THE Ladies Preparation To the Monthly SACRAMENT. Consissing of Prayers, Meditations, and Ejaculations, before at, and after Receiving the Lords Supper. After the Warning is given in the Church for the Celebration of the Holy Communion, COMPOSED For the Private Use of a Devout Lady.

And at the Request of Friends made Publick.

LONDON; Printed by W. B. for Simon Neale, in the Long-Walk near Little Brittain, 1691.

Licensed, February, 10th. 1691.

THE WARNING On the Sunday Before the COMMUNION.

DEARLY Beloved on Sunday I and purpose, through Gods Assistance, to Ad­minister to all such as shall be Religiously and Devoutly disposed, the most Comfortable Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, to be by them received, in Re­membrance of his Meritorious Cross and Passion, whereby alone we obtain Remission of our Sins, and are made partakers of the Kingdom of Heaven, &c.

A Soliloquy on the Warning.

BLESSED for ever be thy Name, O Lord! who pitty­ing [Page 2]our Ignorance, hast Re­vealed to us this Heavenly My­stery of thy pretious Body and Blood, and foreseeing our weakness, hast built our Faith on so firm a Certainty. Justly, O my God! Dost thou require our absolute assent to thy word, since thou graciously providest such grounds to assure us. Thy self with thine own blest Mouth hast taught it, thy Apostles with their dearest Blod have confirmed it, and thy Churches in all Ages have faithfully de­livered it.

II. HOW Beautiful, O Lord, are the Feet of thy Holy Mes­sengers. Who brings us Peace and Reconcilement with thee; who teaches us the way to E­ternal happiness, and by their pious Offices, help us to go thither; if they teach us Spi­ritual things, 'tis just we should give them Temporal, make us, O Lord, entertain them as Workmen sent by thee, with [Page 3]respect to their Persons, and Obedience to their words, and according to our power, with a free supply of their neces­sities.

III. THUS does our gracious Lord send forth his Ministring Spirits to invite us to a Hea­venly Banquet: Their spiritu­al means Conveys our Prayers up to him, and brings his Bles­sings down to us, in all our ways they direct us, and bear us in their Hands, lest at any time we dash our Foot against a Stone: When we labour they Assist us, when we repose they implore for us the Divine Pro­tection, when we are tempted, they Encourage us to stand fast, and when we Conquer, they Crown us with their Prayers and Praises.

When you first awake use these Ejaculations, as a Key to Open the Morning.

LIghten mine Eyes, O Lord, that I Sleep not in Death, Psal. 13.3.

IT is high time to Awake our of our Sleep of Sin, for now (since we have received the Light of the Gospel) our Salvation is nearer, then when we first Believed.

THE Night is now spent, and the day is approached, let me therefore cast off the works of Darkness, and put on the Armour of Light.

GIVE me Grace, O Lord, to walk Honestly as in the day, net in Rioting and Drunken­ness, not in Chambering and Wantonness, not in Strife and Envying.

BUT put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not Provisi­on for the Flesh, to fulfil the [Page 5]Lusts thereof, Rom. 13.11, 12, 13, 14.

At Up-rising.

IN the Name of the Father, who hath Created me, and of the Son, who hath Redeemed me, and of the Holy Ghost, whh hath Sanctified me, be Ascribed all Glory and Power.

BLESSED be the Holy and Undivided Trinity, now, and for Evermore, Amen.

I laid me down and Slept, and rose again, for the Lord hath Sustained me.

Then Humbly on your Knees, lift up thy Heart unto God, and say.

HOLY, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come; I Worship him that liveth for Ever, and cast my Self before his Throne; thou art worthy, [Page 6]O Lord, my God, to receive Glory, and Honour, and Pow­er; for thou hast Created all things, and for thy Wills-Sake they are, and were Created.

II. INTO the Hands of thy Blessed Protection, and unspeak­able Mercy, O Lord, I this Day Commend my Soul and Body, with all the Faculties, Powers, and Actions of them both, beseeching thee to be Ever with me, to direct, San­ctifie, and Govern me, in the ways of thy Law, and in the Works of thy Commandments; that through thy most Mighty Protection, both here, and Ever, I may be preserved in Body and Soul, to serve thee, the only true God through Je­sus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then use the Morning Prayer, &c. Which is Annexed to these De­votions.

Meditations for Monday Morning.

COME, My Soul, let us begin our appointed Task, and dilligently mind our own Employment: Let us not lose one day in Idleness, nor Distract our thoughts with Re­pining at the advantages of others, God is our absolute Lord, and may do with his own as he pleases. If we began our Repentance late, our delay was dangerous; but we ought not to Despair: If we have labour­ed long in his Service, our Wages are safe; but we must not presume on our own En­deavours.

II. THY Holy Mysteries, O Lord, I believe, O help my unbelief! Let not any difficul­ties make me doubt thy Truth, nor too long a doubting pro­voke thy Wrath: Every word [Page 8]of thine shall be fulfiled in their Season. Sometime thou Visi­test thy Children with the Chastisement of a Rod; some­times thou favourest them with the Smiles of Prosperity: But all at last shall Co-operate to their Good.

III. NO matter at all, for the Favour of Men, happy are they who find Grace with God: They shall Conceive in their Hearts the Blessed Jesus, and bring him forth in their Holy Lives, and Reign with him in his Kingdom; and of his King­dom there shall be no End. Here we perhaps may weep for a time, and be poor, and Afflicted in this troublesome World: But hereafter our Lord will Plant us about the Throne of his Father, and make us sit down with him in his own Kingdom; if we hear­tily Love him and keep his Commandments.

IV. GIVE me, O Lord, thy [Page 9]Holy Grace, to Love with Cha­rity the Defects of others, per­haps mistaken by me, and re­ly on thee for Defence of my self, most sure of Relief if I wait thy Providence; for thy Mercy forsakes not the Inno­cent for Ever. Sometimes thou sufferest thy Servants to be tryed; but wilt always at last, either Deliver their Patience, or Crown their Perseverance.

The PRAYER.

O Most Glorious Lord God, in thy Son Jesus Christ, my most Merciful and Lov­ing Father, I Miserable and Wretched Sinner, Dust and Ashes, do here in all Humility of Soul, Prostrate my self before thy Glo­rious Majesty, Humbly acknow­ledging and Confessing against my own Soul, that I am laden with Iniquity, and by my Sins have defiled myself, defiled my Habi­tation, defiled this good Land wherein I Sojourn.

II. O Lord, Righteousness be­longeth hnto thee, but unto me Confusion of Face; I have Sin­ned against thee, and done amiss, and dealt very wickedly, and have added to the Number of my Fore Fathers Numberless Transgressions; Here Name the Parti­culars. notwithstand­ing thou hast multiplied thy Blessings upon me in many Prerogatives.

III. BƲT to my shame O Lord, I Confess that no Creature hath been so unthankful unto thee as I have been; for instead of bring­ing forth the Fruits of Righteous­ness and Holiness, I have turned all thy Blessings, Graces and Mer­cies into Wantonness, so that I have been a Provocation of thine Anger, and of thy Fury, from the day of my Birth; even until this very moment.

IV. And though thou hast cal­ed me to knowledge of the Faith in thee, and thou hast Revealed [Page 11]unto me that inestimable Treasure of thy Love unto me in Christ Jesus, yet notwithstanding I hade retained only the name, but no­thing of the Work of a Christian, but have Dishonoured thee, and Blasphemed thy Name; but O Lord, in the midst of Justice, Remember Mercy, call not to Remembrance my former Trans­gressions, but Assist me by thy Grace to a speedy Repentance, before I go hence, and be no more seen. Amen.

Read the Psalms, and Proper Lessons for the Day.

Monday Evenings Meditations.

EVER, O Lord, thou beginst thy great Design with Prayer, and thy Prayer with Retirement from the Di­stractions of the World▪ thou callest whom thou pleasest, and they come to thee; thou choosest whom thou wil'st, and [Page 12]freely bestowest on them thy precious Gifts; 'tis not of him that Wills, nor of him that runs; but of God that Vouch­safes to have Mercy: Have Mercy, O Lord! and chase away those unclean Spirits that too often haunt my Fancy, and walk up and down my weak Memory; Chace them away, least as they disturb my Peace they ruin my Inno­cence.

II. GIVE me O thou Author of all my Good, a lively Faith in thee, that I may believe thy Truth, and hope thy Promises; that I may Love thy goodness, and continually Bless thee for all thy Mercies; who camest into the World, not to Judge the World, but to save it: Save me O glorious Son of Justice, and with thy Heavenly Beams Illuminate my Heart, that bringing my Works to the Light, I may Learn to hate my own Darkness, and Condemn­ing [Page 13]my self, Escape thy Judg­ment.

III. LORD in thy Hands are the Times and Seasons, which thou kindly disposest in advan­tage of thy Servants; that thy Favours may Encourage their Virtue, and their Virtue en­crease thy Favours: Thou re­wardest the Chastity of Virgins, and the Fidelity of Wives; thou Crownest the Holiness of Widdows, and the perseverance of all who constantly love thee.

IV. GIVE, me O Lord; thy Holy Grace, that my days may pass in Innocence, and my In­nocence sustain me in hope: give me thy Holy Grace, that my hope may encrease to Con­fidence, and my Confidence be Establish'd in Peace, and then in Peace dismiss thy Servant. Lead me, O thou Light of the World, where thou usest to walk, that my Eyes may happily see thee: Shew me thy Blessed self, O [Page 14]thou Glory of Heaven, that my Soul may fast Embrace thee.

The PRAYER.

I. O Eternal God, I have in a great measure deserved thy wrath, I have Committed presumptuous Sins, with a high Hand against thy Divine Majesty; I have Crucified again the Lord of Life, and have Trodden under Foot the Son of God: I have counted the Blood of the Covenant which Sanctifies me, an Ʋnholy thing, and have done despight un­to the Spirit of Grace.

II. INSTEAD of making head against those Temptations and Lusts that hourly be set me, by Prayer, calling to thee for thy Grace to Assist me against them, and by Fasting and Austere Morti­fication, by beating down my Body that I might not Conspire with Satan, and my own Corraptions that betray me unto Sin; I have [Page 15]Pamper'd the Flesh, and suflered my self to be led Captive at the Will thereof.

III. I have not Subdued or Mortified the Works of the Flesh; I have not endeavoured to cleanse my self from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit: Here Name the Parti­culars. I have not made a Covenant with my Eyes, neither have I kept the door of my Lips, but as if thou hadst sent me into the World, not to serve thee, but to serve my own Lusts.

IV. I have been abominable in all my ways; yea, O Lord, I have Committed too great Evils, I have departed from thee, the Ever-living God, and leaving thee, the Fountain of all Blessedness and Happiness, in my Heart, have set up the Creature; I have set my Affections, not on things above, but on things below; the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, these have [Page 16]been the Gods that I have Ser­ved.

V. THƲS, have I sold my self to Commit wickedness; I have made all the Members of my Body In­struments of Sin, and all the faculties, both of Soul and Body, Weapons of Ʋnrighteousness, to obey it in the Lusts thereof; O Lord, thou hast found Iniquity even in my Holy things, I have been negligent in hearing of thy Word, unprepared at the Receiv­ing of thy Sacrament, Indevout in my Prayer, weary of their length, and displeased at the return; For these and all other negligences, and Ignorances; O Lord, be Merciful to me a Sinner. Amen.

Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the Day.

Meditations for Tuesday Morning.

LORD, make me Study how to follow thee, and readily undertake any La­bour to find thee; not for the benefits thou sometimes givest me here, but for the blessings thou wilt surely give me here­after: Strengthen my faith, O Lord, and graciously instruct me, purifie my intention sin­cerely to seek thee.

II. LET me not so apply my mind, O Lord, to any tri­vial Observances, that I begin to omit my more serious Du­ties; let me not so attend to the inventions of Men, that I grow to transgress the Com­mands of my God. O guide me gracious Lord in thine own safe way, and those solid ex­ercises which really improve [Page 18]me, and make my heart as well as lips draw nigh thee, those blessed truths, which thy self at first revealed, and thy Holy Apostles hath fully confirm'd, may those alone be my princi­pal rule, and every other Do­ctrine bow to them.

III. LORD how ungrateful are we compared to thy anci­ent Followers! Thou chargest us to remember thy benefits, and we forget them; thou com­mandest us to Publish thy Mer­cies, and we conceal them: Behold, O blessed Jesu, I fall down at thy feet, reach forth thy Hand and heal me, that I may Glorifie thee the God of the Universe: Too of­ten have my Ears been Deaf to thy Voice, and my Tongue Dumb to thy Praise; too of­ten have my Eyes been Blind to thy Directions, and all my senses impediments to thy Service.

