of Love and Approbation but the proud heâ— knoweth afar off Psalm 138. versâ— the 6th Nothing also more obstructs the holy Influences of the Divine Spirit upon our Hearts God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to thâ— humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. He has but two Habitations wherein he more especially delights to dwell Heaven and the Soul of him who is of a contriâ— and humble spirit Isa 57. 15. On the contrary nothing is more oppositâ— to the Nature of the Deity or to the Humiliation of his blessed Son Christ Jesus than Pride and Haughtiness And therefore our Saviour thougâ— the Brightness of his Father's Glory and the Express Image of his Person who thought it no Robbery to be equal with God yet took on hiâ— the form of a Servant came not to be minister'd unto but to Minister appeared in a mean and low condition that he might teach us Meekness and Lowliness of Heart the first Good disposition for the Receipt of his Self-denying Gospel and of all Evangelical Graces And indeed What have we poor silly Worms and no Men to be proud of What should hinder our Humility Alass how do Angels so much Rais'd above us in Excellency Angels who see our Vileness by reason of sinning how do they both pity and wonder at our Pride At our Folly of being exalted in our own Conceits above Measure They though they much transcend us in Knowledge in Beauty in Strength and all other Endowments both Natural and Moral yet are they Humble and Modest they cover their faces before God and cast down their Crowns at the feet of the Lamb Christ Jesus acknowledging him alone worthy to be prais'd The sense they have that their Angelick Excellencies however Great and Glorious are yet Finite and derived from their Creator their sense of hiâ— Divine Perfections infinitely suâ— mounting theirs keeps them meek anâ— lowly and the Abundance of theiâ— Celestial Revelations by this meaâ— no way puffs them up but render them the more Thankful the morâ— sensible of God's Goodness unto theâ— Let Them therefore be our Patterâ— of Humility nay rather let the eveâ— blessed Jesus be our Example herein who has directed us to learn of him for he was meek and lowly thougâ— the most High God! Ah 't is but comparing our selveâ— with the Deity and then 't will appear how there is no comparison between us what vile Creatures an miserable Sinners we are and whaâ— an infinitely Glorious Being and imâ—maculate Purity is God! and theâ— the sense of his Greatness and Glorâ— will lessen and humble us in cur owâ— Conceits Amen blessed Saviour Amen The Prayer O THOV King of Glory who dwellest in the Heaven of Heavens and yet condescendest to look down from the habitation of thy Holyness on us poor Vnworthy Mortals whose foundation is in the Dust and our Soujourning in houses of Clay we beseech thee take up thy Glorious Residence in our Hearts by banishing thence the sin of pride and Self-conceit by possessing us with high Reverential thoughts of thy Divine Majesty which may make us appear Mean and Low and Despicable in our own apprehensions O that we may appear such Now in thy Presence for that thou Resistest the Proud but givest Grace an Increase of Grace unto the Humble humble us therefore O Lord amidst these our Devotions that thou mayst exalt us in thy due season Mortifie in us at present all Haughtiness of Spirit for what more incongruous than Pride and a Lowly Begging Supplication What more incongruous than a Display of our wants 〈◊〉 Acknowledgment of our Vileness and Dependance an Imploring of Mercy and Relief all which import thâ— deepest Humility and yet a self-conâ—ceited Arrogant and Lofty temper 〈◊〉 Mind O grant it may no longer beaâ—â— Sway over us Grant that we may 〈◊〉 cloathed with Humility that we 〈◊〉 see the imperfections of our best Services Make us pure in Heart yet poor 〈◊〉 Spirit vile in our own Eyes that 〈◊〉 may be precious in thy sight Strike 〈◊〉 with a deep and lively sense of our wreâ—â— chedness by reason of sinning and maâ—â— us as Humble as we are Wicked What O Lord are all the Nationâ— of the Earth if compared with Thee 〈◊〉 Creator and Supream Governour of 〈◊〉 things What but as a drop of 〈◊〉 Bucket and as the small dust of 〈◊〉 ballance How may we then justly 〈◊〉 with shame when we consider our multiplyed hainous transgressions against so great and glorious a God! when we consider in what manner we lift up our hearts against Thee the Giver of every Good and Perfect Gift by arrogating to our selves the propriety of thy free beneficence O make us account our highest Attainments in Humane Knowledge as Dung and Dross for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord make us Ambitious of being found in him cloathed with his Spotless imputed Righteousness Suffer us not O our God to exalt our selves above measure by placing undue Confidence in any thing we do or in what-ever we Suffer for thy Names sake lest we fall not only from the Stedfastness of our holy profession but also into the Condemnation of the Devil sinning according to the Similitude of his transgression O let him not Rule in our hearts by the Disobedience of pride permit us not to Resemble him in so foul a Vice which will Deface thine Image within us but teach us to tread in the Steps of our blessed Saviour and to learn of him who was Meek and Lowly 〈◊〉 shall we find Rest unto our souls Grant Holy Father that in Lowlyness of mind we may think meanly of our selves in honour preferring each other that neglecting the praise of men or making it a subordinate motive in our practice of things vertuous we may have a principal Regard to the Testimony of a Good Conscience and may seek in the first place that praise which cometh of thee our God O let us be nothing in our own account that Thou mayest be all in all unto us Make us to imploy all industry and care in Approving our selves unto Thee that being Conformed unto our Redeemer in Humility who humbled himself unto Death even the Death of the Cross we may become thy workmanship O God ready prepar'd unto every Good work and may Abound therein without any vain ostentation Amen for thy Mercies sake Amen Meditation VII Against the Sin of Vnchastity UNchastity Ah how small is its Temptation when placed in Equal View with the deterring evil consequents thereof For who can be allured with Poverty and Beggery with Shame and Ignominy with Rottenness and Corruption which are the usual Attendants of impure Embraces Ah to burn in Lust is to Anticipate Hell-flames and to burn in uneasie Torments of Mind even in this life for the eager appetite of Lust is full of Anxiety and disquieting impatience till such time as 't is Gratified Hence the usual terms of expressing a violent Amour are Flames and Darts are Feavours and
Jesus may be unto us both in Life and Death great Advantage Grant this for the Merits and Mercy's-sake of him who dyed for our sins and rose again for our Justification and who hath left us this most Absolute form of Prayer wherewith to conclude our imperfect ones Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name c. A Prayer for a Sick Person O OUR God full of Compassion and Truth whose Ears are ever open to the Cryes of the Distressed who afflictest not neither Grievest willingly the Children of Men but in very Faithfulness Causest us to be Troubled Chastising us for our Profit that we may be Partakers of thy Holyness We thy Poor Unworthy Creatures Address our selves to the Throne of thy Grace in behalf of this thy Servant Grieved with Sickness O let his Grief of body move thy Succouring Pity behold him with the Eyes of thy Mercy Rescue him with the Al-Almightiness of thy Power however Grant that the Infirmity of his outer-Man may tend to the Health and Improvement of his Soul in all Gracious Qualifications O make him by means of thy Divine Chastisements Resemblant in a larger Measure of thy Divine Nature make him Perfect through Sufferings Train him up a Good Souldier of Jesus Christ by such Disciplining Hardships Teach him a more Compleat Obedience and Conformity to thy Will by the things which he Endures Relieve him under all his Distresses Give him Patience Repentance and Submission under all his Uneasiness Support him under all Tryals and Temptations O suffer not his Faith to fail in this Day of Adversity Strengthen him in the Inner-Man especially now he lyes on a Bed of Languishing O make Thou his Bed in all his Sickness In the midst of the