Life and an Eternal weight of Glory in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the day Friday Mornings Meditations On the Life of the Holy Jesus On the Incarnation of our Blessed Redeemer O Most Blessed Jesu who for the Redemption of the World Vouchsafest to be made Man by the ever Blessed Merits of thy Mysterious Incarnation grant me to become one Spirit with thee who became one Flesh with me Nativity II. Blessed Jesu who wast Born of a pure Virgin by the power of the Holy Ghost grant me by the same Almighty Power to possess a pure Virgin Soul in a pure and Chasse Temple of my Body and to be Fruitful in all good works to my lives end Circumcision III. Blessed Jesu who was Circumcised and made Obedient to the Law for Man grant unto me I humbly beseech thee the true Circumcision of the Spirit that my Heart and all my Members may be Mortified from all Carnal and worldly Lusts that I may in all things Obey thy Blessed Will Baptism IV. Blessed Jesu by the Merits of thy Holy Baptism wash me throughly from my Wickedness and Cleanse me from my Sins whereby I have Defiled those Sacramental Waters of my Baptism and perjuriously broken my Vows and Promises made therein Fasting V. Blessed Jesu who didst Fast Forty Days and Forty Nights Pardon and Forgive me all the manifold Acts of Rioting and excess I have been guilty of and give me Grace to use such Abstinence that my Flesh being subdued to the Spirit I may ever Obey thy Godly motions in Righteousness and true Holiness to thy Honour and Glory Temptation VI. Blessed Jesu who in thy Holy Fasting was Tempted by Satan and by thy Almighty Power didst Conquer him grant me by thy Blessed Spirit Devoutly to entertain the Holy Duties of Prayer and Fasting that by the Power of thy Victory over the Devil I may have Strength and Power of over Satan the World and the Flesh and continue thy Servant to my Lives End Doctrine and Example VII Blessed Jesu who in thy Prophetical Office didst Preach the Gospel and Heaâ— all manner of Sicknesses and Diseases among the People and by thy Doctrine and Example art the way and the Truth that leads unto Life Grant me to believe a right all thy Revelations to Obey all thy Commands to walk in thy Steps and to follow thee the Light of the World that I walk not in Darkness Christ Conspired against and Betrayed VIII Blessed Jâ—su whose precious Life was Conspired â—gain7s â— by Dis-believing Jâ—wes and wert Betrayed and Sold by one of thy own Disciples for a Vile Price Deliver me I Humbly Beseech thee from all the Conspiracies of my Ghostly and Bodily Enemies but especially from the Treachery of my own Heart and the Rebellion of my Flesh which for things of no Value betrays my Soul to its utter Ruin and Destruction His Agony in the Garden IX Blessed Jesu thy bitter Passion was in a Garden where thy Soul was sorrowful even unto Death Sanctifie O Lord all my Infirmities and Passions Comfort me in all my Troubles and Compose my my mind with such a frame of Spirit that I may be sensible with a Godly Sorrow of that Heavy Wrath and Curse for sin which thou sufferedst for me and all the World His Bloody Sweat X. Blessed Jesu who upon the Cold Earth didst Sweat Drops of Blood under the Load of our Sins and Apprehensions of thy ensuing Sufferings thou offerest up strong Crys and Tears unto him that is able to save O that my Heart might inwardly Bleed Tears of Compassion and Contrition and vent forth fervent and effectual Prayers with Tears of Devotion as to be heard in Heaven and healed of all my sinful Infirmities His Submission XI Blessed Jesu who didst submit with Patience unto the Will of thy Heavenly Father Endue me with the same Spirit of meekness and Patience submitting my self unto the Will of God in prosperity and adversity Health and Sickness Life and Death His Apprehension XII Blessed Jesu thou wast Apprehended and bound as a Malefactor but wert clearer than an Angel of Light O let not my Soul be Arrested by Infernal Fiends to Eternal Horrour in the other World but from the Eternal Malice of the Spirits of Darkness and from the Bonds and Chains of my Sins Good Lord Deliver me The PRAYER O Lord most Holy my sins are more in number than the Hairs of my Head and the weight of them Cries a loud to Heaven for Mercy I beseech thee O God the Father of Heaven thou great Creator and Preserver of Man despise not the Work of thine own Hands O God the Son that camest into the World to save Sinners Remember not my Offences neither seek thou Vengeance of my sins but good Lord spare me thy unworthy Servant whom thou hast Redeemed with thy most Precious Blood and be not Angry with me for ever O God the Holy Ghost that Despisest not a Broken and Contrite Heart let it pitty thee to see these thy Temples of my Soul and Body thus Ruined by sin and wickedness O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Three Persons and One God have Mercy upon me a Miserable Sinner II. A Sinner and a grievous Sinner I am teach me O God to grieve that I am so give me a Broken and a Wounded Spirit for all my Transgressions Break this Stony Heart of mine yea take away this Heart of Stone from me and give me a Heart of Flesh that I may tremble at the Voice of thy Law and melt at the Sight of thy Judgments and Accuse and Condemn my self and be ready to joyn with thee to do Justice upon such a sinner as I am but least I should faint through the smart of the many fresh Bleeding Wounds which my sins have given my Soul Oh! do thou uphold me by thy Right Hand and pour into my Wounds that precious Balm of Gilead a true and a lively Faith in the ful satisfaction that thy Son hath made to thy Justice for the sins of the whole World and through his Cross and Passion through his most Precious Death and Burial through his Glorious Resurrection and Ascention I beseech thee be thou Reconciled unto me III. O Lord for his sake Pardon all that is past lay none of my sins to my Charge but Blot them all out of the Book of thy Remembrance Wash me O wash me throughly from my sins and cleanse me from my Vnrighteousness in the Blood of Jesus Christ Lord let his Blood that speaks better things than that of Abel cry lowder for mercy in thine Ears than do my sins for Vengeance be sprinkle my Polluted but Penitent Soul In the Blood of Jesus that thy wrath may pass over me and that the light of thy Countenance may shine upon me IV. SEAL unto my Soul the free Pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation Oh! do thou
The PRAYER MOST gracious God I have been very negligent of thy Service and those duties whereby I should have been better'd in the ways of Godliness by my ill performance have made me worse my very Prayers have been turned into Sin and those Sacrifices whereby I should have propitiated thee hath removed thee at a further distance from me and though thou in thy Mercy and tender compassion hast oppossed me in my Sins and called me to Repentance yet notwithstanding I have rusht into all manner of Wickedness * Here Name the Particulars as the Horse into the Battle and have gone from bad to worse II. THY Judgment have not Awaked me nor thy Mercies wonne me to Obedience I have not harkened to the Voice of thy Ministry nor to the Secret Checks of my own Conscience nor yet to the good motions of thy Holy Spirit all directing me this is the way walk in it and you shall find rest unto your Soul yet notwithstanding all the good means thou hast used to reclaim me and to bring me home to thee I have still gone on in a stubborn Course of Sin to the dishonour of thy Name the wounding of my own Soul the Scaldal of others and the increasing the great dreadful Account that I must one day make at the Judgment Seat of Christ III. FOR these O Lord and many other Sins all thy Waves and Storms have gone over me when thou hast smitten me I became void of understanding and was so far from being humbled that I laid it not to Heart nor considered that it was an Evil and bitter thing to depart from thee O Lord my God wo unto me I have pulled away the Shoulder I have stopt my Ear that I might not hear I have made my Heart harder than the Adamant and the neither Milstone impregnable for all thy Judgments have not pierced me nor made those impressions of Compunction and Sorrow which are the end whereof thou didst send them so that to my own shame and Confusion I may say my spots are none of the spots of thy Children nor thy Punishments the Chastisements of a loving Father but of an Angry Judge IV. I have too just reason to fear thy Afflictions under which I mourn they are not a Wind to Fan and Purge me but a Whirl Wind to Scatter and utterly destroy me as if the Sentence were already past and the Decree gone forth as if my Days were at an end because the shadows of the Evening are so far stretched out but yet O Lord be not weary of thy repentings though thou hast been prest under the Load of my Sins be not Angry with me for Ever but in the midst of Justice