IV. We are often Wise in what imports us least, and ut­terly ignorant of our greatest concern; we can industrously argue what Weather it will be, but strive not to discerne the seasons of Grace: Forgive, O Merciful Lord, the perverse­ness of our nature, and leave us not to our selves, least we perish without bope. O make us deeply Sigh in Compassion for the Sins of others, and yet more deeply still, in forrow for our own.

The PRAYER.

MOST gracious God, I have been very negli­gent of thy Service, and those du­ties whereby I should have been better'd in the ways of Godli­ness, by my ill performance have made me worse; my very Pray­ers have been turned into Sin, and those Sacrifices whereby I should have propitiated thee, hath re­moved [Page 20]thee at a further distance from me, and though thou in thy Mercy and tender compassion hast oppossed me in my Sins, and called me to Repentance, yet notwith­standing I have rusht into all manner of Wick­edness, Here Name the Parti­culars. as the Horse into the Battle, and have gone from bad to worse.

II. THY Judgment have not Awaked me, nor thy Mercies wonne me to Obedience; I have not harkened to the Voice of thy Ministry, nor to the Secret, Checks of my own Conscience, nor yet to the good motions of thy Holy Spirit, all directing me, this is the way, walk in it, and you shall find rest unto your Soul; yet notwithstand­ing all the good means thou hast used to reclaim me, and to bring me home to thee, I have still gone on in a stubborn Course of Sin, to the dishonour of thy Name, the wounding of my own Soul, the [Page 21]Scaldal of others, and the increa­sing the great dreadful Account, that I must one day make, at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

III. FOR these O Lord, and many other Sins, all thy Waves and Storms have gone over me; when thou hast smitten me, I became void of understanding. and was so far from being humbled, that I laid it not to Heart, nor consider­ed that it was an Evil, and bitter thing to depart from thee, O Lord, my God; wo unto me, I have pulled away the Shoulder, I have stopt my Ear, that I might not hear; I have made my Heart harder than the Adamant, and the neither Milstone impregnable; for all thy Judgments have not pierced me, nor made those im­pressions of Compunction and Sor­row, which are the end whereof thou didst send them; so that to my own shame and Confusion I may say, my spots are none of the spots of thy Children, nor thy Punishments the Chastisements of [Page 22]a loving Father, but of an Angry Judge.

IV. I have too just reason to fear thy Afflictions under which I mourn, they are not a Wind to Fan and Purge me, but a Whirl Wind to Scatter and utterly destroy me, as if the Sentence were already past and the Decree gone forth, as if my Days were at an end▪ be­cause the shadows of the Evening are so far stretched out; but yet O Lord, be not weary of thy repent­ings; though thou hast been prest under the Load of my Sins, be not Angry with me for Ever; but in the midst of Justice re­member Mercy. Amen.

Read the Psalms, and Lessons appointed for the Day.

Tuesday Evenings Meditations.

LEARN O [...] my Soul to Confess a Truth, though never so much to thy own Di­minution; Learn ro Advance [Page 23]the Honour of thy God, though never so much to thine own depression. They who hum­ble themselves shall be exalted, and they who exalt themselves shall be humbled. Learn to decline the Applause of Men, and Banish from thy thoughts all conceits of thine own worth; learn to speak lowly of thy self, and to mean as thou sayest.

II. OFTEN does our weak­ness judge of others, and per­haps our Malice censure their Qualities: We rashly conclude upon outward presumptions, and little consider their inward worth; we are apt to under­value whom we familiarly are acquainted with, and scarce can think highly of them whom we have once known low. Heal us, O thou great Physitian of our Souls! Heal us of all our Diseases; and above them all, of our Rude Impatience to­wards those that would Cure us. Whatever they do who [Page 24]know thee not, let not thy Church dishonour thee, nor those of thine own Houshould undervalue thy Mercies: Let not our unbelief Chase thee away, nor our ingratitude overcome thy goodness.

III. DISDAIN not O my Soul! the Company of thy Inferiors, but accommodate thy self to their Innocent Customs; help them with thy Prayers, if thou canst not with thy Power, and thy Lord in due time will Bounteously reward thee, he keeps the good Wine till the last, and then he'll fill us to the brim with joy.

IV. TEACH me O Lord, to Treat with every one according to their quality, and neither scorn my Inferiors, nor indi­screetly exalt them: Teach me to humble my Soul before thy Majesty, and sincerely Confess I am an unprofitable Servant; unprofitable to thee, O Lord, not to my self; while I gain [Page 25]by thy Service the Wages of Eternity: If by thy Grace, I believe thy word, and Obey thy Law, and with my whole Strength Love and Adore thee: When I have done all that I ought, which alas! is more then I do, I must still Confess I'm an unprofitable Servant.

The PRAYER.

O Lord, Create in me a clean Heart, and renew a right Spirit within me; let the Assistance of thy Holy Spirit of Grace preserve me from Sin for the time to come; for without thy preventing me, I cannot but Sin; visit me therefore O Lord, with thy Salvation, that I may live undefiled in the way of thy Com­mandments, and see the Felicity of thy chosen, and rejoyce and give thanks with thine Inheritance.

II. TO this End, send thy Holy Spirit into my Heart, to teach me to deny, all ungodliness and [Page 26]Worldly Lusts, and to live Righte­ously, Godly, and Soberly in this present World, remembring the great Account I am to make at the last day; O let it subdue every Proud thought, and vain imagina­tion, that shall exalt it self against the Scepter of thy Kingdom.

III. GIVE me, I beseech thee, either Peace from temptations, or Victory over them; in all Assaults of my Ghostly Enemy, let thy Migh­ty hand have preheminence and bring mighty things to pass, even Victory and Deliverance unto me the unworthiest of thy Servants, that so by the Assistance of thy Holy Spirit, I may Crucifie the Old Man, Mortifie the Works of the Flesh, subdue my Corrup­tions, Here Name the parti­culars. Vanquish Satan, and Try­umph over the Powers of the Kingdom of Darkness.

IV. O put thy fear into my Heart, that I may never depart from thee; put thy Love into my [Page 27]Heart, that my Luke-warmness being raised us to the Flames and Fervency of Cherubims, I may love thee above all things, and loving thee above all things, I may fear to offend so good and so gracious a God as thou Art; wash away all my sins in that Sea of Blood which thy Son Christ Jesus shed for me and for the sins of the whole World; and grant that I may re­ceive the full benefit of his Death and Passion, in this most Holy Sacrament, with a free Pardon of all my sins and manifold trans­gressions. Amen.

Then Read the Psalms and Les­sons appointed for the day.

Meditations for Wednes­day Morning.

BLESSED are they that had rather endure Affliction with the People of God, than to enjoy the Pleasures of sin for [Page 28]a Season? This O my Soul, is the way to beatitude; how strange soever it may seem to our sense: these are the Words of the Eternal Verity, how im­probable soever they may sound to our Ear; choose whether here thou wilt be falsly happy for a while, or truly happy here­after for ever: if we resolve for the Bliss of the Life to come, we are like to meet with Affli­ction in this; and if we place our Felicity in this, we are sure to meet with Misery in the other.

God be Merciful to me, a sinner.

II. LORD, either make me think my self Blind enough, to need the guidance of the wise, or be indeed wise enough to guide my self, that I may en­ter at last by thee, the door of Life, and feed my Soul on thy joys for ever. Deliver me, O Lord, from encreasing my guilt by sinning against my know­ledge, [Page 29]or hoping in my Igno­rance to excuse my guilt; call me after thee, who art gone be­fore, and make me hear thy Voice and follow it.

O Lord, hear me, and be merciful unto me, for thy Name sake.

DELIVER me, O Lord, from those desperate Sins, which so rarely are pardoned, that they are said to be unpardonable: Deliver me from resisting the motions of thy Spirit, and from Choaking the Convictions of my own Conscience; Deliver me, O Lord! and never let the Di­vil of Blaspemy enter into me, or any of thy Servants, but en­ter thou, O Dearest Jesu, and possess my Heart for ever: cast out by thy powerful Grace every wicked Spirit which Mo­lests me; and Conquer my strong Corruptions; that else will overcome me.

O Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

IV. DELIVER me, O Lord, from every least degree of un­charitable provoking my Neigh­bour; that I Imbitter not my Life with Mutual Animosities, nor make void my Piety by an obstinate wilfulness; but obser­ving the Rules of my wise Re­deemer, escape the Miseries that would spring from my Follies. Deliver me, O Lord, from every least degree of un­duly loving my Neighbour; that I set not my Heart upon sensual pleasures, nor Imbroil my Memory with Impute thoughts.

Good Lord, Deliver me.

An humble Confession of Sins before the Holy Sacra­ment.

HAVE Mercy upon me, O God, after thy great good­ness, according to the multitude [Page 31]of thy Mercies do away mine offences, for I will confess my Wickedness and be sorry for my Sin. O Lord, I am not worthy to be counted amongst the poorest of thy Servants: I am not worthy to be fed with the smallest Crums which falls from the Table of thy Ordinary Providence, but to be shut out of thy presence for ever with un­believers and Reprobates.

Lord be merciful to me a sinner.

II. O Lord, I am the vilest, and the worst of sinners, full of Pride, Vain Glory, Impatient of Scorn, or just reproof; diso­bedient to my Superiours, and churlish and ungentle to my Equals and Inferiors, I am An­gry and Peevish many times without Occasion, envious at Good and rejoyceing at Evil; I am negligent, Idle and useless, timerous, base, jealous and im­pudent, ambitious and very hard hearted, unmortified, and effe­minate [Page 32]in my Life, indevout in my Prayers, without fervency, or affection. [Here name your particular sins.]

Lord be merciful to me a sinner.

III. I am guilty of Gluttony, and Curiosity in Meat and Drink, making Provision for the Flesh, from whence, hath sprung forth impure thoughts, which have made me prone to unclean and unjust Actions; and the spirit of unchastity, hath entred and unhallowed the Temple of my Body, which thou hast Commanded to be a receptacle for thy Holy and Blessed Spirit.

Lord be merciful to me a sinner.

ALL my senses, have been in­lets of sin, mine Eyes have been Adulterous, wandring and Co­vetous; my Ears delighted with obscene Words, slanderous and reproachful Speeches; my Pa­late loose, wanton and intem­perate; [Page 33]my Tongue talkative, Lying, Rash, and Malitious; Flattering, Irreligious and Cen­sorious, my Hands have been unclean and slothful, my desires unreasonable and unsatiable; all the Members of my Body, and the Faculties of my Soul, have been Servants of sin, and Wea­pons of unrighteousness.

Lord be merciful to me a sinner.

V. I have not, O Lord, been guilty of my own sins; but I have also been guilty of the sins of others, not only by neglecting to reprove or hinder them in the ways of sin, but I have en­couraged them, by taking off their Fears, and hardning their Consciences, and had tempted them directly to their Ruin and my own, but thy prevent­ing Grace put a stop to so great a Misery.

Lord be merciful to me a sinner.

VI. THY Mercies, O Lord [Page 34]I have abused thy judgments, I have despised, and have turned thy Grace into Wantonness; I have committed sin, and have repented, and have sinned again. I have set up resolutions, but have immediately broke them; I have tyed my self up with Vows, but presently have been tempted, and yielded by little and little, till I was willingly lost, and my Vows signified no more than vain Promises.

Lord be merciful to me a Sinner,

VII. O Lord, I stand guilty, of another heap of sins, my secret ones which are innumer­able, sins of Omission, and sins willingly neglected; sins of wil­ful Ignorance, and voluntary mispersuation; sins of forget­fulness, and sins which a watch­ful Spirit might have prevented; the multitude of them, O Lord, Confounds me, and the re­membrance of them is horri­ble; they are a sight too loath­some, [Page 35]and unsufferable is their Burden.

Lord be merciful to me a sinner.

VIII. YET, O Lord thy mer­ciful Eye hath spared me to this present, and hast not cast me into Hell, among the Damn­ed, which by my sins I have long since deserved, and to have been lockt up to an Eternity of Torments, with insupportable amazements; too long, O Lord, I have sinned against thee, and long since deserved thy severest Scourges; I have committed iniquity in thy sight, and can­not escape thy Justice, but by flying to thy Mercy.

O Lord be merciful to me a sinner.

The PRAYER.

O Lord, give me a deep Con­trition for my sins. and a Hearty Detestation and loathing of them, give me Grace intirely, pre­sently, and for ever to forsake them; [Page 36]and grant that I may walk with Care and Prudence, with Fear and Watchfulness all my days, per­forming my Duty with Dilligence and Charity, with Zeal, and a never fainting Spirit.

II. Deliver me, O Lord, from ex­tream Calamities here; and De­liver me from Eternal Vengeance hereafter, look down with Com­passion on the Work of thine own Hands, and gently Chastise me with thy Rod of Discipline, but suffer not my weakness to be Op­pressed with too heavy Afflictions, nor my Patience Tempted above my Strength.

