Consideration that the first Death is only an Inlet unto a Beginning of the Second which is never to have an End Oh how must this prove doubly affrighting to the Person unprepared for the Temporal and therefore obnoxious to the Eternal Death both reluctant Nature and Guilt causing him to Dread it The acute Dolours of an expiring Sinner's Body make him Wish to Dye but then the more torturing Terrors of his awaken'd Conscience urge him to retract those Wishes and to fear nothing more than a Dissolution which will bring him to Judgment and Eternal Condemnation and thus the Dyeing Impenitent is rackt and tortured between contrary Desires and Choices the Guilty Agonies of his Mind pain him more than all the Convulsive Severities of his Disease so that they Anticipate his Hell on Earth and give him to feel some of its Torments before he goes hence to Experience them in in the Gross But with the Righteous Godly Person it is not so Death indeed to him may look at first somewhat affrightful it being an abhorrence to Nature a forcible Separation of Soul and Body those Dear Companions but then being prepared for Death he living in a continual pious Expectation of it Faith Animating and Confirming Faith strips in his sight that King of Terrors of all his Dâ—smaying Gastliness shews him with his Sting the Guilt of Sin totally pull'd out by the satisfactory Sufferings of our Saviour bids the Good Man walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and fear no Evil Gives him a Delightsome Prospect beyond the Grave Admonishes him to look forward to that Immortal Life and Joy and Glory set before him and in fine Represents to him a blessed Reunion of Soul and Body at the General Resurrection never to part never to be separated again Death to such a one is as a Welcome Night of Repose after the hard Labour and Toil of the Day They Rest from their Labours says the Scripture 'T is as the Enjoyment of the Promised Land after a forty Years wearysome Wandring in the Wilderness nay 't is infinitely more 't is the Introduction into an Heavenly Canaan and Oh how Transporting must it be to have Shot the periâ—lous Gulph of Death and to be safely Landed on the Eternal Shoar To look back with Pleasure on the Wrecks and Dangers we have happily escaped and to find our selves all on a suddain surrounded with New unexperienc'd unheard of and before unconceivable Enravishments Oh who would not Gladly Dye to become Possessor of such an Inheritance who would not gladly Live in perpetual Mortification here to be made Partaker of such Infinite Delights in a Future State Oh Our Life which we falsly so call deserves not so Good a Name Our Life on Earth is but a Death compared with the Eternal Life and Blessedness Above They only Live who being freed from the Fetters of the Body from the corruptible Principles of Mortality are out of a Capacity of Dying any more and enjoy the utmost Delights with a full Assurance of ever enjoying them But here in the midst of Life we are in Death not only â—â—â—ble thereunto but in an Actual Tendency towards it We draw in Vital Aire only to breath it out again and sleep the liveliest Image of Death is the best Repairer of our Life by reason of which frequent Repairs our Life seems no other than a successive Living and Dying Nay our very Health the height thereof what is it but the next step to a Declination into Sickness many times an immediate Cause and Occasion thereof for when the Blood runs highest thence often proceeds a Feavour and too Great a Quantity of Spirits may prove fatal as well as the want of them Just as an House may fall opprest with too much bulk and weight as well as through Weakness and Slightness of Building Ah then that Men who live in continual Hazard of Dying should yet demean themselves with such careless Security as if they were ever to Live Ah that upon this moment for ought we know may Depend our happy Eternity and yet we squander away whole Days and Years in Vanity O when shall we become wise and consider profitably our Latter End When shall we so number our perishing days as to apply our hearts unto Godly Wisdom Time passes on though we mind it not improve not its passing Time passes on and brings us every instant the nearer to Eternity O how ought we to take care that it bring us to an Eternity of Blessedness That the end of our Days prove to us the end of our Hopes even the Salvation of our Souls Alass what Vanity of Vanities what meer Nothings at the hour of Death will all things here below appear unto us which Now look so charming and take off our minds and endeavours from providing for our happy Departures How then will all our pursuits all our possessions of Honour of Riches and Pleasure appear as a Dream as a vanishing Shadow so that we shall at that time account the wisdom of this world folly and madness shall wish wish Earnestly that with