EDWARD PARRY
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SI-QUÆRIS-PENINSULAM A
CIRCUMSPICE
AMŒNAM
Nimui
Bonum est confiteri Domino et
pallere tuo nomini Altissime.
Te decet Humnus.
Domus
ހހހހ
Waughan Bulpi
Gloria
Miferere
Confiteor
houd
orations
Mercurius Chriftianus.
THE
Practical Chriftian,
A TREATISE
Explaining the Duty of
Self-examination :
J
Together with Confeflions, Meditations and-
Prayers in order to the Receiving of the
HOLY COMMUNION of the
Body and Blood of Chriſt.
Compoſed for the uſe of Devout Perſons.
By R. Sherlock D.D. Rector of
WINWICK.
Lam: 3. 40.
Let us fearch and try our wayes, and turn again unią
the Lord.
LONDON,
1.
Printed by R. Norton for R. Royston
Bookfeller to his moft Sacred
Majeſty, MDCLXXIII. -
*
ウ
​THE
Epiitle Dedicatory,
To the Parishioners of
WIN WICK₂,
6-18-45 NIG
IN.
LANCASHIRE.
Good People,
T
HE Cure of your Souls being by
the Divine Providence incum-
bent upon me, very unfit to
manage so great a charge, especially
confidering the liberty, or licentiousness.
rather, which most men affume in the
way of Religion: In the discharge of my
duty, though I cannot say I have been fo
prudent and diligent as the high and
boly nature of the Function requires 3
yet I have not omitted frequently to put
дочь
in mind (which is one principal part™
of my Office) of the whole will of God,,
A.. 2...
in.J
The Epiſtle Dedicatory.
in the careful obfervance whereof the
health of your fouls confifteth.
The contents of God's revealed will
being delivered and difperfed through
the whole body of boly Scriptures, are
collected and fumm'd up into general
Heads, by the Church of Chrift, in the
Catechifm thereof: the which, though
by a strange Fanatick humor flighted,
and even derided, yet contains all things
both of Faith and Fact necessary to
Salvation, being rightly, clearly and
fully underflood.
I have not spared my pains in preach-
ing, nor my purſe in the maintenance of
others to affift me herein; but by bong
experience it is evident, that Sermons
(what through the variety and feveral
modes and methods thereof, on the one
band, and what through the great abuſe
thereof on the other) have not that in-
fluence upon the minds of men as be-
cometh found Doctrine: but have too
anuch sway with men of itching ears,
who heap to themſelves teachers after
their own luſts, who upon pretence of
going
The Epiſtle Dedicatory.
going on to perfection, go off the foun
dation, wax vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish hearts are darkned,
whilst they conceit themſelves enlight-
ned.
For your more ready, eafie and con-
fant inftruction therefore, I have com-
mitted to writing, and made publick
the Summary of Chriftian Doctrine,
in the Church Catechifm Paraphrafed.
And becauſe Doctrine without Pra-
Atice is but a body of Religion without a
foul to quicken it; I have now added
a Summary of Chriftian Practice, in
the enfuing practice of Self-examina-
tion; the rules whereof will equally
diſcover to you your fins and mifcarria-
ges paſt, and ſerve for a guide in or-
dering of all the actions of your life for
the future.
In both which Summaries, there i
nothing delivered but what I conceive ne-
ceffary to be known, and alfo to be done
or left undone in the way of Gods fer-
vice, and of your own falvation: And
fuch neceffary things it highly concern's
You
The Epistle Dedicatory.
you to have in continual remem-
brance.
And that you may not doubt, (being
perfons of different perfwafions) of the
undeniable truth and verity, of each
particular expreft, you have each par-
ticularly confirm'd out of the fountain-
truth, the holy word of God: the texts
whereof; (to avoid prolixity) are quoted
in the margin, to be examined at lei-
fure by any one who doubts of the truth of
any thing in either Tract afferted.
The expreffions I have used are plain,
and eafie to be understood by all, and as
fhort as I could devife; knowing that
multitude of words,variety of expreßions,
and quaint affected phrafes, especially
in the Effentials of Religion, though
they may more pleaſe, do not ſo much
trofit, but do really rather diftract than
inftruct the minds of moft: for it is not
the ratling of the leaves, but the fruits
of the Tree of Knowledge that feeds the
foul to life eternal.
As to the duty of Self-examination,
the fubject of the enfuing leaves, befide
the
The Epiftle Dedicatory.
the great neceßity of its conftant practice
you are after an especial manner en-
gaged thereunto, who will not make any
particular application to the Paftor of
your fouls to help you therein, and to
give you fuch directions, as may fuit
with your particular wants and condi-
tions: For the Prieſt's lips
fhould keep knowledge,and Mal. 2. 7.
they (the people) fhould
Heb.13, 17.
feek the law at his mouth
for he is the meffenger of
the Lord of hoſts: you are
therefore commanded to obey them that
have the rule over (or guide) you,and
fubmit your felves, for they watch
for your fouls, as they that muſt
give an account, that they may do
it with joy and not with grief; for
that is unprofitable for you.
you
To ſupply your defect and neglect of
this duty, this difcourfe of Self-exa-
mination is intended; and that
may in the confcientious exercife there-
of, prepare your felves aright for the
worthy participation of the bleffed Sa-
crament
The Epiſtle Dedicatory.
crament of Chrift's moft holy body and
blood, this duty being at ſuch a time
more especially commanded: And be-
cauſe of the great danger of unwart.by
receiving that Sacrament, every man
fands obliged as firictly to examine
himfelf before he eat of that bread,
and drink of that cup, as he believes
he shall be examined before the great
Tribunal of Heaven; and accordingly to
purge and purifie his foul by Confeßion,
Contrition, and all the facred acts and
offices of true Repentance. You will
meet with Directions, Confessions, Me-
ditations and Prayers fuitable to that
foul Saving Sacramental feaft in the
following leaves; with other useful
Meditations for the help of weaker
fouls, which the more illuminate and de-
vout may advance to higher degrees of
an heavenly Conversation.
And may God of his great mercy
assist you by his divine grace, not only
to bear and read and talk, but to do
and keep his holy will and Command-
ments
}
}
The Epiftle Dedicatory.
ments and walk in the fame all the
days of your life, which is a part of
he dayly Devotions of
Novemb.10.
1672.
Your Respective
Paftor,
E
{
Ric. Sherlock
}
Imprimatur,
Nov. 8.
167,2
Sam. Parker.
21%
THE
CONTENTS.
F the great ne- Prayers,to be partakers
ceffity of Self- of the Merits of what
examination in general our blessed Redeemer
Page 1 hath done and suffered
I
The Rule of Self- for us.
p. 185
examination by the Vow S. Auguft. Recom
in Baptifm. P.7 mendation of the Paffi
Examination by the on of Chrift unto God
Ten Commandments. the Father.
P.21
The Examination of
Repentance P.77
Directions in the
Confeffion of fin p.81
A Form of Confefſi-
on of fin, fitted to the
P.199
S. Ambrofe's Com
memoration of our Sa-
viours Paffion. P.202
S.Gregorie's Pray-
ers upon the Paffion of
Christ.
P.207
Meditations and
Rules of Self-examina- Prayers preparatory to
tion, whereunto every
one may add or fub-
ftract, as he finds him-
Self guilty or not guilty.
the holy Communion of
the Body and Blood of
Chriſt.
P.209
Meditations and
P.87 'Prayers when you come
P.215
The Lord's Prayer to Church
Paraphrafed. P.127 Meditations and
The Seven Peniten- Prayers fitted to the
tial Pfalms Paraphra- Seafons and ordinary
P.133 Actions of Day and
Meditations and Night.
Sed.
P.229
of
Marie waſhing CHRISTS feet.
IOH. 12.7
Then faid Iefus. let her alone: Againſt the
day of my burying hath fhe kept this
8 For the poore alwayes ye haue with you,
but me ye haue not alwayes,
Monday before Eafter.
2
The Institution of his laft Supper.
Mark:14.22.And as they did eat, Iefus took bread;
& bleſsed & brake it & gaue to them & faid,
Take eat, this is my body.
And he took y Cup & when he had given thanks,
he gave it to them & they all dranke of it.
In the Office of the Communion.
1
:
(1)
Neceßity of
Of the great
Self-Examination in Gene-
I.
ral.
"H
E that Believes as a Chrifti-
an, that his Soul being im-
mortal, is either entitled
5.
to everlaſting joy, through faith and
obedience to the Goſpel of Chriſt,
or lyable to eternal woe, through
misbelief and difobedience; a muſt a John 5:
be very ſtupid and fottifh, if he con- 28, 29.
fider not, and frequently examine,
whether he may reaſonably conclude
himſelf in the ftate of Grace and
Salvation, or of fin and of death, b b 2.Cor.13.
5.
Gal. 6.4.
2. Since God will bring every
work into judgment, c and upon c Eccl. 12.
our Trial and Examination at that 14.
great day depends either our well-
being or undoing for ever;
d it d Mat.25.
ult.
concerns every man that hath any Pfal. 4. 4°
fenſe of his future condition, to try
and judge himſelf for his miſcarri
ages in this life,as the means through
B
the
2
Rules for
e I Cor. II.
28,31,32,
f Luke 13.
3, 5.
the Merits of Chrift to avoid the
fevere judgments of God in the
life to come, e
3. Whofoever continues in any
known, wilful fin, unrepented, is
undoubtedly in a loft condition.
f Sinners we are all, but God in his
great mercy hath commanded Re-
pentance as a great Antidote againſt
the poiſon of fin, and preſervative
from death, the wages of fin. g And
true Repentance is, 1. to confefs
2 Pet.3.9. with godly forrow our fins paſt:
2. for ever to abjure and forfake
them for the time to come. And to
fuch a penitent only mercy is pro-
mifed h .
8 Matt. 3.
7,8.
h Prov. 28.
13.
Fob.8.11.
4. To both thefe general parts of
1Joh.1.9. true Repentance a full knowledge
and deep fenſe of all our heinous
fins, punctually and in particular,
is abfolutely neceffary: for no man
can confefs his fins, who knows them
not; nor forfake them, who is not
feelingly fenfible of the guilt and
i Pfa.51.3. danger contracted by them: i there-
Ifa.59.12. fore is this Self-Examination com-
manded as neceffarily conducing to
Repen-
+
3
Self-Examination.
Repentance or Converſion k and to k Lam. 3.
new Obedience. k
40.
k Pf. 119.
5. The juft man falleth feven times: 59.
and rifeth again. I Upon confidera- 1 Prov,24€
tion of his ſeven times daily failing, 16.
he hath ſeven times dayly Confeffi-
ons to the praiſe of God. m But if m Pf. 119.
not ſo often, yet twice a day Morn- 64.
ing and Evening he takes a view of Fof.7.19.
his miſcarriages the by-paft day or Pfal. 6. 6.
night, confeffing, bewailing and PS. 77.6.
imploring pardon for the fame, And
thus by daily accounting for his day-
ly offences, he will have but one
days fin to account for upon his dy-
ing day. n
n Luke 12.
42, 43.
We read of Mofes, that his le- Exod. 4.7.
prous hand-was made clean by thruft-
ing it into his bofom; and fo is the
foul cleanſed from the leprofie of fin
by the ftrict difquifition of the in-
ward man, and of the Souls works
done in the body. This is the very
office and magazine of all Chriftian
vertues:Hence comes the knowledge
of thy felf and the fear of God;
hence compunction and humility;
hence holy zeal of amendment and
B 2
per-
4
Rules for
perfeverance in every good work.
•
Eul.9.12. And without the conſtant practice
of this duty, men poffefs their im-
mortal fouls in vain, and live at all
peradventure like the beasts that
periſh.
{
In order to the receiving of the
Sacrament of Christ's holy
Body and Blood in Special.
L
Et a man examine himſelf, and
So let him eat of that bread and
drink of that Cup, 1 Cor.11.28.
This duty is pretended unto by all,
but for the moft part 'tis only to
withdraw themſelves from under the
Examination of their Paftors: for
that 'tis either generally neglected
or negligently performed by moſt
of men, is manifeft from the nume-
rous company both of ſuch as come
not at all, or come unworthily to
that bleffed Sacrament.
Tis
I
Self-Examination.
5
1
'Tis the great reaſon, 1. Why fo
many perfons receive not, or having
received and finding no benefit by
that facred feaft, have fleighted and
neglected it afterwards: for whileft
the leaven of malice and wickedness
is not narrowly fearched out and
abandoned, it foures the bread of
life and makes it unfavoury, and
without any taſte of ſweetneſs to the
foul, a 'Tis the reaſon.
a 1 Cor. 5.
7,8.
2. Why many perfons have by
the receiving of that bleffed Sacra-
ment been more hardened in their
fins and in the errors of their wayes :
for that ſpiritual food, meeting
with the venomous fores of fin; not
fearched to the bottom, and ſalved
by Repentance, is changed from
nourishment to poifon, and what
was ordained unto life is found unto 2 Cor. 6.
death.
3. 'Tis the cauſe of thofe fad and
difmal judgments threatned to un-
worthy Communicants, 1 Cor. II.
29, 30. and no marvel; for he that
receives Chriſt's holy body and
B 3
blood
14.
6
Rules for
blood into his foul not firft fearched
and emptied of all his fins, with
Judas betrays him into the hands
of his enemies, even thofe very
enemies that
which were
crucified him,
our fins :
And
therefore 'tis faid of fuch that
they are guilty of the body and blood
of our Lord, verf. 27. To avoid
therefore fuch an horrid fin and dif
mal judgments, 'tis commanded, Let
a man examine himself and folet him
eat.
7
↑
The
Self-Examination.
The Rule of Self-Examination
by the Vow in Baptiſm.
I.
TH
Hat this Self-Examination
being a duty of higheſt con-
cern may not be flightly, partially,
and deceitfully, but fincerely and
throughly performed; it must be
made not by thofe rules whereby too
many do flatter and deceive them-
felves, viz, a that of a bare and a Prov. 16.
naked belief in Chrift, that he died 25.
for our fins, and we by faith in him
are juftified, and of the number of
thoſe that are elected to life eternal
which are groundleſs prefumptions,
except thy faith in Chrift do purifie
thy heart from all finful affections,
b and cleanfe thy hands from all fin- b A&s15,
ful actions, c and be alfo fruitful in 9.
all good works. d
c 2 Cor. J.
I.
Fam. 4.8.
2. The true and infallible rule of å Fam. 2.
Self-Examination, can be no other ult.
but that by which we fhall be exami-
ned and tried before the judgment-
Seat of Chrift, which is not faith
alone,
В 4
8
Rules for
alone, but an univerfal obedience to
a 2 Theff.1. the Gospel of Chrift. a
8.
3. The fum of Evangelical obedi-
ence is expreft in the Vow which
every true Chriftian hath made when
he was Baptized or Chriftned:
which is a fummary of all Chriſtian
duty.
4. Which Vow is the condition
apon which we were admitted into
the Covenant of Grace by Baptifm,
wherein we are made Members of
Chrift, Children of God, and Heirs
of his Kingdom of heaven: And
therefore they that take no care,
make no Confcience of keeping this
condition, but flight, neglect or
negligently perform the fame, do
uncovenant themſelves, and are left
in their natural ftate of fin and mi-
b Heb. 1o. fery, viz. Children of wrath, ene-
23,26,27, mies of God and heirs of eternal dam-
nation. b For the benefits of the
< Deut. 7. Covenant of Grace belong only
Fer. 11.3, to them that keep the condition
therein required, c
28.
9, 10.
4, 5.
Pfal. 103.
17, 18.
Heb. 2.23.
5. Every
Self-Examination.
9
5. Every wilful fin is a breach
of this Covenant, and contracts
therewith the fin of perjury, and
incurs the forfeiture of all the pre-
cious benefits of the members of
Chrift, children of God and Heirs
of heaven; fo that no man can rea-
ſonably conclude himſelf within the
Covenant of Grace, until the lea-
ven of wickednefs, which is a breach
of its condition, be ftrictly fearch-
ed out and expurged, a
According therefore to this Co-
venant, which we have every one,
rightly Chriſtned, made with God,
it concerns every man to examine
himſelf, who hath any care of his
foul,
6. This condition confifts of three
general heads call'd in holy writ by
the three Names of 1. Repentance,
2. Faith, 3. Obedience, containing
there-under the whole duty of a
chriſtian man,
7. Repentance confiſts not only in
confeffion, with forrow for fin
B 5
paſt,
a I Cor. 6.
7, 8.
10
Rules for
a Eph. 5.
II.
;
paſt, but in performance for the
future of that grand Evangelical
duty whereby we forfake fin, re-
nounce all fellowship with the anfruit-
ful works of darkness, a Deny un-
b Tit.2.12. godliness and worldly lufts: b the
which with feveral more expreffi-
one of the fame nature, are the very
fame in fence with the first part of
our Baptiſmal Vow, viz. to for fake
the devil and all his works, the pomps
and vanities of this wicked world,
and all the finful lufts of the flesh,
which is frequently remembred to
be one of the two main ends of all
that Chrift hath done and fuffered
for us. b
b Luke 10.
18.
Col.1. 13.
Heb. 2.14,
8. This being therefore the pre-
Tit. 2.15. paration of the Gospel of peace
c and the foundation of Religion,
c Eph. 6. d is the firſt general rule of Self-
Examination.
15.
15.
Matt. 3.2.
d Heb.6.1.
To
J
Self-Examination.
II
To forfake the Devil and all
his works.
A
Nd it highly concerns us ſure-
ly to do this, fince they are
the children of the Devil, who do
his works a.
The devils firſt and general work
was Apoftafie: he abode not in the
truth; he kept not his firft eftate:
Here then in the first place confider
ſeriouſly and impartially, how fre-
quently, nay dayly, if not hourly,
thou haft yielded to the fuggeftions
of Satan, and become like unto him
by fwerving from thy firft profefi-
on of the holy Chriftian Faith and
Vow of Obedience to Gods com-
mands, when admitted into Cove-
nant with God in Baptifm.
The more particular works of the
devil are 1. Pride, whereby he fell
from being an Angel of Light to be
a Spirit of Darkneſs b.
2. Lying, for he is a Lyar and the
father of it.
3. Ma-
a Job. 8.
44.
Fud: 6.
}
bifa. 14.
14, 15.
Foh. 8.44.
12
Rules for
a Rev.12.
10%
bi Pet. 5.
I
8.
3. Malice, hatred, envy, with all
the degrees of Murder both in will
and deed, he was a Murderer from
the beginning.
4. Slander, backbiting and accu-
fing of the brethren, a from whence
he takes the name of Devil.
5. Tempting unto fin, that's the
inceffant work of the Devil; who
Continually go. bout like a roaring
Lyon feeking whom he may devour b.
Examine then whether according
to thy promiſe made unto God, thou
haft manfully fought under the ban-
ner of Chriſt againſt the crafts and
affaults of the Devil, tempting thee
to any of theſe fins, or to any other
miſcarriage either in judgment or
practice, and haft not rather fuffered
thy felf, oftner than thou canst
poffibly imagine, to be taken in the
2 Tim. 2. Snares of the Devil, and led captive
by him at his will.
ult.
'
The
Self-Examination.
13
F
The Pomps and Vanities of this
wicked world.
Theſe are in other words the
pride of life, and the lufts of the
eyes, which are inconfiftent with the
love of God a.
Upon this head Examine
a Fob. 2.
15.
I. Hath not thine heart been
puft up with the wind of vain glory,
which vents it felf by boafting and
bragging of vain things of the world
which profit not, 6 by over coftly b Pf.12.4.
and gariſh apparel, high vaunt- cIfa.3.
ing, imperious language, ftrutting 16, 17.
gate, affected geftures, fupercilious
and fcornful looks, d affecting and d Ecclus
receiving the honour which is from 9.29,30.
man, more than the honour which
cometh from God only? e
2. Have you not esteemed your
ſelf more than others your equals,
e Foh. 5.
44.
if not fuperiors; f either in respect f Phil.2.3.
of your worldly wealth, and eſtate,
place of credit and fuperiority g, gPf.49.6.
great-
14
Rules for
a Joh. 12.
43.
greatnefs of wit, readinefs of elo-
cution, boldness to outvie, cunning
to over-reach your neigbour, or in
any other of thoſe worldly qualifica-
tions and endowments, which ufu-
ally fwell the vain minds of worldly
men,with conceitedneſs of their own
worth, and makes them love the
praife of men, more than the praise
of God? a
!
3. Have no idle and lewd compa-
ny, nor yet the ill example of others
allured you to follow any of thofe
finful cuftomes of the world, which
have fome outward fhew of pomp
and ſeeming bravery, but are really
vain and empty of all true worth b:
have you not delighted your felf in
fuch lying vanities, and loved even
to be cozened both of your time and
c Pf. 4.2. treaſure in purſuance of them c?
bfa.144.
II.
Prov. I.
IO, II.
d Matt.6.
24.
4. Have you not loved and ferv-
ed Mammon more than God, d by
preferring the fordid fervice of your
worldly ends, and interefts, before
the facred fervice of God and the
intereſts of your fouls health and
c Matt. 6, happineſs ? e
23.
And
Self-Examination.
15
And all the finfal Lufts of the.
Flesh.
1. Hath not the corrupt feed
of carnal luft taken root in your
heart, and brought forth in your
life, any of thoſe finful fruits of the
flesh, which are reckoned by S.Paul
to be theſe, Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lafciviouſneſs, idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emu-
lations, ftrifes, feditions, herefies,
envyings, marders, drunkenneſs,
revelling, &c ? a
a Gal. 5.
19,20,21.
2. If upon the ſtrict examination
of your heart and life, you find your
felf guiltie in any of theſe refpects,
then remember what follows, that
they who do fuch things fhall not inhe-
rit the kingdom of God, b and ſuch b Gal. 5.
furely are not within the Covenant 21.
of Grace, neither have they any
title to the promiſes thereof, whilſt
they continue in any of the fore-
mentioned fins unrepented; for the
promiſe only appertaineth to him
that overcometh, c namely, the Devil c Rev. 2.
and 7, 11.
16
Rules for
and all his works, the pomps and va-
nities of this wicked world and all
the finful lufts of the flesh.
The more particular breaches of
this first part of your Covenant with
God will appear upon examination
of your felf, by thoſe particular Com-
mands of God which they do
reſpectively tranfgrefs.
à Mark
16. 16.
Fohn 12.
48.
Secondly, To believe all the
Articles of the Chriftian
Faith.
H
E that believes (viz. all the
fundamental articles of the
Chriſtian Faith) shall be faved, but
he that believeth not shall be
damned a.
:
Here then Examine
1. If you have learned, being
young, what are thefe articles or
points of Chriftian Faith, where-
into
Self-Examination.
17
into you were Baptized orChriſtned:
and if you can now give a ready
account of your Faith, and this both
in the very words of your Creed,
and alfo in the full fence and true
meaning of each Article thereof a.
a Fames 2.
18.
2. Do you ſtedfaſtly believe the 1 Pet.3.15.
infallible truth of each article,
though perhaps you underſtand it
not in its full extent? Are you zea-
louſly affected with them all, re-
folved to die in this faith, and, if
occafion be, to die for it, refifting
even unto blood, whatever may op-
poſe or infringe the fame; earnestly
contending for that faith, which was
once given to [or by] the Saints,
the holy Apoftles of our Lord c?
3. Doft thou not only believe
with the heart, but alſo frequently
confefs this faith with the mouth; for
as with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness, fo with the mouth con-
feffion is made unto Salvation c?
4. Have neither the fenfeleſs neg-
lect of fome, nor the prophane
fcoffs of others, made thee alfo
neg-
b Fude ep.
3. v.
c Rom. 10.
10.
18
Rules for
lect, or be ashamed to confefs thy
Faith in publick? and if ſo,thy faith
is not fincere, for he that truly be-
a Rom.10. lieveth in God will not be ashamed a
II.
openly to profeſs it; remembring
that there is a difmal fhame, and
confufion of face threatned to him
that is afhamed of Christ, and his
b Mark 8. words b, which are fumm'd up in
ult.
the Creed.
5. Haft thou lived in the practice
of this Faith, framing both the af-
fections of thy heart, and the acti-
ons of thy life according to what
each article doth imply and impli
citely command? for thus the juſt
c Heb.2.4. man lives by his Faithc.
Rom.1.17.
d Gal.5.6.
Fam. 2.
17.
1.
6. Have you not been mistaken in
the nature of a true Chriſtian Faith,
making it to be a prefumption upon
the promiſes of the Goſpel abftract
from obedience to the precepts there-
of? And hath not thy Faith been
rather notional in the brain, than
practical in the heart and life? been
more in talk and difpute, and ver-
bal profeffion, than in love and
good works d, and holy converfa-
tion?
!
4
1
Self-Examination.
19
tion? for the Kingdom of God is not
in word, but in power a of holy
actions.
2 1 Cor. 4.
20.
Thirdly, To keep Gods holy
Will and Commandments,
and to walk in the fame all
the days of thy life.
O obey Gods Commands is
properly to ferve him, a which
a Ecclef.
is frequently affirmed to be the plain 12, 13.
road way to heaven b.
b Mat. 19.
Rev. 14.
12.
Theſe Commandments are the 17.
fame which God fpake in the 20. Chap.
of Exodus c, the rule of righteouf- c Mat.19.
nefs, being the fame under the Law, 18,19.
and under the Goſpel, only in the Mark 10.
one 'tis more plainly and fully under- 19.
ftood than in the other.
Here then a more large and par-
ticular examination of thy felf is re-
quired; viz. by all the duties com-
manded and fins forbidden in the
precepts of the Moral Law.
God
21
Y
The First Commandment.
God fpake theſe words
and faid, I am the Lord
thy God, Thou shalt
have none other Gods
but me.
Examination by the First Com-
mandment.
*
T
He Duties enjoyned in this
Commandment are,
are, Firſt,
To believe in God.
1
Since Faith in God is the ground
of all religious worship, Examine,
First, Whether truly and without Heb.11.6,
ll doubting or harbouring any fe-
ret Atheistical thoughts you do be-
ieve the being of God and his pro-
vidence over all?
'Secondly,
22
Rules for
1 Tim. 1.17.
II, 12.
Pfal. 77.
13, 14.
Secondly, That you believe of him,
Fob.4.24. what he truly is, a pure, fpiritual,
Ecclus. 16, invifible Effence, a God moft wife,
moſt holy, eternal and infinite, in-
finitely merciful and infinitely juft,
infinitely great and glorious, omni-
potent and immortal, without be-
ginning of daies or end of time :
and in a word, that his excellency,
perfection and felicity in himfelf is
beyond all that the wit of man can
conceive?
Deut.28.
58.
Mat. 28.
Thirdly, That you believe in him
as the great Creator of the world,
1Joh.5.7. redeemer of all men, and fanctifier
19.
I
of his Church and people, three
perfons, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, one God over all, bleffed
for ever?
And becauſe the faith of moft is
Lake 18.8. but notional and verbal only, daily
decaying as the world draws nearer
to an end, examine the fincerity of
your Faith by thefe effential pro-
perties thereof.
1. If it purifie your hearts from
Alts 15. 9. all unworthy thoughts of God, and
vile
Self-Examination.
23
*
le affections that ſeparate from
im.
2. If it encreaſe divine love in
our heart, which was Mary Mag-
dalens faith, Luk.7.47.
3. If it make you devout and in-
enfe in your Prayers, which was
the Woman of Canaans faith,
Matt. 15. 28.
4. If thereby you cleave unto
God, and make him your choice
above all the pleaſures and treaſures
of the world, which was Mofes's
aith, Heb. 11. 24, 25.
5. If it make you ſtrong to refift
even unto blood, which was the
Luk.7.47.
Mat. 15.
28.
Heb. II.
24, 25.
faith of all Martyrs, Heb. 11. 33, Heb. 11.
34. If it bring forth the fruits of 33, 34.
good works, which was Cornelius's
faith, Acts 10. 2. and is the life of
Faith, 7ames 2. ult.
Secondly, Totruft in him.
Examine, First, Whether both
in profperity and adverfity your
mind
AЯs 10.2.
Fam.
ult.
24
Self-Examination.
Pf. 62.1.
2 Theſſ.3.3.
or
mind hath ſo been ftaid in the Lord,
as not to be puft up by the one,
dejected by the other?
2. Have you not betrayed your
truft in the care and providence of
God, fo as either to diftract your
1 Pet. 5.7. mind with carking cares for worldly
Mark 8.
45.
concerns, nor yet to uſe any unlaw-
ful means to acquire or preferve
health, wealth, credit, liberty or
life it felf?
3. Have you not leaned to your own
Prov. 3. 5. understanding, trufted to your own
1 Tim. 6. wit, policie, ftrength, riches, nor
yet in the favour and power of any
mortal man to the weakning of your
dependance on God alone?
17.
Fer. 17.
5, 7.
Thirdly, To hope in God.
First, Whether to enjoy God,
a Pfal. 16. and thoſe joys which are in his pre-
JO. fence attainable a be the great and
b Pf. 71.5. main object of your hope b as being
Fer. 7.7. created after his image, and to at-
tain the perfection of your being
in the beatifical enjoyment of his
24,25,26. Sacred Majeſty c?
c Pfal. 73.
2. Hath
Self-Examination.
25
*
2. Hath your hope to enjoy God
been accompanied with a conformi-
tie to the nature of God, being holy
as he is holy, merciful as he is mer-
ciful a? For you hope in vain to fee a1 Pet. I.
God in heaven and enjoy him, ex- 15, 16.
cept you be God-like b?
3. Have you fo hoped to enjoy
the promiſes of God as to obey his
precepts and be fruitful in all good
works? hope in the Lord and be doing
good c, your hope is otherwiſe but
finful prefumption or the hope of the
hypocrite that perisheth. d
a
4. Hath not your hope in the
mercies of God through the merits
of Chriſt, emboldned you to go on
in any known fin unrepented of and
baniſhed out of thy heart?
Fourthly, The fear of God.
1. Hath thy fear of Gods judg-
ments equally ballanced thy hope in
his mercies, revering his juſtice and
the direful threats and examples
thereof in his holy Word, ſo as not
C
to
Lak.6.36.
b Mat.5.3.
Pf. 37.3.
d Fob 8.
13.
26
Rules for
a Pfal.4.5.
Prov. 3.7.
Phil, 2, 12.
to dare to fin againſt him? Fear the
Lord and depart from evil. a··
2. Have you not more feared to
fin in the fight of men, than in the
prefence of God, more feared to
diſpleaſe man, than to incur the dif-
pleaſure of the Almighty; more
feared to loſe thy credit amongſt thy
neighbours and companions than to
Theff.3.4 hazard the lofs of Gods favour;
nor yet more feared the penalty of
Ifa. 51.12. humane Laws, than the threatnings
Luk.12.4, of the divine?
Prov.29.
25.
5.
3. Hath thy fear of God been
rather filial, viz. a fear to offend fo
gracious a father, than ſervile, for
fear of puniſhment? But becauſe we
are commanded to work out our Sal-
vation with fear and trembling, Ex-
amine,whether the filial fear of God
prevail in your heart, and gather
I Fob. 4. ftrength over the fervile fear, till at
laft it be quite caft out by perfect
love, which is that which follows.
-Phil. 2.12.
>18.
Fifthly,
Self-Examination.
27
Fifthly, To love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart and with all, &c.
37, 38.
s Cor.13.
1,2. ad ult.
This divine love includes all theſe
graces, and all the particulars of the Mat.22.
duties we owe unto God, And be-
cauſe every man pretends to love
God, how falfely and deceitfully
foever he think or ſay it, therefore
this divine affection is to be strictly
examined by theſe following Rules.
And Firſt, as thy faith fo thy love
of God is not fincere except thou
be in fome good meaſure conformed
to his nature, pure as he is pure, juft,
good, gracious---as God is fo; Be Eph. 5.1,2.
ye followers of God as dear children
and walk in love,
2. If the will of God be the rule
of thy will and moderator of all thy Pf. 97.10.
affections, loving what he loves, Mat.5.44
hating what he hates, even to the Luk. 14.
love of thine enemies and hatred of 26.
thy friends, if in competition with
the love of God,
C 2
3. IF
28.
Rules for
·Y
3. If the chief end of all your
Theff.2.4 actions be to pleaſe God, more than
Mat.18.8. to pleaſe your ſelf, or to pleaſure
Matt.10. any perfon, how great and high,
how near or dear foever.
37
P/122. I.
21, 22.
4. If it be the joy of your heart
Ifa. 2. 3. to come into the houſe of the Lord,
f. 27.4. to converſe with him in holy pray-
P.42.1.2. ers, publick and private,to contem-
Pf. 71.20, plate his perfections and felicities,
1 Per.2.12. fo as to be inflamed with longing
defires and affectionate breathings
after him; to glorifie him both with
heart and voice, both with your lips
and in your life.