remember Mercy Amen Read the Psalms and Lessons appointed for the Day Tuesday Evenings Meditations LEARN Oâ— my Soul to Confess a Truth though never so much to thy own Diminution Learn ro Advance the Honour of thy God though never so much to thine own depression They who humble themselves shall be exalted and they who exalt themselves shall be humbled Learn to decline the Applause of Men and Banish from thy thoughts all conceits of thine own worth learn to speak lowly of thy self and to mean as thou sayest II. OFTEN does our weakness judge of others and perhaps our Malice censure their Qualities We rashly conclude upon outward presumptions and little consider their inward worth we are apt to undervalue whom we familiarly are acquainted with and scarce can think highly of them whom we have once known low Heal us O thou great Physitian of our Souls Heal us of all our Diseases and above them all of our Rude Impatience towards those that would Cure us Whatever they do who know thee not let not thy Church dishonour thee nor those of thine own Houshould undervalue thy Mercies Let not our unbelief Chase thee away nor our ingratitude overcome thy goodness III. DISDAIN not O my Soul the Company of thy Inferiors but accommodate thy self to their Innocent Customs help them with thy Prayers if thou canst not with thy Power and thy Lord in due time will Bounteously reward thee he keeps the good Wine till the last and then he 'll fill us to the brim with joy IV. TEACH me O Lord to Treat with every one according to their quality and neither scorn my Inferiors nor indiscreetly exalt them Teach me to humble my Soul before thy Majesty and sincerely Confess I am an unprofitable Servant unprofitable to thee O Lord not to my self while I gain by thy Service the Wages of Eternity If by thy Grace I believe thy word and Obey thy Law and with my whole Strength Love and Adore thee When I have done all that I ought which alas is more then I do I must still Confess I 'm an unprofitable Servant The PRAYER O Lord Create in me a clean Heart and renew a right Spirit within me let the Assistance of thy Holy Spirit of Grace preserve me from Sin for the time to come for without thy preventing me I cannot but Sin visit me therefore O Lord with thy Salvation that I may live undefiled in the way of thy Commandments and see the Felicity of thy chosen and rejoyce and give thanks with thine Inheritance II. TO this End send thy Holy Spirit into my Heart to teach me to deny all ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Righteously Godly and Soberly in this present World remembring the great Account I am to make at the last day O let it subdue every Proud thought and vain imagination that shall exalt it self against the Scepter of thy Kingdom III. GIVE me I beseech thee either Peace from temptations or Victory over them in all Assaults of my Ghostly Enemy let thy Mighty hand have preheminence and bring mighty things to pass even Victory and Deliverance unto me the unworthiest of thy Servants that so by the Assistance of thy Holy Spirit I may Crucifie the Old Man Mortifie the Works of the Flesh subdue my Corruptions * Here Name the particulars Vanquish Satan and Tryumph over the Powers of the Kingdom of Darkness IV. O put thy fear into my Heart that I may never depart from thee put thy Love into my Heart that my Luke-warmness being raised us to the Flames and Fervency of Cherubims I may love thee above all things and loving thee above all things I may fear to offend so good and so gracious a God as thou Art wash away all my sins in that Sea of Blood which thy Son Christ Jesus shed for me and for the sins of the whole World and grant that I may receive the full benefit of his Death and Passion in this most Holy Sacrament with a free Pardon of all my sins and manifold transgressions Amen Then Read the Psalms and Lessons appointed for the day Meditations for Wednesday Morning BLESSED are they that had rather endure Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of sin for a
Season This O my Soul is the way to beatitude how strange soever it may seem to our sense these are the Words of the Eternal Verity how improbable soever they may sound to our Ear choose whether here thou wilt be falsly happy for a while or truly happy hereafter for ever if we resolve for the Bliss of the Life to come we are like to meet with Affliction in this and if we place our Felicity in this we are sure to meet with Misery in the other God be Merciful to me a sinner II. LORD either make me think my self Blind enough to need the guidance of the wise or be indeed wise enough to guide my self that I may enter at last by thee the door of Life and feed my Soul on thy joys for ever Deliver me O Lord from encreasing my guilt by sinning against my knowledge or hoping in my Ignorance to excuse my guilt call me after thee who art gone before and make me hear thy Voice and follow it O Lord hear me and be merciful unto me for thy Name sake DELIVER me O Lord from those desperate Sins which so rarely are pardoned that they are said to be unpardonable Deliver me from resisting the motions of thy Spirit and from Choaking the Convictions of my own Conscience Deliver me O Lord and never let the Divil of Blaspemy enter into me or any of thy Servants but enter thou O Dearest Jesu and possess my Heart for ever cast out by thy powerful Grace every wicked Spirit which Molests me and Conquer my strong Corruptions that else will overcome me O Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean IV. DELIVER me O Lord from every least degree of uncharitable provoking my Neighbour that I Imbitter not my Life with Mutual Animosities nor make void my Piety by an obstinate wilfulness but observing the Rules of my wise Redeemer escape the Miseries that would spring from my Follies Deliver me O Lord from every least degree of unduly loving my Neighbour that I set not my Heart upon sensual pleasures nor Imbroil my Memory with Impute thoughts Good Lord Deliver me An humble Confession of Sins before the Holy Sacrament HAVE Mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy Mercies do away mine offences for I will confess my Wickedness and be sorry for my Sin O Lord I am not worthy to be counted amongst the poorest of thy Servants I am not worthy to be fed with the smallest Crums which falls from the Table of thy Ordinary Providence but to be shut out of thy presence for ever with unbelievers and Reprobates Lord be merciful to me a sinner II. O Lord I am the vilest and the worst of sinners full of Pride Vain Glory Impatient of Scorn or just reproof disobedient to my Superiours and churlish and ungentle to my Equals and Inferiors I am Angry and Peevish many times without Occasion envious at Good and rejoyceing at Evil I am negligent Idle and useless timerous base jealous and impudent ambitious and very hard hearted unmortified and effeminate in my Life indevout in my Prayers without fervency or affection Here name your particular sins Lord be merciful to me a sinner III. I am guilty of Gluttony and Curiosity in Meat and Drink making Provision for the Flesh from whence hath sprung forth impure thoughts which have made me prone to unclean and unjust Actions and the spirit of unchastity hath entred and unhallowed the Temple of my Body which thou hast Commanded to be a receptacle for thy Holy and Blessed Spirit Lord be merciful to me a sinner ALL my senses have been inlets of sin mine Eyes have been Adulterous wandring and Covetous my Ears delighted with obscene Words slanderous and reproachful Speeches my Palate loose wanton and intemperate my Tongue talkative Lying Rash and Malitious Flattering Irreligious and Censorious my Hands have been unclean and slothful my desires unreasonable and unsatiable all the Members of my Body and the Faculties of my Soul have been Servants of sin and Weapons of unrighteousness Lord be merciful to me a sinner V. I have not O Lord been guilty of my own sins but I have also been guilty of the sins of others not only by neglecting to reprove or hinder them in the ways of sin but I have encouraged them by taking off their Fears and hardning their Consciences and had tempted them directly to their Ruin and my own but thy preventing Grace put a stop to so great a Misery Lord be merciful to me a sinner VI. THY Mercies O Lord I have abused thy judgments I have despised and have turned thy Grace into Wantonness I have committed sin and have repented and have sinned again I have set up resolutions but have immediately broke them I have tyed my self up with Vows but presently have been tempted and yielded by little and little till I was willingly lost and my Vows signified no more than vain Promises Lord be merciful to me a Sinner VII O Lord I stand guilty of another heap of sins my secret ones which are innumerable sins of Omission and sins willingly neglected sins of wilful Ignorance and voluntary mispersuation sins of forgetfulness