spirits and powers of darkness good Lord deliver me from the bonds and chains of my sins and from that dismall sentence Take him and bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness good Lord deliver me Holy Jesus who being felsed by rude hands Arraignment and Condemnation wast led as an innocent Lamb to the slaughter hooted at rated reviled reproached falsely accused and unjustly condemned by unjust Judges here upon earth being thy self the most just Judge of Heaven and earth O be not a severe and angry Judge when I shall stand before thy Tribunal but vouchsafe to be then my Mediatour and answer for me who am not able to answer thee one of a thousand if thou shouldest be strict to mark what I have done amiss But in thee have I put my trust thou shalt answer for me O Lord my God From all the accusations of the Devil and his Angels from the accusations of all men and of all women with whom I have been guilty or who have been conscious of my many sinful pollutions and from the accusations of my own Conscience in the day of Judgment good Lord deliver me Blessed be that infinite mercy and humility of thine Holy Jesus He is spitted upon whereby thou sufferedst thy face faiter then the children of men to be polluted by filthy ignominious spittings O turn thy face away from my sins whereby I have polluted my Soul and profaned thy holy Name which is called upon me Turn not thy face away from me but turn thy face away from my sins who for my sins didst not turn thy face from shame and spitting Holy Jesus Buffeted who didst expose thy blessed cheeks to the rude cuffs and buffets of hard injurious fists grant that though I may feel yet not be fell'd and overthrown by the buffets of Satan Holy Jesus Forsaken of his friends and followers who wast content to be forsaken of all thy friends and dearest Disciples and to be left alone in the hands of cruel men who like ravening wolves thirsted after a draught of thy dearest bloud O leave me not destitute of thy assisting presence when assaulted by my ghostly Adversaries though I have deserved to be for ever desolate and forsaken for my manifold treacherous backslidings from thee Blessed be that infinite goodness and meekness of thine Denied by Peter who looking back upon S. Peter when he denied and forswore thee didst by that gracious chiding look call him back both to himself and to thee by tree Repentance O look thus upon all backsliders from thee for their correction and sincere conversion and look upon me also and be merciful unto me as thou usest to doe unto those that love thy name And now behold O my Soul Scourged with the eye of devout meditation such a portion of thy Saviour's sufferings as is the wonder and astonishment both of Heaven and earth See with what profound humility and patience the great Lord of all the world condescends to be whipped by a merciless crue of souldiers see with what a sweet silence this innocent Lamb yields to have his fleece torn off his body stript naked and strictly bound to a whipping-post see him all alone naked and helpless where there was no eye to pity him no heart to have compassion on him whilst those merciless Caitiffs with their sharp and forked whips rip up and tear his delicate skin and tender flesh so that his blessed back and breasts by the violence of their cruel lathes doubled and redoubled are all gore bloud which from the gastly wounds stream'd down his innocent sides Now when I think hereupon I pour out my heart by my self even to weeping and wonder wondering that the eternal Son of God the glory of Angels and beauty of men should suffer such a cruel and shameful punishment and weep that my sins should both deserve and cause such sufferings and weeping wonder that the Son of God should suffer what I deserved But since thou disdainedst not O merciful Lord to be wounded for my transgressions and bruised for mine iniquities O let thy chastisement procure my peace with offended Heaven and grant that by thy stripes my soul may be healed Holy Jesus Crowned with thorns whose venerable head was crowned with Thorns the curse of the earth and those thorns beaten into thy Temples with a Reed and with much rage pardon Lord all those sins which by the instrumental mediation of all the senses of my head I have committed break not the bruised reed my broken heart with the sad pressure of thy heavy wrath let thy thorns the fruits of the curse which we contracted and thou sustainedst deliver me from the curse due for my sins and stop the jaws of death that the pit shut not her mouth upon me Thou art the King of glory Renouncing the Pomps and Vanities of this world O Christ yet wast content with a Cross for thy Throne with a wreath of Thorns for thy Crown with a Reed for thy Regal Sceptre with Gall and Vinegar for thy Cates and for thy Robes of Majesty onely a little Linen to cover thy nakedness O that I were so wise as