The Christian PHYSICIAN.

By Henry Atherton. M. D.

Solus homo Sapientia instructus est ut Religionem solus intelligat, & haec est hominis at (que) mutorum vel praecipua vel sola distantia. — Lact. de Ira Dei.

LONDON, Printed by T. James for William Leach at the Crown in Corn-hill. 1683.

TO THE Right Honourable Lord JOHN Earl of Radnor, Viscount Bodmin, Baron of Truro, and Lord President of his Ma­jesties most honourable Privy Counsel.

My LORD,

WHen I at first drew out a Scheme of the ensuing Discourse, I had the Honour of your Lord­ships Approbation and Encouragement to proceed upon those Topicks, which caused me to sequester the vacant hours I could steal from my other oc­casions, that I might employ them on these Meditations; which having brought to some perfection (and received the concurrent consent of a great Prelate of this Realm, who gave himself the trouble to peruse them, and me the ho­nour to recommend them as worthy of publick view) I could not in the least dispute to whom I should dedicate them; for not only your Lordship's condescension at first in advising, but indeed those many other Obligations which your Honour hath been pleased to lay upon me, most justly challenge [Page]them, and even the greatest of my Services: Neither am I so fond to ima­gine that the offering of these to your Lordship's Feet doth cancel any former debt, but rather I cannot but be sensible that if your Lordship design to patronize and shelter them from the storms of the World, it will be infinitely increased; I shall have the deeper score to pay, and the greater pardon to beg for this presumption.

But I doubt not but that your Lord­ships good nature runs parallel with your other Vertues (of which the World is a copious Index) and therefore shall hope to obtain it, together with your Honour's Acceptance of this small Ac­knowledgment. That your Lordship may enjoy a long uninterrupted state of Health, whereby you may be able to assist His Majesty in his great and momentous Counsels, and (as your Ho­nour hath began) may continue to be a prop and support to this our totter­ing Church, and at length go late into Heaven, are the hearty Wishes and con­stant Prayers of

From Newcastle upon Tine, Nov. 2. 1682.
Your Lordships most humbly Devoted Servant Henry Atherton.

THE PREFACE.

THis our latter Age hath so much degenerated from the Piety and Simplicity of the Primitive Christians (which were the only marks by which they were heretofore distin­guished from the Heathen Nations) as not only not to own and live up to those Principles of their Profession as Christians, but instead thereof openly and avowedly to defend Irreligion and Hobbianism in their Arguments, Athe­ism and Profaneness in their Lives, e­ven worse than Heathens. To be Sober and Religious, is now adays to be mo­rose and ingentile, if not hypocritical: To be loose and debauched, is the only modish thing. To be able by Sophisms to [Page]baffle the Arguments of a well m [...]aning Christian, is taken for the characteri­stick Note of Ingenuity, and a pregnant Wit. And on the contrary, to use any perswasives to Religion and Piety, sa­vours of nothing but stupidity and folly. Which things considered, I cannot but fore-see what bad Entertainment this small Tract is like to meet withal abroad in the World, especially among those who pretend to the most ripe Reason, and keenest Wit, whose custom (indeed) it is to make this ill use of it, as to turn all sober things into Ridicule or Railery, or else to dispute themselves out of their Duty; which they will easi­ly do, when they suffer their under­standings to be so frequently bribed by their vicious Inclinations. There are (I must confess) many native defects in this Essay, and to these I fear will be added the severe Censure of its being altogether impertinent; at least I cannot nationally expect that it should be accepted by all, or (like the Manna) fit every Palate; however let it try it's fate, it will fall into the hands of some serious and pious persons, who may probably approve the de [...]ign, if not like the work; and I hope [Page]with such (whom I chiefly desire to gra­tifie (it may meet with a candid and fa­vourable reception.

The Reader may find here (I must ac­knowledge) many Excerpta, and if I have not done right to every Author, I desire him to charge it wholly upon the defect of Memory, or want of inserting the Name in my common Place Book.

In my Second Section I have followed Cartesius [...], as judging his method very Argumentative.

How it comes to pass that the scan­dal of Atheism (if it be now such) even to a Proverb Ubi tres Me­dici duo Athei. hath been cast upon those of our Faculty, or whether there have been any just grounds for it, I know not; but this I am sure of, that the knowledge of Second Causes, and our frequent Converse with them, ought ra­ther to give us the clearer apprehensions of the First, and by how much the Subject on which we continually employ our Minds and Studies, is more noble and sublime, so much the more divine ought to be our Speculations; this good effect it had upon the Royal Prophet, Psal. 139.14. Who when his Meditations [Page]drew him to consider that he was fear­fully and wonderfully made, he pre­sently breaks forth into Praises unto Almighty God, and Acknowledgments of his marvellous Works. Neither want we instances (to take off that general Infamy) of many Men truly pious in this Profession. Even Hippo­crates who flourished Four hundred ninety two years before Christ, obtain­ed the Title of Divine, and that Cha­racter in his life, that he was Vir San­ctis Moribus: And to speak nothing of Galen, Averroes, Avicen, and other Forreigners in this Art, in whom Pie­ty and Morality hath eminently shined, we have lately had a more modern Hippocrates both of this Age and Na­tion, who amongst other sweet Odours to perfume his Memory, hath this, that he was In toto Vitae statu Christianus. But what need I mention any more, when St. Luke himself was both Physi­cian and Evangelist at the same time.

If I may by this small Treatise either silence the obloquies of some, con­vince others, or so far prevail with, or encourage any, as to lay aside their [Page]unreasonable Opinions, and betake themselves to more religious and cir­cumspect Lives; I have my aim, and shall think my self sufficiently recom­penced for my weak labours: If they fail of this, I shall at least have that satisfaction in my own Breast, that I designed them well.

ON THE Christian Physician Written by his Honoured AND Very much Esteemed Friend. Dr. HENRY ATHERTON, OF NEW CASTLE.

LEt now no more in Natures widest Round
Be such a Prodigy as Atheist found,
Much less let on our Learn'd Physicians be
Hereafter cast that blackest Obloquy.
Our good Physician having conquered
Diseases which to death our Bodies led,
Aspireth higher yet, and doth oppose
Diseases more incurable than those.
If Precepts crown'd with good Example be
Most cogent Arguments, then well may he
Such useful Counsels here for others frame,
Who hath himself so strictly lived the same.
Here learn the Art of Alchymy Divine,
Whereby we may our Earthly Minds Sublime.
On Muses Helicon let us not stay,
Whilst to Mount Olivet he shews the way;
There to the sweets of Contemplation pure
Let us always our high-born Souls enure:
Thence let us freely draw some small fore-tast
Of th' unmixt Joys that shall for ever last:
Which diff'ring quite from all things here below;
Nor end, nor yet satiety shall know.
John Drake Bachelor of Physick.

THE CONTENTS.

  • THe Introduction, Page. 1.
SECT. I.
  • Concerning God, and what he is, Page. 6.
SECT. II.
  • That the Existence of a God and a Providence in the World, is as clearly demonstrable as any truth whatsoever, Page. 9.
  • God's Existence proved from the impression made on our very Natures, Page. 10.
  • From the consent of all Ages, Page. 11.
  • (A Digression concerning the degeneracy of ours) Page. 12.
  • From the sense of Guilt, and secret Conviction of Mens Consciences, Page. 13.
  • From the uncertainty of Reasoning without the Concession, Page. 16.
  • From the impossibility of any thing to Exist from it self, Page. 17.
  • From the Perfection of the Creation, and from the necessity of an intelligent Spirit, for such accu­rate Productions as we find in the World, Page. 18.
  • From the exact Order and Disposition of all Things to their designed and adequate ends, Page. 20.
SECT. III.
  • That the Existence of a Providence in the World being granted, all things must be conserv'd and governed by it, and there is not the least in­considerable thing that may be said to be ob­noxious to the senseless guidance of chance and fortune, Page. 32.
  • God's Providence and Gubernation not to be severed, Page. 33.
  • [Page] The Opinion of the Stoicks and Epicureans con­demn'd, Page. 35.
  • The Stars and Planetary Bodies have no coactive influence upon Terrestrial Bodies, Page. 36.
  • Neither were things made by the fortuitous con­course of Atoms, Page. 40.
  • God that made the World, still continues to take care of it, and even the smallest things are ad­verted to by him, Page. 44.
SECT. IV.
  • That all Minerals, Vegetables, and Animals, with what ever else, having in it a Med [...]cinal Virtue, had it first impress'd on them by that Su­pream Being, which was the first Author and Maker of them, Page. 47.
  • Gods wonderful Providence in providing suitabl [...] Re­medies for the Diseases of frail Mankind, Page. 48.
  • The ways of discovering their Vertues to us, Page. 50.
  • We ought to praise God for them, and to make use of them, Page. 54.
SECT. V.
  • That although God did at first give such a parti­cular Virtue to each particular Plant, Mine­ral and Animal, yet for certain providential Causes, they may not always exert their na­tural Operations, and prove successful to their desired end, Page. 55.
  • God hath an absolute Soveraignty over all things, and is not tied up to any particular method, but may dispose of every thing as he pleases, Ibid.
  • Gods usual way of working, is by Natural Means, yet for several Reasons, he may sometimes an­ticipate them, Page. 57.
SECT. VI.
  • That Gods usual way of working is by fit and ap­propriate means, and therefore the Empirick or he that understands nothing of the true cause of the Disease, and nature of the Medi­cine, is not to be trusted, Page. 60.
  • All Medicines naturally produce their genuine Effects, especially given by a skilful hand, Page. 61.
  • Natural means used by our Saviour, and the Pro­phets, Page. 62.
  • Two sorts of persons condemned, the Empirick, who ignorantly ventures upon what he under­stands not, and the Stoick who thinks an in­dispensable necessity of Events, Page. 63, 68.
  • The danger of confiding in the former, and the unreasonableness of the latter, Page. 70.
  • [...]n case of necessity, we ought to apply our selves to second means, Page. 72.
SECT. VII.
  • That a holy and vertuous Life is a necessary qualification for a Physician, in order to the im­bettering of his Judgment, and his good success in Practice, Page. 73.
  • Knowledge and Wisdom is acquired by Piety, and destroyed by Vice, Page. 74.
  • God secretly guides and directs the good Man, whose Prayers co-operate with his Endeavours, Page. 77.
  • The Conclusion by way of Advice to the rest of my own Faculty, Page. 79.
  • The knowledg of our selves the way to acquire other, Ibid.
  • We must own Gods Mercies, and not arrogate that praise to our selves which is due only to God, Page. 82.
  • [Page] This is the best course in point of Prudence, Ibid.
  • Rules for Physicians. Page. 83.
  • 1. To begin with Prayer. 2. To proceed with rea­son and judgment, and not try Experiments, except in extream Cases, where a known and tryed Medicine proves unsucessful. 3. That they do not promise Cure in uncertain and dan­gerous Diseases, and so flatter the Patient, whereby the putting his House in order, and his preparation for death is deferr'd, if not wholly frustrated, Page. 83, 84, 85.
  • The Common Objections against it answered, Page. 86.
  • It is best whether the Patient be a good, or a wicked Man. Page. 87.
  • The Physicians Prayer, and Ejaculations, Page. 90, 92.
The Second Part.
  • DIrections how to spend every day in the fear o [...] God, Page. 1 [...].
  • Of a private Fast, and Directions for it, Page. 19.
  • Rules for a Religious Fast, Page. 27.
  • A Prayer for Grace, Page. 53.
  • A Prayer of Intercession, Page. 55.
  • The Thanksgiving and Conclusion of the Work, Page. 64.
  • Reasons why we ought to keep a Narrative or Cata­logue of our Sins, and the benefit of it, Page. 71.
  • The manner of keeping your Narrative, and a [...] Exemplification of it in some sins, Page. 77.
  • Directions for Saturday, Page. 86.
  • Directions for the Lords day, Page. 89.
  • Of the Holy Sacrament, Page. 103.
  • Remote preparations for Death, Page. 107.
  • Of the Proximate Preparations for Sickness an [...] Death, Page. 113.
  • [Page] Remedies against some particular Temptations of the Devil in the time of Sickness, Page. 120.
  • Of Meditation, Page. 126.
  • The Thanksgiving after Meditation, Page. 134.
    Divine Meditations.
    • Concerning Gods Omnipresence, Page. 136.
    • Of the Mercy of God, Page. 142.
    • Of the certainty of Death and Judgment, Page. 151.
    • Of Heaven and Hell, the Joys of one, the Torments of the other, Page. 164.
    • Reflections upon Hell, and the Torments of it, Page. 173.
    • Reflections upon Heaven, and the joys thereof, Page. 183.
    • Job. 16.24 When a few years are come, then shall I go the way whence I shall not return, Page. 186.
    • Meditations before (or at) Dinner or Supper, Page. 203.
    Occasional Meditations.
    • 1. On the sight of a dying Friend, Page. 205.
    • 2. Ʋpon the sight of two Apple Trees growing one by the other. The one tall and spreading, but having only leaves, no fruit; the other low, but full loaden, Page. 208.
    • 3. Ʋpon the sight of a Wasp without a Sting, Page. 210.
    • 4. Ʋpon the sight of two Doves billing each other, Page. 211.
    • 5. Ʋpon the sight of a Lady's Fingers bedecked with many rich Diamonds of great value, Page. 212.
    • 6. Ʋpon the sight of many Millepedes killed for a Medicine for my Patient, Page. 214.
    • 7. Ʋpon the sight of a Brass piece of Money curiously gilded over, Page. 215.
    • 8. Ʋpon the finding an Adders skin left behind in a strait passage, Page. 216.
    • 9. Ʋpon a Glow-worm, Page. 217.
    • 10. Ʋpon a rotten Dunghill, Page. 218.
    • [Page]11. Ʋpon seeing a Shepherds Dog bringing in stray Sheep, Page. 219.
    • 12. Ʋpon the sight of a Ship cast away within a little of the Port, Page. 220
    • 13. Ʋpon an Epileptick Person falling into the fire, and being thereby cured of his Disease, Page. 222
    Ejaculations for several Occasions.
    • For Pardon of Sin, Page. 224
    • For Grace, Page. 225
    • For the Light of Gods Countenance, Page. 226.
    • Thanksgiving, Page. 227.
    • In the time of outward or inward Trouble, Page. 228.
    • Comfort in Troubles, Page. 229.
    • Thanksgiving for deliverance from Troubles, Page. 230.
    • Going to the Church or House of God, Page. 231.
    • In Church, if thou happen to be there before Service begins, Page. 232.
    • Returning from the Church, Page. 233.
    • In the time of Sickness or approach of Death, Page. 235.
    • A Prayer for the Morning in private, Page. 241.
    • A Prayer for the Morning in publick with thy Fa­mily, which with little variation may be used al­so in private, Page. 246.
    • A Prayer at Noon, Page. 253, 254.
    • A Prayer for the Evening in private, Page. 255.
    • A Prayer in publick with the Family for the Evening, Page. 259.
    • A Prayer for Sunday Morning in the Family; which with very little variation, may be used by any single person in his Closet, Page. 269, 270.
    • A Prayer for Sunday. Evening in the Family, Page. 278.
    • A Preparatory for Death, to be often used in the time of Health, Page. 283.
    • A Prayer for Sincerity out of The whole Duty of Mar, Page. 216
    • For Contrition, out of The same Author, Page. 287.
    • A Prayer to be used by any Pious Christian in these difficult times, Page. 289.
  • The Close, Page. 293.
THE INTRODUCTION.IT …

THE INTRODUCTION.

IT is not because there have been none, or so few, who have busied their Brains and Pens about this Subject of Gods Existence, or that they had ma­naged their Arguments so faintly, and unwieldily, as that they stood in need of my weak support, which made me first enter the Lists with the Atheist, and launch my small Boat into this vast and deep Ocean: But indeed the true reason of it, was, that having Medi­tated the ensuing Discourse, I found my self necessitated to lay such a Foundation for it, as might prop and sustain the Su­perstructure, to wit, The Existence of a Deity; which unless proved, or be­lieved, the whole Fabrick must of ne­cessity fall, and be buried in its own Ruins.

It is well enough known how many whole Books (not to say Volumes) are [Page 2]dispersed up and down the World against Atheism; besides as if these were not enough, and the Controversy should still remain undecided, almost every Sermon speaks the Minister afraid of it: And in­deed in my judgment, it were well, if much of what hath heretofore been writ­ten of this nature, or spoken from the Pulpit, had proved Abortive or been stifled in the same Womb that first pro­duced it. For in the Primitive times of Christianity, Antiqua Sapientia nihil aliud quam facienda, & vitanda praetepit: & tunc melioreserant viri. Postquam docti prodierunt, boni de­sunt. Simplex enim illa & aperta virtus in obscuram & solertem sciontiam ver­sa est, docemur (que) disputare, non viavere. Senec. ad Lu­cilium. when the Precepts extended only to what was to be done, and what to be avoided, Men were more purely and simply Religious, and every where better Christians; but after that learning and sub­tile enquiring into critical things, had gotten the upper hand of simple and bare-faced Vertue, we became indeed more cunning Disputants, but less pious Men. The Writings of Moses are by all acknowledged to be the most Ancient in the World, and though the very design of them were to prescribe Doctrines and Rules for Religion, yet there is no­thing [Page 3]found in them by way of proof or perswasion, concerning the Existence of God; but it is a thing taken for granted, as being universally acknowledged and believed; yea even in the most blind and superstitious Age of Greece, when A theism was first heard of in the World, (being introduced by the Obscene Poets, who debauched the minds of the People, to believe such monstrous things of their Gods) the Authors of it became a derisi­on to all intelligent Men, and were stig­matized with the blackest marks of In­famy; nay they banished one of their Philosophers (Diagoras) because he be­gan a Book with such words as these, As touching the Gods, whether there be a­ny I know not, &c. But alass! we live now in such a curious and inquisitive Age, when nothing but what is gross e­nough to be discovered by our Senses, and what looks as certain as Mathematical Demonstrations, will be received, and believed by us. We are grown as great Scepticks in Divinity, as we are in Phi­losophy, and I am verily perswaded that the great reason of it is owing to those many nice Controversies and Disputes, which have been raised about it. And I cannot be induced to believe otherwise, [Page 4]but that those very Arguments which have been made use of to confute one Atheist, have made twenty; for the less curious and examining (which cer­tainly are far the greater number) see­ing learned persons start so many diffi­culties, and spend so much time and la­bour in the Argumentative part to con­vince, do from thence conclude that the thing is at least dubious; and then being willing to have it so, that they may go on uncontroul'd in their Luxuries and Sensualities, without any further Scru­tiny will easily incline to believe that it is as they wish. Quis volumus, fa­cile credimus. But hath God left himself with­out Witness? Doth not the whole Frame and Compages of the World, it's Creati­on, and Conservation, sufficiently evi­dence his Existence? And may I not say of this as Abraham of the Request of the Rich Man? They have Moses and the Prophets, they have clear and ample Discoveries, both from within and with­out, and if they believe not them, nei­ther will they believe though Men Write and Preach never so much of this Nature. I esteem it therefore much better to wave many of those needless Disquisitions and Discourses, which in ordinary Capaci­tres [Page 5]raise oftentimes more Doubts and Scruples, than they can resolve and sa­tisfie. Examples are commonly more prevalent and perswasive than Disputes or Precepts; and it were to be wished that we should rather refute the damna­ble opinion of an Atheist by a Holy and God-like life, than by bandying so many nice and obscure Questions, which create new Difficulties, and raise new Jealou­sies concerning that Holy Faith, which the pious simplicity of the Primitive Christians received only to practice. But lest the Arrow should revert upon my own Head, and some should too justly accuse me for that which I condemn in others, I shall not entertain my Reader with many Arguments on this Subject (which hath already by better Heads been so largely and learnedly discussed) nor yet pretend to the invention of ma­ny new, but only cull out a few which seem to me most cogent and convincing, and which have given me the greatest con­firmation of my own Faithin the Existence of a Deity.

SECTION I. Concerning God, and what he is.

IT was not without great Reason ad­vised by the Wisest of Kings, that when we had a mind to speak any thing before God, we should not be hasty to utter it; and Aristotle teaches us, Nunquam nos-verecundi­ores esse debere, quam cum de diis agitur. That we never ought to be more modest, than when we have to do about God: and there is no doubt but that when we speak not only before God, but of him, we ought most seriously to weigh our thoughts and words, and with much caution produce them, lest we should any way derogate from the Purity and Excellencies of so transcen­dent Majesty. But when we have weigh­ed and considered all that we can of him, our Apprehensions are very narrow and scant, and our Notions of him come in­finitely short of his Divine Perfections: For as he is Invisible to the Eye, so he is [Page 7]Incomprehensible to the Mind. Whatso­ever we conceive it is but in part: there is much more we cannot perceive nor comprehend. He is represented to us a Spiritual and Incorporal Essence, and till we come to be unbodied our selves, we cannot perfectly conceive what he is: so that we may conclude with Aristotle: Hoc tantum scio me ni­hil scire. This only we know, that we know nothing; or with a Diviner Authori Elihu. Job. 37.23. Touching the Al­mighty, we cannot find him out.

There is no question but those that du­ly Worship and Honour God, duly ag­nise, and are acquainted with him: But if the Atheist (to whom the greatest part of this Discourse is directed) should in­terrogate, Where is your God? Jovis omnia plena. And bid us Worship what we know; we answer, God fills every place, John 4.22. and we know what we Worship, and that is the true God, whose Nature and Infinity though we (who are but finite Creatures cannot sufficiently comprehend; yet he is more cognoscible to us by his Perfecti­ons and Attributes, than any other thing whatsoever.

Under the Notion therefore of a God, I understand a Being that is Eternal, Om­niscient, Omnipotent, the Fountain of all Goodness, Mercy, and Truth, the Creator of all things; and finally that hath in himself the Complement of all Perfections. This is a Glympse, a gene­ral Notion that we now have of that most glorious God we Revere and Adore. Job. 26.14. We now hear of him but a little portion, saith Job. We know but in part, 1 Cor. 13.12. and see him but darkly (as through a Per­spective Glass) in the Works of his Cre­ation; but hereafter, when this earthy Tabernacle of ours shall be dismantled, We shall know him, as we are known, and see him face to face.

Our Eyes are now too weak to be­hold this dazling Sun, but then they shall be strenghened and enlightned, all mists dispelled, and we shall with Che­rubims and Seraphims admire its lustre and bear our part to him in that Divine Anthem: Revel. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory and Honour, and Power, for thou hast crea­ted all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. Let us learn then hence this Corollary, That though [Page 9]God be invisible to the Eye, and incom­prehensible to the Mind, and (as Job says) We cannot find him out in his perfection. Job. 11.7. Let us lay by our Sense and Reason, and apprehend him now by Faith, that so we may know him to our Salvation for ever.

SECT. II. That the Existence of a God, and a Pro­vidence in the World, is as cleerly de­monstrable as any Truth whatsoever.

IT hath been often disputed, if there ever were, and whether it is possi­ble there ever should be such a Pro­digy in Nature as a Speculative Atheist, and it hath been generally carried in the Negative; and for my part I can hardly believe that there is such a Monster in the World; for amongst the immense num­ber of Deities that remoter Nations have had, and their disagreeings what Gods they ought to have, yet none were [Page 10]so wild and barbarous as totally to re­nounce all.

Nulla gens est ne (que) tam immansueta, ne (que) tam fera, quae non etiamsi ignoret qualem habere deum deceat, tamen habe [...] ­dum sciat. Cicero de Legib. lib. 1. And again,

Nulla gens tam fera, nemo omnium tam sitim manis, cujus men­tem non imbuerit deorum opinio. Tusc. Qu. lib. 1. So Seneca,

Nulla gens usquam estadeo extra leges mores (que) projecta, ut non aliquos deos credat. Epist. 118. In omnium animis deorum noti­onem impressit ipsa natura.

Nature it self hath herein given Laws to the minds of Men. This is one of those [...] common Notions, The Law written in our hearts: and were there an Absolute impossibility to have this Notion ab Extra, yet it is too deeply impress'd there by the God of Nature, ever to be errased or obliterated. O­therwise what can we think of those who have been born both Deaf and Dumb, and understood nothing of any Character to be instructed by, yet will give manifest Discoveries of their Ap­prehension of a God, by paying him (in their unintelligible way) Homage and Adoration, and often prostrating them­selves on the Earth, with their Eyes and Hands lifted up towards Heaven, with the greatest seriousness and reverence imaginable. This is a part of Piety St. [Page 11] Basil says, we never learn'd, but brought with us into the World, [...]. as an impression made in us by the hand of Nature it self.

Men were heretofore so superstitious in the belief of a Deity, that they those rather to err on the right hand, than the left, and would have too many, rather then none at all. They would have a Deity for every thing, their Corn, and their Wine, and their Cattel, and so that the Romans by that method had multi­plied their Gods to above Thirty thou­sand, and other Nations came not much behind them: But alass! our Age pre­tends to more light, and indeed I think only too much hath dazled our Eyes, that we cannot see as far as the Wisest Heathens. Non praestat fi­des quod praestat infidelitas. Even Fabricius, Cato, and Regu­lus, will upbraid and shame many of us, who call our selves Christi­ans. Heretofore only a few poor Indi­ans, Inhabitants of Soldania in Affrick, and Cannibals of Ammerica; or single persons, as Diagoras, Milesius, Prota­goras, Abderites, Lucian, and no num­ber, much less Societies of Men, ever deny­ed a Deity; but now we need not go so [Page 12]far as those dark and barbarous Corners of the World, to search for such Mon­sters as these (who differ but little from the very Brutes) we may find them much nearer home in Europe, as well as Ame­rica, in England as well as Soldania; yea in the cleerest times of Light and greatest Knowledg; when Reason seems to be exalted to its [...], highest pitch, yet like the Moon at full, by a strange kind of interposition of our sensual and brutish Appetites, suffers the greatest Eclypse; and all the use it seems to serve us for, is to make us only more ignorant, and less pious. For how do Men now a days, strain their Reason (shall I call it) or Cu­riosity rather, to so high a peg, endea­vouring to find out hidden and abstruse Mysteries, such as God hath not reveal­ed, and he thought fit we should be ig­norant of. How curious and inquisitive are they to find out how the World was made according to the Rules of Philoso­phy, and how it is still upheld by the same natural Causes? And they proceed so far, till at length they lose both their Hypothesis and Reason too; and because they cannot find how these things should Physically be, will thence conclude they are not at all. The Fool hath laid aside [Page 13]all his Modesty that he had in the days of the Royal Prophet; then he dared not to make his Tongue the Index of his Mind, and prate of his Folly, but on­ly tacitly in his heart said there is no God; but now alass he out-braves the Sun at Noon day! and not only his heart, but his lips (which should shew forth God's praise) are become the Trumpets of his wicked Thoughts: he dares bold­ly proclaim the No-being of Him, who gave to him and all things else a Being, and thinks it a certain badg of Gentility, and the mark of a pregnant, polite wit, so to do: But whether these brave Gal­lants think as they say, will be no hard matter to determine; for certainly though they may be so bold as to utter it with their lips, yet they cannot (with all their skill) disband their own fears, lest it should be otherwise, [...]. no more than they can run away from their guilty Consciences, nor yet quiet or satisfie their guilty Souls: Otherwise what mean these secret Stings and Racks of Conscience? That horrour of Mind, and paleness of Countenance? Those distra­cted, and (many times) desponding thoughts, when seiz'd with a fit of some [Page 14]sharp Disease, and the apprehensions of their approaching death?

— Quos diri consciafacti
Mens habet attonitos, & sur do verbere caedit.
Occultum quatiente animo, tortore fla­gellum. Juvenal. 13. Satyr.

Epicurus himself, though he seem'd to disown a Deity, yet confesses he feared nothing more than Death and the Gods. One clap of Thunder shall force Caligula to run under his Bed, and even the rough and stubborn Marriners in a Storm, will cry every one unto his God. The Saty­rist of old observ'd it of such.

Hi sunt qui trepidant, & ad omnia fulgura pallent.

God hath imprinted a fear of punish­ment in the very hearts of Men, which up­on the Commission of any great Sin, dogs them with secret pangs and horrours; and though like the Wounded Deer they run every where to disen­tangle themselves, Haeretlateri Laethalis arundo. yet still the Arrow sticks fast. Though they love not God, yet they have a flavish fear of him, and are forced with Juvenal to confess,

Esse aliquos manes, & subterranea Regna.

That there are some tormenting Spirits and a Kingdom of darkness. The Prophet Isaiah excellently describes them, Isaiah 48.22. The wicked is like the troubled Sea when it cannot r [...]st, whose Waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace saith my God to the Wicked. So that the Psalmist's Axi­om is undeniable, Psalm. 58.11. Doubtless there is a God that judgeth in the Earth.

But lest these stout Hectors should still maugre all the impressions of Na­ture, and convictions of Conscience (which they endeavour (as much as in them lies) to stifle and silence) con­tinue to persist in those most Irratio­nal and Atheistical Tenets, let them (laying aside all prejudicate thoughts) consider with me the subsequent Rea­sons, endeavouring to evince, That the Existence of a God, and a Provi­dence in the World, is as cleerly demonstrable as any Truth whatsoe­ver.