Fob.14.15. 5. If you be quick, ready, active,
Pf.63.1.3.
2 Cor. 4.
regular and conftant in your Obe-
dience to all his Commandments.
6. If you long to have a more
full enjoyment of God in the world
to come, and do not rather prefer
ult. ch. 5. a troubleſome temporary abode in
V. 1,2,3. this life, before the pleaſures of
Gods right hand in the other.
By
Self-Examination.
29
By theſe Rules you may examine
your felf whether you love God
in deed and in truth, and not in con-
ceit, and verbally only.
Sixthly, To call upon God and
give him Thanks:-
23,24.
In the habitual practice of the for
mer Graces of the Spirit; confifts Fob. 4.
the worship of God in Spirit: and
they are all put in practice chiefly
by holy prayers unto God and prai- pſal. 50.
fes of him, which is therefore the ult.
principal part of Gods outward
worſhip, and
First, here examize, how fre-
Ps. 134.2..
Matt.6.5.
quently you have fleighted and omit-
ted to call upon God, being here- Pf. 55. 17.
unto obliged, both publickly in the Eccl.11.6.
congregation and privately in your
clofet, morning and evening at leaft,
fignified by the morning and evening
facrifice.
2. How often hath any flight oc-
cafion and pretence made you neg-
lect this indifpenfable dutyof Prayer,
efpeci-
C 3
f
30
Rules for
Eph.5.9.
Pf. 106.
ult.
eſpecially the publick prayers of the
Church; and have you not been
fecretly glad, when any ſuch occafi-
on hath happened?
3. Being come into the houſe of
God,have you not neglected to joyn
in the prayers and fervice of God
there celebrated, and through igno-
rance and dulneſs, or a finful fhame
omitted to lift up your voice in the
congregation, to praise the Lord in
hymns and pfalms and fpiritual ſongs,
and audibly to ſay Amen to the pray-
ers of the Church?
4. Have you not been too rash
Ecclef.5.2. with jour mouth to utter any thing be-
fore God, that is either unfit, im-
pertinent or unlawful to be asked,
but have firſt weighed all your
words in the ballance of the Sanctua
Hof. 14.2. ry, and have framed all your prayers
Matt. 6.9. according to the pattern which our
Lord hath given us, both by his own
prayer and the prayers of his
Church?
5. Have you prayed for others,
* Tim. 2.1. viz, all Superiours and relations of
every
Self-Examination.
31
+
kind, and not only for fuch as are
your friends, but for your very Mat.5.44,
enemies alfo?
6. Have you firſt endeavoured to
purifie your heart from all hypocri-
fie,and to cleanſe your hands from Fam. 48.
all your actual fins by true repen-
tance, before you make your ap-
proaches to the moft holy God by
prayer?
7. Do you practiſe as you pray,
in the careful ufe of thoſe means James L.
which God hath appointed, to ob- 7, 8.
tain your petitions ?
8. Do you daily praife God for
his great glories in himſelf, and give
him thanks for his manifold graces Eph. 5.20.
both general to all men, special to
his Church and people and particu- Matt. 5.
lar to your felf expreffed? And do 16.
you fhew forth the praiſes of God,
not only with your lips, but in the
good works of your life, that others
may be thereby excited to glorifie
God alfo ?
C 4
The
!
The Second Commandment.
Thou shalt not make to
thy ſelf any graven I-
mage, northe likeneſs of
any thing that is in hea-
ven above, or in the
earth beneath, or in the
water under the earth :.
Thou shalt not bow.
down to them,nor wor-
fhip them: for I the
Lord thy God, am a jea-
lous God, and vifit the.
fins of the fathers upon-
the children, unto the
third and fourth genera-
tion of them that hate
me, and ſhew mercy un-
to thouſands in them
€ C. 5
вы
that
33.
34
Rules for
that love me, and keep
my Commandments.
Examination by the Second
Commandment.
1.
1
Deut. 4.
15, 16.
24.
H
Ave you not in your phan-
tafie mifreprefented the
moft pure and ſpiritual God, under
any bodily fhape or viſible being
whatſoever ?
2. Have you not ſerved the crea-
Matt. 5. ture more than the Creator, making
Rom.1.25. a God of the World by Ambition,and
Col. 3. 5. Covetoufnefs which is Idolatrie, or
Phil. 3.19. a God of your belly by Luxury and
the too much indulging of carnal
delights?
4.
3. Have you not fet up your idols
Ezek. 14. in your own heart, idolized your own
imaginations, by believing and
Pf.81.9, worshipping God otherwife than
himſelf hath preſcribed, either im-
12.
2 Cor.10.5
mediately
Self-Examination.
35
mediately in his holy Word, or
mediately by the Miniftry of his ho- Deut. 4.2.
Heb.13.17.
ly and true Church ?
4. Have you worshipped God as
with all internal devotion of foul, fo
alſo with all external, humble and
low proftration of body; for in be- Pf.95. 6.
ing forbidden to fall down to ferve 1 Cor.6.
Idols, or any falfe gods, you are
thereby bidden to fall down in fer-
ving the Lord?
ult.
5. If you abhor Idols, Examine,
if you have not been guilty of Sa- Rom.2.25
crilege, which is to rob God in Tiths Mat. 3. 8.
and Offerings, or of whatſoever is
devoted to his Service? both of
which fins are equally condemned by
this Law for as by Idolatrie God
is robbed in his fervice,fo by Sacri-
lege, in the fupport and maintenance
of his fervice.
:
The
37
The Third Commandment.
Thou shalt not take the
Name of the Lord thy
God in vain: for the
Lord will not hold him
guiltless, that taketh his
Name in vain.
Examination by the Third Com-
mandment.
H Name of God either,
Ave you not prophaned the
First, in your thoughts, by enter-
taining any misbecoming apprehen-
fions of Gods Majefty, and fuch as
are vain and mean,and far below the
Name of God, which is great,
wonderful and holy? Or,
2. In
Pf. 99. 3+
38
Rules for
2. In your words, by any fcurri-
Fam.2.7. lous and irreverent difcourfes of
God, or impertinent and unfeemly
addreffes unto him? Or,
{
3. In your actions, by the ungod-
2 Sam.12. liñefs and injuftice of your conver-
fation, giving occafion to others to
23, 24. blafpheme his Name?
14.
Rom. 2.
12.
4. Have you taken no falſe and
Lev. 19. unlawful Oaths, nor yet been guilty
Mat.5 34. of too ordinary, customary fwear-
Fam.5.12. ing in difcourfe; or curfing by the
Pf.109.17 dreadful Name of God, which is
Fam. 9.
only to be mentioned for adoration
3, 10.
and bleffing?
18, 19.
5. Have you carefully obferved
Exek. 17. thofe lawful oaths you have taken in
Zach.8.17. order to fubjection to higher
powers, nor yet have taken any
that have been contrary thereunto?
6. Have you to the utmoſt of
Pfal. 15. 4. your power obferved all juſt pro-
mifes made unto others, though to
your prejudice in your outward
affairs?
And
Self-Examination.
39
15, 16.
And becauſe the Name of God is Lev. 21. 6.
to be honoured in all things that Deut. 28.
have his Name enftamped there- 58.
Fer. 34°
upon you may therefore upon this
Commandment Examine, as to the
duties you owe, Firſt, to the Word,
Secondly, to the Sacraments, Third-
ly, to the house of God.
As to the Word of God.
First, Have you a far more ve-
nerable eſteem for the Word of God,
than for the word of man, though Theff. 2.
fpoken in the Pulpit, wifely diftin- 13, 14.
guishing betwixt the divine infpira-
tion of the one, and the humane in-
vention of the other?
2. Do you believe unfeignedly
all that God hath fpoken in his holy Pfal. 37. 3.
Word, whether by doctrine or ex-
ample, promiſes or threatnings?
and have the promiſes of Gods
Word allured you to obey its pre-
cepts, and the threats (confirmed Pf. 90. 11.
by examples) deterred you from
doing what is therein prohibited?
3. Have
40
Rules for
Mar.4.24
Fam.2.22
3. Have you not placed your
Religion in the bare reading of holy
Scriptures, and hearing of Sermons,
without due confideration of the
weight and true meaning of what
you have heard or read, and with-
out the careful practice thereof in
your life?
4. Have you not made your own
private interpretation of Scriptures,
2 Pet.1.20 nor wrefted any Text to another
2 Pet.3.16 fence than the holy Spirit of God
1 Tim.6.3. intended therein, either to pleaſe
your own fancy, or maintain fome
private opinion, or to miniſter to
contention and difpute?
Tit. 3.9.
►
5. Have you not uſed the Word
of God in ordinary and common
talk, either to excite to merriment
and laughter, or to fhow your own
wit, and fecretly boaft of your
reading and readineſs therein?
#1
'As
Self-Examination.
41
م
+3
A
1
}
As to the Sacraments which Chrift
bath ordained in his Church.
First in general; Have you a
very high and holy esteem for thofe Job. 3.5..
Feb.
bleffed means of grace and myfte- ch. 6.53.
ries of falvation, believing unfeign-
edly the great neceflity and efficacy
both of Baptifm and the Lords Sup-
per, and not upon any pretexts or
pretences neglecting the devout and
reverend uſe of either, as occafion
and opportunitie hath been offered?
2. Have you not prophaned the
confecrated elements of either Sacra- A&.10.15.
ment, by eſteeming and uſing them
as common things?
3. As to Baptiſm in particular
your grand dutie is to examine your
felf frequently by that folemn vow
you made when Chriftned, confef-
fing and bewailing your manifold
tranfgreffions thereof, and daily re-
newing your Covenant with God;
refolving and promifing daily to
forfake the Devil, the world, and
the
42.
Rules for
12, 13.
the flesh, and devoting your felf to
the facred ſervice of God by a true
and lively faith and obedience to his
commandments: the breach of
which vow unto God, is a greater
offence, than that of ordinary
Swearing, becauſe in the one God
is but call'd upon as a witneſs, but
in the other he is a party concerned.
Concerning the Sacrament of the holy
body and blood of Chrift.
Examine,
First, How often you have neg-
Ifa. 65. lected to come, being invited, to
that bleffed Feaft: and here confider
the cauſes of this fin, which are,
1. Ignorance of your Duty, joyned
with a flothful and carelefs neglect
to take pains for inftruction, or ap-
ply your felf to your Paftor for
direction: 2. The terror of un-
28, 29. worthy receiving confidered, but the
duty to receive, not remembred.
Ifa. 5.13.
I Cor. 21,
3. Impenitence, and continuance
Ifa. 55.23. in fin, prefer'd before the Sacred Re-
ligious actions of a due preparation,
and devout participation of that
bread of life.
1
Secondly,
Self-Examination.
43
Socondly, Notwithſtanding which
impediments examine, have you not
prefumed to come to that Sacred
feaft, being ignorant of the nature
of the ends, and benefits thereof, and
fo received the fame unworthily,
not difcerning the Lords body? Or
having knowledge,
I Cor.II.
27.
Thirdly, Have you accordingly
prepared your felf aright, to come
unto that Celeſtial banquet, and that
1. by a thorow examination of your
felf, to find out your fins and fail-
ings, 2. by a full confeffion of them Sam. 4.
to God, and in fome cafes to Man, 8, 9, 10.
A&. 3. 19.
and that 3. with all contrition and
godly forrow for fin, and 4. with 16, 17.
a full purpoſe of amendment: re-
newing your covenant with God,
contracted in the foregoing Sacra-
ment of Baptifm, and now to be
fealed in the Sacrament of Chrifts
blood.
Fourthly, Have you with all Re-
verence and Humility, both of Soul
and body, approached to that Sacra-
ment, and have you received the
fame,
Heb. 10.
I Cor.6.20
1
44
Rules for
t
fame, 1. with a lively faith in the
mercies of God, through the me-
rits of Chrift: 2. with all Devotion
and Thankfulness of heart, in the
grateful acknowledgment of Gods
Ro. 5. 12. infinite love, in giving his Son to
Feb. 3.16.
1 Tim.1.15. be both the price of your Redemp-
1 Pet.1.18. tion, and the food of your foul:
Foh, 6.51.
3. with an entire and unfeigned
Mat.5.23, Charity towards all men: 4. being
Ifa. 12. 3. inwardly affected with a fpiritual
joy in the Lord.
24, 25.
Rom. 14.
17.
Fifthly, After the participation
of thoſe divine Myſteries, examine
whether you feel your former finful
motions, fenfual and worldly lufts
dying, and decaying in your heart;
2. Whether you have any ſenſe of
God's mercy, refreſhing your foul,
as to the pardon of your fins paft,
and 3. of grace quickening and
ftrengthning you to ferve God more
fincerely and induftriouſly for the
time to come: If not, you may
justly fufpect your felf guilty, either
of an undue preparation, or fome
finful defect in the participation
thereof.
3. And
Self-Examination.
45
3. And becauſe the Name of God I Cor.3.17.
is called not only upon his Word Pf. 93.5.
and Sacraments, but alſo upon the Matt. 21.
place where thoſe are adminiftred: 13.
Examine whether you have made
your approches to that houfe which
is called by his Name (viz.) the
Temple of the Lord, the house of
God, &c. and demeaned your felf Pfal. 5. 7.
therein with that lowly Reverence 132. 7.
and Humility, both inward and out-
ward, as becomes the place that is
ſeparate to his ſervice, and fanctified
by his fpecial prefence therein: if
otherwiſe, remember with horror,
if any one defile or prophane the Tem- pf. II. 4.
ple of the Lord, him ſhall God de- Hab.2.20.
froy, for the Temple of God is holy. 1 Cor. 3.17.
I
The
47
?
1
The Fourth Commandment.
Remember that thou keep
holy the Sabbath day.
Six days fhalt thou la-
bour, and do all that
thou haft to do: but the
ſeventh day is the fab-
bath of the Lord thy
God: in it thou shalt do
no manner of work,
thou, and thy fon, and
thy daughter, thy man-
fervant, and thy maid-
fervant, thy cattel, and
the ſtranger that is with-
in thy gates for in fix
days the Lord made
heaven and earth, the
fea, and all that in them
is,
48
Rules for
is, and reſted the feventh
day: wherefore the
Lord bleſſed the ſeventh
day and hallowed it.
7,8,9.
Examination by the Fourth
Commandment.
I.
H
Ave you wifely diftin-
guiſhed betwixt times fa-
cred and prophane, by eſteeming
Eccles. 33. of fuch days as are devoted to the
fervice of God, in a felect and fe-
parate reſpect, from fuch as are
common or ordinary days allowed
for the fervice of man?
2. Have you not omitted the
Chriftian duties required to the
Sanctification of the Lord's day,
and of every day holy to the Lord,
Eph.5. 19. viz. 1. The publick Prayers with
Ela.56.7. Thanksgivings, the Pfalms and
Hymns and spiritual Songs in the
Lord's
Self-Examination.
49
Lord's houfe? 2. The Offices of
Charity, Alms-deeds, Vifiting the Matt. 12.
Sick?
3. Have you not prophaned any
12.
Mar. 3.4.
days devoted to Gods publick wor- Ifa. 56. 2.
fhip, by doing fuch fervile works Ex.20.10.
that might be omitted, or by going
unneceffary journeys, or by fpend- Ifa. 58,13,
ing the fame in idleneſs or vain 14.
fports, luxury and wantonnefs?
I Cor. 7. 5.
4. Have you obferved not only
the Festival days, but alſo thofe Foel 1. 14.
daies of Fafting and Humiliation Mat.6. 16
which have been obferved in all ages Lev. 16.
of the Church of Chrift, by the de-
vout people of God, and are in-
joyned by lawful fuperiors, in order
to the obedience we owe to the
Commands of God?
29, 30,
Have you kept the true Chriſtian
ſpiritual Sabbath, which is to reſt
from the ſervice of fin, and to be
wholly devoted to the fervice of
God here; fo that you may reafon- Heb. 4. 9,
ably hope to keep a ſpiritual Sab- 10, 11, 12,
bath with God, and all the Chore
of heaven, hereafter?..
D
The
51
The Fifth Commandment.
Honour thy Father and
thy Mother, that thy
days may be long in the
land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee.
Examination by the Fifth Com-
mandment.
TH
He Chriſtian duties enjoyned
in this Commandment are as
many as there are Relations of S.11.
periority and Inferiority amongſt
men.
1. As to your natural parents :
Have you not been ftubborn, and Deu. 21.
irreverent in your carriage towards 18, 19.
them have you not fecretly defpi- Pro, 20.
fed them in your heart, nor openly ch.23.22.
publiſhed their infirmities: Have
:
D 2
you
20.
52
Rules for
·
Pro. 1.8. &
Pro.30.17. you not fleighted their wholfome
admonitions, nor diſobeyed their
lawful Commands: have you not
4.1. & 13. neglected to comfort and relieve
them, to the beſt of your power
Eph. 5. 1. and skill in their fickneſs, wants,
weakneſs, and old age and have
Esclus. 3. you not fecretly coveted their
eftates, though by their death?
I.
12, 13.
Mar. 7.
I, 12.
2. If you be a Father or a Mo-
ther of Children, examine; 1. have
you taken care to fee they were
rightly, and in due time, Baptized?
2. That they be taught, affoon as
they are able to learn, what a folemn
Vow was made in their name, when
baptized, with the principles of re-
Eph. 6. 4. ligion implyed therein, and depen
Heb.12.11, ding thereupon? 3. To correct
them for their offences, that they
contract not a cuftom in fin; to give
them good example; 4. To pray
for them in private, and openly to
give them your bleffing; 5. To
11, 13.
9.
Eccl.3. provide for them,according to your
ability, and not to fpend in needlefs
Tim.5. 8. riot, or otherwife, what ought to
have been referv'd for their main-
tenance ?
3. As
Self-Examination.
53
2 Pet. 2.
10, II.
3. As to your Civil Father who 1 Pet.2.13,
is the King as Supream: Have you 14.
not been cenforious and malepert, Fud. v. 8.
in judging and traducing him, or
his government: Have you not Rom. 13.6
grudged to pay him toll or tribute : Tit. 3. 1.
Refuſed to obey his lawful Com- Rom.13.
mands: Had no hand in rifing up Pro.24.21
againſt him, nor contributed there- Eccl.10.
unto, by fowing fedition and faction, 20.
fpreading infamous reports.? ?..
:
I, 2.
1 Tim. 3.1.
4. As to your spiritual Fathers,
the Bishops and Paſtors of Chrifts & v.12.
Church have you not defpifed their Luk. 10.
Calling, but honoured them, ac- 16.
cording to their refpective degrees I Tim. 5.
and ftations in the Church of Chriſt? 17.
Heb.13.17
have you not fleighted and difobey-
ed thoſe Commands ad Admonitions
which God by them hath given you?
have you not denyed or diminished Eccles. 7.
their dues, or payed them grudg- 29.
ingly? have you
have you not forfaken Foh.10.4,
your lawful Paftor, to fol- 5.
low after factious Preachers, or 2 Tim. 4.
fuch who more tickle your itching 3, 4.
ears which is the iffue of a cor- Pro. 29.1.
rupt heart, and the high rode to Ifa.29.21.
D 3
;
error
54
Rules for
Tit.2.9,10
error and falihood? Have you not
Eph. 6.5. been angry when told of your faults,
or put in mind of the errors of your
waies, and refuſed to return and
amend thereupon ?
Luk. 10.
32.
IO.
5. Have you been reſpective
and lowly in your demeanor to all
Rom. 12. your Superiors, whether in age, or
office, learning and judgment, tem-
2Tim.2.20 poral eſtate and preferment, giving
1. Pet.2.17. to each the honour due to their re-
ſpective conditious, and this though
you have no dependance upon them,
nor hopes to receive any benefits
from them?
Fit. 3, 2,
Phil.2.3.
6. Have you been meek, gentle,
courteous and affable unto all men,
as becomes the Spirit of a true Chri-
ftian, not high and haughty, chur-
lish and diſtaſteful in your carriage
towards any; fleighting, underva-
luing, fcorning your equals, if not
your betters, in ſome reſpects ?
However, the truly humble good
Chriftian efteems others better than
himſelf.
!
If
Self-Examination.
$5
If you have any perfons under
your command, as a Mafter of a Fa- Eph. 6.9.
mily, have you not been over harſh
and rigorous towards any of your 1 Sam. 12.
fervants, nor defrauded them of 3.
their wages; and have you pre-
ferved them to your power, from
the wrongs of others, and have
you taken care, what in you lies,
for the good of their fouls; viz. that
they be Catechized in the Principles Gen. 18.19
of Religion, and duly frequent the Fof.24.15
publick Worſhip of God, both in
Church and Family.
If you be a fervant, examine ;
have you been obedient to your
Mafter in all his lawful commands ?
juſt and true in the managing his
buſineſs, ſo that he hath ſuffered no
lofs, either by your carelefnefs, or dif- Eph.6.5.
honeſty, and hath your carriage
Tit. 2.9,10
towards him been fubmiffive and
meek, not anſwering again, when
provoked by hard language?
In a word: have you obeyed that
admonition of S. Paul, which is the
more full meaning of this 5. Com-
mandment,
D 4
:
56
Rules for
mandment, Render therefore to all
men their due tribute to whom tri-
;
bute is due, custom to whom
cuftom, fear to whom fear, honour
to whom honour. Owe no man any
thing, but to love one another; for
Rom.13.7, he that loveth another hath fulfilled
the Law.
8.
ㄓ
​3
2
The
>
Self-Examination.
57
The Sixth Commandment.
Thou ſhalt do no murder.
Examination by the Sixth Com-
mandment.
T
Here are ſeveral degrees
of murder in this Law prohi-
bited, and though you have not been
guilty thereof by blood-ſhed; yet
examine :
1. Have you not been guilty of
immoderate anger, a been peevish, a Mat. 5.
and difquieted at trifles, at flight 21, 22.
mifcarriages of others, and incon-
fiderable accidents about you?
2. Hath not your anger fwelled
into wrath and fury, nor been drawn Pro. 27.3,
out into hatred and malice, nor bro- 4.
ken out into bitter and opprobrious Eph.4.31.
language, rendring evil for evil, and
D5
Fam.1.19
Mat.5.22
railing
2
58
Rules for
railing for railing, a brawling and
quarrelling for any offence; going
Mat. 5.40 to law upon petty and fmall occafi-
ons of trefpals?
1 Pet. 3.9.
Pf. 27. I.
Rom.13.
13.
Levit. 17.
19, 18.
3. Have you not envied the good
Parts and endowments, or the wealth
and preferments, or the flourishing
eftate of others, in any reſpect,how
wicked and unworthy foever they be?
4. Have ye harboured no ſecret
grudge in your heart towards any
Mat.5.38. perſon, nor entertained any ſecret
thoughts and defires of revenge?
5. Have you not fecretly rejoyced
Pro. 24.17 at the loffes, croffes, difgraces or
death of any?
Rom.12.
15.
Exod. 21.
5. Have you no way impaired
the health, either of the fouls or
22,23,24. bodies, of others: either by hurt-
Mat.18.6. ing, maiming, wounding any
Gal.5, 26. perfon in body; or tempting them
to fin, to the ruine of their fouls
or provoking their fpirits, or neg-
lecting to performe the Chriftian
duties of Charity, both corporal
and fpiritual, unto them?
6. Hath
;
Self-Examination.
59.
Mat.II.
29.
6. Hath your demeanor been
with all meekneſs and humility,
being loving, kind, tender-hearted,
pitiful, peaceful and eafie to be in- Eph.6.ult.
treated, with the feveral qualifica-
tions of true Chriſtian charity,with- I Cor.13.
out which no true Chriftianity?
I, 2.
'મ
7. Have you not impaired your
own health, by ſurfeiting, drun-
kenneſs, uncleanneſs, or giving way
to any unruly lufts, paffions, and
defires, even againſt your reafon Pro.21.16.!
and judgment?
"
The.
61
The Seventh Commandment.
Thou shalt not commit
adultery.
Examination by the Seventh
Commandment.
ΤΗ
He Chriftian vertues in this
Law commanded are, Chaſtity,
and Temperance, the one being not.
to be preſerved without the other;
and of both thefe, there are ſeveral
degrees: the tranfgreffion of each
of which is to be here examined:
And,
1. Concerning Chaſtity; becauſe
the uncleannefs of the heart is as
vile before God, as any act of that
kind before man: Examine,
1. Have you not pleaſed your fan-
cy with loofe and wanton imagina-
tions;
Mat.5.28.
62
Rules for
Gal.1.15.
Col.3.5.
-
tions; nor fuffered unchaft thoughts
fo long to dwell in your heart, till
by the corrupt bent of its concu-
pifcence, they have grown into un-
ruly lufts: and have you endea-
voured to fubdue thofe lufts, and
not fuffered them to break out ei-
ther,
1. Into any filthy communication,
Eph.5.29. fcurrilous and obfcene fpeeches:
2. Into any finful folicitations,
and temptations of others to com-
mit uncleannefs with you, by the
wantonnels of the eyes, hands,
Mat. 5,28,
29, 30. tongue?
Mat.5.28.
2. Have you not gazed upon any
perfon, till your eyes have betrayed
your heart, fecretly to luft, and
finfully to enjoy them?
And as to the acts of corpóral
Eph.5.3. uncleanness, they are of fuch a loath-
fome nature, as not fit to be once
named amongst Chriftians, your
own confcience will be your beſt
guide for your examination in fuch
particulars: wherein confider and
feriouſly
Self-Examination.
63
feriouſly weigh the aggravating
circumſtances of Time, Place, Per-
fon: the unrulines of your luft,
againſt all the laws of God, and Na-
ture, right Reaſon, and holy Re-
ligion: confider the inconfiftency
of every fuch deed of darkneſs,
with the purity of your profeffion,
and your Relation of being a mem-
ber of Chrift, a child of God, and a 1 Cor. 6.
an heir of Heaven. a
15,16, 17,
18,19,20.
Eph. 5. 5.
2. And becauſe unlawful lufts are
nouriſhed, and maintained by in- bFer. 5.
temperance: 6 and that chiefly,
In eating and drinking, either
more, or more often than is con-
ducible to the two ends of feed-
7,8.
3.
ing, firſt,to maintain life; fecondly, c Pro. 23.
to preferve health: examine how
frequently you have croft thefe ends
of God and Nature, either,
a
Deut.31.
20.& 32,
15.
Eccl.9.
12.
1. By too much curiofity and
dainticeſs to pleaſe an exotick palate, Eccl.3.1.
and humor à rebellious appetite, Luk.21.
cor 2. to maintain and ftrengthen
the lufts of the flesh; or 3. to pleaſe 29,30,31.
and humor others: And herein Luk. 16.
34.
Ecclus. 37.
confider; 19, 20.
;
64
Rules for
12.
confider; first, the finful expence
of your Time; and ſecondly,of your
Talent; thirdly, of the health and
good temper of your body; fourth-
ly, of the foundness and quickneſs
of all the faculties of your mind.
fifthly, of what might, and ought
to have relieved the poor; fixthly,
contracting the guilt of the excefs
ǎ Isa. 56. of your companions, a at leaft by
your compliance with them, if not
Wifd.2. 6, tempting of them to drink: the
which, though it be lookt upon as
a matter of jeft and merriment, yet
'twill end in fadnefs and woe: b And
though perhaps, through the
ftrength of your brain, and good
conftitution of body, you may come
off from your excefs, without any
vifible diftemper; yet that frees
c 14.22, you not from the fad woe, c to fuch
denounced: And 'tis woful enough,
that this beaftly fin of eating and
drinking to riot and excefs, is in-
d 1 Cor. 6. conſiſtent as the former with your
Chriſtian profeffion, and hopes of
7.
b Hab. 2.
15, 16.
10.
Gal. 5.21. heaven. d
2. And fince an account muſt be
given of your pretious time, exa-
m'ne,
Self-Examination.
65
a i Theff.s.
amine, whether your intemperance
in dyet, hath not often engaged you
to ſpend your time, either in im-
moderate fleep or flothfulness,
a whereby the finful lufts of the flesh
are fomented; which was the fin
of Sodom; b and 'tis the only buſi- 1ſ. 56. 10,
nefs of the flothful man to tempt 12.
the Devil, who tempts man unto
all other fins.
3. Intemperance and excefs in
Apparel, is not only a fign of pride
and vain-glory, but a ſymptome and
allurement to unlawful lufts: Exa-
mine if your attire be fuch as is,
1. Agreeable to your rank and
condition; neither affectedly for-
did, nor too curiouſly fine and
coftly. c
6,7.
b Eze. 10.
49.
c Luc. 7.
250.
2. Anſwerable to the ends of
cloathing, viz. 1. to cover your na-
kedneſs, 2. to preſerve,by moderate
warmth, the health of the body:
in either of which refpects, to affect
gorgeous apparel, d or to be
d Luk. 16.
proud of the fame, is to glory in 19.
your fhame, to cover which e Phil. 3
e
fhame, 19.
66
Rules for
à Gen.3.
á
21.
1 Pet. 3.4.
Eccl. 2.10,
11.& 3.12,
13.
b2 Sam.
II. 2,3.
fhame, the uſe of garments was
firſt inſtituted, a
3. Have you not envied others,
for the bravery of their apparel,
but rather pitied their folly, re-
membring that the true ornaments
of a Chriſtian, is the hidden man of
the heart, even the ornaments of a
meek and quiet ſpirit ? -
Recreations are not only uſeful,
but neceffary, to recruit the vigor
both of the foul and body, when
over-toil❜d with labour: but are too
often the foments of unlawful Jufts:
band therefore as to thefe, Exa-
mine;
1. That your recreations be in
themſelves lawful, neither diſhò-
nourable to God, nor injurious to
cEph.5.11 man, ċ
2. That they be not unfeaſonable,
to the hindrance of any duty to
d Eccl.3. God, or man, d
I, 2.'
3. That you be not immoderate
in their afe, by making that your
imploy-
Self-Examination.
67
imployment, which ſhould only en-
fit you for employments more uſe-
ful, a
a Eccl.8.5.
4. That your recreations be not
what they are vulgarly call'd
pastimes, it being ſtrangely impru-
dent to ſpend that pretious time in
toys and vanities, which is lent only
to work out the eternal falvation of b Eccl.2.
your foul, b
1, 2, 3.
Phil. 2.12.
The
68
Rules for
The Eighth Commandment.
Thou shalt not ſteal.
Examination by the Eighth
Commandment.
A
Man may fteal, and play the
thief, 1. to himſelf, 2. To
others. As to the firft, confider: if
you have not ruin'd, decayed, or
diminiſhed the eftate God hath given
you, either 1. by your own care-
lefs, and imprudent management
thereof 4 or 2. by the carelefnefs
a Pro. 24. and profufenefs of others, whom
you intruſted, but not diſcreetly
30, 31.
:
regarded: or 3. by your floth and
b Pro.6.6, negligence in your calling: bor
7.& 13. 4. 4. by your prodigal and profuſe
Pro.19.15. mifpending; c or yet on the con-
€ Pro.18.9 trary, 5. by pinching and too much
fparing, and denying thy felf the
full and lawful enjoyment of thy
riches:
Self-Examination.
69
riches a that which with feveral a Eccl. 6.
others are the cauſes of poverty, I, 2.
and kinds of ſelf robbery.
Pro.24.34
2. As to injuſtice towards others,
examine your felf 1. by the publick
fins of oppreffion, 6 or grinding the
face of the poor, 2. of making hard b 1 Kin.
bargains with the neceffitous, of 21. I.
18.3.14,15.
every forcible way either to get, or
to keep what not of right, or more
than right belongs to you. c
3. By the private fins 1. of pilfer-
ing and filching, which is properly
call'd ſtealing, 2. of cogging and
lying to cozen and deceive, 3. of
cunning to defraud and circumvent,
in buying and felling, lending and
borrowing lending to the lofs of
the borrower: borrowing and not
paying again: falfe weights and
meaſures, counterfeit coyn, naughty
money. d
CI Sam.
12.3, 4.
d Luk. 19.
1
II.
The. 4. 6.
Deut. 15.
7, 8, 9.
Pf. 37. 21.
Luk.25.14
Have you not robbed God in Hof. 12.7.
tythes and offerings, e nor his Priefts Lak. 27.
in their accuſtomed dues, f nor the 30.
Kings Majefty in his Tribute, eMar. 3.8.
f Ecclus. 7.
cuftoms, honour and obedience due
29,30,31.
to
7Ⓡ
Rules for
6.
to him: a nor the labourer of his
a Rom.13. hire, or fervants of their wages:
b Luk. 10. bor yet deprived any perfon of
what either by Law or cuſtom, be-
Fer.22.13 longs unto them? c All which with
c Rom. 13. many more particulars are tranf
7,8.
greffions of that golden rule of
righteouſneſs, and charity: what-
Mat.7.12. foever ye would that men should do
unto you, even ſo do unto them.