pains of his Body let thine Inward Comforts Refresh his Soul make all things Tribulation as well as Prosperity work together for his Good may he Continue to be thy Servant under all Conditions Permit him not Gracious God for any troubles of Life or fears of Death to fall from Thee but Give him Joy and Consolation in Believing when encompassed with the Sorest Distresses Encrease therefore his Faith Confirm his Hopes Enlarge his Contentedness and Resignation Wean his Affections more and more from the things Below and Raise and Settle them on the Good things Above Free Blessed Lord this thy Servant from all Murmuring and Repining at thy Afflictive Providence and Cause him rather to Rejoyce and Glory in Tribulation as knowing that the Tryal of his Faith worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not Ashamed O let Patience have its Perfect work in him that he may be Compleat and Entire wanting no Vertuous Endowment let thy Grace be Sufficient for him that he may not faint in the time of Calamity O may his Affliction prove an Exercise and Enlargement of all his Graces Let it beget in him greater Trust and Affiance in thy Divine Mercy less Relyance on and Confidence in the Creature a being Crucified to the World and the World to him as to the immoderate Love of it Cause Holy Father this thy Afflicted Son to Humble himself under thy Correcting hand that Thou mayst Exalt him in thy due Season make him to Cast all his Care upon Thee because Thou carest for him Give him to feel now in this his Distress what is the Hope of his Spiritual Calling and what the Exceeding Greatness of thy Mercy and Power towards them who Believe in Thee O Give him that Saving Faith which worketh by Love and Purifieth the Heart and Overcometh the World Give him Repentance unto Newness of Life never to be Repented of Cause him by means of this Affliction to Search and Try his wayes and turn him unto Thee his God who in Mercy Chastisest him Afford him Gracious Lord afford this Sick Person the Comfort of an holy Hope that thou Acceptest his Penitential Tears and Contrition of heart Support him by this Hope under all his Sickness and Distemper Say unto him by the inward Testimonies of thy Spirit I am thy Salvation Son be of Good Chear thy Sins are forgiven thee I have heard thee in an Acceptable time I have laid Help for Thee on one who is mighty to Save Jesus Christ the Righteous He is the Propitiation for thy sins O Apply the Merits and Satisfaction of his Dying Redeemer unto the Soul of this thy Servant for Pardon and Acceptance wash it clean in the Blood of that Immaculate Lamb which was Slain to take away the sins of the world and through his Saviour's Stripes let him be Heal'd Bless and Succeed we beseech Thee those Remedies which have or shall be used for the Recovering this weak Afflicted Person to his former Health Command Deliverance for him Thou who art the God of Nature Speak Nature within him into a due Temper and Composure Known unto Thee are the most hidden things O do Thou therefore adapt suitable Medicines to any unknown Cause or hidden Spring of this present Distemper Suffer us Heavenly Father to have Power with thee in Prayer and mightily to Prevail on this thy Servants behalf Thou hast Promised that the Prayer of Faith shall Save the Sick and that the Effectual fervent Prayer of the Righteous shall Avail much O make us Pray in Faith and Believing so as to be Heard make us fervent and Zealous in Prayer so as to have our Prayers Answered Restore we entreat Thee this Diseas'd Person that he may be continued a Blessing and Comfort to his Relations that he may live to Performe his pious Vows and Resolutions made in time of Sickness that he may spend the Residue of his Life more to thy Honour and Glory But if in thy Fatherly wisdom thou seest it fitting to Prolong his Corrections thy Blessed Will be done and may thy Afflicted Servant say Amen with an Entire Submission May he bear further Chastisement in his Body so that his Soul be but Saved in the Day of our Lord. Yet O God most Gracious O most Holy and Mercyful Saviour Thou most worthy Judge Eternal be not Thou Extream to mark whatever he has done Amiss Correct him O Lord but with Judgment not in thine Anger lest Thou bring him to nothing and though thou take not off the Rod of Affliction yet take away thy Displeasure we beseech thee far from him Remember O Lord thy tender Mercies and thy Loving-kindnesses which have been ever of old and Cause this our Sick Friend in Thankful Recollection of former Divine Rescues to put his Trust in thee for a Present Deliverance O suffer him not for any Anguish of Body to let Go his Faith and Confidence in Thee but give him to say with the Stedfastness of holy Job though he Kills me yet will I hope in him Fit O God this Languishing Person for whatever Condition thou shalt call him unto that thy Son Christ Jesus may be unto him whether in Life or Death great Advantage O permit him
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
Essentials of his Religion let our Wills also be conjoyn'd for what an Absurdity is it that we who are to live together in Heaven if our Uncharitableness hinder not should live at variance here below O Heavenly Samaritan Thou holy Jesu Prince of peace Look down Look down behold here a miserably torn and Divided Church torn with Schisme and Faction fallen among Robbers and Spoilers who most inhumanely have Entreated her behold with a succouring compassion her bleeding wounds which are as so many Mouths importunately begging it Pour thy suppling Oyl and Wine of Union into her Sores bind up with the bond of Love and Concord her broken and Disjoynted Members Pass not by on the other side of the way as did the Relentless Levite but let the Distress'd sight of our misery move thee to compassion and thy Compassion produce a Speedy Relieving us Suppress in us blessed Saviour Entirely banish from us that Stingy Selfishness of Spirit that narrow Confinement of Love to a Sect or Party which so much abounds in the Nation and make us of a more publick Generous Temper more Consultive of the Good of the Community both in Church and State And then the Spirit of God the Spirit of Love and Unity shall dwell amongst us Love shall be our Guide and Love shall be our Guard and Defence Love shall fit us for Heaven and Love shall Conduct us thither Nay Love shall bring down Heaven upon Earth unto us shall make us live in Peace in Amity in a Joyous Complacency at each others Happyness Amen Amen The Prayer O OUR God who hast taught us that all our doings without Charity are nothing worth that he only who dwelleth in Love dwelleth in Thee and Thou in him send thy Holy-Ghost and pour into our hearts that most Excellent Gift of Charity the very bond of Peace and of all Vertues make us Children of thee our God Disciples of our Dear Lord and Master in loving one another as he hath loved us in being Merciful as Thou our Heavenly Father art Merciful O that the same mind may be in us which was in Christ Jesus who went about doing Good healing the Diseas'd comforting the Afflicted compossionating the Distressed and whose pity did not content it self with a bare saying Be ye warmed be ye cloathed be ye filld and deliver'd from your Sufferings but which did always Exert it self in Real Acts of Mercy and Beneficence O make us also thus followers of our Redeemer's Steps being Exceeding pittyful and compassionate and actually employing all our abilities for our necessitous Brethrens Succour and Relief Give us we beseech thee O most merciful God such a Sympathizing Tenderness of Spirit that we may be deeply affected with both the miseries and Prosperities of our Neighbours mourning with those that mourn and Rejoycing with those that Rejoyce as Living Members of our Saviours mystical body his Church O that it may become the Center of Unity and Concord the very Joy and Delight of the whole Earth Fulfil O Lord that promised blessing of thine unto the Christian State whereby the Wolf is to dwell with the Lamb the Loeopard to lie down with the Kid the Calf and the young Lyon together a little Child to lead them a weaned Child to put his hand on the Cockatrice-Den and nothing to hurt or destroy in thy holy mountain but all fury malice and bitterness being done away Gospel-Love and Peace and Gentleness of Spirit is to succeed O may this Gracious Promise be near its Accomplishment may this blessed State this Kingdom of