and sins which a watchful Spirit might have prevented the multitude of them O Lord Confounds me and the remembrance of them is horrible they are a sight too loathsome and unsufferable is their Burden Lord be merciful to me a sinner VIII YET O Lord thy merciful Eye hath spared me to this present and hast not cast me into Hell among the Damned which by my sins I have long since deserved and to have been lockt up to an Eternity of Torments with insupportable amazements too long O Lord I have sinned against thee and long since deserved thy severest Scourges I have committed iniquity in thy sight and cannot escape thy Justice but by flying to thy Mercy O Lord be merciful to me a sinner The PRAYER O Lord give me a deep Contrition for my sins and a Hearty Detestation and loathing of them give me Grace intirely presently and for ever to forsake them and grant that I may walk with Care and Prudence with Fear and Watchfulness all my days performing my Duty with Dilligence and Charity with Zeal and a never fainting Spirit II. Deliver me O Lord from extream Calamities here and Deliver me from Eternal Vengeance hereafter look down with Compassion on the Work of thine own Hands and gently Chastise me with thy Rod of Discipline but suffer not my weakness to be Oppressed with too heavy Afflictions nor my Patience Tempted above my Strength III. INSTRVCT me how to Redeem my time to trust in thy Mercies and to make the best use of the means of Grace for the Working out my Salvation with Fear and Trembling that thou mayest have the Glory in Pardoning all my sins and I reap the benefit of all thy Mercies let all thy Graces guide me to a Holy life here that I may Reign
with thee for ever hereafter in thy Kingdom of Glory Amen Read Plal. 6.32.38 1 Lesson Ezek. 16. 2 Lesson St. Mat. 7. Meditations for Wednesday Evening LORD not the meanest Circumstance of my Life but is known to thee not the least Assistance I need but thou kindly providest a particular supply let me but do what thou hast appointed and I am sure to find true all thou hast promised thy Commands are sweet and easie O give me Grace to Obey them Thy Directions are clear and safe O guide me still to follow them II. BEHOLD dear Lord to thee I come and open before thee all my Infirmities my mind is Sick of the Palsie and my Faculties be numb'd with a Dead Sluggishness I am apt to censure the good Works of others but slow to the performance of any my self heal me O thou Heavenly Physitian whose Mercy both Cures the Sick and Pardons the Penitent O make me quickly rise from the sins wherein I have lain too long and strengthen me to Conquer my Corrupted Nature that I may walk towards thee my Eternal home and praise thy Name for ever more III. Whether alass Do my Passions lead me How desperately does one Darling Sin engage into others Deliver me O Lord in the first beginnings and suffer not my Faults to become strong Customary lest I grow at length to despise reproof and hate my reprover Herod knew John to be just yet kept him in Prison he heard him gladly yet Cut off his Head nothing so imbroyl'd as a vicious Life nothing so full of Contradiction as a wicked Conscience IV. CLEANSE thou my Heart O Lord from all Vain and unlawful thoughts my Mouth from all Foolish and Idle words and my whole Life from all Wicked and unprofitable Deeds for in that great and terrible day by what I am I shall be justified and by what I am be Condemned how many in that day will rise up against me How will my own Conscience Reproach and Confound me If I neglect such motives to repentance if I refuse the wisdom of the Son of God who came down from the highest Heavens himself to teach me The PRAYER O Lord God whose Power is Infinite and Purity such that it cannot endure the beholding any thing that is unclean how should I that am Forlorn Dust and Ashes very sinful Flesh presume or dare to present my self before thee When I look on the vileness of my Nature and the sinfulness of my Life I cannot choose but Cry out and say woe unto me I am undone I am one of Vnclean Lips The very Prayers I make to crave Pardon for my Sins are stained in the uttering and must needs add to my Transgressions if in Judgment or Justice though shouldest weigh or examine them II. BVT O Lord thou art a God of Infinite Compassion Pardoning Iniquity Transgression and Sin that wouldest not the Death of a sinner but that he be convered and live thou hast not only Allowed me but Commanded me to call upon thee in all my troubles and distresses thou hast promised that at what time soever a sinner doth Repent him of his sins thou wilt put away all his Iniquities out of thy Remembrance III. IN Obedience therefore to this thy Command and in Confidence of this thy Promise I am Emboldoned at this time to appear before thee Renouncing all merit and trust all Confidence and Affiance in my self and relying only on thy Mercy and the Soveraign Mediation of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in whom only thou art well pleased and through whom thou canst not be offended with me IV. O Lord hear thine own Son for me O Lord hear thine own self in me that Blessed Spirit of thine which makes Intercession for me with Groans and Sighs that cannot be expressed Pardon and Forgive all my sins both Original and Actual of Omission or Commission of Thought Word and Deed of Ignorance Infirmity or Presumption * Here Name the Particulars which I have at any time Committed against thee Nail them to the Cross of Christ that they may never rise up in judgment against me either to shame me in this World or Condemn me in the World to come V. BVRY them in the Bottomless Sea of thy Mercy and forgetfulness that they may never appear before thee to hinder thy Favours unto me Seal the Remission of them to my Soul and Conscience that they may not Distract or Disturb me in my Devotion and Crush and Subdue the Rebellions of my Nature that they may no longer Reign in my Mortal Body and having Cleansed and Purified me from all Spots and Stains of Sin I beseech thee O Lord to pour thy Grace and Holy Spirit into me that may enable me to walk before thee in Holiness and Righteousness and in Sobriety all the days of my Life Read Psalm 51.102.130.140 1 Lesson Ezek. 18. 2 Lesson Rom. 12. Meditations for Thursday Morning O My Soul we are very inconstant sometimes we endeavour to heartily Repent and after a while miscarry again often we pretendedly resolve to amend and yet sometimes forget our good purposes Bewail thy Infirmities Renew thy Intentions and be of good Comfort our Lord has overcome the World He overcame it with his own strong Arm and left thee Rules and Grace and Sacraments to help thee that if thou canst not have Peace with thy Enemies thou mayst at least have Victory over them II. Often O Lord thou invitest us to thy Holy Table and often do we neglect and refuse to come thou invitest us to the Pleasures of a Virtuous Life and the continual Feast of a good Conscience thou providest a Heavenly Banquet and makest thy Son himself our Delicious Entertainment O Cloath us Gracious Lord with the Wedding Garment of Charity to thee and one another that we may Enter with Joy into the Marriage Chamber and Sit down as happy Guests in thy Kingdom for Ever Let us not Trifle away our time in Wandering up and down nor prefer a Petty Interest before thy Glorious Rewards least we be Confounded when our King shall come in Majesty and Command the unprepared into Chains of Darkness III. THOU art O Jesu the true Coelestial Manna of which whoever Eats shall Live Eternally thou art the Bread of God that Descended from Heaven of which who ever Feeds shall never Hunger Cast me not out O Lord whom thy Mercy has Adopted into thy own Family but give me this Bread of thy Children for Ever Thou who camest down to do thy Fathers Will and has taught me 't is thy Father's Will that of those he has given thee none be lost IV. Murmur no more among your selves unhappy Atheistical Dis-believers of the Mysterries of Heaven be no more Incredulous but submit your Reason to him whom you know to be Infallible The Bread I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World which Received by Faith is the Souls Nourishment Draw them O Heavenly Father that