III. INSTRƲCT me how to Redeem my time, to trust in thy Mercies, and to make the best use of the means of Grace, for the Working out my Salvation with Fear and Trembling; that thou mayest have the Glory in Pardon­ing all my sins, and I reap the be­nefit of all thy Mercies, let all thy Graces guide me to a Holy life here, that I may Reign with thee [Page 37]for ever hereafter in thy Kingdom of Glory. Amen.

Read Plal. 6.32.38. 1 Lesson, Ezek. 16. 2 Lesson St. Mat. 7.

Meditations for Wednes­day Evening.

LORD, not the meanest Cir­cumstance of my Life, but is known to thee; not the least Assistance I need, but thou kindly providest a particular supply; let me but do what thou hast appointed, and I am sure to find true, all thou hast promised; thy Commands are sweet and easie, O give me Grace to Obey them! Thy Directions are clear and safe; O guide me still to follow them.

II. BEHOLD, dear Lord, to thee I come, and open before thee all my Infirmities; my mind is Sick of the Palsie, and [Page 38]my Faculties be numb'd with a Dead Sluggishness; I am apt to censure the good Works of others, but slow to the perform­ance of any my self; heal me, O thou Heavenly Physitian, whose Mercy both Cures the Sick and Pardons the Penitent; O make me quickly rise from the sins wherein I have lain too long, and strengthen me to Conquer my Corrupted Nature; that I may walk towards thee my Eternal home, and praise thy Name for ever more.

III. Whether alass! Do my Passions lead me? How desperate­ly does one Darling Sin engage into others. Deliver me, O Lord, in the first beginnings, and suf­fer not my Faults, to become strong & Customary, lest I grow at length to despise reproof, and hate my reprover. Herod knew John to be just, yet kept him in Prison; he heard him gladly, yet Cut off his Head; nothing [Page 39]so imbroyl'd as a vicious Life; nothing so full of Contradicti­on as a wicked Conscience.

IV. CLEANSE thou my Heart, O Lord, from all Vain and unlawful thoughts, my Mouth from all Foolish and Idle words, and my whole Life from all Wicked and unprofitable Deeds; for in that great and terrible day, by what I am, I shall be justified; and by what I am, be Condemned; how many in that day, will rise up against me! How will my own Conscience Reproach and Con­found me! If I neglect such motives to repentance, if I re­fuse the wisdom of the Son of God, who came down from the highest Heavens himself to teach me.

The PRAYER.

O Lord God, whose Power is Infinite, and Purity such, that it cannot endure the behold­ing [Page 40]any thing that is unclean; how should I that am Forlorn Dust and Ashes, very sinful Flesh, pre­sume or dare to present my self be­fore thee? When I look on the vileness of my Nature, and the sinfulness of my Life, I cannot choose but Cry out and say, woe unto me, I am undone, I am one of Ʋnclean Lips: The very Prayers I make to crave Pardon for my Sins, are stained in the uttering, and must needs add to my Transgressions, if in Judgment, or Justice, though shouldest weigh or examine them.

II. BƲT, O Lord, thou art a God of Infinite Compassion, Par­doning Iniquity, Transgression and Sin, that wouldest not the Death of a sinner, but that he be conver­ed and live; thou hast not only Allowed me, but Commanded me to call upon thee, in all my trou­bles and distresses; thou hast pro­mised that at what time soever a sinner doth Repent him of his sins, thou wilt put away all his Ini­quities [Page 41]out of thy Remembrance.

III. IN Obedience therefore to this thy Command, and in Confi­dence of this thy Promise, I am Emboldoned at this time to appear before thee, Renouncing all merit, and trust, all Confidence and Af­fiance in my self, and relying only on thy Mercy, and the Soveraign Mediation of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in whom only thou art well pleased, and through whom, thou canst not be offended with me.

IV. O Lord, hear thine own Son for me O Lord, hear thine own self in me; that Blessed Spirit of thine, which makes Intercession for me, with Groans and Sighs that cannot be expressed; Pardon and Forgive all my sins, both Original and Actual; of Omission or Commission, of Thought, Word, and Deed, of Igno­rance, Infirmity, or Presumption, Here Name the Parti­culars. which I have at any time Commit­ted against thee; Nail them to the Cross of Christ, [Page 42] that they may never rise up in judg­ment against me, either to shame me in this World, or Condemn me in the World to come.

V. BƲRY them in the Bottom­less Sea of thy Mercy and forgetful­ness, that they may never appear before thee to hinder thy Favours unto me; Seal the Remission of them to my Soul and Conscience, that they may not Distract or Di­sturb me in my Devotion; and Crush and Subdue the Rebellions of my Nature, that they may no long­er Reign in my Mortal Body; and having Cleansed and Purified me, from all Spots and Stains of Sin, I beseech thee, O Lord, to pour thy Grace and Holy Spirit into me, that may enable me to walk be­fore thee in Holiness and Righteous­ness, and in Sobriety, all the days of my Life.

Read Psalm 51.102.130.140. 1 Lesson, Ezek. 18. 2 Lesson, Rom. 12.

Meditations for Thursday Morning.

O My Soul, we are very in­constant; sometimes we endeavour to heartily Repent, and after a while miscarry again; often we pretendedly resolve to amend, and yet sometimes for­get our good purposes! Bewail thy Infirmities, Renew thy In­tentions, and be of good Com­fort; our Lord has overcome the World: He overcame it with his own strong Arm, and left thee Rules, and Grace, and Sacraments to help thee; that, if thou canst not have Peace with thy Enemies, thou mayst at least have Victory over them:

II. Often, O Lord, thou in­vitest us to thy Holy Table, and often do we neglect and refuse to come; thou invitest us to the Pleasures of a Virtuous Life, [Page 44]and the continual Feast of a good Conscience, thou providest a Heavenly Banquet, and mak­est thy Son himself our Delici­ous Entertainment; O Cloath us, Gracious Lord, with the Wedding Garment of Charity to thee, and one another; that we may Enter with Joy into the Marriage Chamber, and Sit down as happy Guests in thy Kingdom for Ever. Let us not Trifle away our time in Wan­dering up and down, nor prefer a Petty Interest before thy Glo­rious Rewards, least we be Con­founded when our King shall come in Majesty, and Command the unprepared into Chains of Darkness.

III. THOU art, O Jesu! the true Coelestial Manna, of which whoever Eats shall Live Eternally; thou art the Bread of God that Descended from Heaven, of which, who ever Feeds shall never Hunger: Cast me not out, O Lord, whom thy [Page 45]Mercy has Adopted into thy own Family; but give me this Bread of thy Children for Ever. Thou who camest down to do thy Fathers Will, and has taught me 'tis thy Father's Will, that of those he has given thee, none be lost.

IV. Murmur no more among your selves, unhappy Atheisti­cal Dis-believers of the Myster­ries of Heaven; be no more Incredulous, but submit your Reason to him whom you know to be Infallible. The Bread I will give is my Flesh for the Life of the World, which Re­ceived by Faith, is the Souls Nourishment. Draw them, O Heavenly Father! that they may come to thee; receive them, O Gracious Jesus! and Teach their Hearts to believe what thine own Blest Mouth has so clearly taught them.

The PRAYER.

OH! Most Glorious, and most Power ful Lord God, whose dwelling is above the Heavens in Light in Accessible, and thine Eyes run to and fro, to behold the things which are in Heaven and in Earth; neither is there any thing which is not Naked and open unto thee; for thine Eyes are Ten Thousand times brighter than the Sun, beholding all the Ways of Men.

II. LOOK upon me O Lord, who am the unworthiest of all thy Servants, thou hast made me a Member, O Lord, of that Mystical Body whereof thy Son Christ Je­sus is the Head, make me there­fore sensible of the necessities of the Catholick Church; I be­seech thee to be merciful unto it, and to every Member of the same, wheresoever Dispersed, howsoever Distressed, or by Whomsoever Di­spised throughout this Ʋniversal World.

III. Oh Lord, call them that are yet Strangers, and have not yet heard of thy Name; reduce and bring home those that are gone astray, and wander; raise up all that are fallen, and confirm and strengthen such as do stand; bind up all that are Broken, and heal all that are Bruised; Ʋnite us all in soundness of Doctrine, by the Spirit of Truth, in holiness of Life, by the Spirit of Sanctifica­tion, and in Brotherly Compassion, and Christian Affection, by the Spirit of Love.

IV. O Lord, I beseech thee, to open the Bowels of thy Mercy, and to pour out thy tenderest Com­passion upon all such as mourn un­der the weight of their Afflictions; many are the troubles of thy poor Servants, and thou only knowest how to deliver them out of all their troubles; whether therefore any be inwardly distressed in Soul, Mind, or Conscience, or outward­ly Afflicted in Body, Estate or good Name; I beseech thee, give [Page 48]them speedy case out of their mise­ry, or Patience to endure what thou shalt be pleased to lay upon them.

V. I beseech thee to open the Eyes of those that lie on their Beds of Sickness; Oh! thou that art the God of Health, and sender of Sickness; Sanctifie thy Visita­tion unto them, make their Beds in their Sickness, lay no more up­on them than thou wilt give them strength and Patience to bear, and if it may stand with thy Gra­cious Will, grant that they may recover their former Health, to do thee Service hereafter.

VI. BƲT if thou that knowest what is best needful for them, hast determined at this time, to take any of them unto thy self, O Lord, I beseech thee to fit and prepare them for the hour of Death; give them a true feeling of their sins, and a lively appre­hension of thy mercy in Christ Jesus, that so surely Repenting of thee one, and chearfully laying [Page 49]hold on the other, they may with Confidence and Comfort resign up their Souls into the Hand of thee their most merciful Creator and Redeemer. Amen.

Read the Psalms, and Lessons for the Day.

Meditations for Thursday Evening.

PREPARE my Heart, O God, to receive thee, whom my Soul loveth; for thou hast the Words of Eternal Life: Bles­sed O gracious Jesu, be the sweetness of thy Spirit, which so kindly invitest me to re­fresh my weariness. I know, and thine own sure word has told me, If I Labour for thee here, I shall rest with thee hereafter. Lord, make me follow thee wherever thou go­est, and strive and run to be [Page 50]first in thy Presence; there I shall meet a Mercy that will regard and pity me; there I shall find a goodness that will teach and relieve me.

II. WRITE all thy Holy Truths in my Soul, O Lord, and Print thy Love in the Cen­ter of them all; there let it sit as Soveraign Governour, and ab­solutely dispose of all my inte­rests: Let it command my Tongue to confess thee, and no fear of Danger make me ever deny thee; let it com­mand all my Powers to serve thee, and nothing but thy Love find place in my Heart.

III. O when shall I come to thy Holy Table, to tast of thy most delicious Banquent; to hear those Sweet and Ra­vishing Words, He dwells in me, and I in him: sweet in ex­cess to the Soul that loves, and Tasts the joys of this heavenly Converse, and feeds on the wonders of this admirable Uni­on: [Page 51] He dwells in me, and I in Him. O Blest and Glorious Words! What can be said more full of Grace and Strength and Supernatural Mystery? Here they alone are my Heaven on Earth, and will hereafter be my Heaven in Heaven.

IV. To thee my great Crea­tor! I humbly Sacrifice the Noblest faculty thou hast given me; to thee, and to the Obe­dience of thy Truth, I entire­ly Resign and Captivate my understanding. Thy Words, O Lord, in thy Holy Sacra­ment, are Spirit and Life unto me; O make my Faith be quick and Active to thee, in receiving so great a Salvation: Shall I go back and forsake my God, because he humbles him­self to approach towards me? Shall I refuse to Learn of my Master, because his Lessons ex­alt me, above my Nature.

The PRAYER.

O Lord, I am too weak to serve thee, in my Natural Power, and not careful to improve the Aids of thy Spirit; I am full of inconsideration and carelesness, desirous to be accounted Holy of Men, but careless of being so to thee, my God; I am unstedfast, O Lord in all my ways; Here Name the Parti­culars. but, enable me to con­fess my Faith, in despight of all the Oppositions of Satan; to Pub­lish thy Laws, submit to thy dis­pensations, and to Glorifie thy Holy Name, by Holy living and dying.

II. BLESS me, O Lord, with all the Blessings, and Assistance of thy Spirit and Providence; let the Daily Sacrifice of Prayer, and Eucharist in thy Church ne­ver cease, but for ever be pre­sented unto thee, Ʋnited to the [Page 53]intercession of our Lord, and for ever prevail for the obtaining to all her Sons and Daughters, Grace, and Blessing, Pardon, and Holi­ness, Perservance, and Glory. Ʋnite my Heart and Tongue; take away the Spirit of Error and Division from me, that my Religion and Devotion may in­crease, whereby thy Truth may be promoted, and thy Name Glo­rified, and me thy unworthy Ser­vant Instructed, and Comforted, let thy Spirit Rule, and all In­terest Stoop and Obey, Publish, and Advance the Intorest of the Lord Jesus.