7.
Have you not been uncharitable
to the poor and indigent, either by
not giving, or not lending to fup-
ply their wants: d or by railing,
d Deut. 15. reviling, and ufing opprobrious
Pf.41. 1. language towards them: want of
& 112.9. charity is no other than down right
2 Cor.9.9. robbery, for the poor mans liveli-
Pro-29.7 hood, is the rich mans fuperfluity,
e Eccl.5.1) and that is the poor mans due: e it
Luk.3. 27. being as equal juftice for the rich to
relieve the poor, as 'tis for the poor
f Pro.3.27. not to ſteal from the rich: f
If. 58. 7.
2. Cor. 8.
12,13, 14.
This fin is also a tranfgreffion
of the former law, for the bread of
Ecclus.34. the needy is their life, and he that
defraudeth him thereof, is a man-
Layer.
24.
The
Self-Examination.
71
The Ninth Commandment.
Thou shalt not bear falſe
witneſs againſt thy
neighbour.
Examination by the Ninth
Commandment.
N fpeaking, but of every idle
Ot only of all falſe and evil
Mat. 12.
word that men ſhall speak, they shall 36, 37.
give an account in the day of
Judgment. And therefore to make 12.34.
up your accounts againſt that great
day of tryal, 'twill be neceffary to
commune with your hearts, out of
the abundance whereof the mouth
Speaketh.
1. Whether you have been guilty
of any officious lyes; by fpeaking Fob 13.17.
falfely, either in the caufe of God, col 3.9.
or of man: the first being unlaw.
ful,
72
Rules for
+
P/.12.2,3.
ful, the ſecond is highly finful,
though my neighbour may be bene-
fitted thereby.
2. Have you told no fcurrilous
Esclus.20. lies, vain-glorious bragging lies, to
24, 25. pleaſe and humor your own and
25. 2. your companions fenfual inclina-
5.6.
tions?
3. Told no falfe ftories to allure
pfal.24.4. Others to be of your mind and
Pro.12.17. judgment, though you be in an
13.5. error? And 'tis very evident that
you are both deceived your felf,
and defire to deceive others, when
you tell a lie to maintain your opini-
on; for Truth ftands in need of no
lie to fupport it.
Prov. 18.8.
4. Have you told no infamous
24.28. lies, and fcandalous ftories, to de-
Ecclus.15. tract, and blemish the good name
of any? If fuch ftories fhould be
7.
Eph.4.25.
21.25,26. true 'tis urcharitable; but when
falfities, abominable to report and
ſpread them.
Matt. 7.
5. Have you not talk'd of the
1,2,3,4. moat in your brothers eye to his dif
grace;
1
73
Self-Examination.
grace, being blind as to the beam
in your own? And have you not
judged rafhly, cenfured uncharita-
bly of other mens actions, viz. not
in the better, but worſer fence?
6. Have you not flattered with Prov.26.
your lips, profeffing more love and. 24,25,26,
reſpect to any, than has been truly
in your heart towards them?
7. Have you neither publickly Exo.23.1.
nor privately teſtified what is falſe,
to the diminution either of the re-
putation or eſtate of any man?
Have you uſed no opprobrious M.5.225
language, as thou fool, knave?- 44.
nor anſwered railing for railing ?--- I Pot.3, 94
?.
The fin of evil ſpeaking is much
aggravated from the qualitie of the
perfons evil ſpoken of; as,
1. For Children to speak evil
and reproachfully either of or to
their Parents :
pre,20.20
2. For a people to ſpeak evil of Jr.18,18,
their Paſtors;
E
3. For
74
Rules for
Exod.22.
28.
3:
For Subjects to speak evil of
their King and his Minifters of
Fud. v. 8. State which is the humour of falſe
Prophets and Hereticks, it being
the practice of Orthodox Paftors
to put their people in mind to be
fubject to Principalities and Powers,
to obey Magiftrates, to speak evil
of no man, &C.
HH.3. I, 2.1)
2
审
​}
Th
Self-Examination.
75
L
The Tenth Commandment.
Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbours houſe, thou
fhalt not covet
covet thy
neighbours wife, nor his
fervant, nor his maid,
nor his ox, nor his aſs;
nor any thing that is
his.
Examination by the Tenth Com-
mandment.
I.
Ath no luft inflamed your
HAth
breaft towards the Wife
or Maid of another, or to covet
whatſoever of his you vainly con-
ceive ferviceable to your finful
pleaſure. So lufted David after the
wife of Uriah.
E 2
2. Have
Mat.5.28.
I Theff.4.5.
2 Sam. II.
Zio
76
Rules for
Hab. 2. 9.
2. Have you not coveted the
houſe, lands, preferments, offices,
Luk.12.15 or whatſoever is enjoyed by ano-
King.21 ther, in order to your worldly
profit: ſo coveted Ahab the
vineyard of Naboth.
Fob 21.
29, 30.
3. Have you not fecretly wifhed
the lofs or ruine of your neighbours
Fob.2.11 health, peace, credit, liberty, life,
3.15. or any thing that is his in order either
to your pleaſure or profit?
Nam. II.
28, 29.
4. Have you not envied the flou-
riſhing eſtate of any either in reſpect
of their wealth, efteem, honour,
preferment and this whether in
reference to your felf or to your
friend?
5. Have you been content with
Phil, 4. 11. your prefent ftate and condition in
1 Tim.5.8. this world, how mean foever; not
Mat, 6.
roving after the exterior confola-
H.b.13.5. tions of the creature abroad, the
only way to lofe contentment in
your felf at home?
19, 20.
6. Have
Self-Examination.
77
6. Have you been diligent and in-
duſtrious in the duties of your cal-
pro.11.4.
13.4.
ling (without all carking follici- Eph, 4.28.
tude) both for the fupport of your 2 Theff.3.8:
ſelf and yours, and for the relief of
others?
7. Have none of thoſe great Di-
ana's, whom all the world worship- 1 Fob, 22
peth, viz. The lufts of the flesh, or 15, 16.
voluptuoufnefs, the lufts of the eyes,
or covetouſneſs, the pride of life,
or ambition, taken up more room
in your heart than the love of God,
and the joyes of the world to come ?
My fonl cleaveth to the dust, quicken Pfal. 119–
me, O Lord, according to thy word.
25.
The Examination of Repentance.
HAving by all theſe particulars
examined your felf to find
out your fins, it will be neceffary
to try your Repentance alfo, that
the great Antidote againſt the poy-
E 3
fon
1
78
Rules for
Pføl, 26,2.1
32.4,5,6.
fon of fin be not defective nor coun-
terfeit: And the first particular
herein to be examined, is the duty of
Examination it ſelf.
1. Have you daily confidered
your daily offences, duly weighed
them, and emptied them out of your
heart by a full and particular Con-
feffion of them in the prefence of
God?
2. Have you fo deeply confider-
2 Cor.7.10 ed your fins in the ftain and danger
thereof, as to beget in your heart
true compunction, and that godly
forrow for fin which worketh Repen-
tance unto Salvation, not to be re-
pented of?
1
24.
3. Hath not your Repentance
Lak.11. been too often an hypocritical
Fob. 5.14. mocking of God, by returning
Pet. 2. again to your fins repented: break-
20,21,22. ing your promifes of amendment
in time of ficknefs, danger, and
the like ?
4. Have
Self-Examination.
79
7.16,17%
4. Have you brought forth fruits Mat, 3. 8.
meet for Repentance? as are Hof.14.12
1. more frequent and hearty De- Dan.4.47.
votions for your fins of ungodli- Mat.3.10.
Joel 2.12.
nefs, 2. Almsgivings for your fins
of unrighteoufnefs, 3. Faftings for
your fins of Intemperance? if the
tree of Repentance bring not forth
fuch fruits, 'tis not lively, nor
likely to be accepted.
£ 4
التي
Directia
1
Directions in the Confefsion
of Sin.
H
Aving diſcovered the black
ſtains and pollutions of fin,
your foul hath contracted, in the
ftrict examination of your felf by
the forementioned particulars, with:
what other your own confcience and
judgment may fuggeft, upon the
general heads propofed: your next
work muſt be to make a particular
and punctual confeffion of each fin,
1
a without which the pardon thereof a Num.5,.
is not promifed. And herein 6, 7.
theſe following Directions will be
ufeful.
b Prov. 28.
13...
I Fob.1.9..
c Ecchu.
1. Confider ſeriouſly the heinouf-
neſs of each fin you confefs, the
guilt and pollution, the burthen and
danger thereof, c with all thofe ag-
gravating circumftances; as in what
place, with what perfons, at what
time, after what manner, with what Pfal. 38.45,
wilfulneſs and prefumption 'twas 5.
committed And let your heart 2 Sam,241.
E S
dwell 10.
24. 1,2,32,
9, 10..
82
Rules for
§
• Sam. 7.6
dwell upon fuch confiderations, till
the pride thereof be humbled, and
2 Cor.7.10 its ftubbornnefs vanquished, and
James 4. your foul melt into tears of holy
compunction and godly forrow, a
9, 10.
ult.
12. 16.
2. And becauſe your ſoul is not,
cannot be, truly humbled within
you, except your body be humbled
alſo, and God requires both foul
and body in every act of his fervice,
ar for. 6. a 'twill therefore be very fit that
you proftrate your body upon the
earth in the Confeffion of your fins.
So did holy David in his Repen-
b 2 Sam. tance; b nay fo did our dearest
Redeemer, when he prayed, groan-
ing under the burthen of our fins,
he fell upon his face and prayed, c and
fweat blood, and prayed again
more earnestly, using the fame words:
wherein he hath left us an example,
that we fhould follow his steps, d not
di Pet. 2. fo much to mind variety of expreffi-
ons, and a multitude of words, in
our Confeffions, as to be through-
ly humbled both in foul and body,
under the mighty hand of God
that he may vouchſafe to raiſe us up
¤ Mat.26.
28, 29.
24.
Qut
Self-Examination:
83
out of the horrible mire and clay of
our finful pollutions. a
a 1 Pet. 5.
5,6.
3. When you afflict your foul in:
the remembrance and Confeffion of
your fins, 'twill be very advantage-
ous, if not neceffary, that at the
fame time your body be afflicted
alſo by Fafting and Abſtinence, and
other acts of Mortification b for b Foel 2:
the taming and fubduing the pride Mat.17.2 X
and corruption of the Hefh, which Luk.2.37.
hath ſo Shamefully rebelled againſt c 1 Cor. 9,.
the ſpirit, c
12.
27.
Gal.5.17?.
4. That you may be both hum-
bled for your fins, and exalted alfo,
to the hopes of mercy and forgive--
uefs, meditate upon the bitter for-.
rows and fufferings of our deareſt.
Saviour, Behold him with the eye-
of Faith, and devout Meditation,
expanded on the Crofs, as on a tor-
menting rack: ſee him naked, and Gali 3. 136.
rack'd,and wounded,and bleeding for
thy tranfgreffions: his tender skin, 1 Pet.1.18,
and delicate fleſh rent, and torn, and 2.21...
razed by forked whips, his finews
crackt, his veins burft, his joynts.
dif-parted,all his bones ſtarted afide,,
no
$4
Rules for
no part of his body untormented,
no power of his foul unfacrificed,
no drop of his blood unfked for thy
fins: And this, this pretious biood
thus applied to thy heart, if any
thing, will ſoften the hardneſs there-
of, and melt thee into tears of
Compunction for thy fins, the cauſe
of thy Saviours fufferings; into
tears of Compaffion with thy Re-
deemer in his Paffion for thee; into
tears of Devotion of thy whole felf
to the love and fervice of his Ma-
jefty, who gave himfelf wholly to
redeem and ſave thee.
And becauſe Meditations upon
this fubject, are of all others moſt
effectual to excite Compunction and
Devotion in the beart, and to ob-
tain mercy; I have annexed ſome
fhort Meditations on the feveral
Myſteries of our Redemption, and
our Saviours Paffion, wherein
every one may enlarge himfelf, as
his Devotion fhall fuggeft..
5. In the Confeffion of your fins,
truſt not to your own ex tempore ex-
½ Ecal,5,2, prefſigns. There is no Malefactor
that
Self-Examination.
85
that petitions his Judge for the par-
don of his crime, but will pen his
petition, and this too in fuch words
as are both few and pertinent: And:
we cannot fure be lefs confiderate
and careful, when we petition the
great Judge of all, a for the par- a Mal, 1•8.
don of our fins, which would other-
wife fink our fouls to eternal horror,
And therefore in the performance
of a duty of ſo great concernment,
we have many forms upon record
in the Book of God, band in fe- b Dan. 9.4
veral books of practical Devotion: Ho.14.1,2
but becauſe ſuch generals reach not. Baruch 1.
punctually to the particulars of 15, 16.
Self-examination propofed, I have
Luk. 15..
hereunto added, for the greater
eaſe of the Reader, a Form of
Confeffion, whereunto every man
may add and diminish as his Conſci-
ence tells him he is guilty or not
guilty, as alſo he finds himſelf more
or lefs guilty..
6. After the Confeffion of your
fins, the most effectual Prayers you
can uſe to obtain mercy, are, next
to the Lord's Prayer, the Peniten-
tial Pfalms: the praying whereof,
with
18,21,
86
Rules for
18, 19.
;
a for fuch áre
with underſtanding and devotion,
is truly and indeed, praying by the
a Eph. 5. holy Spirit of God
a Eph. 5. undeniably the dictates of Gods
Spirit. I have therefore annexed
the faid Pfalms, with the Lord's
Prayer paraplirafed; that in the
devout uſe thereof you may pray
by the spirit, and pray by the under-
franding also. b
bi Cor.
14. 15.
1
Self-Examination.
87
A
FORM
OF
CONFESSION
OF
SIN
Fitted to the Rules of Self-
Examination, whereunto eve-
ry one may add or ſubſtract,
as he finds himſelf guilty
not guilty.
or
In the Name of the Father, and
Sins
of the Son, and of the Holy again the
Ghoft, Amen.
Bu
Baplifmab
Vow in
general.
To re-
nounce the
UT I am unworthy, O Lord,
to take thy Holy Name in my
mouth, afhamed to lift up mine eyes devil and
to heaven; for I have finned againſt al bis
heaven, and before thee, in that I works..
have
88
Rules for
have daily broken my Vow and
Promife made unto the God of
heaven: I am unworthy to be cal-
led thy Son, having obeyed the
ſuggeſtions and done the works of
the Devil; and I do therefore juftly
deferve, as a child of the devil, to
have my portion with him and his
Angels; for, with thoſe Apoſtate
fpirits, I have not kept to my firſt
eftate of Regeneration in Baptifm,
but have tra fgreffed all the particu-
lars of that Covenant which I made
with my God therein.
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable fixner.
I have fuffered my foolish heart
The Pompy to be deceived with the Pomps and
and Vani- Vanities of this tranfitory life, and
sies of this have been more enamour'd with the
wicked
world.
2
empty, gaudy, flattering felicities
of this prefent world, than with.
thoſe never fading joys, and un-
ſpeakable glories of the world. to
come.
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable. finner.
The
Self-Examination.
89
The Pride of life hath enfnared
me more to affect the praiſe of men,
than the praife of God: And the
Luft of the eyes hath bewitched me,
to prefer the love and fervice of
Mammon before the love and fear
and fervice of my Maker.
God be merciful to me a finner.
I have more readily obeyed the
And all the
finful lufts of the flesh, than the
finfulilufts
godly motions of the Spirit and of the flesh.
carnal concupiſcence hath reigned in
my heart, and prevailed in the acti-
ons of my life, againſt the dictates
both of right Reaſon and holy Re-
ligion.
Have mercy upon me, O God, after
thy great goodness, and according
to the multitude of thy mercies,
do away mine offences, through
Jefus Chrift, Amen.
I have not been fo careful as I To believe
ought, rightly and fully to
ftand all the Articles of the
Chriſtian Faith, whereinto
under- all the Ar-
holy ticles of the
Chriftian
I
was Faith.
Bap-
20
Rules for
Baptized, and made Chriftian: And
my faith, in thoſe fundamentals, of
the Religion I profefs, has been
weak and wavering, clouded by ig.
norance, depraved by error, and
diſtracted by many various opinions
and doubts of the Truth.
God be merciful to me a finner.
I have not fram'd the affections.
of my heart, and the actions of my
life, according to what each Article
of my Chriſtian Faith doth imply,
and implicitly command: But I
have profaned, nay even denyed,
that Faith, by the finful works of
my hands, which I have profeffed
with my mouth.
God be merciful to me a miserable
finner.
I have too often neglected, and
been fometimes afhamed to make
confeffion of my Faith, when called
hereunto by the Miniſter in the Con-
gregation: and moſt juſtly therefore
may my bleffed Saviour be afhamed
of me at the laft great day; but
he
Self-Examination.
91
X
he is merciful, and I a miferable
finner.
God be merciful to my fin, for it
is great.
To
I have not ſtudied fully to know to keep
what the will of my God is, and God's holy
to underſtand aright thofe divine will and
Commandments I am obliged to Command-
obferve neither have I obeyed thy
will and kept thy Commandments,
according to the knowledge I have
had thereof.
To thee, O Lord God, belongeth
mercy and forgiveness, but to
me fhame and confufion of face,
for I have rebelled against thee,
and have not walked in thofe
Laws which thou hast appointed
for us.
ments.
I have not ſo ſtedfaſtly and un-
feignedly believed in thee my God, Sins
as not many times to entertain wild again? the
Firf Com-
and roving thoughts of Infidelity mandment.
and Atheiſm.
I
92
፡
Rules for
Against
Faith in
God.
I have lived too much, and too
long without God in the world,
fpending my time either in doing
nothing, or nothing to purpoſe,
or doing what I ought not; as if
there were no God to call me to
an account for the expence of my
Time, and for all my actions in
Time,
The whole courfe of my life has
been a trade of Rebellion to my
Creator, of ingratitude to my Re-
deemer, of obftinacy to my Sancti-
fier, of contradiction to a finçere
Faith in the Triune God, bleſſed
Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, being.
little better than one of thoſe
Atheiſts, who profefs to know God,
but in their works deny him, being
abominable, diſobedient, and to
every good work reprobate.
Remember not, Lord, the fins of
my youth, nor of my riper age,
but according to the multitude
of thy mercies, think upon me,
Ŏ God, for thy goodneſs.
I
Self-Examination.
93
I have not fully relied upon the Truſt in
all-wife and good Providence of God.
God, and caſt all my care upon him,
but I have often diftracted my mind
with carking cares and fears for the
things of this life, and have uſed
unlawful and indirect means to ob-
tain and advance my worldly ends
and interefts.
I have leaned to my own under-
tanding, trufted to my policy and
cunning, made fleſh my arm, and
riches my confidence, been puft up
by proſperity, caft down by adverfe
Occurrems; for want of a fure truſt
and holy confidence in my God.
God be merciful to me a miferable
finner.
God.
I have not made my Creator the
chief object of my hope and defires: Hope in
but being made in honor, after the
Image of God, I have made my
ſelf like the beaſts that periſh,roving
in my defires, and vain hopes of
confolation in the Creature.
94
Rules for
Fear of
God.
I have foolishly hoped to avoid
thy threatned judgments, and yet
have not avoided the fins againſt
which they are denounced: And I
have as vainly hoped to attain thy
promiſed mercies, having not obey.
ed thy precepts in order thereunto.
O turn thy face away from my fins,
and blot out all mine offences.
I have not ſtood in awe of thy
dreadful Majefty, fo as not to fin,
and provoke thee to anger: I have
more feared to commit fin before
men, than in the prefence of the
All-feeing God: more feared the
penalty of humane Laws, than the
threatnings of the divine: more
feared to lofe a little empty credit,
and eſteem amongst men, than to in-
curr the diſpleaſure of the Almigh-
ty: and the little fear I have had of
God hath been more ſervile than
filial, more afraid of the puniſh-
ment than of the fin.
Enter not into judgment with thy
fervants,O Lord, for in thy fight
Shall no flesh living be justified.
The
Self-Examination.
95
The Love of God in my heart is 10 8 of
weak and defective, and no better God.
than diffimulation and hypocrifie ;
fince I have not hated what is evil
and delighted my felf in the Lord,
and in the ways of his fervice: fince
I have not obeyed his Laws, nor
ſtudied to pleaſe him, more than
to pleaſe my ſelf and pleaſure others;
fince I have not longed after a full
injoyment of Gods Sacred Majefty,
in heaven above, but my foul cleav-
eth to the duſt and rubbiſh of world-
ly vanities.
}
IVithdraw not thou thy mercy from
me, O Lord, though my heart
hath been withdrawn from thee
but let thy loving mercy and
truth alway preferve me.
Prayers
I have too often neglected and
omitted that indifpenfable duty of unto God.
holy Prayers, both publick and pri-
vate, in the Church and in the Clo-
fet; taking any light occafion fome-
times to omit, fometimes to curtail
my Devotions, and too often glad
of fuch an occafion.
1
96
Rules for
I have been too rafh with my
mouth to utter prayers before God,
that have been impertinent, irregu-
lar, and unfit to be offered up to the
infinite wiſdom, and purity of hea-
ven.
In the uſe of thofe holy Prayers,
which have been weighed in the
balance of the Sanctuary, I have
been both indevout and irreverent,
weary at their length, difpleafed
at their return: cold, dull, heavy
and without advertency in the effu-
fion of them.
And that which renders the beſt
and moſt zealous Prayers ineffectual,
I have prefumed to pray in my fins,
with an impure heart and unclean
hands; fo that wherein I might
have moſt confidence, I find nothing
but imperfections, weakneſſes and
defects.
God be merciful unto me a miſera-
ble finner.
$
1.
I
Self-Examination.
97
I have not ſo ſeriouſly confidered Praifes
and entertained fo deep a fenfe of God.
thy great glories in thy felf, and
manifold graces to us finful mortals,
as duly to praiſe thee, both with
heart and voice, both in the congre-
gation and in the clofet: neither
hath the light of holy truth ſo ſhineđ
in the actions of my life, that others
feeing my good works, may glori-
fie thee also.
God be merciful unto my fin, for
it is great.
Command
O thou who art an Eternal, In- Sins
comprehenfible, Spiritual, Pure, again the
Inviſible Effence! how have I mif- Second
apprehended thy greatnefs? my ment.
imaginations and conceptions of thee
have been vain and mean, and far
below the excellency, purity and
perfection of thy Divine Nature.
And as my thoughts have been
rade, and unworthy of thee; fo
has my worship alſo been far mif-
befeeming fo great, fo holy, fo pure
a Majeſty.
F.
I
Irreligions
worship.
98
Rules for
Zdolatry.
I have not worshipt thee, either
with that humble, low proftration
of body, nor yet with that fincere
intenſe Devotion of Soul, as was
meet I ſhould: I have drawn near
to thee with my lips, when often
my heart has been far from thee.
God be merciful unto me a miſe.
rable finner.
I have made a God of the World
by Pride, and Covetoufneſs, which
is Idolatry; and a God of my Belly,
by luxury and wantonnefs, wherein,
and in many more refpects, I have
ferved the Creature, more than the
Creator, God over all, bleſſed for
ever.
I have too much idolized my own
imaginations, both by believing and
worlhipping God, otherwife than
himſelf, in his holy word, and by
the Miniſtry of his holy and true
Church, hath commanded.
}
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable finner.
T
Self-Examination.
99
I have too often facrilegiouſly
robbed my God in Tythes and offer-
ings: ufurping and withholding
what hath been confecrated to holy
uſe, diminiſhing and defrauding in
the dues of the Church,
Remember not, Lord, our iniqui-
ties, nor the iniquities of our
fore-fathers; but ſpare us, good
Lord,pare thy people whom thou
haft redeemed with thy most
pretions blood.
That name of Heaven, which is
Against the
great, wonderful and holy, I have Third Cons-
too flightly regarded, and too often mandment
ufed to promote vanities and main-
tain lies.
I have not only my felf too often Raſh
profaned, but, without regret in Swearing
my ſelf, or reproof of others, have and Cur-
heard thy holy Name blafphemed by g
rafh Oaths, and irreligious Execra-
tions: curfing the creatures, my
neighbours,nay my ſelf, by that ever
bleſſed name, which is only to be
mentioned for adoration and blef-
fing.
F 2
God
TOO
Rules for
Perjury.
Breach of
Promiſe.
God be merciful unto me a mifera-
ble finner.
I have taken many folemn Oaths
in publick, without a right under-
ftanding of the refpective contents
and the obligation of my Confcience
thereunto: and what I have under-
ſtood, I have not confcientiouſly
kept and obferved, being guilty of
Perjury, both in general, and in
many particulars,
I have ſeen the reverend Name
and Oath of God impofed upon the
Confciences of men, out of Tyranny,
as a covert of oppreffion and in-
juftice: And I alſo, partly for fear,
partly for favour and affection to
unjuft defigns, have wickedly taken
the fame Oaths and engagements :
And though, becauſe of fuch un-
lawful Oaths, the Land fadly mourn-
ed; yet have not I been humbled
for the fins and perjuries of this
finful Nation,
Thofe holy and juft Promifes I
have made, both to God and man, I
have
L
iv
Self-Examination.
101
have not justly performed; but
have preferred, fometimes my fin-
ful pleaſure, fometimes my fordid
gain and worldly advantage, before
the obligations of my Confcience,
both by oath and promiſe.
I have not given occafion to Scandal.
others to fanctifie thy Name,by my
diſcreet, ſober, edifying ſpeech and
demeanour, but have rather cauſed
the ſame to be profaned, by my idle,
light, foolish, finful words and
works.
For thy names fake, bleſſed Jesus,
thy Sweet and Saving name of
Jefus, be merciful unto my fin
for it is great.
I have too flightly and negligent- Against the
ly, both read and heard, the facred word of
word of God: through careleſneſs, God.
not underſtanding, and through pre-
cipitancy and ſelf-intereft, milunder-
ftanding and wrefting the contents
thereof: And what I have rightly
underſtood, I have not confcien-
tiouſly put in practice.
God be merciful unto me, &c,
F 3
I
102
Rules for
And the
Sacra-
ments
of Bap-
ism.
Of the
Lords Sup
per.
I have too much fleighted,and toe
often prophaned, thofe holy Sacra-
ments Chrift hath ordained in his
Church, as the bleffed means of
Grace and Salvation,
I have not feriouſly enough
weighed, and carefully obferved,
the Covenant I made with my God
in Baptifm, nor yet informed thofe
committed to my charge, of their
obligation to perform the fame.
I have not been ſo reverent and
devout at the adminiftration of that
holy Sacrament of Baptifm, as be-
cometh fo great a Myſtery of God-
linefs, and the holy offices of its
Celebration,
God be merciful unto me, and heal
my foul for I have finned against
thee.
When I have been invited to that
holy Communion of the body and
blood of Chrift, Ihave often fleight-
ed fuch invitations, chufing rather
to continue in my ignorance and neg-
lect
Self-Examination.
103
lect of fo great a duty, than to take
pains to be informed, and to practiſe
the religious acts and offices of due
preparation thereunto.
I have pretended fcruples of Con-
fcience, about harmleſs Ceremonies,
to neglect the fervice of God it felf:
and remembred the danger of un-
worthy receiving, to keep me back;
but forgot the duty that is incum-
bent on me, to eat of that Bread,
and drink of that Cup.
Many excufes and pretences I have
fancied to my felf, and made to
others, to detain me from that Sa-
crament, when the true caufe has
been, want of Devotion in my heart,
and of a full purpoſe to leave my
fins, and to turn unto the Lord fin-
cerely from all the errors of my
ways.
God be merciful unto me a mifera-
ble finner.
I am much afraid that I have re-
ceived that bleffed Sacrament un-
worthily,by not difcerning the Lords
F. 4.
Body,
104
Rules for
Body, being ignorant of the nature,
ends and benefits thereof, and of
what is required of them that come
thereunto and by not obſerving
ftrictly, in my Preparation and Par-
ticipation, what I have known there-
of.
:
As to preparation; I have not ſo
duly and truly examined my heart
and life, confeffed and bewailed my
fins, humbly implored pardon, fully
refolved amendment, carefully re-
newed my Vow and Covenant in
Baptiſm,
Communicant.
as
becometh a devout
Thine infinite mercy, O God, in
giving us thine only Son to be both'
the price of our Redemption, and
the food of our fouls, hath not funk
fo deep into my heart, as to be in-
flamed with divine love and affecti-.
on, with a ſpiritual joy in the Lord,
and a through devotion of my felf
to thy fervice, and to praiſe thee
therefore, both with heart and voice
and all the actions of my whole life.
God be merciful unto me,
&.c.
+
I
Self-Examination.
TOS
I have not performed my promi-
fes, nor put into practice my refo-
lutions I undertook upon my ap-
proach to thine Altar; but have
again returned to my old fins, as the
Dog to his vomit.
I have finned, we unto me that I
have finned, O Father, against
heaven, and before thee, and am
not worthy to be called thy son.
Thy holy Temple have I defiled, The profa-
by my often irreverent approaches nation of
thereunto; and my carelefs, flovenly what is
and indevout demeanor therein; as
holy..
if there were no difference betwixt
the House of God and the Houſes
of men, betwixt a Church and a
Barn..
I have too much undervalued the:
Miniſters of thy holy Word and Sa-
craments, flighted and contemned
holy perfons, profaned many holy
actions and holy things, which have
thy mark enſtamped on them, and
have been dedicated to the fervice of.
thy great name.
F. S
►
Andi
106
Rules for
Against the
Fourth
81 est.
And though thus, and more ways.
than thus, in more refpects than I
can poflibly conceive or remember,
I have profaned thy holy Name; yet
is thy Name called upon me, and I
do daily call upon thy Name; I do
therefore humbly beg
For thy Names fake, O Lord, be
merciful unto my fin, for it is
great.
Many of thofe daies and hours,
times and feaſons, dedicated to thy
Command- Divine Worship, publick and pri-
vate,have I profan'd and unhallowed:
making no difference, either by my
words or works, betwixt daies fe-
parate to the facred Service of God,
and fuch as are left in common for
the fervice of our felyes.
I have too often abfented my felf
from thy folemn publick worſhip,
without fufficient caufe, and have too
carelefly, irreverently and indevout-
ly demeaned my ſelf therein.
I have mif-ſpent much of the time
affigned for holy exercifes, in fol.
lowing
Self-Examination:
107
lowing my own private buſineſs,
fatisfying my fenfual lufts, purſuing
the pleafures and interefts of this
prefent world; fpending upon fuch
days in luxury, riot and excefs, what
might better have been laid out in
Alms and Charitable uſes.
The whole courſe of my life,
which thou grantedft me to be ſpent
in thy fervice here, that I might ad-
vance my hopes of Heaven hereaf
ter, I have foolishly thrown away
upon my lufts and vanities; continu
ally grieving thy good Spirit,quench-
ing thofe facred Hames he hath en-
kindled in my breaſt, never ceafing
from the works of fin, but daily
labouring to deſtroy my hopes to
keep a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven.
O God, I am ashamed and bluſh to
lift up my eyes to Heaven, for
mine iniquities are increased
over mine head, and my treſpaſs
is gone up unto the Hea-
vens.
Sins:
108
Rules for
Sins against the Second Table
of the Law.
Sius
agains the
O
moſt juſt and dear God, I
humbly confefs my ſelf, not
Fifth Com- only to have broken the bonds of
mandment that love, fear, and fervice I owe
unto thee, but I have also tranfgreft
in duty, in all my Relations unto
others.
Against
Patents.
I have been difobedient to my
Parents, ftubborn and difrefpective
in my carriage towards them: I
have fometimes fecretly defpifed
them in my heart, and openly re-
viled them; I have flighted their
admonitions, thinking my felf too
good to own them, too wife to obey
their commands: I have not, to the
beſt of my power, comforted and
relieved them in their wants and
weakneffes, forrows and fickneſſes;
and I have too often wifhed for their
death,that I might enjoy their estate,
and follow the ſway of my own cor-
rupt humor and inclinations.
God be merciful to me a finner.
Self-Examination.
109
Childı
I have not been careful, either Againſt
my ſelf to inftruct my children, or children..
to fee they were by others inftructed
in the Principles of holy and true
Religion: I have been more care-
ful for their temporal than ſpiritual
eftate, for the health of their bodies,
than for the Salvation of their Souls;
not wifely admonishing, difcreetly.
correcting, and feaſonably reprov-
ing them, and by my good exam-
ple, teaching them the ways of
Truth and Holiness.