The greatest Physical certainty that it [Page 91]is possible for any Man to have, is from Mathematical Demonstrations, as, That every whole is greater than its part: that of a Triangle its three Angles are equal to two right Angles: that if you add equal to equals, the result will be equal, &c. These Axioms, I say, are as undeniable, and as certain as any we can speak of; now that the Being of God is as certain as any, or all of these, will appear hence. As first of all, without this Concession of a Deity, all things that are the Ob­jects of Sense, may quite delude, and impose upon our under­standings, Cartes. Princ. lib. 1. yea we can­not be assured of Mathematical De­monstrations themselves, or any thing else that seems cleerest and truest to our judgments and apprehensions, and we may be still in a Dream, and not disco­ver whether these things seemingly so demonstrable, are really true, or barely Phantasms, Chimaera's, and the results of our giddy Fancies; for I must be first ascertain'd of the infallibillity of my Senses, before I conclude that things re­presented to me by them are true, and this it is impossible for me to be assured of, before I have the knowledg of a Di­vine [Page 17]Existence. But when I seriously consider, and am assured that there is a God, and that his chiefest Attribute is Truth, (which hath a direct Repugnan­cy to Deception and Error) and that He will not, cannot therefore impose upon, and delude my Senses: Hence is it, that I infer the reality of them, and thence conclude, that all things that are truly represented to my Senses, are indeed so as they are represented; because God never obtrudes Falsities upon us, under the pretext of Truth: Neither doth it at all invalidate this Argument, to assert that we are often deceived, because that the Deception proceeds not from the Un­derstanding, but from our Will, when we too rashly consent to things not clear­ly and distinctly understood. Therefore all Mathematical Truths are not to be suspected, and the Existence of the Di­vinity, no more, (nay less) to be doubted of than them.

Next of all, it is plain and obvious, even to the lowest Capacity, yea known by the dim light of Nature, that what at first had a beginning, did not derive its being from it self, but that there must be some super-intended Cause, on which (in respect of their Substance) [Page 18]all other things do depend, and which must have in it the Complement of all Perfections; and that can be no less than a Ray of Divinity, or rather God himself.

How perfect is every part of the Cre­ation? (Who can tell where any thing is superfluous, or any thing deficient?) And the more perfect cannot be produ­ced from that which is less perfect, as by its efficient and total Cause. There­fore seeing such Beauties and Perfecti­ons as we discover in the World, and have Idea's of, we cannot find to be in our selves; we may from thence right­ly, and on good grounds, conclude to be in some thing distinct from us, and that is more perfect than our selves, namely, in God.

All the Pulchritude and Perfection of an Effect, ought to be contained in the Cause, (for the Cause cannot give that to the Effect, which it self enjoy­eth not) wherefore all the Perfection of living Creatures ought to be compre­hended in that Cause.

If any thing could pretend to be the Author of its own Original, it must cer­tainly be Man; Man which is the Epi­tome and Perfection of all Sublunary Be­ings; [Page 19]but He, alas! owes even his own being to another; and for his first Pro­duction, stands in need of such a pre­paration of Matter, and concourse of Causes, that it is many times a greater Wonder that He is, than that He is not; and being born, stands in need of so ma­ny Second Causes, Helps and Furtheran­ces, that he may live, and at length dies and expires with so much facility, that he has very little cause to boast of his own Perfections. A man may sooner believe that there is no such Man as himself, than that there is no Author of his being, no God, for himself can cease to be, and once was not, and shall again be changed from what he is, and in very many Periods of his Life, knows not that he is, (and so it is every Night with him when he sleeps) but none of these can happen unto God, who is the same Yesterday, too Day, and for ever. When we see a Clock or some curious Piece of Art, we presently enquire after the Artificer, concluding it not to be its own Production: And although we Finite Creatures cannot well compre­hend vvhat those Infinite Perfections of God are, yet vve can more plainly and clearly understand them, than any [Page 20]Corporeal things; because they are bet­ter adapted to, and more fill our Cogi­tations, and are more simple, not obscu­red by any limitations at all.

The Existence of a Deity, being [...]e­vinced from those Principles that are In­terwoven in the very make of our Na­tures, from the Universal Consent of all Ages and Nations, from the Uncertain­ness of our Reasoning without the Con­cession, and the Necessity of an Intelli­gent Spirit, or Incorporeal Being, for such Acurate Productions as we find in the World: It may in the next place be further Illustrated from the exact Sym­metry, Order, and Disposition of all things in the World, with respect to their several Ends.

Esse praestantem aliquam naturam, & eam suspiciendam adorandamque homi­num generi, pulchritudo mundi, ordoque rerum coelestium cogit confiteri. Cicero de Divin. lib. 2.

So great was the Fore-knowledge and Providence of God, and so boundless his Mercy and Goodness, that as the one plainly (upon the first Intuition) dis­covered him the end; so the other most [Page 21]readily designed the means, and laying aside obstinate perverse Man, there is nothing in the whole Frame of the Uni­verse that doth not answer the end of its Creation.

If we consider the greatest Luminary of Heaven, the Sun, whose Lustre is such, as that it transcends all visible things, yet it is not made for it self, nor can it apprehend, or reflect upon its own beauty, but is made for the good and benefit of others; and how doth it an­swer its assigned End, in that it con­veys Light not only to the whole World, (communicating to every Nation some­time or other an equal share of its boun­teous Influence) but also to the Infe­riour Orbs, as the Moon, Planets, &c. and in that it warms and enlightens the Air, which of its self is cold and dark; and in that it exhales Fumes from the Earth, and Vapours from the Water, which again distil in gentle Dews, Rain, or Snow, to refresh the dry and thirsty Earth: Whence proceed the Ma­turation of Fruits, Grass, Herbs, and Trees, for the use of Man.

Consider also the Winds, how they serve their designed End, by ventilating and fanning the Air, and keeping it [Page 22]from Putrefaction, which would other­wise produce Plagues and noisom Dis­eases; by carrying the Clouds, and di­stributing them to several Countries and Regions, and without them the Medi­terranean Places, and such as are re­mote from the Sea, would be ever de­stitute of Clouds and Showrs; and scorcht with heat: These also serve the great end of Navigation, by which we enter­tain Commerce and Traffick with all the habitable Places of the World; and to shew the Extensive Munificence of the Donor, they are not always consi­ned to one and the same Point, but are by turns liberal to all, and sometimes one, sometimes another enjoys the Be­nefit of them, as their Occasions require, or God sees it fit.

In like manner how doth the vast Bo­dy of the Earth answer the wonderful ends of its Creation? If we consider the upper Superficies of it, how is it made a fit Receptacle for Men and Beasts, Birds, and feathered Fowls, Worms, Flies, In­sects, and living Creatures innumera­ble to dwell therein? and how doth its bountiful hand supply out of its rich Store-house, what is convenient for the maintenance and support of all its Of­spring? [Page 23]sending forth Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, Plenty and Superfluity; Herbs for Food and Medicine for Man, Grass for Fodder and Use of Cattel and Beasts: Flowers for Variety, Colour, and Smell; Trees for Shade, Timber, and Fruit, and Seeds to perpetuate and pre­serve every Species; together with a multitude of other things, which con­spire together, for the preservation of its numerous Issue: and yet there is such an exact Order and Harmony between all these, that neither of them inter­feres with the other, but every Indivi­dual combines for the benefit of the Whole.

On this Spot of Earth are high Hills, which serve to curb the violence of the Winds, to bound Kingdoms and Places; to furnish Stones for Buildings: to be a Refuge for the wild Beasts; and to stand as so many Bulwarks to defend us from our Enemies. On that Spot of Earth are the low Valleys, which not only af­ford us Pleasure and Delight to the Eye, but abundant Profit to the Hand, and no less Joy to the Heart. These are thick­ly laden with variety of Corn, and every Ear is so proud of its Burden, that it seems to laugh and sing. Here are [Page 24]places for Pasture and Fodder, green Herbs, and more fragrant Flowers; Things pleasant, profitable, and useful. Here are Woods for Shelter, Firing, and Timber, there are Chrystal streams to water the Furrows and pleasant Mea­dows, and to give Drink unto the Cattel.

Every Field hath (as it were) a Mo­nopoly of its own, and claims Priviledge and Prescription, for one Plant or other. In this grows the Cowstip, and Herba Paris; In the next, the Poppey and the Violet; In the third, the Pearly Ros Solis, and Royal Osmund; every Soil hath its peculiar Faecundity.

Hic segetes, illic veniunt foelicius uvae:
Arborei foetus alibi, atque injussa vi­rescunt
Gramina: Nonne vides croceos ut Tmolus odores,
India mittit Ebur, molles sua thura Sabaei?

It is admirable to consider, that God hath not disposed all these in their sun­dry places, without Discrimination, or particular Reasons for it, but where the [Page 25]greatest needs of the Inhabitants, or Cli­mate require it. Thus we see Reme­dies planted there, where the Diseases are most popular, and every Country is best provided against its own Evils. The Rhubarb is found where the Sun most parches the Blood, and where Choler doth most abound. The Rhenish Grape grows plentifully on the Banks of the Rhine, where the Inhabitants are most obnoxious to the Stone; and the Scur­vey-grass is most luxuriant in the Mari­tine Places, where the Scurvey is most predominant, &c.

If from the outer Surface of the Earth, we descend into its Bowels; we may find that also to be not an useless Mass, but a safe Repository for the most rich and precious Things: Here lie not only the Coal, the Stone, and the Marble, the Jett, and the Adamant, but the rich Diamond, the glittering Saphire, the shining Chrysolite, the purple Hya­cinth, and the noblest Gold; all which have their particular uses and ends, ei­ther in Medicine, Merchandise, or Con­veniencies for Man, and therefore made by some Supreme and most Intelligent Spirit, who first conceived in him all those Ends, and considered afore-hand [Page 26]all those Means suitable to those Ends. Not to mention other living Creatures, or the very Make and Frame of their Bo­dies, with respect to their several ends; the Strength and Sinews of one, the Swiftness of another; the Tameness of one, and the Teachableness of another: God's Providence in providing for them Natural Armour and Weapons, Subtilty, Shelter, or Innocence, to defend them­selves against those that assault them, and preparing their Clothing; which because they are not able to procure new, they receive that at first from a Divine and Benign Providence, which needs no repairing.

Let us now convert our Eyes from the great to the little World, Man, and there view, and consider the Excellent, (I had almost said, Divine) Structure of his Body; the exact Symmetry of each Part, with reference to its End: And here I am at a loss where to begin; Every, yea even the most Minute Part, if we consi­der its Make and Ends, calls for nothing but Wonder and Admiration, and well may we with holy David cry out, Psalm. 139.14. I am fearfully and wonderfully made: The Consideration of which hath made some affirm, that it was an impos­sible [Page 27]thing for an Anatomist, or one that pryed into the many secret Recesses of the Body, ever to become an Atheist. Demetrius when he had taken Rhodes, though he exposed the City to Fire and Sword, yet preserved the Image of Pro­togenes, as some Sacred Things, and pla­ced it amongst his greatest Rarities, that he had rescued from the Flames, for no other end, then that he might have al­ways by him the greatest and best Com­pendium of the Works of God, the [...] and Lineament of the Body of a Man. It's Frame, as it is worthy of its Artificer, so it plainly shews, that nothing but what is Divine, could produce so beautiful, so useful a Subject, whose Exactness is such, that if the Wisdom of all men living were Concentred in one, it could not find out any one part which needs cor­recting or amendment.

Not to mention the outer Cark [...]et, which is obvious to every Man's Eye, and only a Covert to hide the more precious Pearls contained within: To pass by the Excellent Proportions and Dimensions of [...]is Body, made exactly to Quadrate with each other, and adapted to those Uses to which they are Employed: To say nothing of the Incomparable, nay [Page 28]Divine Features of his Face, and the Ex­quisiteness of all his Senses; how admi­rable is it to consider that among the (almost) innumerable Vessels and Parts of the Body within, there is not one but hath its particular Use; neither doth that interfere with any other, or intermed­dle with his Province, (except it be sometimes to do his Neighbour a friendly Office, when it is not able to help its self.) Thus is the Stomach made for Concoction of Meats; the Intestines for the Expulsion of their useless and unpro­fitable parts: The Lacteals for the re­ception of the Chyle, or more Pure and refined Ones: The Chyliferous Vessels for conveying it into the mass of Blood: The Blood for Sanguification and Assimi­lation of them: The Lungs for Respira­tion, and Perpetuating the Motion of the Blood: The Heart for transmitting it to the Brain, and other parts of the Body; and the Brain again in requital, sends back Spirits to continue its motion: The Liver is made for the secretion of Bile, or Choler: The Spleen for separation of the more earthy and melancholy faecu­lencies of the Blood: The Kidneys for percolation of [...]he Serous parts of it for Urine: The Arteries for carrying the [Page 29]Blood out from the Heart, to invigorate, warm, and nourish every part of the Bo­dy: The Veins for reducing it again to its Source and Fountain, for a new Re­cruit of Heat and Spirits: The Lymphae­ducts for keeping a thin Humour to di­lute and moderate the Inordinancies of the Blood: The Nerves for conveying nutritive Juyce and Spirits to all parts; and the Muscles for all motions of the Body: And I dare challenge the most exact Anatomist, to shew me amongst that Vast and Infinite number of Vessels that are in the Body of a Man, where there is any one superfluous, or any defective. If any should reply, that some Creatures have lived without some of their principal parts, (as a Dog will without a Spleen:) I answer, that this doth not enervate the Assertion, be­cause tho they may make a hard shift [...] vivere, to live, yet they want the [...] bene vivendi, they cannot live so comforta­bly as they might have done, had they not been deprived of those parts; for all conspire together for the benefit and preservation of the whole: Like sundry Artificers upon a fair Building, every one about his particular Office and Em­ploy, and yet all are Coadjutors towards [Page 30]the erecting, or securing of that goodly Pile. The Sensitive Faculties are subli­med to a much higher pitch, and may elevate our Minds to a higher Degree of Admiration. Who cannot but won­der at the Swiftness of the sensible Spe­cies, posting to the Sense, and the quick­ness and readiness of the Sense to receive it? Here you may see a vast Mountain contracted into a small Model, and dwel­ling in the Angle and Corner of the Eye: who cannot but admire the faithfulness of the Sensitive Organs, in transmitting their respective Species, to the common Sensorium, as into some Common-Coun­cil-house, where the busie Imagination joyns and compounds them together and reads a Lecture to the Appetite, to prove its assent, or dissent; and no soone [...] is the Appetite awakened, but the Lo­co-motive Faculty (a most obedient Ser­vant) puts the Decree in Execution, and is ready to prosecute that Good. or flie that Evil, as the Affection shall dispose unto.

Therefore seeing that all Things pro­ceed so Regularly to some certain and adaequate End, and that the Thing themselves compounded only of blin [...] and unguided Matter, cannot fore-se [...] [Page 31]and perceive their Ends by which they might attain them; nothing is more ma­nifest, than that they are directed by some Superiour Hand or Power, which could see and consider those Ends afore­hand, to which each particular Thing was designed; like a Clock, whose End it is to distinguish the Hours of the Day, which because it knows not the End to which it was designed, cannot dispose it self to that End; therefore it ought ne­cessarily to be directed by some under­standing Mind, which knoweth these Things, and can make Distinction of Hours. So that we may well conclude, that, Opus Naturae est opus Intelligentiae, that those most Excellent Perfections of Nature could be produced by no other than some Supreme Being, which is God Himself. Materiam supernavit Opus.

SECT. III. That the Existence of a Providence in the World, being granted, all Things must be Conserv'd and Govern'd by it, and there is not the least inconsidera­ble Thing, that may be said to be Ob­noxious to the sensless guidance of Chance and Fortune.

FRom the Concession of the former Proposition, this seems as immedi­ately and naturally to result, as Light from the Sun, Fluidity from Water, and the Streams from their Source and Foun­tain: Se mut uo ponunt & tollunt. So that owning the one, the other will necessarily follow; like Hypocrates's Twins, they live and die together: The taking away either of these undermines Christianity, and saps the very Foundation of Religi­on. To assert that you saw an Invisible Colour, heard Musick without a Sound, or felt a Body without the Organs of Touch, were a Soloecism no less pardon­able [Page 33]in Nature, than the Separation of God's Providence and Conservation, from himself, is in Divinity. All the Works of the Creation were the Product of God Almighty's Power, but that of his Conservation pertains chiefly to his Pro­vidence; by that he Commands and Go­verns all Things under the vast Canopy of Heaven, and makes them presently subscribe to the Dictates of his Will and Pleasure: By this he disposes all, even the most minute Things in this great Fa­brick of the Universe, [...], accord­ing to his good Pleasure and Wisdom; neither is there any thing can pretend Exemption from his Guidance and Di­rection.

Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovi.

Was true only of the Pagan Jupiter, not of the Great God Jehovah, whose Care and Providence runs parallel with his Power and Omnisciency; and who can as well, and as easily take Cognizance of the smallest, as of the greater Trans­actions here below: And though Man be the Master-piece of the whole Creati­on, and constituted Lord of all Created Beings beneath him, yet the most incon­siderable [Page 34]Animal or Infect, was made by the same Fiat, or Word of his Power, and is no less the Object of his Care, than the mightiest Monarch in the World. It is true, that Man bearing on his bet­ter part, the Soul, the Stamp and Effi­gies of his Maker, hath ever been so great a Favourite in Heaven's Court, as to have the greatest Blessings and Dignities con­ferr'd upon him; but certainly there is not the most abject Creature, nor life­less Plant, nor despised Mineral, but challenge a share in his Care and Provi­dence: Nay I may in some sense aver, that there may be more of Gods care ma­nifested in the Conservation of the Spe­cies of a small Insect or Animal, than in those greater Works of Nature; for by how much the more weak and puny any thing is, so much the more Care and In­dustry is requir'd to its preservation: 'Tis not the Magnitude of the Piece that commends the Artificer; there was more Art shewn in the small Fly of Re­gio montanus, than in the Mold of his great bodied Eagle: There is more Skill, Chymistry and Mathematicks, in one single Bee, than in the whole Republick of Elephants and Dromedaries. How soon would the whole System and Com­pages [Page 35]of the World be reduced to its pri­mitive Chaos and Nothing, without a Moderator and Conservor? And not un­like our Body Politick in the late Times of Rebellion (without an Head) be quickly turned into Anarchy and Con­fusion. Idem est conservare ac creare; To continue a Thing in its first Perfecti­ons, requires as much Power and Skill as first to make it; to preserve it from rushing into Nothing, and to make it out of Nothing, are equally the Results of a Divine Power: Hence is it that the Schools tell us, that Creation and Con­servation are but one continued Act.

Our next Assertion is, That those Sub­lunary Things are not Disposed or Go­verned by any Thing else, but Provi­dence, or (if you will) by the imme­diate Hand of God. There are two O­pinions which seem to invalidate the Strength of this Position; The first is that of the Stoicks, who endeavour to exclude this Providence of God; saying, That God doth Govern Heavenly Things by Himself, but all Sub-caelestial Bodies by the inevitable Influences of the Pla­nets. The next is that of Epicurus and his Followers; Scil. That all things hap­pen by the Fortuitous Concourse of Atoms, or by Chance.

As to the former, That the Starry Influences do not inevitably and fatally determine things, is evident, since even they themselves are guided and govern­ed by an Over-ruling Hand, according to that of the Poet; ‘Astra regunt Homines, sed Deus Astra­regit.’

Quid potest esse tam apertum, tamque perspicuum, cum Caelum suspeximus, cae­lestiaque contemplati sumus, quam ali­quod esse numen praestantissimae mentis, quo haec regantur. Cicero de Natur. De­orum, lib. 2.

So that what is in the Power of ano­ther, cannot be said to be Sui Juris, and can only act Secondarily as a Dele­gate or Substitute to the Supream; and what is done must be only by a Permis­sive, not Coactive Power. Thus indeed may those Heavenly Bodies dispose and incline, not in the least force and constrain: Sometimes, as in the Civil Government of a Nation, the Supreme Power, or King, acts by his inferiour Deputies and Magistrates; and what is done by them, is said to be done by the King himself, because done by his Or­der [Page 37]or Command; so here the great Le­gislator, God Himself, may make use of those Planetary Bodies (as his Dele­gates) to exert some particular Opera­tions upon Sublunary and Elementary Things: (For as St. Austin observes, Deus regit inferiora per superiora.) But yet they are still accountable to their first Law-giver, and cannot transgress, or go beyond those Limits set unto them. It is confessed that Second Causes do con­cur, but it is only in subordination to God, who is the First: and those who look no higher than the Influence of the Sun, Configuration of the Stars, the Changes of the Moon, and the like, de­serve nothing but disappointment. Be­sides, I think it will be no difficult matter to shew that the Planets cannot have that Power and Influence as is pretended; for if you consider that wild Rapid Motion of the Heavens, which Ptolomy ascribes to them, which is many thousand times swifter than a Bullet shot out of a Gun; can we rationally suppose but that it must needs alter the Respects of the Pla­nets, not only every moment, but (if it were possible to conceive) every hun­dredth part of a Thought next, it might be thus argued; If these had any such [Page 38]Influence upon Terrestrial Bodies, a thousand years since, now they have not, nor can have the same, according to our acception. The Consequence seems va­lid enough, if you consider that Aries, Taw us, Gemini, and the rest, by their periodical and private Motions (from West to East) have now changed their places by thirty Degrees, and cannot have the same Positions and Aspects as formerly; for Aries is gotten into the place of Taurus, and Taurus into the place of Gemini, and Gemini into the place of Cancer; and yet we still take our Calculations as before: and what we take for Aries, is indeed Pisces, and what we take for Pisces, is Aquarius, and so on. To these give me leave to add, that for the most part, those Ob­servations made by the most exact Astro­logers, are found to be very deceivable and false; and if at any time they do [...] hit right, (as who may not sometimes?) they are more beholding to their good Luck, than their Art for it. Thus we see many times that those that are bor [...] under Mars, are disposed as if born un­der Venus; and those born under Mer­cury, are disposed as those born under Saturn, and so Vice versa: And we se [...] [Page 39]that even Twins born vel eodem enixu, at one and the same Birth, dissent often­times in the whole course of their Life and Actions. Proclus and Euristhenes, Twins, and Kings of Lacedemonia, were both in the end, and whole course of their life, most contrary. Amphion and Zethus, though they began with some agreement, (for they were both Ex­positi) yet in the whole course of their Lives, they were as dissenting, as a gen­tle Philosopher, and an harsh Clown. Horace observed the difference in his first Book of Epistles, Epist. 18. ‘Gratia sic fratrum geminorum Am­phionis atque Zethi dissiluit.—’ And so Propertius 3. Eleg. 15.6.

Et durum Zethum, & lachrymis Am­phiona mollem,
Experta est stabulis mater abacta suis.

To say no more, we have the Exam­ple of Jacob and Esau, who were as dif­ferent in Disposition, Manners, Course of Life, and End, as if all Heaven had been altered in their Births: So then let not men be so presumptuously injurious [Page 40]to God's Providence, as to ascribe that to the Influence of those Heavenly Bo­dies, which is due onely to God him­self.

The next Assertion is, That all things happen by the Fortuitous Concourse of Atoms, or by Chance, which is all one.

Sunt qui in Fortunae jam casibus omnia ponunt,
Et nullo credunt Mundum rectore mo­veri,
Nrtura volvente vices, & lucis & anni.

This Tenet was anciently of Epicu­rus, and one should think that in the Christian part of the World, and in a time of so much Light, and Pretensions to Reason, his Schools should be thin at such Lectures: But alas! it suits too well with the humours of loose and dis­solute men to recede from ir; they hug and cherish it, and as long as they re­tain their Vices, Epicurus cannot want Disciples to foster and foment it. But can any man be so insensible and devoid of that Reason, which alone differences him from a Brute, to imagine that this Stupendious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth, was made only by a happy chance [Page 41]or hit, by the accidental Unition of some Particles of Matter? When all the Skill of Art is not able so much as to make the poorest and most contemptible Fly, to observe rare Effects, and no Cause; to see an Excellent Government, and no Go­vernour; a Motion without a Move­able; a Circle without a Center; a Se­cond without a First; a Thing that be­gins not from it self: And therefore to say, that there is nothing from whence it took its beginning, are things so re­pugnant to Philosophy and Natural Rea­son, that he must needs be more than a Beast in his Understanding, that does not assent unto them; for what doth he but in effect say, The Thing that is made, is, and the Thing which made it, is not. What can be more incongruous to Rea­son, or more unworthy of an Intelligent Being, than to suppose that the World which is made with a Principle of the greatest Reason, should have such a Prin­ciple induced by any Chance, or the ca­sual Concourse of Atoms? Unless by some way or other, they had had such a Principle inherent in themselves before; ( ‘For nothing can transfer that to ano­ther, which it hath not in its self:) And if Epicurus his Atoms had been rational [Page 42] Atoms, they would never have done any thing by Chance, because they had a Superiour Principle to do it by; as the worthily honoured Sir CHARLES WOLSELEY hath observed.’ Besides if the Fortuitous Concourse of these A­toms could produce the World, it might next be demanded, Who first made these Atoms? It would (no doubt) be a very rare Spectacle to behold the Materials for an House, as Stones, Lime, Beams, Rafters, and the like Perquisites for Building, blown from the Four Quar­ters of the Earth, and jump together in­to the Form of a stately Edifice: Or to see a Vessel built, rigg'd and trimm'd for a Voyage at Sea, only by the casual Con­course of Plank, Masts, Sails, and the like.

Thus and much more ridiculous and phantastical is it to imagine all Things in the World to be made by meer Chance, which if so, I would demand, How it comes to pass, that we do not daily see the Production of New, and (never be­fore seen) Things? Why do we not ob­serve every Year new Species of Plants and Vegetables? Why do we not see daily a new Generation of Animals, and Variation of their Parts? And why doth [Page 43]the Heart in all Creatures keep the same Position? Is it rational to conceive ame blind unguided Matter, should always start into the same Form? And if it does so, (as we see it does) this seems to me a sufficient Demonstration, that it acts ne­cessarily; that is, that it cannot but fol­low the same Footsteps it before had trodden, and so is no longer subject to the uncertain guidance of Chance and Fortune. There are another sort of Per­sons, who though they Concede that God did indeed at first frame the World, yet he gave it then an Eternal Law, and did never intend to regard it more, it being beneath the Majesty of so great a God, to intermeddle in the small low Concerns of the World, and so he lets Things below go at Random, and as they list; saying,

Curat magna Deus, fortunae parva re­linquit,
Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovi.
Or as Lucretius,
Semota à nostris rebus se junctaque longe.

The Divine Nature is wholly taken up [Page 44]in the Contemplation of its Self. These think it not fit to give God a Descent below the Circle of the Moon, and that his knowledge would become vile, if it were abused to take notice of trivial Ob­jects and Occurrents; and are apt to say as Job, cap. 22.13. How doth God know? Can he judge through the dark Cloud? He walks through the Circuit of Hea­ven. And there is a vast Interposition be­twixt that Place and Earth; but these are either Monsters in their Manners, or Frantick in their Understanding, or ever find themselves confuted by a Thunder, or a Plague, by Danger or Death. The Persian Gallants the Day before the Fight with the Athenians, being confi­dent of the Victory over their Enemies, drinking Drunk, railed against their Re­ligion, and all their Gods, saying, There were no such things; that all things came by Chance and Industry, nothing by the Providence of a Supreme Power: But the next day, being conquer'd by their Enemies, and pursued to a River, where they could not pass, then fell on their Knees, and begg'd God for Deli­verance.

It is certain, that God's Eyes run to and fro in the whole Earth, taking exact cog­nizance [Page 45]of every Action, and observes it (at one Intuition) with the very same Advertence, as if there were nothing else in the whole World for him to ob­serve; Curat universa, ut singula; & sin­gula ut universa. Neither is his know­ledge so stinted, and only confined to Action, but as the Royal Prophet ob­serves, There is not a word in our Tongues, but he knows it altogether: Yea it goes farther, for it extends even to Thoughts, secret Thoughts, and he knows them afar off. And indeed did we not believe this, we should rob God of one of his most principal Attributes, his Omnisciency, without which he could not be God; and certainly if God be privy to all our Actions, he does not suffer them to pass by without regard, but even the most abject of them all, is strictly adverted to by him, and we shall one day give a se­vere account of them: Neither is it be­neath (but highly consistent with) his Majesty, to concern himself with the low Affairs of the World; Non vilita­tem arguit sed perfectionem: This doth not disparage his Wisdom, but honour it. Archimedes propounded it as a mat­ter of wondrous Reputation to himself, if he could have made a just Numera­tion [Page 46]of the Sand, which he foolishly at­tempted. The Glass is not vile, because it presents Deformities; nor the Sun de­filed, because its Beams fall on Muddy­places: If God could be infected with our Corruption, it might be some preju­dice to him, but he can turn that to his Honour, which Man doth to his Disho­nour: He humbleth himself to behold things done in Heaven, and in the Earth, the one is no more humbling to him than the other, and he can as well behold that at his Footstool, as that which sur­rounds his Throne.