thy Dear Son come Quickly O thou Composer of differences thou God of all Peace Compose those unhappy Animosities which are too much propagated among Christians let them not any longer Dishonour thy Name bring an evil Report upon our Holy Profession in General nor weaken the Interest of the Protestant Religion in particular But grant that by Brotherly Love and Concord we may Adorn the Gospel of our Saviour may win over Converts thereunto and thereby Enlarge Strengthen and Advance the Kingdom of the Ever-blessed Jesus Let the Peace of Thee our God Rule in our Hearts to the which we are call'd in one and the same hope of an Heavenly Inheritance that as we have one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of us all so we may henceforth be all of one Heart and of one Soul united in one holy bond of Truth and Peace of Faith and Charity And being thus Studious of Emulating each other in kindness provoking thus one another to Love and Good works and being in such a manner the Sons of Peace on Earth we shall be fitted and made meet for the joynt participation of Heavenly Glory where may we all Reign Rejoycing in each others Happyness as Sincerely if not Equally as in our own Amen Blessed Jesus Amen Meditation XV. On Improvement in Grace THe Life of Grace is best evidenc'd by Growth therein Spiritual Life no more than the Natural one can subsist without Activity and progressive Motion where-ever the seed of God is sown in Truth and Reality it will fructifie and become prolifick In the School of Grace as well as in that of Humane Learning not to Go forward and make improvement is to Go backward and Vertue like a tender young Plant if it does not Thrive and Flourish is in a Tendency to Decay and Wither The slothful unprofitable Servant who did not improve his Talent is in the Scripture-reckoning in our Lord and Saviour's account nigh as bad and as severely punish'd as the unjust Steward who wickedly embezzled it and not to make use of Grace is here reputed the same thing as not to have had it To have it by Exercise and Improvement is judg'd by God the only true Possession and he who has not the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit in this manner is said in Holy Writ only to seem to have them And instead of encreasing their Store 't is denounced there that he shall loose even those measures of Divine Vertues which were once afforded him Genuine Grace cannot stand at a stay if it does not Ascend and improve it infallibly Declines And when God gives us this Talent to Trade withal and encrease it shall we frustrate his End of Giving it by letting it lye Dead and unexercised Did Christ purchase us the Graces of the holy Spirit at the Dear and inestimable Rate of his own Bloodshed and shall we Neglect them when so purchased Did He by his precious Death and All-prevalent Intercession procure the Effusion and sending down of those Graces and shall we slight them when so sent and bestow'd on us Ah what will not obstinate Ingratitude of Sinning do It will make us turn the blessed means of Grace into occasions of Damnation make what was intended towards us a Savour of Life unto Life to become the Savour of Death unto Death through our mad folly and supine Negligence If we would but cooperate with Divine
all probability renders his Distemper desperate and incurable To delay Amendment and continue in Sin with intent of quitting it hereafter is to wound our Consciences with the stings and remorses of Guilt on purpose of healing them again some time hence 'T is to refuse to do what is in our power and to defer the doing it till it may be out of our power 't is to make our future work of Repentance much greater more grievous and difficult than it would be at present and yet to hope to set about it more Advantagiously in time to come 'T is to increase our Task to lessen both our Will and Ability to perform it with and yet to think to perform it better under these Disadvantages To defer Conversion is to persist becoming vain in our Imaginations erroneous in our Elections corrupt in our Performances that afterwards we may become Wise and retract with Bitterness of Self-condemning thoughts our former vain Judgments wrong Choices evil Practices that we may upon change of Mind Will and Affections call our selves fools a thousand times for our former wicked goings astray and may be ashamed of may abhor and grieve for our past Impieties as much as ever heretofore we loved and delighted in them all these Absurdities and Foilies Delay of Repentance implies 'T is a refusing to become well and safe and happy at present and a referring our spiritual Welfare our everlasting safety and happiness to the hazardous uncertainties of Futurity But do we act thus imprudently in other Affairs of far lesser moment No certainly when Sick we delay not the use of means for our Recovery when Maim'd or Wounded we apply our selves immediately to a Cure but when sick with Sin nigh unto death Eternal when wounded in Mind by the Rebukes of Guilt contracted and maimed in all the Faculties of our Souls by the disorders of Impiety so that from the Crown of the head to the sole of the feet there is no whole part in us yet here we hug our Distemper seem unwilling to be cured at present and defer the healing remedy Repentance till some further season but ah that we should be so wise and provident in Temporals and so careless and inconsiderate in Spirituals Ah that we should be so much concern'd for the Body and so little for the Soul Oh that men should judge it too early to become instantly secure of endless Salvation when they are not secure of living till to morrow till the next moment Vain inadvertent Wretches That they should be daily a dying hourly subject to Death and yet promise themselves some years hence the making sure of Eternal Life Certainly they know not what it means of what value and importance it is that they thus stupidly neglect it Ah can they think God will lengthen out that Life which is a design'd Course of Audacious Defiance and wicked Rebellion against him Ah can they think he will so unweariedly wait to be Gracious unto them Alas they consider not what Bonds and Fetters an Evil Custom puts upon the Soul how frequent Acts of doing wickedly improve into a confirm'd habit and an habit of Impiety becomes a second Nature almost unrelinquishable and yet do they imagine they shall be freer to break loose from Sin after a long-continued Bondage thereunto That their Chains of Iniquity will be the easier shaken off after they are Rivited by Custom and Inveteracy of wicked Practice Can we make too much haste to be Saved To get out of a state liable to Eternal Death and Condemnation into a state of Divine Grace and Favour Are our Minds Wills and Affections likely to be softer more melting and impressible with the sorrows of Repentance after they are Harden'd through the Deceitfulness of continued sinning Will God's Grace the more abound towards us the more we abound in Transgressing against him What Surety hast thou impenitent Delayer but thy day of Grace may be ended before the day of thy Life But that not Believing and Repenting at present hereafter may be too Late He that Believeth and Repenteth not says our Saviour is condemned Already The Irreversible Sentence may be Pronounc'd on thee here though Executed in another World Repent Hereafter Why dost thou consider what Hereafter means It imports the utmost Hazard and Uncertainty In reckoning on Futurity thou reckonest on a thing out of thine own Power and only in God Almighty's Disposal for the Grace of Repentance as all other Graces is the Divine Gift and He who has promised pardon to the Penitent has no where told us we can be penitent when we Please On the contrary God has inform'd us that 't is his Spirit which works in us both to Will and to do of his Own Good pleasure and canst thou think he will work it though never so long Resisted in the endeavour That his Divine Patience will never be tired the Treasures of his Long-suffering be never exhausted The Holy Scripture indeed tells us God waits to be Gracious but how Long he waits we are not acquainted on the contrary it is written My Spirit shall not Always strive with manâ— To Day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon hiâ— while he is near What can be thâ— meaning of these places of Sacreâ— Writ but that if we neglect thiâ— present Accepted time hereafteâ— may be an