God be merciful unto me a mife
rable finner.
... I have been too difobedient to
my Prince, too cenforious and male-
pert in traducing his perfon and
converfation, his government, and
any Governors under his Majefty:
I have murmured to pay him Toll
and Tribute, and refufed to obey
many of his Laws and lawful Com-
mands.
I had too deep a hand in the Re-
bellion againſt the late King of
bleffed
Mo
Rules for
Against the
Church.
bleffed memory, by my many per-
fonal fins provoking the wrath of
God, by entertaining falſe opinions,
by believing and ſpreading lies and
infamous ftories--
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable. finner.
I have not made Confcience to
obey the Laws and Orders of thy
Church, whether univerfal or parti-
cular, not acknowledging or not
fubmitting to the authority of ei-
ther, and juftly to be therefore..
rankt amongſt Publicans and Sin-
ners.
My Ghoftly Fathers, in the fe-
veral Orders of Biſhop, Prieſt and
Deacon, I have disbelieved, difre-
ſpected, disobeyed, deſpiſed them,
in their Perſons, in their Callings,
in their Admonitions for my fouls
health: And I have alfo detained,
diminiſhed, defrauded, and grudg-
ingly paid the dues of the Church.
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable finner
Amongst
Self-Examination.
III
,
Amongst the Miniſters of the
Goſpel, I have had reſpect of per-
fons, being better pleafed with a
ftranger than with my own lawful
Paftor; better pleafed with the
Factious and Schifmatical, than
with the Orthodox and Regular
Clergy, better pleafed with Prea-
chers that tickle the itching ear,
than with fuch as feed the foul with
found and wholfom Doctrine.
I have hated him that re-
proveth in the Gate, I have hard-
ned my heart, and refuſed, when
admonished, to return from the
Errors of my ways.
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable finner.
Towards all my Superiors I have
been too haughty and diſreſpectful,
both in my carriage towards them,
and ſpeeches of them; I have not
honoured the aged,and admoniſhed
the younger and lefs experienc'd:
Towards all men my deportment
has been too churlish and ungentle;
not
E12
Rules for
not fo meek and lowly, not fo cour-
teous and affable, as becomes the
fpirit of a true Chriftian.
I have been proud and vain-glori-
eus, ftubborn and disobedient;
flighting, contemning, deriding o-
thers, giving rafh judgment, but
have been impatient my ſelf of ſcorn,
or of a just reproof; not enduring
to be fiighted, and yet extremely
deferving it.
God be merciful unto me a miſe-
rable finner.
Sins of I have not ordered aright the
Mifters of members of my Family, [or my
Families.
fervant, or fervants] been too re-
mifs in my care for their inftructi-
on, and for their daily attendance
upon the publick Worship of God:
preferring their attendance upon
me, and their fervice in my worldly
concerns, before thee the great con-
cern and intereſt of their own ſouls
Salvation.
I have detained or curtail'd their
wages, murmuring to give them
their
Self-Examination.
113
their due; provoked their fpirits,
exacted too hard duty from them,
and too fupercilioufly Lorded it
over them.
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable fiumer.
I have often times difobeyed, and
And of
murmured to obey my Mafters com- Servants.
mands: I have not been fo lowly
and ſubmiſſive in my demeanor
towards him, ſo juſt and honeft in
the management of his affairs,as be-
comes a good and faithful fervant.
Have mercy upon me, O God, af-
ter thy great goodness, and ac-
cording to the multitude of thy
mercies, do away mine offences,
through Jefus Chrift
mandment
I have been heynoufly and fre- Against the
quently guilty of immoderate An- fixth Com
ger, been peevish and difquieted at
trifles, at flight mifcarriages of
others, and inconfiderable accidents
about me.
My
114
Rules for
Immode-
My Anger hath often ſwelled into *
rate Anger Wrath and fury, broken out into
in the heart bitter railing and curfing, oppro-
and in the brious fpecches (to fuch and fuch)
tongue.
Envy.
The inferi-
or degrees
mindful of wrongs, forgetful of
benefits: going to Law, (with fuch
and fuch) more out of malice, than
matter, more out of pride, or co-
vetoufnefs, or for revenge than for
righteouſneſs fake.
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable finner.
I have envied the perfons and flou-
rishing eftates of others (of fuch
or fuch) their parts or endowments,
of fuch for their wealth and prefer-
ments, of fuch for their credit and
eſteem: I have defired and purſued
mine own worldly ends and interefts,
though in the loſs, ruine and death
of others.
God be merciful unto me a mife-
rable finner.
I have many ways, and in many
of Mur- refpects, impaired the health of
ther.
others,
MU
Self-Examination.
115
others, the bodily health of fuch
and fuch, by fighting, maiming,
wounding,and by not relieving the
wants and neceffities of the poor
indigent; by not affifting and help-
ing to the beft of my power, the
fick and the fore, the wounded and
diftreffed, and fuch as are in capti-
vity and bondage.
their bodies,
in their
Souls.
I have alfo too much contributed Towards
to the ruine of other mens fouls, others in
both by filence, confenting and not
reproving, not inftructing and ad-
moniſhing, and exhorting others,
as opportunity has been offered and
my duty required; and by my lewd
example and wanton behaviour
incouraging, nay tempting and al-
luring others to run with me to the
fame excefs of Drunkenneſs, Un-
cleannefs, uncharitable Cenfures;
and I have been pleafed and delight-
ed to hear of the difgrace, lofs and
death of others: I have been ex-
tremely wanting in all thoſe ſeveral
kinds of Chriftian Charity, both
corporal and ſpiritual, whereby the
good eftate of my neighbours is
preferved, both in refpect of their
Souls
i
116
Rules for
Towards
Souls and Bodies: I have not been
fo kind, fo loving, fo courteous,
fo pitiful, fo tender hearted, fo
compaffionate, fo gentle and eaſie
to be intreated, as becomes a true
diſciple of Chriſt my Saviour.
Deliver me from blood-guiltiness,
O my God, even from all thefe,
and from all the feveral kinds
and degrees of blood-guiltiness,
good Lord, deliver me, and my
tongue shall fing of thy righteous
nefs.
But how should I rightly love
our felves. my neighbour as my felf, fince
have not loved my ſelf aright, but
have gone the way to deftroy my
felf, by my intemperance in meats,
drinks, and by my incontinence
and wantonnefs, by my impatience
and over much folicitude of mind
for temporal things; and in a word,
for want of Prudence and fober
guidance of my unruly paflions and
defires.
I am gone aftray like a sheep that
is loft; O jeek thy Servant:
foi
Self-Examination.
117
for I do not forget thy Com-
mandments.
I have not poffeft my veffel in 4gainst the
holinefs and honour, as the Temple feventh
of God fhould be.
Command-
ment.
Wanton
I have entertained many looſe and
wanton imaginations, the which I imagina-
have not forthwith caft out of my tions.
heart, but have fuffered them to
dwell there, till they have grown
into unruly, unlawful lufts; I have Unclean
not endeavoured to fubdue thoſe lufts.
lufts, but have fuffered them to break
out into filthy communication, ob-
ſcene talk, finful folicitations of
others, by the wantonnefs of my
eyes, hands, unfeemly geftures,rude
actions; more particularly, fuch
and fuch, with fuch and fuch perfons,.
at fuch and ſuch a time, in fuch and
fuch a place, after fuch a shameless
manner and behaviour.
I am unclean, unclean, unclean; O
wash me in the fountain of thy
inexhaustible mercy through
faith in the blood of Christ,
wash me throughly from my wic-
kedness,
Actions.
118
Rules for
Intempe.
rance in
drinks.
kedness, and cleanse me from
my fin.
I have not mortified my body,
for the fubduing of carnal lufts, by
Fafting and Abitinence; making no
confcience of any Days and Times
devoted thereunto.
I have fomented my lufts, by
giving too much way and fway to
meats and my rebellious appetite, even to
Drunkenneſs and Gluttony, at fuch
a time,with fuch company.
where-
in I have been too forward my felf
to drink to excefs, and to tempt
others to the like excefs.
Even the whole courfe of my life
has been a trade of Intemperance in
meats and drinks: and though I
have reapt the bitter fruits of fuch
improvidence, by having my heart
thereby eſtranged from thee my
God, by the flight and negligent
performance of holy duties, by
wafting my Time, my Talent, giv-
ing ill example, impairing the health
both of my foul and body, yet have
ftill continued to be dayly guilty
of fuch Intemperance.
God be merciful unto me, &c.
I
Self-Examination.
119
I have been too looſe, coftly, ga- In Apparel,
riſh and flaunting in my Attyre, to
intice and allure the eyes of lovers,
to gain an empty refpect from
others; making garments, given
to cover my nakedness, and the
thame of my nature, to be the in-
ftruments of pride and wantonneſs.
God be mercifal unto me a mife-
rable finner.
I have been both immoderate and In Recrea
unfeaſonable in the ufe of Recrea- tions.
tions, mifpending too much of that
pretious time in toys and vanities,
which was lent me only to work out
the eternal Salvation of my foul.
My fins have taken such hold
upon me, that I am not able to
look up; yea, they are more in
number than the hairs of my
head, and my heart doth fail
me when I think thereupon. O
let it be thy pleasure to deliver
me; make hafte to help me,
O Lord.
I
! Quest
120
Rules for
Against the I have been an improvident and
Eighth unjuft Steward of thy temporal
Command- bleffings, prodigally and finfully
wafting my eftate, by drinking,
dence. gaming, feafting, floth and negli
gence in the duties of my Calling
ment.
Improvi
Injustice.
Unchari-
I have been guilty of defrauding
and over-reaching fuch and fuch in
buying and felling, in purloyning,
in oppreffing, in borrowing and
not paying again, in lending upon
ufury and for unjuſt gain— By
many undue means I have inter-
verted to my own uſe, and detained
what of right belonged to others;
reither have I made reftitution, or
given fatisfaction for ſuch and fuch
wrongs and unjuft dealings.
I have not been ſo charitable to
tablene. the poor, fo pitiful to the afflicted,
fo compaffionate to the fick, nor fo
open handed to relieve the wanting
and neceflitous, as my ability and
opportunity, and their fad condition
have required.
I
Self-Examination.
121
I have been unlike thee, my God,
in all refpects for I have been
uncharitable and unjuſt.
O deal not with me after my fins,
neither reward me after mine
iniquities: but according to the
multitude of thy mercies think
upon me, O God, for thy good-
ness, through Chriſt my Saviour,
I have not been fo ftudious and
Again the
diligent to underſtand and ſpeak the ninth Com-
truth at all times as I might have mandment
been: neither have I had that Chri-
ftian courage always to fpeak what
I have known to be truth, or to
run any hazard to defend the fame, Denying of
as becomes a true foldier of Jefus the Truth,
Chriſt.
I have not ſet a watch over my Lies.
mouth, and guarded the door of my
lips, but I have fuffered my un-
ruly licentious tongue to be the in-
ftrument of manifold lies of all
kinds and conditions, officious lies.
bragging, boaſting lies, fcurrilous
lies, flattering lies, profeffing
G
;
more
122
Rules for
Cenfures.
Again the
more love to fuch and fuch than has
been in my heart towards them.
I have offended by detract-
ing, defaming, cenfuring and con-
demning others, being my felf far
more worthy to be condemned by
others. I have talk'd of the moat
in my brothers eye, to his diſgrace,
but have been blind, and would not
fee mine own fins and infinite mif
demeanors.
Enter not into judgment with thy
fervant, O Lord, as I have en-
tered into judgment with others;
O deal not with me after my fins,
neither reward me after mine
iniquities, but according to the
multitude of thy mercies think
upon me, O God, for thy good-
ness.
:
I have finfully coveted to enjoy
tenth Com- the wife, or the maid, or the fer-
mandment vant of fuch and fuch; coveted fuch
a mans lands and poffeffions; fuch
a imans offices, preferments, credit,
honour; fuch a mans conveniencies
and feeming contentments in the
world.
Self-Examination.
123
world. Maligning, envying other
mens wealth, fair houſe, great
eftate, but too too much diffatisfied
with my own eftate and condition,
though far beyond my defert.
God be merciful to me a miſerable
finner.
Having both food and raiment Covetou
and all things neceffary for wess. ·½
my ſupport in this life, I have
not been therewith content, but
have been over-difquieted and foli-
citous in my mind for more, more
wealth, more land, more and high-
er preferments, though founded
and fetled not in the lofs only, but
even in the death of others,
I have not accounted Godlinefs
Earthly
the chiefeft gain, nor delighted my mindedneft
felf in the Lord, and in the ways
of his fervice, nor fet my affections
on things above; but have roved
in my wild defires, after the exte-
riour enjoyments of the creature,
which being empty and unfatisfying,
deprives me of all true peace and
contentment of mind.
G 2
Father
724
Rules for
The fins of
Repen-.
tance for
fin.
Father, I have finned against
Heaven and before thee, and am
not worthy to be called thy fon;
but reject me not from among t
the number of thy Servants
thengh I be both an unprofitable
and disobedient one.
;
And to my fins, I have been guilty
of many finful defects in my Repen-
tance' for my fins.
I have but too flightly, not strictly
and throughly examined my heart
and my life to find out my fins,
which lurk in the dark to hurry my
foul to blacknefs of darkneſs for
ever thoſe fins which I have known
and found my ſelf guilty of, I have
not bewailed with that godly for-
row, as the greatneſs and grievouf-
nefs thereof require.
:
With my lips have I often con-
feffed my fins, when my heart has
not been truly humbled within me,
under the deep fenſe of their pollu-
tion, ftain and danger, fo as to loath
and abhorr my fins and my felf too
in duft and afhes.
·
I
Self-Examination.
125
I have too often made a mock of
the Almighty in the Confeffion of
my fins, by returning back to the
fins confeffed, as the dog to his vo-
mit.
Thus have I finned, and I have
done wickedly, and I have commit-
ted iniquity, and I have rebelled
against thee by departing from all
thy moſt holy Laws and Judgments.,
To thee, O Lord God, belongeth
mercy and forgiveness, but to
me shame and confufion of face z
for I have rebelled against thee:
God be merciful-
Befides all thoſe fins I have now
confeffed before thee, my fecret
fins are innumerable fins fecret,
through ignorance, through forget-
fulneſs, through negligence, and a
negligent Self-examination, through
wilful miſperſwafion; fins, which a
watchful and diligent fpirit might
have prevented, but I would not.
Sins fecret to the world, committed
before thee only, and under the
G 3
witneſs
126
Rules for,&c.
f
witneſs of mine own Confcience :
I am confounded with the multitude
of them, and the horror of their
remembrance: The remembrance of
them is grievous unto me,the burthen
of them is intolerable: Have mercy
upon me,have mercy upon me, moft
merciful Father,for thy Son my Lord
Jefus Chrifts fake,forgive me all that
is paft; and grant that ever here-
after I may ſerve thee in newneſs of
life, to the honour and glory of
thy name, and the eternal Salvation
of my Soul,through Jefus Chrift----
::
Grant, merciful Lord, I beseech
...thee, not to me only, but to all thy
faithful people, pardon and peace,
that they may be cleansed from
all their fins, and ferve thee
with a quiet mind through Jeſus
Chrift
Our Father which art-
THE
1
:
127
THE
LORD'S PRAYER
PARAPHRASED.
O
OR Father] 1. As we have the Prem
a being with all things by face.
Creation and Providence; 2. as we
are Reaſonable Creatures, with
Men and Angels, by Reprefentation
and Likeness; 3. as we are Chri-
ftians by Adoption and Grace.
which art in heaven] by thy
Majefty and great Glory: in earth.
by thy Mercy and good Providence
and in all things both in heaven and
earth by thy Eſſential preſence.
;.
Thou, O Lord, art more ready.
to hear, than we are to pray, and
art wont to give more than we de-
fire or deferve, as being our Father:
And though daily provok'd by our
fins, yet ftill our Father: And thou
art able to do exceeding abundantly,
above all that we can ask or think,,
G 4
•
36
}
128
The Lords Prayer
a Petit.
2 Petit.
as being in heaven: And to heaven
vouchſafe to raiſe up our immortal
fouls; Let them not cleave to the
duft of worldly vanities, fince we
have a Father in heaven.
Hallowed be thy Name; JO that
all the Nations whom thou haft
made would come and worship thee
and glorifie thy name, which is
great, wonderful and holy but
more eſpecially, may thy ever
bleffed name be magnified by
me, and by all people, who have
thy name call'd upon us; in
all our thoughts, words and
dreds, manifefting that reverence
and godly fear, that divine love and
filial obedience we owe unto thee,
our Father which art în heaven.
Thy Kingdom come; ] May thou
rule and reign in all the affections of
"our hearts, and over all the actions
of our lives; fwaying thy Sceptre
of Righteoufnefs by thy holy Word
and Spirit, to the deſtruction of the
Kingdom of Sin and Satan: And
may we all live in obedience of thy
moſt holy Laws, and continue fuch
loyal
Paraphrafed.
129
loyal and faithful fubjects of thy
Kingdom of Grace in this life, that
we may become Saints in thy King-
dom of glory in the life to come.
Thy will be done in earth as it is
in keaven:] May all we whofe im-
mortal fouls do dwell in earthly
Tabernacles, as readily, zealously,
conftantly obey thy will, and as
chearfully fubmit to thy good plea-
fure, as do thy bleſſed Angels and
Saints in their bliſsful, manſions of
Heaven above.
3 Petito
Give us this day our daily bread, 14 Poin
even all things neceffary both for
our fouls and bodies: both the
bread of heaven and earthly bread;
and grant that what we do enjoy
upon earth, may be rightly ours,
not to any other belonging; and
neither acquired by injuſtice, nor un-
charitably detained by us and our
daily bread, according to our daily
neceffities adminiftred to us, who
daily wait upon thee, O Lord, who
giveft unto all their meat in due
ſeaſon.
:
•
GS
And
1.3.0.
The Lord's Prayer
S.. Petit,
And that our daily abuſe of thy
gifts may not rob us of them,
Forgive us our trefpaffes, ] even
all our tranfgreffions of thy moft
holy Laws pardon, good Lord,
whoſe nature and property it is al
way to have mercy and to forgive:
But this we prefume not to ask, but
upon thine own terms:
As we forgive those that trespass
against us.] The trefpaffes of others,
and our fufferings from them, are
but few, and trifling in reſpect of
our fins and trefpaffes against thee,
for they be many and heinous, but as
fin hath abounded in us, fo doth
grace
and mercy abound alfo with thee:
But we are men of hard, corrupt,
uncircumciſed hearts; have mercy
upon us, O Lord, and forgive us,
both our fins againſt thee, and our
uncharitableness unto our neigh
bours: Soften our hard hearts,
to be kindly affectioned one towards
another, forbearing and forgiving
one another, as we hope and hum-
bly beg to be forgiven by thee,
through Jefus Christ our Lord.
Lead
Paraphrafed
FZ F
Lead us not into temptation: 6 Petits.
Suffer us not any more to fall into
fins and trefpaffes againſt thee, when
we are led away with our lufts, and
tempted: O leave us not then to
our felves, who are weak and frail
and too prone to all that is evil; but
affift and enable us by thy divine
grace, to overcome all the affaults
of our ghoftly enemies, and to con-
tinue thy faithful fervants and foldi-
ers to our lives ends.
Deliver us from evil, ] from the
evil of fin, by thy grace, and from
the evil of punishment, by thy mer-
cy and from the Author of all
evils, the Devil: from the tempo-
ral evils and miferies of this life.
and from the evils of a fad eternity
in the life to come from thy wrath.
and from everlaſting damnation,
:
Good Lord deliver us.
For thine is the Kingdom;] Thou
ruleſt and reigneft over all, and thy
Dominion is abfolute and indepen-
dent, the power whereof cannot be:
broken,,
7 Petit;.
+
Conclufions.
132
The Lords Prayer, &c.
broken, nor its glory eclipfed, like
the frail and fading Kingdoms of this
world. But thine is the Power, and
the Glory, for ever and ever: 1 Thy
Dominion is an everlaſting Domini-
on, fuch as fhall not pass away :
and thy Kingdom fuch as cannot be
deftroyed, but fhall ftand faft in
power, and eminent in glory, for
ever.
O give us hearts yielding a wil-
ling obedience to the Laws of thy
Kingdom, full of reverence and aw-
ful fear of thy Power, ftudious to
advance thy Glory upon earth, that
we may in the end arrive at thy
Kingdom in heaven; where thou
liveft and reigneft, bleffed Father,
Son, and Holy Ghoft, one God
world without end, Amen,
THE
133
1
THE SEVEN
PENITENTIAL
PSALMS
PARAPHRASED.
HE Pfalms of David being
by all Chriftians, of what
perſwafion foever, acknowledged
to be the immediate dictates of
God's holy Spirit, it muſt neceſſa-
rily be acknowledged alfo, that he
who underſtandingly and devoutly
prays in the very words of the
Pfalms, prays by the holy and true
Spirit of God: the truth whereof,
which by many blind zealots is too
much flighted and neglected, we
have both confirmed and the pra-
&ice commanded, Eph. 5. 18, 19.
Be je filled with the Spirit-
Speaking to your felves (or among
your felves, which is done by an-
Iwering each other) in Pfalms and
Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, i. e.
fuch as are the dictates of the holy
Spirit, compared with Col. 3, 16.
Thus
I.
134
The Penitential Pfalms
2.
Pfalmus
Aug. Pra-
Thus prayed our Lord upon the
Crois in the very words of the Pfal-
totius Ec- milt 22. 1. & 31. 6, And ſo hath
clefiæ vox- ever prayed the Church of Chrift,
log. in Pf. in all the ages thereof: Pfalms and
Chryf. de Hymns and fpiritual Songs are,
Pan Hom. and ever were, the conftant, regu-
6. Ambr. lar, ſtanding parts of God's Wor-
de Virg.1.5.
hip, both under the Law and under
the Goſpel: And he muſt needs be
a defperate Phanatick, who will not
acknowledge the words of God's
own Spirit, to be more wife, pithy,
pertinent, and effectually prevailing
with God, in our Prayers, than
any words of man's devifing, how
feemingly-zealous and taking fo
ever. Tis aftrange, but not a true
Spirit of holy Prayer: then, thoſe
perfons pretend unto, who flight
the devout uſe of the Pialms, which
are the treaſury of all found Devo-
tion, and truft to their own ex tem-
pore or ftudied expreffions in Prayer,
preferring the dictates of their own
Spirit, before thoſe of the Spirit of
God himſelf.
J
The Penitential Pfalms are fo
called,
Paraphrafed.
135
called, becaufe commended to the
Church of Chrift, and by the con-
ftant practice of orthodox, devout
Chriftians, to the Religious ufe of
all true Penitents, in their Prayers:
to be uſed upon all days of Humili-
ation and Fafting, and in the time of
fickneſs or any diftrefs: So prayed
S. Aug. upon his Death-bed, he wept
and bewailed his fins, in the devour
ufe of the Penitential Pſalms: And
thoſe are alſo the most effectual
Prayers we can uſe in the practice of
Repentance, by way of preparation
to the holy Communion.
}
O
Pfalm VI.
Lord, the Judge of all men, Verfe 1.
[Rebuke me not in thine in-
dignation which I have deferved-
]
ly incurr'd: [neither chaften me
for mine offences [ in thy hot dif
pleafure, flaming to confume me.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord,] 2
whofe nature and property is ever
to.
136
The Penitential Pfalms
3.
4.
to have mercy and to forgive : [For
I am weak] both through original
corruption, and manifold actual
tranfgreffions [0 Lord heal me]
pour the wine and oyl of thy grace
and mercy into the wounds of my
finful foul [for my bones are vexed]
that interiour ſtrength, which fup-
ports my foul, is troubled and fore
Thaken by many falls and failings.
My foul alfo] being conſcious of
her guilt and diftemper'd condition
[is fore troubled] being terrified
at the apprehenfion of thy ftrict
Juſtice, and her own deferts: [ But
thou, O Lord,] who defireft not the
death of a finner how long?] wilt
thou delay to hear, help and heal
my foul?
Return, O Lord from the ri
gour of Juftice to the ſweetneſs of
Mercy deliver my foul] from the
bands and fetters of her fins, and
from under the power of Satan [and
Save me from thy wrath and from
everlaſting damnation, good Lord,
deliver me for thy mercies fake]
wherein is my only truſt,through the
merits of my Saviour,
For
Paraphrafed.
137
For in death] whether ſpiritual
in fin, or corporal for fin [there is
no remembrance of thee] either by
confeffing our fins unto thee, or im-
ploring mercy from thee: [And
who will give thee thanks in the pit ?]
none ſure do praiſe thy name in the
grave of death, which is the dwelling
place of filence and oblivion; much
lefs in the pit of hell, where thy
great name is not praiſed, but blaf-
phemed rather.
S.
I am weary of my groanings] hav]
ing long laboured under the heavy
burthen of my fins, with my contri-
tion and godly forrow for them,
[ every night wash I my bed both
in the night, when I ſhould ſleep,
and in the day when I go to reft [F
water my couch with my tears] even
all the places of my eafe, reft and
refrefliment are bedewed with tears.
of compunction and godly forrow.
Mine eye wherein
eye]
my exterior
beauty chiefly confifts is confumed
with grief the inward forrow of
my foul thereby emptying it felf:
[ and
7
138
The Penitential Pfalms
}
*
8.
9.
[and worn away because of all mine.
enemies becaufe. my ghoftly ene-
mies daily prevail againft me, by
my confent to their fuggeftions, and
temptations unto wickednefs: But
being refolved to avoid all occafions of
Such temptations, therefore
Depart from me all ye workers of
iniquity] for the future, I mult
leave the fociety of all fuch as do not
only work wickedneſs, but alſo.
tempt others to fin with them
[For the Lord hath heard the voice
of my weeping] He hath put my tears
into his bottle, and it concerns me
therefore to ſeparate my ſelf from
the company and counfel of the
ungodly. O how audible and
effectual is the voice of weeping!
for therefore
The Lord bath heard my petition ]
graciouſly accepted and anfwered my
defires, in the pardon of mine offen-
ces, and the Lord will receive my
Prayer when I thus humble my felf
under his mighty hand and then
:
All mine enemies shall be confoun
ded ]
Paraphrafed.
139
ded they fhall be fruſtrated in their
defigns and enterpriſes againſt my
foul: [and fore vexed] when all
their contrivances fail them: [They
hall be turned back] from their fur-
ther affaults of my innocence: [and
put to shame fuddenly] even before
their intentions be put in execution,
their plots fhall be blafted when
the Lord vouchfafes to hear the
voice of my weeping.
And O that I could fo weep and
bewail my fins, that the Lord may
hear in heaven, and be merciful unto
ne, and heal my foul to glorifie
is Name.
Glory be to the Father, and to the
Son, and to the Holy Ghoft;
As it was in the beginning, is now,
and ever shall be. Amen.
*
Pfalm
140
The Penitential Pfalms
Pfalm XXXII.
Verſe 1. B Le
B
2.
3.
Leffed is he whofe unrighteouf
nefs is forgiven] as to the
gailt contracted: [and whofe fin is
covered that it appear not to his
puniſhment: or, whoſe Original pol-
lution is washed away in the Laver
of Baptiſm, and his actual tranf-
greffions covered with the robes of
Chrift's merits.
Bleſſed is the man he is bleed
in Hope, though not in Fruition
[to whom the Lord imputeth not hi
iniquity to his eternal feparation
from the preſence of God; but of
fuch an one it is required that he
be fincere in his Repentance [ and in
whofe Spirit there is no guile] nc
hypocrifie or deceit in his Repen
tance: but he turneth unto the Lord
with all his heart, and this too from
all the errors of his ways.
whilft I kept filence] covering
and not confeffing my fins: or,
whilt
Paraphrafed.
141
}
whilst I filently confidered with my
ſelf the multitude and heinouſneſs of
my tranfgreffions, [my bones con-
fumed away] the ſtrength and fup-
port of my foul failed me: [through
my daily complaining not as I ought
to complain in the confeffion of my
fins, for therein I have kept filence;
but through the ſecret murmurs of
my
troubled confcience and fear of
the juft judgments of God.
Day and night thy hand is heavy
upon me my dayly practice and
continuance in my fins, makes every
day more heavy the hand of divine
juftice, for the fear whereof [my
moisture is like the drought in Jum-
mer] the fap of grace and vigour
of the Spirit languiſheth, and the
verdure of my Devotion is dried
up, even as the fruits of the earth
are parched by the Sun's hot beams
in the height of Summer: And now
being fenfible of this my fad con-
dition,
I will acknowledge my fin unto
thee] both my fins of Omiffion,
[and mine iniquity] my fins of Com
miffion
4.
5.
142
The Penitential Pfalms
•
6.
7.
miffion [have I not hid] laid them
all open before thee: purging my
Confcience from the venom of them
by Confeffion: Ard this I firmly
refolved with my felf to do.
the Lord
I faid I will confess my fins unto
Accufing my felf, that
thou, O Lord, mayft excufe me,
condemning my felf, that thou maift
acquit me, difcovering my naked-
nefs and fhame, that thou maift co-
ver me with the robes of thy mercy,
through the merits of my Saviour:
[ and fo thou forgaveft the nicked-
ness of my fin] being confeffed,
bewailed and forfaken.
For this thy great mercy in par-
doning offences fincerely repented
[Shall every one that is godly pray un-
to thee] that he may be cleanfed
from his fins for there is no man fo
godly that finneth not, but there-
fore godly, becauſe thou art gråci-
ous, both in forgiving the wicked-
nefs of his fins, and ftrengthning
him with grace to abjure them: And
he that is thus godly, will not neg-
lect thoſe bleffed opportunities of
Prayer
Paraphrafed.
143
Prayer in the time when thon maist
be found ready and propenſe to hear
and forgive, and that's the time of
this prefent life, wherein there are
[great water floods ] of tempta-
tions and troubles [but they shall
not come nigh him.] The Prayer of
the godly is a ſtrong Bulwark: and
thus he praying in the time of
trouble,
Thou art my hiding place] under
the facred wings of thy merciful
protection is my refuge in the midft
of the greateſt tribulation: [Thone
Shalt preferve me from trouble like
Noah and his family in the Ark,
when the rest of the world periſhed
by water: [Thou shalt compass me
about with fongs of deliverance] be-
ing on all fides delivered, and pre-
ferved from the floods of many wa-
ters: I will fing praifes unto thy
great name for the fame.
The answer of God to a true Peni-
tent.
8.
I will inform thee and teach thee] 9.
outwardly by my Word and in-
wardly
144
The Penitential Pfalms
wardly by my fpirit: [The way]
of true wiſdom, which is both to
know God and know thy felf
[wherein thou shalt go] what good
is to be done, and what evil to be
left undone :
And I will guide thee
with mine eye
have a conftant eye
upon thee for
thy guidance in the
way of life
and he that is thus
IO.
II.
guided himſelf will fay unto others,
Be ye not like to the horse ] that is
untam'd, head-ſtrong and ſtubborn
[ or to the mule ] that is, foolish and
flothful [ which have no underſtan-
ding] or reafon to bridle their fen-
fual appetites, [whoſe mouths mußt
be held with bit and bridle, left they
fall upon thee] Be not fo brutifh as
not to keep the ways of God's Laws,
except he whip and fpur thee with
affliction and trouble this is like
a horſe that will not obey his rider,
without a bridle in his jaws, and a
1pur in his fides.
Great plagues remain for the un-
godly] often in this life to drive
them to repentance, but affuredly
in the life to come if they repent
not:
Paraphrafed.
143
not: [ but whoſo putteth his truſt in
the Lord and will be doing good,
his holy confidence in God being
not only notionary in the brain and
fancy, but practical in the heart and
life: [mercy embraceth him on every
fide ] The Lord's mercy fhall fur-
round him for his protection, and
fupport him for his perfeverance in
the way to heaven where he ſhall
both fee and enjoy divine mercy on
every fide
fide; 1. Above him, in the
beatifical Vifion of God's Majefty;
2. Below him, in the torments he
hath eſcaped; 3. and mercy round
about him, in the blissful fociety of
Angels and Saints: great cauſe of
joy furely.
Be glad, O ye righteous ] through 12
the teftimony of a good Conſcience;
[ and rejoyce in the Lord] not in
your own merits, for by grace we
are faved: [ And be joyful] nọt yê
that profper in the world; but [all
ye that are true of heart] fincere and
upright before God, whoſe willş
and affections are conformable to
the divine will, both in defire and
deed fuch may rejoyce heartily in
:
H
this
146
The Penitential Pfalms
this life, in the affured hope of ce-
leſtial happineſs in the life to come :
And therefore
Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
Pfalm XXXVII.
