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world_n	father_n	holy_a	miserable_a	3,417	5	10.5583	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23775	The whole duty of man laid down in a plain way for the use of the meanest reader divided into XVII chapters : one whereof being read every Lords day, the whole may be read over, thrice in the year, necessary for all families : with private devotions.; Whole duty of man	Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.; Fell, John, 1625-1686.; Sterne, Richard, 1596?-1683.; Henchman, Humphrey, 1592-1675.; Pakington, Dorothy Coventry, Lady, d. 1679.	1659 (1659)	Wing A1170_PARTIAL; Wing A1161_PARTIAL; ESTC R22026	270,427	508

is it seems so burdensome a thing that even this vilest employment is preferred before it But this is in many a very false plea. For they often spend time at the pot not only when they have nothing else to do but even to the neglect of their most necessary business However it is in all a most unreasonable one for there is no man but he may finde somewhat or other to imploy himself in If he have little worldly business of his own he may yet do somewhat to the benefit of others but however there is no man but hath a Soul and if he will look carefully to that he need not complain for want of business where there are so many corruptions to mortifie so many inclinations to watch over so many temptations whereof this of drunkenness is not the least to resist The Graces of God to improve and stir up and former neglects of all these to lament sure there can never want sufficient imployment for all these require time and so men at their deaths find for then those that have all their lives made it their business to drive away their time would then give all the world to redeem it And sure where there is much leisure from wordly affairs God expects to have the more time thus imployed in Spiritual exercises But it is not likely those meaner sort of persons to whom this book is intended will be of the number of those that have much leisure and therefore I shall no farther insist on it only I shall say this that what degrees of leisure they at any time have it concerns them to imploy to the benefit of their souls and not to bestow it to the ruine of them as they do who spend it in drinking 8. A sixth end is said to be the preventing of that reproach which is by the world cast on those that will in this be stricter then their neighbours but in answer to this I shall first ask What is the harm of such reproach sure it cannot equal the least of those mischiefs drunkenness betrayes us to Nay if we will take our Saviours words it is a happiness Blessed saith he are ye when men shall revile you and say all manner of evil against you for my sake Mat. 5. 11. And S. Peter tells us 1 Peter 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye and sure to be reproached for obedience to any command of Christs is to be reproached for his Name Secondly Let it be remembred that at our Baptism we solemnly renounced the world and shall we now so far consider it as for a sew scoffs of it to run our selves on all the temporal evils before mentioned and which is much worse the wrath of God and eternal destruction But Thirdly If you fear reproach why do ye do that which will bring reproach upon you from all wise and good men whose opinion alone is to be regarded And it is certain drinking is the way to bring it on you from all such And to comfort thy self against that by thinking thou art still applauded by the foolish and worst sort of men is as if all the mad men in the world should agree to count themselves the only sober persons and all others mad which yet sure will never make them the less mad nor others the less sober Lastly consider the heavie doom Christ hath pronounc'd on those that are ashamed of him and so are all those that for fear of reproach shall shrink from their obedience to him Mat. 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of the Father with the holy Angels There is none but will at that day desire to be owned by Christ But whoever will not here own him that is cleave fast to his commands notwithstanding all the scornes nay persecutions of the world shall then certainly be cast off by him And he that will adventure thus to maintain his credit among a company of Fools and Madmen deserves well to have it befal him But after all this it is not sure that even these will despise thee for thy sobriety it is possible they may seem to do so to fright thee out of it but if their hearts were searched it would be found they do even against their wills bear a secret reverence to sober persons and none fall more often under their scorn and despising then those that run with them to the same excess of riot for even he that sticks not to be drunk himself will yet laugh at another that he sees so 9. There is a seventh end which though every man think too base to own yet it is too plain it prevails with many And that is the bare pleasure of the drink but to these I confess it will not be fit to say much for he that is come to this lamentable degree of sottishness is not like to receive benefit by any thing can be said Yet let me tell even this man that he of all others hath the most means of discerning his fault for this being such a ground of drinking as no body will own he is condemned of himself yea and all his fellow drunkards too for their denying it is a plain sign they acknowledge it a most abominable thing And if Esau were called a profane person Heb. 12. 