unacceptable one buâ— that if we hear not Now God's Voice calling us to Repentance he may hereafter refuse to hear our Voice calling to him for Grace Mercy and Acceptance But that if we neglect the instant Season of seeking the Lord while he may be found and calling upon him while he is near there may and will come a time when he will not be found a season when he will be afar off with his Divine help and Assistance and when as holy David says in the great water-floods in the time of our bitterest Distress and Calamity we shall not come nigh him Read Proverbs the First the 28 and 29 verses God despises that Death bed Repentance when men leave sin meerly because sin must leave them because they can keep that and the World no longer when being by constraint a going hence they desire to go unto God rather than into the place of Torments prepared for the Devil and his Angels But no imposing upon Omnisciency The searcher of Hearts sees that such a forsaking of sin is forced imperfect flowing from no right Principle and therefore he values it not Ah there is a time when God leaves sinners to themselves when they will not by any means be perswaded to leave their sins There is a certain measure of God's Grace and of man's Impieties after which the Holy Spirit withdraws himself and will not any longer be entreated And how knowest thou persevering Impenitent but that if thou neglectest Grace and the season thereof Now the measure of thy sins may hereafter be compleated and both
thy allowance of Grace and the opportunity of making use of it may be over with thee Which God grant that it may not be Amen Amen The Prayer MOST Merciful Father Patitient and Long-suffering who waitest to be Gracious and yet whose Spirit will not always strive with obstinate impenitent sinners dost Thou O Lord call unto us Behold Now is the Accepted Time behold Now is the Day of Salvation and do we cry to morrow is soon enough some Days or Years hence will be as Acceptable a time as this present one Ah Mad-men that we are Ah foolish Self-deceiving Creatures who should know best the Day of our Salvation Thou our God the Author of it or We Who should know best how Long thy Spirit will strive with us How Long Thou wilt wait to be Gracious O cause us to Day while 't is call'd to Day to hear thy voice and not harden our hearts against thy Invitations to Repentance Convince us blessed Lord in order to a present amendment that 't is some degree of hardening our hearts not to hearken to thy Voice this Day That every continuance in sin is one Advance more towards final Impenitence a rendering our future Conversion the more Grievous and Difficult and our Confirmation in wickedness the Greater and nearer to irretrievable And in a sense of all this make us we beseech thee to Retire out of the ways of Iniquity immediately For would we be willing to be surprized by Death Judgment and Eternal Torments in an Impenitent State Would we be willing to be summon'd before thy Judgment-seat to give an Account of our Stewardship before our Accompts are duely Stated and made up If we would not O cause us then to give all Diligence at present to make our Calling and Election Sure to work the Religious work for which we were sent into this World while 't is Day before the Night of Death cometh wherein 't is impossible to work out our Salvation Is there Lord any one of us but would willingly Repent and turn unto Thee sometime before he Dyes because otherwise he knows he cannot be saved but who of us can be sure he shall Repent before Death that delays the work till to morrow For who can tell what a Day may bring forth Cause us therefore Gracious God to live every day as if it were to be our last for that we know not but it may be such Cause us to live so at present as we shall wish we had done when we come to Dye O grant we may not Dye with any Guilt upon our Consciences or any known sin unrepented of Grant that we may not put far from us the Evil Day and thereby flatter our selves into a state of impenitence and endless Destruction but give us Grace to use well the means of Grace and improve the opportunities of Salvation while they are mercifully afforded us lest we provoke thee our God to swear in thy wrath that such obstinate sinners shall never enter into thy Rest Let holy Father the uncertainty of the time of our Saviour's coming to Judgment either to the universal one or that of each particular person soon after his Death make every one of us live in a continual Readiness and Preparation for it that we may not have our Oyl of Grace to seek our Lamp of an holy Conversation to Trim and Replenish when we should enter in with the Bridegroom of our Souls Christ Jesus into his Marriage-Feast But grant that at what Season soever our Lord comes to call us to an Account of the Talents committed to our trust he may behold all our Debts to his Divine Justice ready Cancell'd by our Repentance through the Merits of his Blood and finding us perseveringly employ'd in Good Works he may say unto us Well done Good and Faithful Servants Enter ye into your Master's Joy Amen blessed Jesu Amen Meditation IV. On the Malignity and Evil Nature of Sin O Sin how common art thou and yet how little understood How Common and therefore how little Dreaded and Abhorr'd Did men consider and understand thee more they would sure Love and Practice thee Less Alass they consider not thy direct opposition to God's Soveraign Authority Rectitude of Will and purity of Divine Essence thy contrariety to the Laws of Nature of Reason and of Grace How thou art a Violation of God's Revealed Will and Pleasure in the Sacred Scriptures Writings which contain nothing but precepts Holy Just and Good and which consequently 't is our greatest Interest and Advantage as well as Bounden-Duty to observe and our greatest Disadvantage as well as Disobedience to break and violate They consider not Sin how opposite thou art to their own Personal Welfare and Happiness Temporal Spiritual and Eternal how Degrading and Defiling to their Souls and Consciences what an Ignominy and Reproach to our Understandings what a Violence and Affront to our Reasons what a perversion and wrong-byass of our Wills and Affections what a cause of Regret and Disquietude of Mind to those who voluntarily Commit thee how offensive to God how injurious to Man how prejudicial to the Common Order Peace and Prosperity of the Universe What an ungrateful Return thou art to the Divine Goodness Patience and Forbearance how thou art an offering despite to the Spirit of Holiness a Grieving a Quenching a total Driving it away from us a Crucifying afresh the blessed Son of God a Treading him under foot and accounting the Blood of the New-Covenant an unholy thing a Rejection of all the Merciful Terms and offers of Gospel-Reconciliation a rendering the means and instruments of begetting Grace in us ineffectual a choosing Death Eternal Death rather than Life Eternal Life a wilful Treasuring up of Wrath against the day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of a provok'd offended Deity All this and much more the Commission of known voluntary Sin implies and can we be so irrational so Vile and Dis-ingenuous so even like Beasts before God as to continue practicing vicious Impurity with Greediness after having thus weigh'd and consider'd how Evil how bitter and Lothsom a thing it is Oh is there no knowledge no understanding in the Workers of Impiety is there no Shame no Fear no Regard in them to their Everlasting Salvation that they drink down Iniquity like Water and Rush into the occasions of their own Ruin into the performance of all Wickedness as the War-Horse rusheth into the Battle fearlessly and inconsiderately Ah Vice how stupifying a thing art thou What a polluter first of our Souls and Consciences and after long Custom of sinning what a layer of them Asleep what an hardener of our hearts through thy continued and dayly advancing deceitfulness Thou Wickedness art pleasurable indeed in the Act but alass how transient the Act how vain and inconsiderable the pleasure whereas the after-Memory of thee is tormenting and much more exquisite much more Durable a Pain than thy vicious Enjoyment was a Delight