all our other Gettings we had Gotten more Religious Understanding had layd up larger Comfortable Treasures of a good Conscience had been as industrious for the Concerns of another Immortal Life as for those of this vain Transitory one Let us therefore take Advice of Death in time of health Death is a faithful Counsellor and will not Deceive will not flatter us and seeing 't is necessary for us to Dye one time or other and as necessary unto Dying well that we often meditate upon Death let us make it the frequent Subject of our thoughts and in such manner view things Now as they will certainly appear to us at our near approach towards Death O may we not live in such a state wherein we would be unwilling to be Surpriz'd by Death unwilling to be call'd to Dye before we have lived to any good purpose but may we through the Spirit mortifie the Deeds of the Body that we may be made Alive unto God What we would wish were done when Dying let us do that Good and vertuous work at present and what wish were undone then let us shun that wicked performance now or if performed undoe it by Repentance before our latter End overtakes us So shall we be Ready for Dying so shall the Day of our Deaths appear better to us than the day of our births we coming into the world crying as born to Labour and Sorrow but going out of it Rejoycing as assured to find Rest and Ease and Enravishment of Soul Amen blessed Saviour Thou Resurrection and the
and may we at length be blest with the Enravishing Approbation of well-done Good and faithful Servants enter ye into your Master's Joy Amen Amen Meditation XVIII On Heaven HEaven A place where God's Honour dwells where his Honour and Glory dwell in the most Supereminent Degree Where is the blessed Jesus in all the pompous Resplendencies of his Exaltation Surrounded with infinite Honours of his perfect Obedience and most meritorious Sufferings Where the Reflected Rays of the Divine Majesty add New lustre to the brightest Cherubims and the innumerable Host of Heaven the Glorified Company of Saints and Angels drink plentifully of those Rivers of pleasure which are at God's Right hand for Evermore Pleasures Refin'd and Spiritual Sincere and unallay'd with any mixture of Sorrow pleasures fixt and Durable as God the Unchangeable Author of them so compleat as to Satisfie and yet so Recreatively Satisfying as not to become Dull and Cloying For in Heaven a Continual fresh Addition of Happyness flowing in upon the Soul both Gratifies its appetites and also Quickens and New-Excites them There the blessed Inhabitants beholding constantly the Beatifick Presence are changed thereby from Joy to Joy from Glory to Glory Receive incessant Communications of the Divine inherent Fulness and have their Desires hereby the more Enflamed their Capacities the more Enlarged to receive still further participations of God's inexhaustible bounty And thus they spend a Rapturous Eternity ever-Loving ever-Praising ever-Adoring and Delighting in God their Saviour And the more they Love and Praise and Delight in Him still they find more Cause more Reason more Desire and Longing of Soul to do so Here 't is the happy Residentiaries Understandings are wide open'd to all the amazing Lights and Discoveries of Truth to the Mysteries of Creation and Providence of Redemption and Sanctification to the now puzling Difficulties of Nature and of Grace of God's Prescience and Man's Free-will Here 't is the Wills also of the Glorified are render'd conformable unto are Swallowed up in and made one with God's Holy Will and Pleasure that their Affections become Seraphickly pure Spiritual and servent that both the Spirits of Just Men made perfect and their brethren Angels burn with Divine Love are enflamed with holy Ardours of Devout Gratitude and Thanksgiving to God the Author of their Beings and kind bestower and preserver of all their Enjoyments Heaven The bright Aboad of all bright and pure and clarified Souls Of all those who have had Heavenly Tempers and Dispositions implanted in them here who have Contemned the World Triumph'd over its depraving pomps and Vanities who have Crucified the flesh with the Corrupt Lusts and Affections thereof who have vanquish'd Hell overcome the Temptations of the Devil offer'd a Grateful violence to Heaven by the importunities of servent Effectual Prayer by the Severities of Repentance Mortification and Self-denyal There in the happy Regions Above they reap the fruit of their pious labours with a plentiful Interest and Encrease of Glory There all the Good all the truely Wise all the Just and Chaste and Charitable Souls of whom this World was not Worthy who were burning and shining Lights amidst a crooked and perverse Generation by their Singularly holy Examples shine as Scars of the first Magnitude in the Kingdom of Heaven they Love God with the Intensest most Dutiful Affection