from thy example to despise all the gilded glories empty consolations nicknam'd pleasures and profits of this present life chusing with Moses rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season having an eye to the recompence of reward Blessed Jesus Bearing his Cross who with an invincible patience wentest forth bearing thy Cross till it sunk thy tender virginal body to the earth O let me not sink under thy Cross nor shrink from it but chearfully take up my Cross whatever it be and carefully undergo all the sacred acts and offices of true Repentance which is the Cross of Sinners and follow thee my immortal Savior who didst suffer for us leaving us an example that we should follow thy steps Holy Jesus Crucified who wast lifted up upon the Cross to draw all men unto thee and didst hang on a cursed Tree to abolish the Curse contracted by eating the fruit of the forbidden Tree and wast numbred with the transgressours crucified amongst thieves O draw my hard and stony heart unto thee deliver me from the curse by my sins contracted and rank me not among the cursed Goats on thy left hand but amongst thy blessed Sheep on thy right hand in the great Day of Judgment O most Holy crucified Jesus All the parts of his body tormented all the parts and members of whose Body were expanded on the Cross as on a tormenting rack thy blessed Arms and Legs were with such violence diftended that the Joints were disparted the Veins burst the Sinews crackt the Skin rent the Flesh torn and all the Bones started aside And in this height of distension thy innocent Hands and Feet were nailed for the sinful works of our hands nailed where the nerves those
condition therein required i Deut. 7.9 10. Psal 25.10 and 89 28 29 30 31 32. and 103.17 18 and 132.11 12. Jer. 11.3 4 5. Heb. 2.2 3. 7. Every wilfull sin is a breach of this Covenant and contracts therewith the sin of perjury and incurs the forfeiture of all the precious benefits of the members of Christ children of God and heirs of Heaven so that no man can reasonably conclude himself within the Covenant of Grace untill the leaven of wickedness which is a breach of its Condition be strictly searched out and expurged k 1 Cor. 5.7 8. According therefore to this Covenant which we have every one rightly Christned made with God it concerns every man to examine himself who hath any care of his Soul 8. This Condition consists of three general Heads call'd in Holy Writ by the three names of 1. Repentance 2. Faith 3. Obedience containing thereunder the whole Duty of a Christian man 9. Repentance consists not onely in confession with sorrow for sin past but in performance for the future of that grand Evangelical duty whereby we forsake sin renounce all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness l Eph. 5.11 deny ungodliness and worldly lusts m Tit. 2.12 the which with several more expressions of the same nature are the very same in sense with the first part of our Baptismal Vow viz. to forsake the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinfull lusts of the flesh which is frequently remembred to be one of the two main ends of all that Christ hath done and suffered for us n Luke 10.17 18 19. Col. 1.13 Tit. 2.12 Heb. 2.14 15. 10. This being therefore the preparation of the Gospel of peace o Eph. 6.15 Matt. 3.2 and the foundation of Religion p Heb. 6.1 is the first general rule of Self-examination By the First part To forsake the Devil and all his works AND it highly concerns us surely to doe this since they are the children of the Devil who doe his works a Joh. 8.44 The Devil 's first and generall work was Apostasie he abode not in the truth he kept not his first estate b Jude 6. Here then in the first place consider seriously and impartially how frequently nay daily if not hourly thou hast yielded to the suggestions of Satan and become like unto him by swerving from thy first profession of the holy Christian Faith and Vow of Obedience to God's Commands when admitted into covenant with God in Baptism The more particular works of the Devil are 1. Pride whereby he fell from being an Angel of Light to be a Spirit of Darkness c Isa 14.14 15. 2. Lying for he is a Liar and the father of it d Joh. 8.44 3. Malice Hatred Envy with all the degrees of Murther both in will and deed he was a Murtherer from the beginning * ibid. 4. Slander Backbiting and accusing of the brethren f Rev. 12.10 from whence he takes the name of Devil 5. Tempting unto sin that 's the incessant work of the Devil who continually goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour g 1 Pet. 5.8 Examine then whether according to thy promise made unto God thou hast manfully fought under the banner of Christ against the crafts and assaults of the Devil tempting thee to any of these sins or to any other miscarriage either in judgement or practice and hast not rather suffered thy self oftner then