that of an Afflictive sense of having no Lot or Portion in the Love and Enjoyment of God an infinite Good Sin must needs be the greatest Evil the worst of any thing which is Enemy to either God or Man because 't is God's usual method to punish sin with sin when all his other Reclaiming Essays of Providence have through the obstinacy of the sinner proved ineffectual I will chuse their delusions says God and give them over to their Iniquities he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still As if to be a Sinner was misery sufficient and no vengeance for Impiety like that of being permitted a continuance therein The exceeding Great Malignity of Sin is in nothing more seen than in this that it cost God more to Redeem the World than at first to Create it cost him but the fiat of his Will but a Word 's speaking to make it out of Nothing but stood him at the invaluable Expence of his Son's Blood to Ransom it out of worse than Nothing a polluted sinful self-undone Condition At God's Creation of the World there was only want and absence of previous matter whereout to make it no repugnant inaptitude no contrariety in the subject whereby in the least to obstruct or retard the Divine Efficacy whereas in the Redemption of the lost World there was the deep rooted Corruption of our Nature inveteracy of Evil Custom and Habit depravity of Affection and perverseness of Man's Will to be conflicted with and overcome by God's Spirit by his holy Word and Sacraments before the Ransome purchased could be applyed and made Savingly Effectual So much more is there in Sin of inconquerableness and Difficulty of subjection than in the most difficult and miraculous material product of an Almighty power O let but our thoughts carry us to the places of our Saviours bitter Agonies and Sufferings and there let us behold him greatly Amazed and sore troubled Sweating great drops of blood bowing beneath the weight of his Fathers Displeasure crying out Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me and at last suffering on a painful and Ignominious Cross those extream torments both of body and mind which the sins of all Mankind had deserved which none but the Manhood in Conjunction with the Godhead could have undergone and which were abundantly Sufficient to Expiate the Guilt of the whole world and of multitudes of worlds were multitudes really existing Let us consider our Blessed Lord suffering all this though without Sin in himself only because he had taken it on him by Imputation and by becoming our Surety bore the iniquities of us all and then let us if we can continue to think so Lightly so harmlesly oâ— Sin as we do Here 's a sight our Redeemers Crucifixion which at once shews his inestimable Love to us and the mighty Malignity of Sin in that nothing Less than his precious Bloodshed that Seal of the New-Covenant could Aâ—one Divine Justice and do away the Guilt the Condemnation of our impieties The Prayer O Thou immaculate Purity Thou perfectly holy and Righteous Divine Being who hast manifested thy Love to holyness and thy Hatred against all impiety chiefly in sending thy Son into the World by his pure Example and by his holy Doctrine to destroy the sinful works of the Devil and to promote a Life of uprightness O that those Excellent Graces which shined so eminently in our Saviour may be formed within us thy servants the Hope of Glory that the life which we henceforth lead in the Flesh may be by the Faith of the Son of God Conform us we beseech thee to his Image in Holiness making us partakers of a Divine Nature Ah blessed Lord 't is not the Guilt 't is not the Condemnation of sin we so much desire to be deliver'd from as the foul stain and pollution as the Reigning power and prevalency thereof destroy then Vice within us as well with respect to the inward Love and Approbation as to the outward Act and Performance While we are in the World preserve us holy Father from the Corruptions of the World suffer not sin to have Dominion over us in any kind for we are not under the Law but under Grace O may thy Grace be sufficient for us Keep us holy Spirit by thy power thorough Faith unto Salvation Let not Sin Reign in our mortal Bodies that we should fulfil the lusts thereof but Grant that thy good Spirit thy holy Word and heavenly Graces may bear sway in us and abound Turn our Eyes from beholding sinful vanity and cause thou us to make much of thy Law O give us to behold more of the malignant Nature of Sin of the Turpitude Folly Baseness and Ingratitude thereof and then shall we more thoroughly Grieve Detest and Resolve on the abandoning of it Convince us gracious God that Sin 't is the greatest of Evils and then shall we betake our selves to Thee the greatest of Goods work in us that Holiness without which we not only Shall not but also Cannot see Thee the Lord by reason of a natural Incapacity in us for Seeing Thee O divine Object of blessedness imports Enjoying thee a seeing thee with Delight and Satisfaction and this we can never do unless we first become Like Thee in Purity in the holy Tempers and Dispositions of our Souls O lay in us that Foundation of future Happiness Grace the Hope and Qualification of inheriting Endless Glory Lord we are poor and blind and naked blind as to true saving Knowledge operative by Love poor and naked as to any inherent Acceptable Righteousness of our own O let us be cloath'd upon with the Robes of thy perfect imputed Righteousness we are Dead in sins and trespasses O do thou Quicken do Thou Raise us up to Newness of Life and Obedience Purge our Consciences from dead Works that we may henceforth serve more Acceptably thee the Everliving God Let our lives be a continual Endeavour of subduing in our selves the Love of Sin of becoming Enamoured with the Beauty of Holiness of becoming Like thee therein more Approved of by thee and every way such as Thou wouldst have us to be Cleanse us O God from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and cause us to endeavour after the perfecting of Holiness in thy fear And then Holiness the chief ingredient of Heavenly Happiness being our New-Nature being the fix'd Temper and Habit of our Regenerate Minds we shall be both Meet for Heaven and our Souls will Tend thither as to their proper place and most desireable state of Enjoyment Amen Amen Meditation V. On Watchfulness against Sin and Temptations THat this is a Duty our Saviour teaches us Watch and Pray says he that ye enter not into Temptation that ye come not within the reach or first Enticements thereof And St. Peter exhorts Be ye sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil goes about as a roaring Lion
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
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
To Review all this after an Almsgiving cannot but raise great complacency within us and cause us to applaud our selves for having performed so Generous so Godlike and withall so pleasing and Delightsome an action Nothing will administer to us so much Joy and Consolation when Dying nothing so much strengthen us on a bed of Languishing and make our bed in all our Sickness as the Reflection how we have in our Life past through acts of Charity and Munificence made to our selves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness laid up to our selves Treasures in Heaven a place of the best Security of the largest Interest and Improvement How we have been Eyes to the blind and Feet to the Lame through our supporting Alms-deeds how we have evidenced our Love to God by Love to our Neighbour loving him for God's sake and at his Injunction How we have like wise Merchants in a Foreign Country Transmitted our Goods and Effects before us into that our Native Region whither we intend and expect shortly to Return our selves Indeed I must Confess that Love to our very Enemies which Christianity enjoyns has at first little of this pleasure and Delight which accompanies doing Good to those who never Dis-obliged us nay that 't is an exceeding Irksom and Difficult Duty and that we are apt to cry out 't is an hard Commandment who can bear it But besides that Returning Good for Evil Blessings for Cursings Kindnesses for Injuries is the ready way to overcome our Adversary's Enmity and to convert it into a reciprocal Love and beneficence towards us whereas a Retaliation of dis-kindnesses serves only to multiply heighten and perpetuate Quarrels and oftentimes ends in the utter Ruine and destruction of both the contending Parties Besides this if we would be Children of our Heavently Father perfect as he is perfect we must be Merciful even as he is Merciful who is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil Who as to his common favours makes no Difference in their distribution but causeth his Sun to shine his Rain to descend on the Good and Bad on the Just and Unjust person Matth. 