III. EXTEND thine Accu­stom [...]d goodness to all thy People; to Old Men, Prudence, and Libe­rality to Young Men, Obedience, Temperance, Health and Dili­gence, to Merchants, Justice, and Faithfulness; to Mechanicks, and Artisans, Truth and Honesty, to all Married Pairs, Faith, and Holiness, Charity, and sweet Compliances; to all Christian [Page 54]Women, the Ornament of a meek, and a quiet Spirit, Chastity and Charity, Patience, and Obedience, a Zeal of Duty and Religion.

IV. TO all that are Sick and Afflicted, distressed in Conscience, or Persecuted for it, give Pati­ence and Comfort, a sincere Re­pentance, and a perfect Resignati­on, a love of God, and a Perse­verance in Duty, proportionable Comfort in this Life, and an Eternal weight of Glory in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the day.

Friday Mornings Medita­tions, On the Life of the Holy Jesus.

On the Incarnation of our Blessed Redeemer.

O Most Blessed Jesu, who for the Redemption of the World, Vouchsafest to be made Man; by the ever Bles­sed Merits of thy Mysterious Incarnation, grant me to be­come one Spirit with thee, who became one Flesh with me.

Nativity.

II. Blessed Jesu, who wast Born of a pure Virgin, by the power of the Holy Ghost; grant me by the same Almigh­ty Power, to possess a pure Vir­gin Soul, in a pure and Chasse [Page 56]Temple of my Body, and to be Fruitful in all good works to my lives end.

Circumcision.

III. Blessed Jesu, who was Circumcised, and made Obe­dient to the Law for Man; grant unto me, I humbly be­seech thee, the true Circumci­sion of the Spirit, that my Heart, and all my Members may be Mortified from all Car­nal and worldly Lusts, that I may in all things Obey thy Blessed Will.

Baptism.

IV. Blessed Jesu, by the Merits of thy Holy Baptism, wash me throughly from my Wickedness, and Cleanse me from my Sins, whereby I have Defiled those Sacramental Wa­ters of my Baptism, and per­juriously broken my Vows and Promises made therein.

Fasting.

V. Blessed Jesu, who didst Fast Forty Days and Forty Nights; Pardon and Forgive me all the manifold Acts of Rioting, and excess I have been guilty of: and give me Grace to use such Abstinence, that my Flesh being subdued to the Spi­rit; I may ever Obey thy God­ly motions in Righteousness, and true Holiness to thy Ho­nour, and Glory.

Temptation.

VI. Blessed Jesu, who in thy Holy Fasting, was Temp­ted by Satan, and by thy Al­mighty Power, didst Conquer him; grant me, by thy Bles­sed Spirit, Devoutly to enter­tain the Holy Duties of Prayer and Fasting, that by the Pow­er of thy Victory over the De­vil, I may have Strength and [Page 58]Power of over Satan; the World and the Flesh, and con­tinue thy Servant to my Lives End.

Doctrine and Example.

VII. Blessed Jesu, who in thy Prophetical Office, didst Preach the Gospel, and Hea [...] all manner of Sicknesses and Diseases among the People; and by thy Doctrine and Ex­ample, art the way and the Truth that leads unto Life ▪ Grant me to believe a right, all thy Revelations, to Obey all thy Commands, to walk in thy Steps, and to follow thee, the Light of the World, that I walk not in Darkness.

Christ Conspired against and Betrayed.

VIII. Blessed J [...]su, whose precious Life was Conspired [...]gain7s; [...], by Dis-believing J [...]wes, [Page 59]and wert Betrayed, and Sold by one of thy own Disciples for a Vile Price: Deliver me, I Humbly Beseech thee, from all the Conspiracies of my Ghostly and Bodily Ene­mies, but especially from the Treachery of my own Heart, and the Rebellion of my Flesh, which for things of no Value, betrays my Soul to its utter Ruin and Destruction.

His Agony in the Garden.

IX. Blessed Jesu, thy bitter Passion was in a Garden, where thy Soul was sorrowful, even unto Death; Sanctifie, O Lord, all my Infirmities and Passions, Comfort me in all my Troubles, and Compose my my mind with such a frame of Spirit, that I may be sensi­ble with a Godly Sorrow of that Heavy Wrath and Curse for sin, which thou sufferedst for me, and all the World.

His Bloody Sweat.

X. Blessed Jesu, who upon the Cold Earth, didst Sweat Drops of Blood, under the Load of our Sins, and Apprehensi­ons of thy ensuing Sufferings; thou offerest up strong Crys and Tears unto him that is able to save: O that my Heart might inwardly Bleed Tears of Compassion and Contrition, and vent forth fervent and effectu­al Prayers with Tears of De­votion, as to be heard in Hea­ven, and healed of all my sin­ful Infirmities.

His Submission.

XI. Blessed Jesu, who didst submit with Patience unto the Will of thy Heavenly Father; Endue me with the same Spi­rit of meekness and Patience, submitting my self unto the Will of God, in prosperity and [Page 61]adversity, Health and Sickness, Life, and Death.

His Apprehension.

XII. Blessed Jesu, thou wast Apprehended, and bound as a Malefactor, but wert clearer than an Angel of Light; O let not my Soul be Arrested by Infernal Fiends, to Eternal Horrour in the other World, but from the Eternal Malice of the Spirits of Darkness, and from the Bonds and Chains of my Sins. Good Lord Deliver me.

The PRAYER.

O Lord, most Holy, my sins are more in number than the Hairs of my Head, and the weight of them Cries a loud to Heaven for Mercy; I beseech thee, O God the Father of Heaven, thou great Creator and Preserver of Man, despise not the Work of thine own Hands, O God the Son [Page 62]that camest into the World to save Sinners, Remember not my Offen­ces, neither seek thou Vengeance of my sins, but good Lord spare me thy unworthy Servant, whom thou hast Redeemed with thy most Precious Blood, and be not An­gry with me for ever; O God, the Holy Ghost, that Despisest not a Broken and Contrite Heart, let it pitty thee, to see these thy Temples of my Soul and Body thus Ruin­ed by sin and wickedness; O Holy, Blessed, and Glorious Trinity, Three Persons, and One God, have Mercy upon me a Miserable Sinner.

II. A Sinner, and a grievous Sinner I am; teach me, O God, to grieve that I am so, give me a Broken and a Wounded Spirit for all my Transgressions; Break this Stony Heart of mine, yea take away this Heart of Stone from me, and give me a Heart of Flesh, that I may tremble at the Voice of thy Law, and melt at the Sight of thy Judgments, and Accuse [Page 63]and Condemn my self, and be ready to joyn with thee to do Ju­stice upon such a sinner as I am; but least I should faint through the smart of the many fresh Bleed­ing Wounds which my sins have given my Soul; Oh! do thou up­hold me by thy Right Hand, and pour into my Wounds that precious Balm of Gilead, a true and a lively Faith in the ful satisfacti­on that thy Son hath made to thy Justice, for the sins of the whole World, and through his Cross and Passion, through his most Precious Death and Burial, through his Glorious Resurrection and Ascention, I beseech thee, be thou Reconciled unto me.

III. O Lord, for his sake, Par­don all that is past, lay none of my sins to my Charge but Blot them all out of the Book of thy Remembrance; Wash me, O wash me, throughly from my sins, and cleanse me from my Ʋnrighteous­ness, in the Blood of Jesus Christ. Lord let his Blood that speaks bet­ter [Page 64]things than that of Abel, cry lowder for mercy in thine Ears, than do my sins for Vengeance, be sprinkle my Polluted, but Pe­nitent Soul, In the Blood of Jesus, that thy wrath may pass over me, and that the light of thy Counte­nance may shine upon me.

IV. SEAL unto my Soul, the free Pardon and forgiveness of all my sins, and say unto my Soul, I am thy Salvation; Oh! do thou by thy Spirit assure my Spirit that I am thy Child, and that thou art Reconciled unto me, in the Blood of Jesus, and to this end, work into me, a Detestation of all my former Wickedness, help me in the Mortification of all my Vile and Corrupt Affections; Crucifie in me the Old Man, the whole Body of sin, that I may Die unto Sin, and live unto Righteousness; and be made a fit Partaker at thy Holy Table.

Read Psal. 22.40.54. 1 Less. Gen. 22. to v. 20. 2 Less. St. John 18.

Friday Evenings Meditati­ons. On the Passion and Death of the Holy Jesus.

His Arraignment and Condem­nation.

BLESSED Jesu, thou wast Seized, and Led as an Innocent Lamb to the Slaugh­ter; thou wast Reviled, falsly Accused, and Unjustly Con­demned, by unjust Earthly Judges, who was thy self the most just Judge of Heaven and Earth; O Lord, be not a Se­vere and Angry Judge, when I shall stand before thy Tribu­nal, but be thou my Mediator and Advocate to answer for me; and I humbly beseech thee, to Deliver from the Ac­cusations of the Devil and his Angels, from the Accusations of all those who have been [Page 66]Conscious of my many sinful Pollutions, and from the Ac­cusations of my own Consci­ence in the day of Judgment.

Spitted Ʋpon.

II. Blessed Jesu, whose Face was fairer than the Children of Men, [...]d bri [...]hter than the Sun in its [...]ory, was Spit upon by f [...] and Ignominuos Persons: Oh! turn thy Face away from my sins, whereby I have Polluted my Soul, and Prophaned thy Name: But hide not thy Face from me, who for my sins didst not turn thy Face from being Spit upon by the Barbarous Jews.

Buffeted.

III. Blessed Jesu, who wast Cruelly Treated by the Soldi­ers, with their Intolerable Rude Cuffs, and hard Injurious Buf­fets: Grant Lord, that though [Page 67]I may feel, yet let me not be Vanquished by the Buffets of Satan.

Forsaken of his Friends.

Blessed Jesu, thou wast Con­tent to be forsaken of all thy friends, and dearest Disciples, and to be left in the hands of Cruel Men, who Thirsted after thy precious Blood; O leave me not destitute of thy Divine Presence, when I am Assaulted by my Ghostly Adversaries; but be for ever with me, and defend me from all their Ma­lice, and protect my Soul in all dangers.

Denied by Peter.

Blessed Jesu, thou with in­finite goodness and meekness, lookedst back on St. Peter, when he denied, and forswore thee, and by thy gracious look, didst call him back, both to [Page 68]himself and thee, by true Re­pentance: Oh look thus upon all Back-sliders from thee, for their sincere Conversion; and look upon me also, and be mer­ciful unto me.

Scourged.

Blessed Jesu, thou was Whip­ped by a merciless Crue of Soldiers, and thy Delicate skin was Torn, and redoubled with their Lashes, that the Blood Streamed down thy Innocent Sides; but since, O merciful Lord, thou was wounded for my Transgressions, and Bruised for mine Iniquities: O let thy Chastisement procure my peace with Heaven, and grant that by thy Stripes my Soul may be healed.

Crowned with Thorns.

Blessed Jesu, thy Head was Crowned with Thorns, and [Page 69]those beaten into thy Temple, with much Rage and Fury: Pardon, O Lord all those sins, my Eyes, Ears, and Tongue, those Instruments of my Head have been guilty of: Break not the Bruised Reed, my broken Heart, with the pressure of thy heavy Wrath, but let thy Thorns the Fruits of the Curse which we Contracted and thou sustainedst, deliver me from the Curse due for my sins.

Renouncing the World.

Blessed Jesu, who art the King of Glory, yet wast Con­tent with a Cross for thy Throne, a Wreath of Thorns for thy Crown, and a Reed for thy Scepter; thy Entertainment was Gaul and Vinegar, and for thy Robes, only a little Linnen to cover thy Nakedness: O that I were so wise, as from thy ex­ample, to despise all the Guild­ed Glories, and Vanities of [Page 70]this Life, and to choose with Moses to suffer Affliction, with the People of God, than to en­joy the Pleasures of sin for a Season.

Bearing his Cross.

Blessed Jesu, who did with Patience bear thy Cross, till it sunck thy Body to the Earth: O let me not sink under thy Cross, nor shrink from it, but rather chearfully to take it up, whatever it be, and carefully to under go all the Sacred Acts of true Repentance; follow­ing thee, O Lord, who sufferedst for me, leaving me an Example, that I should follow thy steps.

Crucified.

Blessed Jesu, who didst Hang on a Cursed Tree, to Abolish the Curse contracted by Eating the Fruit of the Forbidden Tree, thou wast numbred with [Page 71]the transgressors, and Crucifi­ed among Thieves: O draw my hard and Stony Heart unto thee, and deliver me from that Curse which my sins have Con­tracted, and rank me not among the Goats on the Left, but among the Sheep on thy Right Hand, in the great day of Judgment.

