to walk as becomes the Gospel having a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Men that as he who hath called me is holy so I may be holy in all manner of conversation Take off my affections from earthly things which are vain and perishing and set them on the things above in which alone my true happiness doth consist fit me by suitable grace for every dispensation of thy Providence that I may know how to want and how to abound how to mourn or rejoyce how to be in sickness or in health and in every condition to be therewith content let thy Fatherly wisdom cause all things to work together for good unto me and that the several occurrences of the present life may help me forward in my Christian course towards the attainment of eternal Salvation And because my nature is frail my life uncertain and I know not how soon I shall be taken from the land of the living help me seriously to consider my latter end to be still preparing for death and by numbring my dayes to apply mine heart to sound wisdom that when I shall put off this earthly Tabernacle I may be admitted into an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens O God who art the Creatour of mankind and didst send thine own Son that the World through him might be saved extend thy goodness to all the kindreds of the earth causing the light of thy glorious Gospel to shine upon them that their feet may be guided into the way of peace and everlasting happiness let all Nations become subject to the Kingdom of thy Christ and the number of thine Elect be filled up that the glory of thy Salvation may be revealed Accept O Lord my evening oblation of Praise and Thanksgiving for all thy rich Mercies vouchsafed to me I bless thee for my being since by thee I have been fearfully and wonderfully made for thy preservation of me to this moment and for all the accommodations and comforts of the present life But above all I magnifie and adore thine inestimable goodness in making known unto me the way of salvation and happiness by Jesus Christ in continuing to me the seasons of Grace and of waiting upon thee in thine holy Ordinances help me to make such a good and pious use of all thy benefits as may be for thy glory and for mine own eternal welfare And since thy wise Providence hath ordain'd that the Night should succeed the Day as a time of rest and refreshment I pray thee that this Night may be so to me thy Servant grant me to be safe and secure under thy protection from all the terrours and perils of darkness and to awake the next morning in health and safety O Lord hear my Prayer and let thy presence and loving-kindness alwaies be with me to the end of my life for the sake of thine only begotten Son my alone Saviour to whom with thy divine Majesty and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory World without End Amen Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with me henceforth and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer to be us'd by a Person who is under Sickness O Lord rebuke me not in thy In sickness wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed My soul is also sore vexed but thou Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine inquity and cleanse me from my sin Why art thou cast down ô my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Yea though I walk thorow the Valley of the shadow of death yet will I fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff comfort me O Lord my times are in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies Let my soul live and it shall praise thee and let thy judgments help me Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever ALmighty God and most merciful Father thou art the Author of my being and as my life my health and strength are from thee so they are and ought to be at thy dispose and I do humbly confess that because of my sinfulness and disobedience 't is just with thee to afflict me with sickness and pain yea and to cut me off from the Land of the Living O Lord I bear about me a body of Sin and Death and am liable to the penalties of that first transgression for by one man Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin Likewise the practice of my life hath been very evil and my sins still repeated from day to day I have not made it my chief business to serve and glorifie thee which is the end of my Creation nor hath the time of my life and health been employ'd as it ought in doing and receiving good The faculties of my Soul and Members of my Body have been made the instruments of Sin I have not been duly thankful for thy manifold Mercies nor made a right use of them and I have too much despis'd thy goodness and forbearance which should have lead me to repentance I do therefore acknowledg the justice of thy dealings for why should a man complain of the punishment of his sins But O thou Father of Mercies who delightest not in the death of a sinner be favourable unto me Enter not into judgment with thy servant neither let thine anger wax hot against me but forgive my Sin and deliver me for in thee do I trust I know O Lord that afflictions rise not from the Dust but are of thy sending and I do desire to hear the voice of thy Rod and to turn to him that smiteth I do with hearty repentance humble my self at thy footstool lamenting all the errours of my former life and I do give up my Soul and Body to thy Will and Governance resolving and promising by thy Grace to live and act hereafter in all holy obedience