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
THE Ladies Preparation To the Monthly SACRAMENT Consissing of Prayers Meditations and Ejaculations before at and after Receiving the Lords Supper After the Warning is given in the Church for the Celebration of the Holy Communion COMPOSED For the Private Use of a Devout Lady And at the Request of Friends made Publick LONDON Printed by W. B. for Simon Neale in the Long-Walk near Little Brittain 1691. Licensed February 10th 1691. THE WARNING On the Sunday Before the COMMUNION DEARLY Beloved on Sunday I and purpose through Gods Assistance to Administer to all such as shall be Religiously and Devoutly disposed the most Comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ to be by them received in Remembrance of his Meritorious Cross and Passion whereby alone we obtain Remission of our Sins and are made partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven c. A Soliloquy on the Warning BLESSED for ever be thy Name O Lord who pittying our Ignorance hast Revealed to us this Heavenly Mystery of thy pretious Body and Blood and foreseeing our weakness hast built our Faith on so firm a Certainty Justly O my God! Dost thou require our absolute assent to thy word since thou graciously providest such grounds to assure us Thy self with thine own blest Mouth hast taught it thy Apostles with their dearest Blod have confirmed it and thy Churches in all Ages have faithfully delivered it II. HOW Beautiful O Lord are the Feet of thy Holy Messengers Who brings us Peace and Reconcilement with thee who teaches us the way to Eternal happiness and by their pious Offices help us to go thither if they teach us Spiritual things 't is just we should give them Temporal make us O Lord entertain them as Workmen sent by thee with respect to their Persons and Obedience to their words and according to our power with a free supply of their necessities III. THUS does our gracious Lord send forth his Ministring Spirits to invite us to a Heavenly Banquet Their spiritual means Conveys our Prayers up to him and brings his Blessings down to us in all our ways they direct us and bear us in their Hands lest at any time we dash our Foot against a Stone When we labour they Assist us when we repose they implore for us the Divine Protection when we are tempted they Encourage us to stand fast and when we Conquer they Crown us with their Prayers and Praises When you first awake use these Ejaculations as a Key to Open the Morning LIghten mine Eyes O Lord that I Sleep not in Death Psal 13.3 IT is high time to Awake our of our Sleep of Sin for now since we have received the Light of the Gospel our Salvation is nearer then when we first Believed THE Night is now spent and the day is approached let me therefore cast off the works of Darkness and put on the Armour of Light GIVE me Grace O Lord to walk Honestly as in the day net in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying BUT put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Rom. 13.11 12 13 14. At Up-rising IN the Name of the Father who hath Created me and of the Son who hath Redeemed me and of the Holy Ghost whh hath Sanctified me be Ascribed all Glory and Power BLESSED be the Holy and Undivided Trinity now and for Evermore Amen I laid me down and Slept and rose again for the Lord hath Sustained me Then Humbly on your Knees lift up thy Heart unto God and say HOLY Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come I Worship him that liveth for Ever and cast my Self before his Throne thou art worthy O Lord my God to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast Created all things and for thy Wills-Sake they are and were Created II. INTO the Hands of thy Blessed Protection and unspeakable Mercy O Lord I this Day Commend my Soul and Body with all the Faculties Powers and Actions of them both beseeching thee to be Ever with me to direct Sanctifie and Govern me in the ways of thy Law and in the Works of thy Commandments that through thy most Mighty Protection both here and Ever I may be preserved in Body and Soul to serve thee the only true God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then use the Morning Prayer c. Which is Annexed to these Devotions Meditations for Monday Morning COME My Soul let us begin our appointed Task and dilligently mind our own Employment Let us not lose one day in Idleness nor Distract our thoughts with Repining at the advantages of others God is our absolute Lord and may do with his own as he pleases If we began our Repentance late our delay was dangerous but we ought not to Despair If we have laboured long in his Service our Wages are safe but we must not presume on our own Endeavours II. THY Holy Mysteries O Lord I believe O help my unbelief Let not any difficulties make me doubt thy Truth nor too long a doubting provoke thy Wrath Every word of thine shall be fulfiled in their Season Sometime thou Visitest thy Children with the Chastisement of a Rod sometimes thou favourest them with the Smiles of Prosperity But all at last shall Co-operate to their Good III. NO matter at all for the Favour of Men happy are they who find Grace with God They shall Conceive in their Hearts the Blessed Jesus and bring him forth in their Holy Lives and Reign with him in his Kingdom and of his Kingdom there shall be no End Here we perhaps may weep for a time and be poor and Afflicted in this troublesome World But hereafter our Lord will Plant us about the Throne of his Father and make us sit down with him in his own Kingdom if we heartily Love him and keep his Commandments IV. GIVE me O Lord thy Holy Grace to Love with Charity the Defects of others perhaps mistaken by me and rely on thee for Defence of my self most sure of Relief if I wait thy Providence for thy Mercy forsakes not the Innocent for Ever Sometimes thou sufferest thy Servants to be tryed but wilt always at last either Deliver their Patience or Crown their Perseverance The PRAYER O Most Glorious Lord God in thy Son Jesus Christ my most Merciful and Loving Father I Miserable and Wretched Sinner Dust and Ashes do here in all Humility of Soul Prostrate my self before thy Glorious Majesty Humbly acknowledging and Confessing against my own Soul that I am laden with Iniquity and by my Sins have defiled myself defiled my Habitation defiled this good Land wherein I Sojourn II. O Lord Righteousness belongeth hnto thee but unto me Confusion of Face I have Sinned against thee and done amiss and dealt very wickedly and have added to the Number of my Fore Fathers Numberless Transgressions * Here Name the Particulars notwithstanding thou hast