St. Paul tells us, 1 Cor. 9.9. That God takes care for Oxen; yea he takes care for Creatures less worthy, Ravens and Sparrows; yea he is con­cern'd for those things that we put no Value on our selves, even the Hairs of our Head, which are all numbred.

Then how great reason have I to con­clude, that nothing, even the most in­considerable thing here below, is left running to the sensless Guidance of Chance and Fortune.

SECT. IV. That all Minerals, Vegetables, and Ani­mals, with what ever else, having in it a Medicinal Vertue, had it first impressed on them by that Supream Being, which was the first Author and Maker of them.

THe good and all-wise God in Com­miseration of our frail weak Natures, who are liable to as many In­firmities and Diseases, as there are Ves­sels and Parts in our Bodies, did not only provide for us Food, but Medicine; not only a naked supply of Meat and Drink, by which we live, but also an ample store of Medicaments, by which we may live well, and either prevent or cure those Diseases that our frail Tabernacles render us ob­noxious unto, and which would other­wise make our lives no better (or rather worse) than Death; and therefore he at [Page 48]first gave such Vertues to Minerals, Ve­getables, and Animals, as he in his In­finite Wisdom, knew they were capable of receiving, and best able to commu­nicate to his Creatures, for their Health and Benefit.

Omnia fecit numero pondere & men­sura. This great Physician hath so pro­vided for his Patients, that there is not an Herb or Medicine wanting to relieve or cure any Malady; nay he seems to be prodigal, and exceed in this his care; and lest some should not be able always to be procured, he hath prepared many of the same Vertue and Efficacy.

Suitable to the Disease he hath provi­ded suitable Remedies. When I consider (besides the Variety, excellent Beauty, and Symmetry of Parts) the exact Tem­perature of the Elements and Qualities, the various Natures of Plants, growing in one and the same Field, nay in one and the same Area, or Bed of Earth: I am even ravish'd with Wonder and Ad­miration Every Plant hath a Voice in it, Quoe non hominem sonat, sed Deum­certe, which bespeaks God only the Au­thor and Contriver of it, and gives us various Instances of the Divine Goodness, his Liberality, Wisdom, and Providence. [Page 49]The same may be said likewise of Mi­nerals, the preparations of which are of most wonderful and excellent (I had al­most said unsearchable) Efficacy. For, for one particular Vertue which we know, and have experienced in any of them (so scanty is our knowledg) how many occult are there, that we are al­together ignorant of, and which escape the discovery even of the most inquisi­tive and prying Physicians? Maxima pars eorum quae scimus, est minima pars eorum quae nescimus. However, there do not want daily Experiences and Discoveries of their Incomparable Qua­lities; and those Diseases that prove to be too Herculean for Plants, are with no great difficulty subjugated by these. Last of all in the Animal Kingdom, what great Rarities and Vertues, are couch'd within their Bowels, which are of singular use both for Food and Pharmacy, serving as well to nourish and restore the de­caies of Nature, as to repair the ruins introduced by Diseases. Now if we will not obstinately shut our Eyes against so clear a Light, and wilfully stop our Ears to such audible Voices as these, we must certainly conclude. That nothing less thanan All-wise and Omnipotent God, [Page 50]who by his fore-knowledg saw the ne­cessities of Mankind, and those Diseases we were obnoxious unto, could implant such Vertues on those Medicinal Things, as might exactly answer their end, and oppugn that Valetudinary State, we were like to meet withal here in this World: Neither doth his bare endowing these his Creatures, with such suitable Qualities, and his conferring them on us, for those particular ends, only shew from whence they came, but also the wonderful manner of disclosing their ef­fects and natures to us, doth sufficient­ly demonstrate, to what benign hand they owe their being. Had God Al­mighty made these many Vegetables, Minerals and Animals, and had he en­dued them with those many Excellent Vertues that we discover in them, and reserv'd them only for his own contem­plation, they might indeed have added to his glory, but would have brought little profit and advantage to us, besides the bare pleasure of beholding them; but such is his diffusive goodness, that he hath not only given us the things themselves, but hath also by several, even miraculous means, communicated their natures and uses to us. Some of [Page 51]which have been discovered by imme­diate Inspiration, as that of a Bunch of Figgs for Maturation, and curing Heze­kiah's Sore, &c. and can we rationally suppose that Solomon, who knew the Vertues of all Vegetables, from the Hy­sop (or Moss) to the Cedar, could in his short span of Life, attain to that immense degree of Knowledg, without the help of Divine Wisdom, or extra­ordinary Inspiration.

The Natures of others have been dis­covered by their Signatures, or by those outward marks and figures, which ei­ther in colour, shape, taste, or some si­militude, give an account of their in­ward dispositions, and represent those parts of the Body, to which they are appropriated, and those Diseases which they are proper to Eradicate. Thus Lungwort in its spots, rarity, and laxi­ty of Substance, resembles the Lungs, and is found to be even a Specifick in some [...]ulmonick Affections. The Polypody of the Oak, which is in colour blackish and full of Scirrhous Tubercles, de-ob­structs and dissolves the inward Scirrho­sities of the Spleen. The Roots of Schro­phulary (or Figgwoort) as also the Spon­gious Excrescences of the Bramble, re­present [Page 52]those tumours, which we call Struma's, and Scrofula's, and are found to be most potent for the Cure of them. Sarsaperilla in its length, equality of magnitude and figure, as also in its outward Tunicles and inward Medullo­sity, resembles the Nerves, and there­fore (it being hot and dry) is most fitly applied to all Distempers of the Nerves and Medula spinalis. I forbear to speak how all bitter and yellow things purge Choller, as Rhubarb, Myrobolans, Aloes, &c, how all White things Flegm, as Agarick, Turbith, Hermodactils, &c. how all Black things Melancholy, as Black Hellebor, Alloes, Indian Ingroba­lans, Cassia, and many others (although I shall not much contend for Elective Purgation.) I pass by that of Seeds, Ber­ries, Roots, and Stones, resembling the Stone in Humane Bodies, which power­fully expel it. I should be too tedious, should I go about to enumerate all in­stances of this nature, and which would aptly enough fall under this head: Let it suffice to know, that all these things did not happen by a fortuitous hit or chance, but by the predetermi­nate Counsel and Wisdom of their great Creator. The Natures of other things [Page 53]have been found out by Experiments and Humane Industry; as by many Tryals upon Dogs, and other Animals. The excellent Vertue of the Testaceous Pow­ders, in correcting the Acidities of the Blood, and dulcorating it, discovered by mixing them with Acids, as Vinegar, or juice of Lemmons, which it present­ly dulcifies. Lastly, The Operation of others have undoubtedly been manifest­ed by meer Accident, as probably (if there be Faith to be given to Botanists) was the Panax Coloni, and yet not so much by Accident, but that that Acci­dent was directed by a Superior Hand; for otherwise, the Clown being in a place where was such Variety of Plants, might as well have taken Arsmart, which might have mortifi'd the Wound, as the Panax to have cur'd it; Ludit in huma­ [...]is divina potentia rebus. The true Vertue of all Plants are not found out un­to this day; and if any ask me the Rea­son of it, I can only give him this, That God Almighty thought fit to conceal them, that he might invite Men to in­crease their labour and sedulity to search after them; or for some other reason best known to himself. We may well therefore affirm, that, Opusnaturae est [Page 54]opus intelligentiae, that all those Mira­bilia Naturae, were nothing else but Emanations from the bounty of an All-knowing Creator.

For a Conclusion of this Proposition, seeing that our good and gracious God hath made such an ample Provision for the Relief and Comfort of the frail in­firm Bodies of his Creatures, by infu­sing excellent Vertues and Powers into Medicinal Things, and discovered their uses to us; let us in the first place thankfully acknowledge this his Inesti­mable Mercy, and in the next place, when our Necessities, either for preven­tion or cure, require it, apply our selves to the use of those Means, which he hath not only allowed, but commanded and promised to succeed with his Bles­sing; and not be of the Morose Temper of some of the World; who separate the end from the means, and think that God made all these things barely for our Speculation, and to be gazed upon; saying, That if they shall live, they shall live without them, and if they shall die, they shall die with them.

SECT. V. That although God Almighty did at first give such a particular Vertue, to each particular Plant, Mineral, and Ani­mal, yet for certain Providential Causes, they may not always exert their Natural Operations, and prove successful to their desired end.

IT hath been sufficiently (I suppose) Evidenced in the last Chapter, that whatsoever Vertues are contained in the Three Kingdoms, of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, are Mutuati­tious, and owe their Origination to a Su­perior Hand of Providence: But yet that God should always tie himself up to means, and proceed only in one way and method, without any Deviation, is not Modest, nor indeed rational to imagine: God Almighty hath an Abso­lute Soveraignty, by right of Creation and Conservation over all his Creatures, and tho he hath (according to his In­finite Wisdom) disposed them into seve­ral [Page 56] Classes and Orders, from which they may not recede without his Imme­diate Commission, yet he may and does, as often as he thinks fit, make Alte­rations and Changes, or else command them to be idle and useless; and what are we, that we should exact a reason of his proceedings? God's power is in­finite, nor can any thing in Heaven or Earth limit it, but his own will, which doth regulate and restrain it; If he cut off, or shut up, or gather together, saith Job, in his 11 Chap. and 10 v. who can hinder him? It hath set a Taberna­cle for the Sun, and he bids it to run its race, and again commands it to stand still; he doth whatsoever pleaseth him in Heaven and Earth. Although God rule the World [...] by this Law of Providence, as Naz [...]anzen calls it, tho he disposes and ordereth all things and actions of Men, yet he lays not any Law of Necessity upon all things. ‘Some Effects he hath fitted with necessary Causes, that they may infallibly fall out; (as saith Aquinas) and to other Effects, which in their own Nature are Con­tingent, he hath applied Contingent Causes; so that that shall fall out ne­cessarily, which his Providence hath [Page 57]so disposed of, and that contingently, which he hath left in a contingency: and both these in the Nature of things necessary and contingent, are with­in the Verge and Rule of his Providence, and he alters them not, but Extra Ordinem, when he would do some ex­traordinary Work.’ Gods usual way of working, is by regular and connatu­ral Means (as shall more manifestly be shewn in the next Section) but yet some­times he works without Means, and e­ven by Miracles; as our Saviour cured many of divers Diseases, barely by the word of his power; yea and sometimes works even contrary to Means, as when he laid on the Clay for a Cataplasm to the Blind Mans Eyes, and recovered his Sight, which had it not been for the vertue of the Hand that applied it, was more likely to have put them out.

Both the Physician and the Medicine, saith the Son of Syrach; Eccles. 38.1, 4. are created of the Lord; and yet it fol­lows, of the most High cometh heal­ing, v. 2. he adds likewise in the 13. v. There is a time when in their hands there is good success: And 'tis easie to in­fer there is a time when in their hands there is not good success; when the use of [Page 58]the most regular Means, shall be alto­gether unprosperous and unsuccess­ful.

The All-wise God, who is well ac­quainted with our Frame and Natures, knows well enough what Condition is best for us, and for certain particular ends and reasons, doth dispose and or­der the Means that tend thereto. — Sometimes in a state of an uninterrupt­ed Health and Ease, he sees we are apt to grow proud and haughty, insolent and vain-glorious; to slight his Mercies, and perhaps contemn his Judgments, and therefore sees it most fit to lay a restraint upon us, by visiting us with Pains and Sickness, and reasonably enough may suffer the Means to be ineffectual, until he hath accomplished his End, that so we may put a greater value and esti­mate upon that portion of health, which we afterwards enjoy: Juxta se­posita magis elucescunt. A rich Dia­mond is most admired in the dark, and a serene Evening never more priz'd than after a Stormy Morning; for even Sick­ness and Afflictions have their Errand, and serve to make Men more humble, watchful, and considerate. — Some­times again the bounds of a Mans Life [Page 59](which he cannot pass) are at hand, his Stock of Radical Moisture is quite exhausted, his Flesh withers, his Spi­rits are dissipated, and the Strength of Art and Medicine cannot repair the loss; and so of necessity he returns a­gain to his dust.

(Pharmaca nil prosunt, praebetur potio frustra.
Heu nullâ tristis mors est medicabilis arte!)

Of necessity, I say, because I find some late Author seem to affirm, That if a Man be but luckily furnished with a skilful Physician, he may live to what Age he pleases, or chuse whether he will ever die at all.

Si foret in terris rideret Democritus.

This Opinion is rather to be laugh'd at, than confuted, and even by the Non-immortality of the most Learned and Able Physicians that ever were in the World, falls of it self to the ground.

SECT. VI. That God's usual way of Working is by fit and appropiate Means, and therefore the Empirick, or he that understands nothing of the true Cause of the Disease and Nature of the Medi­cine, is not to be trusted.

HAving in the last Section shewn you how (by a special providence of God, and for ends best known to him­self) the Course and Order of Nature, may be sometimes inverted: It shall be my endeavour in this to make it ap­pear, that it doth never (without a positive command from God) recede from those Laws anciently given her, but always proceeds in the same regular Method.

When God at first created all the nume­rous Families of Vegetables, Minerals, and Animals, he infused into them their particul Vertues, which they should re­tain even unto their Ultimate Annihilati­on; neither may we think they can alter [Page 61]those Laws at first set them, or assume new Qualities, until he who is Un­changable, cease to be so. The Rhubarb, and Sena will continually purge: The Emetick Preparations of Antimony, will alwaies Vomit, and the flesh and parts of Animals well constituted (if they meet with a fit subject) will never cease to nourish and restore: And these hath God by his infinite Power and Wisdom, made and destin'd as the proper and adaequate Instrument to those very Ends from all Eternity: Thus we ordinarily find that all Medicines well prepared, and exhibited by a Skilful hand, which understands not onely the Nature of the Medicine but the Patient's Disease, never fail of their designed effect. It is recorded in Sacred Writ, that several Cures have been wrought by our Saviour, his Apostles, and Prophets, which though in one sense they have been mi­raculous (because the end hath very far exceeded the strength of the means) yet we rarely find any without Application to Natural Means. When the Israelites were bitten with fiery Serpents in the Wilderness, God commanded Moses to erect a Brazen Serpent for their Cure: Num. 21.8. But although the Divine [Page 62]Will had annex'd a power of healing unto that Serpent instrumentally, yet the same Will appointed the actual applicati­on of that power to the looking upon that Serpent: Every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

God could have cured Hezekiah by a word, but he must apply a Lump of Figs to the Boil, before it shall be effected; Isa. 38.21. Naaman must (by command from the Prophet) wash (not in the Rivers of Damascus, but) in Jordan, before he can be healed of his Leprosie; 2 Kings 5.10. although he could have done it by the very Touch of his Hand: Nay our Saviour himself, makes Clay with his Spittle for the Blind-Mans eyes: Iohn 9.6, 7. And he must afterwards wash in Siloam. He laid his hands also upon some and healed them. So that it is very manifest that God Almighty doth not separate the Means from the End, but makes the former a necessary preparative to the latter; otherwise he should always do Miracles (for Miracles are nothing else but the Works of God, without, and against the ordinary Means) but he worketh by succeeding all lawful Means with his Blessing. This may serve to con­demn two sorts of persons.

First, The Empirick, or him that pre­tends to Physick, understanding nothing of the true Nature and Causes of a Disease, and therefore cannot prescribe fit and ap­propriate Means, suitable to their desired End.

Secondly, It reproveth those that think a fatal and indispensable necessity of Events, and so neglect the use of Means proper for their Health or Re­covery.

As to the first, When I consider seri­ously with my self how difficult and misterious the Art of Physick is, and of what price the Bodies (shall I say) or rather the Souls of Men are (the welfare of which, for ought we know, may depend upon the protraction of their lives) what depth of Judgment, Learning and Ex­perience, how great Skil in Natural Phi­ [...]osophy, Anatomy, Botanism, Chymi­stry, the Materia Medica, Pathological and Practical parts of Physick, are required to make a competent Physician. I am not a little startled to see the Confidence (I had almost said Impudence) of Quacks and Empiricks, (and those too for the most part of the Dregs of the People) and many Ignorant Women, venture so bold­ly Decorio humano ludere, to sport a­way [Page 64]way the lives of those they promise to Cures: And be the Disease what it will, never so much complicated, and as ab­struce as to puzzle a Collodge, yet they shall not want Confidence and Imodesty, to warrant a peremptory Cure, to the great dammage, and often times de­struction, of their (truly called) Patients.

It is the first Aphorism of our Divine Hypocrates, Vita brevis, Ars longa, Occasio momentosa, Empirica periclitatio periculosa, Judicium difficile, &c. That our life is but short, that the Art of Physick (by reason of the difficulty and multitude of things that are to be known, and the Judgment and Experience that is required, which takes up so much time) is very long; that there are certain Golden Seasons or Opportunities to be laid hold of, which are of so great mo­ment, that being once laps'd, are irrecove­rable, and so the Disease does in deterius vergere, still grow worse, if not incu­rable: That Experience, and Empiri­cal Remedies, are dangerously deceitful and deceitfully dangerous, producing for the most part (especially in Acute Distempers) nothing less than the utter destruction of the Souls Mansion place, and the Temple of the Holy Ghost; and [Page 65]that (by reason of the difference of Con­stitutions, Climates, Complications, Accidents, and the like) any certain judgment is very difficult to be made; yet how obvious is it to find every where unlearned and unexperienced Men, confuting Hippocrates, who hav­ing amass'd a few Receipts, commence Doctors in a moment, and daringly venture on those things, which a mo­dest knowing Physician would tremble at. The great Arabian Averroes con­fesses of himself, that he never admi­nistred a Purgation, but his Heart trem­bled some days before; but these have quite laid aside all primitive Modesty, and boldly dare venture on any thing. Neither are they the less Criminal, if sometimes (perhaps) by the strength of Nature, or coming immediately up­on the Rear of a Physician (on whom the Patient will no longer attend) who hath removed the Cause, their Applica­tion should prove fortunate and success­ful; for what do they, but like Slingers cast their Darts into the Air, not know­ing where they will fall, or what Ef­fects they are like to have; neither is it sufficient to say (as their phrase is) that they gave nothing but innocent and [Page 66]harmless things, which if they did no good would do no hurt; for here is no Medium in this, Et qui morbo non occurrit aegroto manus infert. He that lets the time lapse in which the Distemper might have been removed by a Skilful hand, or so confounds it that it is now become quite other than at first, and so renders it Incurable, does as much in effect as give him Sublimate, or Arsenick, and though it may not kill as sodain, it will as sure: Imperitia Medicorum dolo comparatur (say the Civilians.) Ignorance in a Physician is a kind of Cheat, and a Bloody cheat too; for what does the Ignorant Physician, but Negotiari animas hominum (as old Cato in Pliny saith) Trade and deceive Men out of their lives, when they repose most trust in them. But yet murder with them hath no voice, and be cause it is candidly interpreted by the Vulgar, and connived at by the Law, they hope at least to escape being found Homicides in Foro Divino too, at the last Great Audit: But certainly they will then hear a voice saying, Who hath re­quired these things at your hands? you ought to have moved in that Sphear, in which you were placed, to abide in your own Callings, [...] to mind your [Page 67]own business, and not [...], surreptitiously to take that dignity and charge upon you, which you were neither educated in, nor fit for the performance of: the best Excuse such can take up, is, that they did honesta menta peccare, that they did evil that good might come there­of, that they did sin, and offend God with a good intention, and honest mind, which gloss may be fitted to the greatest Sin, and is one of the most splendid Chariots the Devil hath to carry us to Hell. Christianity does (I am sure) though Ambition, Policy, or Gain may not, oblige every Man to his own province and business; yet there is a generation of Men, that extreamly busie themselves in other Mens matters, and sleep in their own; which flie to every mark that is set up, but that which their Calling and Religion directs them to aim at; that will thrust their Sickles into other Mens Harvests, and let their own rot at home: These things are very sinful and inde­corous: Let every Man fill his own place, and then he will have little leasure to thrust himself into another mans: ‘Let the Laywer plead, and the Divine preach, the Physician practise, and the Trades­man follow his Trade, the Husband­man [Page 68]plough the Earth, and the Mer­chant the Sea: Let the Master of the House govern, and the Mistress mind only the concerns of the Family: Let all men make good their place, every one do his own business, and so all re­joyce together in the publick order and peace.’

There is a second sort of people who deserve reprehension, that think a fatal and indispensible necessity of events, and so wilfully neglect the means pro­per for their health and recovery.

It is most certain that nothing comes to pass contrary to the divine will, or permission, and that the period of every mans life is fix'd in respect of the divine prescience; yet for us to jmagine that therefore, when a Sickness invades us, we ought not to make use of means, saying with the Vulgar, If I shall die, I shall die with them, and if I shall re­cover, I shall recover without them; is very absurd and irrational: for first of all, Whether the life of a Man be de­termined by an absolute, and inconditi­onate Decree, is much controverted; and that many Mens lives have been length­ened, and preserv'd by God's blessing on proper Remedies, applid by Skilfull [Page 69]Physicians, is most evidently evinced by continual Experiences: And on the con­trary, that many have been forcibly hur­ried to their untimely graves, by fal­ling into the hands of unskilful Empi­ricks, is too notorious: Instead of many I will give you one Instance in both. Not twice three years since, a Boat too much pack'd with Souldiers (all of them of an Athletick temper) was passing a River, and sunk with them a little off the shore, where most of them perished; but within a short time, by the diligence and help of some Spectators, several of their bodies were taken up, and laid upon the shore, which were equally Cadaverous; an Eminent Physician, passing by, and moved with compassion, bleeded some of them, and prescrib'd such Medicines as he thought proper to their condition; which it pleased God to succeed with his benediction: so that those, and those only recovered which were thus handled, the others suffering the common (though untimely) fate of all Mankind: So that hence it seems manifest that tho God had prepared the means, yet had there not been an actual application of it, they must of necessity have shared in the same destiny.

The other is this, which I my self have been more than once the sad beholder of, that persons labouring under a troublesom Cough or Catarrh, which hath disturb'd their rest at nights, and being of a thin texture of Body, and weak Constitution, by the unseasonable, and unskilfull administration of Opiatick Medicines, have taken their laethaean nap, and gone smoothly and quietly to the Land of forgetfulness. The like may be said of giving the same Medicine, in a Pthysis, Pleurisie, Empyema, and the like, which hath often produced the same effect. To say nothing of those many strong robust men, that meerly through wantonness, or for prevention of some Epidemical and Popular Disease, that hath then threatn'd, have committed themselves to the hands of confident Empiricks, who not regarding, or not knowing the temper of their Patients Bodies, and the Nature and Dose of their Medicines, have been by a Hypercatharsis (or too violent Evacuations) sent head long to the other World; which may sufficiently evince, that many have shortned their daies, by rashly exposing themselves to such dangers, or else wilfully neglecting those assistances they might have had for [Page 71]the preservation or prolongation of thei [...] lives.

The common Objection of Asa's re­prehension for seeking to the Physician, and not to the Lord, is a very weak one, to draw this Conclusion from, That there­fore I ought not to apply my self to a Physician: for it is evident by the text 2 Chron. 16.12. that here is no An­tithesis, or opposition, but a Protimesis, and is an Expression by way of choice and estimation: Asa is reproved because that in his Disease he sought not to the Lord, but rather to the Physicians, or them onely: Had he implored the divine as well as humane assistance, he had not (without doubt) been reprehended for it. So in the 16 of St. Matthew the 19. and 20. verses, we are bid not to lay up trea­sures for our selves vpon Earth, but lay up for our selves treasures in Heaven; and in a Parallel place, we are forbad to labour after the Meat that perisheth, but to labour after that which endureth to everlasting Life; which are not to be understood as plain prohibitions to lay up Earthly treasures, or to labour for our daily food, but by way of choice or [...], rather lay up treasures in Hea­ven, than treasures upon Earth: rather [Page 72]labour after that Meat which endureth to everlasting Life, than that which perisheth; which is no more than this, have a greater care of the one than the other: Our Saviour himself says, They that are whole need not the Physician, but (as it follows) they that are sick; which is a sufficient warrant for all in that Condition to apply themselves un­to him: for he is, as Herophilus observes, Manus Dei, the hand by which God con­veys health unto their diseased Bodies: And though he can (as I have before shewed) cure them by a miracle, yet his usual and common way, is by fit and appro­priate means; so that they who wilfully neglect them, do sihi manus inferre, even cruelly prove their own Executi­oners: therefore as the Son of Syrach, Eccles. 38.4. observes, that seeing God hath created Medicines out of the earth, he that is wise will not abhor them.

I could here swell this Section to a great bulk, if I designed, to depaint the dignity of Physick, and learned Phy­sicians, but the Sun needs not the light of a Candle to make it seen, nor a perfect natural Complection the disgraceful help of such Artificial Tinctures; besides be­ing of the same Profession my self, I [Page 73]fear I should be condemned either of Pride or Vain-Glory, and therefore shall conclude this only with too Di­sticks of the famous Horstius.

In ventum Medicina Dei est, Medicus (que) peritus
Rectè mortalis dicitur esse Deus.
Hoc Medico, hoc commune Deo, quod uter (que) misellis
Auxiliatrices det (que) ferat (que) manus.

SECT. VII. That a Holy and Vertuous Life, is a ne­cessary Qualification for a Physician, in order to the imbettering his Judg­ment, and his good success in Pra­ctice.

WHat is true in Theology, That the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, and the knowledg of the Holy Ones is Ʋnderstanding; Prov. 9.10. and that, The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; Psal. 25.14. is also most true in Physick and Philoso­phy; [Page 74]which Truth is acknowledged by the best and divinest Philosophers, and hence is it that they so frequently dis­course of their [...], Purgative Ver­tues, such as they judged necessary to prepare the Soul, in order to its clear­er Contemplation and Knowledg of the most useful and sublime Speculations: It is Aristotle's Observation [...], that Wickedness is destructive of Princi­ples; and a greater than he, hath ob­served that Wisdom cannot enter into a Wicked Heart, nor dwell in the Body that is subject unto Sin. Wisdom 1.4. Immorality and a Vicious Life, unfits and indisposes the most Ingenious Minds for the Acquisition of the noblest Truths, whether Moral or Divine, and though sometimes they may hit upon some Cu­rious and Philosophical Notions, and Secrets of Nature, yet even here they had done far better, and excell'd them­selves, had they been more purg'd from Vice and Wickedness, which casts such a mist before their Eyes, that they can not discern Truth from Error, dulls their Invention, and so clouds their Under­standing, that they never arrive to the full discovery and [...] even of common Arts and Sciences: Thus you see that a [Page 75]Holy and Good Life, affords the greatest advantages to the imbettering the Judg­ment, not only in Divine but Philoso­phical Speculations: Next of all, such a life is necessary in order to their Directi­ons of profitable Prescriptions for their Patients: Although (as I have before hinted) God is not always tyed up to means, or to these in particular, yet he usually co-operates with those that are proper and adequate to the end. ‘Those that do truly fear God (as the pious and worthy Judge Hales, of late bles­sed Memory hath observed) have a se­cret Guidance from a higher Wisdom, than what is barely Humane, name­ly from the Spirit of Truth and Wis­dom, that doth really and truly, but secretly prevent and direct [...]em; and let no Man think that this [...]s a piece of Fanaticism, for any Man that fears Almighty God, and relies upon him, calls upon him for his Guidance and Direction, hath it as really as the Son hath the Directions of his Father, and tho the voice be not audible, nor the Direction always preceptible to Sense, yet it is equally as real as if a Man heard the voice, saying, This is the way, walk in it.’ And altho this [Page 76]secret Direction of Almighty God is prin­cipally seen in matters relating to the good of the Soul, yet it may be also found in the more momentous concerns of this life, which a good and holy Man shall very often, if not always find. In all thy ways (saith Solomon) acknowledg him, and he shall direct thy paths, Proverbs 3.6. What Man is he that feareth the Lord, him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose; Psal. 25.12.

Lastly, A Holy and Vertuous life, is a necessary qualification for a Physician, in order to his good success in Practice, and that whether you respect the suc­cess it self, or the prevalency of his Prayers, for the benefit of those he is concern'd for.