to thee and thy righteous commands O deal not with me after mine iniquities nor punish me as I have deserved but remember the sufferings of thy Son who himself bore our sicknesses and the punishment due to us in his own death I believe in him as my alone Saviour my trust is in his Merits and I do humbly beg for his sake that thou wouldst be reconcil'd unto me that thou wouldest heal my Body and comfort my Soul O God who art the preserver of men who hast declared in thy word that thou art nigh unto such as pray unto thee and hast promised to deliver when call'd upon in the day of trouble be thou pleas'd to bow down thine ear and extend thy compassion in removing the distemper under which I now labour do thou who art the great Physitian prescribe and bless the means that may be for my recovery and restore me again if it be thy blessed Will to a state of health and strength then will I praise thee with a thankful heart and will serve thee faithfully all my daies But I do humbly submit my self to thy good pleasure and not my will but thine be done Though thou visit with thy Rod yet take not thy loving kindness from me and while my body shall be afflicted be thou pleas'd to strengthen and support my Soul with thy Grace and inward consolation help me with chearfulness and Christian patience to bear thy chastisement with a firm and constant faith to trust in thee and thy pretious promises Grant that this present visitation may be sanctifi'd to my spiritual benefit and through thy wise ordering in the issue turn to my real advantage and that I may by experience know that in very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Let this thy fatherly correction teach me to be more dutiful and obedient and grant that by considering the vanity and uncertainty of health of life and worldly enjoyments I may be the more careful to set my affections on things above and to breath after that immortal life of perfect bliss which thy Gospel hath promis'd And grant O Lord that whether in health or sickness in prosperity or affliction I may still honour and serve thee that whether I live I may live unto thee and whether I die I may die unto thee that whether I live or die I may be thine And so an entrance may be ministred to me into the everlasting Kingdom of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In whose Name and Merits I do earnestly recommend unto thee my present condition and all my Concern both of Soul and Body praying further in his Words Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ my Redeemer thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Consolation O blessed Spirit of Grace be with me and all thy People henceforth and for evermore Amen FINIS
Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth for the living God One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness For the Lord God is a Sun and a shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly O come let us worship and bow down before the Lord our Maker For he is our God and we are the People of his Pasture and the sheep of his hand To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts ALmighty God who art great and glorious infinite in all perfections and of incomprehensible Majesty in comparison of whom the Princes of the earth are but vile Worms and all the Nations of the World less than nothing and vanity Thou deservest to be feared and magnified to be adored and praised and 't is our greatest honour to wait upon thee thy service is the most perfect freedom and we cannot but think it very meet and reasonable that a good part of our time should be devoted to thee and thine honour yea our whole life is too little to celebrate as we ought the excellence of thy divine Nature and of thy great Works O Lord this admirable Fabrick of the World is of thy making for in six days were all things Created by thee and the Seventh day in which thou didst cease from thy Work thou didst set apart for an holy Sabbath in which the Sons of men might remember thy Creation and honour thee for it Wherefore on this day of our religious rest we desire to meditate and admire that wonderful workmanship which doth appear in thy Creatures By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made with all that glorious Host of Sun Moon and Stars thou hast founded the earth beneath and given life and breath to all things living We acknowledge thy signal kindness to our selves above the rest of thy Creatures in that thou didst Create man after thine own Image making him little lower than the Angels that thou hast given him dominion over the works of thine hands and made him capable of eternal happiness in the service and enjoyment of thy self O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches and what is man that thou shouldest magnifie him That thou shouldest set thine heart upon him We do likewise extol thy love to mankind which hath been further shewn in the great work of our Redemption That after we had broken the Laws of our Creation by sinning against thee had faln short of the glory of God and were become liable to Death and Hell thou wert pleas'd to send thine only begotten Son out of thine own bosom to save us from destruction and restore us again to thy love and favour who took on him the form of a Servant liv'd a persecuted life dy'd a painful and ignominious death for us men and for our Salvation he did alone thy justice by the Sacrifice of himself overcame Death and the Grave and finished