and they Love one another as themselves without any Envying or Repining at their Neighbours happyness who enjoy a Greater Degree thereof than they but each Beatified Spirit enjoying as much of God and Heaven as he is capable of Receiving is fully Satisfied with his own measure of blessedness and derives also pleasure and Contentment from the possessions of his brethren though more highly Glorifyed There in Heaven they Love there they Adore and there they Enjoy for an Endless Duration there their United Employ of Loving Praising and Worshipping God of Returning him Thanksgivings for all the Miracles of his Stupendious Love Unite them the more intimately unto God and Unite them also more closely in Affections to one another a Glorified Saint not repining at the more Advanced Glory of an Angel an Angel of an inferiour Order not Grudging at the Happyness of a Superiour nor any of those Morning Stars of the Creation Envying the Saints their most Illustrious Honour in having the Humanily Dignified with a Personal Union to the Godhead O Heaven The Glorious Receptacle of Heaven-born Souls of the Favourites and Sons of God when shall I come and Appear before him When shall I be made more exactly Like unto him seeing him as he Is When shall I be joyn'd to the Devout Adoring Quire of Angels O Celestial Temple how my Soul Longs to Enter Thee the Holy of Holies One Day in thy Courts is better than a Thousand elsewhere Gracious God deny me what Thou wilt of this Earth so thou givest me at last an inheritance in Heaven That will make ample Amends for all my wants here below That will fully Recompence all the Sufferings of this Mortal Life O my Soul is such a Glorious prize as that of thy high Calling in Christ set before thee and shall not this incite thee to press forward to that Mark To Run the Race of holy Obedience with patience chearfulness and a pious Contention Is such an Heaven such an Exceeding Great and Eternal weight of Glory the Object of thy Hopes and hast thou the Stupidity not to let it be the Object of thine Endeavours also Hast thou the heart to neglect so Great Salvation Shall it not encourage and stir thee up to give all Diligence to make thy Calling and Election Sure Oh how unworthy are they of Eternal Life who will not Exert their utmost power and industry to obtain it Blessed Lord Bring down much of an Heavenly Frame and Temper into our Souls which may Qualifie us for an Enjoyment of Heaven hereafter let there be Divine God-like habits of mind wrought and implanted in us at present that Awaking up at the Resurrection after thy Likeness we may he Satisfied therewith Amen Amen holy Saviour The Prayer O Soveraign Excellency and most Exalted Blessedness whose Delight some Presence makes Heaven and the hiding away of whose face in Displeasure is the chiefest Constituent of Hell O grant that having Such an Heaven such an Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory the Object of our Faith and Hopes we may labour after an Heavenly frame and Disposition in our Souls which may Qualifie us for the celestical State hereafter Grant that we having Given unto us such Great and precious promises as those appertaining to this Life and a better may by the incitement of these become partakers of thy Divine Nature escaping the Corruptions which are in the World through lust O Holy Father give us a Lively View of Heaven by an Eye of Faith and so Raise up our minds thither that we may always have our Thoughts our Desires our Conversation there whence we look for the
our Lives out of the filthy Sodom of every wicked impurity never so much as looking back upon them with an Eye of complacency lest the flames due unto them overtake us unawares Cause us we beseech thee to flee from sin by the awakening Consideration of its being the only way whereby to flee from the wrath to come O may the Eternity of Hell-punishments restrain both our Inclinations and Embraces from the pleasures or profits of sin which are but for a Season Give us often holy Father to Ask our selves these Startling Deterring Questions when about to sin wilfully How can we do this Great wickedness and by sinning against God provoke his infinite Justice and Almighty power to punish us Who of us can dwell with everlasting burnings Is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Everliving God who is a Consuming fire Is it not a most horrid misery to be Eternally a seeking Death and yet never to find it in the Regions of Darkness and Despair O cause us to Dread and Abhor sin which leads to this place of infernal torments as much as the suffering place it self Cause us to think often on Hell that we may thereby be kept from falling into it Grant O holy Jesu Thou who art the Resurrection and the Life that we may never fall into the bitter pains of Eternal Death What else can expose us as sewel to Hell flames but our