they may come to thee receive them O Gracious Jesus and Teach their Hearts to believe what thine own Blest Mouth has so clearly taught them The PRAYER OH Most Glorious and most Power ful Lord God whose dwelling is above the Heavens in Light in Accessible and thine Eyes run to and fro to behold the things which are in Heaven and in Earth neither is there any thing which is not Naked and open unto thee for thine Eyes are Ten Thousand times brighter than the Sun beholding all the Ways of Men. II. LOOK upon me O Lord who am the unworthiest of all thy Servants thou hast made me a Member O Lord of that Mystical Body whereof thy Son Christ Jesus is the Head make me therefore sensible of the necessities of the Catholick Church I beseech thee to be merciful unto it and to every Member of the same wheresoever Dispersed howsoever Distressed or by Whomsoever Dispised throughout this Vniversal World III. Oh Lord call them that are yet Strangers and have not yet heard of thy Name reduce and bring home those that are gone astray and wander raise up all that are fallen and confirm and strengthen such as do stand bind up all that are Broken and heal all that are Bruised Vnite us all in soundness of Doctrine by the Spirit of Truth in holiness of Life by the Spirit of Sanctification and in Brotherly Compassion and Christian Affection by the Spirit of Love IV. O Lord I beseech thee to open the Bowels of thy Mercy and to pour out thy tenderest Compassion upon all such as mourn under the weight of their Afflictions many are the troubles of thy poor Servants and thou only knowest how to deliver them out of all their troubles whether therefore any be inwardly distressed in Soul Mind or Conscience or outwardly Afflicted in Body Estate or good Name I beseech thee give them speedy case out of their misery or Patience to endure what thou shalt be pleased to lay upon them V. I beseech thee to open the Eyes of those that lie on their Beds of Sickness Oh! thou that art the God of Health and sender of Sickness Sanctifie thy Visitation unto them make their Beds in their Sickness lay no more upon them than thou wilt give them strength and Patience to bear and if it may stand with thy Gracious Will grant that they may recover their former Health to do thee Service hereafter VI. BVT if thou that knowest what is best needful for them hast determined at this time to take any of them unto thy self O Lord I beseech thee to fit and prepare them for the hour of Death give them a true feeling of their sins and a lively apprehension of thy mercy in Christ Jesus that so surely Repenting of thee one and chearfully laying hold on the other they may with Confidence and Comfort resign up their Souls into the Hand of thee their most merciful Creator and Redeemer Amen Read the Psalms and Lessons for the Day Meditations for Thursday Evening PREPARE my Heart O God to receive thee whom my Soul loveth for thou hast the Words of Eternal Life Blessed O gracious Jesu be the sweetness of thy Spirit which so kindly invitest me to refresh my weariness I know and thine own sure word has told me If I Labour for thee here I shall rest with thee hereafter Lord make me follow thee wherever thou goest and strive and run to be first in thy Presence there I shall meet a Mercy that will regard and pity me there I shall find a goodness that will teach and relieve me II. WRITE all thy Holy Truths in my Soul O Lord and Print thy Love in the Center of them all there let it sit as Soveraign Governour and absolutely dispose of all my interests Let it command my Tongue to confess thee and no fear of Danger make me ever deny thee let it command all my Powers to serve thee and nothing but thy Love find place in my Heart III. O when shall I come to thy Holy Table to tast of thy most delicious Banquent to hear those Sweet and Ravishing Words He dwells in me and I in him sweet in excess to the Soul that loves and Tasts the joys of this heavenly Converse and feeds on the wonders of this admirable Union He dwells in me and I in Him O Blest and Glorious Words What can be said more full of Grace and Strength and Supernatural Mystery Here they alone are my Heaven on Earth and will hereafter be my Heaven in Heaven IV. To thee my great Creator I humbly Sacrifice the Noblest faculty thou hast given me to thee and to the Obedience of thy Truth I entirely Resign and Captivate my understanding Thy Words O Lord in thy Holy Sacrament are Spirit and Life unto me O make my Faith be quick and Active to thee in receiving so great a Salvation Shall I go back and forsake my God because he humbles himself to approach towards me Shall I refuse to Learn of my Master because his Lessons exalt me above my Nature The PRAYER O Lord I am too weak to serve thee in my Natural Power and not careful to improve the Aids of thy Spirit I am full of inconsideration and carelesness desirous to be accounted Holy of Men but careless of being so to thee my God I am unstedfast O Lord in all my ways * Here Name the Particulars but enable me to confess my Faith in despight of all the Oppositions of Satan to Publish thy Laws submit to thy dispensations and to Glorifie thy Holy Name by Holy living and dying II. BLESS me O Lord with all the Blessings and Assistance of thy Spirit and Providence let the Daily Sacrifice of Prayer and Eucharist in thy Church never cease but for ever be presented unto thee Vnited to the intercession of our Lord and for ever prevail for the obtaining to all her Sons and Daughters Grace and Blessing Pardon and Holiness Perservance and Glory Vnite my Heart and Tongue take away the Spirit of Error and Division from me that my Religion and Devotion may increase whereby thy Truth may be promoted and thy Name Glorified and me thy unworthy Servant Instructed and Comforted let thy Spirit Rule and all Interest Stoop and Obey Publish and Advance the Intorest of the Lord Jesus III. EXTEND thine Accustomâ—d goodness to all thy People to Old Men Prudence and Liberality to Young Men Obedience Temperance Health and Diligence to Merchants Justice and Faithfulness to Mechanicks and Artisans Truth and Honesty to all Married Pairs Faith and Holiness Charity and sweet Compliances to all Christian Women the Ornament of a meek and a quiet Spirit Chastity and Charity Patience and Obedience a Zeal of Duty and Religion IV. TO all that are Sick and Afflicted distressed in Conscience or Persecuted for it give Patience and Comfort a sincere Repentance and a perfect Resignation a love of God and a Perseverance in Duty proportionable Comfort in this
with all Graces necessary for all Events with strength to resist all the Temptations of Satan to keep my self unspotted from the World to subdue my Passions my Vile and Corrupt Affections with Patience to bear Afflictions and with a contented Resolution to undergo whatsoever thy hand shall be pleased to lay upon me that whether it be in Life or in Death in both I may be thine III. I know O Lord my sins are increased above measure and my Iniquities are gone over my Head Nay they are gone up to Heaven and have pulled down thy Vengeance upon me yet how long Lord wilt thou be Angry for ever Shall thy Jealousie Burn like Fire O remember not against me the sins and offences of my Life past but let thy tender Mercy speedily prevent me lest I be brought to great misery help me O help m O God of my Salvation for the Glory of thy Name O deliver me and be merciful unto my sins for thy Names Sake IV. But in the midst of Judgment Remember Mercy Pardon all my crying sins Reverse thy fearful though justly deserved judgments and that which is the most dreadful of all judgments and continues thy judgments bardness of Heart contempt of thy Word and Commandment restore thy wonted though undeserved Mercies give Peace in my time O Lord and let the Gospel of Truth flourish even until thy Sons comming to Judgment and that for his sake who is the Prince of Peace and that shed his most pretious Blood to purchase our Peace V. O thou that art the Author of Peace and lover of Concord Compose I beseech thee all unhappy differences and divisions that are among us take away from all Mens Hearts the Spirit of Division and Contention the Spirit of Blood Thirstiness and Revenge the Spirit of Pride Blindness of Heart Vain Glory and Hypocrisie of Envy Hatred Malice and all Vncharitableness and give us the Spirit of Peace Vnity and Concord the Spirit of Moderation the Spirit of due Obedience and above all the Spirit of thy Fear that we may at length meet and live in the Vnity of the Spirit and in the Bond of Peace and with one Mouth Praise thee our God and with one Heart love one another Read Psal 69.88 1 Lesson Isa 53. 