6. for selling but his birth right for a mess of pottage and that too when he had the necessity of hunger upon him what name of reproach can be bad enough for him who sells his health his reason his God his soul for a cup of drink and that when he is so far from needing it that perhaps he hath already more then he can keep I shall say no more to this sort of persons but let me warn all those that go on in the sin on any of the former grounds that a little time will bring them even to this which they profess to loathe it being daily seen that those which first were drawn into the sin for the love of the company at last continue in it for love of the drink 10. I can think but of one end more that is that of Bargaining Men say it is necessary for them to drink in this one respect of trading with their neighbours bargains being most conveniently to be struck up at such meetings But this is yet a worse end then all the rest for the bottom of it is an aim of cheating and defrauding others We think when men are in drink we shall the better be able to over-reach them and so this adds the sin of cousenage and defrauding to that of drunkenness Now that this is indeed the intent is manifest for if it were only the dispatch of bargains were aimed at we should chuse to take men with their wits about them therefore the taking them when drink

state of triumph and bliss in thy Kingdome through Jesus Christ. For JUSTICE O Thou King of righteousness who hast Commanded us to keep judgment and do Justice be pleased by thy grace to cleanse my heart and hands from all fraud and injustice and give me a perfect integrity and uprightness in all my dealings O make me ever abhor to use my power to oppress or my skill to deceive my brother and grant I may most strictly observe that sacred rule of doing as I would be done to that I may not dishonour my Christian prof●ssion by an unjust or fraudulent life but in simplicity and godly sincerity have my conversation in this life never seeking to heap up treasures of wickedness but preferring a little with righteousness before great revenues without right Lord make me exactly careful to render to every man what by any sort of obligation becomes his due that I may never break the bond of any of those relations that thou hast placed me in but may so behave my self towards all that none may have any evil thing to say of me that so if it be possible I may have peace with all men or however I may by keeping innocency and taking heed to the thing that is right have peace at the last even peace with thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. For CHARITY O Merciful Lord who hast made of one blood and redeemed by one ransome all Nations of men let me never harden my bowels against any that partake of the same nature and redemption with me but grant me an universal charity towards all men Give me O thou father of compassions such a tenderness and meltingness of heart that I may be deeply affected with all the miseries and calamities outward or inward of my brethren and diligently imploy all my abilities for their succour and relief O let not an unchristian self love possess my heart but drive out that accursed spirit and let thy Spirit of love enter and dwell there and make me seek not to please my self but my neighbour for his good to edification even as Christ pleased not himself Lord make me a faithful steward of all those talents thou hast committed to me for the benefit of others that so when thou shalt call me to give an account of my stewardship I may do it with joy and not with grief Grant this merciful Lord I beseech thee for Jesus Christ his sake For PERSEVERANCE O Eternal and unchangeable Lord God who art the same yesterday and to day and for ever Be thou pleased to communicate some small Ray of that excellence some degree of that stability to me thy wretched creature who am light and unconstant turned about with every blast my understanding is very deceivable O establish it in thy truth keep it from the snares of seducing spirits that I may not be led away with the error of the wicked and fall from my own stedfastness my will also O Lord is irresolute and wavering and doth not cleave stedfastly unto God my goodness is but as the morning cloud and as the early dew it passeth away O strengthen and confirm me and whatever good work thou hast wrought in me be pleased to accomplish and perform it until the day of Christ. Lord thou seest my weakness and thou knowest the number and strength of those temptations I have to struggle with O leave me not to my self but cover thou my head in the day of battel and in all spiritual combates make me more then conquerour through him that loved me O let no terrors or slatteries either of the world or my own flesh ever draw me from my obedience to thee but grant that I may continue stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord by patient continuance in well doing seek at last obtain glory and honour and Immortality and eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. A Brief Paraphrase of the LORDS PRAYER To be used as a Prayer Our Father which art in Heaven O LORD who dwellest in the highest heavens thou art the Author of our being thou hast also begotten us again unto a lively hope and carriest towards us the tenderness and bowels of a compassionate father O make us to render to thee the love and obedience of children and that we may resemble thee our father in heaven that place of true delight and purity give us a holy disdain of all the deceitful pleasures and foul pollutions of this world and so raise up our minds that we may