5. 45. And oh how well does it Become us by heaping Coals of Love on our Adversary's heads to endeavour to melt them down into Peace and Reconciliation How well does it Become us the offended not only to forgive but to be the first in suing for a mutual good Agreement with our offenders whenas God himself by his Ministers beseeches Sinners to be Reconciled unto him Whenas his holy Spirit strives with our obstinacy woes and importunes us by his Gospel-Profers and by his inward Solicitations to give over our Rebellion and accept of the terms of Divine Grace and Pardon Ah where is our Love to God if we have little or none to our Brother who bears his Image Where is our Love to the Deity if we obey not his Commandments And this is one of his Commandments that he who loves God should Love his brother also 1 John 4. 21. How dwelleth he in Christ and Christ in him in whom the Spirit of Christ a Spirit of Love and Charity dwelleth not How doth such a Person do what in him lyes to defeat the Prayer of our Saviour that we might be one as he and his Father are one we one in Unity of Affection as they are one in Unity of Divine Essence who hates his Brother or is at variance with him He is not a Christian who hath no true Faith in Christ and he hath no true Saving Faith whose Faith worketh not by Love both towards God and towards Man Hath Christ thought thy Brother worth his Dying for and dost Thou Ungrateful Wretch think him not worth thy Living for in all Offices of Love and Kindness towards him Dost thou consider that thou art no further a Christian than thou art Charitable and yet professest thou Christianity and continuest Uncharitable For Shame Man either Quit thy dissembled profession or else Realize it by acts of Mercy and beneficence O what a pattern was Jesus unto us of Love and Good-will of Real Substantial Acts of Kindness who went about doing Good made it his chief business and Employment healing all that were diseas'd both in Soul and body And who herein Recommended his Love most magnificently Displayed and Illustrated it in that while we were Enemies he Dyed for us and shall not this move us to Live unto him in Obedience to all his Commandments and particularly to That which he hath Dignified with a more peculiar Recommendation Calling it His by way of Eminency above the rest This is My Commandment says He That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also Love one another John 15. 12. And oh how can we well do otherwise who have our Saviours so expresly plain so frequently inculcated so pressing and urgent Injunctions of this Duty who have his so Illustrious and Transcendent Example for it who have the so potent Aids and Assistances of his Spirit of Love unto the performance Ah can we deny any thing to the Lord who hath so Dearly bought and Redeemed us Had it been some Hard thing that so Great a Benefactor had enjoyn'd us would we not have done it How much more when he bids us Love and be kind to one another The most Easie the most Delightsom of all Duties would we but Try the Experiment Ah shall we not do it Shall not we Christians who have one Faith one Hope one Baptisme one God and Father of us all one Gracious Mediator and Redeemer have also one Heart and Good-will to each other Shall we who are Brethren Heirs of the same hopes of the same blessed promises fall out and Quarrel by the way in our journying to our Home and Father's House upon the account of things indifferent and meer Trifles if compar'd with the Substantials of Religion Shall we violate Charity that most weighty Vital part of Christianity for meer Circumstances and Externals of Divine Worship of no worth in themselves but only as made Assistant to Piety and Devotion What though we are not all of the same mind in matters un-essential to Religion as indeed how should we be unless of the same size of Understanding Does however our Difference of Judgment lay on us any fatal Necessity to Differ also in Love and Affection Though we are not all of one Mouth speaking the same things yet cannot we be all of one Heart We shall never be of one mind till in Heaven we behold things in one and the same Light or at least each of us in a Sufficient one but we both may and ought to be of one Good-will on Earth Ah that our Little Differences in opinion concerning Rites and Ceremonies should contribute more to our Divisions than our General Agreement in fundamental Doctrines which we all acknowledge able to make us wise unto Salvation does conduce to our Union and Coalition While our Minds Agree in Christ in the
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
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
may be as an Evening Sacrifice that this our Religious Address may prove the fervent effectual prayer of the Righteous which Availeth much Blow therefore holy Spirit of Grace upon the Garden of our hearts and the sweet-smelling Odours of our Faith and Hope of our Reverence Zeal and holy fervour in prayer shall instantly flow forth Grant O God that we may pray with understanding with a due Regard to thy Greatness and Majesty with a prepared Deliberate and Devout temper of Mind that our prayer may not become the Sacrifice of fools through our rash unadvisedness but that it may prove a Grateful and Acceptable Sacrifice unto Thee an instrument of holyness a Restraintive from sin a Defence against Temptation a procurer of every Corporal and Spiritual Good Gift Oh that we might be thus ever worshipping ever Adoring thee Oh that we might pray without ceasing as to the habitual pious frame and Devout Disposition of our hearts But alas O Lord how are our souls possest with a Spirit of Infirmity How are they bow'd down with Listlessness and formality in thy Service O raise them up by the fervours and elevations of Devotion Quicken them with thy Graces enflame them with thy Divine Love purifie and spiritualize their corrupt Earthly Affections Give us to be in earnest amidst these our Supplications Give us to ask blessings of thee so believingly so fervently and indesinently as to Receive them by Asking Oh that we may set a true value upon this most valuable priviledge of Prayer that our Souls may be filled as with marrow and fatness when our mouths thus praise thee with joyful lips Hast Thou O Lord promised to prepare the hearts of thy Servants to seek thee and that then thou wilt Graciously incline thine ear to hear and fulfil their Requests and shall not we on our parts contribute what we can to the preparation and set our selves to worship thee with an holy worship Oh suffer us not to let thee Go permit us not to give over entreating thee till thou hast Granted us our hearts desires fulfill'd the Requests of our Lips and bless'd us with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus O that thou wouldst be pleas'd at present to wing our Souls with holy Devotion to let down of thy heat and of thy Light into them to create in us upright hearts and most vehement desires after a fuller Communion with thee in Religious Ordinances As the Hart pantetâ—â— after the water-brooks so may our spirits in heav'nly Aspirations Long and pant after thee O God! Crying out Oh when shall we come and appear before God When shall we see and experience of his beauteous of his comfortable Goings forth in the Sanctuary as in former seasons Grant O munificent Jesus with whom the most urgent importunities are very Acceptable and Delightful grant that we may obtain all convenient Temporal Spiritual and Eternal blessings by the humble violence of fervent uncessant Supplication O thou God of all Consolation thou foundation of Blessedness who Delightest to 〈◊〉 the â—eek and Lowly desires of thy â—â—digent Dependant Creatures Enlarge our hearts in this thy Service Give us to taste of the sweets of Devotion let us experience the mighty efficacy of prayer O suffer us not to come down from this holy mount of exalted praise and Adoration till it has proved a mount of Transfiguration unto us till we are made thereby more Resemblant of thy Divine Nature in Purity and Holiness Oh may we take such a prospect of the promised Land of Rest and Happiness above from the towering Ascent of Prayer that we may Anticipate the Joys Celestial