As to the first, the Royal Prophet had by his long Experience observ'd, and after his Observation declares (in his first Psalm and third verse) concerning the pious and good Man, that what­soever he doth it shall prosper; that those ourward things, which are not of the Essence of true Felicity, but yet are as advantageous Accessions and Ac­complishments thereof, shall in an emi­nent manner be preserved to the pious [Page 77]Man, he having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come; 1 Tim. 4.8. All his Productions of all sorts, his Thoughts, his Resolutions, his Studies, his Actions, and all where­in he is concern'd, shall by Gods special Blessing and Providence be exceedingly prosperous and successful to him: In a word, he shall be blessed in all that he setteth his hand unto. Then again it is necessary if you regard the prevailency of his Prayers for the benefit of those for whom he is concerned; St. James com­mands us in Chap. 5.16. That we should pray one for another, that we may be healed; and tells us that the Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick, and the Lord shall raise him up: It was He­zekiah's Prayer that procured the length'ning of his days for Fifteen Years; Isaiah 38.5. and we know not what efficacy the Prayers of holy and good Physicians may have for the procuring Gods Blessing on their Endeavours, if not for the protraction of the lives of their Patients: I shall not give much credit to the many extravagant Stories of the many admirable Cures wrought by the Prayers of the Religious Votaries of the Church of Rome; but yet this [Page 78]I may confidently believe, which St. James says, James the 5.16. The ef­fectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man, availeth much; and that too without any limitation, not only for himself, but others also. The Son of Syrach says, Eccles. 38.14. That the Physicians shall pray also unto the Lord, that he would prosper that which they give for Ease and Remedy to prolong Life; and if our Prayers be Fer [...]nt and our Persons Righteous, which are the conditions to make our Prayers accepta­ble and prevalent; St. John will tell us, We shall not fail of having our Requests granted; 1 John 3.22. But that whatso­ever we ask of him, we shall obtain: and the Blind Man in the Gospel, under­stood well enough what he said, Now we know that God heareth not Sinners, but if any man be a Worshipper, and doth his will, him he heareth: Joh. 9.31.

Thus we have seen that Sanctity of Life in a Physician is a necessary Qualifi­cation in order to make him successful in his Practice; and therefore it were to be wished that they that take upon them that honourable Title, would lead such holy and good lives, as might adorn their Profession, and not Vicious [Page 79]ones, to sully and stain it; that so their Patients might not be robb'd of the be­nefit, and they themselves of their ex­pectation.

The Conclusion, by way of Advice to the rest of my own Faculty.

IT is reported that this short, but very expressive Sentence, [...] was first spoken by an Oracle, in which (not as in others, delivered by that Reputed Deity) there is sound no­thing of Amphibology, but it is at first blush, obvious and adapted to every Mans Understanding, and no less wor­thy of his Consideration and Practice; so that it may seem no Solecism to as­sert (with Juvenal) Ecoelo descendit. And surely this knowledg of our selves is the readiest way to the Acquirement of all other; and Men never lose them­selves so much, and discover their own weakness and folly, as when they swell themselves with high Opinions of their own Worth and Excellencies, and for­get [Page 80]their own Natures, forget that they did exist not from themselves, but by the Creation of an Omnipotent Arm; that their lives are at his disposal, who first gave them their being, and that these (they being only Usufructuaries) shall shortly at his good pleasure who hath Jus Dominii, be again taken from them, and they themselves reduced to their primitive dust. But alass! how do we find by daily Experience, Men so devoid not only of Wisdom, but Com­mon Reason, who will with no less fol­ly than confidence, pretend not only their own lives, but others also, to be at their disposal; and if by Gods Bles­sing on their Endeavours, their Patients return to Health and Soundness, they will think it a derogation from their ho­nour, if you place God before them in the Eulogy, and the whole Countrey shall eccho their Praises, whilst in the mean time, God who hath been the prime Actor, is not call'd in for the least share in the Dividend. Si quand [...] enim nobis aliquid prosperi praeter spen [...] & meritum nostrum, Deus tribuit, aliu [...] ascribit hoc fortunae alius eventui, aliu [...] consilio, &c. nullus Deo. Salv. de Gub lib. 7. Thus is the Majesty of Heaven [Page 81]affrouted by vain-glorious and impious Physicians, who proudly arrogate all the praise and glory to themselves. But if it please God that if their Patients die or miscarry, then to be sure God shall be said to have a hand in their destructi­on; saying, God deny'd his Blessing: It was his will to have it so, and we could not oppose it. Thus they Worship God, as the Greeks did Hercules, by Railing, and Mercury by throwing Stones at him: But let all such consider that God is a jealous God, and his Glory he will not give to another. It is he a­lone who at first gave all things their being, and he expects not only that they should be all owned as the Work­manship of his own hands, but also to receive Glory by them: It was he that created the Physician ( Eccles. 38.1.) and that (in compassion of our Infirmi­ties) endowed the Earth with such ex­cellent Medicinal Things for the Preser­vation and Restitution of Diseased Man­kind; and that we finding the Sanative Qualities and Effects of them, might thereby be drawn to the deeper admi­ration of his Goodness, and return him by way of acknowledgment, the easie Tribute of our most due Praises. Eve­ry [Page 82]Plant hath a voice in it, Quae non hominem sonat, sed Deum certè which bespeaks God and not Man the Author of it: and therefore he alone deserves the Glory. And if we shall be so im­pudent to appropriate that to our selves which belongs only to him, we may justly expect to fare as the Man in the Gospel, Acts 12.23. who was eaten up of Worms, for not giving the Glory to the right Proprietor.

It is of his pleasure and goodness that we our selves enjoy our health and beings, and of his great mercy that we can be any way Instrumental to convey the one, or preserve the other, to any person; let us not be therefore so unreasonable and ungrateful to defaulk from God what is his due, and of right pertains to him; but as his is the Work, so let him have the glory. Moreover, neither doth this only correspond with Divinity, but com­mon Prudence; for since it is in the power of God, to bless or frustrate our proceed­ings, to prosper or blast the operation of our Medicines ( For it is he that maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole: Job. 5.18.) we cannot rationally imagine but that he will do better when he sees [Page 83]them turn to so bad an account: And I do not doubt but this one sin is that which renders them so often unprosperous, and ineffectual. Now that they may better succeed for the future, and that the Phy­sician may discharge his duty in his place, I should (with submission to more pious and learned persons) offer these following Rules and Directions.

1. Having premised that a Physician ought to live a Holy and Vertuous Life, let him in the first place when any sick person desires his assistance, cast himself on his knees, or if the suddainness or multitude of business, or want of privacy, interrupts, he may supply it by silent Ejaculation, and most humbly implore the great Phpsician to instruct his Judg­ment, and bless his Undertakings, for whatever the Second Cause be God is the First, and therefore the Divine presence and assistance is absolutely necessary, and first to be invoked in all weighty affairs, (and what greater than those which con­cern the Lives of Men) [...]: Plin. in Paneg. Bene & sapienter majores instituerunt ut rerum agendarum initium à praecationibus caperetur: and it was a high pitch of a Heathens mind, namely Epictetus, Enchirid. Cap. 78. [Page 84] In quovis incaepto haec optanda sunt, duc me ô Jupiter, et tu factum. Guid me O God, and thou divine providence. [...] Pla [...]o in Tymaeo. If Hippocrates thought it necessary for those, who had taken a­ny Cure in hand [...], to ask Advice of all, even of Ideots, and those who knew but little in that Art, much rather then ought we [...], ask Counsel of God by Prayer, and then perhaps our Prayer may do as much as our Medicine; or if both prove success­less (tho we are assur'd to the contrary, James 5.15. That the Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick) yet we have this satisfaction in our Consciences, that we have done our duties.

2. Neither must we rest here, but must joyn our Studies and Endeavours to our Prayers, and after we have fully inform'd our selves of our Patients con­dition, and throughly examin'd all Cir­cumstances, carefully and advisedly pre­scribe them, abstaining from trying any new Experiments or extreme Remedies, except in extreme and desperate Diseas­es, or where they are very consentane­ous to the Rules of Physick, and highly probable to answer those designs, which [Page 85]a known and tried Medicine would not effect, that to they make not themselves accessory to the destruction of their Pa­tients, and ruin of their own Reputa­tion.

3. That we do not peremptorily pro­mise a Cure in uncertain and dangerous Diseases.

It is too well known how many Physi­cians there are, who are so Dogmatical in their Opinions, confident of their own Abilities and Success of their Medi­cines, that they will not stick even in the most difficult Cases, at first sight, to warrant a perfect Cure: by which, at last when they find themselves de­feated in their hopes, and their prog­nosticks deceive them, they expose their Judgments, and many times forfeit their Repute: And it were well, if this were all, but alass the consequence is far more dangerous! for by this means the Patient is careless of putting his House in order, and (which is worse) of trim­ming and preparing his Soul for Death.

The best Christians, altho they live in an habitual holiness and constant preparation for their end, and like the Wise Virgins have Oyl in their Lamps, [Page 86]in expectation when the Bride-groom will come, yet they would willingly then yet once more dress their Wedding Garments, and trim their Lamps, by Repetition of Acts of Repentance, Faith, Hope, Devotion, Patience, Cha­rity, and Resignation of themselves to God. And who is there, who when he is ready to breath his last, thinks so well of his Condition, that he would not pray Davids Prayer? O spare me a little, that I may recover my Strength, before I go hence, and be no more seen. Or cry out with Crisorius in Gregory, Iuduci­as vel us (que) ad mane, iuducias vel us (que) ad mone. Truce, respite, Lord until the Morn­ing. But I fear the far greater number of those we are concern'd for, are such as need not only trimming, but Oyl in their Lamps too; not only the Ornaments, but the Garment it self; and then cer­tainly when there is time for it, and God may in mercy accept of a Death-bed Repentance, how much have we to an­swer for, either for flattering them with the hopes of Recovery, or not acquaint­ing them with their approaching dan­ger.

I know the common Objection to this, is, that by incouraging the Pa­tient, [Page 87]his langushing Spirits are upheld, he more readily submits to the use of means, and bears his Sickness with a greater cheerfulness; and on the con­trary, by telling him the truth, his Spirits are dejected, he becomes impa­tient, and rejects the Prescription. To these it is easily answered, that either the Patient is a Religious good Man, or a Vicious and Wicked Man. If the for­mer he loves not to be flattered, but will certainly have the better esteem of his Physician, for dealing so plainly with him; and because he thinks the time of his deliverance from his present Pains and Sickness, and inauguration into a State of everlasting Joy and Bles­sedness, so near approaches, his Spi­rits instead of being dejected, are exalt­ed; and because he knows that his time is in Gods hand, that neither he nor the Physician can infallibly know the time of his departure, and that God hath commanded the use of means; he is content to submit to the Rules pre­scrib'd him, and leave the success to God.

On the contrary, If he be a Vicious and Wicked Man, it is but fit that if more gentle and mild perswasions will [Page 88]not prevail, that he should be fright'ned into a sense of his desperate condition, and not suffer'd to go like an Oxe to the slaughter, to his eternal perdition, without some Monition and Advice, which for ought we know, being giv­en prudently and in season, may with the Operation of Gods Spirit concurring, work so good an effect upon him, as to draw him to a true (tho late) Repent­ance, and then he hath pull'd him out of the Fire, as a Fire-brand ready to be consumed, and saved a Soul from Death; as St. James saith, Chap. 5.20. and then let any one tell me if this be not a sufficient recompence for his pains, and amongst all sober and prudent per­sons, salve enough for his Reputa­tion.

It may be farther urged that Physici­ans are only to take care of the Body and the Divine of the Soul: It is true, for that purpose they were consulted, and it were to be wished the Divine might ne­ver be forgotten, but acquainted early with the Diseased's Case, and earnestly in treated to visit the Patient as well as the Physician; but yet I humbly con­ceive that the Physician hath many bet­ter opportunities than he can have, and [Page 89]which is much to be lamented, he is seldom so early or so often advised with as the Physician; and though the later be not so much obliged by his Professi­on as the former, yet certainly even he cannot be excused in point of Charity.

The last Caution or Advice, is, That if it shall please God to make us success­ful in our Endeavours, we do not a­scribe the praise of it (as is too common) unto our selves, but unto God; to whom alone it is due.

I have in the former part of this Secti­on shew'd the reasonableness of it, and therefore all I shall add by way of Con­clusion, shall be this; That this is the [...]eadiest way to find success in our Under­takings: By this shall we be more fa­mous than our Neighbours round about [...]s. This will most advantage both Pa­ [...]ient and Physician, and cause God to continue such his Mercies toward us. Whilst on the contrary, by arrogating the [...]ole praise to our selves, we rob God of [...]he honour due unto him, and our selves of the reward of our good Action: There­fore let us all unanimously from our hearts [...]ay, Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed [...]omini too sit gloria: Not unto us, not [...]nto us, but unto God be the praise, both [...]ow and for evermore. Amen.

The Physicians Prayer.

O Thou great Creator both of Heaven and Earth, and of all things con­tained therein: Thou art the Fountain of all Goodness, Mercy and Benedicti­on, who by my Education and other Ef­fects of thy Providence, hath call'd me to this Profession of Physick; that by my industry therein, I may in my small proportion be instrumental for the bring­ing of some good and benefit both to my self and others; I humbly begg thy grace to guide me in my intention, and in the transaction of my Affairs; that I may be diligent, studious and faithful; and grant me thy Favour, that these my En­deavours may be accepted as a part of my necessary Duty; and grant me thy Bles­sing to assist and prosper me in all my Stu­dies and Ʋndertakings: And seeing, O Lord, I am a Man, not God, to heal, be thou graciously pleased to let thy Wis­dom go before me to direct my Judgment for thy good of thy Servant, who desires my Assistance: Let thy blessing accompa­ny what I shall direct, giving unto all [Page 91]things a due and kindly Operation, that so a prosperous and happy success come after it: And I pray thee, O Lord, give me and all my Patients (who by thy blessing have received benefit by my hands) hearts truly thankful unto thee for thy Mercies, and Grace to ascribe (as is most due) all the Praise, Honour, and Glory, unto thy holy Name. And grant me, O Lord, a quiet and cheerful Submission unto thy all-wise Providence, when ever it shall please thee to deny me the Blessing of Suc­cess: Let thy holy Spirit be ever present with me, to direct me in all my Ʋnderta­kings, that I may manage my Affairs, with Prudence, Honesty and most Christian Sin­cerity, that so my Profession may be san­ctifi'd by my Religion, and all my Actions by thy Blessing, that when I have done that portion of Work thou hast allotted [...]ne, and improved that Talent thou hast intrusted unto me, and served the Com­mon-wealth in my Capacity, I may receive the mighty price of my high Calling, which I most earnestly beg may be in the portion and inheritance of my ever blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen.

Those who by reason of the multitude of Patients, may not find leisure for the [Page 92]using of the aforesaid, or any other set Form of Prayer at the time of their Ad­dress to them, may yet do it every Morn­ing before they leave their Closet, and only use this, or the like short Ejaculation, at the time when they are to treat with their Patient, or to direct for him.

O Lord, the Giver of Health and all good things, let thy Wisdom, I beseech thee, i [...]struct my Judgment in order to the Health and Recovery of thy Sick Ser­vant, who now next to thee commits him (or her) self to my care, and succeed my Directions with thy Benediction, for Je­sus Christ his sake. Amen.

When you enter into the Sick Persons Chamber Ejaculate thus.

Peace (O Lord) and Health be unto this Sick Person, through Jesus Christ.

Raise him (or her) up again (O Lord that we may reward thee with Praises and Thanksgivings. Amen.

Finis Partis Prioris.
…

The Christian PHYSICIAN.

The Second PART.

By H. A. M. D.

Non magna loquimur, sed vivimus.

Quanto plus, & melius scis: tanto gra­vius inde judicaberis, nisi sanctius vixeris.

Gerson. De Imitatione Christi.

LONDON, Printed by T. James for William Leach at the Crown in Corn-hill. 1683.

TO THE Right Honourable the Lady LAETITIA ISABELLA Countess of RADNOR.

MADAM,

THis following small Treatise comes to beg your Honours shelter and acceptance, which if it be ever safe, I am very certain it must be with your Ladyship, who (without flattery) are so generally known to be the Patro­ness and Protectrix of all that is Pious and Vertuous, that I can never in the least doubt of it till even Vertue it self comes to want a Patronage. I dare not, nay indeed I cannot tell the World how much you deserve that Title, it being a Task too difficult far for my undertakings (for who can paint the Heavens) besides I am so well acquainted with your La­dyships Temper, that I know your Noble Mind loves the substance only, not the outward shew; and delights more in be­ing Vertuous, than in appearing or being known to be so, which makes me decline those praises which really and deserved­ly your Vertues call for. — I cannot in the least think that your Honour stands [Page]in need of any of those following Helps and Directions, your whole life being indeed nothing else but a Map or Tran­script of Piety, and had I consulted your Ladyship, I know they would have been much more compleat; however (at least I hope) it may contribute some assistance to them who have not better advice. And being to make this publick, I know no person that I have so many Obligati­ons to dedicate it to as your Ladyship; and having nothing better to present by way of an ackonwledgment, I hope your Ladyship will not refuse to accept this (though of a small value) from

From Newcastle upon Tine, Nov. 2d. 1682.
Your Honours most Faithful and most Obedient Servant Henry Atherton.

THE PREFACE.

HAving in the former Treatise (I hope) satisfied all rational persons concerning the Existence of a Dei­ty, it will (I judge) naturally follow, that this Deity is to be Worshipped; I say Naturally, because I never read of any of the Heathens who acknowledged gods, but they paid them homage and adoration: Qualescun (que) sunt (saith Cicero in his Book De Natura deorum, after he had reckoned up the variety of gods) hos does & venerari, & colere debemus. Whatsoever they are (if we own them gods) we ought to honour and worship them. Nay He, though a Heathen, goes farther, Cultus autem deorum est optimus, idem (que) castissimus at (que) sanctissimus, plenissmus (que) pieta­tis, ut eos semper pura, integra, incor­rupta & mente, & voce veneremur. For indeed the worship of the gods is [Page]best of all, most pure, most holy, and most full of Piety: and he advises, that when we worship them, it should be always with a sincere honest Heart, and undefiled Tongue.

There are many ways by which God may be worshipped, but that which I only intend to mention here, is by Prayer and Invocation, which I shall not curiously dissect neither into its va­rious parts; but only tell you, that this being a part of Gods Worship, those that own his Existence, and their depen­dance upon him, are indispensably oblig­ed to pay him that so easie Tribute and Adoration.

Prayer is the great duty, and great­est priviledge of a Christian: By it we have intercourse with Heaven, and bear a part with Angels, and beautifi'd Spirits. It is the Medium by which we discover all our wants and necessities un­to God: the Key to unlock Heaven, and draw down all Blessings spiritual and temporal upon us. Is any Man Af­flicted? let him Pray. Doth any Man lack Wisdom? James 1.5. Let him ask of God, who giveth to all Men liberally, and it shall be given him. Therefore seeing it is so much our interest [Page]as well as our priviledg and duty, let us not be wanting to our selves in it.

You will find in the following Sheets, a small Manual of Directions and De­votions, which (as by the homeliness of the dress, you may easily see) were composed only for my own private use and addresses, and never intended that they should as much as peep out of my Closet door. And now I shall not tell you (as many do) that they were press'd out, or extorted from me by importunity of Friends, or the like; but indeed (after a little pause and consideration with my self) they came out voluntarily; hoping at least they may have some good influence on some or other, either for Direction, or Encouragment to a Holy Life; and if not, they will only remain useless to others, as they did be­fore in my Closet; and yet however I shall have this satisfaction in my own Conscience, that I intended them well, and I hope the purity of the Intention, will some way sanctifie the Action, and procure Acceptance if not with Men, yet with God.

I am very sensible of the most excel­lent and unparallell'd composure of the Liturgy of our Church, for all publick [Page]and most private concerns; and how the deficiency of this as to particular wants (if any such be) is supplied by the incomparable Authors of the Whole Duty of Man, Practice of Piety, Me­thod of Private Devotions, Devout Christi­an, by Bishop Taylor, and many other worthy and pious Persons, whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear (out of some of which you will find several Collections in the following pages.) But yet give me leave to east in my Mite too, and take in good part my weak endeavours also, which probably in some things may be more particular than what you meet in them: Neither dare I (being a Laick) pre­scribe them as Forms for others, but only ac­quaint my Reader that they are such as I use my self, and may perhaps be beneficial to him upon the like occasions. These I know are very defective too, and as he grows more prolifick in Grace, so he will be able to supply my defects by a new Addita­ment of his own: And if these may give any such encouragment, or have any good effect upon any one, I have my aim, and shall think my self well re­compenced for my Studies Hic Rhodus, Hic saitus.

I know this little Tract will fall into the hands of many a Momus, who will either carp at, or deride it. The Learned will perhaps think it impertinent or at least not dainty enough for their curious Pa­luts; and the looser vulgar taunt and scoff at it: This is the best usage I can expect it shall meet withal in this profligate Age, but however I doubt not but amongst sober and pious Christians it will find better entertainment, which will make me dis-esteem the Censures of the one, and the revi­lings of the other; it being my design to gratifie, [...]ot the most but the best.

Directions how to spend every day in the Fear of God.

EVery Morning as soon as thou a­wakest out of Sleep, endeavour to get thy Soul Affected with the Majesty and Mercy of God: Consider his Power that he was able to raise thee again, and his Goodness, that he would not suffer thee to sleep in death: his Mercy, that he hath carefully defended thee (and thine) from the many sad Ca­sualties and Accidents which might have justly faln either upon thee or them, by reason of your Sins; and then lift up thy Soul to God in these or the like short Prayers or Ejaculations.

O Almighty God, who hast in thy Mercy awak'ned my Body out of Sleep, so I beseech thee by thy grace, awaken my Soul from the sleep of Sin, and grant I may so walk before thee this day, and all the days of my life hereafter, that when the last Trumpet shall awaken my Body out of the Grave, I may rise to the [Page 2]Life Immortal through Jesus Christ.

My Voice shalt thou hear in the Morn­ing, O Lord, in the Morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee, and will look up.

I will sing of thy Power, yea I will sing aloud of thy Mercy in the Morn­ing, for thou hast been my Defence and my Refuge, in the time of my Trou­ble.

My Soul desires to wait for thee, O Lord, more than they that wait for the Morning: O God therefore be thou mer­ciful unto me, and bless me, and cause thy Face to shine upon me. O fill me with thy Mercy this Morning; so shall I re­joyce and be glad, even all the days of my life. So teach me to number my days that I may apply my Heart unto Wisdom, when I awake up I am ever with thee.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: As it was in the ginning, is now, &c.

Then have an especial care that no vain, filthy, or impure thoughts, have any entertainment within thy Breast; but if any such endeavour to crowd themselves in, presently discard them [Page 3]with detestation and abhorrency; e­membring that the First Fruits belong to God, and he ought to have the r [...]ime of all thy Thoughts; then cast thy self out of Bed, and whiles thou art dressing thy self, desire God to cloath thee with the Righteousness of his Son Christ Jesus, and use the following Ejaculations.

O Lord grant that I may put on the whole Armour of God, that I may be able to stand against all the Fiery Darts of the Devil.

Above all things, O Lord, give me the Shield of Faith, the Breast-plate of Righteousness, the Sword of the Spirit, the Girdle of Verity, the Helmet of Salvation; and let my Feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace.

O grant that I may put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no Provision for the Flesh, to fulfil it in the Lusts there­of.

Before thou art throughly dressed, kneel down by the Bed-side, and say,

In the Name of the Father, and of the the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, prevent me O Lord in all my doings with thy most gracious Favour, and further me with thy continual Help, that in all my works begun, continued, and ended in [Page 4]thee, I may glorifie thy holy Name, and finally by thy Mercy obtain everlasting Life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.

On Combing your Head or Plaiting the Hair, you may use such Ejacula­ions as these.

Grant O Lord, my Ornament may not be that of the Hair, but that of a lowly, meek, quiet and humble Spirit. Let it not be that of the outer, but of the inner and hidden Man of the Heart.

Make me a clean Heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me.

While you are Washing, you may E­jaculate thus:

O Lord wash me throughly from mine Iniquities, and cleanse me from my Sin.

O cleanse me from all Filthiness, both of Flesh and Spirit. Not only my Hands and my Face (O Lord) but my Heart also.

Purge me with Hysop, and so shall I be clean, O Lord wash me, and I shall be whiter than Snow.

I am unclean, I am unclean, but O Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me [Page 5]clean; O touch me, and say, I will be thou clean.

Being now compleatly dress'd, with­draw to thy Closet or place of Retire­ment, and there lift up thy Soul to God in this, or the like manner.

O Lord I beseech thee, let thy holy Spirit direct me how I may spend this day most of all to thy Glory, and my own and others benefit. And then pon­der a while on the business of the day, and consider what sins either thy natu­ral Temper, Business, or Company, may most subject thee to; to what dangers thou art most liable, and what opportunities thou art like to have either of doing God Service or thy Neighbour good: Against the former implore Gods Aid and Assistance, in a particular Pe­tition (which you may find a conveni­ent place to insert in your Morning De­votions) and also Arm your self before­hand with Resolutions and the best Means you can to prevent them; that so you may avoid the occasions of Sin. And for the latter, resolve to embrace all opportunities for the discharge of your Duty; and then use this Ejaculation:

Thus, thus (O Lord) I purpose by thy Grace to spend this day; O be thou [Page 6]pleased to be present with me by the preventings and assistings of thy Grace and Holy Spirit, that so I may perform what I intend, to the Glory of thy Name, the discharge of my Duty, the benefit of others, the comfort of my own Soul here, and everlasting happiness hereafter in and through Jesus Christ.

Let thy Grace be sufficient for me.

Consider also seriously what Sins have passed from thee since thy Evening De­votions.

Being thus prepared, take Gods Holy Book into thy hands, yet not without Reverence, and to put a distinction be­tween this and other Books, it will be commendable if thou uncover thy head in the reading of it, or stand up (even the Hearhens pay it Reverence, the Jews hear the Law with Adoration, and the Turks kiss the Alcoran) thou maist also use one of these or the like Ejaculation, or the Collect of the se­cond Sunday in Advent.

Assist me, I pray thee, O Lord with thy Holy Spirit, in the reabing of thy holy Word; enlighten the Eyes of my Ʋnderstanding, that I may understand the same; give me a retentive Memory and Grace to reduce the same into Pra­ctice, [Page 7]in my Life and Conversation, through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savi­our. Amen.

Open thou mine Eyes, O Lord, that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law.

Blessed art thou, O Lord, O teach me thy Statutes.

O Lord sanctifie unto me my present Reading and Meditations, for Jesus Christ his sake.

Then read that portion of Scripture, that is either accommodated to the day, or most fitted for your own condition, and that with much seriousness, atten­tion, and particular application of it to your self: When you have ended, use the common Doxology, of Glory be to thee, O Lord.

Then re-collect what things observa­ble you have met with in your reading, and spend some time in Meditation of them, and consider what use you may afterwards make of them, either to encourage to Vertue; or deter from Vice: without this Post Meditation, you will reap no more benefit by this [...]alutary Word, than a Body by the re­ception of the most nutritious Aliment, which is not well digested in the Sto­mach: [Page 8]Nay, as this will be apt to turn into Crudities and Diseases to the Body, so will the other prove fatal to the Soul; and that which should have been the savour of Life unto Life, will be nothing else than the savour of Death unto Death. Meditation being ended, betake your self decently and reverently to your knees, and with great fervency offer up your Morning Devotions uno [...] the Throne of Grace; which being done, follow your lawful Studies or Employ­ments, still having an awful sense of Gods Omnipresence. But if you be a Master of a Family, then call your Fa­mily together, and let they as well as you, serve the Lord. Read a Chapter unto them, and Pray again with them, before you dismiss them to their business: And if you live in a place where Publick Prayers are Celebrated, and your man­ner of Life be such, that you can with­out considerable inconveniences dispense with it; think your self not excused from the Prayers of the Church in the Con­gregation. At Noon, when you see the Table spread, you may meditate con­cerning Gods Mercy and Bounty towards thee and all mankind, and use those (or the like) Ejaculations hereafter, [Page 9]prescribed for that purpose; and then receive the good Creatures of God with an hearty desire of his Blessing, Mode­ration and Thankfulness; remembring that every Creature of God is good, and not to be refused, if it be received with Thanksgiving; and that it is san­ctified by the Word of God, and by Prayer. [At any other time, besides at Set Meals, venture not to eat or drink without craving a Blessing and returning Praise, at least by Ejaculation.] After a little Diversion return to thy Closet, read a Psalm or two, meditate and fol­low David's Example, by offering up a Meridian Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving in the following, or like Method. Then betake thy self again [...]o thy Employments or Studies, and be [...]iligent in them.

At Four in the Afternoon, if thy occa­sions permit (as there are but very few who can not spare so much time, if the [...]eart be inclin'd; for thou maist do this [...]n the midst of thy business, and make [...]hy Closet in the very Street) use some [...]f the following Ejaculations, either as [...]hy Devotion or particular necessities [...]rompt thee to.

If there be again any Publick Prayers, [Page 10]if thou be not a Man of Employment and Business, omit them not. Use the same Meditations again at Supper, as be­fore at Dinner; and after Supper, if the time of the Year or Season permits, walk into the Fields, and there con­template and admire the wonderful Works of God, the strange Effects of his Wisdom, exhibited to us in the va­riety of Plants, their decorous Order, exact Symmetry of Parts, and the like. Praesentem narrat quaelibet herba De­um. Let thy Soul say, O how marvel­lous are thy Works, O Lord, in Wisdom hast thou made them all: The Earth is full of thy Riches: Who can express the noble Acts of the Lord? Or shew forth all his praise, &c?