always have our conversation in heaven from whence we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Hallowed be thy Name STRIKE such an awe into our hearts that we may humbly reverence thee in thy Name which is great wonderful and holy and carry such a sacred respect to all things that relate to thee and thy worship as may express our reverence of thy great Majesty Let all the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee 2. Thy Kingdome come Establish thy Throne and rule for ever in our souls and by the power of thy grace subdue all those rebellious corruptions that exalt themselves against thee they are those enemies of thine which would not that thou shouldst reign over them O let them be brought forth and slain before thee and make us such faithful subjects of this thy Kingdome of Grace that we may be capable of the Kingdom of Glory and then Lord Jesus come quickly 3. Thy will be done in earth c. ENABLE us by thy grace chearfully to suffer thy will in all thy inflictions and readily to perform it in all thy commands give us of that heavenly zeal to thy service wherewith the blessed Angels of thy presence are inspired that we may obey thee with the like fervor and alacrity and that following them in their obedience we may be joyned with them to sing eternal praises in thy Kingdom to God and to the Lamb for ever 4. Give us this day our dayly bread GIVE us that continual supply of thy grace which may sustain and nourish our souls unto eternal life And be thou pleased also to provide for our bodies all those things which thou seest fit for their support through this our earthly pilgrimage and make us cheerfully to rest on thee for them first seeking thy Kingdome and the righteousness thereof and then not doubting but all these things shall be added unto us 5. Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them c. HEAL our souls O Lord for we have sinned against thee let thy tender mercies abound towards us in the forgiveness of all our offences And grant O Lord that we may never forfeit this pardon of thine by denying ours to our brethren but give us those bowels of compassion to others which we stand in so much greater need of from thee that we may forgive as fully and finally upon Christs command as we desire to be forgiven for his merits

Flat●ering him in his faults Forsaking his friendship upon slight or no cause Making leagues in sin in stead of vertuous friendship SERVANTS Servants disobeying the lawful commands of their Masters Purloining their goods Carelesly wasting them Murmuring at their rebukes Idleness Eye service MASTERS Masters using servants tyrannically and cruelly Being too remiss and suffering them to neglect their duty Having no care of their souls Not providing them means of instruction in Religion Not admonishing them when they commit sins Not allowing them time and opportunity for prayer and the worship of God CHARITY Want of bowels and Charity to our neighbours Not heartily desiring their good spiritual or temporal Not loving and forgiving enemies Taking actual revenges upon them Falseness professing kindness and acting none Not labouring to do all the good we can to the soul of our neighbour Not assisting him to our power in his bodily distresses Not defending his good name when we know or believe him slandered Denying him any neighbourly office to preserve or advance his estate Not defending him from oppression when we have power Not relieving him in his poverty Not giving liberally or chear●ully GOING to LAW Not loving PEACE Going to Law upon slight occasions Bearing inward enmity to those we sue Not labouring to make peace among others The use of this Catalogue of sins is this Upon days of Humiliation especially before the Sacrament read them consideringly over and at every particular ask thine own heart Am I guilty of this ● And whatsoever by such Examination thou findest thy self faulty in Confess particularly and humbly to God with all the heightning circumstances which may any way increase their guilt and make serious Resolutions against every such Sin for the future after which thou ●●ayest use this Form following O LORD I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee for my iniquities are increased over my head and my trespass is grown up even unto Heaven I have wrought all these great provocations and that in the most provoking manner they have not been only single but repeated acts of sin for O Lord of all this black Catalogue which I have now brought forth before thee how few are there which I have not often committed nay which are not become even habitual and customary to me And to this frequency I have added both a greediness and obstinacy in sinning turning into my course as the Horse rusheth into the battel doing evil with both hands earnestly yea hating to be reformed and casting thy words behinde me quenching thy Spirit within me which testified against me to turn me from my evil ways and frustrating all those outward means whether of judgement or mercy which thou hast used to draw me to thy self Nay O Lord even my repentances may be numbred amongst my greatest sins they have sometimes been feigned and hypocritical always so sl●ght and ineffectual that they have brought forth no fruit in amendment of life but I have still returned with the dog to his vomit and the sow to the mire again and have added the breach of resolutions and vows to all my former guilts Thus O Lord I am become out of measure sinful and since I have thus chosen death I am most worthy to take part in it even in the second death the