thou canst possibly imagine to be taken in the snares of the Devil and led captive by him at his will h 2 Tim. 2.26 The Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World These are in other words the pride of life and the lusts of the eyes which are positively affirmed to be inconsistent with the love of God a 1 â—oh 2.16 Vpon this Head examine 1. Hath not thine heart been puft up with the wind of vain-glory which vents it self by boasting and bragging of vain things of the world which profit not b Ps 12.2 by over costly and garish apparell c Isa 3.16 c. high vaunting imperious language strutting gate affected gestures supercilious and scornfull looks d Ecclus 19.29 30. affecting and receiving the honour which is from man more then the honour which cometh from God onely * Joh. 5.44 2. Have you not esteemed your self more then others your equals if not superiours f Phil. 2.3 either in respect of your worldly wealth and estate place of credit and superiority g Ps 49.6 greatness of wit readiness of elocution boldness to outvie cunning to over-reach your neighbour or in any other of those worldly qualifications and endowments which usually swell the vain minds of worldly men with conceitedness of their own worth and makes them love the praise of men more then the praise of God h Joh. 12.43 3. Have no idle and lewd company nor yet the ill example of others allured you to follow any of those sinful customs of the world which have some outward shew of pomp and seeming bravery but are really vain and empty of all true worth i Psa 144.11 Prov. 1.10 c. Have you not delighted your self in such lying vanities and loved even to be couzened both of your time and treasure in pursuance of them k Ps 4.2 4. Have you not loved and served Mammon more then God l Matt. 6.24 by preferring the sordid service of your worldly ends and interests before the sacred service of God and the interests of your Soul's health and happiness And all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh 1. Hath not the corrupt seed of carnall Lust taken root in your heart and brought forth in your life any of those sinful fruits of the flesh which are reckoned by S. Paul to be these Adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations strifes seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkenness revelling c a Gal. 5.19 20 21. 2. If upon the strict examination of your heart and life you find your self guiltie in any of these respects then remember what follows that they who doe such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God b Gal. 5.21 and such surely are not within the Covenant of Grace neither have they any title to the promises thereof whilst they continue in any of the forementioned sins unrepented for the promise onely appertaineth to him that overcometh c Rev. 2.7 11. namely the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh The more particular breaches of this first part of your Covenant with God will appear upon examination of your self by those particular Commands of God which they do respectively transgress CHAP. III. The Rule of Self-examination by the CREED or by the Second part of the Vow in Baptism To believe all the
and throughly transacted except your Prayers be joyned with Fasting That great day of expiation commanded by God for the putting away of Sin was a Fasting-day and for this corporall mortification Lev. 16.29 30. Isa 58 3 5. Joel 2.12 Matt. 17.21 Luk. 2.37 as well as for the spiritual compunction 't was called a day wherein to afflict the Soul The many admonitions and examples of Fasting both in the Old and New Testament and its frequent conjunction with Praier may sufficiently convince us of the necessity of this Duty when we implore the pardon of our Sins as also of other acts of Mortification for the taming and subduing of the flesh 1 Cor. 9.27 Gal. 5.17 which hath so shamefully rebelled against the spirit as in the through Confession of Sins is acknowledged 13. That you may be both humbled for your Sins and yet not despair of mercy and forgiveness meditate upon the bitter Sorrows and Sufferings of our Blessed Redeemer Behold him with the eye of Faith and devout Meditation expanded on the Cross as on a Tormenting-rack see him naked and racked and wounded and bleeding for thy Sins no part of his Body untormented no power of his Soul unsacrific'd no drop of his Bloud unshed for thine offences His tender Skin and delicate Flesh was torn and rent and razed by cruell lashes with forked whips his Head crowned with thorns the curse of the earth his Sinews crackt his Veins burst his Joynts disparted and all his Bones started aside whilst in the midst of these torments he offered up his Soul a Sacrifice for thy Sins And 't is this precious Bloud thus shed and applied to thy heart if any thing will mollify its hardness and melt thee into tears of Compunction for thy Sins the cause