Sins They are the combustible matter which the fire which cannot be Quenched will ever be preying upon Give us therefore Good Lord to burn up that immoral hey and straw and Stubble at present and then the fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels will have no power over us neither will so much as the Smell thereof have past upon us but we shall be received into Everlasting habitations of Celestial Glory and felicity Amen Amen Meditation XX. On Prayer and the Powerful Efficacy thereof PRAYER 't is a Duty of Natural Religion and Worship the Obligation thereunto being founded in the Eternal and immutable Reason of things In God's Supereminent Excellencies and perfections and in our own Dependent Indigent Condition as Creatures We are born infirm and weak poor and Necessitous Beings in Condition Alms-People and Beggars and therefore to pray alwayes is a Duty incumbent on us from the state of our Nature as well as by the Command and Enjunction of God-Allmighty Prayer 't is an Acknowledgemant of God's Awful Transcendent Majesty and of our own despicable meanness and imperfection of his Sovereignty and our Subjection of his Self-sufficiency and over-flowing plenitude of Happyness and of our own penury straightness of fortune and impotency of his immaculate Purity and Holyness and of our Vileness and Corruption by Reason of sinning And upon these Accounts our Addresses to Heaven ought to be accompanyed with all Lowlyness and Humality with all holy Dread and Reverence Prayer being also a Duty of the greatest Importance to us an instrument of bringing down all manner of Blessings Temporal Spiritual and Eternal ought to be offer'd up with the most fixt Attention of mind with the most zealous Intention and fervour of Spirit with the most hearty Sorrow in Confession the most Earnest Desires in Petition the most urgent and yet Lowly importunity in Deprecation with the most Rais'd Joy and affectionate Gratitude in Thanksgiving We ought also in Prayer to Exercise an unshaken Faith Hope Trust and Confidence but however to wait with Patience and Dependance with an humble Submission and Resignation to God's will whether or no he shall be pleas'd to Gratifie the Desires of our hearts to Answer the requests of our lips And to induce us with the greater Willingness and Alacrity to set about this Duty of Prayer let us consider the mighty Honour and high Dignity accuring to us therefrom for is it not an Honour for us Creatures to be permitted to talk and freely converse with our Creator Is it not an Honour for us vile worms for us sinful Dust and Ashes to be allow'd the priviledge of having ready Access at any time to the Supream Majesty of Heaven and Earth thereby to make known to him our sins our infirmities our wants our calamities and distresses and hereupon to obtain the pardon of our sins the healing of our infirmities the Supply of our pressing wants the mitigation or entire Removal of our Distresses Consider also the inestimable Benefit of Prayer 't is the Channel through which are convey'd all our Mercyes the best Desensative against impendent Dangers and mischiefs against Divine Judgments and corrections for sinning The great Repeller of Temptations the powerful Subduer of our vices and evil inclinations the fruitful improver of our Graces and vertuous Dispositions Lastly Consider together with the Honour and Benefit the great Delight and pleasure resulting from a due discharge of Prayer for what can be more pleasurable than to maintain a constant Intercourse with the Highest and most Excellent of Beings Than to hold Communion by Addresses to the Throne of Grace with our Creator Preserver Redeemer Sanctifier and Continual Benefactor and hereby to have the frequent Effects and Emanations of his Goodness and Benignity derived down upon us and the Devotional Testimonies of our Love and Gratitude Ascending up again unto him What can be a greater Ease and Refreshing to our minds than to Disburthen them of the oppressive weight of Guilt contracted by a free and ingenuous Acknowledgment thereof by humble petitioning for forgiveness of the same by Deprecation of punishment and resolutely promising by the Assistance of God's Grace never to Re-act the like or any other wilful wickedness for the future In sine what more Delightful than to vent our Griefs our fears our wants our Anxieties and Distresses into the Ears of our Heavenly Father one so Tender and Affectionate so True to his word so mindful of his promises so Large in Bounty and beneficence so thoroughly Able so exceedingly Willing to supply all our wants to Dry up all our Tears to Remove all our Affrightments to Satisfie our Anxieties and Relieve our sorest Distresses Prayer rightly circumstantiated what is' t it cannot do It has subdued Kingdoms obtain'd promises wrought Miracles Stopt the Mouths of Lions Quench'd the violence of fire out of weakness made Men Strong Rais'd the Dead to Life again It makes at present through the meritorious Mediation of our Saviour peace both in Heaven and Earth unlocks the Gates of Divine Mercy rifles the Celestial Treasury brings down much of its rich Stores unto us has power both with God and Man and mightily prevails Rendring both yielding entreatable compassionate Prayer 't is another Jacobs Ladder which maintains a mutual Commerce and Correspondency between Heaven and Earth 't is a Burning-Glass of Divine Love wherein all the heats and warmths of a servently pious Soul are concenter'd wherein it exerciseth all its Grace with the greatest vigour and Activity Exerciseth its profoundest Humility towards