lake of fire and brimstone This this O Lord is in justice to be the po●tion of my cup to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face eternally But to thee O Lord God belongeth mercy and forgiveness though I have rebelled against thee O remember not my sins and offences but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Thou sentest thy Son to seek and to save that which was lost behold O Lord I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost O seek thy servant and bring me back to the Shepherd and Bishop of my Soul let thy Spirit work in me a hearty sense and detestation of all my abominations that true contrition of heart which thou hast promised not to despise And then be thou pleased to look on me to take away all iniquity and receive me graciously and for his sake who hath done nothing amiss be reconciled to me who have done nothing well wash away the guilt of my sins in his blood and subdue the power of them by his grace and grant O Lord that I may from this hour bid a final adieu to all ungodliness and worldly lusts that I may never once more cast a look toward Sodom or long after the flesh-pots of Egypt but consecrate my self intirely to thee to serve thee in Righteousness and true Holiness reckoning my self to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour This PENITENTIAL PSALM may also fitly be used PSALM 51. HAVE mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clcer when thou art judged Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mo●her conceived me But lo thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly Thou shalt purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoycè Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood guiltines● O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Thou shalt open my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew thy praise For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt offering The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the Sacrifice of righteousness with the burnt offerings and oblations then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen PRAYERS BEFORE the Receiving of the blessed SACRAMENT OMost merciful God who hast in thy great goodness prepared this spiritual feast for sick

and our duty And therefore to this Word of his we are to bear a wonderful respect to look upon it as the rules by which we must frame all the actions of our life and to that end to study it much to read in it as often as we can if it may be never to let a day pass us without reading or hearing some part of it read 23. But then that is not all We must not only read but we must mark what we read we must diligently observe what duties there are which God commands us to perform what faults they are which God there charges us not to commit together with the rewards promised to the one and the punishment threatned to the other When we have thus marked we must lay them up in our memory not so loosely and carelesly that they shall presently drop out again but we must so fasten them there by often thinking and meditating on them that we may have them ready for our use Now that use is the directing of our lives and therefore when ever we are tempted to the committing of any evil we are then to call to minde this is the thing which in such a Scripture is forbidden by God and all his vengeances threatned against it and so in like manner when any opportunity is offered us of doing good to remember this is the duty which I was exhorted to in such a Scripture and such glorious rewards promised to the doing of it and by these considerations strengthen our selves for resisting of the evil and performance of the good 24. But besides this of the written Word it hath pleased God to provide yet further for our instruction by his Ministers whose Office it is to teach us Gods Will not by saying any thing contrary to the written Word for whatsoever is so can never be Gods Will but by Explaining it and making it easier to our understandings and then applying it to our particular occasions and exhorting and stirring us up to the practice of it all which is the end at which first their Catechizing and then their Preaching aimeth And to this we are to bear also a due respect by giving diligent heed thereto not only being present at Gatechizings and Sermons and either sleep out the time or think of somewhat else but carefully marking what is said to us And surely if we did but rightly consider how much it concerns us we should conclude it very reasonable for us to do so 25. For First as to that of Catechizing it is the laying the foundation upon which all Christian practice must be built for that is the teaching us our duty without which it is impossible for us to perform it And though it is true that the Scriptures are the Fountains from whence this knowledge of duty must be fetched yet there are many who are not able to draw it from this Fountain themselves and therefore it is absolutely necessary it should be thus brought to them by others 26. This Catechizing is generally look't on as a thing belonging only to the youth and so indeed it ought not because the oldest are not to learn if they be ignorant but because all children should be so instructed that it should be impossible for them to be ignorant when they come to years And it neerly concernes every Parent as they will free themselves from the guilt of their childrens eternall undoing that they be carefull to see them instructed in all necessary things to which purpose it will be fit early to teach them some short