And if you use any Recreation, have an especial care, first, that it be not unlawful, or with evil Company, next that it be not immoderate, and take up too much time; but that it may be such, as may either tend to the health of thy Body, or refreshment of thy Mind; that so thou may'st be the better disposed either for the Service of God, thy Neigh­bour, or thy Self: And because we are too apt to be led by Sense, and to for­get God in our Mirth, thou may'st often [Page 11]lift up thy Soul to God, to set a Watch before thy Mouth, and to keep the door [...]f thy Lips; and take care that no lying, [...]ain-glorious Jesting, frothy or idle Discourse proceed from thence; consi­sering that thou must give an account [...]f every idle word as well as sinful a­ction: Keep always a Religious sense of God in thy Soul, and let no sensual plea­ [...]ure or delight stain thy innocency.

When the time for Rest draws nigh, [...]etire to thy Closet, cast off as much as [...]hou canst all worldly thoughts, and use [...]hese or the like Ejaculations.

Let the words of my Mouth, and the Meditations of my Heart be now and [...]lways acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeem­ [...]r.

O Lord I beseech thee, bring into my [...]emembrance the Sins of the day past, whether of Omission or Commission, whether of Thoughts, Words, or Acti­ [...]ns, that so I may humbly confess them [...]efore thee, and find favour at thy Hands [...]r the pardon of them in and through fesus Christ: And also I humbly pray [...]hee, the mercies of the Day past, whe­ [...]her Spiritual, or Temporal, that so I [...]ay in some measure offer unto thy Divine [Page 12]Majesty that praise which is due unto thy Great and Glorious Name for them. Then reflect and consider how you have spent the Day, in what Company you have been, how you have discharg'd your Duty in your Place, Relation, or Calling; and how you have in all things behaved your self: And if any Sin beyond the common frailties of Nature hath pass­ed from thee, keep a Diary of it, that thou mayest repent it over again, on thy Fast Days, or before the Sacrament.

And that you may not think this Task and Discipline too severe (to speak no­thing of the common practise of pious Christians) even Heathen Philosophers took this Course, Pythagras, Seneca, and Plutarch; yea the poor barbarous In­dians, as Apuleius reports, used to call themselves to a daily account of the good and evil of the day: and how much greater obligation lies upon us Christians (besides the serenity and tranquility of mind every Man feels by such short reckonings with God Almigh­ty) I leave to every Man piously inclined to consider: And that thou mayest do this the better, after a general survey of thy Company, Actions, and the like; in particular examine if thy thoughts [Page 13]have not been vain, peevish, uncha­ritable, or unchast? Whether they have been so holy or at least so innocent as they ought to have been, &c? If thy words have not been vain and empty, rash and inconsi­derate? Whether no foolish speaking, or jesting, lying, or frothy and corrupt Communication, hath proceeded out of [...]hy Mouth? Whether thou hast not slan­ [...]ered or back-bitten thy Neighbour? Whether thy words have been mix'd with that Grace, Discretion, tending [...]o Reprehension and Edification, as they ought to have been?

Whether thy Actions have not been [...]nweighed and inconsiderate? Whether [...]hou hast had purity of intention in [...]hem? Whether thou hast been so tem­ [...]erate, so chast, so careful of spend­ [...]ng thy Time and Estate, as thou ought­ [...]st to have been? Whether thou hast [...]ischarged thy Duty in thy Calling, as [...]hou shouldest, or whether thou hast o­ [...]itted any Duty, which thou oughtest [...] have perform'd, and hast had oppor­ [...]nity for? Where thou hast been faul­ [...], confess it humbly to God, and an­ [...]ex this short Ejaculation, Lord be mer­ [...]ful to me a Sinner: And venture no [Page 14]more to sleep in thy sins unreconciled to God, than thou would'st to die so; for, for ought thou know'st, thou maist now sleep in Death, and never see the dawn of another day.

Then seriously and thankfully consi­der also the Mercies of the day past, both spiritual and temporal, which may be commonly such as these; delivering thee from those many sad casualties and accidents, which might justly have faln upon thee, by reason of thy Sins; refreshing thee plentifully with his good Creatures: blessing thee in thy Studies, Labours and Undertakings; giving thee leave to lift up thy Soul to him by some (tho weak and imperfect) Prayers and Praises; and also preserving thee (if it hath so happen'd) from any pre­sumptious sin, into which thou would'st certainly have fallen, had not Gods restraining Grace prevented thee, &c. Then say, Not unto me, not unto me, but unto thy Name be the praise: Bles­sed be the Lord God, which daily load­eth me with his benefits, even the God of my Salvation, and blessed be the Name [...]f his Majesty for ever.

Then read a Chapter in the New Testament, meditate on it, and the [...] [Page 15]immediately before you Address your ielf to God by Prayer, to help your De­votion, consider that God is a most Holy God, that he will be sanctifi'd of all them who draw near unto him; that nothing but what comes from the ground of the Heart is accepted by him, and that only the Fervent Prayer is effectual and prevails with him: how great need you have of those things you ask, and that for ought you know, this may be the last time you may have an opportunity of putting up any Peti­tion unto him. Then draw near unto God in Faith, and in Humility, in a sense of his great Majesty and thy own Wretchedness and Misery. In the en­trance to thy Prayer, earnestly desire the Assistance of Gods Holy Spirit, and have a care to keep out all vain and wandring thoughts. In the close of thy Prayer, remember to give God thanks for that gracious opportunity vouchsafed thee, for that strength of Body and Assistance of his Holy Spirit, which he hath been pleased to afford thee in the performance of thy Duty; and desire him for the continuation of the same Mercies, to pardon the Frailties and Imperfections of thy Holy Duties, [Page 16]and to do more abundantly for thee, than thou art able to ask or think, &c.

This being done, prepare thy self for thy Bed, unless thou art Major Do­mo, Master of a Family, and then call thy Family together, read unto them, or cause them to read a Chapter or two, and afterwards Pray with them; and be not unmindful to adapt thy Prayers as near as thou canst to their (as well as thy own) particular wants and necessi­ties, which by having an eye over them, thou mayst without any great difficulty, observe and know.

As thou art putting off thy Cloaths, Meditate that it will not be long before thou put off thy Body also: Beg of God therefore (by Ejaculation) that when this Earthly Tabernacle of thy Body shall be dissolv'd, thou mayst have a building with God, not made with hands, but Eternal in the Heavens; and that when thy Body shall lie down in its Bed of Darkness, thy Soul may pass into the Regions of Light, and dwell with God for ever more, through Jesus Christ. Amen

After thou art in Bed, use these or [Page 17]the like short Prayers or Ejaculati­ons.

I will remember thee in my Bed, I will think upon thee in the Night Sea­son.

At Midnight will I give thanks to [...]hee, because of thy Righteous Judg­ments.

O Lord deliver me from the place, works, and spirits of Darkness: O Let [...]e not walk in the Night of Sin, lest I [...]umble and fall: In the midst of Dark­ [...]ess, and the shadow of Death, O Lord [...]e thou my Light.

Give thy Holy Angels charge over [...]e, to keep me in all thy ways, and be [...]hou, O blessed Saviour unto me, both [...] life and death advantage.

I will lay me down in Peace, and [...]ake my rest, for thou Lord only makest [...]e dwell in fafety.

Consider and bear me, O Lord my [...]od; Lighten mine Eyes, that I sleep [...]ot in Death.

Into thy hands I commend my Spirit, [...]oul, and Body; for thou hast redeemed [...]em, O Lord, thou God of Truth.

Glory be to the Father, and to the [...]on, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was [...] the beginning, is now and ever sha [...] [...], &c.

If any time remains before sleep seizeth on thee, you cannot do better than to spend it in Meditation of some portion of that Scripture, which you before read.

If you awake in the Night, fill up the Chasms and Intervals, with short Prayers, Ejaculations, or Meditations, upon the four last things, Death, Judg­ment, Heaven and Hell. So shalt thou sleep and awake with God, Prov. 3.24. yea thy sleep shall be sweet, and no dangers of the Night, or Spi­rits of Darkness shall terrifie thee: So shalt thou be in a continual epectati­on of the coming of thy dearest Lord, that if he call for thee at Morning; or at Evening, at Midnight, or at Mid­day; at the third or fourth Watch, thou wilt be found prepared for his coming; thou wilt lay thy head down in the dus [...] with joy, rest in hope, and at length rise to a glorious Immortality, which will make an ample Compensation for these thy pains and services.

Of a Private Fast, and Directions for it.

FAsting in its Definition, I take to be nothing else but an abstaining from our lawful Food, upon a Religious ac­count; which although it be no where in Scripture injoyn'd simply for its own sake, yet if we consider the many ad­vantages of it, in order to the benefit of our Souls, we shall not think the Commands of the Church and the Pra­ctice of the Primitive Christians too se­vere and inimitable.

The Jews fasted twice every Week, sc. Tuesdays and Thursdays, concerning which is the boast of the Pharisee, Luke, 18.12. and the Christians have not come behind them, and the Sabbath being for good Reasons altered, they have observed Wednesdays and Fridays for a Religious Fast; which days are taken notice of by Tertullian, and called Dies Stationarii. But alas, we that now live in this profligate and degene­rate Age, are so far from following the [Page 20]steps of pious Antiquity, or the Com­mands of our Holy Mother, the Church, that if we set apart a Day for this pur­pose, once in (a quarter shall I say be­fore the Sacrament, or (a year rather, we think we have sufficiently deny'd our selves; and discharg'd our Duty! But certainly did we seriously consider, and put a due estimate upon the great Emoluments and Advantages of this Holy exercise, we should not be so re­miss and negligent in it; which I shall in the next place give you a taste of.

1. And first of all, Fasting is very in­strumental to all Acts of Devotion, for seeing there is so near an affinity between the Soul and the Bo­dy, the former using the Organs of the latter for its Operations, and for the most part follows the Temperament of it, it cannot be when the Body is stuff'd even to Satiety, and clog'd with a Load of indigested Humours, that the Soul should be so active and vigorous as at other times, and mount with those Wings of Devotion, with that Zeal and Affection towards Heaven, as when it is freed from that Burthen, which still presses it down to the Earth: And if there were no other reason to be given [Page 21]for it, every good Christian's own Ex­perience will sufficiently evince the Truth of the Assertion.

2. Fasting is very instrumental in or­der to our humilation for Sins past, and subduing of Lusts for the future.

Such is the misery of Mankind, That whilst we are driven by an indispensable necessity to Eating and Drinking, that we may support our frail Beings, we also by the same Act cherish and foment our Vices. Our Flesh is apt to be too rebellious, and we find a Law in our Members constantly warring against the Law of our Minds, and leading us Cap­tive at will: Now fasting is the Soul's Physick, and there is no better way to tame this Monstrous Panther, than by sub­stracting that Pabulum which nourishes and feeds it. This course Holy David took, he wept and chastened himself with Fasting, and many of God's Children imitate his Example; and no doubt when it is performed with good ends and designs, as it is an act of Austerity and holy Revenge upon our Selves, so by God's Mercy it will procure that Mortification, that we aim'd at by it, and we shall find either the Temptation removed, or God impowering us from [Page 22]on High with Grace sufficient to with­stand it.

3. It is very profitable and instrument­al for the removing or prevention of Judgments, and that either parti­cular upon thy Self, Family, or Friends, or National. Ahab though a wicked King, yet because he fasted and hum­bled himself before God, tho positive Judg­ments were denounced against him, he receives a Suspension of them in his days; 1 Kings 21.27, and 29. and tho David found not that effect when he fasted for the Child, 2 Sam. 12.16. be­cause his Sin was notorious and scanda­lous, and God would have the punish­ment as publick to; yet it is manifest that David expected it, and thought that the readiest way to attain it.

The Heathen Ninevites succeeded in their Fast for the removal of a general Judgment upon the whole City, Jonah 3.5. they proclaimed a Fast, and in the tenth verse you have the good success of it, God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them, and he did it not.

Lastly, Fasting is very seasonable, when we have any extraordinary thing to beg of God.

I do not give much Credit to the many Stories amongst the Romish Credentials, and what great things have been done by Prayer and Fasting, but we have a much surer Word of Prophesie: we know what the effect of Hester's Fast was, Esther. 4.16. how she obtained her request for the deliverance of the Jews.

We know that when Paul and Bar­nabas were to be ordained Apostles, there was Fasting as well as Prayer premised, Acts 13.3. Therefore if we have any Internal Mercy or Grace to desire of God, or if we have any extra­ordinary External Blessing to implore at his Hands, let us unto our Prayer joyn Fasting also.

One Emolument more I will (by way of surplusage) subjoyn, which probably with some sort of persons may be more per­swasive than all the rest, and that is the ad­vantage of it upon the Score of Health.

In most Constitutions, when the Stomach does (as it were) keep Holy day, and is not charg'd with a new load, or taken up with the concocting of new Food, it hath time to digest Crude and Superflous Humours, which oppress it, and so after Concoction either mani­festly evacuates, or insensibly dissipates [Page 24]them; so that that which could not be before digested by a full Stomach, is now effectually performed by an em­pty one. All the ways and passages of the body are by this means rendred open and ready for Exclusion. Fasting power­fully opens Obstructions, makes Respi­ration more Free and Easie, and the Mind and all the Senses more chearful, quick and vegate. Fasting is not onely the Physick of the Soul, but the Body too: Many Diseases have been by this prevented, many cured. Hence that of Fernelius: Quos igitor morbos inedi [...] non sustulit, Medicatione curato. So that you see if we had nothing else in Prospect but our own Health, Fasting (or rather in this sense Abstinence) seems most fit and reasonable.

It will be impossible for me to pre­scribe to every one, how often they ought to fast: Every Man's piety, and his necessary occasions must instruct him in the frequency of this Duty. From those who labour, and are bound in the Sweat of their Brows to procure a Com­petency for themselves and their poor Family, little of this Duty is expected. However seeing they ought to separate some time before the receiving of the [Page 25]Holy Sacrament, for Examination of themselves, Prayer and Preparation, they cannot do better than add Fasting also. But for those who are not under such indispensible necessities, and have any tolerable leisure, their Piety cer­tainly may well prompt them to set apart one Day every Week for Fasting, Calling themselves to an Account of their Sins, Humiliation and Prayers unto God for Pardon, Preventing or Strength'ning Grace.

It is Observed even in the outward af­fairs of this World, that those who keep the closest Accounts, thrive best; and though there be a Day-Book (as they call it) in which they set down the Deben­tures of every Day, yet once in a Week (at least) these are all summ'd up, and put into a better Form in the great Shop­book, that they mey be found and re­view'd upon all occasions: Thus ought the Spiritual Merchant do likewise; though he examines himself every day for the Sins thereof, yet he ought to have other particular days to look them over again; that so having a few of them altogether, it may make him more humble, more penitent.

If thou therefore art a Man of leisure, [Page 26]and God hath wrought in thy Heart to set apart one Day in a Week, thus to humble thy self before him, to be reconciled to, and to be at peace with him, and thy own Conscience, thou hast thy liberty to choose which Day of the Week thou wilt for this purpose: only give me leave to inform thee, That it hath been the Practise of the Primitive Christians (and that not without some reason) and it is the Command of our Church too, to set a part Friday for that purpose, as being the Day of our Blessed Saviour's Crucifixion; which was thus long observ'd by the Christi­ans after his Passion. Others choose rather Saturday for that Action, which was likewise kept as a Fast by the Christi­ans who bewailed our Saviours absence, he now lying in the Grave. And others observe the same day, because it may serve as a preparation to the Lords Day, which may be best sanctified, when some Preparatory Religious Acts have gone before, casting off the Cares and Thoughts of the World before-hand, that they may attend upon the Lord without distracti­on.

Either of these I judge convenient enough, neither do I think it necessary [Page 27]to bind you to either of them; Prudence and your own occasions must prescribe to you in this: However this is my Custom, I always design Fryday for my Fasting day, because if by any In­terposition of Friends, or Company, or accidential Business, I am then hin­dred from my Design, I may have the benefit of another Day; i. e. Saturday, to perform my Devotions in.

You may also perhaps see cause to set apart a particular day (or days) in a year to humble your self for any great or capital Sin that day committed; or to praise God for any great mercy or de­liverance that day received.

And that you may perform this Ex­ercise the better, I shall give you some particular Rules or Directions for it.

Rules for a Religious Fast.

THe Evening before you fast, insert some such Petitions as these (by way of preparation) into your private Prayers.

O blessed God, to whom all hearts are open, and all desires known, and from whom no secret is hid: I could not [Page 28]think a good thought, unless thou hadst first infused it into my Soul, much less can I perform any good Action that might please thee: I most humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special Grace preventing me, thou dost put into my Mind good desires and intentions; so by thy continu­al help, I may bring the same to good Effect: To that end, I beseech thee, cleanse the thoughts of my Heart, by the Inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, and give me such a preparation of Soul, as may qualifie me for the Duties of the ensuing day; and grant that I may per­fectly love thee, delight in thy service, and worthily magnifie thy holy Name, through Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Morning being come, consider what necessary business you have to do that day, and dispose as prudently of it as you can, that it may not interfere with your Holy Exercises of Religion, when you begin upon it: And if any such be, you may do well to dispatch it in the Morning. In your private Morning Devotions, be not unmindful to con­tinue your Requests unto God, for his assistance in the Duties of the day, in these or the like Expressions, which [Page 29]you may find place to insert among your other Petitions.

O Most gracious God, thou hast been pleased to discover unto me my Duty, and hast given me an hearty desire to perform the same: But, O Lord, I know without thee, I can do nothing, but through thine assisting Grace, I shall be able to offer up such a Sacrifice this day as may be well pleasing and acceptable in thy sight: Let that Grace, O Lord, be sufficient for me, to quicken my De­votions, to kindle my Zeal, and to work in me a Godly Humiliation for all my past Sins, together with stedfast Re­solutions of forsaking them for the time to come: And tho, O Lord, I know thou hearest not Sinners wilfully resolved to persevere in their Sins, yet thou wilt hear those that confess and abandon them. Hear me therefore, O Lord, in the mul­titude of thy Mercies, even in the Truth of thy Salvation, and remove my Sins from before thy sight, that they may not hinder good things from me this day, but set them full in mine, and let them ever be before me, that I may not only confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient Heart, but [Page 30]also actually forsake them; that so [...] may obtain forgiveness of the same, by thy infinite goodness and mercy, in and through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Another to this purpose, out of the Method of Private Devotions.

O Lord, who seest the purposes of al [...] Hearts, and hast been privy to the In­tentions of thy Servant, touching call­ing himself this day to an account of his ways, and humbling himself before thee for all his Transgressions (and rendring thee praise and thanks for all thy Mer­cies.) Be thou in Mercy present to m [...] by the preventings and assistings of thy Grace, that I may with a true Hear [...] and contrite Spirit perform what I in­tend. Grant that no worldly cares o [...] business may so take off my mind from thee, but that I may be able forthwit [...] to return and without distraction, to imploy my whole Soul in my designe [...] Devotions; to the Glory of thy Name my own amendment and comfort here and everlasting Blessedness hereafter, i [...] and through thy Son Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

1. First abstain from all Food and Sustenance (unless thouart of a weak and valetudinary temper) until the So­lemnity be over: If thou art, if thou eat and drink sparingly, with a design only to strengthen thy self, the better for the carrying on of thy Duty; I think thou hast not broken thy Fast: The Fast it self being not injoyned so much for its own sake; but as it is a help and furtherance to other Duties.

2. Have a care that you do not only fast from Meat, but from Sin also; for if you abstain from the former, and not from the latter, it is a great Argument of your Hypocrisie, and that your Righteousness doth not exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, who fasted to be seen of Men; Matth. 6.16. and are promised their Reward shall go no farther than that of Men too. This is not such a Fast as God hath chosen, or will accept.

3. Abstain likewise this day from all gratification of your Senses, from all Pleasures and Recreations: This day you have design'd for condemning your self for your sins, for humiliation of your self for them, and mourning over them, then how inconsistent will this be with [Page 32]Mirth and Jollity? Altogether as great a Soloecism as Musick and Dancing at a Funeral: to have silence in the Kitchin, and the noise of Mirth in the Chamber, is a thing very indecent and incongru­ous.

4. Lastly, let not Intemperance be either the Preface or Conclusion to your Fast, least the Fast be so far from ta­king off your old sins, that it be an oc­casion to draw on new guilt.

Thus I have led you through those previous Acts towards this Duty of Fasting: we now come more closely to the Exercises of it.

Being retired to thy Closet about Noon (thy mind being as much as possi­ble disburthen'd of Worldly Thoughts) cast thy self down upon thy knees, and humbly say,

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Prevent me, O Lord, in all my doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further me with thy continuual help, that in all my Works begun, continuued, and ended in thee, I may glorifie thy holy Name, and finally by thy Mercy obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.

And then taking Gods Holy Book in­to thy hands, [...]ay:

Sanctifie unto me, O Lord, my pre­sent Reading and Meditations, that it may in some measure prepare me for that great Work I am now about: Take off my mind from all Vain and Earthly Things, and inspire it with a holy Zeal, that I may with spiritual desires and affections perform this spiritual Duty, and grant that nothing may find admit­ [...]ance into my heart, but what shall rea­ [...]ilysubmit to thy Laws and Discipline. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ [...]is sake. Amen.

After you have spent half an hour in [...]he reading of that portion of Scripture, which you have thought fit to select for his purpose, or that good practical [...]ook which you have made choice of, [...]pend another half hour in digesting it, [...]r Meditating upon it, and make parti­ [...]ular applications of it to your self. This [...]roximate preparation also you will find [...]ery necessary in Order to the calling [...]f your Mind from Vain and Worldly [...]houghts, which without it, would be [Page 34]too apt to Straggle, and be Distracted, and to fix and intend them on that Ex­ercise which you are about. This being done, you begin again with Prayer, after this manner.

O Lord, thou High and Holy one, whose glory is above the Heavens, and hast Thousands of Angels Ministring un­to thee, and yet are pleas'd to humble thy self to behold the things that are done by us poor wretched Mortals here on Earth: In confidence therefore of thy mercy, I here prostrate my Self before thee, beg­ging leave of thee that I may once more worship and adore thee, and be admitted into thy Service which is perfect Free­dome: It is the unfeigned desire of my soul now wholly to attend upon thee, and to devote my self entirely to thy Service. I am come into thy presence to call my self to an Account for my Sins, with Sorrow to bewail them, most earnestly to deprecate thy displeasure for them, and to renew my Vows and Obligations to thee against them for the time to come; to acknowledg my dependance on thee, to praise thee for thy Mercies, and to make an absolute surrender of my self all the daies of my Life unto thy Service; But [Page 35]alas! O Lord! what am I? and what can I do without thee? I do not attempt this great Work, trusting in any power or strength of my own, but in the gracious assistance of thy most holy and blessed Spirit. O Gracious God, who hast promised to give thy Holy Spirit unto them that ask it, send it now down into my Soul, and let him bring into my remembrance (and convince me of) every Sin, and every Evil way: What I see not teach thou me: Search me O God and know my heart, O try me and know my thoughts, and see what way of Wickedness there is in me, and lead me in the way everlasting: Make the [...] remembrance of my former sins bitter unto my soul; Work in me a compleat re­pentance for them, a loathing and ab­horrence of them; stedfast purposes and resolutions of forsaking them for the time to come, and of making an entire resignation of my Self to thy service, that so I may obtain the pardon of them in and through Jesus Christ. O let not O Lord any of my former great and crying Sins, the breach of former vows and promises, my impenitency or obduracy, or want of suitable Affections for this holy Ex­ercise, or any other thing, interpose be­tween [Page 36]me and thee this day, to stop the current of thy mercy, or cause thee to hide thy Face from me in displeasure: But gracious God scatter all my Sins, which may be as a cloud to hinder my prayers from coming up towards thee, and thy mercies from coming down upon me, that so in the end of this my Duty, I may have an assurance of thy favour, (which is better than life and all the comforts of it) I may have peace with thee, and peace in my own Conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost: and receiv­ing Power and Strength from thee, may run with chearfulness the ways of thy Commandments, and serve thee by [...] sincere, impartial, uniform obedience, all the days of my Life, through Jesu [...] Christ. Amen.

Those whose Piety may inlarge their Devotions, may here also fitly use th [...] two Prayers of the Author of the whol [...] Duty of Man for Sincerity and Contri­tion, which because all those perhap [...] into whose hands this Manual may fall may not have by them, I shall anon in­sert towards the end of it.

Then betake your self to a Seriou [...] and Impartial Examination of your se [...] [Page 37]concerning your Sins, and if you be a person who use your self to those peri­odical Returns every Week, your inqui­sition need go no farther than the pre­ceding Week, (unless it be before every Sacrament, when it may be necessary to renew your Repentance for the Capital Sins of your whole Life) you may begin with reflecting upon the spending every day of the week, where you were, in what Company, and what your Business, or the like; which will be apt to afford you fresh remembrances of your Sins, and then (if you please) you may first con­sider and examine what your thoughts have been, wherein they have been ex­orbitant and sinful, what the bent and inclinations of your heart have been, and how you have endeavoured to sup­press the evil, and to cherish the good; and when you have found them, humbly confess them, and lift up your Soul to God in this Ejaculation: Lord be mer­ciful to me a Sinner.

Consider next your Words, Whether they have been Vain, Idle, Corrupt, Lying, Detracting, Uncharitable, Passionate, or the like? Whether they have been mix'd with that Grave Dis­cretion, tending to Reprehension and [Page 38]Edification, &c? And then after Confessi­on annex the former Ejaculation: God be merciful, &c. Last of all Examine thy self strictly also concerning all thy Actions, thy Violations of the First and Second Table, thy Sins of Omission and Comission towards God, thy Neigh­bour and thy Self: Examine how thou hast spent thy time, resisted Temptations, or compli'd with them, and what the circumstances of aggravation have been; then humbly confess them: Endeavour to Work your heart to a true Sorrow and Contrition for them: Be angry with your self that you should be so basely led away by the corruptions of your Na­ture and the pleasures of Sin (which are but for a Moment) by Evil company, or the like Temptations, then lift up thy Soul in this manner:

Thus, thus O Lord have I sinned a­gainst thee; yea I know not O Lord how often I have offended; many a times more I am sure I have, which I have either forgot, or not adverted to. O cl [...]anse, cleanse thou me from my secret faults. Here make serious Resolutions against every Sin, and especially those thou hast by Examination found thy self guilty of. After this fall down up [Page 39]on thy knees (or perhaps if the Sins be great, and thy humility so too, thou may'st think it more proper to prostrate thy self on the ground) and Petition the Throne of Grace in this, or the like Form following.

O God the Father of Heaven, have Mercy upon me a miserable Sinner.

O God the Son, Redeemer of the World, have Mercy, &c.

O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, have Mercy, &c.

O Holy, Blessed, and Glorious Trinity, Three Persons and one God, have Mer­cy, &c.

The Prayer taken out of the Whole Du­ty of Man, magna ex parte.

O Most holy, holy, holy Lord God, who art of purer Eyes than to be­hold Iniquity; how shall I who am no­thing but Iniquity, dare to appear be­fore thee? Or take so Sacred a Name into my unhallowed lips; but yet, O Lord, whom shall I invoke but thee, whom I have offended? Against thee, [Page 40]thee only have I sinned, and done these evils in thy sight: I know that thou a­lone canst forgive sin, and that we might not be discouraged to come unto thee, thou hast publish'd thy self to be the Lord gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great goodness; a God forgiving Iniquity, Transgression, and Sin; yea thou hast promised, That if we confess our Sins, thou wilt be faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness: Relying there­fore on this thy gracious promise, I am now emboldened to postrate my self be­fore thee, in all Humility of Soul and Body, desiring to be ashamed, and to blush when I lift up mine Eyes unto thee; for my Iniquities are increased o­ver my head, and my Trespass is grown up even unto Heaven: All the thoughts and imaginations of my heart have been Evil, and only Evil, and that con­tinually: I have wrought many and great provocations in thy sight (especi­ally O Lord, &c. Here enumerate thy old capital Sins) and that in the mos [...] provoking manner: They have not been only single, but repeated acts of sin; for, O Lord, of this black Catalogu [...] which I have now brought forth before [Page 41]thee, how few are there which I have not often times committed; nay which are not become even habitual and cu­stomary unto me? And to this frequency, I have added both agreediness and obstina­cy in sinning; turning into my course as the Horse rusheth into the Bat­tel, doing evil with both hands, earnestly; yea hating to be reformed, and casting thy words behind me; quench­ing thy Spirit within me, which te­stified against me, to turn me from my evil ways, and frustrating all those outward means whether of Judgment or Mercy which thou hast used to draw me to thy self. Nay, O Lord, even my Re­pentances may be numbred amongst my greatest Sins; they have sometimes been feigned and hppocritical, always so slight and ineffectual, that they have brought forh no Fruit in amendment of Life, but I have still return'd with the Dog to his vomit, and the Sow to the mire again; and have added the breach of many resolutions and vows (both at thy Table and in private) to all my former Guilts: Yea, O Lord, I desire to confess to my own shame and con­fusion, that since the last time that I humbled my self in thy sight, and so solemnly vowed and purposed to forsake [Page 42]every Sin, and not to regard any iniquity in my heart, I have returned unto the same (if not worse) Sins than I then came to confess before thee, and to beg pardon at thy hands for: for my thoughts O Lord have been vain, &c. (Here enumerate the sins) My Words have been inconsiderate, &c. my Actions have been unweighed, &c.