His Body Tormented.

Blessed Jesu, all the parts & Members of thy Body were stretched on the Cross; thy blessed Arms and Leggs were by such violence distended, that the Joynts were disparted, the Veins burst, the Sinews Crackt, the Skin Rent, the Flesh Tore, and all the Bones Started a side: thy Innocent Hands and Feet were Nailed, for the sinful works of my Head, Heart, Hands and Feet; but I beseech thee Nail them to thy Cross, which were the cause of thy Crucifixion, hide [Page 72]in thy Wounds, who wast Wounded for my transgression, and write those Wounds of thine in my Heart, not with Ink, but with thy Blood, which was shed for me.

The Sufferings of his Soul.

Blessed Jesu, the Sufferings of thy Soul, was exceeding great, being like melted Wax in the Furnace of God's Wrath, for the sins of the World, when the fulness of thy sufferings be­ing accomplished, thou Com­mendedst thy Spirit into the Hands of God: Grant O Lord, that I may Die unto sin, and Live only unto thee, and by thy bitter Cross and Passion, Cleanse me from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, that I may perfect Holiness in thy Fear.

The PRAYER.

O Lord, without thee I am not able to do any thing, much less any thing that is good; come therefore, Oh thou Father of Lights, dispel and scatter from my Soul the Foggy Mists of sins and Ignorance, that in thy Light I may see Light; come O thou Power of God, and set up thy Throne in my Soul, and sway thy Scepter there, and bring into sub­jection every high thought, and every high imagination that ex­alteth it self against thee: Come O thou Wisdom of God, and dis­cover to my Soul the Folly of Sin, the Vanity of the World, and the deceitfulness of my own Heart.

II. TEACH me, I humbly be­seech thee to Eschew Evil, and Cleave to that which is good; Come, O thou goodness of God, and shed abroad the love of God in my Heart, that I may love thee my God above all things, and my Neighbour for thy sake: Yea, [Page 74]my very Enemies for Jesus Christ his sake, and after his Example, who Died for me, while I was yet his Enemy; fit me with all Graces, necessary for all Events, with strength to resist all the Temptations of Satan, to keep my self unspotted from the World, to subdue my Passions, my Vile and Corrupt Affections, with Pa­tience to bear Afflictions, and with a contented Resolution, to under­go whatsoever thy hand shall be pleased to lay upon me, that whe­ther it be in Life or in Death, in both I may be thine.

III. I know O Lord, my sins are increased above measure, and my Iniquities are gone over my Head; Nay, they are gone up to Heaven, and have pulled down thy Vengeance upon me; yet how long Lord wilt thou be Angry? for ever? Shall thy Jealousie Burn like Fire? O remember not against me, the sins and offences of my Life past; but let thy tender Mercy speedily prevent me, lest I be [Page 75]brought to great misery; help me, O help m, O God of my Sal­vation, for the Glory of thy Name; O deliver me and be merciful unto my sins for thy Names Sake.

IV. But in the midst of Judg­ment Remember Mercy; Par­don all my crying sins, Reverse thy fearful, though justly deser­ved judgments, and that which is the most dreadful of all judg­ments, and continues thy judg­ments, bardness of Heart, con­tempt of thy Word and Com­mandment; restore thy wonted though undeserved Mercies; give Peace in my time, O Lord, and let the Gospel of Truth flourish, even until thy Sons comming to Judgment: and that for his sake, who is the Prince of Peace, and that shed his most pretious Blood to purchase our Peace.

V. O thou, that art the Author of Peace, and lover of Concord, Compose I beseech thee, all un­happy differences, and divisions [Page 76]that are among us; take away from all Mens Hearts the Spirit of Division and Contention, the Spirit of Blood Thirstiness and Revenge, the Spirit of Pride, Blindness of Heart. Vain Glory and Hypocrisie, of Envy, Hatred, Malice, and all Ʋncharitable­ness; and give us the Spirit of Peace, Ʋnity and Concord; the Spirit of Moderation, the Spirit of due Obedience, and above all the Spirit of thy Fear, that we may at length meet and live in the Ʋnity of the Spirit, and in the Bond of Peace, and with one Mouth Praise thee, our God, and with one Heart, love one another

Read Psal. 69.88. 1 Lesson. Isa. 53. 2 Lesson. 1 Pet. 2.

Saturday Mornings Medi­tations.

LORD, I confess without thee my endeavours are in vain, and without thy blessing my hopes can never succeed, but I also know thou rewardest those who Obey thee, and fail­est not to relieve with a gener­ous bounty, those who depend on thee; O give me 1. Thy Grace to observe my part, and I'le not fear the performance of thine; thou callest to thy self the Poor and Humble, to Eat and Drink at thy Holy Table; those who faithfully live toge­ther in Unity; thou graciously invitest to thy Royal Feast: prefering them all to thy friendship here, that they may be partakers of thy Glory hear­after.

II. MY Soul, if thou at any time loose the presence of thy God, thou wilt besure to find him at his Holy Table, there seek him with Grace and per­severance, seek him with Pray­ers, and Sighs, and Tears; and be sure at last thou shalt find him with joy: He hides not himself, that we may not find him, but that we may seek him, and be hereafter more fearful to loose him: Despair not, he again will shew himself, only go on and seek him still with hope; and be sure thou wilt meet him at his Heavenly Feast.

III. HAPPY are the Ears that hear thee speak, O Blessed Jesu [...] Happy are the Hearts that feel the Power of thy Word. O thy Holy One of God! For thou Commandest with Authority all Unclean Spi­rits, and they Obey thee. re­scue me, O Lord, from the Snares of Satans Temptations, [Page 79]and Powerfully Chace away the Enemies which disturb my Peace; that they Tear not my mind with distracting thoughts nor trouble my repose with impure fancies.

IV. SO sweetly efficacious is thy Grace, O Lord, that im­mediately it draws all Souls unto thy Heavenly Banquet; so kindly Condescending is thy Clemency, that thou pre­sently embracest them in thy Arms of Mercy, when they come unto thee, thy own blest Mouth, hath meekly spoke the mildest Lesson to win us to thee; I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice; for I came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance; Lord, I consess my sins, I confess my need of thy Mercies: but my hope is great, that thou wilt abundant­ly Pardon me, whilst I hear thee so graciously remember thy Ancient Promises, and so powerfully urge them in favour [Page 80]of sinners; quicken my Faith, O Lord, and make it Active, that I may receive thee with thankfulness, who so kindly callest me.

The PRAYER.

OH Eternal, most Gracious, and Merciful Father, I am here come into thy Presence, with Confidence, seeing that my Conscience tells me, I have broke all thy Commandements, as I have sinned in Thoughts, and Words, in Thoughts more than I can think, and in Words more than I am able to Express; the number of them are so great, that I have scarce Room for any more; I am impure, but thou of purer Eyes than to behold iniquity.

II. BƲT if thou shouldest en­ter into judgment with me, I were not able to stand before thee, I Confess there is but one way, to slie from thee, as an Angry God, which is to slie to thee, as a re­conciled [Page 60]Father, reconciled in the Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, to fly from the strict Bar of thy judg­ment, to thy tender Bowels of Compassion, not according to my Merits, but according to my ne­cessities, so I humbly beseech thee Pardon all my sins past, and strengthen me against sin, for the time to come.

III. TO this end, I beseech thee Awaken my Dead Conscience, confirm my judgment, enlighten my understanding, conform my Will, Reform my Life, Enflame my Zeal, Strengthen my Faith, and that from henceforth, I may live unto thee, and serve thee, Lord give me Repentance, not to be repented of, that hope which will not make me ashamed, and that Peace of Conscience which passeth all understanding: give me the World, but that World which passeth knowledge, give me Faith, but that Faith which is in Christ, and that Wisdom which leads to understanding.

IV. Lord prepare my Soul and Heart to meet thee, at thy Holy Yable, that I may feed my Soul with thy loving kindness, and not depart from thence without a Bles­sing; give me Grace evermore to fear thee, and to preserve a tender Sence of my Duty towards thee, and Conscienciously Obey thee in all things, that so by the Virtue of his Sacrifice of himself, all my sins may be Washed away in his Blood, and be remembred no more.

Read the Psalms and Proper Lessons appointed for the day.

Saturday Evenings Medi­tations.

BEHOLD me, O Lord, in this State of Misery, and no hope left me, but in thy Mer­cy [...] [...]here I must lie kept down [Page 92]with my sins, unless thy Cle­mency take pitty on me. En­lighten, O Lord, the Blindness of my understanding, and Straighten the Crookedness of my Will, and heal all the In­firmities of my weak Nature: O do thou throughly Cure me that I sin no more, but imme­diately take up my Heart, which too long have Cleaved to this Earth, and bear it after thee, to walk from henceforth the ways of thy Command­ments.

II. WHEN thou art present with me, O thou Heavenly Spouse, of my Soul! When thou art pleased to stay and dwell in my Heart, how strange­ly dost thou fill it with joy and sweetness! Whatever happens, I cannot be sad while thou art with me, nor pleasant if thou leavest me: infuse thy Holy Love into mine Heart, O Lord, and make me faithfully hold it fast for ever; that I loose [Page 93]not my self by neglecting thy Grace, but preserve them both to Eternal Life.

III. BUT alas! How quick­ly am I weary of praying to my God; how apt to give over my expectance from him! Who yet, as soon as he sees my necessities, begins my re­lief, and leaves nor off till he has perfectly finished it: Let me not fear, but believe and Obey, and my Soul shall be safe; why am I so impatient when any trouble befalls me, and why do I disparage the extra­ordinary proceedings of God? though I am Dead in sin and sorrow he can revive me, and give me strength to walk in the ways of Life; he will give me, that Bread which came down from Heaven, yea his own self, which he gave for the Life of the World.

IV. BUT 'tis not for Flesh and Blood to follow thee, O thou great Exemplar of Sub­lime [Page 95]perfection! 'Tis not for Flesh and Blood to perform the Excellencies of an Evange­lical Life; but to the Almighty Grace of God, nothing is impos­sible; every exense is welcome to me, every little difficulty is enough to divert me; I am afraid of the hardship of Pover­ty, I am in Love with my Kin­dred and Acquaintance; and never can Nature alone over­come these difficulties; but thou, O Lord, canst find a remedy, and compose in me such a frame of Spirit, whereby I may Vanquish all those thoughts which keep me from thy Glorious presence.

The PRAYER.

OEternal Lord God, Infinite in thy Greatness, Incom­prehensible in thy Glory, whose Pure and Just Eves cannot be­hold either Sin or Sinners with the least look of approbation; be not offended with me thy unwor­thy [Page 96]Servant, O Lord who art a Merciful and Reconciled Father to all such sinners as sincerely de­sire, and endeavour to Repent and believe; thy providence hath pre­served me unto this moment, to offer unto thy Majesty my Evening Sacrifice, beseeching thee, to make me a fit partaker at thy Holy Table.

II. I have been a foul and flat Idolator, erecting the Idols of my own profit and pleasure, in the Chappel and Closet of my Heart, and then, and there have fallen down upon the bended Knees of my Soul, and worshiped them, by regarding my lust more than the fulfiling thy Will in thy Word; that Sacred Name of thine, where­by I hope to be Saved, I have taken in vain, I have done that on thy day, the Lord's Day, which I can justifie or a Vouch on no day; I have not given that Reverence and Respect to my Superiours; I have broken all thy Commandements of the Second Table in my Demeanour [Page 97]towards my Neighbour, and in my Deportment to my own Soul and Body.

III. O Lord, I have been ashamed to confess my sins in the presence of the World, but I have been Vile, and bold, and no whit ashamed to commit them, when I knew full well, that thee, the great God, of Heaven and Earth, did at that instant behold me, Oh! lend me thy Spirit effectually, to admire thy Patience and [...]ong­Suffering towards me, who per­mits such a Prefane and Presump­tuous sinner at this hour of my Life still to remain from everlast­ing Burnings.

IV. SƲRELY, Lord, there are many in that Pit of Perdition, whose sins against thee, were ne­ver Aggavated with those high Circumstances; O Lord, I have no Varity of Reasons to move thee to Mercy, I have no Exchange of Motives to perswade thee to Pitty, but only the same, over and over again, for thy own sake, for thy [Page 98]Names sake, for thy Mercies sake, for thy Son, and my Saviour Christ Jesus his sake, forgive my­Sins, for they are great; wash the Guilt and Filth of my sins away in his Blood; and Lord for the time to come, give me Grace to spend the remainder of my days to thy Glory: In whose most pow­erful Name. I sue unto thee, for all that is comprehended in this my weeks preparation (or what­ever else for want of Memory I have Omitted) in thy most perfect form of Prayer; sayong, Our Father, &c.