Verſe 1. P thine anger] to take revenge of
UT me not to rebuke,O Lord,in
Pine
the ingratitude and perjury of mine
offences againſt thee; [neither chaften
me in thy heavy diſpleaſure]let not my
correction for my faults be in rigour
of juftice,but temper'd with mercy,
as a father chafteneth his Son whom
he loveth.
20
For thine arrows ſtick faſt in me]
the ſharp fentences of thy holy
Word, againſt finners, pierce my
heart with fear and terror: [ And
thy hand preffeth me fore] thy vin-
dicative power,which thou exerciſeſt
againſt offenders, weigheth down
and oppreffeth my fpirits.
There
Paraphrafed.
147
There is no health in my flesh ]
thence is the fpring and foment of my
finful corruption, and therefore
justly puniſhed because of thine
anger] the fad effects whereof af-
flict me; neither is there any reft
in my bones by reafon of my fin] the
finful fickneſs of my foul renders me
fo difquieted and diſturb'd, as be
thofe, who are fo afflicted with
bodily pain and fickneſs, that they
find no eaſe or intermiffion of their
anguiſh.
For mine iniquities] by my fre-
quent reiteration of them are gone
over my head] their number is great-
er than the hairs of my head, and fo
prevalent withal, that they have
brought under both head and heart;
both my Judgment and affections are
enfnared thereby: [ and are as a hea
vy burthen ] which finks the body
to the earth, fo is the weight of
fin upon the foul [too heavy for me
to bear fo that I cannot raife up my
]
mind to heaven-ward.
My wounds ftink] my fins through
long
H 2
35
139
J
148,
The Penitential Pfalms
F
16.
7.
8.
long continuance in them, fefter in
my foul: [ and are corrupt through
my foolishness] in confenting and
delighting my felf to wallow with
the Sow in the mire of finful pollu-
tions.
I am brought into fo great trouble
and mifery both the powers and
parts of my foul and body are fo
diftemper'd and diſturb'd, [ſo that
Igo mourning all the day long] the
fenfe of my fins and juft fears of
puniſhment, make the day of my
preſent life ſad and heavy.
For my loyns are filled with a fore
difeafe there, there my carnal lufts
engendred, the fulfilling whereof
hath made my foul like a loathfome
leper, or ſome fuch ulcerous crea-
ture and there is no foundness in
my fleſh I which alway lufteth againſt
the fpirit, to the great diftemper of
both.
I am feeble ] in body, through
carnal incentives [ and fore broken]
in fpirit, by their prevalency over
me: LI have roared for the very
difquiet-
Paraphrafed.
149.
difquietness of my heart] my con-
ſcience gain-faying ſuch exorbitan-
ces, but not prevailing, makes me
now cry aloud through its difquie-
tude, unto the fearcher of all hearts.
Lord, thou knoweft all my defire ]
my earneſt longings after thee for
eafe and help; [ and my groaning]
under the heavy weight of my fins,
and of thy diſpleaſure [is not hid
from thee although I fhould be fi-
lent, and not exprefs the fame by
prayers and tears.
My heart panteth through the
difquietude of its unruly paffions,
the peace of my confcience being
alfo loft: And my strength hath
failed me the wonted vigour of
my Devotion is decayed, whence
fear and folicitude do iffue: [and
the light of mine eyes is gone from me]
my
underſtanding, which is the eye
of the foul, is darkned through the
fway of its paffions, and the fun
of righteouſneſs is gone down
upon my foul, becauſe of the deeds
of darkneſs I have committed.
H 3
{
My
9.
10.
150
The Penitential Pfalms
I-I.
12.
X
My lovers and my neighbours ].
who are obliged by the ties of
friendſhip and continued converfa-
tion [did ſtand looking upon my trou-
ble not moving to perform their
wonted friendly offices to me :
And my kinfmen] they of mine
own flesh and blood, either out of
fcorn or abhorrence of my troubled
eftate [tood a far off as if I were
a ftranger to them: And not only
my friends but mine enemies.
They that ſeek after my soul]
the Devil and his Angels,and wicked
men their inftruments [laid fnares
for me] by their cunning tempta-
tions of me unto fin,to deſtroy me :
[ And they that went about to do me
evil endeavoured by all means to
do me all the mifchief was in their
power, have to this end talked of
wickedness] framed lies, raifed
falſe reports, confulted and con-
trived pernitious defigns againſt me,
[and imagined deceit all the day
long or continually framing all
their imaginations to deceive and
ruine me.
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#
1
As for me, I was like a deaf man
that heareth not] with fuch patience
I fuftained all this, as if I had heard
nothing of their confultations, nor
known any thing of their defigns
againſt me: [And as one that is
dumb, who doth not open his mouth]
either to rail againſt mine enemies,
or to murmur at the fadneſs of my
condition.
I became even as a man that hear-
eth not taking no notice of what
was faid or done againſt me [and.
in whofe mouth are no reproofs] I
opened not my mouth to reprove,
much lefs to revile my adverfaries;
fo my dear Saviour has taught me.
by his example, who fuffered him-
felf with all ſweetneſs of patience;
ſo he was led as a ſheep to the flaugh-
ter, and as a lamb dumb before
the Shearers, ſo opened he not his.
mouth And very good reaſon.
fure, fince our help is not in man but
in God..
13..
14.
For in thee, O Lord, have I put 15
as knowing that vain is
Imy trust
H 4
the
352
The Penitential Pſalms
r
16.
17.
the help of man, but thou, O Lord,
art both able and willing to fuccour
all fuch as unjuſtly fuffer, and de-
pend upon thee for right: [Thou
Shalt answer for me, O Lord, my
God hear my prayers, and anfwer
my defires; plead my cauſe againſt
mine adverſaries, and diſappoint
me not of my hope, which hangeth
upon thee the God of my Salva-
tion.
I have required] requeſted of
thee in my prayers, [that mine ene-
mies should not triumph over me]
infult in my overthrow: [For when
my foot flipt at my flips and fail-
ings, either into fin or other dan-
ger, [they rejoyced greatly against
me] my falls, which are grief to
the godly, were great cauſe of joy
to my ghoftly Adverfaries; how
much more greatly then would they
rejoyce and triumph in my utter
overthrow?
And Itruly am fet in the plague]
being born to fuffering, becauſe born
in fin, being prone to fall, if not
by thee fupported: [And my heavi
ness
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153
2
144
!
ness is ever in my fight being con-
fcious of my fins, the cauſe of all
my forrows: But that the plague
thereof may be healed,
1
I will confefs my wickedness] and
this not only outwardly with my
lips, but inwardly from my heart:
[ I will be forry for my fins] and
great reafon fure, for they are the
cauſe of all my forrows and fuffer-
ings both in ſoul and body.
But mine enemies the devil and
his angels live and are mighty]
they are lively, active, ſtrong and
vigorous, whilft I am weak and
feeble: [And they that hate me
without a cauſe are many in number]
they are multiplied and make head
againſt me, without cauſe given
them by me:
And not only
they whom I have not wronged or
provok'd; but even
They that reward evil for good
against me] and fuch undoubtedly
who repay evil for good, do it by
the inftinct of Satan, and out of
mere hatred to goodneſs it felf:
HS.
And
18%
10.
2010
154
The Penitential Pfalms
21.
22..
And therefore they hate me [be
cauſe I follow the thing that good is]
hating my perfon becauſe of the
integrity of my actions: And there-
fore
Forfake me not in time of temp-.
tation and trouble leave me not de-
ftitute of thy affiftance [O Lord my
God in whom are all my hopes of
falvation: [Be not thou far from
me] by taking away thy grace from
me: but if in thy great wisdom it
be withdrawn a little, for my tryal,
yet not too far, nor too long, but
rather
Hafte thee to help me against all
the affaults of the Devil, the World
and the Fleſh, whom to vanquish and
overcome is from thee, and by thy
affifting prefence [O Lord God of
my Salvation] the author, the pro-
mifer, the donor of eternal falva-
tion: let others truſt in their riches,
power; yet ſhall my foul for ever
truft in thee for ſaving happineſs, in
whom,and from whom alone is peace
and joy, and to whom be all glory..
Glory be to the Father-
Pfalm
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15$
H
Pfalm LI
Ave mercy upon me, O God] Verfe 1
the Father of mercies [after
thy great goodness] were not thy
goodness infinitely great I could
not hope for thy mercy: [ And af-
ter the multitude of thy mercies, do
away mine offences] mine offences
are multitudinous and heynous, and
require a multitude of mercies to
cover them.
Wash me throughly] who am
throughout foul and polluted in all
the parts and powers both of foul
and body [from my wickedness]
'tis mine own indeed, from mine
own wicked will proceeding; [and
cleanse me from my fin] both from
my wickedneſs againſt God, and from
my fin againſt man; from my wicked-
nefs past and from fin to come, that
both the guilt of fin and corrupt
will of finners may be cleanſed.
For I acknowledge my faults] I
defire
20
32.
1
156
:
The Penitential Pfalms
2009
A
defire neither to hide nor, excufe.
them, but with a penitent heart I
own and confefs them, that thou
mayeft forget and forgive them :
[And my fin is ever before me ] my
confcience conftantly accufing and
condemning my great folly and in-
gratitude in finning against thee:
And 'tis
Against thee only have I finned]
who alone art both Judge and Wit-
nefs of my fins, Thou alone fearch ft
the hearts, and knoweft the great-
nefs and grievoufnefs of my fins,
and thou alone art able both to pu-
niſh and to pardon: [ and done this
evil in thy fight] what I was aſhamed
to do before men, I have without
either fear or fhame done before
thee, to whoſe all-feeing eye nothing
is hid. Have mercy upon me,O God.
That thou maist be juftified in thy
faying] be found just in all thy
words, and in this particularly, Hof.
13. 9. Thou haft destroyed thy felf,
O Ifrael, but in me is thy help: [and
clear when thou judgeft 1 free from
the leaft injuftice in pardoning the
penitent
Paraphraſed.
157-
penitent and condemning the obfti-
nate.
Behold I was ſhapen in wickedness]
contracting, together with my very
being in nature, original corruption
from my parents loins; [and in fin
hath my mother conceived me hence
my mortal flesh becomes fo frail and
rebellious againſt the ſpirit.
But lo, thou requireft truth in the
inward parts ] the internal purity of
the heart and affections are thy de-
light: [ and ſhalt make me to under-
Stand wisdom fecretly] by the fecret
influences of thy holy Spirit, make
me to underſtand and practife that
Wiſdom which is from above.
6.
7.
Thou shalt purge me with Hyffop &
my foul and corrupt Confcience hath
need of a purge, the ingredients.
whereof mult be the bitter
forrows and fufferings of my deareft
Saviour, intermixt with the falt
tears of bitter forrow of foul for
my fins: [Thou shalt wash me in
the inexhaustible fountain of thy
mercy, through Faith in the blood
of
1.58
The Penitential Pfalms
9.
10.
II.
of Chriſt [ and I ſhall be whiter than
Snow ] through the ſpiritual candor
of my juftified foul.
Thou shalt make me hear (or be
inwardly fenfible) of joy and glad-
ness in the remiffion of my fins
and hopes of eternal happineſs,
than the which no greater joy can
touch the immortal foul: [that the
bones which thou hast broken may re-
joyce] in the light of thy counte-
nance fhining into my broken heart,
and there diffufing the glimmering
rays of a bleſſed hope.
Turn thy face away] not from me
through indignation, but [ from my
fins ] by the remiffion of them:
[And put out all my misdeeds ] out
of thy book of remembrance, that
they appear not in judgment againſt
me to my condemnation at the laft
great day.
Make me a clean heart, O God,]
cleanſed from all filthinefs both of
flesh and ſpirit: [ and renew a right
Spirit] rectified from all the crooked
paths of vanity and iniquity, raiſed
uf
Paraphrafed.
159.
up to heaven-wards, and cleaving
ſtedfaſtly to thee, my God and let
this be [within me ] purifie my will
and affections, whence all my extra-
vagancies iffued.
Caft me. not away from thy pre-
fence] in whofe prefence is both the
light and health of the foul; and
though I am unworthy to appear in
thy preſence, but deferve rather
to be as a caft-away, given up to a
reprobate ſenſe, yet [take not thy
holy Spirit from me ] though I have
often quench'd his facred fires, by
my extravagant lufts, yet leave me
not; forſake me not utterly: But,
12.
Give me the comfort of thy help 13.
again ] or, reſtore unto me the joy
of thy Salvation, which by my fins
I have forfeited and loft: [ and fta-
bliſh me with thy free Spirit] free me
by thy holy Spirit of liberty from
the Law of fin and of death.
Then ſhall I teach ] both by word
and example [thy waies ] of mercy
and truth [ unto the wicked] who
follow the ways of their own
hearts:
14.
160
The Penitential Pfalms
15.
16.
17.
hearts [and finners shall be conver-
ted unto thee, ] by the example of my
fincere converfion and feaſonable
admonitions.
Deliver me from blood-guiltinefs,
O God] from all the kinds and de-
grees of blood-guiltinefs: fuch are
immoderate anger, hatred, malice,
envy, and from all mortal or foul-
killing fins: Thon that art the God:
of my health ] the health both of my
body and foul, both temporal and
eternal falvation is from thee; and
therefore [ my tongue shall fing of thy
righteousness extolling thy truth in
making good thy promifed mercies
to the truly penitent.
O Lord, open my lips ] which my
fins have clofed up: [ and my mouth
Shall fhew forth thy praise] which be-
cometh not the lips of finners: but
thou art a God forgiving offences,
and even out of the mouths of babes
and fucklings haſt perfected praiſe.
For thou, O Lord, defireft no Sa-
crifice of flain beaſts, for the ex-
]
piation of fin [ elſe would I give it
thee]
मे
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161
}
thee were it thy pleaſure to accept
The fame : [but thou delighteft not
in burnt-offerings ] 'tis not the out-
ward carnal offerings (though com-
manded by thee) that thou refpecteſt
as the principal means to pacifie thy
diſpleaſure, but in the inward devo-
tion and compunction of the perſon
offering.
The Sacrifices of God] thofe he
chiefly refpe&teth and accepteth [ are
a troubled spirit] wounded and
groaning under the fad fenfe of his
fins: A broken and contrite heart ]
the fallow-ground whereof is bro--
ken up by a ſtrict Self-examination,
contrite by compunction, weeded
by confeffion, watered with the
tears of godly forrow: ſuch a Sa-
crifice [O God, thou wilt not defpife]
but accept through his merits, who
with a torn body and broken heart
offered up himſelf a facrifice for the
fins of the world,
O be favourable and gracious unto
Sion let thy bleffing plentifully
defcend upon our holy Mother, the
Church, both univerfal, and this
par
18
19
162 The Penitential Pfalms
20.
particular Church whereof I am a
Member: [ Build thou the walls of
Zerufalem ] repair the breaches
both in true doctrine and diſcipline,
which through licentioufnefs in
opinion and converſation, are great-
ly decayed that the fouls of the
righteous may enjoy the viſion of
peace.
:
Then shalt thou be pleafed with the
Sacrifice of righteousness] with
thofe facred acts and offices of true
Repentance, whereby through faith
in the blood of Chriſt, the finner is
juftified: [with burnt offerings].
not of beaſts without ſpot or defect,
but of holy innocent perfons, enfir'd
with godly zeal and devotion to thy
Service: [and whole burnt-offerings]
even the whole man, devoted to a
whole entire obedience, through
the whole courfe of life: [Then
Shall they offer young bullocks upon.
thine Altar] themſelves fhall they
offer upon the Altar of a pure heart,
a living facrifice,holy and acceptable
to God through Jefus Chriſt.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c..
Pfalm
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163
H
Pfalm CII.
Ear my prayer, O Lord] as Verſe 1.
to the faving effects thereof
[ and let my crying come, unto thee ]
be accepted by thee, fince my loud
voice manifefts the inward zeal and
Devotion of my heart.
Hide not thy face from me ] under
the thick cloud of my tranfgreffions
[in the time of my trouble] when
burthened with the weight of fin,
or violence of temptation: [incline
thine ears to me, when I call] being
penitent and humbled under thy
mighty hand; [O hear me, and that
right foon ], there being danger in
delay.
For my dayes are confumed away
like Smoak] Ipent in airy, lightfom,
unprofitable and black finful works:
[ and my bones ] the ftrength and
fupport of my foul [ are burnt up as
it were a firebrand] fcorched and
withered through the exorbitant
heat
1
Le J
2.
3.
164
The Penitential Pfalms
4.
5.
6.
heat of carnal concupifcence, which
renders me lyable to the fire of thy
wrath.
My heart is fmitten down and wi-
thered like grafs] as when the grafs
is mowed down, and withered by
the Suns hot beams; fo my foul, be-
ing fmitten down by the violence of
temptation, is dried up and wither-
ed in her devotion: [fo that I for-
get to eat my bread] neglecting the
Iweet refreshments of thy holy
Word and Sacraments, where the
foul is nouriſhed with the bread of
life.
For the voice of my groaning ] unt-
der the heavy burthen of my fins
[my bones will Scarce cleave to my
flesh ] being macerated by the ſtrict
rigour of penitential feverities.
I am become like a Pelican in the
wilderness] flying even the fight and
fociety of men, through ſhame and
confufion of face: [And like an Owl
that is in the defert that takes up her
lodging in ruinous houſes, and not
inhabited.
I
Paraphrafed.
165
1
I have watched in the ferious
confideration of my finful and fad
condition: E and am even as it were
a parrow] flying the company of
finners [that fitteth alone upon the
honje top ] folitary, ferious and ftu-
dious how to eſcape the fnares
of fin below, and mount up my foul
to heaven above.
Mine enemies revile me all the day
long] fuch as hate to be reformed,
and are enemies to a ferious and fet-
led courte of Religion, continually
deride and revile me: [and they
that are mad upon me ] with rage and
fury [ are sworn together against me ]
have confpired my ruin.
For I have eaten ashes as 'twere
ead] my meat was as unpleaſant
to me as if I had eaten afhes: [and
mingled my drink with weeping] all
my wonted corporal refrefliments
were fowred with fpiritual forrow
for my fins: or, I have exercifed
the penitential rigors of afhes and
weeping: Sack-cloth and afhes being
(faith Aug.) the armor and clothing
of penitents.
And
7.
8.
9.
166
The Penitential Pfalms
10.
II.
12.
毒
​And that because of thine indig-
nation and wrath] that's the chief
ingredient in my forrow, that I
have deſervedly incurred thy wrath:
[For thou hast lift me up and cast me
down] Thou feemeft, as it were,
to raiſe me up, that I may fall with
the greater weight and violence:
or, thou haft raiſed me to great
honour to be ſtampt after thine own
image, but, for want of under-
ftanding, I have faln down as low as
the beaſts that periſh.
My days are gone like a ſhadow ]
they are not only vain, empty and
unprofitable, but alſo darkfom and
gloomy, becauſe I have declined
from the Sun of righteoufnefs: [ and
I am withered like grafs ] for want
of the Celeſtial dew of divine
Grace.
#.
But thou, O Lord, ſhalt endure
for ever ] whilft all other things pafs
away, thou changeſt not, being im-
mutable, as in mercy to raiſe up, ſo
in juſtice to caft down: [and thy re-
membrance throughout all generations]
thy
Paraphrafed.
167
thy gracious promiſes both of the
life that now is, and of that which
is to come, are in all ages remem-
bred to thy praiſe and glory.
Thou shalt arife] to redeem, de-
liver, and defend [and have mercy
upon Sion] thy Church militant here
upon earth, for it is time that thou
have mercy upon her ] the time of
this life is the feaſonable time of
mercy, becauſe it is a time of mife-
ry; [ yea the time-is come ] even the
fulneſs of time is completed of our
Redemption and Salvation.
And why, thy fervants think upon
her ftones] both Angels and Saints
reſent with much regret the dif
perfed members of thy Church :
[ and it pitieth them to fee her in the
duft ] they pity her diſtractions and
confufions, and have great defires
to fuccour and relieve her,
The heathen shall fear thy name,
O Lord, which now they blaf-
pheme, but being converted from
their Idolatries, and from all the
errors of their ways, they fhall
with
13.
14.
15.
168
The Penitential Pfalms
16.
17.
18.
with us adore the bleſſed and ſaving
name of Jefus : [ and all the Kings
of the earth thy Majefty] being con-
verted unto thee, they fhall in all
humility confeſs the greatness of thy
Majefty far to tranſcend the greateſt
power and glory.
When the Lord ſhall build up Sion]
repair the breaches of his Church,
and fettle it upon the foundation of
Prophets and Apoſtles, [ and when
his glory fhall appear ] the glory of
this great grace fhall manifeft it felf
in the edification and ſupport of his
Church, upon the pillars of Truth
and Peace.
When he turneth him to the prayer
of the poor deftitute] for his ears are
ever open to the prayers of the
humble and poor in fpirit, and fuch
as be deftitute of all exterior confo-
lations;[and defpifeth not their defire]
when flowing from a true Faith,
'tis enfir'd with Charity and Devo-
tion of heart,
This shall be written for those that
come after ] that the fucceeding peo-
ple
Paraphrafed.
169
people of God under the Gospel
may have upon record the wondrous
- works of God under the Law: [ and
the people that shall be born ] rege-
nerate and born anew of water and
of the Holy Ghost [ball praise the
Lord for the grace of Redemption
and great mercy attain'd.
For he hath looked down from his
Sanctuary] God the Son, from the
eternal bolom of his Father, look-
ed down with the eye of his mercy
upon us miferable finners here be-
low: [out of heaven did the Lord
behold the earth ] when the King of
heaven defcended upon earth, when
the day-ſpring on high came down
to vifit us, when the Word was
made fleſh for the building up of
Sion.
That he might hear the mourning
of fuch as are in cativity] groaning
under the bonds and chains of their
fius [and deliver] out of the gulph
of fin and clutches of Satan, [the
children appointed unto death] as the
due of wages of fin.
That
19
20
}
170
The Penitential Pfalms
21.
22.
That they may declare the name of
the Lord in Sion] being delivered
from the fad condition of being the
children of the devil in the vaſt
womb of this wicked world, to be
the children of God in the facred
womb of their Mother, the Church,
they might therein and therefore
extol the great name of God: [ and
his worship at Hierufalem] pro-
mote and advance the holy Worship
of God in his Church, and unani-
mouſly joyn therein together, to the
glory of his name.
་
When the people are gathered to-
gether when that people of God,
difperfed through the world, fhall
be nevertheleſs joyned together in
the unity of the true Faith,enlivened
by divine Charity: [and the King-
doms also to ferve the Lord] when
both the Kings, and the people of
their dominion affemble together,
and joyn with one heart and one
mouth in the publick Worship of
God; then fhall the name of the
Lord be magnified in Sion.
He
Paraphrafed.
171
He brought down my strength in
my journey in the mean time
whilft I walk in the way of Re-
pentance, my ſtrength is decayed,
[ and he hath shortned my daies] of
health and outward profperity, that
I may apply my heart unto wifdom.
23.
But I faid addreffing my felf 24
unto God by Prayer [Omy God]
the God of my life, of my health,
of my joy, my God and my all,
[take me not away in the midst of
mine age] before the natural courfe
of my life expire: [As for thy years
they endure throughout all genera-
tions being from everlaſting to
everlating, in refpect of whofe du-
ration the years of my life are no-
thing; and therefore I humbly beg,
they may not be fhortned through.
the violence of thy afflicting hand:
Thou Lord ] who art without be- 25
ginning in the beginning of time
[haft laid the foundations of the
earth which is the centre of this
vifible World; and the heavens,
are the works of thy hands both
I 2
the
172
The Penitential Pfalms
A
26.
27.
28.
the heavens and the earth, and all
things vifible and invifible are of thy
Creation.
They shall perish as having their
beginning in time [but thou shalt
endure as being from all eternity,
and through all the changes of crea-
ted beings, remaining in thy felf
unchangeable.
They all shall wax old as doth a
garment which is worſe for the
wearing, and as a vesture shalt
thon change them] from their pre-
ſent ſtate and condition [and they
Shall be changed in their qualities
and operations: [ But thou art the
fame in thy felf immutable, [and
thy years fhall not fail] or rather,
being nor lyable at all to any term of
years, but without either beginning
or end of Time.
The children of thy fervants] if
they follow the steps of their godly
Fathers, in the facred fervice of
God [fhall continue ] in the land of
the living, being tranſlated from the
Life of Grace to the life of Glory :
[ and
*
Paraphrafed.
173
[and their feed] of good works,
the iffue of their true Faith, [hall
Stand fast in thy fight] being trea-
fured up in heaven, where no moth
or ruſt corrupteth.
Glory be to the Father,
As it was in the beginning, &c.
Pfalm CXXX.
UT´ of the depths] both of Verſe 17.
my fins and fufferings, and
out of the depth of my heart,
wounded with godly forrow for my
fins [ have I called] as fonas out
of the whales belly, fo do I lift up
my voice in prayer, to be delivered
from the power of the devil [unto
thee, O Lord] with whom alone is
power to help and fave me: [Lord,
bear my voice in my prayers which
I make before thee.
which are not
O let thine ears
corporeal but wholly fpiritual, and
I 3
there-
374
The Penitential Pfalms
3.
ป
therefore more quick and intenſe to
[confider well the voice of my com
plaint] be intent to releafe me of
my fins, under the weight whereof
my foul complains.
If thou Lord to whom no fe-
crets are hid wilt be extreme to
mark what is done amifs] fo as to
take notice of all our faults and fail-
ings, and punifh us accordingly,
[O Lord, who may abide it?] there
is none fo exactly righteous and holy
as to abide the ſtrict fcrutiny of thy
vindicative juſtice; fince every fin,
from which none is free, is, in re-
fpect of the perfon offended, infi-
nite.
For there is mercy with thee] to
forgive the fins of the penitent, and
to raiſe up them that are faln [there-
fore shalt thou be feared] or, wor-
hipped with reverence and godly
fear, thy mercy engaging and ſweet-
ly working upon our hearts to fear
thy name.
I look for the Lord] even for his
faving mercy [my foul doth wait for
him]
Paraphrafed.
175
him ] to heal her fores, and fatisfie
her longing defires with the oyl and
wine of mercy and confolation: [in
his word is my trust] for therein he
hath promifed to pardon the peni-
tent, to heal the broken-hearted ;
And I doubt not but he will be as-
good as his word: and therefore,
My Soul fleeth unto the Lord ] up-
on the fpiritual wings of ardent de-
fires, ſtrong hopes, fervent prayers---
[ before the morning-watch] very
early in the morning of the day;
or, in the morning of my life, the
time of my youth: [ I fay before the
morning watch or more earneftly
than fuch who are appointed watch-
men for the night do wait for the
morning to be diſcharged from their
watch, and have liberty to repofe
themſelves.
O Ifrael ] ye that are of the num-
Ber of God's people, members of
his Church, if you be wife, truſt
not in your felves, nor in others,
but trust in the Lord] who never
faileth to help them that put their
trust in him, and be doing good:
[For
I A
7:
176
The Penitential Pfalms
1
8.
[For with the Lord there is mercy]
there is, there was, and ever will
be mercy with him to juftifie finners
that truly repent and believe in him;
for his mercy endureth for ever:
[ and with him there is plenteous re-
demption] his precious blood,where-
by we are redeemed, is plentifully
fufficient to fatisfie for our fins, and
not for ours only, but for the fins
of the whole world,
And he shall redeem Ifrael] no
doubt but he will, more efpecially.
above all others, redeem his own
inheritance from all his fins] be
they never fo many, mortal and ve
nial, if truly repented, through
faith in the blood of Chrift they
fhall be pardoned.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c,
;
Pſalm
t
i
Paraphrafed.
(177
H
Pfalm CXLIII.
Ear my prayer, O Lord] for Verſe 34.
the obtaining of what is good
5
[ and confider my defire] for the
avoiding of what is evil: [ hearken
unto me ] in both refpects [for thy
truth of thy promifes made to
hear the prayers of the humble
[and for thy righteoufnefs fake] in
performing all fuch promiſes, to
thoſe who truft not in their own but
in thy righteouſneſs, condemning
themſelves, that they may be ab-
folved by thee.
And enter not into judgment with
out any intermixture of mercy [with
thy fervant, O Lord] I dare not fay
thy Son, but confefs with the Pro-
digal, that I have finned againſt
heaven but reject me not from
among the number of thy fervants:
[ For in thy fight ] who art a God of
purer eyes than to behold. iniquity
[Shall no man living in this frail
mortal flesh [ be justified] by his
I s
own
21.
i78
The Penitential Pfalms
3
A
5.
own merits, but by the mercy of
God through the merits of Chrift.
For the enemy ] the devil [hath
perfecuted my foul and doth in-
ceffantly undermine its innocence
by his temptations and finares: [he
hath Smitten my life down to the
ground fo that my foul grovels in
the duft of earthly defires: [ he hath
laid me in the darkness involv'd in
the night of fecular lufts
[ as the
men that have been long dead in their
J
treſpaſſes and fins, having no ſenſe
or feeling of their defperate con-
dition.
Therefore is my spirit vexed with-
in me ] my Confcience within me
being defiled, and my foul which
would afpire to heaven-ward, de-
preffed with the weight of her fins,
and the corruption of her fleſh, is a
great corrofive and vexation of my
fpirit [and my heart within me is
defolate ] deftitute of all confolation.
Yet do I remember the time paft]
wherein thy people have been exer-
cifed and tried, both by adverfity
and
Paraphrafed.
179
and profperity, both by temptations
and deliverances. And for my con-
ſolation and ſtrengthning my hopes
of deliverance [Imufe upon all thy
works wherein I obferve as thy
great power and wifdom, fo thy
mercy allaying the rigour of thy
juſtice, [yea, I exerciſe my ſelf in
the works of thy hands ] wherein I
find thy mercy to be over thy works;
and that I, though an unprofitable
work of thy hands, may obtain
mercy alfo.
Iftretch forth my hands unto thee]
both praying with my lips and work-
ing with my hands to obtain my
petitions, and [my foul] pours
forth her felf, in the expanfion of
my hands, which being in her felf
dry and barren of confolation
[gaspeth unto thee] the fountain of
living waters, and well-fpring of
divine graces, even as a thirsty
land] gapeth to be fill'd and fatis-
fied with rain from heaven.
Hear me, O Lord] watering my
thirſty foul with the celestial dew
of thy divine grace: [and that foo]
delay
6.
こ
​ገ
180
The Penitential Pfalms
3.
•
delay not to fatisfię the thirſt of my,
foul, which is great, [for my ſpirit.
waxeth faint hath loft its wonted
fervor of devotion, being oppreffed
with the burthen of her fins, and
deftitute of the fweet refreſhments
and influences of thy holy Spirit :
bide not thy face from me] as one
turns away his face from his enemy,
or with whom he is juſtly offended:
[left I be like unto them that go
down into the pit if thou look not
in mercy upon me, I fhall be in the
fame condition with them that are
involved in the pit both of fin and
of death.
#
O let me hear] be made ſenſible
[of thy loving kindneſs betimes in the
morning early and betimes in this
life; and after the night of this life
is ended, in the morning of that day
which never ſhall have end: [for
in thee is my trust] not in my felf.
nor in any help of man, for it is but
vain, and fo will prove my trust in
thee alſo, except I obey thy will
and walk in thy ways: the which
that I may do I humbly beg [hew
thou me the way of thy laws, and.
the
Paraphrafed.
181
the paths of thy Commandments
Emberei bould walk] a leading
to my native home of heaven, where
my immortal fool was fir framed
by the hard of the Almighty: [for. ·
unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my
foul] which being m de after thine
Image, afpires to become perfect
in the beatifical vifion and fruition
of thy facred Majefty: in which way
being fore let and hindred, implores
thy affiftance, faying:
Deliver me from mine enemies,
O God, both visible and inviſible,
ghoftly and bodily adverfaries:
[for I flee unto thee when affault-
ed by them to hide me under the
covert of thy protection, from all
the ftorms of temptations which
daily arife in the tumultuous fea of
this life.
Teach me ] who am naturally
blind and careleſs of my duty [to do
the thing that pleafeth thee ] not
only to know, but to do thy will,
not to follow mine own pleaſure,
but what is pleafing and acceptable
unto thee; for thou art my God]
who
9?
10.
181
The Penitential Pfalms
II.
12.
who haft created and redeemed me.:
and that I may be throughly fancti-
fied [ let thy loving Spirit ] the Spi-
rit of love and verity lead me
forth in the ftreight direct way
that leads into the land of righteouf-
E
nefs] that's the promiſed Land, the
celeftial Canaan,where alone is per-
fect, everlaſting righteoufnefs in
the blissful prefer.ce of the God of
righteouſneſs.