God its firmest Dependance on him for Supplies and Belief its heartyest Sorrow for Sin its strongest Faith in Divine Mercy it 's most assured Hope in a Saviour its most earnest pantings and breathings after Heavenly Communications its most ardent Love entire Reâ—ignation and Expectant pâ—â—everâ—â—ce in well-doing And of all the parts of Prayer none more Noble and Generous none more endearing and Acceptable unto God because none more Disinterested and unmercenary than Praise and Thanksgiving Petition respects Good things to come which we stand in Need of Deprecation Regards the keeping off or Removal of those Evils which we apprehend our Sins have righteously deserved and therefore Self-Interest as well as Religious Inclination put us upon the frequent use of these parts of Prayer but Praise respecting purely an Admiration and awful Extolling of the Divine perfections and Thanksgiving being the making a Grateful Return to God for his manifold favours and Loving kindnesses past and Gone Praise and Thanksgiving are hereupon the more undesigning the more free and unselfish acts of Devotion and consequently the more valuable and worthy in themselves the more Approved of and well-pleasing to Heaven And indeed what more Just and Reasonable what more becoming and Suitable as well as Joyous and Delightsome a thing than to be Thankful for Divine blessings received Ah since the whole World is but one large Store-house one Magazine and Treasury of Heavenly Love and beneficence how ought the World hereupon to be one large Temple one Universal Quire of Devout Praises and Hallelujahs Of Thanksgivings as Zealous Fervent and Affectionate as the Divine benefactions which we enjoy are Great Prizable and Important How ought our fire of Devotion to be like that of the Vestal Virgins perpetual and unexpiring How ought the Glowing Embers of an habitually Grateful Temper and disposition to be constantly kept alive upon our hearts though they are not ever actually breaking forth into a flame And indeed Prayer let it have never so much LIght never so much Quickness of thought and Lustre of Expression yet if it have not also warmth and Zeal of Affection 't is but as the Glimmerings of a Glow-worme or like those Shining Exhalations which make Men believe they are Safe Conducted when they are leading all the while into Bogs and Rivers into peril and Destruction Devotion if it has not the fire of the Altar will never prove the Sacrifice of the Altar such a Sacrifice wherewith God is well-pleased for 't is the fervent Prayer alone which is Effectual and unless Effectual 't is of no Value and Advantage But the fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man Availeth much it pierceth the very Clouds Enters into God's Presence besieges his Throne and Mercy-Seat and will not turn away will not give over its Solliciting till such time as the Almighty hears and gives an Answer either by a Grant of its Requests or by as kind and obliging a Denyal Importunity at the Throne of Grace in the Court of Heaven is not there accounted Troublesomness and Impertinency Clamour and Ill-manners as 't is in Earthly Courts but Heaven willingly suffers violence the force and power of Devotion is Delightsome unto it and the violent importunate Supplicants are those only who take it by force When Jacob wrestled all night in Prayer with God the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Christ Jesus Such was his Prayers prevalency Such its holy and Spiritual Charms that Almighty God could not or would not free himself from them till such time as Jacob ceasing his Prayer let him Go and Dismist him Gen 32. from 24 to 29. ver Since all our Temporal all our Spiritual Blessings all our Vertuous Abilities all our Vertuous Inclinations the very Beginnings the after-progress the Entire Completion of our Life of Grace depends so mightily upon the Aids and Communications of Heaven and these are only to be derived thence by Prayer and a Good-Life how Assiduous how Diligent how fervent and importunate ought we to be in the Duty Prayer 't is which Lifts us up Above this Earth lets us into Heaven Gives us a Delightsome