Read the Psalms and Lessons for the Day.

Sunday Mornings Medi­tations at Home.

WELCOME Blest day unto my Heart, but far more Welcome unto my [Page 99]Soul; I have now put off the Old Man with his Affections and Lusts, and I must now put on my Wedding Garment, even the Lord Jesus Christ, that I may be made wholly conform­able to him, in the Image of his mind: that my Soul may be Clothed with his Righteous­ness, and all its faculties pro­portioned and vested according to the perfect Pattern of Christs Life.

II. THIS is the day of the Holy Feast, therefore, my Soul, lay aside all Cares and Imper­tinences of the World, remem­ber this day is appointed for thee, a day of Traffique and Entercourse with Heaven; O Lord, therefore will I magnifie thy Holy Name, and evermore adore thy goodness; O What a happy opportunity my God hast thou given me, of recei­ving the greatest favour, I can receive in this World? even the Body and Blood, of my dearest Savour.

III. O Lamb, of God, thou hast used many Arts to save me, when I was lost, thou hast given thy Life to Redeem me when I was a Slave to Sin and Satan, and thy Holy Spirit to Sanctifie me; O now come Lord Jesus, come quickly: My Heart is desirons of thy Presence; Thirsty for thy Grace, and I am earnest to entertain thee, not as a Guest but as an Inhabitant to dwell with me forever.

IV. LORD, the place thou art Invited to, is full of Pas­sion, and Prejudice, Disobedi­ent, Lustful, and Intemperate, and full of sad Remembrances that I have often provoked to Jealousie and to Anger thee my God, my dearest Saviour, him that died for me, him that Suffer­ed Torments for me, that is Infi­nitely good to me, and infinitely good & perfect in himself; Lord I am as sure thou didst the great Work of Redemption for me, & [Page 101]all Mankind, as that I am Alive: This is my Hope, the Strength of my Spirit, my Joy and my Confidence: Here I will dwell, for I have a delight therein: Here I will live, and here I de­sire to Die.

V. LORD, whither shall I go but to thee? Thou hast the Words of Eternal Life: as the Hart desireth the Wa­ter Brooks. So longeth my Soul after thee, O God, my Soul is a Thirst for God, yea even for the Living God, when shall I come and appear before the Presence of God? O send out thy Light, and thy Truth, and bring me unto thy Holy Hill, and to thy dwelling: and that I may go unto the Altar of God, even unto the God of my Joy and Gladness: and with my Heart will I give thanks to thee, O God, my God.

A Prayer at Home, be­fore the Sacrament.

OBlessed Jesu, 'tis thy Bles­sed Body, that my Soul longs for, and to be satisfied with thy Pretious Blood, for its Purificati­on and Nourishment; Vouchsafe Holy Jesus, to enter this Day in­to the House of thy Servant: that with Holy Zacheus I may within receive from thee, that joyful Be­nediction. this day is Salvation come to thine House.

II. THY Body, O Blessed Jesu, is my Food, and thy Righteousness is my Robe, thou art both the Priest and Sacrifice, the Master of the Feast, and the Feast it self, my Souls Physitian, the Light of my Eyes, and the Purisier of my Stains: O Enter now into my Heart, and cast out from thence all Impurities, even all the re­mains of the Old Man.

III. AND grant I may partake of this Holy Sacrament with much Reverence, Holy Relish, and great Effect, receiving thence the Communication of thy Holy Body and Blood, for the Establishment of an unreprovable Faith, of an unfained Love, for the fulness of Wisdom, for the healing my Soul, and preservation of my Body, for the taking out the Sting of tempo­ral Death, and for the Assurance of a Holy Resurrection, for the Ejection of all Evil from within me, and the fulfiling all thy Righ­teous Commandements, and to procure for me a Mercy, and a fair Reception at the Day of Judgment.

IV. O God, the Bread of Hea­ven, and Life of the World; I have sinned against Heaven, and in thy Sight, and am not worthy to be made partaker of thy most Holy Mysteries: But Vouchsafe as a Merciful God, to make me worthy, by thy Grace, that I may not receive thy Holy Body and [Page 104]Pretious Blood to my Condemnati­on, but unto the Remission of my sins, and Everlasting Life. Amen.

Intercessions.

O God have Mercy upon poor Mankind, enligh­ten all that sit in Darkness, and in the Shadow of Death, reveal thy Son, and his saving Gospel to those Asiaticks, Affricans, and Americans, that never heard of a Crucified Jesus, add the fulness of the Gentiles, to the Recollection of the Jewes, that there may at length be one Sheepsold, under that one good and great Sheepherd Christ Jesus.

II. BE merciful to this Church, in which I am a Mem­ber, and Cause thy Face ever­more to Shine upon it; Bless those whom thou hast Anoin­ted [Page 105]over us, our Soveraign Lord and Lady, King William and Queen Mary, grant that their People may Obey them, and they may Obey thee, and do all things to thy Honour and Glory.

III. BLESS, Katherine the Queen Dowager, her Royal Highness the Prineess Ann of Denmark, with all the rest of the Royal Family, endue them with Heavenly Graces, make them happy Instruments of thy Glory here, and partakers of thy Heavenly Kingdom here­after.

IV. BLESS the Pastors of thy Church, the Bishops and Clergy, grant that by their sincere Preaching, and Assidu­ous Prayers, and Ministries, they may Glorifie thee, the great lover of Souls: give un­to the Ministers of Justice, the Spirit of Government, and Zeal, Courage, and Prudence to the Nobility, Wisdom, Va­lour, [Page 106]and Religious Magnani­mity; Succour all in Afflicti­on, help them to Right that suffer Wrong, be with those that are in Prison, and preserve thou those that are appointed to Die.

V. BLESS my Relations, (Here Name them) Assist them in their Wants and Necessities, keep them in thy Fear and Fa­vour unto their Lives end; for­give my Enemies, Persecutors and Slanderers, and turn their Hearts: Bless all those who do accompany me this day at thine Altar, and for all others who meet in thy Name, and Com­municate in Remote Parts; grant that through this Blood of Jesus, we may all be Cleansed from our Sins, and Purged from all our Iniquities.

VI. O leave us not, as we have deserved to be left, wrapt up in our own Confulions, he thou more merciful to us than we have been unto ourselves; [Page 107]Supply whatsoever is wanting in the Government; Establish what remains; Dissipate and Scatter Scandals; Stop and Prevent all rising and growing Heresies; make us all so far of one Heart and one Mind; that we may joyntly set our selves to the rooting up of all Atheism, Prophaneness, Super­stition, Faction, Heresie; any thing which exalts it self against thy true and sincere Worship.

VII. GIVE to the whole Land fair Seasons of the Year, good Government, Health and Plenty; an excellent Religion undivided and undisturbed; frequent Celebration of this thy Holy Ordinance; through Christ our Lord.

VIII. AND now lift up your Head, O ye Gate of my Soul; and be ye lifted up O ye Ever­lasting Door of my Heart, that the King of Glory may come in, that he may come in at this time; and take Possession [Page 108]of me, and Dwell and Reign in me for ever. Even so O Lord, for the sake of the Son of thy Love; in whom only I trust to be accepted; and in whose Name and Words I call upon thee; Our Father, &c.

When you go forth of your Cham­ber or Closet.

I Will go into his Tabernacle, and fall low on my Knees before his Foot-Stool; the Lord preserve me in my going out and my coming in; from this time forth and for evermore.

When you enter the Church; which ought to be sometime before the Service begins.

O How Aimable are thy Dwellings thou Lord of Host. I will come into thy Ta­bernacle and fall low on my Knees before thy Foot-Stool: and will wait for thy loving [Page 109]kindness, O God, in the midst of thy Temple; thy Testimo­nies O Lord are very sure, and Holiness becometh thy House for ever.

When you cast your Eye on the Font and Pulpet.

Then recal to mind that So­lemn Vow, you openly took at your Initiation into the Church, to forsake the Devil and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanities of this Wicked World; and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh, &c. and let the other put thee in mind, the many good Sermons thou hast heard from thence, and the few thou hast practised.

Being seated, turn to the Psalms and Lessons, Epistle and Gospel for the Day, that you may have them ready; if there be any leasure time before Divine Service begins, fall on your Knees and say.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was; and is, and is to come, fit us all for thy Service.

Good Lord Pardon all here, that prepares their Heart to seek thee.

Merciful Lord, Graciously accept us all, that come hither to present our selves our Souls and Bodies unto thee, for Je­sus Christ's sake, that Vouch­safed to present himself Bodily in the Temple for us, in great Love and Humility.

Then joyn with the Prayers of the Chuch, and be Attentive to the Sermon. When Sermon is ended, fall on your Knees and say.

O Lord, by reason of my sins, I am unworthy to appear in thy presence, to offer up any Sacrifice unto thee, grant Merciful Lord, I beseech thee, both to me and all thy faithful [Page 111]People, Pardon, and Peace, that being Cleansed from all our sins, we may serve thee, with a quiet mind through Je­sus Christ our Lord, Amen.

When you go up to Com­municate.

I will wash my Hands in In­nocency, and so will I go to thine Altar.

O send forth thy Light, and thy Truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to thy Holy Hill, and to thy dwelling.

When you Kneel before the Altar.

Thou art Worthy, O Lord, to receive Blessing, Honour and Power, but I am not wor­thy thou shouldest come under my Roof, or that thy praise should come within my pollu­ted Lips.

But Blessed Lord, thou Vouchsafedst to enter the House of a Publican, and to receive a Kiss of an unclean sinner; O receive such a sinner as I am, disdain not to enter under my Roof, despise not my humble Addresses and Supplications.

O let thy Sacrifice, be an ex­piation for all my sins, and now forever Seal thy Pardon by thy precious Blood for all my offences, and receive me Graciously.

When you cast in your Offering.

O Blessed Jesu, who didst accept the Poor Widdows two Mites, which she cast into the Treasury; I beseech thee, be graciously pleased to accept this Poor Offering from me the unworthiest of thy Servants.

Then dilligently harken to the Exhortation, and seeing the Table spread, and the Elements of Bread and Wine set thereon, [Page 113]Meditate with thy self after this manner.

Meditations.

THIS O my Soul, is the Ta­ble of the King of Kings, and the Lord of Heaven and Earth; it is a Feast, where himself is present, and all his Holy Angels, those Glorious Spi­rits do behold, love, and won­der that the Son of God should become Food to the Souls of his Servants; be astonished! O my Soul at this great Mystery, that he who is unchangeable, should be broken in pieces, and enter into the Body to sup­port the Spirit, and yet at the same time remain in Heaven, while he Descends to thee upon Earth; that he should Die for thee, and then give himself to thee for ever to Redeem thee from sin, and misery; that he should become Man, and make [Page 114]thee, a partaker of the Divine Nature:

II. O Lord I am unworthy to come to thy Table, but I come with as Thirsty a desire as the Chaced Hart which pants after the Water Brooks, and with as Hungry an Ap­petite as a Poor half starved Crea­ture to a full Table O Lord I am not worthy of the least Crum that falls from the Table of thy Ordinary Providence, but I come in Obedi­ence, to thy Command, O receive me as a poor Sinner, laden with sin, and let thy pretious Body and Blood, which I am now ready to participate off, Cleanse me from all sin and wickedness.

When the Minister says, draw near with Faith, and take this Holy Sacrament.

Lift up thy Heart in this Ejacu­lation.

O Lord, I am unworthy of this Invitation to thy Holy Table; but [Page 115]a sinner must not refuse thy call, therefore in all Obedience and Humility I come.

Then joyn Humbly with the Minister in the Confession.

After the Absolution is Pro­nounced, use this Ejaculation.

O Lord, I beseech thee, grant me a true Repentance, and a lively Faith, that I may receive all the Benefits of thy Death and Passion, even the Confirming and Strengthning me in all goodness to my Lives end.

When that Comfortable saying of St. Paul is repeated, that Christ came into the World to save Sinners.

Say with all Humility.

O Lord, I am the greatest and chiefest of sinners, but thou alone are the Propitiation for my sins.

After the Preface is ended, Therefore with Angels, and Arch-Angels, &c. Use this Ejaculation.

I will evermore praise thy Name, O thou that dwellest in the Heavens from the rising up of the Sun, until the going down of the same, and will Laud and Magnifie thy Holy Name, now, and forever.

When the Prayer of Consecra­tion is said, and the Mini­ster reads the Words of Christs Institution, and you see him Order the Bread and the Wine repeat this.

O Lord, thou hast provided two distinct Pledges of thy Love, to us Poor sinners, who had been ut­terly lost, had not thy Almighty goodness found out a Remedy to Save us.