our Redemption by rising to life the third day when he was declar'd to be the Son of God with power by his wonderful Resurrection which we and all thy Church do this day commemorate O God thine acts of favour have been thus great and admirable to us-ward we do therefore offer up our hearty praise and thanksgiving for the discoveries of thy Wisdom Power and Goodness in the Creation of us and the whole World for thy compassion and rich grace in and through our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ And we do here with deep Repentance humble our selves for that our lives have not better answered such obligations of thine to duty and obedience for we have sinn'd against thee as thou art our Creatour by not loving and fearing thee as thou hast deserv'd by neglecting thy service and employing our souls and bodies which thou hast made in actions displeasing to thee and which thou hast forbidden We have offended thee as the Author of our Redemption by not receiving the Gospel with a due love and esteem thereof nor conforming our lives to its holy precepts nor walking suitably to that abundant grace which hath therein appeared teaching us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts But O thou Father of Mercies who delightest not in the death of sinners be thou pleas'd to pardon and justifie to do away our iniquities and receive us graciously bless unto us all the means of grace and the opportunities of receiving instruction from thine holy Word When we appear before thee in the Congregation of thy people help us to be serious and devout as in thy presence to join in Prayer with an intent and fervent mind and to hear thy Word with reverence and submission that by an attendance on thine holy Ordinances we may encrease in Piety and all the Graces of Christian Holiness for the righteousness and merits of that holy One who died for our sins and rose again for our Justification And we do also humbly beg for his sake that thou wouldest grant unto us thine holy Spirit and Heavenly Grace whereby thine Image may be renewed in us that we may from henceforth honour and serve thee from whom we have received our being and help us more and more to conform our selves to the death of Christ by dying to sin and to his Resurrection by rising to holiness and newness of life To this good end we pray thee to grant that on this thine holy Day we may sanctifie thine holy Name that our thoughts may be heavenly and our affections set on things above that we may take delight in the exercises of religion and may be in thy fear all the day long Bless thy Church and be thou graciously present in all Christian Assemblies throughout the World to hear the Prayers they shall this day put up and to prosper thy Word which shall be Preached that it may become effectual for pulling down the Kingdom of Satan and for edifying the body of Christ in sound Faith and real Godliness Let the light of thy glorious Gospel be spread abroad and the borders of thy Sons kingdom daily enlarg'd Call home thine ancient people the Jews and bring in the fulness of the Gentiles that all the Nations of the earth may be one sheepfold under the one great shepherd of Souls We implore thy particular kindness for this Church and Kingdom and more especially for the Kings Majesty that he may have Wisdom Justice Piety and all princely vertues to govern according to thy Will for thy glory and the good of thy people And let thy true religion be continued to us for all generations We present unto thee our hearty thanks for thy many and great benefits vouchsafed to us for our excellent being our preservation hitherto and all temporal enjoyments for our birth and education in a
prefer a solitary life and of Plato it is observ'd that avoiding the City he fixed his Academy at some distance in the Country But retirement hath been most of all approved as a good help to Piety and the duties of it by some Christian Writers much hath been spoken in the praise thereof on this account q Basil in Epist ad Chilonem Hieron ad Heliodor l. 2. cont Jovin August ad frat in Eremo especially by St. Basil and Hierom who were themselves addicted to that course of life in the constitutions of Justinian it is said A solitary life with the contemplation that doth accompany it is a sacred thing which of its own nature doth lead the soul to God nor is it only advantageous to those who practise it but is also of known benefit to others by reason of its holiness and devotion toward God r Novel Const 133. By Eusebius out of Philo's book de vitâ contemplativâ it is reported of certain Asceticks so have they been call'd who professed a more strict and sedulous exercise of Piety living in several parts of Aegypt that forsaking worldly employments and the ordinary places of habitation they abode solitary practising abstinence divine contemplation and devotion ſ Euseb Eccle. Hist l. 2. c. 17. these he would have to be Christians but is therein corrected by Scaliger who thinks they were of that Sect among the Jews called Essenes and for that he is himself reprov'd by Valesius who doth suppose them of the Jewish religion though some passages in the account given of them will not allow them to be Essenes But however it is sufficiently known that Christians too have us'd retirement to the same religious purpose in the times of Persecution under the Heathen Emperours great multitudes of them being forc'd to quit their Dwellings made the Desarts their refuge where they improv'd