of thy Saviour's Sufferings into tears of Compassion with thy Redeemer in his Passion for thee into tears of Devotion in the dedication of thy whole self unto the service of his Majesty who gave himself wholly to redeem and save thee And because Meditations upon this subject are of all others most effectuall to excite Compunction and Devotion in the heart and to obtain mercy I have therefore annexed some short Meditations on the severall Mysteries of our Redemption and our Saviour's Passion wherein every one may enlarge himself as his Devotion shall suggest 14. In the Confession of your Sins as in every of your set solemn constant Praiers unto God 't will be very imprudent and too presumptuous to trust to your own extempore expressions and boldly say onely what at present comes into your mind for this is to be as one of them that tempt the Lord. Ecclus. 18.23 Eccles. 5.1 2. And by such rash inconsiderate addresses you offer to the All-wise God the sacrifice of fools There 's no Malefactour that petitions his Judge for the pardon of his crime but will pen his Petition and study to doe it in such words as are pertinent and not superfluous that he offend not by any tedious prolix or unnecessary expressions And we cannot surely be less considerate and carefull when we petition the Great Judge of the world for the pardon of our Sins which would otherwise sink our Souls to eternall honour For the right performance therefore of a Duty of so high concernment Dan. 9.4 c. Hos 14.2 3. Baruc. 1.15 c. Luke 15.18 21. we have many Forms of Confession upon record in the Book of God and other books of practicall Devotion both ancient and modern But because such generalls reach not punctually to the particulars of Self-examination proposed I have hereunto added for the greater ease of the Reader a Form of Confession whereunto every man may adde or diminish as his Conscience tells him he is guilty or not guilty also as he finds himself more or less guilty remembring to enlarge upon every general head of Confession the enumeration of all such particular Sins as relate thereunto And because there be few devout orthodox good Christians but are affected with what is ancient and primitive more then with the modes of new and modern Devotion I have therefore added one Form of Confession out of the Bibliotheca Patrum for its antiquity and the generall extent thereof 15. After the Confession of your Sins the most effectuall Praiers you can use for the Pardon of them are next to the Lord's Praier the Penitentiall Psalmes the praying whereof with understanding and devotion is truly and indeed to pray by the Holy Spirit of God Eph. 5.18 19. for such are undeniably the dictates of God's Holy Spirit I have therefore added the said Psalms with the Lord's Praier paraphrased that in the devout use thereof you may pray by the Spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 and pray with understanding also CHAP. VIII A Form of Confession of Sin fitted to the Rules of Self-examination whereunto every one may adde or substract as he finds himself guilty or not guilty In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen BUT I am unworthy O Lord to take thy Holy Name in my mouth ashamed to lift up mine eyes to Heaven for I have sinned against Heaven and before thee in that I have daily broken my Vow and Promise made unto the God of Heaven Sins against the Baptismal Vow in general To renounce the Devil and all his works I am unworthy to be called thy Son having obeyed the suggestions and done the works of the Devil and I do therefore justly deserve as a child of the Devil to have my portion with him and his Angels for with those Apostate spirits I have not kept to my first estate of Regeneration in Baptism but have transgressed all the particulars of that Covenant which I made with my God therein God be merciful unto me a miserable sinner I have suffered my foolish heart to be deceived with the Pomps and Vanities of this transitory life The Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and have been more enamour'd with the empty gaudy flattering felicities of this present World then with those never-fading joys and unspeakable glories of the World to come God be merciful unto me a miserable sinner The Pride of life hath ensnared me more to affect the praise of men then the praise of God and the Lust of the eyes hath bewitched me to prefer the love and service of Mammon before the love and fear and service of my Maker God be mercifull to me a sinner I have more readily obeyed the sinful lusts of the flesh And all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh then the godly motions of the Spirit and carnal Concupiscence hath reigned in my heart and prevailed in the actions of my life against the dictates both of right Reason and holy Religion Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences through Jesus Christ Amen I have not been so careful as