When thou seest the Bread bro­ken and the Wine poured out. Say.

Thus was thy Holy Body broken for my sins upon the Tree of shame, and thy Side was Pierced with a Spear, which gushed forth Blood; thus wast thou Wounded for my Transgressions, and Bruised for mine iniquities, but by thy Stripes I am healed.

When the Minister Receives in both kinds.

O Lord, Purifie and Cleanse my Heart by thy Holy and Blessed Spirit, and prepare my Soul to Receive thee, the great God of Heaven and Earth: Come Holy Jesus, and take Possession of my Soul, Purifie it with thy pretious Blood, and dwell therein for ever. Amen.

Immediately before Receiving.

Grant me, O Blessed Lord, [Page 118]so to Eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Christ Jesus, and to Drink his Blood, that my sinful Body may be made Clean by his Bo­dy, and my Polluted Soul wash­ed through his most pre [...]ious Blood.

II. O Lord Purifie my Heart and Mind. Strengthen my Faith, and encrease my Charity; for though I am weak, though I am unworthy, though I am un­profitable, yet I am thy Ser­vant: Lord, hear my Prayers, and let my Cry come unto thee.

III. O Lord thou hast said, that he that Eateth thy Flesh, and Drinketh thy Blood, hath Eternal Life.

Behold the Servant of the Lord, be it unto me, according to thy Word.

When the Minister presents thee the Holy Bread, say softly after him.

The Body of our Lord Jesus [Page 119]Christ which was given for me, preserve my Body and Soul unto everlasting Life.

Here take the Bread with Reve­rance, and proceede.

I take and Eat this in remem­brance, that Christ Died for me, and will Feed on him in my Heart, with Faith and Thanks­giving.

When you Eat the Bread, say.

By thy Crucified Body, De­liver me I humbly beseech thee from this Body of Sin and Death.

After the Bread.

O Blessed Jesu, this Holy Bread, which I thy most un­worthy Servant, have now Re­ceived, is that Bread which came down from Heaven, and giveth Life unto the World: O that I may now feel its Virtue, [Page 120]and Efficacy, in Elevating up my Soul to Heaven, and there to have my Conversation fixt, whilst I remain on this sordid Earth, that when I shall be taken from hence, I may have my Consummation and Bliss, in thy Celestial Man­sions, there to behold thy Face in Glory, who art now the Food of my Soul in Grace; O Lord, my God, and my Redeemer. Amen.

Before Receiving the Cup.

What reward shall I give un­to the Lord; for all the bene­fits he hath done unto me? I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord; I will pay my Vows now in the Presence of all his Peo­ple.

When you receive the Cup of Bles­sing from the Minister say with all humility after him.

The Blood of our Lord Je­sus Christ, which was shed for me, preserve my Body and Soul unto everlasting life.

Here take the Cup with Reve­rence and proceed.

I Drink this in Remem­brance, that Christs Blood was shed for me, and am thankful.

After the Cup.

O let this most pretious Blood of thine Purge away the Filthiness of my Corrupt Heart, and Purifie the Dross of my Guilty Conscience, from all Luke-warm, and Dead Works, to serve thee, the living God, in Holiness and Righteousness, all the days of my life.

Then Meditate.

O Lord may this Holy and Blessed Sacrament, of thy most [Page 122]pretious Body and Blood, which I (though much unworthy, by reason of my manifold sins) have now received, Seal unto my Soul, both Pardon and Peace, and that now being made whole, I may sin no more.

II. O Lord, most holy, I do verily believe, thy Body was Crucified, and thy Hands and Feet Bored through, and that thy Blood was shed out of thy Body, and a Spear run into thy Blessed Side; as really as I have Recei­ved this Bread, and this Wine separately; for the perfect Remis­sion of all my sins, and I believe, that in the Receiving this Bread and Wine, I have spiritually Re­ceived thy Body and Blood, where­by my sins are wholly washed away, and my sinful Soul refresh­ed and Purified: O Lord, this I believe, O help my unbelief.

III. LORD, now lettest tho [...] thy Servant depart in Peace ac­cording to the Word.

For mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation, which thou hast pre­pared before the Face of all Peo­ple.

To be a Light to Lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of thy People Israel.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the begining, &c.

Meditations whilst others [...]re a Communicating.

Blessed are they that dwell in thy House, and are fed, though it be with the Crums that fall from thy Table.

Happy are those Servants; whom when their Lord cometh he shall find so doing.

Behold, thou art whole, sin no more, least a worst thing happen unto thee!

As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, Col. 2.6.

Blessed be the Holy and Ʋndi­vided Trinity, now, and for ever more. Amen.

When thou art going Home, and seest an Object of Cha­rity, remember Psal. 41.1.

Blessed is the Man that provid­eth for the Sick and needy, the Lord shall deliver him in the time of Trouble.

Sunday Evenings Medi­tations at Home, after Receiving the Holy Sa­crament.

O Lord, when ever I enter thy Holy Temple, let me leave behind me my Bargains and Business, and carry no­thing thither but Adoration for thy Majesty, and Prayers for my necessities: thou who didst open the Mouths of little Chil­dren to praise thee; enable the weakness of me thy Servant to Obey thee: Lord I am thy Temple, and should be Conse­crated [Page 125]intirely to thy Service: Enter O Gracious Jesu! into my Heart, and throughly purge me from all impieties.

II. GOOD God! How ten­derly dost thou Consult to pre­serve us Wretches! How kind­ly resolve to send even thine own, thine only, thy Beloved Son to Redeem us? This is our Lord's doing, and 'tis marvel­ous in our Eyes. But, O! How did our graceless World entertain him then? and how does it now? Yet still he con­tinues his Correspondence with us, and daily comes to meet us on his Holy Altars; he there Feasts our Souls, with his Bo­dy and Blood, and Chears our Hearts with his Holy Spirit.

III. O the indulgent Provi­dence of our God! How ma­ny ways has he contrived to save us! How many Messen­gers has he sent to instruct our Ignorance! How many Embas­sador, to reclaim us to our Du­ty! [Page 126]What could an insinite Power and Goodness do, that he has not done! What could the Vilest Ingratitude do, that we have not done! often he sends a Blessing to invite our Love, and we abuse it into Pride and Wantonness; some­times he sends a Cross to Check our Vanity, and we turn it into Murmuring and Dis-Obedience.

IV. LORD, Grant that I may persevere in Grace, and with all humble Obedience, learn how to carry my self in all my Necessities; let me go to my God with Fear and Re­verence, let me Prostrate my self at his Sacred Feet, and with an humble Confidence, say to his Mercy, Lord if thou wilt, thou canst bring it to pass; all I am concern'd to fear is, my person is unworthy, or the things I Petition for, unfit to be granted; else I securely may relie on thy Bounty; and with­the least doubt, say to thy Pow­er, [Page 127]that nothing to thee is Im­possible.

As I have received Christ Je­sus the Lord, so will I walk in him, Col. 2.6.

A Prayer of Thanksgiv­ing, after Receiving of the Sacrament.
To be Used at Home.

O Thou Infinite Ocean of Mercy from whence flows all the benefits, we receive, and enjoy, and to whome all Praise, Glory and Honour, is most due; I desire with all the most highest Affections, of a sincere Heart, to Laud, and Bless thee for those Transcendent Mercies and Bles­sings, thou hast at this time and at all others bestowed upon me; [Here Name the Particular Mercies.] Lord what is Man? even poor sinful Dust and Ashes, [Page 128]that thou shouldest thus Regard him, as to send thy welbeloved Son into the World, to purchase his Redemption, even with the Price of his own most Precious Blood? but Lord, what am I the vilest of sinners, that I should partake in this Attonement, wh [...] have so often Trampled him un­der my Feet?

II. O the Riches and fulness of thee my Saviour, who hast now admitted me to the renewing of that Covenant I entered into at my Baptism, but have since by my own perverseness so often broken, that I who am unworthy of the Daily Bread which I Eat to sup­port the Body, should participate of this Spiritual Bread which nourisheth the Soul to Eternal Life, and that the God of Holiness should Condescend to so Vile a Wretch! O Lord, I beseech thee, suffer me not for the time to come to turn thy Grace into Wantonness, or make thy Mercy an Occasion of Carnal Security, but let this won­derful [Page 129]loving kindness of thine win me to Obedience, that since my Saviour hath Suffered and Dyed for me, I may no longer live unto my self, but to him.

O Lord, thou hast now been pleased to enter my Heart, O ne­ver let me permit any one Lust to Chase thee from it, but as thou hast so dearly bought me with thy pretious Blood, do I beseech thee, still keep possession of me, and suffer no unclean thing to take me out of thy keeping; to this purpose be thou Graciously pleased to be Vigilant ever me, and Prosect me from all my Ghostly Enemies; but more especially deliver me from the Deceitfulness of my own Heart, which is ever ready to yield it self a Prey: And where thou perceivest I am either by Nature or Custom most Prone and Weak, there I beg of thee to exalt thy Power in preserving me. [Here Name thy greatest Temptation.]

IV. O let the Sufferings of my [Page 130]Crucified Saviour for my sins, and the Solemn Vow I have have now made against them, never slip from my Memory, but let the remem­brance of the one make me per­form the other, that I may never engage with those Lust, which Nailed his Hands and Feet, Pierced his Side, and made his Soul sorrowful to Death. But now having a new resigned my self to him, I may serve him in Righteousness and Holiness, all the days of my Life.

V. LORD, support my Weak­ness in this warfare, and be thou my Strength, for I am not able to struggle with the least Tempta­tions. How often have I fainted in the Encounter? How many Sabbaths have I profaned, and how many Sacramental Vows have I broken? And yet, O Lord, I carry about me the same deceit­ful Heart to betray me to the breach of this last Duty. But O thou, who art for e [...]e [...] u [...]change­able, e [...]due me, I [...] beseech [Page 131]thee with such a stedfastness of mind, that I may never swerve from thy Commandments, but bring forth Fruits meet for Re: pentance, that I may arrive to Life Eternal, through the Merits, and Mediation of my Crucified Lord, and Saviour. Amen.

VI. Almighty God, who hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Sons Name; I beseech thee merci­fully to incline thine Ears to me that have made now my Prayers and Supplications unto thee, and grant that those things which I have faithfully asked according to thy Will, may ef­fectually be obtained, to the re­lief of my Necessity, and to the setting forth thy Glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

VII. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundant­ly above all that I am able to ask or think, according to the Power that worketh in me, un­to him be Glory in the Church [Page 132]by Christ Jesus, throughout all Ages, World without End. Amen.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Sweet and Comfortable Felow­ship of his Holy and Blessed Spi­rit be with me, and remain with me, now and forever. Amen.

Private Devotions, and Divine Thoughts to be used every Day in the Week.

A Morning Prayer to be Used after the Ejaculations, at Up Rising.

O Omnipetent and Everlasting God, I Bless and Praise thy Holy Name for thy preservation of me this night past, even to this pre­sent; I beseech thee, in all that I shall do this day, presper thou the [Page 133]Work of my Hands, O prosper thou my Hand-work.

II. Ill all that I shall think or say, let the words of my Mouth, and the Meditations of my Heart be such as may be ever acceptable in thy sight; O Lord, my Strength, and my Redeemer, that thou maiest for ever Vouchsafe to be with me both in and Death.

WHEREIN (for the short time of my Life here,) give me Grace so to behave my self, as in thy Pre­sence: Fearing nothing so much as thy displeasure; hating and Sorrowing for nothing so much as my sins, loving and rejoycing in nothing so much as in thee, and thy Glory.

IV. and for the time of my Death, I beseech thee, in thy good Providence and Mercy, so to Or­der it, that I be not found either unproxided, or unwilling to de­part, in that kind of Death, and by that means which thou shalt appoint; but so to be ever affected in Faith and Love, as they that [Page 134]long to be delivered from this Body of sin, into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God.

V. IN this hope I rest, and into thy Blessed Protection and Mercy this day I commend my Soul and Body: My Relations and Friends; beseeching thee so to Sanctifie and Direct us in the ways of the Laws, and in the works of thy Commandements; and to give thine Angels such charge over us, that through thy most Protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in Bo­dy and Soul to serve thee, the on­ly true God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.

A Hymn for the Morning.

LOrd I do now lift up my Eyes,
And leave my sluggish Bed,
But why I wake, or why I rise,
Comes seldom in my Head.
Is it to Sweat and Toil for wealth,
Or sport my time away;
That thou preserv'st me still in Health.
And givest me this new day?
No, no, unskilful Soul, not so;
Be not deceiv'd with Toys:
Thy Lord's Commands more wisely go,
And Aim at higher joys.
They bid us wake to seek new Grace,
And some fresh Virtue gain:
They call us up to mend our pace,
Till we the prize attain.
That Glorious prize for which all Run,
Who wisely spend their Breath:
Who when this weary Life is done,
Are sure of rest in Death.
Not such a rest as here we prove
Disturb'd with cares and fear.
But endless joy, and peace and Love;
Ʋnmixt with Grief and Tears.
Glory to thee, O bounteous Lord!
Who giv'st to all things breath:
Glory to thee, Eternal Word!
Who sav'st us by thy Death.
Glory, O blessed Spirit to thee,
Who fill'st our Souls with love.
Glory to all the Mystick three,
Who Reign one God above.
Amen.