multiplied thy Blessings upon me in many Prerogatives III. BVT to my shame O Lord I Confess that no Creature hath been so unthankful unto thee as I have been for instead of bringing forth the Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness I have turned all thy Blessings Graces and Mercies into Wantonness so that I have been a Provocation of thine Anger and of thy Fury from the day of my Birth even until this very moment IV. And though thou hast caled me to knowledge of the Faith in thee and thou hast Revealed unto me that inestimable Treasure of thy Love unto me in Christ Jesus yet notwithstanding I hade retained only the name but nothing of the Work of a Christian but have Dishonoured thee and Blasphemed thy Name but O Lord in the midst of Justice Remember Mercy call not to Remembrance my former Transgressions but Assist me by thy Grace to a speedy Repentance before I go hence and be no more seen Amen Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons for the Day Monday Evenings Meditations EVER O Lord thou beginst thy great Design with Prayer and thy Prayer with Retirement from the Distractions of the World thou callest whom thou pleasest and they come to thee thou choosest whom thou wil'st and freely bestowest on them thy precious Gifts 't is not of him that Wills nor of him that runs but of God that Vouchsafes to have Mercy Have Mercy O Lord and chase away those unclean Spirits that too often haunt my Fancy and walk up and down my weak Memory Chace them away least as they disturb my Peace they ruin my Innocence II. GIVE me O thou Author of all my Good a lively Faith in thee that I may believe thy Truth and hope thy Promises that I may Love thy goodness and continually Bless thee for all thy Mercies who camest into the World not to Judge the World but to save it Save me O glorious Son of Justice and with thy Heavenly Beams Illuminate my Heart that bringing my Works to the Light I may Learn to hate my own Darkness and Condemning my self Escape thy Judgment III. LORD in thy Hands are the Times and Seasons which thou kindly disposest in advantage of thy Servants that thy Favours may Encourage their Virtue and their Virtue encrease thy Favours Thou rewardest the Chastity of Virgins and the Fidelity of Wives thou Crownest the Holiness of Widdows and the perseverance of all who constantly love thee IV. GIVE me O Lord thy Holy Grace that my days may pass in Innocence and my Innocence sustain me in hope give me thy Holy Grace that my hope may encrease to Confidence and my Confidence be Establish'd in Peace and then in Peace dismiss thy Servant Lead me O thou Light of the World where thou usest to walk that my Eyes may happily see thee Shew me thy Blessed self O thou Glory of Heaven that my Soul may fast Embrace thee The PRAYER I. O Eternal God I have in a great measure deserved thy wrath I have Committed presumptuous Sins with a high Hand against thy Divine Majesty I have Crucified again the Lord of Life and have Trodden under Foot the Son of God I have counted the Blood of the Covenant which Sanctifies me an Vnholy thing and have done despight unto the Spirit of Grace II. INSTEAD of making head against those Temptations and Lusts that hourly be set me by Prayer calling to thee for thy Grace to Assist me against them and by Fasting and Austere Mortification by beating down my Body that I might not Conspire with Satan and my own Corraptions that betray me unto Sin I have Pamper'd the Flesh and suflered my self to be led Captive at the Will thereof III. I have not Subdued or Mortified the Works of the Flesh I have not endeavoured to cleanse my self from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit * Here Name the Particulars I have not made a Covenant with my Eyes neither have I kept the door of my Lips but as if thou hadst sent me into the World not to serve thee but to serve my own Lusts IV. I have been abominable in all my ways yea O Lord I have Committed too great Evils I have departed from thee the Ever-living God and leaving thee the Fountain of all Blessedness and Happiness in my Heart have set up the Creature I have set my Affections not on things above but on things below the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life these have been the Gods that I have Served V. THVS have I sold my self to Commit wickedness I have made all the Members of my Body Instruments of Sin and all the faculties both of Soul and Body Weapons of Vnrighteousness to obey it in the Lusts thereof O Lord thou hast found Iniquity even in my Holy things I have been negligent in hearing of thy Word unprepared at the Receiving of thy Sacrament Indevout in my Prayer weary of their length and displeased at the return For these and all other negligences and Ignorances O Lord be Merciful to me a Sinner Amen Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the Day Meditations for Tuesday Morning LORD make me Study how to follow thee and readily undertake any Labour to find thee not for the benefits thou sometimes givest me here but for the blessings thou wilt surely give me hereafter Strengthen my faith O Lord and graciously instruct me purifie my intention sincerely to seek thee II. LET me not so apply my mind O Lord to any trivial Observances that I begin to omit my more serious Duties let me not so attend to the inventions of Men that I grow to transgress the Commands of my God O guide me gracious Lord in thine own safe way and those solid exercises which really improve me and make my heart as well as lips draw nigh thee those blessed truths which thy self at first revealed and thy Holy Apostles hath fully confirm'd may those alone be my principal rule and every other Doctrine bow to them III. LORD how ungrateful are we compared to thy ancient Followers Thou chargest us to remember thy benefits and we forget them thou commandest us to Publish thy Mercies and we conceal them Behold O blessed Jesu I fall down at thy feet reach forth thy Hand and heal me that I may Glorifie thee the God of the Universe Too often have my Ears been Deaf to thy Voice and my Tongue Dumb to thy Praise too often have my Eyes been Blind to thy Directions and all my senses impediments to thy Service IV. We are often Wise in what imports us least and utterly ignorant of our greatest concern we can industrously argue what Weather it will be but strive not to discerne the seasons of Grace Forgive O Merciful Lord the perverseness of our nature and leave us not to our selves least we perish without bope O make us deeply Sigh in Compassion for the Sins of others and yet more deeply still in forrow for our own
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