Catechism of which sort none so fit as the Church Catechism yet are they not to rest on these endeavours of their own but also to call in the Ministers help that he may build them up farther in Christian knowledge 27. But alas it is too sure that parents have very much neglected this Duty and by that means it is that such multitudes of men and women that are called bristians know no more of Christ or any thing that concerns their own Souls then the meerest Heathen 28. But although it were their Parents fault that they were not Instructed when they were young yet it is now their own if they remain still ignorant and it is sure it will be their own ruine and misery if they wilfully continue so Therefore whoever it be of what age or condition soever that is in this ignorant estate or in any such degree of it that he wants any part of necessary saving knowledge let him as he loves his soul as ever he would escape eternal damnation seek out for instruction and let no fear of shame keep any from it For first it is certain the shame belongs only to the wilful continuing in ignorance to which the desire of learning is directly contrary and is so far from a shameful that it is a most commendable thing and will be sure to be so accounted by all wise and good men But secondly suppose some prophane senseless people should deride it yet sure that shame were in all reason to be undergone joyfully rather then venture on that confusion of face which will at the day of iudgement befal those who to avoid a little false shame amongst men have gone on in a wilful ignorance of their duty which ignorance will be so far from excusing any sins they shall commit that it adds one great and heavy sin to all the rest even the despising that knowledge which is offered to them How ha●nous a sin that is you may learn in the first Chapter of the Proverbs where hating knowledge v. 29. is said to be the thing that draws down those sad vengeances forementioned even Gods forsaking men laughing at their calamity in stead of helping them Which is of all other conditions in the world the most miserable and surely they are madly desperate that will run themselves into it 29. As for those who have already this foundation laid by the knowledge of the grounds of Christian Religion there is yet for them a farther help provided by Preaching And it is no more then needs for God knows those that understand their duty well enough are too apt to forget it nay sometimes by the violence of their own lusts to transgress it even when they do remember it and therefore it is very useful we should be put in minde of it to prevent our forgetting and also often exhorted and assisted to withstand those lusts which draw us to those transgressions And to these purposes preaching is intended first to warn us to be upon our guard against our spiritual enemy and then to furnish us with weapons for the fight that is such means and helps as may best enable us to beat off temptations and get the victory over them 30. Since therefore this is the end of Preaching we must not think we have done our duty when we have heard a Sermon though never so attentively but we must lay it up in our hearts those

loose to thy worldly cares and business But spend all that day either in meditating praying reading good conferences or the like so as may best keep up that holy flame that is enkindled in thy heart Afterwards when thy calling requires thee to fall to thy usual affairs do it but yet still remember that thou hast a greater business then that upon thy hands that is the performing of all those promises thou so lately madest to God and therefore whatever thy outward imployments are let thy heart be set on that keep all the particulars of thy resolution in memory and whenever thou art tempted to any of thy old sins then consider this is the thing thou so solemnly vowedst against and withal remember what a horrible guilt it will be if thou shouldst now wilfully do any thing contrary to that vow Yea and what a horrible mischief also it will be to thy self For at thy receiving God and thou entredst into Covenant into a league of friendship and kindness And as long as thou keepest in that friendship with God thou art safe all the malice of men or devils can do thee no harm For as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 31. If God be for us who can be against us But if thou breakest this league as thou certainly dost if thou yield to any wilful sin then God and thou are enemies and if all the world then were for thee it could not avail thee 32. Nay thou wilt get an enemy with in thine own bosome thy conscience accusing and upbraiding thee and when God and thine own conscience are thus against thee thou canst not but be extremely miserable even in this life besides that fearful expectation of wr●●h which awaits thee in the next Remember all this when thou art set upon by any temptation and then sure thou canst not but look upon that temptation as a cheat that comes to rob thee of thy Peace thy God thy very Soul And then surely it will appear as unfit to entertain it as thou wouldst think it to harbour one in thy house who thou knowest came to rob thee of what is dearest to thee 33. And let not any experience of Gods mercy in pardoning thee heretofore encourage thee again to provoke him for besides that it is the highest degree of wickedness and unthankfulness to make that goodness of his which should lead thee to repentance an encouragement in thy sin Besides this I say the oftner thou hast been pardon●d the less reason thou hast to expect