Quicken me, O Lord] who am
dull and dead hearted, and faint in
the way towards the land of the
living [for thy names fake ]
which I invoke and adore: [and
for thy righteousness fake] not
for mine, which is little, and good
for little bring my foul out of
trouble delivering me from what-
ever diſturbs the peace of my foul,
and hinders her progreſs in the way
to heaven.
And of thy goodness flay mine one-
mies] mortifie in me all unruly lufts
and paffions that rebel againſt Rea-
fon and Religion [ and destroy all
them that vex my foul by exciting
and
Paraphrafed.
183
;
and fomenting the flesh againſt the
Spirit, the ſenſual againſt her ratio-
nal faculties that the whole may
be obedient unto thee: [for I am
thy fervant] Created, Redeemed,
not to ferve my own lufts and exor-.
bitant paffions, but to be fanctifi-
ed or dévoted wholly to ferve thee,
in holiness and righteoufnefs before
thee all the days of my life.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c..
I.
O most juft and merciful God,
who being by fin offended, art by
true Repentance appeaſed; be pro-
pitious to the Prayers of thy faith-
ful people, and in great mercy turn
away from us thofe fcourges of thy
wrath which our fins have juftly de-
ferved, through Jefus Chrift our
Lord.
Remem-
184 The Penitential Pfalms,&c.
II.
Remember not Lord our offences,
nor the offences of our fore-fathers,
neither take thou vengeance of our
fins; but fpare us,good Lord, fpare.
thy people, whom thou haft re-
deemed with thy precious blood,
and be not angry with us for ever.
III.
O God, whoſe nature and pro-
perty it is ever to have mercy and
to forgive, receive our humble Pe-
titions; and though we be tied and
bound with the chain of our fins,
yet let the pitifuluefs of thy great
mercy looſe us for the honor of
Jefus Chrift our Mediator and Ad-
vocate. Amen.
f
MEDI-
*
185
MEDITATIONS
AND
PRAYERS
To be partakers of the Merits of
what our blessed Redeemer
hath done and ſuffered for us.
O
I.
Moſt holy and ever bleſſed
Jefus, who vouchfafedit, for The Incar-
the redemption of mankind, to be wation of
made man; by the bleffed merits of the Son of
thy myſterious incarnation, grant
me to become one Spirit with thee,
who became one flesh with me.
God.
2
Thou bleffed Lord wert miracu-
louſly born of a pure immaculate Nativity,
Virgin, by the power of the Holy
Ghoſt overshadowing her: grant
me by the fame power of the moſt
high, to poffefs a pure virgin foul,
in a pure and chaft body, and to be
fruitful in all good works.
Holy
1
186
Meditations upon
fion.
3.
Holy Jefus who vouchlafedft to be
Circumci- circumcifed the Eighth day and made
obedient to the Law for man; grant
unto me I humbly beg, the true cir-
cumcifion of the Spirit, that my
heart and all my members may be
mortified from all carnal and world-
ly lufts, and whatever hinders my
regular obedience to thy moſt holy
Laws.
4.
By the merits and myſteries of:
Baptifm. thy Baptifm in the river fordan,.
wash me throughly from my wick-
edneſs and cleanſe me from my fins,
whereby I have unhallowed thoſe
.facred and faving waters of my Bap-
tifm, and perjurioufly broken my
Vow and Promiſe made therein,
5.
Holy Jefus, who didſt faft forty
Eafting. days and forty nights: forgive me
the manifold acts of Gluttony and
Drunkenneſs, Riot and Excefs,
whereof I have been guilty: And by
the vertue and power of thy mira-
culous faſt, grant me the maſtery
over my rebellious appetite, to live
foberly, that I may alfo live righte-
ouſly
Chrifts Life and Paffion.
187
oufly and godly in this prefent
world.
6.
Holy Jefus, who being fafting was
tempted of the devil, and overcame Temptation
him: Grant me by the influences of
thy bleſſed Spirit, fo devoutly to
intend the holy duties of Fafting
and Prayer, that by the power of
thy victory over the devil, I may
have ſtrength and power to triumph
over the devil, the world and the
flesh, and to continue thy faithful fer-
vant and foldier to my lifes end..
7:
Holy Jefus, who being inaugu-
rated in thy prophetical office by Doctrine
Baptifm, and confirmed by the van- and Ex-!
quifhment of the Devil, went'ft ample..
about preaching the Gospel, doing
good, healing all manner of fick-
nefs and all manner of diſeaſes
amongſt the people, being by thy
doctrine and example the way and
the truth that leads unto Life: Grant
me to believe aright all thy Reve-
lations, to obey all thy Commands,
to walk in thy fteps, and fo to follow
thee the Light of the world, that I
walk not in darkness,but may have the
light of life.
Holy
88
Meditations upon.
8.
Holy Jefus, who didft condefcend
He is con- to have thy pretious life conſpired
Spir'd a- againſt by the Jews, and to be be-
gainst and
betrayed. trayed and fold by one of thine own
difciples for a vile price : deliver me
from the confpiracies of all mine
enemies ghoſtly and bodily, and ſpe-
cially from the treachery and cor-
ruption of mine own deceitful heart,
and from the rebellion of my flesh,
which for vile things and of no
value dayly betrays my foul into the
hands and under the power and bon-
dage of fin and Satan, the great ene-
mies of her life in Grace and Glory.
Hu
den.
9.
Holy Jefus, who didft begin thy
His Agonie laft and bitter paffion in a Ğarden,
is the Gar. where thy innocent foul was forrow-
ful even unto death: fanctifie I be-
feech thee all my natural infirmities
and paffions, comfort me in all my
troubles and difquietudes of mind,
and make me fenfible with godly
forrow of that heavy wrath and
curfe for fin, which thou fufferedft,
and I deferved.
Holy
Chrifts Life and Paſſion. 189
10.
Holy Jefus, who didſt proftrate
thy felf upon the cold earth, fweat- Bloody
ing drops of blood under the pref- ſweat.
fure of our fins, and out of a fad
apprehension of thy enſuing ſuffer-
ings; offering up strong cryes with
tears unto him that is able to fave:
O that my heart might inwardly
bleed tears of compaffron and of
compunction, and vent it ſelf by
fuch fervent and effectual prayers
with tears of devotion, as to be
heard in heaven and healed of all my
finful infirmities.
II.
Holy Jefus, who with all fweet-
nefs of patience and fubmiflion didſt Submiſſion
give up thy felf wholly to the will
of thy heavenly father: endue me
with the fame fpirit of Lowlinefs
and meeknefs, patience and con-
tentedneſs, in all conditions; fub-
mitting to the good will of my God,
both in profperity and adverfity,
health and fickneſs, life and death.
12.
Holy Jefus, who didft yield thy
felf to be apprehended, when thou Apprehen
mighteſt eſcape, and to be bound as fion.
a
190
Meditations upon
13.
a Malefactor, being clearer than an
Angel of Light: Olet not my foul
be ſeiſed by any infernal fiends to
eternal horror in the other world:
But out of the fangs and clutches of
all the fpirits and powers of dark-
nefs, Good Lord deliver me: from
the bonds and chains of my fins and
from that diſmal fenter.ce [take him,
and bind him hand and foot, and caft
bim into utter darkness] good Lord
deliver me.
Holy Jefus, who being ſeiſed by
Arraign rude hands waft led as an innocent
ment and Lamb to the laughter, hooted at,
Condem- rated, reviled, reproached, falfely
mation. accuſed and unjuſtly condemned by
unjuſt Judges here upon earth, be-
ing thy felf the most juft Judge of
heaven and earth: O be not a fe-
vere and angry Judge when I fhall
ftand before thy Tribunal,but vouch-
fafe to be then my mediator and an-
fwer for me; who am not able to
anſwer thee one of a thouſand if
thou ſhouldſt be ftrict to mark what
I have done amifs: But in thee have
I put my trust, thou shalt answer for
me,0 Lord my God.
A
From
Chrifts Life and Paffion.
191
From the accufations of the devil
and his Angels, from the accufations
of all men or women, who have
been conſcious of my many finful
pollutions, and from the accufations
of my own confcience in the day of
judgment: Good Lord deliver me.
Bleffed be that infinite mercy and 14.
humility of thine, Holy Jefus! He is spit-
whereby thou fufferedft thy face, ted upon.
fairer than the children of men, to
be polluted by filthy ignominious
ipittings. Ob turn thy face away
from my fins, whereby I have pol-
luted my foul, and prophaned thy
holy name, which is called upon me:
Turn not thy face away from me, but
turn thy face away from my fins,
I who for my fins didſt not turn thy
face from fhame and ſpitting.
Holy Jefus, who didſt expoſe thy
4 bleffed cheeks to the rude cuffs and
buffets of hard injurious fifts: grant
that though I may feel, yet not be
fell'd and overthrown by the buffets
of Satan,
Holy
15.
Buffeted.
↑
192
Meditations upor
·
16.
Forsaken
Holy Jefus, who waſt content to
be forfaken of all thy friends and
of his friends deareft difciples, and to be left alone
and fol
lowers.
17.
Peter.
in the hands of cruel men, who like
ravening wolves thirfted after a
draught of thy dearest blood: 0
leave me not deftitute of thy affift-
ing preſence, when affaulted by my
ghoftly Adverſaries: though I have
deferved to be for ever defolate and
forfaken, for my manifold treache-
ries and backflidings from thee.
Bleffed be that infinite goodneſs
Denied by and meekneſs of thine, who look-
ing back upon S. Peter, when he
denyed and for wore thee, didſt by
that gracious chiding look, call him
back, both to himſelf and to thee,
by true Repentance: Oh look thus
upon all back-ſliders from thee, for
their correction and fincere conver-
fion: And look upon me alſo and. be
merciful unto me, as thou uſeft to do
unto those that love thy name :
18.
Scourged.
And now behold (oh my foul!)
with the eye of devout meditation,
fuch a portion of thy Saviour's
fufferings
The Prayer in the Garden.
山
​Luk:22.41. And he was withdrawn from them
about a ſtones caft,& kneeled down & prayed.
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this
Cup from me:nevertheleſs not my will but thine
be done. 43 And there appeared an Angel
from heaven,fre agthening him
The Crucifixion.
INRI
Marc: 15:25.
Erat autem Hora tertia
& crucifixerunt eum.
15:25. And it was the third
Mark. 15:25.
house & they crucified cim
Chrifts Life and Paffion.
193
fufferings as is the wonder and afto-
niſhment both of heaven and earth :
fee with what incomprehenfible hu-
mility and patience the great Lord
of all the world condeſcends to be
whipped by a mercilefs crue of Sol-
diers fee with what profound fi-
lence this innocent Lamb yields to
have his fleece torn off, his body
ſtript naked, and ſtrictly bound to
a whipping poſt: fee him all alone
naked and helpless, where there was
no eye to pity him, no heart to have
compaffion on him: whilft thoſe
merciless Caitiffs with their fharp
and forked whips rip up and tear
his delicate skin, and tender fleſh
fo that his bleffed back and breafts,
by the violence of their cruel lafhes,
doubled and redoubled, are all gore
blood;
which from the gaſtly
wounds ftream'd down his innocent
fides :
}
Now when I think hereupon I pour
out my heart by my self, even to
weeping and wonder: wondring
that the eternal Son of God, the
glory of Angels and beauty of men,
fhould fuffer fuch a cruel and shame-
K
}
ful
194
Meditations upon
19.
Crowned
with
shorns.
ful puniſhment: and weep that my
fins fhould both deſerve and cauſe
fuch fufferings and weeping wonder
that the Son of God ſhould ſuffer
what I deſerved.
But fince thou diſdainedſt not, O
merciful Lord! to be wounded for
my tranfgreffions and bruifed for
mine iniquities: O let thy chaſtiſe-
ment procure my peace with offen-
ded heaven, and grant that by the
Stripes my foul may be healed.
เ
Holy Jefus! whofe venerable head
was crowned with thorns, the curfe
of the earth, and thoſe thorns bea-
ten into thy Temples with a Reed
and with much rage: Pardon, Lord,
all thofe fins which by the inftrumen-
tal mediation of all the ſenſes of my
head I have committed: Break not
the bruised Reed, my broken heart,
with the fad preffure of thy heavy
wrath: Let thy thorns the fruits of '
the curfe which we contracted and
thou ſuſtainedſt, deliver me from
the curſe due for my fins, and ftop
the jawes of death, that the pit shut
not her mouth upon me.
Thon
Chrifts Life and Paffion.
195
20.
Thou art the King of glory O
Chriſt! yet waſt content with a Croſs Renounc
or thy Throne, with a wreath of ing the
Thorns for thy Crown, with a Reed Pomps and
Vanities of
for thy Regal Sceptre, with Gall this world.
and Vinegar for thy Cates, and for
hy Robes of Majefty, only a little
linnen to cover thy nakedness: 0
that I were fo wife, as, from thy
example, to deſpiſe all the guilded
glories, empty confolations, nick-
nam'd pleaſures and profits of this
preſent life: chufing with Mofes ra-
ther to fuffer affliction with the people
of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of
fin for a ſeaſon, having an eye to the
recompence of reward.
21.
Bleſſed Jefus who with a profound
patience wenteft forth bearing thy Bearing his
Crofs, till it funk thy tender virgi- Croſs.
nal body to the earth: O let me not
fink under thy Crofs, nor fhrink
from it, but chearfully to take up
my Croſs, whatever it be, and care-
fully to undergo all the facred Acts
of true Repentance; following thee
Imy Jefus, who fuffered for us leav
ing us an example, that we should fol-
low thy steps.
K 2
Holy
196
Meditations upon
22.
Holy Jefus ! who waft lifted up
Crucified. upon the Crofs to draw all men unto
thee, and didft hang on a curſed
Tree, to abolish the Curfe contract-
ed by eating the fruit of the forbid-
den Tree, and waft numbred with
the tranfgreffors, crucified among
theeyes: O draw my hard and ftony
heart unto thee: deliver me from
the curfe, by my fins contracted,
and rank me not among the curfed
Goats on thy left hand, but amongſt
thy bleſſed Sheep on thy right hand,
in the great day of Judgment.
23.
All the
body torm
mented.
O moſt holy crucified Jefus ! all
the parts and members of whoſe
parts of his body were expanded on the Croſs,
as on a tormenting rack: Thy
bleſſed arms and legs were with
fuch violence diftended, that the
joints were difparted, the veins
burſt, the finews crackt, the skin
rent, the flesh tore, and all the bones
ſtarted afide: And in this height of
diſtenfion thy innocent hands and feet
were nayled for the finful works of
our hands, nayled where the nerves
thoſe conveyances of ſenſe are the
thickeft,
Chriſts Life and Paſſion.
197
:
thickeft, to the unſpeakable torment
of thine innocent body; yet the
forrows and ſufferings of thy foul The Suffer.
were far greater, being like melting ings of his
wax, molten in the fiery furnace of Soul.
God's wrath, for the fius of the
world, till the fulness of thy fuffer-
ings being accomplished,thou com-
mendedft thy ſpirit into the hands of
God All this forrow and fuffering,
grief and torment of thine, I believe
verily was for me and for my fins,
there being nothing in thee the fpot-
lefs fon of a fpotlefs Virgin to
grieve, or forrow, or fuffer for:
O ſweeteſt Saviour, fave and deliver
me from all my fins, whether of
knowledge or ignorance, of wilful-
nefs of negligence, of omiffion or
commiffion; of thought, defire,
word or deed, confeffed or not con-
feffed before thee: wash them all
away in thy pretious blood fhed for
me, nail them to thy Crofs which
were the cauſe of thy crucifixion,hide
them in thy wounds, who waſt
wounded for my Tranfgreffions:
and write thofe wounds of thine
in my heart, not with Ink, but with
the blood which was fhed for me;
that
K 3
>
#98
Meditations upon
that in and by thoſe characters of
blood, I may read and learn to
die unto fin and live only unto thee,
who died for me: cleaving ftedfaft-
ly unto thee, whoſe whole ſelf waſt
fo faft nayled to the cross for me:
By thy Croſs and Paffion,both in
foul and body, cleanſe me from
all filthineſs both of flesh and fpirit,
crucifie this corruptible fleſh of
mine, with all the inordinate affecti-
ons and unruly lufts thereof; that
being conformed to thy death I
may be partaker of thy Reſurrecti-
on; that fuffering with thee here,
I may reign with thee hereafter,
where thou liveſt
Saint
I
the Paffion of Chrift.
199
Saint Aug. Recommendation.
of the Passion of Chrift
unto God the Father.
B
Ehold, holy Father,thy bleſſed
Son fuffering for me great and
grievous things: Regard moft glo-
rious King, who it was that fuffered,
and remember in mercy for whom
he fuffered. Is not this he (my
Lord!) even that innocent one,
whom, to redeem a fervant, thou
offeredft up being a Son? Is not
this he, even that Author and Giver
of life, who was led as an innocent
Lamb to the ſlaughter, and became
obedient unto thee, even unto death,
and feared not to undergo the moſt
bitter of all deaths? Is not this he
whom thou (the diſpenſer of all
Salvation) didit beget from all eter-
nity, but in fulneſs of time wouldſt
have him partaker of my infirmity?
This is truly thy Deity who hath
put on my mortality, who was lifted
up on the Crofs, and in my flesh
K 4
дело.
fuffer
&
Meditations upon
200
;
fuffered that fad puniſhment of a
curfed death: Look back (O Lord
my God!) with the eyes of thy
Majefty upon this unfpeakable work
of mercy: Behold thy fweet Son in
all the parts of his body extended
and rackt ſee his innocent hands
flowing with his pretious blood,
and pardon in great mercy the ini-
quities which my wicked hands have
committed: Confider his naked
fide pierced with a cruel fpear, and
renew me in the facred font, which
I believe to have iffued thence: Be-
hold thoſe immaculate feet which
never ſtood in the way of finners,
but alway walked in the Law of the
Lord, cruelly bored and transfixed
with nailes : remove far from me
the way of iniquity and make me to
chuſe the way of truth, to hate and
decline the ways of the ungodly and
to walk in the paths of thy Com-
mandments. O hold thou up my go-
ings in thy paths that my footsteps
flip not.
I beseech thee O King of Saints,
by him who is the chief of Saints,
my bleſſed Redeemer; make me to
run
the Paſſion of Chrift.
2017
unto him,
run the way of thy Commandments,
that I may be united
who abhorred not to be clothed
with my flesh.
Behold, moſt merciful Creator,
the humanity of thy beloved Son,
and have mercy upon the infirmity
of thy frail creature: His naked
breaſt white and wan, his pierced
fide red and bloody, his diftorted
bowels wither, his fplendid eyes
do languiſh, his majeſtick counte-
nance is pale, his procerous armes
are ftiff and cold, his marble thighs
hang down; whileft his precious
blood like water bedews his feet.
. Behold the puniſhment of God
made man, and relax the mifery of
created man; confider the ſufferings
of the Redeemer, and forgive the
fins of the redeemed. This is he,
my Lord, whom thou haft ftricken
for the fins of thy people, although
he be thy beloved Son, in whom
thou art well pleaſed. This is he,who
knew no fin, neither was any guile
found in his mouth, and yet he was
numbered among the Tranfgreffors,
and bore the fins of many.
K 5.
Sains
202
Meditations upon
Saint Ambrofe's Commemo
ration of our Saviour's
Passion.
O
Lord Jefus Chrift the Son of
the living God, the Creator
and Redeemer of all mankind; we
give thee thanks, unworthy though
they be, yet defire they may be de-
vout and acceptable to thee: who
for us miferable finners cameſt down
from heaven and tookelt fleſh of the
bleffed Virgin Mary of her thou
vouchfafedit to be born,to be wrapt.
in fwadling clothes and laid in a
manger, to fuck the breafts, to be
circumcifed in thy tender flesh, to
be manifeſted to the wife men, and
adored by them; to be preſented
in the Temple, to be carried into
Egypt, to return into thy countrey,
to be fubject to thy parents, to be
baptized by John, to be afflicted
with a 40 days faft, and thrice to be
tempted of the devil, to be wearied
with journeys, and macerated by
hunger
the Paſſion of Chrift.
203€
hunger and thirft and watchings;
to be tired with preaching, to weep
for compaffion, to be rejected of
the Jews, and frequently abufed by
them :
Thy Paffion approaching thou
vouchfafedft to be heavy and exceed-
ing forrowful,to pray not only with
bended knees, but thrice to fall upon
thy face, to be in a bitter Agony and
to ſweat drops of blood: to be be-
trayed by Judas with a deceitful
kifs, to be apprehended by the Jews,
and bound as a Thief, to be left de-
folate and alone; for all thy difciples.
forfook thee and fled :
-
To be led to Annas the high
Prieft, firft, and there to be buffet-
ed; to be ſent by him bound to
Caiaphas and there to be many ways
derided: To be brought before the
councel of the Jews, and there to
be falfely accuſed and condemned,
to have thy face polluted with fpit-
tings, to be provok'd by manifold
reproaches, to be fcorned, and blaf-
phemed, and again fmitten on the
face and buffeted: To be delivered
bound
204
Meditations upon-
bound unto Pilate, and before him
vehemently accuſed unto death, and
by him to be fent unto Herod, and
there to be calumniated, and fet at
nought by him and his men of war:
To be arrayed in white and fent back
unto Pilate, by his command to be
bound to a Pillar and cruelly
fcourged unto blood: to be by him
condemned and delivered up to the
foldiers to be crucified, by whom
thou waft mockt with a purple gar-
ment and pierced with a Crown of
thorns, derided with a Reed inftead
of a regal Sceptre, and with bowing.
of knees named in contempt, The
King of the Jews: Again the Third
time befpatter'd with ſpittle and
buffeted and beaten with a Reed on
thy head; laden with the weight of
thy Cross, and led away to the place
of thy Paffion, there again ftript
naked of thy garments and proffer-
ed to drink Gall mingled with
Myrrh.
At last thou waft extended on the
Cross, thy hands and feet transfixed
with nailes,crucified amongst thieves,
numbered amongst Tranfgreffors,
blafphemed
41
the Paffion of Chrift.
205
<
blafphemed both by them that ftood
by, and by them that paffed by:
Asd in the extremity of thy fuffer-
ings criedft out my God, my God!
why hast thou forfaker me? Thy head
bowed down thou didit give up the
Ghoft, and thy fide was pierced by
a. Soldier, whence iffued both water
and blood; taken down from the
Crofs and buried by fofeph, the
Third day thou didst rife again and
appear to thy diſciples: The Fortieth
day thou aſcendedſt into heaven,and
fitting on the right hand of God the
Father, thou didst fend down the
promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt upon
thy bleſſed Apoſtles and Difciples,
and fhalt come again to judgment to
render to all men according to their
works done in the body whether
they be good, or whether they be
evil :
O bleffed Lord Jefus ! by all
theſe thy moſt facred fufferings, by
thy bitter death and moft pretious
blood ſhed for us, and by all things
foretold of thee and fulfill'd by thee;
vouchsafe in great mercy to deliver
me a fordid finner with all my friends
and
1
206
Afeditations upon
and enemies, Parents, Brothers,
Sifters, all that are poor and defo-
lato, tempted and afflicted, bound
and impriſon'd with all Chriftian
people, from all our tribulations
and diftreffes,from the fnares of the
devil, from the bonds and chains
of our fins, and from all evils both
of foul and body, good Lord, de-
liver, fave and defend us..
All our imaginations and actions
vouchsafe fo to difpofe and order,
that they may be acceptable unto
thee: fill us with thy grace, and
with holy peace, and with all vertue;
and grant us herein to perfevere
even unto death; that making a
good end of this prefent life, thou
mayft bring us to eternal life in thy
celeftial Kingdom, where thou
liveft and reigneft.
:
Saint
Y
the Paffion of Chrift.
207-
Saint Gregories Prayers upm.
the Passion of Chrift.
I
I.
Adore thee, holy Lord Jefus,.
hanging upon the Croſs, and
bearing on thy venerable head´a
Crown of Thorns: And I humbly
beg, by thy Crofs, to be delivered
from the deftroying Angel.
I
!
II.
Adore thee, holy Lord Jefus
Chriſt, expanded on the Crofs,
with five great wounds, in thy nailed
hands and feet, and pierced fide:
and I humbly beg, that thy dire and
gaftly wounds may be a healing re-
medy to my fin fick foul,
I
III.
Adore thee, holy Lord Jefus,'
panting under the fad weight of
the fins of the world: And I hum-
bly
208
Meditations upon,&c.
bly beg, by that unconceivable bit-
ternefs of forrow thy innocent foul
fuffered in that moment when it left
the body, have mercy upon my foul
in the moment of her departure
hence.
I
I.V..
Adore thee, holy Lord Jefus,
laid in the Sepulchre,and anoint-
ed with Myrrh and Aloes: And I
humbly beg that thy death may be
the life of my foul.
O
V.
Save, holy Jefus, the good
Shepherd, who laid down his
life for his Sheep, fave and preferve
the righteous, call home the wicked,
juftifie the penitent, have mercy
upon all true believers, and upon me
a miferable finner. Amen.
}
MEDI-
209
MEDITATIONS
AND
PRAYERS
Preparatory to the Holy Com-
munion of the Body and
Blood of Christ.
T
Hou art this day invited, O
my foul, to fuch a banquet, as
heaven and earth affords not the
like: 'tis the pretious Body and
Blood of thy dear Lord, which he
firft gave as the price of thy Re-.
demption, and now gives again
to be thy food and nouriſhment.
O
Moft holy Jefus, I beseech out of
thee, by that facred effufion s. Au-
of thy precious blood upon the Al- guſtine's
tar of thy Crols, to give me fuch Manual,
compunction of heart, as may vent
it felf in a fountain of devout tears,
when I approach thine Altar, to
offer
cap. 11.
210
Meditations preparatory
S. Ambr.
offer that dreadful celeftial Sacrifice,
worthy of all Reverence, and the
greateſt Devotion: which thou, O
Lord God, our immaculate High-
Prieſt, didſt inſtitute and command
to be received, in remembrance of
thine infinite love, even of thy death
and Paſſion for our Redemption,
and for the daily repair of our ma-
nifold frailties.
Out of. Each me, O Lord, by thy holy
Spirit, to underſtand and be-
lieve, and ever to think and fpeak
of thoſe great and wonderful myfte-
ries,and this day to receive the fame,
with that Faith and Humily, Re-
verence and Devotion,as may pleaſe
thee, and conduce to the health of
my foul
Out of Tho.
Aquin.
GR
Rant me, holy God, not only
to receive the external Sacra-
ment, but the internal vertue and
power thereof; and by that Sacra-
mental Body of my Saviour, to be
incorporate into that holy Myftical
Body, that whom I now fee, with
the eye of Faith, veil'd in the way of
Grace, I may with open face be-
hold
to the holy Communion.
211
hold with open face reveiled in hea-
ven, who liveth and reigneth with
thee and thy holy Spirit, one God
over all, bleffed for ever.
Like as the Hart defireth the wa- Pfal. 42.
ter-brooks; fo longeth my foul after 1, 2.
thee, O God.
My foul is a thirst for God, even
for the living God: when shall I come
to appear before the presence of God?.
'Tis thy bleffed body, holy Jefus,
that my foul longs for, and to be
fatisfied with thy pretious blood,
for its purification and nouriſhment:
vouchsafe, holy Jefus, to enter this
day into the houſe of thy fervant :
that with holy Zacheus [who had Luk.19.5.
the honour and happineſs to receive
thee in his houfe I may within re-
ceive from thee, that joyful bene-
diction: This day Salvation is come Luk.19.9..
to this houſe, infomuch that he alſo is
the Son of Abraham.
I
Am unworthy, much, much un- M4.8.8.
worthy, thou ſhouldſt come un-
der my roof, which is both ruinous
and unclean; ſpeak the word only,
and thy fervant ſhall be healed.
What
212
Meditations preparatory
Out of
Tho, à
imit. Chri-
W
Hat fhall I fay? or what
fhall I do unto thee? O
Kemp. de thou preferver of men! I can but
fti,ful.7.20 confefs my wickednefs and be forry
for my fins; and this I have
done, and this I will do as long as I
have a day to live, I will confefs my
Pf. 38. 18. wickednefs and be forry for my fins.
Out of the
Eng. Lit.
Out of
S. James
the Ap.
Liturg.
the fins of the world, have mer-
Lamb of God that takeſt away
cy upon me, and take away my fins
alfo: O Lamb of God, that takeſt
away the fins of the world, grant me
thy peace: In the devout and reve-
rent participation of thy bleffed
body and blood, this day, grant me
thy peace.
O
Lord our God, the Bread of
heaven,and life of the world;
I have finned againft heaven, and be-
fore thee, and am not worthy to be
made partaker of thy moſt holy my-
fteries: but vouchfafe, as a merciful
God, to make me worthy by thy
grace, that I may not receive thy
holy body and pretious blood to my
condem-
to the holy Communion.
213
condemnation, but unto the remiffi-
on of my fins, and everlaſting life:
Amen.
1
す
​Meditations and Prayers when
you come to Church.
T
When you enter the Church.
Will come into thine houfe, Pfal. 5. 7.
even upon the multitude of thy
mercy, and in thy fear will I wor
fhip towards thy holy Temple.
I will come into thy Tabernacle, Pf. 132,7.
and fall low on my knees before thy
footftool: waiting for thy loving
kindneſs, O God, in the midſt of Pfal.48.8.
thy Temple.
Thy teftimonies O Lord are very Pf. 93.6.
fure, holiness becometh thy houfe
for ever.
1
When
214.
Meditations preparatory `
}
When you come to your Seat,
kneeling down, fay:
Et
I.
Let thy merciful ears, O Lord,
be open to the Prayers and
Supplications of thy Church and
People; and grant that what we ask
faithfully,we may receive effectually
through Jefus Christ our Lord.
O
II
God forafmuch as without
thee we are not able to pleaſe
thee; mercifully grant that thy holy
Spirit may in all things direct and
rule our hearts, and more eſpecially
be affiftant to us in all the holy
actions of this day, through Jefus
Christ our Lord.
A
III.
Nd fince by reaſon of our fins.
we are unworthy to appear in
thy prefence to offer up any facrifice
unto thee, grant, merciful Lord,
we
to the holy Commùnion.
215
we beseech thee both to me and to
all thy faithful people, pardon and
peace, that being cleanfed from all
our fins, we may ferve thee with a
quiet mind through Jeſus Chriſt.
I
When you go up to Communicate.
Will wash my hands in innocen-
cy, and fo will go to thine Altar.
Pf.26.6.
O fend forth thy light and thy pf.43.3.
truth, that they may lead me, and
bring me to thy holy hill, and to
thy dwelling.
of
24
And that I may go unto the Altar
my God, even the God of my
Pf. 43. 4.
joy and gladness, and upon the harp
(with my heart) will I give thanks
unto thee, O God, my God.
:
When you kneel down before
the Altar.
T
Hou art worthy, O Lord, to Rev. 4.ult.
receive bleffing and honour
and power: but I am unworthy
that thy praiſe fhould come within
my polluted lips, much more un-
worthy
5. 12.
216
·Meditations preparatory
worthy thoſe dreadful myfteries of
our Salvation fhould be received
into my foul and unclean mouth.
But bleffed Lord, who vouch-
Luk. 19.5. fafedft to enter the houfe of a Publi-
Luk.7.38. can, and to receive the kiſs of an
unclean finner fuch as I am; difdain
-Mat.9.10.
PS. 27.9,
10.
Oar of
Kemp. de
imitat.
Chrifti.
not to enter under my roof, defpife
not my humble addreffes and fuppli-
cations.
Thou haft commanded, faying,
feek ye my face, thy face Lord do
I now feek, O hide not thou thy
face from me (under the cloud of
my fins) nor caft away thy fervant
in diſpleaſure.
A
If you have farther time.
Las! O Lord my God, inftead
of the facrifice of fat things,
I muſt now offer up my fins to be
laid on thy Altar, to be confumed
by the fire of thy infinite love.
They have enfired thine anger to-
wards me,but having waſhed them in
the tears of godly forrow that fire I
hope is quenched.
to the holy Communion.
217
O Let thy pretious blood, bleſſed
Jefus, wholly and for ever extinguiſh
thy wrathful indignation, and waſh
me throughly from all the fins
which, from my youth up to this
moment of time, I have been
guilty of
J
·
I do likewife offer up unto thee
that little good that is in me, 'tis
little indeed, and good for little
but what ever it is,it defcends from
thee, the fountain of all goodneſs,
moft humbly befeeching thee,that by
thy blefling it may increaſe and mul-
tiply, and be accepted by thee, and
lead me through all the degrees of
grace and goodneſs to eternal life
and happineſs.