2 Lesson 1 Pet. 2. Saturday Mornings Meditations LORD I confess without thee my endeavours are in vain and without thy blessing my hopes can never succeed but I also know thou rewardest those who Obey thee and failest not to relieve with a generous bounty those who depend on thee O give me 1. Thy Grace to observe my part and I 'le not fear the performance of thine thou callest to thy self the Poor and Humble to Eat and Drink at thy Holy Table those who faithfully live together in Unity thou graciously invitest to thy Royal Feast prefering them all to thy friendship here that they may be partakers of thy Glory hearafter II. MY Soul if thou at any time loose the presence of thy God thou wilt besure to find him at his Holy Table there seek him with Grace and perseverance seek him with Prayers and Sighs and Tears and be sure at last thou shalt find him with joy He hides not himself that we may not find him but that we may seek him and be hereafter more fearful to loose him Despair not he again will shew himself only go on and seek him still with hope and be sure thou wilt meet him at his Heavenly Feast III. HAPPY are the Ears that hear thee speak O Blessed Jesu 〈◊〉 Happy are the Hearts that feel the Power of thy Word O thy Holy One of God! For thou Commandest with Authority all Unclean Spirits and they Obey thee rescue me O Lord from the Snares of Satans Temptations and Powerfully Chace away the Enemies which disturb my Peace that they Tear not my mind with distracting thoughts nor trouble my repose with impure fancies IV. SO sweetly efficacious is thy Grace O Lord that immediately it draws all Souls unto thy Heavenly Banquet so kindly Condescending is thy Clemency that thou presently embracest them in thy Arms of Mercy when they come unto thee thy own blest Mouth hath meekly spoke the mildest Lesson to win us to thee I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice for I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Lord I consess my sins I confess my need of thy Mercies but my hope is great that thou wilt abundantly Pardon me whilst I hear thee so graciously remember thy Ancient Promises and so powerfully urge them in favour of sinners quicken my Faith O Lord and make it Active that I may receive thee with thankfulness who so kindly callest me The PRAYER OH Eternal most Gracious and Merciful Father I am here come into thy Presence with Confidence seeing that my Conscience tells me I have broke all thy Commandements as I have sinned in Thoughts and Words in Thoughts more than I can think and in Words more than I am able to Express the number of them are so great that I have scarce Room for any more I am impure but thou of purer Eyes than to behold iniquity II. BVT if thou shouldest enter into judgment with me I were not able to stand before thee I Confess there is but one way to slie from thee as an Angry God which is to slie to thee as a reconciled Father reconciled in the Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ to fly from the strict Bar of thy judgment to thy tender Bowels of Compassion not according to my Merits but according to my necessities so I humbly beseech thee Pardon all my sins past and strengthen me against sin for the time to come III. TO this end I beseech thee Awaken my Dead Conscience confirm my judgment enlighten my understanding conform my Will Reform my Life Enflame my Zeal Strengthen my Faith and that from henceforth I may live unto thee and serve thee Lord give me Repentance not to be repented of that hope which will not make me ashamed and that Peace of Conscience which passeth all understanding give me the World but that World which passeth knowledge give me Faith but that Faith which is in Christ and that Wisdom which leads to understanding IV. Lord prepare my Soul and Heart to meet thee at thy Holy Yable that I may feed my Soul with thy loving kindness and not depart from thence without a Blessing give me Grace evermore to fear thee and to preserve a tender Sence of my Duty towards thee and Conscienciously Obey thee in all things that so by the Virtue of his Sacrifice of himself all my sins may be Washed away in his Blood and be remembred no more Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the day Saturday Evenings Meditations BEHOLD me O Lord in this State of Misery and no hope left me but in thy Mercy â—â—here I must lie kept down with my sins unless thy Clemency take pitty on me Enlighten O
Lord the Blindness of my understanding and Straighten the Crookedness of my Will and heal all the Infirmities of my weak Nature O do thou throughly Cure me that I sin no more but immediately take up my Heart which too long have Cleaved to this Earth and bear it after thee to walk from henceforth the ways of thy Commandments II. WHEN thou art present with me O thou Heavenly Spouse of my Soul When thou art pleased to stay and dwell in my Heart how strangely dost thou fill it with joy and sweetness Whatever happens I cannot be sad while thou art with me nor pleasant if thou leavest me infuse thy Holy Love into mine Heart O Lord and make me faithfully hold it fast for ever that I loose not my self by neglecting thy Grace but preserve them both to Eternal Life III. BUT alas How quickly am I weary of praying to my God how apt to give over my expectance from him Who yet as soon as he sees my necessities begins my relief and leaves nor off till he has perfectly finished it Let me not fear but believe and Obey and my Soul shall be safe why am I so impatient when any trouble befalls me and why do I disparage the extraordinary proceedings of God though I am Dead in sin and sorrow he can revive me and give me strength to walk in the ways of Life he will give me that Bread which came down from Heaven yea his own self which he gave for the Life of the World IV. BUT 't is not for Flesh and Blood to follow thee O thou great Exemplar of Sublime perfection 'T is not for Flesh and Blood to perform the Excellencies of an Evangelical Life but to the Almighty Grace of God nothing is impossible every exense is welcome to me every little difficulty is enough to divert me I am afraid of the hardship of Poverty I am in Love with my Kindred and Acquaintance and never can Nature alone overcome these difficulties but thou O Lord canst find a remedy and compose in me such a frame of Spirit whereby I may Vanquish all those thoughts which keep me from thy Glorious presence The PRAYER OEternal Lord God Infinite in thy Greatness Incomprehensible in thy Glory whose Pure and Just Eves cannot behold either Sin or Sinners with the least look of approbation be not offended with me thy unworthy Servant O Lord who art a Merciful and Reconciled Father to all such sinners as sincerely desire and endeavour to Repent and believe thy providence hath preserved me unto this moment to offer unto thy Majesty my Evening Sacrifice beseeching thee to make me a fit partaker at thy Holy Table II. I have been a foul and flat Idolator erecting the Idols of my own profit and pleasure in the Chappel and Closet of my Heart and then and there have fallen down upon the bended Knees of my Soul and worshiped them by regarding my lust more than the fulfiling thy Will in thy Word that Sacred Name of thine whereby I hope to be Saved I have taken in vain I have done that on thy day the Lord's Day which I can justifie or a Vouch on no day I have not given that Reverence and Respect to my Superiours I have broken all thy Commandements of the Second Table in my Demeanour towards my Neighbour and in my Deportment to my own Soul and Body III. O Lord I have been ashamed to confess my sins in the presence of the World but I have been Vile and bold and no whit ashamed to commit them when I knew full well that thee the great God of Heaven and Earth did at that instant behold me Oh! lend me thy Spirit effectually to admire thy Patience and â—ong-Suffering towards me who permits such a Prefane and Presumptuous sinner at this hour of my Life still to remain from everlasting Burnings IV. SVRELY Lord there are many in that Pit of Perdition whose sins against thee were never Aggavated with those high Circumstances O Lord I have no Varity of Reasons to move thee to Mercy I have no Exchange of Motives to perswade thee to Pitty but only the same over and over again for thy own sake for thy Names sake for thy Mercies sake for thy Son and my Saviour Christ Jesus his sake forgive my-Sins for they are great wash the Guilt and Filth of my sins away in his Blood and Lord for the time to come give me Grace to spend the remainder of my days to thy Glory In whose most powerful Name I sue unto thee for all that is comprehended in this my weeks preparation or whatever else for want of Memory I have Omitted in thy most perfect form of Prayer sayong Our Father c. Read the Psalms and Lessons for the Day Sunday Mornings Meditations at Home WELCOME Blest day unto my Heart but far more Welcome unto my Soul I have now put off the Old Man with his Affections and Lusts and I must now put on my Wedding Garment even the Lord Jesus Christ that I may be made wholly conformable to him in the Image of his mind that my Soul may be Clothed with his Righteousness and all its faculties proportioned and vested according to the perfect Pattern of Christs Life II. THIS is the day of the Holy Feast therefore my Soul lay aside all Cares and Impertinences of the World remember this day is appointed for thee a day of Traffique and Entercourse with Heaven O Lord therefore will I magnifie thy Holy Name and evermore adore thy goodness O What a happy opportunity my God hast thou given me of receiving the greatest favour I can receive in this World even the Body and Blood of my dearest Savour III. O Lamb of God thou hast used many Arts to save me when I was lost thou hast given thy Life to Redeem me when I was a Slave to Sin and Satan and thy Holy Spirit to Sanctifie me O now come Lord Jesus come quickly My Heart is desirons of thy Presence Thirsty for thy Grace and I am earnest to entertain thee not as a Guest but as an Inhabitant to dwell with me forever IV. LORD the place thou art Invited to is full of Passion and Prejudice Disobedient Lustful and Intemperate and full of sad Remembrances that I have often provoked to Jealousie and to Anger thee my God my dearest Saviour him that died for me him that Suffered Torments for me that is Infinitely good to me and infinitely good perfect in himself Lord I am as sure thou didst the great Work of Redemption for me all Mankind as that I am Alive This is my Hope the Strength of my Spirit my Joy and my Confidence Here I will dwell for I have a delight therein Here I will live and here I desire to Die V. LORD whither shall I go but to thee Thou hast the Words of Eternal Life as the Hart desireth the Water Brooks So longeth my Soul after thee O God my Soul is a Thirst for