it again because thy sin is so much the greater for having been committed against so much mercy If a King have several times pardoned an offender yet if he still return to commission of the same fault the King will at last be forced if he have any love to Justice to give him up to it Now so it is here God is as well just as merciful and his Justice will at last surely and heavily avenge the abuse of his Mercy and there cannot be a greater abuse of his mercy then to sin in hope of it so that it will prove a mīserable deceiving of thy self thus to presume upon it 34. Now this care of making good thy vow must not abide with thee some few days onely and then be cast aside but it must continue with thee all thy days For if thou break thy vow it matters not whether sooner or later Nay perhaps the guilt may in some respects be more if it be late for if thou have for a good while gone on in the observance of it that shews the thing is possible to thee and so thy after breaches are not of insirmity because thou canst not avoid them but of perverseness because thou wilt not Besides the use of Christian-Walking must needs make it more easie to thee For indeed all the difficulty of it is but from the custome of the contrary And therefore if after some acquaintance with it when thou hast overcome somewhat of the hardness thou shalt then give it over it will be most inexcusable Therefore be careful all the days of thy life to keep such a Watch over thy self and so to avoid all occasions of temptations as may preserve thee from all Wilful breaches of this vow 35. But though the obligation of every such single vow reach to the utmost day of our lives yet are we often to renew it that is we are often to receive the holy Saecrament for that being the means of conveighing to us so great and unvaluable benefits and it being also a command of Christ That we should do this in remembrance of him we are in respect both of reason and duty to omit no fit opportunity of partaking of that holy Table I have now shewed you what that reverence is which we are to pay to God in his Sacrament PARTITION IV. HONOUR due to Gods Name Of Sinning against it Blasphemy Swearing Assertory Oaths Promissory Oaths Unlawful Oaths Of Perjury Of vain Oaths and the Sin of them c. § 1. THe last thing wherein we are to express our Reverence to him is the Honouring his Name Now what this Honouring of his Name is we shall best understand by considering what are the things by which it is dishonoured the avoiding of which will be our way of honouring it The first is all Blasphemies or speaking any evil thing of God the highest degree whereof is cursing him or if we do not speak it with our mouths yet if we do it in our hearts by thinking any unwor●hy thing of Him it is lookt on by God who sees the heart as the vilest dishonour But there is also a blasphemy of the actions that is when men who profess to be the servants of God live so wickedly that they bring up an evil report on him whom they own as their Master and Lord. This Blasphemy the Apostle takes notice of Rom. 2. 24. Where he tells those who profess to be observers of the Law That by their wicked actions the Name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles Those Gentiles were moved to think ill of God as the favourer of sin when they saw those who called themselves his servants commit it A second way of Dishonouring Gods Name is by swearing and that is of two sorts either by false Oathes or else by rash and light ones A false Oath may also be of two kinds as first that by which I affirm somewhat or secondly that by which I promise The first is when I say such or such a thing was done so or so and confirm this saying of mine with an Oath if then I know there be not perfect truth in what I say this is a flat perjury a downright being forsworn Nay if I swear to the truth of that whereof I am only doubtful though the thing should happen to be true yet it brings upon me the guilt of Perjury for I swear at a venture and

Soul O save me for thy mercies sake O go not from me for trouble is hard at hand and there is none to help I stretch forth my hands unto thee my Soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land Draw nigh unto my soul and save it O deliver me because of my enemies For my Soul is full of trouble and my life draweth nigh unto hell Save me from the Lions mouth hear me from among the horns of the Unicorns O set me up upon the rock that is higher then I for thou art my hope and a strong Tower for me against the enemy Why art thou so heavy O my Soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Put thy trust in God for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance The Lord shall make good his loving kindness towards me yea thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever despise not then the work of thine own hands O GOD thou art my God early will I seek thee My Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and drie land where no water is Like as the hart desireth the water brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God My Soul is a thirst for God even for the living God when shall I come to appear before the presence of God How amiable are thy dwellings O Lord of Hosts My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my flesh and my heart rejoyce in the living God O that I had wings like a Dove for then would I flye away and be at rest O send out thy light and thy truth that they may lead me and bring me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy dwelling For one