whither Blessed Lord whither should a defiled Soul go to be cleansed but unto that Fountain which is opened in the house of Israel for sin and for uncleanness In this inexhaustible Fountain of Divine grace my sinfull Soul longs to be washed and through the effusion of the precious Bloud of my Redeemer to be purified and my whole self for the future to be sincerely devoted to serve thee in holiness and righteousness before thee all the days of my life Amen III. Assist me Blessed Lord in the Triall and impartial Examination of my heart and of all the actions of my life in the full Confession of all my Sins with the tears of true Penitence and godly Sorrow for them in my Praiers for mercy and pardon of them and for grace to be sanctified against them O hear in Heaven and be mercifull unto me forgive me my Sins and heal my Soul through the merits and mediation of my dearest Saviour Jesus Christ Amen A short preparatory Meditation to the Sacrament out of S. Ambrose O with what great contrition of heart with what a floud of tears with what reverence fear and trembling with what purity of mind and chastity of body is that Divine celestial Mystery to be celebrated where thy Flesh O Lord is truly received and thy Bloud is truly drunk where things most high and low Divine and humane are mysteriously intermingled where the Angels of Heaven are invisibly present beholding and assisting in the celebration and where thou O Lord art inconceivably present both as the Priest and the Sacrifice O who can worthily either administer or receive such grand tremend celestial Mysteries except Thou the Omnipotent God make him worthy of thy Grace Even so come Lord Jesus The XXIII Psalm paraphrased Verse 1. THE Lord who hath created redeemed and sanctified me is my Shepherd to feed guide and defend me from the ravening of my ghostly foes therefore I can lack nothing that is needfull or convenient either for Soul or body 2. He shall feed me in a green pasture My Soul doth he feed with the verdant refreshing Indoctrinations of his Holy Word and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort Such are the influences of the Holy Ghost the Comforter and such are the Sacraments of his Church which as waters do quench the fire of Concupiscence wash off the pollution of Sin cleanse the heart from all vain and impure thoughts and desires satisfy the spiritual thirst of the Soul and feed the same to life eternal and these be Comforts both great and glorious 3. He shall convert my soul from the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and from the sinfull Lusts of the Flesh and bring me forth into the paths of righteousness to keep God's holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of my life and this he will doe for his Name 's sake that his Name which is great wonderfull and holy may be glorified in me and by me 4. Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death be conversant amidst continual Temptations and Tribulations which are the miseries of mortality and the shadows of death in this valley of tears I will fear none evill neither the evil of Sin nor Death the wages of Sin for thou art with me dwelling in my heart by Faith in this mortal life that after the shadow of death is vanished I may dwell with thee by Vision in life immortal Aug. thy rod and thy staff comfort me thy rod to correct me thy staff to support me thy rod to punish me when I doe evill thy staff to sustain me in my sufferings for my Sins Both are great comforts to the devout Soul as being signs of Adoption and Grace purchased by the mystical Rod and Staff of my Saviour's Sufferings on the wood of his Cross This was the rod of the Lord's indignation for our Sins and the rod wherewithall our Lord beat the Devil out of his strong holds this was the staff also or stay of fallen Man the merits whereof I humbly beg to be applied to my Soul in the Sacrament of his Passion For 5. Thou shalt prepare a table before me The Table of the Lord is spred before all true Believers where is prepared the Bread of Heaven the food of Angels the Body and Bloud of Christ for the strengthning and refreshing of my Soul against them that trouble me and these are chiefly home-bred Enemies even all those sinful Lusts of the flesh which war against the Soul But that I may be prepared for the conflict with them thou hast anointed my head with oil The Unction of the Holy one are the Graces of the Holy Spirit which from Christ the Head do flow down upon his Members in the devout use of his Sacraments and my cup shall be full That Cup of blessing which is the Communion of the Bloud of Christ is full of grace and heavenly benediction And this in all humility I call my cup because I am invited nay commanded to take and drink thereof And if I receive it worthily I may then rejoycing say The Lord himself