Necessity into a Vertue by employing their solitudes in Fasting Prayer Meditation and Reading the Scriptures so that in some time this way of living became a matter of choice and was advanc'd into an holy institution Paul of Thebais was the first example of note that recommended the same of whom 't is related that he lived solitary for near an hundred years likewise one Anthony an Aegyptian did set it up in his own Country and Hilarion did the like in Syria and Palestine It must be granted that this at length corrupted into Superstition Idleness and an empty name and we cannot think it any real service to religion to persuade men as some have done wholly to abandon humane Society since they cannot do it without laying aside many important duties both for the service of God and the good of Mankind yet for some time and on some special occasion of a mans life it may be of necessary use to retire from the World and the affairs of it it was so thought by a great and wise Prince in the last Age. I mean Charles the fifth who having taken up an apprehension of his own death approaching from the appearance of a Comet soon after resign'd his Empire and Kingdoms and retir'd into a small Village that he might without interruption attend the great business of Religion in order to another World t Hen. Spondan Anno 1556. But by some it is said that this serious temper of mind in the Emperour was occasion'd partly by the unfortunate turn and ill success of his affairs after so much of Victory and Glory formerly enjoy'd by him and partly by the prevalence and growth of the Protestant interest after all his endeavours to suppress it from the former he had a deep conviction concerning the vanity of sublunary things and therefore resolv'd to take off his affections and himself from the World and to provide for his lasting security elsewhere and the latter suggested to him that the Religion he had hitherto so much oppos'd was own'd and assisted from Heaven and therefore it was not safe to be any longer concern'd against it and it is suppos'd that in his latter days * See Dr. Burnet Hist Refor r. 21. part p. 214. of retirement when he had leasure throughly to consider and no worldly interest to be a wrong biass he fell into a good liking of the Reformation and dy'd a real Convert to it Now whatever there is in privacy by which it doth contribute to Piety and our better service of God may alwaies be found in the close retirement of secret devotion a man is then separate from the World from all company and business may freely converse with God and his own Soul may for his spiritual benefit contemplate the Word of God and all his wondrous Works the things that have been that are and which shall be hereafter and while thus taken up it may be truly said of him That he is never less alone then when alone 'T is almost peculiar to single devotion that it doth admit the useful Duty of holy Meditation which cannot so well be exercis'd when we join in publick and whatever the Duty be wherein we are privately engag'd we can more easily be serious and intent in it then amidst the usual occasions of diverting the mind which are in places where many assemble And as privacy is thus helpful to our being more heavenly and devout so in the single exercise of Piety there is this other advantage that whereas in publick devotion we are confin'd to such Prayers as are intended for general use and therefore cannot reach every particular case the Christian when praying alone can with freedom lay open his wants and desires he is not then bound up to words nor things but may chuse the matter of Prayer and speak for himself as his own heart shall suggest and his present condition require for though Forms of private devotion are very expedient and indeed necessary for the greatest part of Christians yet as a late reverend Divine of our Church hath said u Dr. Tully in Precat Domin Expos None is so oblig d to them but that if able to do it he may supplicate to God from his own present conceptions And before him the learned Hammond to the same purpose In the Closet saith he it is not suggested by our Church but that every one may ask his own wants in what form of words he shall think fit w Dr. Ham. Pract. Cat. and truly all who know how to express their minds to men may be suppos'd capable of doing the like in private to God too wherever there shall be need so as to be accepted by him for he doth not so much regard the Artifice of our words as the disposition of our hearts when we speak to him We have before observ'd that holy men in Scripture did use to pray pro re natâ according to their present occasion and to the instances already given we may add that of St. Paul 2 Cor. 12. 8. and also that of our Saviour himself