Ejaculations for the Day.

At your Apparelling, say.

BLessed Jesu! that the shame of my sinful Soul may not be seen, Cloath it with thy spotless Robes of Righteousness, and Adorn it with all the Or­naments of all manner of Grace and Vertues. Amen.

When you are Apparelled.

O most aimable Jesu, the true Spoufe of my Soul, give me the Wedding Garment of Di­vine Love, and perpetual Cha­rity. Amen.

Washing your Hands.

O Blessed Lord, who so loved us, as to Wash our Souls in thy pretious Blood; Purifie I [Page 137]beseech thee, my Heart and my Hands from all the spots and filth of sin. Amen.

In Washing your Mouth.

O Divine Wisdom, which proceedest out of the Mouth of thy Heavenly Father, I hum­bly beseech thee with thy Grace to Purge my Lips from all Wick­ed and Vain words, that my Mouth may never open but to thy praise, and the improve­ment of others. Amen.

In Washing your Eyes.

O thou Celestial Light, who Illuminates every one that comes into the World, enligh­ten the Eyes of my Soul, that in all things I may perfectly see and perform thy blessed will and Pleasure. Amen.

Beholding your Face in the Glass: Say.

All Flesh is Grass, and the Glory of it as the Flower of the Field, which may quickly sade away and be no more seen. Favour is deceitful and Beauty [Page 138]is vain, but a Woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Going forth of thy House or Cham­ber, say.

Shew me, O Lord, thy ways, and teach me thy Paths; Direct my steps according to thy word, that no Injustice Rule over me, make perfect my goings in thy Paths, that my steps be not moved.

As you Travel or Walk by the way.

Blessed are those that are un­defiled in the way, and walk in the Law of the Lord.

When the Clock strikes, or you see the hour of the day.

Our time passeth away like a Shadow, and we bring our Years to an end, as it were a Tale, that is told: But Lord, so teach me to number my Days, that I may apply my Heart unto true Wisdom.

As you Ascend any high place, or go to Church.

Who shall Ascend into the [Page 139]Hill of the Lord: or who shall rise up in his Holy place? Even he, that hath Clean Hands, and a pure Heart: and that hath not list up his mind unto Vani­ty, nor sworn to deceive his Neighbour.

When you are on a high place, say.

Thy Mercy O Lord, reacheth unto the Heavens: and thy faithfulness unto the Clouds.

Beholding pleasant Fields, and Variety of Objects.

O Lord, how manifold are thy Works: In Wisdom hast thou formed them all, the Earth is full of thy Riches, thou openest thine hand and fillest all things living with plentiousness.

Ʋpon hearing, or seeing any thing Extraordinary.

Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of Israel; which only doth wonderous things, and blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever: and all the Earth shall be filled with his Majesty. Amen, Amen.

When you go to Read, or Meditate.

Open thou mine Eyes, O Lord; that I may see the won­drous things of thy Law: And grant that what ever I Read or Meditate may conduce to the full understanding of thy Will, and my ready Obedience there­unto.

Being wearied therewith.

Lord, let me not be weary in well-doing, remembring that in due time I shall Reap, if I faint not.

When you go about any worldly Employments.

Deliver me O Lord, from every evil Work, and stablish me in every good Word and Work.

When you are Discontented or Sad.

Why art so full of heaviness O my Soul: and why at thou so disquieted within me? Put thy trust in God: For I will yet give him thanks for the help help of his Countenance. Cause thy Face O Lord to shine [Page 141]upon thy Servant: O shew me the Light of thy Countenance, and I shall be whole.

When you Hunger and Thirst.

Blessed are all they that Hun­ger and Thirst after Righteous­ness, for they shall be filled with thy abundant goodness.

When you are asked an Alms, and are able to give.

It is more blessed to give than to receive, he that Sow­eth sparingly shall Reap sparing­ly, and he which Soweth boun­tifully shall Reap bountifully.

When you hear any Person, Evil spoken of.

Deliver me, O Lord, from Lving Lips, and from a Deceit­ful Tongue.

Ʋpon sight of your Sins, and mispending of [...].

O remember not the Sins and Offences of my Youth, or Ri­per Years, but a cording to thy tender Mercy, think thou upon me, O Lord for thy good­ness,

After thou hast Rehearsed the the Lords Prayer, the Twelve Apostles Creed, and the Ten Commandements. Think up­on these good Rules that are to be observed and practised, and what sins are to be avoid­ed.

The two Precepts of Charity, or the Laws of Nature.

TO love God above all for his own sake.

To love all Men as our selves for Gods sake, and to do unto others, as we would they should do unto us, Deut. 6.5.10.12. Matt. 7.12.

The Sacraments of the Church.

The principal and truly so called, as generally necessary to Salvation, are two Baptism, and the Lords Supper.

The three Teological Vertues.

Faith, Hope, and Charity, 1 Cor. 13.13.

The Four Cardinal Virtues.

Prudence, Justice, Forti­tud, and Temperance.

Three kinds of good Works.

Fasting, Prayer, and Alms, Deeds, Matt. 6.

Pray, and Labour for the Seven gists of the Holy Ghost.

1. The Spirit of Wisdom, 2. And understanding. 3. The Spirit of Councel. 4. And Ghost­ly Strength. 5. The Spirit of Knowledge. 6. And Piety. 7. The Spirit of a Holy and God­ly Fear, Isa. 11.2.

To those add the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost.

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Mercy, Goodness, Long-Suffer­ing, Meekness, Faith, Modesty, Shame-Facedness, Sobriety, Gal. 5.22.

Endeavour to perform these Seven Spiritual works of Mercy.

1. To instruct the Ignorant, Matt. 18.15. 16, 17. 2. To Correct offenders, Jam. 5.12. 3. To Gouncel the Doubtful, [Page 144] Gal. 6.6. 4. To comfort the Afflicted, Prov. 27.9. 5. To suffer Injuries with Patience, Eccles. 5.8. 6. To forgive Offences and Wrongs, Rom. 15.1. 7. To Pray for others, Mark. 11.25.

Likewise forget not these six Cor­poral Works of Mercy.

1. To feed the Hungry, and to give Drink to the Thirsty, Mat. 15. 2. To Cloath the Naked, Mat. 25. 3. To har­bour the Stranger and Needy, Tob. 1. 4. To visit the Sick, Isa. 58. 5. To Minister unto Prisoners and Captive, Tob. 12. 6 To Bury the Dead.

Observe the eight Beatitudes, Mat. 5.

1. Blessed are the Poor in Spi­rit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

2. Blessed are they that Mourn, for they shall be Comforted.

3. Blessed are the Meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.

4. Bressed are they which do. [Page 145]Hunger and Thirst after Righteous­ness, for they shall be filled.

5. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy.

6. Blessed are the pure in Heart, for they shall see God.

7. Blessed are the Peace-Ma­kers for they shall be called the Children of God.

8. Blessed are they which are Persecuted for Righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kindom of Heaven. Labour to avoid the Seven deadly sins, as they are commonly so called.

1. Pride, Luk. 14.11. 2. Co­vetousness, Act. 20.35. 3. Lux­ury, 1 Cor. 16.15. 4. Envy 1 Joh. 3.14. 5. Gluttony, Rom. 14.7. 6. Anger, Mat. 11.29. 7. Sloth, Jer. 48.10. Pray for the seven contrary Virtues.

1. Humility. 2. Liberality. 3. Chastity. 4. Gentleness. 5. Temperance. 6. Patience. 7. Devout and Earnest serving of God, and being dilligent.

Four Sins that Cry to Heaven for Vengeance.

1. Wilful Murther. 2. Car­nal Sin against Nature. 3. Op­pression of the Poor. 4. De­frauding Workmen of their Wages.

The Four last things to be remem­bred.

1. Death. 2. Judgment. 3. Hell. 4. Heaven.

Ejaculations when towards Bed­time.

I will not suffer mine Eyes to Sleep, nor mine Eye-Lids to Slumber, neither the Temples of my Head to take any rest, until I find out a place for the Lord; an habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob.

A Prayer for the Evening.

O Almighty God, my Glory and my hope, my Lord and Ma­ster, the Father of Mercy, and God of all Comfort, I present to thee, the Sacrifice of a thankful [Page 147]Spirit, in humble and joyful ac­knowledgment of those infinite fa­vours by which thou hast this day, and all the whole term of my life, supported my state, enriched my Spirit, comforted my Sorrows re­lieved my necessities blessed and defended my Person, instructed my Ignorance, and promoted my Eter­nal Interest.

II. WHOM have I in Heaven but thee, or whom on Earth have I desired, or may desire in Compa­rison of thee whose Nature is Good­ness, whose Will is Power, and whose Work is Pitty; I humbly be­seech thee to Pardon my sins [Here Name the Particulars.] and ac­cept of this Evening Sacrifice, a­bate my Pride, and remedy all my other imperfections; Oh multiply thy Grace upon Humility, and ma­nifest thy Power in my infirmity; plead thou my cause, O Lord with thy Heavenly Father, and be thou for ever my Mediator and Advocate.

III. AS thou hast ordained the day for Labour, and the night for [Page 148]Rest, I beseech thee to protect me this Night; let the Eve of thy Pro­vidence watch over me, and thy Holy Angels pitch their Tents about me, that being safely delivered from danger, and refreshed with moderate Sleep, I may be enabled to perform my own employment, and faithfully persevere in the duties of thy Service; and so daily advance to new Victories over my Passions, and more perfect observance of thy Commandments; till having pas­sed my days in thy fear, I may end them in thy favour, and rejoyce with thee for ever in thy heavenly Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee, and the Ho­ly Ghost, liveth and reigneth ever one God, World without end. Amen.

A Hymn for the Evening.

NOw, my Soul the day is gone,
Which in the Morn was thine:
Now its Glass no more shall run,
Its Sun no longer shine.
True alas! the day is gone,
O were it only so:
Is it not lost as well as done?
Cast up thy Counts and know
Are we so much nearer Heav'n,
As to the Grave we bow?
Has our sorrow made all ev'n,
And clear'd the Debts we owe?
From what Vice have we refrain'd
To break the course of sin:
What new Virtue have we gain'd,
To make us rich within?
Time is well bestowed on those,
Who well their time bestow:
Whose main concern still forwards goes,
Whose hopes still riper grow?
Who when e're the Clocks proclaim,
Another hour is past,
Have an Art to set their aim,
And thoughts upon their last:
That their last and happiest hour,
Which brings them to their home
Where they sing, and bless the pow'r,
By which they thither come,
O my God, of Life and Death,
The everlasting King!
Since thou givist to all their Breath,
May all thy Glory sing.
Glory, Honour, Pow'r and Praise,
To the Mysterious three:
As at first beginning was,
May now, and ever be.

Amen.

As you undress your self, say.

The time is now approach­ing, when I must put off this Body of sinful Flesh, as I do now these Garments which co­ver it; grant O Lord, that I may put off the Old Man which is Corrupt according to the de­ceitful Lusts, and put on the New Man, which after thee, O God is Created in Righteous­ness and true Holiness.

As you enter into your Bed, say.

In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Crucified, I lay me down to rest; bless me O Lord, defend and Govern me, and af­ter this short and miserable Pilgrimage, bring me to ever­lasting happiness, Amem.

A Prayer at setling to Sleep.

O Jesus Christ, whose unwea­ried Eye, neither slumbers nor sleeps, but continually watches in defence of thy Servants, receive me I beseech thee, into thy Prote­ction, and grant that when my Body is a sleep, my Soul may wake to thee; and hereafter be­hold that Blessed and heavenly Life, where thou with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, Art eternal Governour, and where the Angels with the blessed Souls are Citi­zens for ever. Amen.

When thou art in Bed, and canst not sleep, exercise thy self in this Meditation.

S [...]and in awe, and sin not, Commune with your own Heart upon your Bed and be still.

I will lay me down in Peace and will take my rest: For thou Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety.

Have mercy upon me O Lord, now, and at the hour of Death.

II. O Lord preserve me while I am waking, and defend me when I am sleeping, that my Soul may continually watch for thee, and both Body and Soul may rest in thy Peace for ever. Amen.

The Holy and undivided Trinity, be now and evermore my defence, against all Perils and Dangers of this Night. Amen.

FINIS.

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