prospect of the Glories therein makes us talk and utter things as if we had been there Prayer 't is which Spiritualizes our Minds purifies our Affections Exalts us above this World's cares or fears and Sordid Concernments Prayer which giving us a fore-taste of the Joys to come thereby conforms our Relish unto them makes us Scorn and Despise this world's mean Empty Entertainments hunger and Thirst after the Noble Satisfying Delights of another Life which renders us also fit Associates for the pure Intellectual Beings Above who burn with Devotional Love Gratitude and Obedience and whose Continual Employ it is to Adore to praise and offer up Thanksgivings to the Divine Parent of their Beings and Author of all their Enjoyments By Prayer 't is we hold the most Intimate Communion with God and lye open to all the propitious influences of his Spirit then 't is when at our Devotions that the Sun of Righteousness Christ Jesus ariseth by his Grace with more especial Spiritual healing under his Wings Dissipates our Darkness of Understanding mollifies our obduracy of Will imprints his own most Glorious Divine Image on our Souls Then 't is when engaged in Prayer that holy Men feel their hearts Glow within them as if toucht with a coal of Devotion from God's Sacred Altar now 't is that they Disdain sin and every Degenerate action Disdain even the Appearances of Evil nay even Innocent Earthly Delights And being Enravish'd with the Divine Love being transported with Celestial Contemplation every Vertue in them becomes the more Sprightly and Vigorous and every Devout passion arises the nearer to Rapturous and Seraphical So that in Devotion if ever doth the Soul make its most powerful Sallys Heavenward and become whilst in the body as if out of it having its Affections its Conversation Above with God! The Prayer O Blessed Jesu who didst instruct thy Disciples in the holy and heavenly Exercise of Prayer who not only permittest but Invitest us miserable and needy Creatures to present our Petitions unto thee O give us not only Leave and Allowance to pray but also power and Ability to discharge the Duty Acceptably What do we mean O Lord by praying if we pray not in the Spirit with all fervency of Supplication and Thanks-giving What do we mean by offering this Sacrifice of the Altar if the flame and fire of the Altar a Zealous Devotion be wanting in us Ah better were it we were otherwise employ'd if while we now draw near to thee with our lips our hearts are far from thee and so our very prayers become turned into sins O call then home our straggling thoughts fix our Attention confirm our faith raise and enflame our pious Affections pour forth upon us the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication that this petitionary oblation may come up before thee as Incense and this lifting up of our hands
thee in Contempt of thy Goodness Patience and forbearance in Contempt of thy Astonishing Love manifested in Christ Jesus in Defiance of the clearest Revelation of thy Will and Pleasure by him in Defiance of thy Great and precious Gospel Promises of all the Convictions of our own Consciences calls of thy blessed Spirit Sacred Word and Gracious Providences admonishing us to be Reconciled unto thee our God! And can'st thou O Lord wilt thou after all this Disobedience after all this presumptuous offending thee be yet Reconciled to such vile wretches and miserable sinners as we are Is there still Mercy with thee that thou may'st be fear'd Is there still Hope for us in a Crucified Saviour O blessed Saviour help and deliver us we most humbly beseech thee by the Merits of thy Death and Passion by the Justifying power of thy Resurrection and Ascension by the prevalency of thy Mediation and Intercession have Mercy upon us Thy Compassions are always free and ready towards Repentant Offenders Lord we Repent perfect our Repentance Lord we believe O help thou our unbelief we solemnly promise thee a more Reformed Obedience a more exalted Righteousness O strengthen us to keep this our promise to perform this our holy Resolution Deliver us O Heavenly Father not onely from the Guilt and Condemnation but also from the power and pollution of our sins Assist us to break off those Chains of evil Custom and Habit those fetters of Wordly Cares and Temptations those sensualizing Tyes of Corrupt Inclinations or inordinate Passions in which we have formerly been held Captive Create clean hearts O God and renew a-right Spirits within us for the time to come beget in us a true Faith a sincere Repentance an enflam'd holy Love towards thee that we may Delight our selves in thy Commandments that we may walk before thee in uprightness in an ingenuous fear of Displeasing thee in a joyous Carefulness of doing what is Acceptable in thy Sight Diligently seeking thee constantly Depending on thee chearfully Submitting to thy