ended fall on your Knees and say O Lord by reason of my sins I am unworthy to appear in thy presence to offer up any Sacrifice unto thee grant Merciful Lord I beseech thee both to me and all thy faithful People Pardon and Peace that being Cleansed from all our sins we may serve thee with a quiet mind through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen When you go up to Communicate I will wash my Hands in Innocency and so will I go to thine Altar O send forth thy Light and thy Truth that they may lead me and bring me to thy Holy Hill and to thy dwelling When you Kneel before the Altar Thou art Worthy O Lord to receive Blessing Honour and Power but I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my Roof or that thy praise should come within my polluted Lips But Blessed Lord thou Vouchsafedst to enter the House of a Publican and to receive a Kiss of an unclean sinner O receive such a sinner as I am disdain not to enter under my Roof despise not my humble Addresses and Supplications O let thy Sacrifice be an expiation for all my sins and now forever Seal thy Pardon by thy precious Blood for all my offences and receive me Graciously When you cast in your Offering O Blessed Jesu who didst accept the Poor Widdows two Mites which she cast into the Treasury I beseech thee be graciously pleased to accept this Poor Offering from me the unworthiest of thy Servants Then dilligently harken to the Exhortation and seeing the Table spread and the Elements of Bread and Wine set thereon Meditate with thy self after this manner Meditations THIS O my Soul is the Table of the King of Kings and the Lord of Heaven and Earth it is a Feast where himself is present and all his Holy Angels those Glorious Spirits do behold love and wonder that the Son of God should become Food to the Souls of his Servants be astonished O my Soul at this great Mystery that he who is unchangeable should be broken in pieces and enter into the Body to support the Spirit and yet at the same time remain in Heaven while he Descends to thee upon Earth that he should Die for thee and then give himself to thee for ever to Redeem thee from sin and misery that he should become Man and make thee a partaker of the Divine Nature II. O Lord I am unworthy to come to thy Table but I come with as Thirsty a desire as the Chaced Hart which pants after the Water Brooks and with as Hungry an Appetite as a Poor half starved Creature to a full Table O Lord I am not worthy of the least Crum that falls from the Table of thy Ordinary Providence but I come in Obedience to thy Command O receive me as a poor Sinner laden with sin and let thy pretious Body and Blood which I am now ready to participate off Cleanse me from all sin and wickedness When the Minister says draw near with Faith and take this Holy Sacrament Lift up thy Heart in this Ejaculation O Lord I am unworthy of this Invitation to thy Holy Table but a sinner must not refuse thy call therefore in all Obedience and Humility I come Then joyn Humbly with the Minister in the Confession After the Absolution is Pronounced use this Ejaculation O Lord I beseech thee grant me a true Repentance and a lively Faith that I may receive all the Benefits of thy Death and Passion even the Confirming and Strengthning me in all goodness to my Lives end When that Comfortable saying of St. Paul is repeated that Christ came into the World to save Sinners Say with all Humility O Lord I am the greatest and chiefest of sinners but thou alone are the Propitiation for my sins After the Preface is ended Therefore with Angels and Arch-Angels c. Use this Ejaculation I will evermore praise thy Name O thou that dwellest in the Heavens from the rising up of the Sun until the going down of the same and will Laud and Magnifie thy Holy Name now and forever When the Prayer of Consecration is said and the Minister reads the Words of Christs Institution and you see him Order the Bread and the Wine repeat this O Lord thou hast provided two distinct Pledges of thy Love to us Poor sinners who had been utterly lost had not thy Almighty goodness found out a Remedy to Save us When thou seest the Bread broken and the Wine poured out Say Thus was thy Holy Body broken for my sins upon the Tree of shame and thy Side was Pierced with a Spear which gushed forth Blood thus wast thou Wounded for my Transgressions and Bruised for mine iniquities but by thy Stripes I am healed When the Minister Receives in both kinds O Lord Purifie and Cleanse my Heart by thy Holy and Blessed Spirit and prepare my Soul to Receive thee the great God of Heaven and Earth Come Holy Jesus and take Possession of my Soul Purifie it with thy pretious Blood and dwell therein for ever Amen Immediately before Receiving Grant me O Blessed Lord so to Eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Christ Jesus and to Drink his Blood that my sinful Body may be made Clean by his Body and my Polluted Soul washed through his most preâ—ious Blood II. O Lord Purifie my Heart and Mind Strengthen my Faith and encrease my Charity for though I am weak though I am unworthy though I am unprofitable yet I am thy Servant Lord hear my Prayers and let my Cry come unto thee III. O Lord thou hast said that he that Eateth thy Flesh and Drinketh thy Blood hath Eternal Life Behold the Servant of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word When the Minister presents thee the Holy Bread say softly after him The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for me preserve my Body and Soul unto everlasting Life Here take the Bread with Reverance and proceede I take and Eat this in remembrance that Christ Died for me and will Feed on him in my Heart with Faith and Thanksgiving When you Eat the Bread say By thy Crucified Body Deliver me I humbly beseech thee from this Body of Sin and Death After the Bread O Blessed Jesu this Holy Bread which I thy most unworthy Servant have now Received is that Bread which came down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World O that I may now feel its Virtue and Efficacy in Elevating up my Soul to Heaven and there to have my Conversation fixt whilst I remain on this sordid Earth that when I shall be taken from hence I may have my Consummation and Bliss in thy Celestial Mansions there to behold thy Face in Glory who art now the Food of my Soul in Grace O Lord my God and my Redeemer Amen Before Receiving the Cup. What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name
of the Lord I will pay my Vows now in the Presence of all his People When you receive the Cup of Blessing from the Minister say with all humility after him The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for me preserve my Body and Soul unto everlasting life Here take the Cup with Reverence and proceed I Drink this in Remembrance that Christs Blood was shed for me and am thankful After the Cup. O let this most pretious Blood of thine Purge away the Filthiness of my Corrupt Heart and Purifie the Dross of my Guilty Conscience from all Luke-warm and Dead Works to serve thee the living God in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my life Then Meditate O Lord may this Holy and Blessed Sacrament of thy most pretious Body and Blood which I though much unworthy by reason of my manifold sins have now received Seal unto my Soul both Pardon and Peace and that now being made whole I may sin no more II. O Lord most holy I do verily believe thy Body was Crucified and thy Hands and Feet Bored through and that thy Blood was shed out of thy Body and a Spear run into thy Blessed Side as really as I have Received this Bread and this Wine separately for the perfect Remission of all my sins and I believe that in the Receiving this Bread and Wine I have spiritually Received thy Body and Blood whereby my sins are wholly washed away and my sinful Soul refreshed and Purified O Lord this I believe O help my unbelief III. LORD now lettest thoâ— thy Servant depart in Peace according to the Word For mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People To be a Light to Lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the begining c. Meditations whilst others â—re a Communicating Blessed are they that dwell in thy House and are fed though it be with the Crums that fall from thy Table Happy are those Servants whom when their Lord cometh he shall find so doing Behold thou art whole sin no more least a worst thing happen unto thee As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him Col. 2.6 Blessed be the Holy and Vndivided Trinity now and for ever more Amen When thou art going Home and seest an Object of Charity remember Psal 41.1 Blessed is the Man that provideth for the Sick and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the time of Trouble Sunday Evenings Meditations at Home after Receiving the Holy Sacrament O Lord when ever I enter thy Holy Temple let me leave behind me my Bargains and Business and carry nothing thither but Adoration for thy Majesty and Prayers for my necessities thou who didst open the Mouths of little Children to praise thee enable the weakness of me thy Servant to Obey thee Lord I am thy Temple and should be Consecrated intirely to thy Service Enter O Gracious Jesu into my Heart and throughly purge me from all impieties II. GOOD God! How tenderly dost thou Consult to preserve us Wretches How kindly resolve to send even thine own thine only thy Beloved Son to Redeem us This is our Lord 's doing and 't is marvelous in our Eyes But O! How did our graceless World entertain him then and how does it now Yet still he continues his Correspondence with us and daily comes to meet us on his Holy Altars he there Feasts our Souls with his Body and Blood and Chears our Hearts with his Holy Spirit III. O the indulgent Providence of our God! How many ways has he contrived to save us How many Messengers has he sent to instruct our Ignorance How many Embassador to reclaim us to our Duty What could an insinite Power and Goodness do that he has not done What could the Vilest Ingratitude do that we have not done often he sends a Blessing to invite our Love and we abuse it into Pride and Wantonness sometimes he sends a Cross to Check our Vanity and we turn it into Murmuring and Dis-Obedience IV. LORD Grant that I may persevere in Grace and with all humble Obedience learn how to carry my self in all my Necessities let me go to my God with Fear and Reverence let me Prostrate my self at his Sacred Feet and with an humble Confidence say to his Mercy Lord if thou wilt thou canst bring it to pass all I am concern'd to fear is my person is unworthy or the things I Petition for unfit to be granted else I securely may relie on thy Bounty and withthe least doubt say to thy Power that nothing to thee is Impossible As I have received Christ Jesus the Lord so will I walk in him Col. 2.6 A Prayer of Thanksgiving after Receiving of the Sacrament To be Used at Home O Thou Infinite Ocean of Mercy from whence flows all the benefits we receive and enjoy and to whome all Praise Glory and Honour is most due I desire with all the most highest Affections of a sincere Heart to Laud and Bless thee for those Transcendent Mercies and Blessings thou hast at this time and at all others bestowed upon me Here Name the Particular Mercies Lord what is Man even poor sinful Dust and Ashes that thou shouldest thus Regard him as to send thy welbeloved Son into the World to purchase his Redemption even with the Price of his own most Precious Blood but Lord what am I the vilest of sinners that I should partake in this Attonement whâ— have so often Trampled him under my Feet II. O the Riches and fulness of thee my Saviour who hast now admitted me to the renewing of that Covenant I entered into at my Baptism but have since by my own perverseness so often broken that I who am unworthy of the Daily Bread which I Eat to support the Body should participate of this Spiritual Bread which nourisheth the Soul to Eternal Life and that the God of Holiness should Condescend to so Vile a Wretch O Lord I beseech thee suffer me not for the time to come to turn thy Grace into Wantonness or make thy Mercy an Occasion of Carnal Security but let this wonderful loving kindness of thine win me to Obedience that since my Saviour hath Suffered and Dyed for me I may no longer live unto my self but to him O Lord thou hast now been pleased to enter my Heart O never let me permit any one Lust to Chase thee from it but as thou hast so dearly bought me with thy pretious Blood do I beseech thee still keep possession of me and suffer no unclean thing to take me out of thy keeping to this purpose be thou Graciously pleased to be Vigilant ever me and Prosect me from all my Ghostly Enemies but more especially deliver me from the Deceitfulness of my own Heart which is ever ready to yield it self a Prey And where thou perceivest I am either by Nature or Custom
most Prone and Weak there I beg of thee to exalt thy Power in preserving me Here Name thy greatest Temptation IV. O let the Sufferings of my Crucified Saviour for my sins and the Solemn Vow I have have now made against them never slip from my Memory but let the remembrance of the one make me perform the other that I may never engage with those Lust which Nailed his Hands and Feet Pierced his Side and made his Soul sorrowful to Death But now having a new resigned my self to him I may serve him in Righteousness and Holiness all the days of my Life V. LORD support my Weakness in this warfare and be thou my Strength for I am not able to struggle with the least Temptations How often have I fainted in the Encounter How many Sabbaths have I profaned and how many Sacramental Vows have I broken And yet O Lord I carry about me the same deceitful Heart to betray me to the breach of this last Duty But O thou who art for eâ—eâ— uâ—changeable eâ—due me I 〈◊〉 beseech thee with such a stedfastness of mind that I may never swerve from thy Commandments but bring forth Fruits meet for Re pentance that I may arrive to Life Eternal through the Merits and Mediation of my Crucified Lord and Saviour Amen VI. Almighty God who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Sons Name I beseech thee mercifully to incline thine Ears to me that have made now my Prayers and Supplications unto thee and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked according to thy Will may effectually be obtained to the relief of my Necessity and to the setting forth thy Glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen VII Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that I am able to ask or think according to the Power that worketh in me unto him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages World without End Amen The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Sweet and Comfortable Felowship of his Holy and Blessed Spirit be with me and remain with me now and forever Amen Private Devotions and Divine Thoughts to be used every Day in the Week A Morning Prayer to be Used after the Ejaculations at Up Rising O Omnipetent and Everlasting God I Bless and Praise thy Holy Name for thy preservation of me this night past even to this present I beseech thee in all that I shall do this day presper thou the Work of my Hands O prosper thou my Hand-work II. Ill all that I shall think or say let the words of my Mouth and the Meditations of my Heart be such as may be ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer that thou maiest for ever Vouchsafe to be with me both in and Death WHEREIN for the short time of my Life here give me Grace so to behave my self as in thy Presence Fearing nothing so much as thy displeasure hating and Sorrowing for nothing so much as my sins loving and rejoycing in nothing so much as in thee and thy Glory IV. and for the time of my Death I beseech thee in thy good Providence and Mercy so to Order it that I be not found either unproxided or unwilling to depart in that kind of Death and by that means which thou shalt appoint but so to be ever affected in Faith and Love as they that long to be delivered from this Body of sin into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God V. IN this hope I rest and into thy Blessed Protection and Mercy this day I commend my Soul and Body My Relations and Friends beseeching thee so to Sanctifie and Direct us in the ways of the Laws and in the works of thy Commandements and to give thine Angels such charge over us that through thy most Protection both here and ever we may be preserved in Body and Soul to serve thee the only true God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Hymn for the Morning LOrd I do now lift up my Eyes And leave my sluggish Bed But why I wake or why I rise Comes seldom in my Head Is it to Sweat and Toil for wealth Or sport my time away That thou preserv'st me still in Health And givest me this new day No no unskilful Soul not so Be not deceiv'd with Toys Thy Lord's Commands more