day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickedness I should utterly have fainted but that I believed verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Thou art my helper and my redeemer O Lord make no long tarrying EJACULATIONS O LORD of whom may I seek for succour but of thee who for my sins art justly displeased Yet O Lord God most Holy O Lord most Mighty O Holy and most Merciful Saviour deliver me not into the bitter pains of eternal death Thou knowest Lord the secrets of my heart shut not up thy merciful eyes to my prayer but hear me O Lord Most Holy O God most Mighty O Holy and Merciful Saviour thou most worthy Judge eternal suffer me not at my last hour for any pains of death to fall from thee Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am not worthy to be called thy child yet O Lord do not thou cast off the bowels and compassions of a Father but even as a father pittieth his own children so be thou merciful unto me Lord the prince of this world cometh O let him have nothing in me but as he accuseth do thou absolve he lays many and grievous things to my charge which he can too well prove I have nothing to say for my self do thou answer for me O Lord my God O Lord I am cloathed with filthy garments and Satan stands at my right hand to resist me O be thou pleased to rebuke him and pluck me as a brand out of the fire cause mine iniquities to pass from me and cloth me with the righteousness of thy Son Behold O God the Divel is coming towards me having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time O save and deliver me lest he devour my soul like a Lion and tear it in pieces while there is none to help O My God I know that no unclean thing can enter into thy Kingdom and I am nothing but pollution my very righteousnesses are as filthy rags O wash me and make me white in the blood of the Lamb that so I may be fit to stand before thy Throne Lord the snares of death compass me round about O let not the pains of hell also take hold upon me but though I find trouble and heaviness yet O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul. O dear Jesus who hast bought me with the precious price of thine own blood challenge now thy purchase and let not all the malice of Hell pluck me out of thy hand O blessed high Priest who art able to save them to the utmost who come unto God by thee save me I beseech thee who have no hope but on thy merits and intercession O God I confess I have defaced that Image of thine thou didst imprint upon my Soul yet O thou faithful Creator have pity on thy creature O Jesu I have by my many and grievous sins crucified thee afresh yet thou who prayedst for thy persecutors intercede for me also and suffer not O my Redeemer my soul the price of thy blood to perish O Spirit of grace I have by my horrid impieties done despight to thee yet O Blessed Comforter though I have often grieved thee be thou pleased to succour and relieve me and say unto my soul I am thy salvation Mine eyes look unto thee O Lord in thee is my trust O cast not out my soul. O Lord in thee have I trusted let me never be confounded O Blessed Lord who scourgest every Son whom thou receivest let me not be weary of thy correction but give me such a perfect subjection to thee the Father of Spirits that this chastisement may be for my profit that I may thereby be partaker of thy holiness O thou Captain of my Salvation who wert made perfect by sufferings sanctifie to me all the pains of body all the terrors of minde which thou shalt permit to fall upon me Lord my sins have deserved eternal torments make me chearfully and thankfully to bear my present pains chasten me as thou pleasest here that I may not be condemned with the world Lord the waters are come in even unto my soul O let thy Spirit move upon these waters and make them like the pool of Bethesda that they may cure whatsoever spiritual disease thou discernest in me O Christ who first sufferedst many and grievous things and then enteredst into thy glory make me so to suffer with thee that I may also be glorified with thee O dear Jesus who humblest thy self to the death of the Cross for me let that death of thine sweeten the bitterness of mine When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the Kingdome of heaven to all believers I believe that thou shalt come to be my Judge I pray thee therefore help thy servant whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood Make me to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting Thou art the resurrection and the life he that believeth in thee though he were dead yet shall he live Lord I believe help thou my unbelief My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength

and famished Souls make my desires and gaspings after it answerable to my needs of it I have with the prodigal wasted that portion of grace thou bestowedst upon me and therefore do infinitely want a supply out of this treasury But O Lord how shall such a wretch as I dare to approach this holy Table I am a dog how shall I presume to take the childrens bread Or how shall this spiritual Manna this food of Angels be given to one who hath chosen to feed on husks with swine nay to one who hath already so often trampled these precious things under foot either carelesly neglecting or unworthily receiving these holy mysteries O Lord my horrible guiltiness makes me tremble to come and yet makes me not dare to keep away for where O Lord shall my polluted soul be washed if not in this fountain which thou hast opened for sin and for uncleanness Hither therefore I come and thou hast promised