may contemn these Earthly vanities and disdain every meanner Satisfaction than what thou our God the things Spiritual and Eternal can yeild us Accept holy Father of this as a Tribute of Thanksgiving for all thine inestimable benefits from time to time conferr'd upon us Accept of this poor unworthy Retribution but however all that our Indigency and Poverty all that thy self-sufficiency and fullness will allow us to pay thee O may we Live and Dye thus pouring out our souls to thee in humble Supplication and Gratulatory praises And when we have pray'd and prais'd and adored thee our ut most our appointed measure here on Earth O Grant we may be taken up into Heaven and there be joyn'd to the Eternally praising worshipping and Adoring Quire of Glorisied Saints and Angels Amen for our Redeemer's sake Amen Amen A PRAYER FOR THE MORNING MOst Great most Glorious and Gracious Lord God Glorious in Majesty fearful in Power infinite in Holiness with what holy Awe and Reverence with what pious Humility and Prostration of Soul ought we vile Creatures we sinful Dust and Ashes to approach this thy more immediate Presence Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou so Regardest him as to watch over him with thy Good Providence as to visit him with thy faithfulness in the Night-season and with thy Loving-kindness every Morning O how indebted are we to thy Goodness and Forbearance that we are yet in the Land of the Living praising thee We pray thee make this thy Goodness and Long-suffering instrumental to the leading us out of a principle of Gratitude to a more compleat and advanced Repentance Blessed be thy Name for the Protection afforded us the Night past for thy Renewed Mercies of this Day O Grant that they may Excite us to a Renewing of our holy purposes and Resolutions of stricter and better Obedience for the future may thy Adding days to our Lives cause us to Add Diligence to our religious endeavours Give us Grace to spend our present continued season in such a Godly manner as if it were to be our Last as Ready prepared against its being such Let not we beseech Thee the increase of our years contribute to the increase of our Guilt and Number of our Sins but cause this further indulged space of Time to be so well-improved by us as that it may bring us the nearer to an happy Eternity But O our God how have we given thee occasion by our Abuse of former means of Grace and opportunities of Salvation to Deny us any further ones and to cut us off in the midst of our Transgressions How mayst thou resolve in thy wrath having been so Long Grieved so Long Resisted by our sinful obstinacy that thy holy Spirit shall not Allways strive with such Refractory Offenders The Number of our Impieties is Great the Heinousness of them much Greater we have forgotten thee too too often have sinn'd against thee Days without Number tho thou hast pardon'd hast Spared us days without number though thou hast given us our Being though thou hast plentifully provided for our well-being yet have we forgotten thee though thou hast given us thy Son to Redeem us though thou hast given us thy Holy-Ghost to Purifie Assist and Comfort us yet have we ungratefully Rebell'd against
unto Thee who art of purer Eyes than to behold the least iniquity with Approbation With what Joy and Thankfulness ought we to acknowledge this thine inestimable favour that thou who art so highly Exalted wilt humble thy self to take notice of such Despicable polluted Beings as we are For ever blessed be thy Goodness who hast made Prayer our Duty which is so much our Interest and Priviledge O how inexcusable should we be should we neglect so Great a means of Grace and Salvation Wilt thou O Lord Admit and Accept our poor unworthy Services and shall not we Gladly Embrace the Vouchsafement Since our Righteousness Extendeth not unto Thee since we only are the Gainers by thy Service which is its own Reward which is our perfect freedom O cause therefore all that is within us to bless thy holy Name Cause all that is within us to render thee most willing and Chearful Obedience But O God most Glorious whose Transcendent Excellency is Exalted above all Glory and Praise the more we Speak of thine Honour the more we become Sensible how infinitely we fall short of it O make us to shew forth thy praise not only with our Lips but in our Lives by giving up our selves to thy Service by conforming our selves to thy Likeness in Holyness by â—aising Spiritualizing and Enflaming by thy help our Affections towards thee in Prayer Yet Alass Alass how soon are we weary of this most Delightsome most Beneficial Duty of Devotion How much Averseness is there in us unto the Vndertaking how much Distraction of Thoughts and Deadness of Spirit in the performance What formality want of Relish want of Zeal and fervour is there mingled with the best of our Religious Services How prone have we been to Deceive our selves with Shadows of Piety and Devotion instead of the Substance With a form of Godlyness instead of the Life and power thereof How prone to Content our selves with the bare praises of thy Divine perfections which we have not had the Godly Ambition the Sincerity of heart to imitate O pardon the sins and iniquities of these our Holy things But besides the imperfections of our best performances how many ways have we presumptuously offended thee our God! By innumerable Omissions and Commissions Omissions of Duty Commissions of Evil by many frequently Repeated and long Continued acts of wickedness by sinful provocations in Thought Word and Deed against thy Divine Majesty O how often have we Stifled the Convictions the Reproofs of our own Consciences How often Resisted the holy motions the Restraints of thy blessed Spirit How long neglected the Great Salvation of thy Gospel How many times violated our most Solemn Baptismal Vow and Covenant The very Multitude of our sins is Enough to Amaze and Affrighten us to cover us with Shame and Confusion of face but the Heinousness the Baseness the Ingratitude of our mis-demeanours towards so Gracious and heavenly a Father so Long-suffering a preserver so Mercyful a Benefactor Sanctifier and Redeemer O how Grievous is the Remembrance thereof to us the burthen of so much wickedness how Intolerable O our God Strong and patient hadst thou not been God how couldst thou have had patience with such perfidious such ungrateful such willfully Disobedient Rebells Well for us is it that thy mercy and forbearance Exceed that of Man are like the self unlimited O the Riches of thy Grace wilt thou again Receive such prodigal Children into thy favour Wilt thou Still be Reconciled unto us Ah let thy Goodness let thy Reconcileableness lead us to Repentance to a more compleat consummated one and our Repentance may it fit us for thy pardon and Acceptance And not meerly for the Pardon of our sins implore we mercy at thy hands but for a Divine power to enable us to subdue them Set we beseech thee O Lord our hearts in such a perfect Enmity against all things contrary to thy blessed Will and Nature that we may never be Reconciled to them any more dispose us to such an Entire Affection to thy Commandments that they may become our Choice our Desire our Exceeding Great Rejoycing O that we may walk more circumspectly Redeeming the time because the days are Evil O that we may give all Diligence to make our Calling and Election Sure O that the life the pure unspotted life of Christ Jesus may be formed within us the hope of Glory Fill us Gracious God with the whole Knowledge of thy Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding and Assist us with thy Grace unto the Conscientious practice of such knowledge Increase in us that faith which worketh by Divine Love which purisieth the heart and life and overcometh the wicked world Excite in us that ardent Affection to thee which may make us chearfully Do thy Will or patiently suffer it in all instances and which will cause us to Love our brethren as our selves for Christ's sake with a pure heart out of Love unfeigned not in Tongue only but also in Deed and in Truth Keep us O Lord pure and unspotted with the World Temperate Chaste and Unspotted with the flesh keep us Safe and unseduced by our own hearts lusts by Satans wicked Suggestions and Allurements Cause us to have our Conversation without Covetousness to have it more in Heaven less on Earth teach us contempt of Earthly things teach us to deny our selves