wisely go And Aim at higher joys They bid us wake to seek new Grace And some fresh Virtue gain They call us up to mend our pace Till we the prize attain That Glorious prize for which all Run Who wisely spend their Breath Who when this weary Life is done Are sure of rest in Death Not such a rest as here we prove Disturb'd with cares and fear But endless joy and peace and Love Vnmixt with Grief and Tears Glory to thee O bounteous Lord Who giv'st to all things breath Glory to thee Eternal Word Who sav'st us by thy Death Glory O blessed Spirit to thee Who fill'st our Souls with love Glory to all the Mystick three Who Reign one God above Amen Ejaculations for the Day At your Apparelling say BLessed Jesu that the shame of my sinful Soul may not be seen Cloath it with thy spotless Robes of Righteousness and Adorn it with all the Ornaments of all manner of Grace and Vertues Amen When you are Apparelled O most aimable Jesu the true Spoufe of my Soul give me the Wedding Garment of Divine Love and perpetual Charity Amen Washing your Hands O Blessed Lord who so loved us as to Wash our Souls in thy pretious Blood Purifie I beseech thee my Heart and my Hands from all the spots and filth of sin Amen In Washing your Mouth O Divine Wisdom which proceedest out of the Mouth of thy Heavenly Father I humbly beseech thee with thy Grace to Purge my Lips from all Wicked and Vain words that my Mouth may never open but to thy praise and the improvement of others Amen In Washing your Eyes O thou Celestial Light who Illuminates every one that comes into the World enlighten the Eyes of my Soul that in all things I may perfectly see and perform thy blessed will and Pleasure Amen Beholding your Face in the Glass Say All Flesh is Grass and the Glory of it as the Flower of the Field which may quickly sade away and be no more seen Favour is deceitful and Beauty is vain but a Woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Going forth of thy House or Chamber say Shew me O Lord thy ways and teach me thy Paths Direct my steps according to thy word that no Injustice Rule over me make perfect my goings in thy Paths that my steps be not moved As you Travel or Walk by the way Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way and walk in the Law of the Lord. When the Clock strikes or you see the
hour of the day Our time passeth away like a Shadow and we bring our Years to an end as it were a Tale that is told But Lord so teach me to number my Days that I may apply my Heart unto true Wisdom As you Ascend any high place or go to Church Who shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord or who shall rise up in his Holy place Even he that hath Clean Hands and a pure Heart and that hath not list up his mind unto Vanity nor sworn to deceive his Neighbour When you are on a high place say Thy Mercy O Lord reacheth unto the Heavens and thy faithfulness unto the Clouds Beholding pleasant Fields and Variety of Objects O Lord how manifold are thy Works In Wisdom hast thou formed them all the Earth is full of thy Riches thou openest thine hand and fillest all things living with plentiousness Vpon hearing or seeing any thing Extraordinary Blessed be the Lord God even the God of Israel which only doth wonderous things and blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever and all the Earth shall be filled with his Majesty Amen Amen When you go to Read or Meditate Open thou mine Eyes O Lord that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law And grant that what ever I Read or Meditate may conduce to the full understanding of thy Will and my ready Obedience thereunto Being wearied therewith Lord let me not be weary in well-doing remembring that in due time I shall Reap if I faint not When you go about any worldly Employments Deliver me O Lord from every evil Work and stablish me in every good Word and Work When you are Discontented or Sad. Why art so full of heaviness O my Soul and why at thou so disquieted within me Put thy trust in God For I will yet give him thanks for the help help of his Countenance Cause thy Face O Lord to shine upon thy Servant O shew me the Light of thy Countenance and I shall be whole When you Hunger and Thirst Blessed are all they that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled with thy abundant goodness When you are asked an Alms and are able to give It is more blessed to give than to receive he that Soweth sparingly shall Reap sparingly and he which Soweth bountifully shall Reap bountifully When you hear any Person Evil spoken of Deliver me O Lord from Lving Lips and from a Deceitful Tongue Vpon sight of your Sins and mispending of 〈…〉 O remember not the Sins and Offences of my Youth or Riper Years but a cording to thy tender Mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness After thou hast Rehearsed the the Lords Prayer the Twelve Apostles Creed and the Ten Commandements Think upon these good Rules that are to be observed and practised and what sins are to be avoided The two Precepts of Charity or the Laws of Nature TO love God above all for his own sake To love all Men as our selves for Gods sake and to do unto others as we would they should do unto us Deut. 6.5.10.12 Matt. 7.12 The Sacraments of the Church The principal and truly so called as generally necessary to Salvation are two Baptism and the Lords Supper The three Teological Vertues Faith Hope and Charity 1 Cor. 13.13 The Four Cardinal Virtues Prudence Justice Fortitud and Temperance Three kinds of good Works Fasting Prayer and Alms Deeds Matt. 6. Pray and Labour for the Seven gists of the Holy Ghost 1. The Spirit of Wisdom 2. And understanding 3. The Spirit of Councel 4. And Ghostly Strength 5. The Spirit of Knowledge 6. And Piety 7. The Spirit of a Holy and Godly Fear Isa 11.2 To those add the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost Love Joy Peace Patience Mercy Goodness Long-Suffering Meekness Faith Modesty Shame-Facedness Sobriety Gal. 5.22 Endeavour to perform these Seven Spiritual works of Mercy 1. To instruct the Ignorant Matt. 18.15 16 17. 2. To Correct offenders Jam. 5.12 3. To Gouncel the Doubtful Gal. 6.6 4. To comfort the Afflicted Prov. 27.9 5. To suffer Injuries with Patience Eccles 5.8 6. To forgive Offences and Wrongs Rom. 15.1 7. To Pray for others Mark 11.25 Likewise forget not these six Corporal Works of Mercy 1. To feed the Hungry and to give Drink to the Thirsty Mat. 15. 2. To Cloath the Naked Mat. 25. 3. To harbour the Stranger and Needy Tob. 1. 4. To visit the Sick Isa 58. 5. To Minister unto Prisoners and Captive Tob. 12. 6 To Bury the Dead Observe the eight Beatitudes Mat. 5. 1. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Blessed are they that Mourn for they shall be Comforted 3. Blessed are the Meek for they shall inherit the Earth 4. Bressed are they which do Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled 5. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy 6. Blessed are the pure in Heart for they shall see God 7. Blessed are the Peace-Makers for they shall be called the Children of God 8. Blessed are they which are Persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kindom of Heaven Labour to avoid the Seven deadly sins as they are commonly so called 1. Pride Luk. 14.11 2. Covetousness Act. 20.35 3. Luxury 1 Cor. 16.15 4. Envy 1 Joh. 3.14 5. Gluttony Rom. 14.7 6. Anger Mat. 11.29 7. Sloth Jer. 48.10 Pray for the seven contrary Virtues 1. Humility 2. Liberality 3. Chastity 4. Gentleness 5. Temperance 6. Patience 7. Devout and Earnest serving of God and being dilligent Four Sins that Cry to Heaven for Vengeance 1. Wilful Murther 2. Carnal Sin against Nature 3. Oppression of the Poor 4. Defrauding Workmen of their Wages The Four last things to be remembred 1. Death 2. Judgment 3. Hell 4. Heaven Ejaculations when towards Bed-time I will not suffer mine Eyes to Sleep nor mine Eye-Lids to Slumber neither the Temples of my Head to take any rest until I find out a place for the Lord an habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob. A Prayer for the Evening O Almighty God my Glory and my hope my Lord and Master the Father of Mercy and God of all Comfort I present to thee the Sacrifice of a thankful Spirit in humble and joyful acknowledgment of those infinite favours by which thou hast this day and all the whole term of my life supported my state enriched my Spirit comforted my Sorrows relieved my necessities blessed and defended my Person instructed my Ignorance and promoted my Eternal Interest II. WHOM have I in Heaven but thee or whom on Earth have I desired or may desire in Comparison of thee whose Nature is Goodness whose Will is Power and whose Work is Pitty I humbly beseech thee to Pardon my sins Here Name the Particulars and accept of this Evening Sacrifice abate my Pride and remedy all my other imperfections Oh multiply thy Grace upon Humility and manifest thy Power in my infirmity plead thou