that him that cometh to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out This is O Lord the blood of the New Testament grant me so to receive it that it may be to me for remission of Sins And though I have so often and so wretchedly broken my part of that Covenant whereof this Sacrament is a seal yet be thou graciously pleased to make good thine to be merciful to my unrighteousness and to remember my sins and my iniquities no more and not only so but to put thy laws into my heart and to write them in my mind and by the power of thy grace dispose my soul to such a sincere and constant obedience that I may never again provoke thee Lord grant that in these holy mysteries I may not only commemorate but effectually receive my blessed Saviour and all the benefits of his Passion and to that end give me such a preparation of soul as may qualifie me for it give me a deep sense of my sins and unworthiness that being weary and heavy laden I may be capable of his refreshings and by being suppled in my own tears I may be the fitter to be washed in his blood raise up my dull and earthly mind from groveling here below and inspire it with a holy zeal that I may with spiritual affection approach this spiritual feast and let O Lord that infinite love of Christ in dying for so wretched a sinner inflame my frozen benummed soul and kindle in me that sacred fire of love to him and that so vehement that no waters may quench no floods drown it such as may burn up all my drosse not leave one unmortified lust in my soul and such as may also extend it selfe to all whom thou hast given me command and example to love even enemies as well as friends Finally O Lord I beseech thee to cloath me in the wedding garment and make me though of my self a most unworthy yet by thy mercy an acceptable guest at this holy Table that I may not eat and drink my own condemnation but may have my pardon sealed my weakness repaired my corruptions subdued and my soul so inseparably united to thee that no temptations may ever be able to dissolve the union but that being begun here in grace it may be consummated in glory Grant this O Lord for thy dear Sons sake Jesus Christ. ANOTHER O Blessed Jesus who once offeredst up thy self for me upon the Cross and now offerest thy self to me in the Sacrament let not I beseech thee my impenitence and unworthiness frustrate these so inestimable mercies to me but qualifie me by thy grace to receive the full benefit of them O Lord I have abundant need of thee but am so clog'd with guilt so holden with the cords of my sins that I am not able to move towards thee O loose me from this band wherewith Satan and my own lusts have bound me and draw me that I may run after thee Lord thou seest dayly how eagerly I pursue the paths that lead to death but when thou invitest me to life and glory I turn my back and forsake my own mercy How often hath this feast been prepared and I have with frivolous excuses absented my self or if I have come it hath been rather to defie then to adore thee I have brought such troops of thy professed enemies unrepented sins along with me as if I came not to commemorate but renew thy passion crucifying thee afresh and putting thee to open shame and now of what punishment shall I be thought worthy who have thus trampled under foot the Son of God and counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing Yet O merciful Jesu this blood is my only refuge O let this make my atonement or I perish eternally Wherefore didst thou shed it but to save sinners Neither can the merit of it be overwhelmed either by the greatness or number of sins I am a sinner a great one O let me find its saving efficacy Be merciful unto me O God be merciful to me for my soul trusteth in thee and in the clefts of thy wounds shall be my refuge untill thy fathers indignation be overpast O thou who hast as my high Priest sacrificed for me intercede for me also and plead thy meritorious sufferings on my behalf and suffer not O my Redeemer the price of thy blood to be utterly lost And grant O Lord that as the sins I have to be forgiven are many so I may love much Lord thou seest what faint what cold affections I have towards thee O warm and enliven them and as in this Sacrament that transcendant love of thine in dying for me is shed forth so I beseech thee let it convey such grace into me as may enable me to make some returns of love O let this divine fire descend from heaven into my ●oul and let my sins be the burnt offering for it to consume that there may not any corrupt affection any accursed thing be sheltered in my heart that I may never again defile that place which thou hast chosen for thy Temple Thou dyedst O dear Jesu to redeem me from all iniquity O let me not again sell my self to work wickedness but grant that I may approach thee at this time with most sincere and fixed resolutions of an entire reformation and let me receive such grace and strength from thee as may enable me faithfully to perform them Lord there are many old habituated diseases my soul groans under Here mention thy most prevailing corruptions And though I lye never so long at the Pool of Bethesda come never so often to thy Table yet unless thou be pleased to put forth thy healing virtue they will still remain uncured O thou blessed Physician of souls heal me and grant I may now so touch thee that every one of these loathsome issues may immediately stanch that these sicknesses may not be unto death but unto the glory of thy mercy in Pardoning to the glory of thy grace in Purifying so polluted a wretch O Christ