is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup and as it follows 6. Thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life 'T was thy loving-kindness and mercy preventing me whereby I was called unto the state of Grace and Salvation and I believe and humbly pray that thy Grace may also follow me to continue in the same to my life's end and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever This is the end and the perfection of all the Lord's Blessings upon me He is therefore my Shepherd and doth feed and guide me protect and defend me correct and support me and with his precious Body and Bloud doth nourish me in his house of praier here below that I may hereafter dwell in his house of praise above and with his holy Angels and Saints for ever sing Glory be to God the Father As it was in the beginning Other Psalms seasonable for Meditation and relating to this Divine subject in several Verses are the XLII XLIII LXXXI LXXXIV Psalms the which I have not paraphrased or explained that this Volume might not swell into too great a bulk CHAP. III. Meditations and Praiers for the Friday especially before the Communion 1. AMongst all the days of the Week Friday is the most seasonable and fittest for the performance of those Religious Duties the which though never out of season are yet then most practical when commanded as necessary Preparatives for the worthy receiving of the Sacrament viz. the grand Duty of Self-examination of Confession of sins with Contrition Humiliation and Fasting as also for Meditations and Praiers upon the Passion of our Lord since it was upon this day of the week he was crucified and died for our Sins 2. 'T is upon this account that our Church enjoyns this day to be observed through the whole
year as a day of Fasting and Abstinence and it was ever observed as such since our Lord died upon the Friday through all the Ages of the Church untill these last and worst of days wherein the evil spirit of contradiction against the Religious practices of Christ's Church doth so rage as amongst many others to cry down all Times and Days devoted to the Service of God except what they call the Sabbath-day the which under the Gospel is neither properly so called nor rightly observed by such as truly understand not the IV. Commandment but misinterpret the sound meaning of the Spirit by the killing Letter of the Law 3. All orthodox and understanding good Christians in stead of a Jewish Sabbath observe as festival and holy the Christian Sunday because the Sun of Righteousness arose upon that day from death to life and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel in which respect 't is frequently in Holy Scripture called the Lord's day 4. And there is the like reason for the observance of Friday as fasting in commemoration of Christ's Passion as there is for Sunday as festival in commemoration of his Resurrection Nor is this obscurely but plainly enough commanded by our Lord himself But the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those days a Luk. 5.35 These words are both 1. a positive command to all the Disciples of Christ they shall fast and also 2. the days whereon they shall fast are prescribed in those days whereon the Bridegroom was taken away from them which are the Fridays of the year whereon our Lord the Bridegroom and Head of his Church was taken off by a bitter death upon the Cross It is therefore but meet and just that all true Members of this Head should fast and pray and be humbled for their Sins on that day especially whereon the Son of God so sadly suffered and sorrowed for the Sins of the world Friday Meditations I. Part of LXIX Psalm paraphrased Verse 13. LORD I make my praier unto thee in an acceptable time Now is the acceptable time now is the day of Salvation even the day whereon for us men and for our Salvation the Blessed Son of God was crucified unto death 14. Hear me O God in the multitude of thy mercies against the multitude of my Sins which require a multitude of mercies to pardon them even in the truth of thy Salvation which on this day was so dearly purchased with the precious Bloud of the Son of God as a Lamb without spot 15. Take me out of the mire of all my sinfull pollutions and of all exorbitant lusts both secular and sensual that I sink not under the weight and pressure of them O let mâ— be delivered from them that hate me meaning chiefly the Devil and his angels and all the enemies of my Soul and out of the deep waters the rising waves of my unruly Passions and the waters of Trouble and Affliction which issue thence 16. Let not the water-floud of iniquity which overflows the face of the earth drown me with the rest of evill-doers neither let the deep swallow me up the deep abyss of Death the wages of Sin and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me so as that I arise not out of the gulph of Sin and Death to the life of Grace and Glory 