And besides all this, O Lord, I have still the same proneness to that which is evil, aversness and obstinacy towards what is good: I have still an impenitent hard heart, which is not (sufficiently) molli­fied with the sense of my Sins, or thy wrath due unto me for them. O God! God be merciful to me a Sinner! yea I know not how often I have offended, O cleanse, cleanse thou me from my secret faults. Thus, thus O Lord, am I be­come out of measure sinful, and since I have thus chosen death, I am most wor­thy to take part in it, even in the se­cond death, the lake of Fire and Brim­stone, which burneth for evermore. This, this, O Lord, is in Justice to be the portion of my Cup; to me belongs nothing but shame and confusion of face, and that eternally. But to thee O Lord God belongeth mercy and forgiveness, though I have [...]belled against thee. O [Page 43]remember not my Sins and Offences, but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness. Thou sent­est thy Son to seek and to save that which was lost, be hold, O Lord, I have gone a­stray like a Sheep that is lost; O seek thy servant and bring me back again to the Shepherd and Bishop of my Soul: Let thy Spirit work in me a hearty sense and de­testation of all my abominations, that true contrition of heart, which thou hast pro­mised not to despise: And then be thou pleased to look upon me in mercy, to take away all my iniquity, and to receive me graciously into thy favour, and for his sake who hath done nothing amiss, be thou re­conciled to me, who have done nothing well. Wash away the guilt of all my Sins in his Blood, bury them so deep in his grave, and hide them in his Wounds, that they may never rise up in Judgment against me, either here to shame me, or hereaf­ter to condemn me; and subdue the pow­er of them by his grace: and grant, O Lord, that I may from this hour bid a final adieu to all Ʋngodliness and World­ly Lusts, that I may never once more cast a look toward Sodom, or long after the Flesh Pots of Egypt, but consecrate my self intirely to thee, to serve thee in [Page 44]righteousness and true holiness, all the days of my life; reckoning my self to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

After this go on with your Devotions and pray over the One and fiftieth Psalm.

HAve mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness, according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.

Wash me throughly from my wicked­ness, and cleanse me from my sins.

For I acknowledg my faults, and my sin is ever before me.

Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done these Evils in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged.

Behold I was shapen in Wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me.

But lo, thou requirest Truth in the inward parts, and shalt make me to understand Wisdom secretly.

Thou shalt purge we with Hysop, and I shall be clean, thou shalt wash me, [Page 45]and I shall be whither than Snow.

Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce.

Turn thy face from my sins, and put out all my misdeeds.

Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

(O take away this stony, this hard heart of mine, and give me a heart of flesh.)

O give me the comfort of thy help a­gain, and stablish me with thy free Spi­rit.

Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health; and my tongue shall sing of thy righte­ousness.

Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall shew thy praise.

For thou desirest no Sacrifice, else would I give it thee; but thou delightest not in burnt Offering.

The Sacrifice of God is a troubled Spi­rit; a broken and contrite Heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.

O be savourable and gracious unto Sion; build thou the Walls of Jerusalem.

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of Righteousness, with the burnt Offerings and Oblations; then shall they offer Young Bullocks upon thine Altar.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost:

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, World without end. Amen.

Conclude your Penitentials with the following Collects.

ALmighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and do'st forgive the sins of all them that are penitent; create and make in me a new and contrite heart, that I worthily lamenting my sins, and acknowledging my wretchedness, may obtain of thee the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord I beseech thee mercifully hear my prayer, and spare me who now con­fess my sins unto thee, that I whose con­science [Page 47]by sin is accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved (from all my of­fences) through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O most Mighty God, and Merciful Father, who hast compassion upon all Men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made; who wouldest not the Death of a Sinner, but that he should rather turn from his Sin and be saved; mercifully forgive me my Trespasses, receive and comfort me, who am grieved and weari­ed with the Burthen of my Sins.

Thy property is alwayes to have mercy, to thee only it appertaineth to forgive Sins: Spare me therefore good Lord, spare me whom thou hast redeemed; Enter not into Judgment with thy Ser­vant, who am vile Earth, and a mise­rable Sinner; but so turn thine anger from me who meekly acknowledg my vileness, and truly repent me of my faults; and so make hast to help me in this World, that I may ever live with thee in the World to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

This being done, you are next to re­view your Sins again, and consider what were the occasions which drew you into each particular Sin; and then consider and think of those ways and mean, [Page 48]by which you may for the future avoid them; and arm your self before-hand with reasons and holy resolutions against their assaults, whensoever they invade: which you may do well to commit to Writing. After this consider what Graces directly oppose your Vices, that you may in the next place petition for them; for it is not enough that you are pardoned, but you must also remember, that that will not stand you in stead, If you a­gain return to your Old Vices.

An Examplification of this you have in one or two Sins following: As,

January— I fasted, and upon Ex­amination, I found my self guilty of unclean and unchast thoughts (and that with delight and approbation) which sometimes brake forth into corrupt, frothy Discourse, and immodest or unclean Actions. Upon reflecting into the Causes of this Sin, I found them to be, Eating and Drinking too highly, keeping light or idle Company; not keeping that Guard over my self as I ought, nor beha­ving my self in all places with that gravity and seriousness as I should: and giving way to the first motions of vain and impure thoughts. Upon which I resolved to use my self to a spare low Diet, to avoid [Page 49]Drinking much Wine or Strong Liquors, to avoid light Company, and not suffer mine ears to hear, or my tongue to utter any frothy or corrupt Communi­cation, to carry my self always with a becoming gravity, in my behaviour: to deport my self as in the immediate pre­sence of God, remembering that he is a God of infinite Purity and Holiness. I will be watchful over my own Heart that I do not permit any unclean thoughts or fancies to enter within me, much less give them Entertainment; and as soon as they offer themselves to my fancy, I will endeavour to divert them by holy and heavenly Meditations. And last of all, I will be frequent in my prayers to God for a clean heart and purity of spirit, and for the Graces of Temperance and Chastity.

When I fasted, likewise I found my self guilty of muth deadness and dulness in my Devotions, vain and wandring thoughts in them, &c. Upon Examinati­on of my self I found the great Causes of it, to be the want of keeping my self continually in a serious frame and temper of spirit: my not spending some some time in Meditation before I came to pray; my want of frequency in my De­votions, [Page 50]and want of the due sense of God's great and dreadful Majesty, and my own necessities of those things I come to pray for. Upon which I resolved constantly to keep my self in an habi­tual frame and temper of piety, to be more frequent in Prayer; and to prae­meditate of the dread and awfulness of that Majesty before whom I appear: to consider before-hand that nothing but what is hearty, and from the ground of the Soul, will be accepted by him, and how great need I have of those things I ask. I will pray often for the Spirit of Devotion, and Sincerity, and will be sure to watch over my thoughts, when I am at my Devotions; but if any such enter, I will presently repel them, and then pray with greater fervency, to cross the Devil's design therein. These medi­tations and resolutions being over, you may begin again thus:

O Lord increase my weak Faith; Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief, and give me Grace to live and die accord­ing to my belief; for I believe in thee O God the Father Almighty, Maker of Hea­ven and Earth.

And in Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the holy [Page 51]Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead and buried. He descended into Hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and siteth on the right hand of God the Father Almigh­ty. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Ho­ly Catholick Church, the Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins: The Resurrection of the Body, and the life everlasting. Amen. O Lord be with my Spirit.

O Most gracious God make me care­ful to discharge and perform all my Vows and Resolutions which I have made unto thee both in publick and in private. Make me a serious and professed enemy to every sin, and to all ungodliness, especially O Lord to all, &c. (Here mei­tion thy most prevailing Sins and Cor­ruptions) and let no sinful thought sur­prize me without a sorrowful sigh; no ungracious word pass me without a sud­dain retractation, and devour confessi­on; no wicked action defile me with­out a sincere and godly humiliation: Unto each measure of sin, enable me [Page 52]to allow a due measure of sorrow: Let those sins that have been reigning over me be at set times constantly revenged by me; and as my body hath been a deep sharer in my Sins, so let it have a daily share in my Sufferings: Help me at set times to deny my self some of those out­ward Enjoyments, which thou O Lord in mercy hast allowed me, as a true sign of my godly sorrow for that sinful excess, which I have too oft taken without thine allowance: Let those sin­ful hours which have been vainly lost in idleness and emptiness be willingly re­deemed in a constant observation of Re­ligious Duties: Let no day pass me with out a solemn and devout task of Devoti­on, no hour without some sweet Ejacu­lation; and when at any time the troubles and disturbances of this frail life shall deny me happy opportunities for those heavenly performances, what is wanting in act let it be made up in de­sire; which thou Lord I trust wilt graci­ously accept and look upon because faith­fully intended: These and whatever mer­cies thou knowest needful and requisite, I humbly beg in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer for Grace, out of the Whole Du­ty of Man.

O Most Gracious God, from whom every good and perfect gift commeth, I wretched creature, that am not able of my self so much as to think a good thought, beseech thee to work in me both to will and to do according to thy good pleasure. O inlighten my mind that I may know thee, and let me not be barren or unfruitful in that Knowledge. Lord work in my heart a true faith, a purifying hope, and an unfeigned love towards thee; give me a full trust on thee, zeal for thee, reverence of all things that relate unto thee; make me fearful to offend thee in any thing, careful to please thee in all things, thankful for thy mercies, humble under thy cor­rections, devout in thy service, sor­rowful for my sins; and grant that in all things I may behave my self so, as befits a creature to his Creator, a ser­vant to his Lord: Enable me likewise to perform that duty I owe to my self, Give me that meekness, humility, and contentedness whereby I may always [Page 54]possess my Soul in patience and thankful­ness: Make me diligent in all my duties, watchful against all temptations, per­fectly pure and temperate, and so mo­derate in my most lawful enjoyments, that they never become a snare to me: Make me also, O Lord, to be so affected towards my Neighbour, that I never transgress that Royal Law of thine, in loving him as my self: Grant me exact­ly to perform all parts of Justice, yield­ing to all whatsoever by any kind of right becomes their due; and give me such bowels of mercy and compassion, that I may never fail to do all acts of Charity to all Men, whether Friends or Enemies, according to thy Command and Example. Finally, I beseech thee O Lord, to sanctifie me throughout, that my whole Spirit, and Soul and Body, may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for ever. Amen.

Here you may also pray more parti­cularly for those graces, you have found your self most of all to stand in need of; better forms for which I can not advise you to th [...]n those contained in the Book of that Excellent Author, The whole [Page 55]Duty of Man, where you have devout Prayers for all those particular Graces which a Christian can stand in need of.

These Prayers being over, spend some time again in Reading and Meditation; afterwards (having before prayed for your self) you are next in Charity bound to pray for others also, being as members of the same mystical body the Church: which you may do in this or the like Form.

A Prayer of Intercession.

O Most gracious Lord, who so tender­ly lovedst Mankind as to give thy dear Son out of thy bosome to be a pro­pitiation for the Sins of the whole World, grant that the effect of this redemption may be as universal as the design of it, that it may be to the Salvation of all. O Let no person by impenitence and wilful Sin forfeit his part in it, but by the power of thy Grace bring all, even the most obstinate sinners, to repentance. Inlighten all that sit in Darkness, all Jews, Turks, Infidels and Hereticks, take from them all blindness, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word, [Page 56]and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, unto thy Fold, that they may be saved among the number of the true Israelites. And for all those upon whom the Name of thy Son is called, grant, O Lord, that their conversations may be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ, that his Name be no longer blasphemed among the Heathens through us. O blessed Lord how long shall Christendom con­tinue the vilest part of the World, a sink of all those abominable pollutions, which even Barbarians detest? O let not our profession and our practice be always at so wide a distance. Let not the disciples of the holy and immaculate Jesus be of all others the most profane and impure. Let not the Subjects of the Prince of Peace be of all others the most contentious and bloody, but make us Christians in deed, as well as in Name, that we may walk worthy of that holy vocati­on wherewith we are called, and may all with one mind and one mouth glori­fie thee the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have mercy on this languish­ing Church and sinful Nation; look down from Heaven the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: Where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sound­ing [Page 57]of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards us? Are they restrained? Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever; but though our backslidings are many, and we have grievously rebelled, yet according to all thy goodness, let thy anger and thy fury be turned away, and cause thy Face still to shine upon thy Sanctua­ry, which is in danger to be desolate, for the Lord's Sake: do thou compose our differences, heal the wounds which our unhappy schisms and divisions have made in thy Church, and make up the breaches of our Sion; and so separate between us and our sins, that they may no longer separate between us and our God. Avert those heavy judgments, which we either fear or feel, and our sins cry aloud to Heaven for, and deny us not the continuance of those mercies which we yet enjoy, and are altogether unworthy of; but whatever temporal mercies thou art pleas'd to deny us, whatever temporal judgments thou art pleased to bring upon us, O remove not thy Candle-stick from us, nor quench the light of our Israel; but, blessed Lord, be pleased still to continue unto us the liberty of thy House, the free­dom [Page 58]of thy Gospel, the injoyment of thy Sabbaths, Sacraments, and Ordi­nances in their primitive purity and re­gularity, until time shall be no more. Save and defend all Christian Kings, Princes and Governours, especially thy Servant Charles our King; and those to whom we owe subjection: Plead thou their cause, O Lord, against those that strive with them, and fight thou against those that fight against them, and so guide and assist them in the discharge of that Office whereunto thou hast ap­pointed them, that under them we may live quiet and peaceable Lives, in all godliness and honesty. Bless them that wait at thy Altar, by what Names or Titles dignified and distinguished, whe­ther Arch Bishops, Bishops, or other in­feriour Clergy; Grant that they may all speak as the Oracles, and live as the Messengers of God, that so they may both save themselves and those that hear them. More especially be gracious un­to thy Servants. (Here you may insert the Bishop of the Diocese, your Pa­rochial Minister, the Authors of good Books yet living, or any that have been instrumental to your conversation;) Pour down a double portion of thy [Page 59]Spirit into their hearts, make them eminent Instruments for thy glory: Let them turn many from their wicked ways unto thee the living God, and hereafter let them shine as Stars of the Firmament, in thy Kingdom. O let not the Lights of the World any more be put under Bushels, but keep them in their Candle­sticks, that they may give light to all that are in the House. Let not Jero­boam's Priests profane thy service, but let the seed of Aaron still minister before thee. And O thou Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, succour and re­lieve all that are in affliction, and de­liver the outcast and poor; help them to right that suffer wrong: Let the sor­rowful sighing of the Prisoners and the Captives come before thee, and accord­ing to the greatness of thy Power pre­serve thou those that are appointed to die. Grant easie to those that are in pain, health to those that are in Sickness. (Here mention any that you know in that Con­dition.) Give them patience and conten­tation under this thy Visitation, and a happy Issue out of all their Afflictions, when and which way it shall seem best to thy godly Wisdom; only so preserve them by thy Grace that Christ may be [Page 60]unto them, whether in Life or Death, advantage. Give suitable supplies to all that are in want, to all presumptuous sinners give a sense of their sins, and to all despairing, a sight of thy mercy; and do thou, O Lord, for every one above what they can ask or think; for­give my Enemies, Persecutors or Slan­derers, overcome all their evil with thy infinite goodness; turn their hearts, and draw them powerfully to thy self. Pour down thy blessings on all my Friends and Benefactors, all that have commended themselves to my prayer, or that I am bound to pray for, especi­ally, &c. (Here specify thy nearest re­lations, particular Friends, and all com­mitted to thy Charge.) O Lord infuse Grace where it is not, and where it is weak, do thou strengthen it; give them all things necessary for their Souls and Bodies, guide them here by thy counsel, and afterwards receive them to thy self in glory: And grant, O mer­ciful Father, that through this Blood of the Cross, we may all be presented pure and unblamable, and unreproveable in thy sight; that so we may be admitted into that place of Purity, where no unclean thing can enter; there together [Page 61]with Saints and Angels, to sing eternal Praises, Doxologies and Alelujahs to Father, Son, and holy Ghost, for ever. Amen.

Either before or immediately after this Intercession, make an oblation unto God of something for the Poor, or Pious Uses; and if it be the tenth of all thy Acquists, thou wilt in the end be no looser by it, but 'twill prove unto thee a piece of frugal prodigality: He that soweth boun­tifully, shall reap bountifully; 2 Cor. 9.6. We put our money into sure hands, it is but lent though it be given. We engage God himself, and he will pay us again; Pro. 19.17. This is the Fast that God hath chosen and delights in, Isa. 58.7. This stock that you thus lay up, is the treasure that you send before you to heaven, your Friend of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when these earthly things fail, will receive you into ever­lasting habitations. 'Tis call'd a Sacri­fice wherewith God is well pleased, Heb. 13.16. and again Phil. 4.18. a Sa­crifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. St. Augustine, saith, that Jejunium sine Eleemosina, Lampas sine Oleo: Fasting without Alms is a Lamp without Oyl: It may shew beautiful to the Eye, but [Page 62]will never lead you by it's light to Heaven.

When you have separated that portion which you chearfully design for this Charitable Use, it may not be amiss if you offer and devote it to God in this or the like manner:

O Blessed Lord God, I know that my goodness extendeth not to thee, thou art infinitely happy in and from thy self alone, Lucret. and wants nothing of ours to make any addition to thy hap­piness: Yea, O Lord, all that we have and enjoy, is from thy bounty and goodness, and I can retribute nothing to thee, but what must first come from thee: Yet, O Lord, seeing there are many of thy poor necessitous Servants that stand in need of our Charity, and thou hast said that whatsoever we do unto these, we do it unto thee; in consideration of my duty and thy mercies, I here of­fer and devote unto thee for pious and holy uses, this small portion as thou hast been pleased to bless me the week past: O let it be a Sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing in thy Sight, through [...] Jesus Christ. Amen.

Put this up in the poor Man's Purse by it self.

By this course thou wilt have always something in store by thee to give all indi­gent persons, as there is opportunity offer­ed; and this great advantage thou wilt have by it also, thou wilt not give grudg­ingly (as the Apostle terms it 2; Cor. 9.7.) or murmur when a poor Man asks an Almes of thee, Deut. 15.10. for thou lookest upon this stock as not thy own, and thy self only as Gods Purser, and the Hand to dispense it; yea thou will rejoyce and give God thanks when thou hast a fit opportunity to distribute, do good, and refresh the hungry bowels of thy poor Brother.

After this spend some time in Reading, or Meditating, or both: Then call to mind and consider your Mercies both Spiritual and Temporal, which you have in the foregoing Week received at the hands of God; and if they have been any way eminent, omit not to commit them to your Diary, where also you may place your Vows, if you have made any (the benefit which may accrue from hence I shall hereafter shew you.)

If you have no other mercies but the preservation of you from your own vile-Lusts [Page 64]Lusts and Affections, from Presumptuous Sins, and from Death and Damnation, for the Temporal Mercies of each particular day, and the mercies even of this day, thou hast Matter enough of thanksgiving; therefore you cannot do better than conclude your Fast with Praises and Thanksgiving.

The Thanksgiving and Conclusion of the Work.

O Most holy and for ever blessed Lord, God, thy Name only is excellent and thy praise above Heaven and Earth.

Heaven is thy Throne, and that thou fillest with thy Majesty, the Earth is but thy Foot-stool, and yet that thou fillest with thy Goodness. O how great are thy tender Mercies to us O Lord, how large is the Summ of them! If I would declare them and speak of them, they are more than I am able to express. I may as well count the sands upon the Sea Shore, or the drops of the Ocean, as enumerate thy favours. Thou didst at first create me out of nothing, in­stamp thine own Image upon me, and gavest me Dominion over the Works of thy hands. Thou art he that took me out of my Mothers womb: By thee have [Page 65]been holden up ever since I was Born: thy Almighty hand hath constantly sup­ported me, and thy Providence watched over me; and I still acknowledg my dependance on thee. When Mankind had departed from thee by Disobedience, and erased that Image and Innocency in which he was created, and for feited that Right to all thy Mercies which thou freely and undeservedly at first gavest him, and made himself obnoxious to thy Wrath and eternal Misery, thou hast not abhorred our Nature, but hast so loved and honoured thy sinful Crea­tures, as to manifest thy self in our Flesh. O! that Men would therefore praise the Lord for his Goodness, and declare the Wonders that he doth for the Chil­dren of Men. I revere and adore thee, O Most Glorious Majesty, for the Son of thy love, and for all those mercies we enjoy in and through him: I praise and magnifie thy holy Name for the Mission of thy holy Spirit, to be the Seal of our Adoption, the Sanctifier of our Souls, the Earnest of the Inheritance of the Saints, and the First Fruits of Everlasting Felicity: that thou hast spa­red me so long, and given me so large a time for Repentance, whereas thou [Page 66]mightest have justly long since cut me off in my Sins, and sent me headlong in­to eternal Destruction.

Had I no other Mercies but (Here enu­mera [...] thy spiritual Mercies) I have sufficient matter for perpetual Praise and Thanksgiving: O what, what shall I render unto the Lord for all the bene­fits he hath done unto me? I will take the Cup of Salvation, and will call up­on the Name of the Lord: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive Riches and Wisdom, and Honour, and Power, and Glory and Blessing: Wherefore Blessing and Honour, Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.

Besides, O Lord, those Spiritual Mer­cies, I have infinite Obligations upon me to bless and praise thee for those Tem­poral ones I have, and do yet enjoy: Thou followest me with thy goodness day by day, and loadest me with thy benefits every moment: It is a great mercy that I live, and a greater that I enjoy not only the necessaries, but the comforts of Life. Thou hast been won­derfully gracious unto me in thy protecti­ons of me from, and deliverances out [Page 67]of many apparent dangers: I desire with all thankfulness to remember (here menti­on thy deliverances) many more I have forgotten, or which I have suffered to pass unregarded through inadvertency; for all which my Soul doth magnifie the Lord, and all that is within me praiseth his holy Name: Praise thou the Lord O my Soul.

Blessed be thy holy Name, in particular for the fresh Testimonies of thy mercies this day, for that thou hast put it into my heart, and given me an opportunity now to humble my self before thee by Prayer and Fasting, to call my self to an account of my Sins, to make stedfast Resolutions against them, to beg thy preventing Grace, to render thee thanks for thy Mercies, and to endeavour a re­concilation with thee, and for any as­surance of thy love and favour, which thou hast given in unto my Soul. Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all or any of his benefits. And now I beseech thee, O blessed God, to accept of my Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving, of my Fasting and Humiliation, Alms and Oblation, and do thou smell a sweet savour from them: Let it be a Sacrifice well pleasing and acceptable in thy sight, [Page 68]though not for any worth in it self, yet in and for the Merits of Jesus Christ.

I confess, O Lord, should'st thou be ex­treme to mark the Iniquities of my holy things, my Prayers have need to be prayed for, my Repentance to be repented of, and my Humiliations and Fastings to be humbled and fasted for: But, O Lord, con­sider I pray thee that I am flesh and blood, yea dust and ashes, and so pity and par­don all my Infirmities, and deal with me not according to the weakness of my performances, but according to the riches of thy mercy in and through Je­sus Christ: Seal unto my Soul the pardon of all those sins that I have this day con­fess'd before thee, and beg'd pardon at thy hands for (especially, &c.) and not only those but all others, known or se­cret, of what Nature or what kind so­ever: Grant unto me all those Graces I have this day desired, or thou seest me to stand in need of (especially, &c.) give me Grace to resist all Sin for the time to come, not to regard any Iniquity in my heart, but to abstain from the very ap­pearance of Evil, to have respect unto all thy Commandments, and to serve thee by a constant, sincere, uniform, and impartial Obedience, all the days of my Life.

O mind me continually of all my Vows and Obligations, and I pray thee let me receive such strength from thee, as may enable me readily to perform the same: Of my self I am a frail weak Crea­ture, obnoxious to the arrests and victo­ry of all temptations, O do thou perfect thy strength in my weakness, and let thy Grace be sufficient for me. O deliver me (Blessed God) from my own self, and save me or I perish everlastingly, that so when I appear again before thee in this manner, I may find I have gotten Strength over my Corruptions, and that I can now run the way of thy Commandments, because thou hast set my Feet at liberty.

And now, O Lord, seeing thou hast been pleased to promise that thou wilt give thy holy Spirit to them that ask it, I most humbly and ardently beseech thee to send down this holy Spirit into my heart, and let him take possession there, and rule, and reign, and govern there­in for ever. And let this Spirit of thine also, if thou see it fit (in the close of this Exercise) assure my Soul of my pardon and reconciliation with thee, and let me have any, even the least taste of those joys, those ravishments of thy Love wherewith some of thy Saints have been [Page 70]so transported, that I may never be weary of well-doing, nor faint in my mind, but may run the way of thy Commandments with chearfulness and alacrity, and may very feelingly, and in the sincerity of my heart confess, that thy ways are ways of pleasantness, and all thy paths are Peace.

Hear me O Lord for my self: Hear me for others: Hear others for me, and hear the Intercessions of thy dear Son Jesus Christ for us all. In whose prevail­ing Name and holy Words I conclude my imperfect Prayers and Services, saying, Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.

Thy grace, O Lord Jesus Christ, thy love, O heavenly Father, thy sweet and comfortable Fellowship, O holy, blessed, and glorious Spirit of Grace, be with me and remain with me always. Amen.

This being over, leave thy Closet, and carry thy self with a Chearful gravi­ty towards thy own Family or others; that thon appear not unto M [...]n to fast: Mat. 6.18. then receive the good Crea­tures of God with moderation and thank­fulness, and conclude the day as you do other Days.

You having been for some time con­stant in this Duty, your Soul will still [Page 71]call for it, as your hungry Stomack will for food; and you will delight in the [...]eturns of it. Some time the Week after it may be very profitable if you review your Catalogue of old Sins, and your holy resolutions against them, that you may be still humbled for the one, and be put in mind to perform the other. And because I have here mentioned the Catalogue of Sins, I shall in the next place shew you the reasons and benefits of keeping such a Catalogue or Narative by you, and afterwards direct you to the manner of doing it, by giving you [...]n Exemplification thereof in some Sins.

Reasons why we ought to keep such a Narrative, or Catalogue of our Sins, and the benefits of it.

1. FIrst the committing of our Sins to such a Diary, or Catologue, [...]eeps them in perpetual Memory, and makes them (in David's phrase, Psal. [...]1.3) to be ever before us, so that we may Novas agere penitentias, renew our [...]epentance for them, which probably was [...]ot so compleat at first as it ought to have [Page 72]been, besides we should think such Sins never sufficiently bewailed and repented of, and possibly too our memory may be too willingly treacherous, we may for­get them, or at least the aggravating Circumstances of them: we desire God indeed not to remember them, but then we our selves must and ought.

2. The committing of our Sins to such an Accomptal, makes us presently to remember when God sends any Judgment upon us, for what particular Sin it is.

Punishment is the natural effect and consequence of Sin: God many a times spares when we deserve punishment, but he never punishes us without our de­merits; yea God many times doth so a­dapt the punishment to the sin, that we may very intelligibly read the one in the other; and then we shall have this bene­sit, that understanding the Cause, we may hasten to the Cure, confess and be­wail the same, kiss his Rod, acknow­ledge the Justice of his proceedings, and say, Righteous art thou, O Lord, and just are thy Judgments: This affliction is but the genuine product of my Sin, I may thank my self for it, and therefore I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him; the [Page 73]Cup is bitter, but salutary. God chastens me here, that he may satisfie his Justice, and spare me hereafter: And so the Sin repented of, the removal of the Judg­ment soon follows, seeing it hath answer­ed that end for which it was sent.

3. The keeping our sins in memory hath this great benefit in it, to teach us how to arm our selves against the same sins for the time to come. If we have been once foiled by an Adversary, it is ten to one but (if we have adverted to it) we may easily remember what it was that gave him the advantage over us, and so like Alfrid strongly prepare a­gainst the next Assault: Si modo victus erat ad crastina bella parabat. It will be no difficult matter, having an account of your sin, and the circumstances of it, to re-collect also what inducements and temptations prevailed against you; at what avenue the sin entred, and so thou mayst immediately guard and for­tifie thy self, that thou do not twice fall by the same Stratagem.

4. It is profitable that you may see what strength you have got over them, and know how to keep your ground a­gainst them. Though an Enemy be se­veral times repulsed, yet if he be still [Page 74]potent, subtil and malicious, he will not cease to assassinate. King Alfrid sate as unquiet, when he was Conqueror as when he was conquered.

Si modo victor erat ad cras [...]ina bella pavebat.