I do likewife offer up unto thee
the wants and honeft defires of all
Chriſtian people, but more efpeci-
ally of all my neighbors and do-
mefticks, friends and relations, of
all who remember me in their pray-
ers, or defire my remembrance of
them, for all for whom my dear
Redeemer offered up himſelf a facri
L
fice,
218
Meditations preparatory
fice, upon the Altar of the Crofs:
that they may be all fenfible of thy
mercy in the pardon of their fins
and of the afliftance of thy grace
and the glad tydings of peace and
falvation through Jefus Chrift.-
Lastly, I offer up my prayers
unto thee for all that have erred and
are feduced from the ways of thy
true fervice, whether in opinion or
converfation: For all that have any
way wronged, grieved, flandered,
troubled me, and for all them whom
I have wronged any way in word or
deed, knowingly or ignorantly:
That it may pleaſe thee to pardon
and paſs by our mutual offences each
to other, to empty all our hearts of
all rancour and malice, hatred and
envy, ftrife and contention, of all
ignorance and error, and whatever
may any way maim and infringe
our faith towards thee, and our cha-
rity each to other,
Have mercy Lord, have mercy
upon all who now beg thy mercy,
give thy grace to the weak and in-
digent, and to me the weakest and
moft
to the holy Communion.
219
moſt wanting of all: Make us all fo
truly humble and devout, that we
may enjoy thy grace here, and come
to eternal glory hereafter through
Jefus Christ our Lord.
Our Father which art in, &c.
Immediately before you Com-
G
municate.
Rant me, bleffed Lord, fo to
eat the flesh of thy dear Son
Jefus Chrift and to drink his blood,
that my finful body may be made
clean by his body, and my foul
wathed through his moft pretious
blood.
I I.
Ome, come holy Jefs, enter-
Cand
and take poffeffion of my foul,
purifie it with thy moft pretious
body and blood, and dwell therein
Amen.
for ever.
L 2
Saying
230
Meditations after
Saying foftly the words with the
The
Prieft.
He body of our Lord Jefus
Chriſt which which was given
for me, preferve my body and foul
unto everlaſting life.
Then answer more audibly,
Amen, Sobe it.
And fo likewife at the receiving
of the Cup. And if you ſay Amen
to theſe words of the Prieſt for
every Communicant, your charity
in praying thus for others, will ren-
der your own prayers and fervices
more acceptable unto God, and
effectual to your own fools health :
For he that prayes for himſelf alone
reaps only the fingle benefit of his
own devotion, but he that prays
for others, enjoys the fruits of the
prayers of others alfo.
Immediately after you are
Communicated.
May this bleffed Sacrament of
Μ Ay
thy moſt holy body and
blood, which I, though much un-
R
worthy,
the holy Communion.
271
worthy, have now received, feal
unto my foul both pardon and
peace, and that now being made
whole I may fin no more.
II.
Rant bleffed Jefus, that this
Gceleftial food of my foul may
both purifie the fame from all fenfu-
ality and earthiness, and ftrengthen
me to vanquish and overcome the
Devil, the World, and the Fleſh,
and to continue thy faithful fervant
and fouldier, to my lifes end.
T
III.
He Bread which I have now
taken, is that bread which came
down from heaven and giveth life
unto the world': O that I may now
feel its vertue, and efficacy raifing
up my foul to heaven, there, even
there to have my converfation in
heaven, whilft I am upon earth,
that when I ſhall be taken from the
earth, I may have my confummation
in heaven, to behold thy bleſſed
ace in Glory, who art now the
food
L. 3
222
Meditations after
food of my foul in grace, bleffed
Jefus, Saviour and Redeemer.
Amen.
Meditations whilst others are
Communicated.
B
Leffed are they that dwell in
thy houſe and are fed though
it be but with the crums that fall
from thy Table.
Happy are thoſe fervants; whom
when the Lord cometh he fhall find
fo doing.
I.
Pfalm III.
Iwith my whole heart: Secretly
among the faithful and in the con-
gregation.
Will give thanks unto the Lord
2. The works of the Lord are
great: fought out of all them that
have pleasure therein.
f
3. His
the holy Communion.
223
3. His work is worthy to be praised
and had in honour and his righteouf-
ness endureth for ever.
:
4. The merciful and gracious
Lord hath so done his marvellous
works that they ought to be had in
remembrance.
:
5. He hath given meat unto them
that fear him : he ſhall ever be mind-
ful of his covenant.
6. He hath shewed the people the
power of his works: that he may give
them the heritage of the heathen.
7. The works of his hands are
verity and judgment: all his Com-
mandments are true.
8. They stand fast for ever and
ever; and are done in truth and
equity.
9. He fent redemption unto his
people; he hath commanded bis
covenant for ever: holy and reverend
is his name.
9. The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom, a good under-
Standing have all they that do there-
after:the praife of it endureth for ever.
Glory be to the Father,&c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
L 4
The
224
Meditations after
2 Chron.
TH
I
He good Lord pardon every one,
that prepareth his heart to
30. 18,19. feek God, the Lord God of his Fa-
thers, though he be not prepared ac-
cording to the preparation of the
Sanctuary.
After the Communion,
Pfalm CIII.
Raife the Lord, O my soul:
1. P and all that is within me praiſe.
his holy name.
2. Praise the Lord, O my foul: and
forget not all his benefits,
3. Who forgiveth all thy fin: and
healeth all thine infirmities,
4. Who Saveth thy life from de-
ftruction: and crowneth thee with
mercy and loving kindness;
5. Who Satisfieth thy mouth with
good things: making thee
Tufty as an eagle.
young and
6. The Lord executeth righteous-
nefs and judgment: for all them that
are oppreſſed with wrong.
7. He
the holy Communion.
225
7. He fhewed his ways unto Mofes :
his works unto the children of Ifrael.
8. The Lord is full of compaſſion
and mercy: long-fuffering and of great
goodness:
9. He will not alway be chiding
neither keepeth he his anger for ever.
10. He hath not dealt with us af-
ter our fins: nor rewarded us accor-
ding to our wickedneſſes.
II. For look how high the heaven
is in comparison of the earth fo great
is his mercy alfo toward them that
fear bim.
12. Look how wide alfo the east is
from the weft: fo far hath he fet our
fins from us.
13. Yea, like as a Father pitieth
his own children: even fo is the Lord
merciful unto them that fear him.
14. For he knoweth whereof we
are made: he remembreth that we
are but duft.
15: The days of man are but as
grafs: for he flourisheth as a flower
of the field.
16. For as foon as the wind goeth
over it, it is gone: and the place
thereof shall know it no more.
17. But the merciful goodness of
I s
the
226.
Meditations after
the Lord endureth for ever and ever
upon them that fear him and his:
righteousness upon childrens children;
18. Even upon such as keep his
covenant: and think upon bis com-
mandments to do them.
19. The Lord hath prepared his
feat in heaven: and his kingdom rul-
eth over all.
20. O praiſe the Lord, ye angels
of his, ye that excel in ftrength: ye
that fulfil his commandment,and hear-
ken unto the voice of his words.
21. Opraife the Lord, all ye his
hofts: ye fervants of his that do his
pleasure.
22. Ofpeak good of the Lord, all
ye works of his, in all places of his
dominion: praife thow the Lord, Oo
my soul.
The Song
of Simeon
Luk.2.29.
I.
II.
Ord, now letteft thou thy fer-
vant depart in peace;
2. For mine eyes have seen thy fal-
vation,
3. Which thou haft prepared before
the face of all people,
4. To
the holy Communion":
227
4. To be a light to lighten the
Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy
people Ifrael.
Bleffed be the Holy aed undi-
vided Trinity now and for
evermore. Amen.
MEDI
229
MEDITATIONS
AND
PRAYERS
Fitted to the Seaſons and or-
dinary Allions of Day
and Night.
I.
T
He holy Catholick Church,
which every true Chriftian
believes, is partly triumphant in
heaven and partly militant on earth:
both make but one Spouſe of Chrift:
And therefore the true members
of both are alike minded, and alike
employed, though not in every,
yet in fome refpect; they that are
true members of Chrifts Church
here below, are conform to the glo-
rious Saints in heaven a above, by
doing the will of God in earth as
'tis done in heaven. And that's 40.
Act. 7.44.
undoubtedly the way to heaven, to Heb. 8.4,5%
follow their ſteps who are thither b S.Mair,
gone before us,
a Exod.2
6. Ila
2. Thoſe
230
Meditations fitted
a Ifa. 6.3.
Rev.4.8.
18. I.
2. Thofe triumphant Saints in
heaven reft not day and night ſaying,
boly, holy, holy Lord, God Almigh-
tya. Whereunto conforms the man
after Gods own heart, faying, O
Lord God of my falvation I have cry-
bpf. 88.1, ed day and night before thee b. Our
c S. Luk. Lord commends it as a duty, c that
men ought always to pray and not to
faint. 'Tis yet more pofitively com-
manded, d Pray without ceafing.
e Giving thanks always. f Pray-
ing always with all prayer and fuppli-
cation. Which commands and exam-
ples are not fo to be underſtood as
if we fhould do nothing elfe but
pray (which was the herefie of the
g S. Aug. g Meffalians and Euchites) for that's
de Har. impoffible to be done, becauſe this,
corruptible body preffeth down the
foul, and corporal neceffities call
for fupply: But,
d Theff. 5.
17.
e Epb. 5.
20.
fcap.6.18.
Theodor.
Eccl. Hift.
lib.4.6.40.
1. That all the time which may
be fpar'd from works of neceffity
*Here is and charity,be laid out in the fa-
included fo
*
much time for reft and refreſhment as mag ferve to enable
and difpofe our frail bodies and spirits for fuccellive
and renewed exercife.
crea
E
}
to the ſeaſons of the day. 231
•
cred actions of Devotion and Piety;
either more publick and folemn, or
more private and occafional, fince
only that Time which is fpent in the
works of Piety and Charity is refcu-
ed out of the all-devouring jaws of
Death and dark Oblivion, to be
the Seminarie of a bleffed Eternity,
when Time fhall be no more
2. We are always to pray, fay the
Fathers upon the text, a i.
text, a i. e, at the
a Gloſſi
appointed hours of prayer, call'd ord.in Luc.
by the Hebrews the Hours of the II. 1.
Temple, and by Chriftians, The
Canonical Hours.
3. We are hereby commanded,
that our hears be fo inflamed with
the love of God, as to be in a con-
tinual diſpoſition to pray, not only
at fuch fet and accuſtomed times ;
but at all times, and upon all occafi-
ons and objects preſented, to raiſe
up our Souls upon the fpiritual
wings of holy Meditations and de-
fires, devout colloquies and conver-
fes with Heaven: Thus Enoch
walked with God, and was tranfla-
ted b. Thus King David profeffeth,
I
bGen.5.24
Heb. 11.5.
23 2
Meditations fitted
a
€ Pfal. 55.
17, 18.
dPfal. 63.
E, 7.
I have God always before me a. His
2 Pf.16.9. praise shall ever be in my mouth b, no
bpf.34. I.
time omitted: Evening, morning
and at noon day c. Early and late ď,
no place pretermitted,in the wilder-
nefs, in the land of Jordan, and the
unbeaten paths of Hermon e. So
e Pf. 42.8. S. Hierom profeffeth of himſelf that
often on the tops of mountains and in
the hollow valleys, and craggy rocks,
with eyes lifted up to Heaven and
flowing with tears he poured out his
fs. Hie. Soul in holy prayers and meditations f.
ron.Epift. So meditated S. Auguftin alfo, ut tu
ad Euft. folus fistota intentio mea, & omnis
medit.
meditatio mea. Te mediter per dies
8 S.Aug. fine ceffatione go that thou wert
all my intention and all my meditation,
that daily and without ceafing Icould
meditate upon thee, O Lord, my fpirit
Speaking unto thee, and my mind al-
way converfing with thee: Bleffed
are they that love nothing befides thee,
Seek nothing but thee, think of no-
thing but thee, defire nothing besides
thee; Bleffed are they whofe hope
alone is the Lord, and all whose
work is prayer. S. Bernard alfo
thought all the time loft wherein he
thought not upon God h: For as
h Hug.
there
to the ſeaſons of the day.
233
}
:
there is no moment of time wherein
we enjoy not the fweet influences of
the Divine goodneſs, and ſtand in
need allo of Gods protecting pre-
fence with us; So there fhould be
no moment of time wherein alſo we
fhould not have the Lord in our
mind and memory. Wait on thy God
S. Aug.
continually a. Seek his face for ever- Manual.
more b. whom have I in heaven but a Hof.12.6
thee, and there is none upon earth b Pf.103.4
that I defire in comparison of thee c.
c Pf.73.24
Bleffed is the people' O Lord that can
rejoyce in thee whofe delight is
daily in thy name d. Thus S. Paul & Pfal.89.
and all religious. Devotaries with 16, 17.
him have their converfation in hea-
d
ven e whilst they are upon earth, e Phil. 3.
the way to have their confummation 20.
in heaven when they fhall be taken
from the earth.
An effay of fuch continual eja-
culatory Prayers and Meditations
relating to the conſtant ſeaſons of
day and night, and to the ordinary
actions of most men, and occurren-
ces in the world, here followerh;
which may ferve for helps to Devo-
votion to the more weak, and for
further
234
Meditations fitted
18.
further hints and provocations to
the more holy and perfect, towards
elevating the breathings of their
more refined Souls the oftner and
higher to heavenwards.
Morning Meditations.
When I awake up I am prefent with
a Pf. 139. thee a. Who fleeping and waking
am preferved by thee: and 'tis bur
juft fure, and my bounden duty to
return back my firft breath in praiſe
to him from whom I have received
it; So the Angels of heaven thoſe
Morning Stars, being firft made,
even in the morning of the Worlds
creation, no ſooner received their
being, but all with one accord fung
with joyful acclamations the praifes
of their Creator. When the morning
Stars fang together, and all the Sons
b Fob 38.7 of God shouted for joy. b Then
I.
As foon as you awake, Say
1.
B
Leffed be the holy and un-
divided Trinity, now and
for evermore: and thrice bleffed
be the great and glorious Majefty of
heaven,
1
L
to the ſeaſons of the day.
235
heaven, who hath preſerved me the
night paft, and faved me from the
fleep of death: 'Tis of the Lords
mercies that we are not confumed,
even becauſe his compaffions fail not.
They are new every morning: Great
is thy faithfulneſs a.
2.
O
II. .
Holy fefus! the morning
Star, The Day-fpring from
a Lament.
3.22,23.
on high who came to vifit us, To give
light to them that fit in darkness, and
in the shadow of death, and to guide
our feet into the way of peace b. Arife b S.Luk.1.
thon Sun of righteousness, upon my 78, 79.
darkned foul with healing in thy
Wings c. Make me a child of the light c Mat 4.2.
and of the day, not of night nor of
darkness d. Let the light of truth d 1 Theff.
direct me, and the light of thy grace 5. 5.
fupport me in the way of light and
life everlaſting, Amen.
3.
III.
Ighten mine eyes O Lord! that
I fleep not in death e, either e Pf. 13.3.
fpiritual in fin, or eternal for fin,
but
:
236
Meditations fitted
R
Pf.31.18.
b. Pfal.63.
J., 2.
Pf. 143. 8.
Rev. 20.6.
but from all fin and wickedness, from
thy wrath, and from everlaſting
damnation,
SHe
Good Lard deliver me.
Hew thy fervant the light of thy
countenance: and fave me for thy
mercies fake a. O God thou art my
God: early will I feek thee. My foul
thirfteth for thee, my flesh also long-
eth after thee b: my flesh, that it
may be ferviceable to my fpiritin
the fervice of thy Sacred Majefty,
that fo both ſoul and body may re-
joyce in thee.
O
Let me hear thy loving kind-
nefs betimes in the morning,
for in thee is my trust: Shew thou me
the way that I should walk in: for
unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my
foul.
At your uprising..
Leffed and holy is he that hath
part in the first resurrection,
on fuck the second death hath no power,
but
to the feaſons of the day.
237
but they shall be Priests of God and
of Chriſt, and ſhall reign with him a
thousand years.
I
Holy Zefu! who early in the
morning didſt raiſe up thy
felf from death to life for me:
Raiſe me up, I meekly befeech thee,
from the death of fin unto the life
of righteouſneſs. Grant me by the
power of thy death, and the virtue
of thy refurrection, early and be-
times, even to day, while it is called
to day, to rife out of the duft and
rubbish of worldly vanities, unto
newneſs and holiness of life; that
when that long day of eternity fhall
dawn, I may be raiſed up out of
the grave of death to live and reign
with thee for ever, Amen.
I
I I.
Laid me down and flept, and
rose up again: for the Lord fuf-
tained me.
Pf. 3.5.
Bleſſed be the name of the Lord: Pf. 113.2
from this time forth for evermore.
The
238
Meditations fitted
ள்
3.
The Lords name is praifed: from
the rifing of the Sun, unto the
going down of the fame.
N
A Morning Hymn.
Ow that the day light doth arife,
Breaking through the Azure
( Skies,
To heaven I lift my heart and eyes,
Begging of God with humble cries,
All hurtful things to turn away,
Whilst I duly spend the day,
And from his Laws go not aftray,
But of true vertue keep the
keep the way.
To turn away my wandring eyes,
From the beholding vanities
To guard my lips from speaking lies;
To keep my heart both pure and clean
From all defires wicked or vain :
From this vain world my affections'
(wean,
;
:
'And my unruly paſſions rein
To tame proud flesh, whilſt I deny it,
A full cup and wanton diet;
Avoiding all excefs and riot.
That when the day light ſhall go out,
And darkness clouds the earth
(throughout
Time bringing on the night about
;
The
f
to the ſeaſons of the day.
239
(Shine
The light of thy bright face may
Upon my foul, and beams Divine
Difplay into this heart of mine.
Whilst I in filence fing Gods praife,
Chanting forth thefe following layes,
All glory to the Trinity
I
Which I adere in unity,
The Father Son and Holy Ghoft,
One Lord which is of mighties
(most,
As it has ere been heretofore,
Is now,and shall be evermore,
Amen.
At your Apparelling.
I.
Put on righteouſneſs and it Fob 29.
clothed me my judgment was 14.
as a robe and a diadem,
And to the Sparse of Christ, it
was granted that she should be arayed
in fine linnen, clean and white: for
the fine linnen is the righteousness of
the Saints.
Bleffed Jefus cloth my foul with
thy ſpotleſs Robes of righteouſneſs,
and beautifie me with the celeſtial
ornaments of divine graces.
Let
Rev.19.8.
240
Meditations fitted
S. Matth.
Ø. 28, 29.
Gen. 3.10,
11, 21.
3.4.
Let it be my conftant defire and
endeavour to appear more amiable
in thy fight, than in the cenforious
eyes of men.
A
II.
Nd why take ye thought for rai-
ment? confider the Lilies of
the field how they grow; they toil not,
neither do they pin,
And yet I say unto you, that even
Solomon in all his glory, was not
arayed like one of theſe.
How then O my foul! canft thou
be proud of thy bodily apparel,
wherein the grafs of the field excels
thy utmoſt bravery? To be proud of
thy apparel or garments, is to glory
in thy fhame, to cover which fhame
and nakedness, the iffue of fin and
diſobedience, the uſe of garments
was given of God.
The true ornaments of a Chri-
ftian confift in that which is not cor-
1 Pet. 3. ruptible, even the ornament of a meek
and quiet spirit, which is in the fight of
God of great price.
I At
to the ſeaſons of the day.
24.
B'
I At your washing.
I.
Leffed be the Lord my God
and heavenly Father, who hath
washed me from my original pollu-
tion in the facred water of Baptifm, 1 Pet. 2.21
and hath thereby called me to the
ftate of falvation through fefus.
Christ, and I pray God to give me
his grace, that I may continue in the
fame unto my lives end.
This I promifed when I was bap- Church Cas
tized, but have not been fo careful
techifm.
as I ought to make good my pro-
mife.
O Wash me throughly from my
wickedness (as in the laver of Bap- pf. 51. 2.
tifm) and cleanfe me from my fin,
whereby I have unhallowed thoſe
faving waters.
Thou shalt purge me with hyssop ver. 7.
(through the bitter forrows and fuf-
ferings of my deareſt Saviour ) and I
Shall be clean; thou shalt waſh me ( in
the fountain of thine inexhauſtible
mercy) and I shall be whiter than
now.
M
Tis
ال
242
Meditations fitted
S. Mat.5.8
PS. 51, 19.
Eph.6.12.
I I.
'Tis the clean hands, and the pure.
heart wherewith God is well pleaf-
ed, even the heart that is pure from
all evil affections,and the hands clean
from all finful actions:
Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for
they fhall fee God. See him in grace and
mercy here, and in glory hereafter.
Make me a clean heart O God, and
renew a right spirit within me. A Spi-
rit that cleaveth ftedfaftly unto thee
my God and to thy covenant with
me in holy Baptifm.
Water the barren ground of my
heart with the dew of heaven, the
celeſtial influences of thy Holy Spi-
rit, that I may bring forth fruits of
good works, to the glory of thy
name, through Jefus Chrift, Amen.
J Meditations upon the Creed.
I
ક
Have enemies to encoun-
many
ter, and ſuch as are not corrup-
tible fleſh and blood, but fpiritual
and inviſible, quick and powerful
active and vigilant, to enfnare me in
all my thoughts and defires, words
and actions: And therefore it is ne-
ceffary
I
to the ſeaſons of the day.
243
ceſſary ( O my foul) before thou
enter upon any worldly affairs to be
armed, as with fervent prayers and
the ſword of the Spirit, fo above all
with the shield of Faith. Confefs then
thy holy Chriſtian Faith with under-
ftanding and affectionate devotion.
Saying,
I.
I
Believe in God the Father Al-
mighty, Maker of heaven
and earth:
2. And in fefus Chrift his only
Son our Lord,
3. Who was conceived by the holy
Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
mas crucified, dead and buried,
5. He defcended into Hell: the
third day he rofe again from the dead.
6. He afcended into Heaven, and
fitteth on the right hand of God the
Father Almighty.
7. From thence he ſhall come to
judge the quick and the dead.
8. I believe in the Holy Ghoft.
9. The Holy Catholick Church,
The Communion of Saints.
10. The forgiveness of fins.
11. The refurrection of the body.
12. And the life everlasting.Amen.'
M 2
Ver. 16%
+
<
י
244
Meditations fitted
I
Believe, Lord help my unbelief;
and grant me a right and full un-
derſtanding of all the Articles of the
moſt holy Faith: and grace to ſquare
all the actions of my life according
thereunto: Let this Faith be my
Shield, both from all errors in judg-.
ment, and tranfgreffion in converfa-
tion; and from the devil and all his
inftruments that would feduce me to
either.
When you perceive the Hour of the
day or night, by hearing the Clock;
or looking upon a Watch or Dial.
H
Ow faft doth hour after hour
come on: Our a Time paſſeth
a Pf.144. away like a ſhadow: and ɓ we bring
our years to an end as it were a tale
that is told.
4.
bpf.90.9.
ver, 12.
So teach me to number my days;
that I may apply my heart unto wis-
dom. Wifely providing for the day
wherein the Sun of righteoufneſs
ſhall ſhine without fetting.
IL
P/.39.V. 6. B Ehold, thou hast made my days as
:
it were a span long and mine
age is even as nothing in respect of thee,
and
to the ſeaſons of the day.
245
and verily every man living is alto-
gether vanity.
For man walketh in a vain shadow
and difquieteth himself in vain: he
heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who
ſhall gather them.
And now, Lord, what is my hope?
truly my hope is even in thee.
;
8.
Deliver me from all mine offences: 9.
That they rob me not of my hopes
in thee.
g When you go out of your houfe
or Chamber.
The
out
He Lord preferve my going out pf.121.8.
and m my coming in: from this,
time forth for evermore.
1
He shall give his Angels charge Pf. 91. 11..
over thee: to keep thee in all thy ways.
O hold thon up my goings in thy Pf. 17.5.
paths, that my footsteps flip not.
Ofend out thy light and thy Truth,
that they may lead me forth in thy pf.
truth: that I may dayly perform my
Vows.
g As you travel or walk by the
way.
1.8.
Pf. 43. 3.·
Leffed are those that are undefiled pf. 19. 1.
in the way and walk in the law.
B -
ef the Lord..
M 3.
0:
246
Meditations fitted
Pf. 119.5.
*S. John
14. 6.
Ff. 86. II.
Pf. 24. 3.
4.
5.
O that my ways were made fo di-
rect, that I might keep thy ftatutes.
-
* I am the Way, the Truth and
the Life,faith my bleffed Redeemer.
The way I muft follow, the truth
I must believe, and the life I muft
hope for: The way which leadeth
me, the truth which teacheth me,
and the life whereunto he bringeth
me: The way is undefiled, the truth
infallible, and the life without end.
←
Teach me thy way, O´Lord, and I
will walk in thy truth: 0 kait
my heart unto thee, that I may fear
thy name.
J As you afcend any high place,
or go to Church.
W
Ho fhall afcend into the hill
of the Lord: or who shall
rife up in his holy place?
Even he that hath clean hands, and
a pure heart: and that hath not lift
up his mind unto vanity, nor Sworn
to deceive his neighbour.
He fhall receive the bleffing from
the Lord: and righteouſneſs ( in the
reward
•
↓
to the ſeaſons of the day.
247
reward thereof) from the God of his.
falvation.
As you ftand upon a mount, or
high Tower.
TH
Hy mercy, O Lord, 'reacheth Pfal. 36:55.
unto the heavens and thy faith-
fulness unto the Clouds.
Thy righteousness
Strong mountains: thy judgment are
like the great deep:
ftandeth like the 6.
Thou Lord, halt fave both man
and beast; how excellent is thy mercy,
O God; and the children of men ſhall
put their trust under the shadow of thy
wings.
7.
They shall be fatisfied with the plen- 8.
teousness of thy house: and thou shalt
give them drink of thy pleasures, as
out of the river.
For with thee is the well of life: Gen
and in thy light ſhall we fee light,even
the light of joy unſpeakable and glo-
rious in the light of thy countenance.
}
In whoſe prefence there is fulness Pfal.16.11ẻ.
of joy, and at whoſe right hand there
are pleasures for evermore.
M 4.
I As
*
248
Meditations fitted
25.
I As
As you behold pleafant grounds,
and variety of objects.
O
P/.104.24 works in wildom hast thou made
Lord, how manifold are thy
them all,the earth is full of thy riches.
So is the great and wide fea alfo :
wherein are things creeping innume-
rable, both ſmall and great beasts.
Thefe wait all upon thee: that thon
maist give them meat in due feafon :
When thon giveft it them, they ga-
ther it: and when thou openeſt thine
hand they are filled with good.
27.
28.
29.
}
30.
When thou hideft thy face, they are
troubled: when thou takeft away their
breath, they die, and are turned again
to their duft.
When thou letteft thy breath go
forth, they shall be made: and thou
Shalt renew the face of the earth.
II.
Pf. 145.10. A Lord, and thy Saints give
Ll thy works praiſe thee, O
II.
12.
thanks unto thee.
They shew the glory of thy kingdom:
and talk of thy power.
That thy power, thy glory, and
mightiness of thy kingdom might be
known unto men.
Thy
to the feaſons of the day.
2497
Thy kingdom is an everlaſting king-
dom: and thy dominion endureth
: throughout all ages.
i
:kii* "
13.
The Lord upholdeth all fuch as fall: 14.
and lifteth up all those that are down.
The eyes of all wait upon thee, O
Lord: and thou giveſt them their
meat in due feafon.
15.
Thon openeft thine hand: and filleft 16.
ན་ all things living with plenteousness.
Bleſſed be the Lord God of Ifrael
Pf.105.
from everlaſting, and world without 46...
end: and let all the people ſay,Amen.
When you hear, or fee any thing
extraordinary.
B Leffled be the Lord God, even the Pf. 72.18.
God of Ifrael: which only doth
wondrous things.
And bleſſed be the name of his
Majesty for ever: and all the earth
fhall be filled with his Majesty, Amen,
: Amen.
19.
J
{
Great and marvellous are thy Rev. 15.3.1.
works, Lord God Almighty: juſt and
true are thy ways, thon King of
Saints.
Who will not fear thee, O Lord,
and glorifie thy name ?
M 5.
I When..
4...
3.50;
Meditations fitted
2 Tim.2,15
J
When you go to read, or ftudy.
ST
Tudy to shew thy self approved un-
to God, a workman that needeth,
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the
word of truth, confirming it by
good example of life, and diftin-
guishing it from the words of falf-
hood, error and deceit.
Open thou mine eyes, O Lord:
Pfal. 119. that I may see the wondrous things
of thy law And grant that whatever
I read or meditate may conduce to
the full underſtanding of thy will,
and my more confcientious obedi-
dience thereunto.
Ecclef. 12.
12.
M
Being wearied therewith.
Uch study is a weariness
of the flesh. Turnagain then
P.116.7. unto thy reft, O my soul. Hearken
unto the ſweet refreshing call of thy
Dear Lord and Saviour. Come unto
me all ye that are weary and are heavy
laden and I will refresh you.
Behold I come unto thee holy Je-
fus, in whom alone there is reft and
16. 22. peace, but in the world tribulation.
S. Matth.
11. 18.
S. Fobn
Lord
to the ſeaſons of the day.
25m
Lord let me not be weary in well
doing remembring that in due time
Iſhall reap, if I faint not.
J
When you go about any worldly
employment..
Od shall bring every work into
God
G judgment, with every fecret
thing, whether it be good or whether
it be evil.
Ecclef. 12.
14.
O let not my heart be inclined to Pf. 141.4**
any evil thing: let me not be occupied
in ungodly works, with the men that
work wickedness, neither let me be
enfnared with their delights.
Deliver me O Lord, from every
evil work, and ftablish me in every
good word, and work..
Bleffed Jefus let all my works be
accepted through the merits of thy
facred and renowned actions, and
the imperfections thereof pardoned
through faith in thy blood. Amen..
I I.
Prevent me O Lord in all my do-
ings with thy molt gracious favour,
and further me with thy continual
help, that in all my works begun,
2 Tim.4.'·
18.
2 Theff. 25
cone-
17.
252
Meditations fitted.
Pf. 77.3.
continued and ended in thee, I may
glorifie thy holy name, and finally
by thy mercy obtain everlafting life,
through Jefus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
When you are fad, or difcon-
tented.
W
Hen I am in heaviness, I
will think upon God : when
my heart is vexed, I will complain.
Pf. 42. 6. Why art thou fo full of heaviness,
O my foul: and why art thou so dif-
quieted within me?
ห
Pf. 37.3.
Put thy trust in God: for I will
yet give him thanks for the help of his
countenance.
Put thy truft in the Lord, and be
doing good. Whilft I do this, and
withal abstain from what is evil and
offenfive unto God, I may reaſon-
ably hope for the return of his fa-
vour; and that the light of his coun-
tenance will difpel all my darkfom
imaginations, all my gloomy fears
and perturbations.
Return, return, O Lord God of
hofts, and cause thy face to shine upon
thy fervant: O fhew me the light of
thy
to the Seasons of the day. 253
thy countenance, and I shall be
whole.
I When you are asked an alms, and
have it ready provided.
H
Ow much am I bound to the
good providence of my hea-
venly Father, who hath raiſed my
condition in the world, to be of the
number of thofe that abound, and
not of them that want: and, fince
it is more bleſſed to give than to re- Act.20.35
ceive, Bleffed Lord, give me, I be-
feech thee, an heart full of compaflì-
on, an eye full of pity, and an hand
open and bountiful, according to
my ability, towards my poor needy
brethren, for, He that foweth spa-
ringly, shall reap sparingly: and he 2 Cor.9.6.
which foweth bountifully shall reap
bountifully.
I I.
I have not deferved to enjoy more
worldly wealth than this poor per-
fon, who now begs to be fupplied
out of my ftore: But fuch is the
great goodness of my God towards
me, that he hath not only given me
food and raiment, but alſo where-
withal
254
Meditations fitted
1 Tim. 6.
17,18, 19.
3. Mat. 6.
20.
Tobit. 4. 7•.
Dift. 44.
can. fin.
withal to exprefs my gratitude and
love to God by the ready relief of
my poor Chriſtian brother: thus
Laying up in store for my self a good
foundation against the time to come,
that I may lay hold on eternal life.
III.
I bless my God, as for my ability
to relieve others, fo for this oppor-
tunity to obey his commands, and
to lay up for my ſelf treasures in hea-
ven, where neither meth nor rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves do
not break through nor steal.
Give alms of thy substance
and never turn thy face from any poor
man, and the face of the Lord shall
not be turned away from thee.
g Meditations and Prayers
for the third hour of the day,
or Nine of the clock in the
morning.