17. Hear me O Lord for thy loâ—â—â— kindness is comfortable T is the 〈◊〉 and fountain life and soul of 〈◊〉 consolation at all times and in 〈◊〉 conditions both prosperous and adverse turn thee unto me not for any worth that is in me to attract thy loving-kindness but according to the multitude of thy mercies which are ever manifested to all them who truly turn unto thee 18. Hide not thy face from thy servant as angry and displeased for the alienations of my heart from thee and negligence in thy service for I am in trouble troubled for my Sins and frequent back-slidings and the sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise O haste thee and hear me For if thou make as though thou hearest not I shall be like them that goe down into the pit 19. Draw nigh unto my Soal and save it who for the Salvation of my Soul didst this day humble thy self unto death even the cursed death of the Cross by the Merits and efficacy of which Cross and Passion O deliver me from all mine offences because of mine enemies that they triumph not in my confusion II. Meditations out of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. LIII Verse 4. SVrely he hath born our griefs and carried our serrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted 5. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed 6. All we like sheep have gone astray and God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all In the Sufferings of thy Saviour O my Soul thou maiest see as in a glass thine own Deformities and Sins The Great Lord over all Blessed for ever to be reproached reviled scorned contemned and numbred amongst the transgressours discovers thy false and uncharitable Judging Censuring Condemning Evil-speaking Lying and Slandering Railing and Reviling of others The blessed Face of Jesus besmeared with Spittle doth remember thee of all thy unclean Lusts and of all the filthy Communication that has proceeded out of thy mouth His blessed Mouth embittered with Gall and Vinegar doth mind thee of thy Effeminacy and Luxury Drunkenness and Gluttony and his Whipping of thy Stubbornness and Disobedience to the Laws of Heaven The King of Glory to wear a Crown of Thorns and for his Robes of Majesty onely a little Linen to cover his nakedness declares the iniquity of thy Pride and Vain-glory the folly of Gay cloathing and all thy vain and foolish affectation of the Pomps and Vanities of this sinfull World That Crown of Thorns beaten into his Temples with a Reed and much rage discovers the offensive nature of immoderate Cares of the world with the sharp and piercing Vexations issuing thence which eat up the Consolation of the heart and all true sincere Devotion of the spirit O sweetest Jesu let all my Sins be done away through thy Sufferings which did both represent and satisfy for them Let thy Wounds be a Salve for my Sin-wounded Soul and by thy Stripes let her be healed of all her Distempers Let thy Bonds discharge that Bond of malediction and woe wherein my Sins have enwrapt my Soul and let my Obligation to punishment be cancelled by thy Cross Let thy Pains deliver me from the Pains of Hell and thy Labours procure my Rest with the Saints in Heaven Let thy Sorrows purchase the Joys and thy Griefs the Pleasures of thy right hand Let thy Captivity be my Redemption thy Humiliation my Exaltation
Body the Church 19. But be not thou far from me O Lord so as to leave me altogether destitute of consolation in my present distresses nor yet to leave me buried in the grave to see corruption with other men and not to rise again till 〈◊〉 generall Resurrection thou art 〈◊〉 succour 'T is thy promise of succour I rely upon haste thee to help me finishing my Sufferings by Death and the Redemption of the world by my Resurrection from death to life 20. Deliver my soul from the sword from that death which by the sword and violence of wicked men is inflicted and my darling or dear and onely one Such was the Soul of Christ dear because innocent and free from Sin and the onely one that is absolutely so such is the Church of Christ dear unto him without spot and onely one as united in its Members from the power of the dog from such who without reason bark and devour August or from the power of Hell which greedily devours like a dog all that descend into it Lyra. 21. Save me from the lion's mouth out of the jaws of the Devill which are open ever to swallow up all departing Souls into death eternall But by thy assistence I shall overcome the tyrant and swallow up Death in victory thou hast heard me also answered my prayers by thy deliverance of me from amongst the horns of the unicorns such as lifted up the horn of pride and fierceness against me and extolled themselves August as if there were none like them And thus far saith Cassiodore our Lord expostulates his Sufferings by way of Prayer The fruit of his Passion followeth which is in generall the Glory of