We have entered the lists against a strong and malicious Combatant [...], the Enemy of Mankind by way of Eminency, and he is constantly up­on his Guard, going his Round, and seeking whom he may devour; and so subtil, that like Hanibal he will lay an Ambush even in the smoothest Field: let us not therefore [...]emit our watchful­ness or diminish our force, lest he again enter, and our last Estate be worse than the first.

5. A fifth Reason is, That we may frustrate the Devils great Design and En­deavour, which is either to make them appear small in our Eyes when they are indeed very great, or else to hide them altogether from us until the Judgment of the great Day.

No sin is indeed positively small, being committed against a God of infinite pu­rity and holiness, but comparatively so, with relation to other sins; but yet the [Page 75]Devil is such an Impostor, that he would needs perswade us, that even great sins are no sins at all, or very small ones, peccadillo's; and tells us as Lot of Zoar, Is it not a little one? 'Tis but a small inconsiderable Lust, a humane Frailty, this will not ruin thy Soul, many thou­sands are guilty of far greater than this. Thus he will endeavour to hood-wink thee for the present, but then at the hour of Death, or day of Judgment, he will take off this Vail, and open thine Eyes, when to thine astonishing amaze­ment, thou wilt find how miserably, how irremediably thou hast been de­ceived.

The constant sight of thy sins will be apt to raise thy thankfulness to God, for being delivered from the power of them. Sin is the greatest Evil, and if we once come to be sensible of it, we shall not only fly from it, but have our hearts enlarged with the greatest thank­fulness to God for our delivery from the power and dominion of it.

Lastly, The keeping of such a Cata­logue, is very profitable, that by reflex thoughts on our sins, we may be kept in the greater humility and low opinion of our selves. We have generally in our [Page 76]Natures an inbred Principle of Pride, which puffs us up with a vain conceit of our selves, and more especially in respect of Grace, with which being but slender­ly imbued, we are presently opinionated of our selves, undervalue others, and think that we have arrived to the very [...] and heighth of Grace in a moment; not unlike your young Sophisters, who having suddenly suck'd in some of the Elements of Logick and Philosophy, think as well or better of themselves than the Doctors of the Chair. Now the serious remembrance of our former Obliquities and Follies, will be apt to chastise this Vanity, and correct our Pride.

It is storied of the Peacock, that though his Train be never so much ex­panded, and his Crest elevated, yet one glance of his Eye upon his black Feet, will presently depress his Crest, shrink and contract his Plume. In the highest [...] thoughts of our selves, the considerati­on of our great enormous sins (if we be any way pious or ingenious) will hum­ble us, and make us confess, That in us dwelleth nothing that is good.

He that covereth his sin shall not [Page 77]prosper; but he that confesseth his sin shall find mercy.

The manner of keeping your Narrative, and an Exemplification of it in some Sins.

SUffer no sin to pass by you unregard­ed, and make every day a particular reflection upon the actions of the day (as before directed) that you may disco­ver what sins you have been guilty of, and what most inclined to: And if there be any sin (upon Examination) found besides the common Frailties of humane Nature, in which your Conscience must not be partial, commit it to your Diary, and when you summ up all on your Fast­day, you may have a particular Paper Book for that purpose, and proceed af­ter this method:

Jan. — I fasted, and found my self guilty of unclean and unchast thoughts, and with delight and approbation of my will: Of some frothy and corrupt Com­munication, and of a propensity to un­clean Actions. Upon Examination of my self I find, that drinking of Wine or strong Liquors; using too plentiful [Page 78]Feeding, Softness and Delicacy, and suffering my thoughts to rove and wan­der; hath been the chiefest cause that hath drawn on this Sin. Upon which I in­tend (God assisting me) thus to regulate my self for the future.

1 First, I will labour to keep my body under by a low spare Diet, avoiding drinking much Wine or Strong Drinks: by spare sleeping; and using hard po­stures in my Prayers.

2 I will keep a strict Watch over my Thoughts, and not permit any that are sinful or unclean to enter within me, much less give them entertainment; but as soon as they offer themselves to my fancy, I will labour to divert them by holy and heavenly Meditations and Eja­culations.

3 I will avoid all light and vain Com­pany, frothy Discourse, idle Talk, and the like.

4 I will pray often unto God for a clean Heart and purity of Spirit, for Tempe­rance and Diligence.

Likewise found my self guilty of mis­spending my time in vain and idle Thoughts, Discourse, Company Keep­ing, Recreations, &c. which I purpose by God's grace thus to avoid.

1 First, I will consider every morning what I am to do that day, what time my Business or my Studies exact from me; and so draw out as it were a platform of the whole days business, allowing my self so much time for this thing, and so much for the other, that I may have no time to spend idly.

2 I will be often thinking how preci­ous my time is, that I shall shortly give a strict account for it; and that for ought I know time this day may expire in eternity, or at least may be no more as to me. God hath taught me the great value of it by his strait-handedness in the distribution of it, insomuch that he gives me not two minutes together, but when he gives me one, he takes away the other.

3 I will fill up the chasms and inter­vals of my business with holy Meditati­ons, and take all opportunities to bless and praise Almighty God, and to excite others to do the same.

Lastly, I will watch over my own heart, [...]nd withdraw my thoughts, when I per­ceive them ramble, ‘That so in the whole series and connexion of them I may be careful to prevent what is idle and impertinent, and may use my self to [Page 80]think only of such things, of which if a Man upon a sodain should ask me, What it is I am thinking? I may freely an­swer with that Royal (tho Pagan) Philo­sopher, this and that.’ Antonin. Medit. p. 55. Found my self also Guilty of much deadness, dulness, and wander­ing Thoughts in my Devotions. Exa­amining my self, I found the cause to be want of keeping my self always in an habitual temper of seriousness and piety; want of due praemeditation before I come to pray, and not keeping that watch over my own heart in prayer as I ought. Upon which I resolved by God's assistance,

1 First, To endeavour to abstract my self from multiplicity of business and cares in the World, and by frequent returns of my Soul to God, to keep my self in an habitual frame and temper of piety continually.

2 I will always before my Devotions prepare my self with such Meditations as these: That that God before whom I am now going to appear, is a God of in­finite Majesty and Glory: That nothing but what is hearty and from the ground of the soul is accepted by him: That it is the fervent prayer only that is effectuaal and prevaileth with him: How great [Page 81]need I have of those things that I come to ask; and that for ought I know this may be the last opportunity I may have to put up any petition unto God.

3 I will be sure to keep a strict watch over my heart in prayer, and if I find my thoughts stragling, I will presently chide my self, and recollect them with greater fervency, to cross the Devil's design therein.

4 If all my care cannot yet prevent, I will implore God's mercy and pardon after, and continue to pray for the Spirit of Supplication and Devotion until I have obtained it.

Lastly, Found my self guilty of some [...]incture of Hypocrisie, directing my Words and Christian Actions to the end of praise and esteem of Men, to be thought Religious, &c. which I purpose [...]o avoid.

1 By considering the hainousness of [...]his Sin, how detestable it is to God, [...]nd odious to Man.

2 If I embrace this praise of Men, [...]his is like to be all the reward I shall have for all my strict and holy Walking. [...]erily, saith our Saviour of the Scribes [...]nd Pharisees, who did all their holy [...]uties for ostentation, and to be seen [Page 82]of Men, they have their reward; and may expect none from God in another World.

3 Let me take care of harbouring any thoughts of my own Excellencies in re­spect of Grace, &c. or of ascribing any praise and glory to my self, which is due only to God, and say, Not unto me, not unto me, but unto God give the glo­ry.

Thus I have given you a taste of the manner of keeping your Narrative, and the examples of it in some Sins, which you may your self enlarge as there is oc­casion.

The use of this Narrative or Catalo­gue of Sins is obvious to every one, e­specially good Christians, who alone, o [...] else such as desire to be so, (I suppose) give themselves the trouble of perusing this Manual. I have given some Account of it before, and shall therefore now but briefly touch on it.

The great use of it is, That on days of Fasting and Humiliation (especially be­fore the Sacrament) you may read them over with a serious consideration, ex­amining your own Conscience strictly, with all the heightning circumstances, which may make them seem more odious [Page 83]in thy sight, and raise in thee a deeper Sorrow, Contrition, and Repentance for them; also to work in thee serious Resolutions against them for the time to come, and that not only in gene­ral, but particular, every sin; and con­sider what it was that induced thee to the commission of this or that sin, and resolve to avoid the occasions of it for the future; and also what it is that may be most useful to thee towards the at­tainment of this or that Grace, which thou either wantest, or is but faint and weak in thee.

And as it will be fit for thee to keep by thee a Catalogue of thy Sins, so I judge it will be no less profitable also to preserve a Catalogue of any extrordi­nary Mercies that God hath vouchsafed to thee in the whole course of thy Life, whether Spiritual or Temporal: And here seeing Gods Mercies are like him­self, infinite, it will be impossible for me to set down any definite number of them; and therefore I shall leave it to every particular person to make his own Collection and Observation.

But certainly the Spiritual Advantages will be very great, to intermix the re­membrance of Gods Mercies, with the [Page 84]remembrance of his own Sins; especial­ly at such a time of Humiliation: it will conduce much to the augmenting of his sorrow and contrition for sin: for when the pious Soul shall thus reason with himself: Lord I have daily pro­voked thee to displeasure by my sinful and wicked Life, though thou hast fol­lowed me day by day with thy Mercies. I have crucified my Blessed Saviour a­fresh, and put him to an open shame, though he thought it not too much to suf­fer such great things, and at last to die for me, to rescue me from everlast­ing Damnation. I have grieved thy holy Spirit by my frequent Oppositions of his blessed Motions, who would have led me to Repentance, and hath often courted and invited me to it; and when I have run wilfully into Sin, O what earnest solicitations hath he made unto me to forbear? Thus and thus, O Lord, hast thou done for me, but yet what unwor­thy returns have I made for all this love of thine? O my Soul! canst thou think of this without remorse? Canst thou forbear condemning thy self, and justi­fying God? And to say, Thou, O Lord, art Righteous, but I am Vile and Wick­ed; thy ways are upright and equal, but [Page 85]mine very crooked and unequal: thou hast not dealt with me after my Sins, nor re­warded me according to my Iniquities. This was the Method that God himself took with David to work him to a true Compunction of Spirit, after he had been guilty of Adultery and Murder, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8. where you have God reckoning up the Mercies he had con­fer'd on David; I anointed thee King over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, and I gave thee thy Masters House, and thy Masters Wives into thy Bosome, and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things; which in the 13. v. made him with sor­row of heart confess that he had sinned. So in Deut. 32.6. Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee? hath not he made thee, and established thee? Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise?

Directions for Saturday.

THings of great moment are never so well performed, as when there hath some preparation gone before to usher them in: Hence it is that we read John 19.31. of the preparation of the Passo­ver (which was the day before it was to be celebrated) and Mark 15.42. of the preparation of the Sabbath. Moses taught the People over Night to remem­ber the Sabbath, Exodus 16.23. and our Saviour himself sends Peter and John before-hand to prepare the Passo­ver, Luke 22.8. Here is a memoran­dum annex'd to this Commandment, which is not to any other, as if God had said, Remember before-hand to keep holy the Sabbath day. A Man must not think he can step from his Shop-board, or his Plough, or his Recreations, into the Church, and perform a Sacrifice well pleasing to God. Alass! our hearts are so corrupt, and our memories so tena­cious of the vanities and things of this World, that it is no easie matter to give them a dismission; and I fear when [Page 87]we have done our utmost) even our best preparations are very mank and im­perfect; and certainly I cannot easily be induced to be lieve that he designs to sanctifie the Sabbath, who (without some manifest and necessary hindrance) doth not make some preparation for it before it comes.

You may therefore in order to it make use of this following Method:

The Forenoon, and till Three in the Afternoon (which if I mistake not, was the beginning of the preparation of the Sabbath among the Jews) you may spend as you do other days; only it may be your care so prudnetly to dispose of your common Affairs, that they may be about that time at an end: The remaining part of the day, and till you betake your self [...]o rest (which should be earlier than on [...] ­ [...]her days, that you and your Family may rise the earlier the next Morning) [...]ou cannot do better than spend in pri­ [...]ate Prayer; for Devotion, Sincerity, [...]aith, Thankfulness, and other Graces, which are fit for the Actions of the fol­lowing day, or that you find your self [...]o stand in need of, or in publick Pray­ [...]rs in the Church, if there be any (as [...] is great pity there should not) in read­ing [Page 88]the Scripture or some other good Book, in Meditation, and the like holy Exercises.

In the close of your Evening Devoti­ons, desire God to fit and prepare you for the great business of the ensuing day, that he will banish all vain and and worldly Thoughts, Desires and Cares; that he will fill thy Soul with Af­fections suitable to thy Duty; that so lying down in his fear, and being awa­k'ned to the Comforts of the succeed­ing day, thy Soul may be affected with the Majesty of it, and thy Mouth filled with his praise; that he will abstract thy thoughts from all the Vanities and Concerns of this World, and sublime them to a higher degree of Purity, that so beginning his day in his fear, thou may'st wholly spend it in his Ser­vice, and end it in his favour; to the Glory of his great Name, the discharge of thy Duty, the comfort of thy Soul here, and everlasting Happiness hereaf­ter, in and through Jesus Christ.

Having thus prepared thy self, thou may'st not fear to want the Assistance of Gods Spirit in the Duties of the following day, which though thou art not so strictly able to perform as God requires, [Page 89]yet thou mayst do it so as he will be pleased to accept in and through Jesus Christ.

Directions for the Lords Day.

AS soon as you are awaked in the Morning, lift up your Soul to God by some Devout Ejaculations, or short Prayer, and say,

This is the day which the Lord hath made, I will be glad and rejoyce in it; Psal. 118.24.

Grant, That as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Fa­ther, even so I also may walk in new­ness of Life: Rom. 6.4.

Because thou livest, I shall live also; Joh. 14.19.

Thanks be to God, who hath not ap­pointed us to Wrath, but to obtain Sal­vation by our Lord Jesus Christ; who di­ed for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live with him; 1 Thess. 5. [...], 10. Knowing that he which raised up [...]he Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by [Page 90]Jesus: 2 Cor. 4.14. and shall present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy: Jude 24.

Glory be to God on high, on Earth peace, good will towards Men: Luk. 2.14.

Thou art my God, and I will thank thee; thou art my God, and I will exalt thee: Psal. 118.28.

Then rise out of your Bed, and that too more early than upon any other day in which you follow your Worldly Em­plyments, to shew your greater readi­ness to serve God than your self. When you are dressed retire to your Closet, and keep a strict guard over your thoughts, that you suffer nothing (if possible) of any Worldly thing to enter there, but meditate that you are to keep this day in the blessed memory of your Lord and Saviour's Resurrection, and of the great goodness of God in vouchsafing you the liberty of another Sabbath day, the continuance of his Word and Ordinances; whereas there are many thousands which yet sit in Darkness and the Shadow of Death: And therefore resolve with thy self to spend it intirely to his Glory, and in his Service; and that not only in general [Page 91]but in particular: and draw out as it were a platform of thy holy perfor­mances that day, and resolve with thy self thus and thus to spend the day: as first I will read and meditate, then I will offer up unto God my Morn­ing Sacrifice of prayer and praises in private by my self, afterwards with my family: Then I will spend the time be­tween this and the publick prayers, in examining my self concerning any unre­pented Sin, in Reading, Meditation, Singing Psalms, or the like.

Then betake thy self humbly to thy knees, and pray fervently and earnestly unto Almighty God, and praise his name, desiring God in the conclusion, to in­flame thee with a spiritual zeal and af­fection; that thou may'st enter into his Gates with thanksgiving, and into his Courts with praise: that thy soul may be satisfied with the fulness of his House, as with marrow and fatness: That he will give thee reverence in his House, and a holy dread and awe of his more immedi­ate presence there: that he will give thee fervency in thy Devotions, attenti­on unto his Word, a retentive memory and grace to reduce the same to practice [...]n thy Life and Conversation: In a word, [Page 92]that he will so assist thee with his holy Spirit, that thou may'st perform all those duties God requireth of thee, so as they may be well-pleasing and accepta­ble in his sight; that so at the end of the day, upon examination of thy self, thou may'st not find any thing to charge thy Conscience with, whereby thou hast omitted any part of thy duty, or com­mitted any sin against God. Forget not to pray also for all the faithful Ministers of God's holy Word, that God would o­pen their Lips that their Mouths may shew forth his praise; that they may de­liver his word with power and efficacy, to the convincing the most obdurate sinner, and comforting the feeble mind­ed; and in particular, pray that God who knows the several Conditions of all Men, that he would be with the Spirit of that his Servant, who is to be the Dispenser of his Word unto thee that day, and put a Word into his Mouth, which may particu­larly respect thy own Condition, and give thee grace to apply it to thy self, and to practise it; and finally that he will be with all Congregations that are that day assembled in his faith, Fear, &c.

A prayer comprizing these Petitions you have in the subsequent pages.

At the time appointed for Divine Service call thy whole family together, and go towards God's House, but not without considering where thou art go­ing; Keep thy Foot, Eccl. 5.1. and go not without longing Desires, and hearty Ejaculations, and though thy tongue should be silent yet thy heart should speak the louder, and let it say;

As the Hart panteth after the Water-Brooks, so panteth my Soul after thee, O God. My soul is a thirst for God, yea even for the living God, when shall I come and appear before him? One day in thy Courts is better then a Thousand: I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God, than to dwell in the Tents of ungodliness, &c.

As thou art Entring say, Surely the Lord is in this place. Surely this is no other but the House of God, this is the Gate of Heaven.

When thou art Entred into the House, uncover thy Head, and if thou followest the Custom of the Greek Church (to put a distinction between the House of God, and that which is profane or common) and bowest thy self, lifting up their Ejaculation, [...]. God be merciful to me a Sinner, thou wilt [Page 94]shew thy reverance to the Place, and him that is said to dwell in it, and give no offence to truly pious Christians, who do not esteem any essential but a relative holiness inherent in it.

When thou comest into thy Seat kneel down, and use this or the like short Prayer.

O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Is­rael, who dwellest between the Che­rubims, and yet are pleas'd not only to permit, but to invite thy poor sinful Creatures to draw near unto thee, even for their own soul's Good: I who am not worthy to tread thy Courts, am here bold to present my self, to hear what the Lord will say unto me: O Pardon all my sins and frailties, which make me unworthy to appear in thy presence, and so assist me with thy holy Spirit that I may so perform all those duties thou re­quirest of me here, that they may be well-pleasing and acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Be sure to go early to the house of God, at least before the Minister begins with the prayers of the Church, and if any over-plus of time remain before, [Page 95]spend it not in gazing about, or in vain worldly discourse (as is too common) or in sleeping, or the like, but take thy Common Prayer Book, and thy Bible, and turn to the Service of the Church, the Lessons, Epistle and Gospel, and if there be yet spare time, read over the latter, and see how fitly the prudence and piety of the Church have adapted them to the day, and treasure up all those good Lessons and Instructions contained therein, in thy mind. When the Mini­ster is about to begin, say O Lord be with the Spirit of thy Servant in the Discharge of his present duty, and open thou his Lips that his Mouth may shew forth thy praise. When the Minister begins with the sentences, stand up, as also at the reading or singing of the Psalms (which was a Custom used by the Ancients and now continued by many good Christians) because they are of a sublime nature, and full of holy Prayers and Ejaculations: stand up likewise at the Hymns, Creed and Gospel: kneel at the Confession, Ab­solution, Litany, the Decalogue, and all the Prayers, and content not your self with that slovenly posture of sitting or careless leaning, too common with many: God who made both for his glory, [Page 96]expects the worship of the body as well as that of the Soul, and certainly where there is real devotion and spiritual af­fection in the heart, it will discover it self by an outward reverence in the body. At the end of every prayer say an hearty Amen, a Custom which our times (which pretend to so much zeal) hath quite laid aside, not following our Saviours exam­ple, Matth. 6.13. who placed it at the end of his own Prayer, nor the commands of the Apostles, 1 Corinth. 14.16.

Be very attentive to the Absolution, and when the Minister pronounceth those Words, ‘ And hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his peo­ple, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins:’ He pardoneth, &c. Do thou thus ejaculate, O Lord confirm now I beseech thee this power unto thy Servant.

Do thou ratifie and establish in Hea­ven what thy Servant doth now on Earth: Amen, even Amen Lord Jesus.

Make your alternate responses with an audible voice, and still bear your part in the Doxology, Glory be to the Father, &c.

Do not slubber over your Devotions, but regard the manner as well as the [Page 97]matter: pray with fervency, and that for others (in any Sickness or Affliction) as well as for thy self, and as if thou wert in the same condition thou would­est desire them to do for thee: sing and praise God with the Spirit: Attend un­to the Word of God read and preached, with all diligence and carefulness, and as unto the Word of God, and not of Man. Suffer not thy Eyes to rove and wander, or any vain thoughts to enter within thee, to choke the good Word, and to that end fix thy eyes constantly on the Minister, and what things are pro­fitable for instruction, revolve often in thy mind, that thou mayest remember them, or (if thou be so disposed) write down the Sermon.

Shew respect to the Place and Ordi­nance, by keeping thy head uncovered: [...] never knew any take Cold in the Church. Depart not from God's House without the final Blessing, which receive (accord­ing to the primitive manner) upon thy knees, and rise not till thou hast made his short prayer:

BLessed be thy Holy name, O Lord, for all thy mercies, chiefly for this thy gracious opportunity: O Lord accept [Page 98]of my weak and imperfect Services, par­don their frailties and imperfections: Sanctifie unto me all thy Ordinances, and continue such thy mercies unto me for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.

As soon as thou returnest from the Church, retire into thy Closet, offer up a short prayer of thanksgiving again unto God, praising him for his mercies, and desiring him to sanctifie unto thee that good Word thou hast heard, that it may bring forth Fruit in thee to the a­mendment of Life, that so it may in the end prove to be the Savour of Life unto Life, and not of Death unto Death; that he will bring again to thy rememberance what profitable Instructions thou hast heard, and write them in thy mind, and by the power of his Grace dispose thy Soul to a constant obedience of them.

Then if thou hast omitted to do it be­fore, commit to Writing what mos [...] practical Lessons thou hast been taught. Then receive the good Creatures provid­ed for thee, with chearfulness and thank­fulness, yet keeping a more strict Watc [...] over thy self than on other days, tha [...] thou be not guilty of vain, idle an [...] worldly discourse: Eat moderately, [...] [Page 99]as not to make thy self dull or drowsie in the remaining Duties of the day, but so that thou may'st return unto them with greater cheerfulness and gladness of heart.

After a little Parenthesis or Breathing, betake thy self again to thy Retirement, and offer up thy Meridian Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving, as well for the Refreshments of thy Body as the Soul; and desire God to go with thee again in­to his House, and to be present with thee by the Assistances of his Holy Spirit, in the remaining Duties of the day, &c.

Then call thy Family together, make each read a Chapter, and read thy self unto them out of some good Book, or explain those places of Scripture they have read; or if thou art not able to do it thy self, make use of an Expositor.

When the time calls thee again to the Church, repair there with cheerfulness, holy Meditations and Ejaculations, be­having thy self there as directed for the Forenoon. When thou returnest home, again give Thanks, meditate on what thou hast heard, and consider whether nothing particular to thy con­dition hath proceeded out of the Mini­sters mouth, which hath been the ef­fect [Page 100]of thy former Prayer; if so, give God thanks that he hath heard thy Prayer, and be sure to make particular Applicati­on of it to thy self.

Spend not the residue of the day (as too many loose and profane persons do) either in Recreations or Pastimes, or (which is worse) at the Taverns and Ale-houses; but either in Reading, Me­dicating, holy Conference, Visiting the Sick, praying either with them, or in private for them, especially for any who have that day desired the Charity of the Publick Prayers: pray also for those Graces thou seest thy self to stand in most need of; as, Faith, Hope, Chasti­ty, Temperance, Patience, Charity, Preseverance, &c.

After Supper call thy whole Family together, examine each person what they have learn'd that day, and make them give thee an account: Encourage those that have done wcll, and reprehend those that have been faulty. If they have not been Catechiz'd at the Church, Catechize them at home, and instruct them in the Principles of Faith and other their Duties. Spend an hour or more in repeating the Sermons, reading to them out of the Bible, or some Practical Au­thor, [Page 101]or causing them to read; and then conclude with a Psalm. Then you may with-draw, and suffer your Family to do so too for a little while, that both your self and they may have time to me­ditate on what hath been read or taught.

Examine now your own Conscience impartially concerning the Sins of O­mission and Commission of the day, and of the Mercies received both Spiritual and Temporal, that so you may beg pardon for the former, and render praises for the latter. Then offer up your pri­vate Evening Devotions, which being done, prepare your self for publick Pray­er in your Family, by Meditation, not only of the subject Matter of your Pe­titions, but even of the most accomo­dated Expressions, especially if you do not pray by a Form; and if you do, you may before-hand consider of a conveni­ent place to insert such Petitions, as ei­ther the extraordinary occasions of the day, or the particular necessities of any of your Family require, which you should be watchful over to understand. Then close the duties of this day with your publick Family Prayers, in which you may find a place also to insert a Re­petition of some profitable Truths that [Page 102]you have learned from the Minister: You may pray against that Vice that hath been condemned, or for that Grace which hath been commended, and desire God to write his Law in your inward parts, and to give you all Grace to practise it in your Lives and Conversations. Pray to God also for the pardon of your Frail­ties and Imperfections in the discharge of your holy Duties: That he would bless his Minister that hath this day bles­sed you, that he would pour down a double portion of his Spirit into his heart, and make him an eminent Instrument for his glory; and finally may so live, and so preach, that he may both save himself, and them that hear him. Pray also that he would continue such his spi­ritual Mercies towards you, and make you to grow in knowledg, and to be more fruitful under all the means of Grace, that so his Word may be unto you the savour of Life unto Life, and not to any Soul of you, the savour of death unto death, &c.

Thus shalt thou sanctifie this day unto the Lord, and the Lord will sanctifie thee unto himself: He will give thee of the blessings of this Life and that which is to come: Remember the words [Page 103]of the Prophet Isaiah, ch. 58.13, 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my Holy day, and call the Sabbath a Delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shalt ho­nour him, not doing thy own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou de­light thy self in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the Earth, and feed thee with the heri­tage of Jacob thy Father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Of the holy Sacrament.

SHould I here go about to enume­rate the many great benefits of this holy Mystery, I might in the next page also reckon up all the benefits of Physick, Meat, and Drink; for what there are to the Body, the other is to the Soul: Meat and Drink are the Suppor­ters of our Beings, strengthen the Pow­ers and Abilities of the Body, preserve its natural heat and vigor, and repair its decays; and our Saviour saith of this [Page 104]Holy Sacrament, my Flesh is Meat in­deed, and my Blood is Drink indeed; such as will not only like Meat strength­en and nourish, but like Drink (or Wine) comfort, encourage and revive even drooping, dying Souls: It came down from Heaven, and it is of Efficacy suffi­cient to translate us thither; and as the Body being but a little deprived of Food, languishes, and at last expires; even so is it with the Soul, being deprived of this spiritual Sustenance (which is said to nourish the Soul unto Life everlasting) it immediately grows sick, and at length dead unto all good Works: And then as the Body by too great plenty of feeding at last contracts Corruption and Diseases, and hath need of some Physick to cleanse and purifie it, and to preserve the Blood from dangerous putrefactions, even so is it with the Soul, which by conversing with the pleasures and delights of the World is apt to contract some stain and foulness, which may here in this sacred Fountain be washed away and cleansed, and the Soul by this Antidote preserved from future Corruptions.

It is not my design here to acquaint you with the nature, use, and end of this Sublime Mystery, or with the man­ner [Page 105]of worthy receiving it; this being a Province above my low Sphere or Capa­city, and already so exactly done by the Learned and Pious Authors of the Christian Sacrifice, Whole Duty of Man, Method of Private Devotions, &c. to which I refer you. All that I shall say in it, is to endeavour to press you to the frequency of communicating, which if we consider the Will and Command of Christ, Luke 22.19. our continual wants and necessities, and the great and inesti­mable benefits we reap by it, we should not think our selves excused from any opportunity that offers it self, but ra­ther court every one, and if it be in our power, make it rather than want it; for certainly if thou be a good Christian, thou wilt think every return too slow, and confess with David, That as the Hart panteth after the Rivers of Waters, so panteth thy Soul after God: That thy Soul is athirst for God, even for the living God, when shalt thou come and appear before him.

And if thou, not knowing it before­hand, come into a Congregation where the Table is spread, or art sodainly invited to communicate with a sick or dying person, I cannot see how thou [Page 106]canst turn thy Back upon that sacred Ordinance, although thy preparations are not according to the Sanctuary, or so strict as they ought to have been, hadst thou had timely notice thereof. Sup­posing thee therefore to be one who lives in an habitual preparation, (that is) in a daily Examination of thy Conscience, and calling thy self to an account of thy Sins, and in a constant performance of Religious duties, and even now lament­ing that thou hast not more time to pre­pare thy self, so that what is wanting in Act is made up in Desire, thou may'st undoubtedly draw near with comfort, and receive as worthily (though not per­haps so much to thy own satisfaction) as if thou hadst made a greater and more solemn preparation: and I must tell thee, who ever thou art, that unless thou art thus always ready to receive, thou art in no wise prepared to die; which that thou maist be, I shall in the next Section set down some short Rules and Directions, which may help thee towards it.