to conquer all Temptations to live above the corruptions which so much abound in the Age Give us Patience give us supporting comfort and quiet submission in Adversity let a contented mind be instead of all we want and a thankful heart sweeten all our Enjoyments O that we may mind more the one thing Necessary that we may seek in the first place the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness and whatever other things we leave undone we may be still working out our Salvation with fear and trembling Make us O our God more careful of pleasing thee fearful of offending thee diligent and industrious in thy Service more observant of thy Good Providence in every thing more grateful for thy benefits Received more readily disposed in all conditions to every good thought word and work * Stir us up we entreat thee to a frequent mindfulness of our Latter End and fit and prepare us for it let our approaching sleep this Night put us in mind of our last sleep our Bed remind us of our Grave and the darkness of the evening of the days of Darkness which shall be many in the Chambers of Death Lighten our Eyes O Lord that they sleep not therein but that we may Awake with the morning Light unto thy Praise and Glory Forgive those actual sins of thy servants which the day past hath been witness unto Lord give us a Godly sorrow for them a perfect hatred of them and more carefulness to avoid them for the future and whether we sleep this night in death or awake to the fresh Mercies of the following day O Grant that Christ
not to Depart hence at any time but with all imaginable Preparations for Eternity with a Soul thoroughly Changed and Renewed with a Soul full fraught with thy Divine Love Humble and Resign'd Chearful and Enravish'd with future Expectations And then whenever this his Earthly Tabernacle shall be Dissolved he shall have a building of God an house not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens Which we beseech thee to Grant both him and us for the alone Sake and Merits of thy Son our Saviour to whom together with Thee O Father and thy Holy and Ever-blessed Spirit be Ascribed as is most Dâ—e all Honour Praise Might Majesty and Dominion from this time forth and for Evermore Amen Amen Another Prayer for the Sick when there appears small Hopes of Recovery O Most Glorious and Merciful Heavenly Father the Lord and Giver of Life the Healer and Repairer of our Decay'd Nature who bringest down to the Grave and then sayst Come again ye Children of Men Giving Power to the Faint and to those who have no Might increase of Strength Behold we beseech thee Favourably Visit Graciously and Relieve speedily this thy Servant who standeth in Need of thy Pitty and Relief Be Thou a very Present Help unto him O Lord now in the Necessitous time of his Trouble O let thy tender Mercies come unto him that he may Live Encompass him with thy Favour as with a Shield Pitty and Purifie him Sanctifie and Save him we most humbly beseech thee Either Asswage his Pain or else Increase his Faith and Patience to bear it Either Remove his Affliction or else move towards him with Divine Comfort and Sâ—pport Lay upon him Gracious God no more than thou shalt enable him with Willingness and Submission to undergo and then lay on him whatsoever shall seem Good in thy Sight O Give him a Sanctified Use and Improvement of thy Fatherly Corrections let them teach him more Humility Contentedness and Resignation less Trust and Relyance on the Creature Cause him O Lord by means of his present Distress to see the Empâ—iness Deceit and Instability of all Earthly Possessions and may this Conviction carry up his Mind to the satisfieing Everdurable Enjoyments of Heaven O that his Devout Conversation there in Holy Meditations Fervent Prayers and Transporting Praises may Allay much of his Corporal Pains and Disquietudes and render him in a manner Insensible of them O that thy Word and blessed Promises may be his sure Trust and Confidence in Adversity tho' he walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death yet let him fear no Evil may thy Rod as well as thy Staff Comfort and Sustain him Give him Holy Lord unseigned Repentance for all the Miscarriages of his Life past Stedfast Faith in thy Son Jesus Compleat Pardon and Forgiveness through the Merits of his Blood a lively Hope of that Immortal Bliss which his Redeemer has Dearly Purchased and most Graciously Promised to true Believers a strong Sense of thy Fatherly Love towards him and tender Care over him even amidst his Sufferings O cause this Sick Person to Apprehend and be Assured that thou intendest his Spiritual Benefit and Amendment by these thy Corrections that they are the Chastisements of a Loving Father and not of an Incensed Judge that they are the healing Medicines of a Friend and not the avenging Wounds of an Enemy O Convince him Convince him that in making him endure Chastening thou dealest with him as with one of thy Children for what Son is he whom the Father Chasteneth not That thou seekest to Conform him by Afflictions to the Likeness of his Blessed Saviour O may he be made Perfect through Sufferings Teach him we Pray thee more Obedience through the things which he Endures May his Chastening however Grievous for the Present afterwards yield him the Peaceable Fruits of Righteousness may it turn to his Spiritual Profit and Advantage and help him forward in the Right way which leadeth unto Life Everlasting Take O God from this thy Servant all Murmuring Discontent under thy Disciplining Providence Cause him rather Quietly to submit to thy Afflicting Hand as Considering that Affliction ariseth not out of the Dust proceedeth not meerly from Natural Causes but from thy Wise Providence and Appointment who Orderest all things toward us for our Good O Perswade this Sick Person 't is for his Good that he is Afflicted that of very Faithfulness thou hast Caused him to be troubled O make him by Searching and Trying his ways to find out those particular Sins and Failings which thou Aimest at in this his Chastisement to Observe and Understand thy Meaning in the Calamities which befall him that he may accordingly meet thee in thy Providential Ways and Dealings towards him that so the Removal of his Guilt by Repentance through the Merits of his Saviour may make Way for the Removal of thy Divine Rod of Punishment And do Thou the God of all Grace and Truth who hast called this thy Corrected Son to Suffering by thy Fatherly Wisdom and Goodness after that he hath suffered a while for his Souls Profit Stablish Strengthen Settle him Let we Pray thee thy Merciful Kindness be this Afflicted Person 's Succour and Safety send him Help from Above and Evermore mightily Defend him Defend him O Lord from all Satan's disquietting Assaults from all his Wicked Temptations O let not that Evil one have any Advantage over him in these his sorrowful Hours but Rebuke him Good Lord Rebuke him Tread that old seducing Serpent under this thy Servant's Feet and make him more than Conqueror through Christ who strengthens him Worâ— Holy Father Dâ—liverance for 〈◊〉 whom thâ—â— Châ—stisest Heal him and he shall be Healed Save him and he shall be saved for thou aâ—â— the God of his Praise O make him to hear again of Joy and Gladness that the â—ones which thou hast bâ—oken mâ—y â—â—joice But if thou in thy Wisdom hast Decreed that this thy Servants Sickness shall be unto Death Fit and Prepare him for it we beseech thee Give him a more perfectly Holy and Heavenly Constitution of Soul an Heart Wean'd and Estranged from this World a sanctified Meetness to be made Partaker of an Inheritance with the Saints in Light and Glory O may his last Hours be his Best Hours his last Thoughts his Best Thoughts and his last Words and Actions his best Words and Actions The Nearer he draws to the End of his Days cause him so much the Nearer to draw to the End of his Hopes even the Salvation of his Soul For this Purpose Apply we Entreat thee all the Benefits of our Saviour's Perfect Obedience and Meritorious Sufferings unto this Dying Person for Reconciliation and Acceptance Impute not Gracious Lord unto him his former Sins but thy Well-beloved Son 's Alsufficient Righteousness who was Wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities O let the Peace purchased by thy Son's Chastisements be upon this thy Servant and by his Redeemers Stripes let him
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