God's name 22. I will declare thy name thy might and thy Majesty thy greatness and thy goodness in my Passion and Resurrection especially manifested unto my brethren to my Apostle and Disciples and they to others Fâ—â— the word was first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by them theâ— heard him f Heb. 2.2 3. in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee publickly and in the Temple of the Lord where every man speaks of his honour 23. O praise the Lord ye that fear him Ye that have any respect to thâ— worship of the Lord lift up you voice in the congregation and both with Priest and people praise the Lord magnify him all ye of the seed of Jacob and fear him all ye of the seed of Israel even all whom he hath chosen to be his people whether Jews or Gentiles So they are distinguished Ye men of Israel and ye that fear the Lord i. e. from amongst the Gentiles g Act. 13.16 To both even to all you it appertains to praise the Lord for the Redemption of the world by his Son Jesus Christ who although he was despicable in the eyes of men yet is far otherwise in the eyes of the Lord for 24. He hath not despised nor abhorred the low estate of the poor Though born in a poor condition lived a poor life more poor yet in his death being stripped naked of all even to a little linen to cover his nakedness destitute of what the poorest enjoy a buriall-place for he was buried in a stranger's sepul chre yet not despised but highly exalted having a Name given above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow Nor hath He ever despised his brethren the Members of his body who conform to his poverty by being poor in spirit humble and meek he hath not hid his face from him either through neglect or scorn as too usually men doe to the poor but when he called unto him he heard him as not presuming in himself but depending upon God 25. My praise is of thee or in thee For God the Son is praised in the Father and the Father in the Son in the great congregation both of the Church militant here below and triumphant above And that thy praise may be perfected in and by me my vows will I perform The vows of our Blessed Lord were to offer up his Soul a Sacrifice for Sin and to give his holy Body and Bloud to be the food of devout Souls in the Blessed Eucharist and this to be publickly performed even in the sight of them that fear him And onely for such is that Blessed Feast prepared not for the proud stubborn and disobedient but for 26. The poor The humble and penitent Souls and such as have abjured the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked world such shall eat and be satisfied because they hungred and thirsted after righteousness they that seek after the Lord in all humility and devotion shall praise him because he is found of them that seek him and sheweth himself to such as distrust him not your heart shall live for ever The life of your heart is the joy thereof which is both begot and maintained unto perpetuity by the Bread of life He that eateth this bread shall live for ever h Jeh 6.51 27. All the ends of the world The inhabitants of the utmost corners of the earth shall remember themselves in the remembrance and adoration of their Creatour and Redeemer and be turned unto the Lord from the service of the creature to the worship of God over all Blessed for ever Such so great and unspeakable is the efficacy of our Saviour's Passion as that thereby the sacred beams of Grace and Truth are displayed over all the world insomuch that all the kindreds of the nations of what tribe family nation sect or condition soever shall worship before him fall down before his footstool and adore him as the great Redeemer of the world and Prince of the holy Catholick Church 28. For the Kingdom is the Lord's Or Dominion over all the people of the earth is given to the Lord Christ who hath a Name written on his vesture and on his thigh King of kings and Lord of lords i Rev. 19.16 and he is the Governour among the people even all true Christian people among whom and over whom he sways his Scepter of righteousness by his Holy Word and by his Holy Spirit 29. All such as be fat upon earth spiritually fat or grown in Grace and Holiness temporally fat abounding in wealth and power the Princes and Potentates of the earth saith the Chaldee Paraphr have eaten and worshipped adoring the Lord for that he feeds them with his Divine Gifts and Graces 30. All they who goe down into the dust whose bodies are buried in the grave shall kneel before him prostrate themselves unto him who vouchsafed to give himself both Soul and Body a Ransom for their Sins for being all dead in Sin no man hath quickened his own soul That was and is effected onely by the meritorious Death of the Lord of Life And such as are quickened even 31. My seed whose Life in grace is the fruit and issue of my Death of which seed it is said When thou