and all other perfections and thy Works have been wonderful and gracious towards the Sons of Men. But what is Man that thou art mindful of him and what am I vile Creature that I should be admitted to thy Throne of Grace O Lord I am but Dust and Ashes and therefore unworthy thou shouldst have any regard unto me I am a polluted Sinner and therefore unfit for thy presence or any testimony of thy favour the frame and disposition of my heart is to sin and folly and the practice of my life have been always disobedient and provoking to this very day I desire therefore with shame and hearty repentance to humble my self begging thy merciful pardon of all my sins past through the Merits of Christ and the assistance of thy special Grace for the future whereby I may be enabled to lead a sober righteous and godly life Since I am thy Creature who hast made all things for thy self and thine own glory let it be my chief care to serve thee and whether I eat or drink or whatever I do to do all in thy fear and to the honour of thy great Name as I have been bought with a price even the precious blood of thy dear Son so grant I may glorifie thee both in my body and soul which are thine and whatever power or opportunities thou dost vouchsafe unto me help me to employ the same in doing good and discharging my Duty both toward thee and toward men that I may not be barren or unfruitful but always abounding in the Work of the Lord and for the greater usefulness and comfort of my life be thou pleas'd to continue to me my understanding and senses together with health and soundness of body and let my Members and Faculties be always instruments of righteousness unto holiness O stablish my heart by thy Grace that I may be constant in thy Faith and Fear in sincere obedience to thy holy commands and so after a patient continuance in well-doing may receive the promis'd reward of eternal life O Lord I do thankfully acknowledge the continual Mercies of thy good Providence by which I have been preserv'd and cherish'd hitherto I bless thee for the protection and refreshment of the night past and that thou hast prolonged my life to another day be thou pleas'd to guide and defend me throughout the same bless and prosper my endeavours in every lawful undertaking and suffer me not to fall into any danger or unhappy accident Above all do thou preserve me from sin and the temptations to it and let neither the World the Flesh nor the Devil draw me aside from thee into any wicked practice but grant that I may still walk on in the way of righteousness without turning from it into those sinful paths that lead down to the Chambers of death Bless thy people throughout the World and send thy comfort and deliverance to all who are in any distress or affliction of body or mind Preserve this Church and Kingdom to which I belong and make us happy in Truth Righteousness and Peace do good to all my friends and if I have any Enemies forgive them and turn their hearts O Lord pardon the defects of this my devotion accept my person and hear my Prayer through the Righteousness and Intercession of thy blessed Son my alone Saviour In whose own Words I further call upon thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this day and for evermore Amer. Another Prayer for the Morning CAuse me O Lord to hear thy loving kindness in the Morning for in thee do I trust Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me O Lord my God who art the Author of my being and the giver of all the good things which I have at any time receiv'd I do here offer up my bounden Duty of Worship and Praise and I do present my Soul and Body to be consecreated unto thee and thy Service despise not I pray thee the Work of thine own hands but though I am vile and unworthy by reason of Sin yet according to thy rich Mercy and for the worthiness of thy beloved Son be thou pleas'd to overlook whatever is amiss in me and to receive me graciously as one of thine adopted Children That I may be qualify'd for thy love and favour make me conformable to thy divine Image in righteousness and true holiness do thou govern my will and affections that I may chuse the good and refuse the evil that I may love what thou doest command and hate whatever thou hast forbidden O Lord who knowest my ignorance and folly instruct me how to demean my self in all the affairs and passages of my life thou who seest my weakness strengthen me by thy Grace that I may be able to resist all evil motions and temptations to Sin and to perform all the Duties of my Christian obedience suffer me not to err from thy Commandements but let the direction of thy Word and Spirit be as a voice behind me shewing the way wherein I should walk when I am turning to the right hand or to the left confirm my Soul in thy true Religion and the holy fear of thy great Name make me steadfast and immoveable in thy Service that being faithful unto the death I may at length receive that Crown of everlasting Life which thou hast promis'd Be thou pleas'd to bless me in my body with health and strength in my Soul with encrease of divine Knowledg of true Piety and all saving Vertues and give me such a measure of temporal good things as may best contribute to my real happiness I yield thee humble thanks that I have been preserv'd and refresh'd the Night past that I am kept alive to this Morning as thou hast brought me out of the shades of Night so help me to cast off the sinful works of darkness and to walk as becometh a Child of Light let thy presence be with me and thy blessing upon me in the day following give thine Angels charge to keep me in all my ways that I fall not into any disaster and let thy Grace be sufficient for me that I be not exercis'd in any evil work but grant me to abide in perfect safety and to be still holy and upright before thee to the end of this day and of my whole life through my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in whose holy Name and Words I continue to pray unto thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this Day and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning on the Lords day I Laid me down and slept I awaked Sunday Morning for the Lord sustained me O God thou art my God early