Will and Zealously practicing it in the Duties of our several Callings with Godly sincerity and constancy unto our Lives End O Lord keep our feet order our steps that they stray not out of the paths of thy Commandments out of the Paths of Truth Righteousness and Peace O Lord keep our mouths as with a bridle that we offend not at any time with our Tongues through profane Swearing through lying slandering immodest filthy Speech or false-witness-bearing endue us with the most enlarged and raised Christian Charity with Temperance and Sobriety with Purity and Chastity with Meekness and Humility that we may possess these our Earthly Vessels in Sanctification and Honour and being Meek and Lowly may find Rest unto our Souls Give us holy Father to Live more by Faith and Less by Sense to Overcome by Faith the World to live Above its Allurements or Determents to have our Conversation in an higher degree in Heaven to lay up to our selves Treasures there that where our Treasures are there may our Hearts be also Make us account it our very Meat and Drink to be doing thy Will Cause us to Evidence the Sincerity of our Love to thee our God by our keeping Universally thy Commandments open thou our Eyes that we may see the Delightsome Excellencies of thy Law the charming Beauty of Holiness and then none of thy Divine precepts shall appear Grievous unto us amidst all our Temptations whether of the World the Flesh or the Devil make thou us O blessed Lord more than Conquerors through Christ who strengthens us And after we have done all after we have Grown in Grace which we beseech thee cause us to do after we have been fill'd with the fruits of thy Spirit and endeavour'd our utmost the perfecting of holiness in thy Fear keep us humble keep us abased under a sense of the manifold Imperfections of our best and choicest Services Neither Pray we This to be added to the Evening Prayer where you see this * mark for our selves alone but for the whole Race of Mankind That thy ways O God may be known upon Earth thy Saving Health among all Nations Look down in Mercy upon thy holy Catholick Church Enlarge its Borders Unite more its Members Purifie their Faith where Corrupt and work a General Reformation in their Lives and Actions Bless Holy Father more especially these Nations whereunto we belong Pardon our Great and Crying Sins Avert from us thy Judgments Encrease and Continue to us thy Blessings make us an Holy and an Happy People and Settle us upon the sure Foundations of Truth Righteousness and Peace Rule O Lord in the Hearts of our Sovereign Rulers by thy Faith Fear and Love Protect their Sacred Persons Assist and Direct their Counsels Succeed their Arms and all their Righteous Undertakings Make their Government a Great and Publick Blessing to these Kingdoms and to the whole Protestant Interest and after a Long and Prosperous Reign over us Here Crown them with Glory and Immortality in the highest Heaven Influence in a Peculiar Manner our Spiritual Governours and Teachers Give them Wisdom and Prudence from Above Make them O God Faithful and Zealous make them also Successful in the Discharge of their Duties and Grant that by the purity of their Doctrine and Integrity of their Lives they may be as burning and shining Lights amidst a crooked and perverse Generation Visit with thy Salvation O thou Father of Mercies all the Sons and Daughters of Affliction Sanctifie their Troubles Support them with Faith and Patience under 'em and in thy due time send them an happy Deliverance out of all their Sufferings Forgive O God all our Enemies Persecutors and Slanderers and Turn their hearts Bless all our Friends and Relations be thou a God in Covenant with them and make them Partakers of all the Benefits and Priviledges of that thy Covenant Bless all of us here present bless us in Turning us from our Iniquities in the Sanctifying and Renewing our Depraved Nature Bless us with all Temporal but especially with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Put us O God in frequent Mindfulness of our Latter End and Fit and Prepare us for it Help us to walk sincerely and uprightly in our whole Conversation that Living here in thy Fear we may Dye in thy Favour may Rest in thy Peace Rise by thy Power be Glorified by thy Bounty and Remain with thee for ever amidst Joys Celestial Enravishing Inexhaustible All which we beg through the Merits and Mediation of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath taught us when we pray to say Our Father which art in Heaven 〈◊〉 A Prayer for the Evening O OUR God thou Almighty Lord of Heaven and Earth Thou pure immaculate Spirit of Holyness humble us under a sense of our meanness as indigent Dependant Creatures of our exceeding Great Vileness and impurity as Sinners O with what pious fear and Reverence ought we to draw Nigh
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