T
His is called, the Holy hour, in
the decrees of the Church,
and not without very great reason,
for,
t
::
*Twas
to the feaſons of the day.
255
I.
'Twas at this hour my bleffed Re-
deemer underwent the bitter fentence
of death,and being innocent was con-
demned, whilft Barabbas,a thief,a re-
bel, and a murderer was acquitted;
And I vile wretch am as guilty as
Barabbas in many refpects, and juftly
obnoxious to the difmal fentence of
condemnation to death eternal; bur
by thy infinite merits, and cauſeleſs
condemnation for me
Good Lord deliver me.
II.
S. Mart 27.
20.
S. Mat.27.
'Twas at this hour my dearest Sa-
viour expos'd his tender skin and
delicate flesh to be rafed, rent and
torn with forked whips by cruel 26.
blood-thirſty foldiers, until his in-
nocent body was all over gore blood.
Whereas my fins deferve the
fcourges, and mine offer ces the rod Ff. 89.32,
of the Almighties jult indignation:
But grant me bleffed Lord, fo to
wash them with the penitent tears of
holy compunction, through faith
in the blood of my Saviour, and fo
to chaſtiſe and keep under that body
of fin which is, and too much reign-
eth in my members, that being de-
livered
܀
で
​256
Meditations fitted
livered from the guilt and tyranny
of fin in this world, I may be freed
Fcclus.39. from thoſe fiery whips and ſcourg-
ings of the fpirits of vengeance,the
28.
portion of the
difobedient in the
world to come.
I I I.
It was at this hour of the day,that
4.2.1.15. the Holy Ghoſt deſcended upon the
bleffed Apoftles and diſciples of Jeſus
Chriſt and by his celeftial influen-
ces, repleniſhed them with extra-
ordinary gifts and graces for the
propagation of the Goſpel of Chriſt,
and the plantation of his Church
through the world,
!
Vo
Ouchfafe, holy God ! Vouch-
fafe unto me alfo thy unworthy
fervant the guidance of the fame
Spirit, by whofe illumination and
fanctification I may both perceive
and know what things I ought to do,
and alfo may have grace faithfully to
fulfil the fame, through Jefus Chrift
our Lord, Amen.
A
I V.
Lmighty God, unto whom all
hearts be open, all defires
known, and from whom no fecrets
are
to the feafons of the day.
257
are hid; cleanſe the thoughts of my
heart by the infpiration of thy holy
Spirit, that I may perfectly love
thee, and worthily magnifie thy
holy name, through Jefus Chrift
our Lord, Amen.
G Lory be
V.
Lory be to God on high, on earth
peace, good will towards men.
We praiſe the, we blefs thee, we
worſhip thee, we glorifie thee, we
give thanks to thee for thy great
great glory, O Lord God, heaven-
ly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son
Jefu Chriſt: O Lord God, Lamb
of God, Son of the Father, that
takeft away the fins of the world,
have mercy upon us. Thou that
takeft away the fins of the world,
have mercy upon us. Thou that
takeft away the fins of the world,
receive our prayer. Thou that fit-
teft at the right hand of God the
Father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy, thou only
art the Lord, thou only, O Chrift,
with the holy Ghoſt, art moft High
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
This
*
י.
258
Meditations fitted
?
This Hymn is prefcribed to be uſed in the
morning by the Apoftolical conftitu-
tions, lib.7.cap.47. And at the third
hour in the morning, becauſe then the
holy Ghoft defcended upon the Apò-
ftles, replenishing them with glory, ex-
ultation and joy, Durant.Rat. l.4.c.13
J The Hymn to the Holy Ghoft.
C
Ome holy Ghost, eternal God, pro-
ceeding from above,
Both from the Father and the Son,
the God of peace and love :
Visit my mind and into me thy heavenly
grace infpire,
That in all truth and godlinefs, I
may have true defire.
O holy Ghost into my mind, fend down
thy heavenly light,
Kindle my heart with fervent love,
to ferve God day and night.
Strength and stablish all my weakness,
So feeble and fo frail :
That neither flesh, the world nor de-
vil, against me do prevail.
And grant, O Lord, that thon being
my leader and my guide,
Imay eschew the Snares of fin, and
from thee never flide.
?
Noon-
to the ſeaſons of the day.
259
I
g Noon-day Meditations.
Pl. 55. 18.
N the evening and morning, and
at noon day will I pray, faid Dan.6.10.
holy David. And fo prayed holy
Daniel alfo. And fhall not fuch emi-
nent examples move thee alfo at this
hour to converfe with heaven, efpe-
cially remembring,
I.
;
'Twas at this hour, our first pa- Gen.3.22,
rents for their pride and diſobedi- 23.
ence were driven out of Paradife ; Dur. Rat.
humble thy felf then under the
1. 5. c.5.
mighty hand of God, that he may
draw thee out of that mals of cor-
ruption, wherein, with the reft of
mankind, thou art originally in-
volv'd, and exalt thee to the hopes
of entrance into the celeftial Para-
dife, which being loft by the diſ-
obedience of the first Adam, was
regained by the obedience of the
fecond Adam, who
I I:
Num.21.9
At this hour of the day was lifted S.Luk.23..
up upon the croſs, as the brazen Ser- 44.
pent in the wilderneſs was, that S. Foh.3.
whofo- 14.
260
Meditations fitted
whofoever, with an eye of faith,
looketh up unto him, may be heal-
ed. And, my foul is wounded by the
bitings of the old Serpent the Devil;
but mine eyes are ever looking up
unto thee, holy Jefus! who haſt
made a falve for wounded fouls of
thine own wounds and blood; Heat,
O heal my foul, for I have finned
Pf.41.4. against thee, Bleffed Lamb of God,
that takeft away the fins of the world,
take away mine alfo. O bleffed
Lamb of God, that takeſt away the
fins of the world; grant me thy.
peace, even that peace which thou
fo dearly purchaſed hanging upon
the cross for the recovery of fin-
fick fouls.
15.33.
III.
At this hour my dearest Saviour
was expanded on the crofs, racked,
S. Mark and nailed, and bleeding. And when
the fixth hour was come there was
darkness over the whole land. The
Sun being in its full ftrength fud-
denly withdrew the influence of its
light from theſe merciless wretches,
who crucified the Lord of glory:
that glorious creature in its kind
forrowing in the ſufferings of its
Crea-
to the ſeaſons of the day.
261
Creator. He hid his bright face,
being as 'twere aflamed to behold
the Sun of righteoufnefs eclipfed
and in the ſhadow of death; which
may reprefent to my Conſcience my
manifold deeds of darknefs, the
cauſe of my Saviours death; And
the which dayly do eclipfe the light
of Gods countenance from fhining
upon me. But bleffed Jefus, who
didit humble thy felf unto death up-
on the cross for us miferable finners,
who fat in darknefs and in the fha-
dow of death, illuminate my dark-
ned foul with the true light which
guides to everlaſting life, and to
that light which is not liable to any
eclipſe in the leaft degree of dimi-
nution.
IV.
And lastly, 'twas at this hour, my
moſt dear and only Saviour, after
that by his moſt painful fufferings,
and meritorious death, he had fully
paid the ranfom,and fati fied Divine
juftice for the fins of all mankind;
conquered the devil; taken the
keys of hell and of death,fhewed him-
felf alive to his Apoftles by many
infallible proofs, being feen of them 3, 10.
forty
A7.1.2,
262
Meditations fitted
forty days, and fpeaking of the
things pertaining to the kingdom of
God, did vifibly afcend into hea-
ven.
And therefore, now, O my foul,
raiſe up thy felf, and by the wings
of thy most ardent affections afcend
up to heavenward, whither thy
bleſſed Redeemer at this hour af
cended.
Shall not the heart be there where
its treaſure is? And furely all thy
hopes of happinefs, yea of life it
felf, are treaſured up in thy glori-
ous Redeemer, who is gone into
heaven.
G
Rant, I beseech thee, Almighty
God, that like as I do believe
thy only begotten Son our Lord Jefus
Chrift to have afcended into the
heavens; fo I may alſo in heart and
mind thither afcend, and with him
continually dwell, who liveth and
reigneth with thee, and the holy
Ghoſt, one God, world without
end, Amen.
Medita.
to the feaſons of the day. 263
J Meditations for the Ninth
hour, or Three a clock in
the afternoon.
"T
I.
Was about the Ninth hour,
wherein my blaffed Redeemer
› S.Mat.27.
after he had cried with a loud voice
gave up the Ghaft, and died for us
miferable finners. 'Twas for me and
for my fin; my deareft Saviour both
fuffered and died, he having no fin
of his own to fuffer or die for : But
46,50.
he was wounded for my tranfgreffions, 1.53.5.
he was bruised for mine iniquities.
O
Saviour of the world, who
by thy Cross and precious
blood haft redeemed me; Save and
help me against all my ghoftly ene-
mies into thy hands I commend
my ſpirit, my foul, my body, my
all for thou Lord haft redeemed
them, O Lord, thou God of truth.
R
•
II.
Emember holy Jefus, in great
mercy remember that hour,
when once with a torn body and
broken
264
Meditations fitted
I Pet. 2.
24.
S. Mat.
· 27.5+
broken heart, thou didst fhew forth
the bowels of thy mercy, and die
for us miferable finners, and grant
unto me, and all thoſe who have thy
Crofs and Paflion in a devout and
thankful remembrance, that we may
be made effectual partakers of the
merits and benefits thereof: O par-
don, good Lord,pardon all our fins,
the cauſe of thy fo painful fufferings;
and grant us that by the virtue and
power of thy death upon the Crofs.
we may crucifie the old man, and
utterly abolish the whole body of
fin, that we being dead to fin, may
live unto righteoufnefs, and by thy
ftripes be healed, Amen.
U
III.
Pon the death of my Saviour
the earth quaked, the rocks
rent, and the veil of the Temple
was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom. And yet my heart is
not broken within me; 'tis harder
than the ftones of the Temple which
was a figure of it; harder than thoſe
rocks that rent upon the expiration
of my Lord; more infenfible and
ftupid than the earth that quaked at
the death of her maker.
C
to the ſeaſons of the day.
265
Bleſſed Jefus, let thy precious
blood thed for me foften this
my ftony heart, (for in thine hands
are the hearts of all men:) and
grant that the bloud and water which
at this hour iffued from thy pierced
fide,may be the price of my redemp-
tion and the meritorious caufe of
my fanctification here, and falvation
hereafter, Amer.
H
IV.
E that believeth and is baptiz- S. Mark,
ed (though not in the out- 16. 16.
ward and vifible fign of water,
through the inevitable want of
opportunity, yet in the inward grace
and defire of his foul, or in his
bloud of martyrdom) fhall be
faved, witneſs the thief upon the
Cross, who at this hour of the day
believing and repenting from the
bottom of his heart, received that
joyful promiſe from Jefus Chriſt.
This day shalt thou be with me in Pa- S. Luke
radiſe.
I
Confefs, my life has been no
better then was the 1 of this
thiefs over
le fach been
7
23.430
266
Meditations fitted
:
a trade of robbery, continually
robbing God of his honour, and
of that obedience I owe to his moft
holy Laws, and robbing my felf alfo
of the peace of confcience here and
hopes of heaven hereafter. But
bleffed Jefus who hadft mercy on
the thief, even in the very hour of
his death repenting have mercy
upon me alfo, both now and in the
hour of my death: Shut not the
gates of Paradiſe againſt me, who
haft opened them to all true and pe-
nitent believers: I confefs,I huin-
bly confefs my fins, and it repenteth
me exceedingly that I have offended
thee by my fo manifold tranfgreflì-
ons; O let them not rife up in judg
ment againſt me to obftruct my re-
ception after death into the joyes of
Paradife, where thou liveft and
reignet with the Father and the
holy Ghoſt ever one God, world
without end, Amen.
Gal. 4.4.
T
Evening Meditations.
I.
Was in the evening of time the
bleffed Son of God came
Heb. 1.2. down from heaven, and was incar-
nate
to the ſeaſons of the day.
269
nate by the holy Ghoſt of the Vir-
gin Mary. And therefore, O my
Soul, if Chrift be anew formed in
thee, blefs God, with the bleſſed
mother of our Lord, and with joy
ful exultation, fay
My foul deth magnifie the Lord: S. Luk.to
and my spirit hath rejoyced in God
my Saviour.
46.
For he hath regarded: the lowli- 47
nefs of his hand-maiden, greatly re-
garded the humble and gracious diſ-
pofition of her foul, in humbling
himſelf to be made man in her fan-
&tifyed womb.
49.
For behold from henceforth: all 48
generations shall call me bleffed.
For he that is mighty bath magni-
fied me: and holy is his name ; even
great, wonderful and holy,to whom
be all glory afcribed.
Glory be to the Father,&c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
THe
I L
He bleffings of God are great
and many but above all, O
my foul, thou art bound to blefs
God for thy redemption in the laſt :
days, the which, every evening re-
preíents
N 2
268
Meditations fitted
prefents unto thee, Say then that
Pfalm of thankſgiving for the re-
demption of the world by the Son
of God.
O
Pfal. 98. 1. Sing unto the Lord a new
Song: for he hath done mar-
vellous things.
2. With his own right hand, and
with his holy arm: hath he gotten
himself the victory, over all our
ghoftly enemies, the devil, the
world, and the flesh; fin, death;
and hell.
3. The Lord declared his falvati-
on: his righteousness bath he openly
Shewed in the fight of the heathen.
4. He hath remembred his mercy
and truth towards the house of Ifrael:
and all the ends of the world have feen
the falvation of our God.
5. Shew your felves joyful unto
the Lord, all ye lands: fing, rejoyce
and give thanks.
6. Praiſe the Lord upon the harp
fing to the harp with a Pfalm of
Thanksgiving.
7. With Trumpets alſo and
Shawms: 0 (hew your felves joyful
before the Lord the King.
8. Let
to the ſeaſons of the day. 269
8. Let the fea make a noiſe, and
all that therein is the round world,
and they that dwell therein.
9. Let the flouds clap their hands,
and let the hills be joyful together be-
fore the Lord: for he cometh to judge
the earth.
10.with righteousness shall be judge
the world: and the people with equity.
Glory be to the Father, and,&c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
Twas
IIN
Was at this time of the day,
that my bleffed Lord having
first washed his difciples feet, did in-
ſtitute that fool faving Sacrament of
his moſt holy body and bloud. And
the next day at the fame hour he was
taken down from the Crofs.
O
Bleffed Jefu, Saviour and
Redeemer, take away
all my
fins, nail them to thy Crofs, bury
them in thy grave; and grant me
fuch a fountain of tears to wash the
polluted feet of my diſordered af-
fections, that with a clean heart,
and a pure conſcience I may receive
the Communion of thy precious
body and bloud, not to my condem-
N 3
nation
270
Meditations fitted
S.Luk.24.
13, 35.
nation; but to the eternal health
and falvation of my foul, Amen.
TW
I V.
Was at this time of the day,
my moft dear Saviour being
rifen from the dead appeared to two
of his difciplesgoing to Emmaus, and
was known of them in breaking of bread.
How good and profitable a thing
it is to ſpeak of the holy Jefus with
underſtanding and devotion; but
more,much more effectual are good
deeds than good words: it could
not chufe but ravifh the minds of
theſe diſciples to hear out of the
bleffed mouth of our Lord himſelf
the holy Scriptures expounded, yet
all this opened not their eyes to
know the Lord, until charity en-
larged their hearts to invite, yea to:
compel their fellow traveller to
lodge, and eat bread with them.
Then, and not till then were their
underſtandings enlighted with the
knowledge of their Redeemer. 'Tis
divine love furpaffeth all things for
illumination : were my heart
throughly enfir'd with this celeftial
flame, I ſhould not be deftitute of the
light of truth, this fire and light be-
ing infeparable.
There
to the feafons of the day.
271
V.
THere be many that Say: who will Pſal, 4. 6,
Shew us any good?
Lord lift thou up
countenance upon us.
the light of thy
7,
Thou hast put gladness in my 8.
heart: fince the time that their corn
and wine and oyi increaſed.
I will lay me down in peace, and
take my rest: for it is thou, Lord,
only that makest me dwell in fafety.
An Evening Hymn.
Ow that the fable mantle of the
night,
Nom
O'refpreads the
earth, and vails the
chereful light:
O thou who art of light, and life the
Spring,
Of grace and glory the eternal King.
Upon thy Servant caufe thy face to
Shine,
And fave me for thy mercies fake
divine.
Forgive me what I have offended in
This day; by thought,or word,or deed
of fin.
For my Sweet Saviours fake, propi-
9..
:
te
tions be.
N 4.
To
27/2
Meditations fitted
To him, who now pours forth his
foul to thee..
All glory to the Trinity,
whom I adore in Unity,
The Father, Son, and holy Ghoft,
One Lord which is of Mighties moft,
As it has e're been heretofore;
Is now, and shall be evermore.
Amen.
J
Bed-time Meditations.
Rev. I. 8.
7..44.0..
Efal, 8.1.
I
I.
Am Alpha and Omega, the be-
ginning and the end, the first and
the laft, faith the Lord: from the
Lord I have my beginning, and he
is the end of my being. 'Tis there-
fore but juſt and reaſonable (0
my foul) as to begin, fo to end the
day with the fervice of thy God,
to make the out-goings of the morn-
ing, and evening to praise him, who
hath made both the night and day..
O Lord our governor,how excellent
is thy name in all the world: thou that
haft fet thy glory above the heavens,
For
>
to the ſeaſons of the day.
273
For I will confider the heavens, · 3.
even the works of thy fingers: the
moon and the fiars which thon haft.
ordained.
The day is thine, and the night is Pf. 74.17.´-
thine: thou hast prepared the light
and the fun.
Thou haft fet all the borders of the 18..
earth: thou haft made fummer, and
winter..
I
II.
Will not fuffer mine eyes to fleep, Pf. 132, 45 ·
nor mine eye-lias to fumber:
neither the temples of my head to take
any rest.
Until I find out a place for the
Temple of the Lord: an habitation
for the mighty God of Jacob.
I cannot hope to fleep in peace,
or to be guarded from ugly dreams,
and the delufions of the night, and
from the fpirits and powers of dark-
nefs; except the mighty God of
Jacob be invited by fervent prayers,
and vouchsafe to make the Temple
of my heart the habitation of his.
holinefs.
5.
"
}
NS.
Whose
274
Meditations fitted
Pfal, 91. 1. W defence of the most High:
Hofo dwelleth under the
fhall abide under the shadow of the
Almighty.
2. I will fay unto the Lord, Thou
art my hope, and my strong hold: my
God, in him will I trust.
3. For he shall deliver thee my
foul from the fnare of the hunter: and
from the noisome peftilence.
4. He shall defend thee under his
wings, and thou shalt be safe under
his feathers: his faithfulness and
truth shall be thy ſhield and buckler.
5. Thou shalt not be afraid for any
terror by night: nor for the arrow
that flyeth by day.
6 For the peftilence that walketh
in darkness: nor for the fickness that
deſtroyeth in the noen-day.
11. For he hall give his Angels
charge over thee: to keep thee in all
thy ways.
13. Thou shalt go upon the Lion
and Adder: the young Lion and the
dragon fhalt thou tread under thy feet;
even the devil and all his Angels I
Shall eaſily vanquish and overcome
by the defence of the moft High,
and being ſhadowed under the facred
wings
{
to the ſeaſons of the day.
275
KA
wings of his moft merciful pro
tection.
'T"
III.
Was at this hour my deareſt
Saviour was in a bitter agony
and fwet great drops of blood un-
der the preffure of the fins of men,
and out of a fad apprehenfion of his
enfuing fufferings for the fame: He
was allo at this hour laid in the grave,
and lamented by the women that fol-
lowed him. And, fhall not tears
diſtil from mine eyes, in remem-
brance of that blood that flowed
from his veins, Thy very miſcar-
riages of this day, in thought and
defire, in word and deed, if not
washed away in this precious blood,
would involve thee, O my foul,
in blackneſs and darkneſs for ever:
O then, confefs them, and bewail
them; and let thy tears be inter-
mixed with thy faith in the bloud of
Chrift; be buried with thy Saviour,
and bid adieu for ever to this
wicked world, and all the Pomps
and Vanities thereof; that being de-
livered from the iniquities of this
finful life, thou mayft eſcape the bit-
ter weeping and wailing of the ne- -
thermoft hell.
Iit:
276
Meditations fitted
2. 3.1.1.
truft: let me never be put to con-
N thee, O Lord, have I put my
fufion,deliver me in thy righteousness..
2. Bow down thine ear to me :.
make haft to deliver me.
3. And be thou my strong rock, and
boufe of defence: that thon mayeſt™
fave me.
4. For thou art my strong rock,
and my castle: be thou also my guide,
and lead me for thy Names fake.
5. Draw me out of the net, that.
they have laid privily for me: for
thou art my firength.
6. Into thy hands I commend my.
pirit: for thou haft redeemed me, Ó
Lord, thou God of truth.
All glory be to God the Father,who
hath made me, and all the world.
All glory be to God the Son, who
bath redeemed me,and all mankind.
All glory be to God the holy Ghoft,
who fanctifieth me, and all the elect
people of God.
Bleffed be the holy and undivided
Trinity, now, and evermore. Amen.
THY
I V.
Hy falvation, O my foul, is the
end of thy faith, and there-
føre tis very meet, as to begin, fo
10
}
to the feafons of the day.
277
to end the day in the confeflion
of the fame and as thou reſolveſt
to die in the true faith, fo refolve
alſo not to fleep without it: but fay,
not fleightly and cuftomarily only,
but reverently, and underſtandingly;
I believe in God the Father Al-
mighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jefus Chriſt his only,&c..
All this I ftedfastly believe: And,
as I have been baptized into this I Tim. 1.18
faith; fo grant me, bleffed Lord, to
continue in the fame uuto my lives.
end: Herein to war a good warfare,
and to finish my courfe, that after
this mortal life ended, I may re- 2 Tim. 4.
ceive from the Author and finisher 7, 8.
of our faith, the crown of righte-
oufness which is laid up, I believe and
hope for me as for all thofe alfo which
love his appearing.
Meditations in the Night.
W
A
Ith my foul have I defired
thee in the night, yea with I. 26 9..
my ſpirit, within me will Iſeek thee.
early:
Early
278
Meditations fitted
P/. 63.7,
8,
9.
Fob 13.15.
Pf.116.14.
Early and late will I feek thee,
night and day will I call upon thee;
for thou art my God, and my all:
even all that I'am, and all that I
have, and all that I hope to be.
Have I not remembred thee in my
bed and thought upon thee when I
was waking?
:
Becaufe thou hast been my helper:
therefore under the shadow of thy
wings will I rejoyce. Under the fha-
dow of thy wings there is peace and
fecurity in the blackeſt night of
worldly calamities: O caft me not
out from under the shadow of thy
wings. For,
My Soul hangeth upon thee.
Though thou lay me for my fins,
yet will I put my trust in thee.
Behold, O Lord, how that I am
thy Servant: I am thy fervant, and
the Son of thine hand-maid. Such I
heartily defire to be, even thy fin-
cere fervant, and an obedient Son of
thy Church,that I may be faved with
the remnant of the true Ifraelites.
My fins, I confefs, are like the
black clouds of the night, and my
tranfgreffions interpofe betwixt my
foul and my God, who is the bright-
nefs
I
:
to the ſeaſons of the day.
279
neſs and ſplendor of fouls; but the
· Day-fpring from on high hath dif-
pelled theſe clouds of darknefs and
of the night.
Arife then, holy Jefus, upon my
darkned foul, turn me from all the
errors of my ways, and fave me for
thy mercies fake, Amen.
I.
A brief Paraphrafe upon
Pfalm CXXXIX.
O
Lord thou haft fearched me
out and known me, ever
fince my first being, for thou gave
it me, thou knowest my down fitting
and lying, at every time when, in
every place where, if in company,
with what perfon; and every man-
ner of way how it is, and alfo mine
uprising, thou clearly understandest
all my thoughts, defires, intentions
and purpoſes long before they be con-
ceived in my heart and mind.
2. Thou by thy effential prefence,
whereby thou filleft heaven and earth
art not only in, but alſo about my
path, what place, company, exercife
or
280
Meditations fitted
or action foever I walk unto; open-
ly or fecretly, by day or night, and
about my bed, in what chamber, cor-
ner or place foever I ly down: and
though the ſeaſon be never fo dark,
the place private, the path obfcure
or intricate, and action fecret, yet
thou moſt narrowly and throughly
spyest out all my ways, how, and
what way foever I move by the feet
and members of my body; or will,
defires, and affections of my foul.
3. For loe, this alfo I muft needs
acknowledge, which fhould oblige
me to a diligent and perpetual watch-
fulneſs to take heed what I fay, fee-
ing that there is not a word in my
tongue: before the conceiving, in
the framing, at the pronouncing or
after the uttering: but thou,O Lord,
knoweft it altogether, whether it be
plain,honeft, fimple, true, fincere
to ſome good end: or it be fubtle,
falfe, deceitful, covered with open
plaufible pretenfes; concealed with
fecret reſervations; whatſoever the
intentions of my heart aim at there-
by.
4. Thou haft fashioned me behind
and before and laid thy, Creating,
preferv-
to the ſeaſons of the day. 281
preferving, providing, governing
and ſupporting hand upon me: the
figure of all my parts is the impreffi-
on thereof.
5. Such knowledge, as to find out
much leſs to imitate the manner or
myſtery of thy workmanſhip in me,
and thy all knowing over-fight of all
my paths,ways, words and actions is
too wonderful and excellent for me, I
cannot attain unto it, it fo exceeeds
my capacity, 'tis above my reach to
conceive the fuper- excellency,ftrict-
nefs and exactness thereof.
:.
6. Whither shall I go then from
thy Spirit which filleth the world
and containeth all things: or whither
Shall I go then, from thy prefence?
who art omniprefent.
7. If I climb up to heaven, thou
art there inthron'd in the refplendent
brightness of thy glorious Majefty :
or if I go down to hell, thou art there
alfo in the execution of thy Juftice,or
if I
go down into the loweſt parts of
the earth, thou art there alfo,by thy
power and providence, for even that
very duft, whereinto the dead are
diffolved, is preferved from annihi-
lation by thy effential prefence there-
with.
8. If
>
282
Meditations fitted
་
8. If I take the wings of the morn-
ing, which even on a ſuddain over-
ſpreads, inlightens and embeams the
face of the whole earth; and be
conveyed even as ſwift as lightning
to the utmoſt parts of the world
where 'tis unhabitable by mankind,
and to remain in the uttermost parts
of the earth or fea,
9. Even there also shall thy hand
of power lead me: and thy right
hand of providence shall hold me and
keep me in my being.
10. If I by the carnal, grofs, ig-
norant and inconfiderate imaginati-
ons of my own deceitful heart Thould
be moved to say, peradventure the
darkness which fo hideth things from
the fight and apprehenfion of men
that they cannot difcern or find them.
out, shall cover me from the fight and
apprehenfion of God, fo that
I may be fecure from ever being diſ-
covered, or found out by him; I
fhall foon be convinced of the folly
of all fuch groundleſs conceits; for
even then, when I ſeem to be ſe-
cret and undiſcoverable, shall my
night be turned to day by the piercing
beams of thee, who art the perpe-
tual
to the feafons of the day.
283
tual and inexhaustible fountain of
light that fhineth in darkneſs,though
the darkneſs comprehend it not.
11. Tea verily the darkness to us
ignorant mortal creatures is no dark-
nefs with thee the all-feeing and im-
mortal Creator but the night is as
clear to thy difcerning eye, which
is ten thousand times brighter thàn
the Sun, as the day: the darkness.
andlight to thee are both alike: for
the night doth no more veil me or
my actions from thy all-feeing eyes,
than the lighteſt fun-fhining of the
noon-day-light: Nor is it any mar-
vel that the moſt fecret motions of
my thoughts, words or actions
cannot be hid from thee,
12. For my reins are thine, my
moft inward, hidden and fecret parts
both of body and foul are in thy poſ-
feffion; thou fifteft and trielt them.
all, none of them can eſcape thy
fcrutiny: thou hast by a moſt curious
and exquifite artifice framed, and fo
tenderly, carefully and fafely covered
me in my mothers womb, that no ad-
verie or obnoxious thing hath occa-
fioned my abortion or perishing,
Therefore
13. I
284
Meditations fitted
13. I will give most humble,
hearty, unfeigned and continual
thanks unto thee, and that moſt de-
fervedly, firft, becauſe of the great
and unrequitable benefit, and ftupen-
dious work of my creation, both in
reſpect of foul and body, for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made. And,
O how am I obliged for ever to ac-
knowledge this ineftimable benefit
with all humble gratitude: for I
might have been made a Toad, a
Serpent, or any the moſt deſpicable
creature: But I am made after the
image of Almighty God my Maker;
for which let me never forget to
praiſe thy holy name, O my God,
not only with my lips, but by living
to thy glory. And let thy glorious
name be for ever extolled and mag-
nified alfo, becauſe that marvellous
are all thy other works of Creation
and providence, and that my foul by
ſeriouſly contemplating and con-
fidering the heavens, earth, feas,
waters, with the excellency, multi-
tude, variety, ufes and benefits of
all the creatures contained in them,
as alfo by meditating in thy holy
word,and by the illumination of thy
holy
to the ſeaſons of the day.
285
holy Spirit knoweth right well, that
they fo far tranfcend her fhallow ca-
cannot be either ex-
pacity, as
preffed by my tongue, or conceived
in my mind.
14. My very bones though they
be covered with skin, flesh and fi-
news, and hid from the appearance
of men, yet they are not hid from
thee: whofe moft bright and pene-
trating eye can as well fee them
through all theſe, as through the
moſt clear and tranfparent cryftal
glafs. But I will ſpeak of my being
at my first conception, when thou
poured me out as milk, and curdled
me like cheeſe, as alfo in my hourly,
dayly and weekly growth, before
ever I appeared in the world : I may
fay and that truly, thou didst fee
moft inward parts though I be made
Secretly and invifibly to all living
creatures, and fabioned and compo-
fed in fuch an exquifite manner like
the molt curious contexture of net-
work, or embroidery of needle-
work beneath in my mothers womb,
than the which there is not a more
hidden place or fecret cave for a
fhop or work-houfe in the earth:
15. Thine
Į
my
286
Meditations fitted
1
Thine eyes did fee my ſubſtance,
yet being an imperfect and unfhapen
embryo, a rude and incompofed
mafs of finful feed, and in thy book
were all my members written, either
as if thou didit delineate, order and
difpofe them, as in a book; or ſet
down the number and names of
them in the Regifter of thy most per-
fect and everlatting Remembrance.
16. Which day by day according
to the time appointed and determi-
ned by thee O Lord, they all were
fashioned and grew up by degrees
unto a perfect shape, when as yet a
little space before there was none of
them that did exift in nature.
17. How dear and precious are
thy myfterious, profound, wife,gra-
cious and merciful counfels unto me,
feeing that by them I am taught not
only to admire thy unfearchable wif-
dom, but al o favingly to know thee,
O God; and the means how I may
be for ever happy in the enjoyment
of thee. O hon great and manifold is
the fum and heads of them? they are
wonderful and innumerable: for
18. If I should undertake to tell
them, I should fet upon an infupera-
A
ble
to the feafons of the day.
287
ble and endleſs work, I might begin,
but I could never make an end: for
they are moe in number than the fand
upon the fea fhore. When I awake
up I am prefent with thee in the me-
ditations and contemplations of my
foul, adinizing all thy works in re-
ſpect of both their greatnefs and
goodnefs.
23. Try me O my God even as fil-
ver is tried when purified from the
drofs,thus triene,and feek, the very
ground of my heart that no dregs of
finful thoughts or defires cleave fe-
cretly to my foul, prove me and exa-
mine my thoughts and keep them
clofe unto thee.
24. Look well if there be any way of
wickedness iume, either inwardly in
the inclinations and defires of my
heart, or outwardly in the words
and actions of my life and conver-
fation,and deliver me from it, and-
lead me in the way of life ever-
lafting. Amen.
THE END.
Books Printed for R.Royfton.
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Chriſtian Sacrifice in
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The Devout Chriftian in 12° &c.
A Friendly Debate between a
Conformist and a Non-conformist,
in Two parts, 8°.
The Principles of holy Chriftian
Religion or the Catechifm of the
Church of England Paraphras'd,
by the Author of the Practical
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Dialogue between two friends, with
fome remarkable paffages upon the
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An Advertiſement.
Pagdalen
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Lace the two figures of Mary
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letter K, between page 192 and 193.
}
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