Remote Preparations for Death.

THere is nothing so much sharpens the sting of Death, and adds great­er malignity and venom to it than the want of due Consideration of it before­hand, and Preparation for it. Inex­pertata plus aggravant, novitasadjicit calamitatibus pondus. Senec. Epist. 91. The suddenness and surprize of an evil adds to the weight and smart of it. Death we are told is an enemy, 1 Corinth. 15.26. and (you know) to be surprized by an Enemy puts all into tumult and confusion, and permits not the free use of that reason and conduct that we should otherwise have had upon a timely monition and preparation: Nay we are told that it is the last enemy, and be­ing to fight but this one battle, it will be the greatest imprudence in the World not to muster up all our forces, not to make all the provision we can before-hand, that we be not worsted in this last Con­flict: Non licet in bello his peccare: To fail once here is to fail for ever: And we shall never have any opportunity more to rectify a former fault. And therefore [Page 108]that you may not miscarry in so moment­ous a concern, take and follow these brief Directions. First in the time of your greatest health carry your self with the greatest innocency, watchfulness, and circumspection. Endeavour to keep your Soul in an habitual frame and tem­per of piety continually; abstain from the commission of any known Sin, and do not that at any time, which if God should then call for thee (for no Man hath any assurance that he shall not die suddainly) thou wouldst not be ashamed to be found doing. If a sharp Sickness seizes our Bodies whilst we have a load of guilt upon our Souls, what consternati­on and terrour does it strike unto us? Our Sins stare us in the face, our Consci­ences accuse us, our faces are appaled, and our thoughts Distracted, to think that if this Sickness should prove our last, we must certainly not only be excluded from God's presence for evermore, but have our portion with Devils and Reprobates, in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone to all eternity.

2. In the time of thy greatest health be frequent in the meditation of Sickness and Death. Si sapis, utaris totis, Co­line, diebus extremumque tibi semper [Page 109]ad esse puta. Martial. It was the pas­sionate Wish of Moses, Deut. 32.29. O that Men were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their lat­ter end! The consideration of our latter end before-hand is the very [...], the highest pitch of wisdom and understand­ing: and on the contrary the putting far from us the evil day is the perfection of folly. It is reported of Bilney the Martyr, that he used some time before his Martyr­dom to acquaint himself with the heat and burning of a Candle, that the great­er flames might not be novel and strange unto him at the time of his Suf­fering. The Grave would be no surprize to us if we did sometimes in our Health descend there in our thoughts and medi­tations. Praecogitati mali mollis ictus venit. Senec. Ep. 76. Thou may'st there­fore sometimes when thou art in thy re­tirement fancy thy self to be then Arrest­ed with thy last Sickness, and consider then what thou would'st do, and how thou would'st behave thy self in it: I­magine thy sickness long and tedious, thy pains violent, thy nights wearisome and restless; think that thou seest thy helpless Friends mourning about thy Bed, and thy hands so feeble that thou [Page 110]canst not stretch them forth to take thy last farwell of them; and at length find­est thy Spirits quite Languishing, thy Eye-strings Cracking, Cold sweats be­dewing thy Face, and thy extream parts growing chill and dead, and thy Soul just taking it's flight to appear in the presence of God. Believe it, This is more than Romantick Story, or an Ima­ginary thing, and 'tis only a fancy with relation to the difference of time, other­wise a great reality.

Thou may'st proceed farther likewise with these Considerations: Probably I may die a suddain death, and may possi­bly be snatch'd hence before I have time to make my peace with God, if I do it not now in the time of my health; and then how shall I be of all men the most miserable: It is but the just reward of my demerits for trifling away so much precious time as was allotted me for that purpose: I know many have died sud­dainly, a Syncope, Imposthume, or an A­poplexy, a small Obstruction in my Veins or Arteries, a Stone falling from the top of a House, a fall from my Horse, a Thousand casualties and accidents may take me off, or if I have the favour of a Death-bed, probably my pains may be [Page 111]so sharp, a Lethargy or Phrensy may seize my head, and dethrone my reason, or my thoughts may be so distracted, and in confusion, that I may be altogether un­fit then to perform the great Work of repentance, or secure my peace with God: therefore take up holy Job's reso­lutions, Job 14.14. All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change shall come.

3. In the time of thy greatest Health lay up in store a stock of proper Graces against the time of Sickness and Death. In the time of peace and quietness we dis­cover no want of our Armour, but let an Enemy invade us, we are sensible of the folly of our neglect, because we are now destitute of that which should secure us in our greatest necessity. If we pro­vide not before-hand a stock of Faith, and Patience, and most Christian Fortitude and Resolution; Armour to shield, and Weapons to repel the Frauds and Encoun­ters of our great Assailant the Devil, which will then take all advantages of our weakness, we must certainly be foiled in the Combate. The Graces then to be ex [...]cised are chiefly these, Faith, Hope R [...]p [...]ntance, Patience, Devotion, and Charity, of which I shall speak more [Page 112]Particularly when I shew you this manner of exercising them on your Death-bed.

4. Set not your Affections too much on the World, and the vanities of it, but wean your self from them by degrees, lest at last your heart come to be so uni­ted to them, that you cannot think of leaving them without great Reluctancy, and you be apt with the Disciple to talk of building Tabernacles here and set your Affections on things on the Earth more than things of Heaven; therefore Love not the World nor the things of the World; Lay not your Affections that way more than a natural conveniency requires: put now your House in order, and di­spose of your outward concerns, prudent­ly, piously, charitably, ‘(Insere nunc Maelibaee, pyros; pone ordine vites.)’ that so when you come to die, you may have nothing else to do but to die; Emori satis est, and having nothing else, to do it well: This alone will exact our greatest care, our greatest diligence.

5. Lastly, In the time of thy health be frequent in prayer unto God, that he will fit and prepare thee for that fiery Tryal, that so Death find thee not un­provided. [Page 113]Pray often for those Graces that thou shalt then have occasion to make use of, that so, When this Earthly Tabernacle of thy Body shall be dessolved, thou may'st have a Building with God, not made with hands, but Eternal in the Heavens.

Of the Proximate Preparations for Sickness and Death.

FIrst, Therefore when it shall please God to visit thee with Sickness, [...]hink thus, This Sickness will put a pe­ [...]od to my days; I shall now go to the [...]ates of the Grave, whence I shall not [...]eturn; but before it comes to that, I [...]ust pass through a tedious Sickness, and [...]ost acute Pains; but however, be it [...]hat it will, I resolve by Gods Assi­ [...]ance, patiently to undergo it, and [...]eerfully to submit to Gods Will and [...]easure in it: My Sins have deserved [...]uch more, Thy will (O Lord) be done [...] Earth as it is in Heaven.

If thy Distemper will suffer it, before [...]ou takest thy Bed, kneel down and [Page 114]pray to God that he will sanctifie unto thee this his Fatherly Chastisement, give thee a cheerful patience under it, and convert this thy Sickness into the advan­tages of Holiness and Religion; that he will strengthen thy Faith, encourage thy Hope, support thy Weakness, pity thy Infirmities; and that being tried, thou may'st come out of thy Affliction as Gold out of the Fire, more pure and more refined, and more fit for thy Ma­sters use: Or if he hath in his Wisdom o­therwise disposed, that he will be unto thee in death as well as in life advantage That he will not suffer thee to be temp [...] ­ed above what thou art able, but with the Temptation will make a way for the to escape, that thou may'st be able [...] bear it. That he will arm thee again [...] all the Subtilties and Assaults of the De­vil, and discover to thee the sin for which he now sees it fit to afflict thee; an [...] make an absolute surrender of thy se [...] unto Gods all-wise disposal.

2. As soon as thou art in thy Bed, an [...] hast leisure and privacy, begin whil [...] thou hast strength, and the free use [...] thy Reason (which possibly in some acu [...] Distempers thou may'st not long enjoy to renew thy Repentance, taking a fre [...] [Page 115]survey of all thy Capital Sins (which the former Catalogue will help thee in) and of any others lately committed by thee, remembring that God never corrects but for Sin; When thou with rebukes (saith David) dost chasten Man for sin: Psalm. 39.11. These again hum­bly confess to Almighty God, acknow­ledg thy de-merits, and the justice of his proceeding, and most earnestly im­plore his pardon.

3. Next exercise thy Faith by a sted­fast recumbency on God (through Jesus Christ) for the full pardon of all thy sins, and resting upon those gracious promises of his that he hath made: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as Snow; though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as Wooll: Isa. 1.18. That God will never leave thee, nor forsake thee; Heb. 13.5. That Jesus Christ is the propitiation for thy sins, and that in him God hath said, He is well pleased; Math. 3.17. That God will deliver thy Soul from going down to the pit, because he hath found a Ransom; Job. 33.24. and will cer­tainly give thee Eternal Salvation, if thou continue faithful unto Death. Be­lieve also that God is wise and just in [Page 116]sending thee Afflictions, that he wil not suffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able: That all things shall work together for good, to them that love God; Rom. 8.28. That if thou live, thou shalt live to him, and if thou die, Death shall be unto thee advantage: In a word, firmly believe all those Truths that thou did'st believe and wert perswa­ded of in the time of thy greatest health.

4. The next Grace now to be exercised is Hope, which is nothing else but a com­fortable expectation of the performances of all those good promises made, unto thee by God. Job assures us that the hope of the Hypocrite shall perish, be­cause it was not founded upon a good bottom, he continued in his sins, and yet hoped for Mercy: But thou hast re­pented of thy sins, and purified thy self from them, quite forsaken them, and therefore thy hope is such as maketh thee not ashamed, but thou may'st be assured that thou art of the number of those Righteous ones, Who have hope in their death; Prov. 14.32.

Fifthly, Exercise throughout the whole course of thy Sickness, Prayer and Devotion. This is a time of trou­ble, [Page 117]and God bids us then to call upon him; and to encourage us, hath pro­mised to hear us; Psalm. 5.15. besides as we have now greater needs than ever, so for the most part the Devotion of every pious Soul is at this time raised to a greater height, and accompanied with more fervency and humility than in the time of his greatest health: Therefore frequently Pray and Ejaculate unto God, as thou findest the temper of thy Soul re­quires; whether it be for support under thy weaknesses against despondencies, im­patience, distractions or confusions of Mind, whether for Revelations of his Goodness and Irradiations of his Love and Favour; and if thou art a constant Rea­der and Meditator of Gods Word, thou canst not want suitable Expressions out of that rich Treasury, the Holy Bible. You may find some cull'd out for that purpose in the subsequent pages, and in The Whole Duty of Man many more: But if thy Devotion be not so much ex­alted as thou would'st have it, remem­ber this is a time for Passion, not Action, and God will accept thee.

6. Exercise likewise throughout the whole time of thy Sickness Christian pa­tience: You have need of Patience; saith [Page 118]the Apostle, Heb. 10.36. That when you have done all, you may inherit the promises: Now is the chief use of this grace, therefore you cannot want it: It is that which crowns all the rest: This discovers it self by a cheerful submission to Gods Fatherly Correction, justifying God, and condemning thy self; saying with the Psalmist, Thou hast punished me less than my sins have deserved: or with the Prophet, I will bear the In­dignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him; Micah 7.9. or with good old Ely, It is the Lord, let him do as it seemeth him good: Or with the Apostle, Chasten me here as thou pleas­est, that I be not condemned with the World. And then resting in a cheerful Expectation that God will convert all to thy good, and that he will be to thee both in life and death advantage, taking up holy Job's resolve; That tho he kill thee, thou wilt trust in him; Job. 13.5. and that tho thou walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thou wilt fear no Evil: Psalm. 23.4.

Submit to the Rules of thy Physician, and be kind and courteous (not peevish as too many are) towards thy Attendants, and all that come to see thee, and give [Page 119]them and thy Family good Instructions, [...]eeing those that are spoken from a Friend on a dying Bed stick closest [...]f any: Be sure no word drop from thee of repining or murmuring against Gods dispensations towards thee, but let thy words be sueh as tend to the use of E­difying; and in all things behave thy [...]elf, as if thou wert giving up the Ghost [...]he next moment.

Be willing and content to die: say as St. Paul did, I desire to be dissolved and [...]o be with Christ, which is best of all: or as David, Like as the Hart desireth the Water-brooks, so longeth my Soul aftee thee, O God.

My soul is athirst for God, even for the living God; when shall I come and appear before the presence of God?

O that I had Wings like a Dove, for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

Thou art my Helper and my Redeemer, O Lord make no long tarrying.

Last of all exercise thy Charity (not as if thou wert not to use it all along, but now more particularly) give and for­give: Beg pardon for any injury done thy Neighbour, and if it be in thy pow­er, make restitution for any Offence that is capable of it; if not, beg God to [Page 120]accept of thy Intentions, and to pay thy debt in Blessings: Forgive from thy heart all others who have injured thee, as thou expectest to be forgiven by God.

When thou shalt find thy strength fail, and Death approaching, say, or e­jaculate thus:

Lord Jesus receive my Soul.

Into thy hands I commend my Spirit, for thou hast redeemed it, O Lord, tho [...] God of Truth.

Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Remedies against some particular Temp­tations of the Devil in the time of Sickness.

THe Devil is so delusory and subtil a Spirit, that like the cunning An­gler he loves to fish in Troubled Waters, and takes all Advantages of our weaknesses and disturbances of mind to insnare us; and then most strongly assails us when we have the least power to resist him: There was a time when Satan did sus­pend his Tyranny, sit close in the heart [Page 121]feeding on those lusts he found there, without any outward shew of violence; (Certa quiscendi tempora fata dabant.) But now he awakes as a Lion out of sleep, and as a young Lion greedy of his prey, ready to tear the poor Languishing Soul in pieces, calls in all his powers and artifices, because he knows that he hath but a short time, and if he miss this op­portunity he must then let it alone for ever. Therefore it will be very necessary that you pre-arme your self against his Objections or Assailings; and they may be such as these.

1. First, He may assail thee by setting before thee the multitude and hainous­ness of thy Sins, that they are so many and so great that thou canst not expect that God should pardon them, and so endeavour to draw thee to a desponden­cy of God's mercy. But then presently oppose this Temptation of his by calling to Mind the multitude and infinitness of God's mercies, which cannot be out-numbred by our Sins, nor out-weighed by our most presumptuous transgressions. Remember that place of Micah. 7 and 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardon­eth iniquity, and passeth by the trans­gressions of thine heritage? Who retain­eth [Page 122]not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy: and that other in Isa. 1.18. Though your Sins were as Scarlet, they shall be white as Snow; though they be Red like Crimson, they shall be as Wooll. Consider also that the greatest Sinners repenting have found Mercy, as Manasses, Mary Magdelen, Peter, Paul, yea the Thief on the Cross, who at the last breath found mercy.

2. The Devil may in the time of thy Sickness assail thee by setting before thee the Strictness and Severity of God's Ju­stice, and tell thee, It is true God is mer­ciful indeed, but he is just too; Zephan. 3.5. Psal. 92, 15. And he will not let the Wicked go unpunished; his justice runs parallel with his mercy; and as the one is infinite, so is the other too. To this oppose Christ's full and compleat Satisfaction: Indeed by the Law no Man could be justified, but Christ was made a Curse for us that he might redeem us from the Curse of the Law. That he might receive the Adoption of Sons, Gala. 3.13. Christ by one Oblation of himself once offered, made a full, perfect, and sufficient Sacrifice, Oblation, and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole [Page 123]World. Christ himself will answer for thee: These are mine, and shall be made up with my Jewels, for their transgressi­ons was I stricken and cut off from the Earth, for them was I bruised and put to grief; my Soul was made an offering for their Sins, and I bare their trans­gressions; they are my seed, and the travel of my Soul: I have healed them by my Stripes, I have justified them by my Knowledge; they are my sheep, who shall take them out of my hands?

3. Satan may object that thou hast no part in these promises, because thou art not elected. To this oppose God's free Covenant; all are invited to receive mercy, God excludes none but such as exclude themselves: Ho, every one that thirsteth come ye to the Waters, and drink, is the Language of God by the Prophet: Isa. 55.1. Nay our blessed Saviour confirms it also, John. 7.37. If any (excluding none) Man thirst, let him come unto me and drink: and again in the 55. of Isa. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous Man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly par­don. [Page 124]And so in the 33. of Ezekiel 11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the Wicked; but that the Wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your, evil way, for why will ye die, O house of Israel? And therefore if thou be one that hath turned from thy evil ways, never di­spute thy election, but as sure as God lives, and that his Oath and Word are Truth, so sure shalt thou live with him in ever­lasting bliss and happiness; and therefore here thou may'st call to mind some of the fruits of thy Faith that thou hast at any time found in the Course of thy Life, and thence comfort thy drooping Soul; concluding that thou art certainly of the number of those that are ordain­ed to Salvation.

4. Fourthly, The Devil may perhaps endeavour to perswade thy Soul that be­cause thou art as it were in some kind of desertion, and wantest that clear evi­dence which formerly thou hadst, by reason of Gods present dealings with thee, that God is not thy God, that thy un­pardoned Sins causeth him now to hide his Face from thee in thy greatest Ex­tremity, and that he will no more be intreated by thee.

Indeed if thou hast not repented of thy Sins, the Devil's argument is good; but if thou hast, the Testimony of thy Conscience, that thou hast truly repent­ed of all thy sins, and that in simplicity and godly sincerity, thou hast had thy conversation in this life; never be dis­couraged, but assure thy self, that though God seems to hide himself from thee, yet he has no other design in it but to try thee, and the strength of thy Faith, thy Christian courage and resolution: This will be but for a short time, and then the sweetness of his re­turn will abundantly compensate for his short with-drawing: For a small moment (saith God) Isa. 54.7. have I forsaken thee, but with great Mercies will I gather thee. Job had sufficient confi­dence of the return of God's favour and mercy, though for the present there was no manifest appearance of it, but lay under the greatest pressure of affliction that a poor mortal could bear; and was advised, because God had forsaken him, to curse God and die; and therefore with a generous and noble Spirit resolves that though he kill him yet will he trust in him, Job. 13.15. Holy David's faith and courrage was no less, when he could [Page 126]confidently say, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death yet will I fear none evil; Psalm. 23.4. I have read of a Martyr that during the time of his Imprisonment, being under some trouble of Mind, had often besought God for some irradiations of his Love and Favour, and that he would send him the Comforter, but could receive nothing of it, but rather more disquiet and anxiety of mind, but yet he was resolved to wait God's leisure, which he did; and when he was fastened to the Stake, he cries out with a heart too full of joy to express it in larger terms: He is come: He is come. I shall conclude this with the words of the Prophet Isaiah, ch. 50.10. Though a Man walk in darkness and see no light, yet may he trust in the Lord, and lean upon his God.

Of Meditation.

IT is the Character as well as the Pra­ctice of a good Man, That he delights himself in the Law of the Lord, and in that Law he doth meditate Day and Night Psalm. 1.2. Meditation is the consequence or effect of delight, and [Page 127]what any man loves and delights in, he is often thinking and meditating up­on; and certainly much Reading with­out Meditation, seems to favour more of formality and custom, than of any real delight in it.

Reading is like the Manducation or Chewing of our Food, and Meditation as the Concoction of it: and if both these go before, there is no doubt of a good and salutary Reflection to follow; and as one affords wholsome laudible Chyle for the nourishment of the Body, so will the other give forth strength and spiritu­al Refreshment for the Soul. But if a Man have the Lientery, that his Meat pass from him quickly and unchanged, what strength and vigor of Body is he like to receive by it? He may indeed eat more than a sounder Man, but he will draw thence but a small, faint and languishing Nutriment: Even so is it with such as have this Spiritual Boulimos, who have great Appetites and strong De­sires after Reading and Hearing, but they never suffer it to digest, it sudden­ly passes through them, and the poor Soul is like to starve in the midst of so much plenty. Meditatin is stiled by a Learned Author [...], a kind of aug­mentation, [Page 128] ‘a beating out of the Gold into Plate and Wire: An Enlargement of the Object we look upon, which by our continual Survey of the Beauty of it, we make it more clear and visi­ble than before.’ Our study and de­sire of this holy Exercise wants no op­portunity of time and place, Sed inter medios Rerum actus invenit aliquid va­cui. In the midst of our Employments and Business finds leisure, and makes its Closet in the very Streets. I cannot therefore think any person totally ex­cused from this Duty: Indeed those whose leisure is greater, and opportu­nities more, God will expect more from: According to that of the Apostle, Luke. 12.48. Ʋnto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; but if thou hast less time, and thy occa­sions are more pressing, yet thou may'st cast in thy Symbole, thy Mite too, and no doubt but God will accept it.

Meditation, I take to be a serious Co­gitation or Consideration of any Divine or Spiritual Subject, and a particular Ap­plication of it to our selves, so as to work upon, and raise our Affections.

It is not a meer Employment of the Brain, but an Act of the Heart, and en­gages [Page 129]the Affections and all the Powers of the Soul. Of it there are two sorts, the one set and deliberate, the other occasi­onal or sudden. Both these have a large Field to walk in, and are as unconfined as the Matter and Subjects of them are; but principally the former is taken up in Contemplation of the Love, Wisdom, Power, Justice, and other Attributes of God: in Consideration of the great and miraculous Love of Jesus Christ in his Incarnation, miserable (yet senseless) Life, bitter Death, Resurrection, A­scension, continual Intercession, and all the benefits of our Redemption; of the Miseries of Life, the Certainty of Death, and Uncertainty of the Time of it; the glory of Gods Saints; the dreadfulness of Judgment, the Terrors of Hell: Or else in Meditating of any part of Gods ho­ly Word, &c.

The latter is only conversant about sudden and occasional things, whereby the busie active Soul makes particular Applications and Reflections, according as the Subject or Occasion offers it self.

The benefits of both these are very great. Meditatio quasi mentis ditatio. Meditation is an inriching of the Soul. By this means you have a sufficient Treasu­ry [Page 130]or Stock of Scripture, fit for all Occa­sions and Conditions, to strengthen your Faith, to encourage your Hope, to in­cite your Love, both to be the matter of, and also to quicken your Devotions, and to comfort you in all your Tryals and Afflictions, &c.

I shall begin with the former of these, set or deliberate Meditation, and here according to my slender capacity, I shall give you some brief Instructions for it, and Examples of it.

This work is of all others the most spiritual and sublime, and therefore the person most fit for this Heavenly Employ is the most holy, most heavenly Chri­stian. He only can extract the Elixir and Quintessence from this precious Mi­neral.

As to the time and place for your Me­ditation, it matters not much, so you make choice of that time when you may have the greatest vacancy and recess from your worldly Concerns and Busi­ness, and when the Temper of your Body and Mind is most fit for Contem­plation, and that place where you may have the most privacy and retirement. Nunquam minus solus, quam cum solus; said Scipio Africanus

The time of Isaack's Meditation was in the Evening, and the place was the Field; Gen. 24.63. David's time was at Midnight, and in the Bed; Psalm. 63.6. Our blessed Saviour (we read) used both these times, Matth. 14.23. Mark 1.35. His place was either in a Mountain, Wilderness, or solitary Garden; insomuch that even Judas when he came to betray him, knew where to find him, John. 18.1, 2. And though he took his Disciples there with him, yet he separated himself from them, for more private Devotions; Luk. 22.41. And though his Meditation be not direct­ly named, but only his Praying, yet it is very clearly implied, Matth. 26.38, 39. his Soul is first made sorrowful with the bitter Meditations on his Death and Sufferings, and then he poureth it out in Prayer; Mark. 14.34. Our Saviour then had an accustomed place, for this accustomed Duty, whose holy Example we ought to imitate: And if thou be a Man who canst dispose of thy Affairs at thy pleasure, it will be convenient at least, that thou observe the same time for this holy Exercise. A stated time is a hedg to Duty, and defends it from many Temptations to Omission.

The more frequent thou art in it the better, because seldom conversing with God, will create a strangeness betwixt thy Soul and him, and will take off much of that life, heat, and pleasure, which thou formerly hadst in the discharge of this Duty.

Being then retired at a convenient time to this solitary place, which thou choosest for thy Meditation, endeavour in the first place to disband all vain and worldly thoughts, and to work up thy Soul to a due frame and temper of seri­ousness; to help which, thou may'st use this or the like short Prayer.

LEt the words of my Mouth, and the Meditations of my Heart, be now and always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer.

O Most gracious God, without whom I am not able so much as to think a good thought; be thou pleased to be present with me at this time, by the preventings and assistances of thy holy Spirit, that the course of my Meditati­on may be guided aright, and blessed: Remove from me all Distractions by worldly Thoughts, enlighten my Judg­ment, [Page 133]quicken my Invention, rectifie my Will, and increase my Affection to heavenly Things, that my Heart may be more enlarged towards thee, and my De­votion so enkindled, that I may find my Corruptions abated, and my Graces thriven, and my Life every way better­ed by this holy Exercise. Grant this, O Lord, for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.

Next consider seriously with your self, what the thing is whereof you meditate, and endeavour rightly to understand it in its definition, then proceed to the divi­sion and explication of it: from thence, if it be an Attribute of God, proceed to the Admiration and Love of God, for such his infinite Perfections; and if it be such as is imitable, stedfastly resolve to seek to attain it in part, which thou canst not in degrees; if it be a Vertue thou art meditating of, represent it to thy Soul in the most amiable dress, by comparing it with the contrary deformi­ties of Vice. If a Vice uncover its na­kedness, and shew all its ugliness and evil consequences; freely confess thy former Follies, resolve against it, and beg Gods Assistance against future Back­slidings. If it be Mercies or Providences [Page 134]thou art meditating of, be sure to men­tion all the Circumstances of them, and to raise thy Soul to the highest pitch of gratitude for them: And in all these re­member that if the Sacrifice wants a Heart, it will not be accepted by God; never therefore leave considering and meditating, until thou hast ingaged thy Heart and Affections in the Work.

Throughout the whole time of thy Meditation, be frequent in Soliloquies and Ejaculations, and at length conclude all with Thanksgiving, and recommend­ing thy self to God.

It will be impossible for me (and I think for any other) to prescribe an exact method for proceeding in this Duty, be­cause of the different matter and various subjects of Meditation: Every pious Soul after some constancy in it, will know best how to adapt it to his own greatest profit. However take in good part (Reader) those following Exemplifica­tions.

The Thanksgiving after Meditation.

O Blessed God, the fountain of all Mer­cies, I give thee most humble and hearty Thanks for this present Expressi­on [Page 135]of thy love and kindness, for the As­sistances of thy holy Spirit, and inward Comforts which I have now received by [...]his holy Exercise.

O that Men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and declare the wonders [...]hat he doth for the Children of Men; for he satisfieth the empty Soul, and filleth the hungry Soul with goodness: Grant me, O Lord, an unweariedness in well-doing, and let it be the delight and joy of my Soul to do thy will; and let thy comforts always encourage and refresh my Soul. Pardon, O Lord, all my sins, pity all my Infirmities, especially those of my present performances; and receive me into thy gracious protection, both now and ever; through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Divine Meditations.

Concerning Gods Omnipresence.

BY the Omnipresence or Ubiquity of God, is meant Gods being present in every place, and at all times. Gods most glorious presence is in the highest Heavens, where he is en­circled with Myriads of Angels, and beautifi'd Spirits, who continually be­hold and admire his Majesty and Glory; yet he is not here Circum Scriptivè, or as confined only to that place (for then he were not God) but he is here also on the lowest Earth, and we daily discover him in his Providences: Nay he is in Hell too, and that the Devil and Dam­ned discover by their Torments; his Center is every where, and his Circum­ference no where. Though no place can contain him, yet none can exclude [Page 137]him; for he fills Heaven and Earth: [...]rem. 23.24. Whither shall I flee from [...]y presence (saith David) if I ascend [...] into Heaven, thou art there: if I [...]ake my Bed in Hell, behold thou art [...]ere also; Psalm. 139.7, 8.

No place, no time can bound his pre­ [...]nce. The most wild and untrodden [...]aces of the Desart, the solitary Caves [...]nd Recesses of the Earth, the thickest [...]nd more than Cimmerian darkness of [...]e Night, are no shelter from thy All- [...]eing Eye; the darkness is no darkness [...]ith thee, yea the day and night to [...]ee are both alike; Psalm 139.12.

God is present in the Church, behold­ [...]g our Order and Behaviour there: He [...] present in the Closet, when the door [...] closest shut, to inspect our serious­ [...]ess and devotion there: He is present [...]t our Tables, and at our Merry Meet­ [...]ngs, at our Feasts, and at our Fasts: [...]e is about our Beds, and about our [...]aths; he takes particular notice of all [...]ur Actions, and weighs all our words [...]n a ballance: Nay thoughts, secret [...]houghts, are not hid from him; but he [...]nows them long before we do or can. Our flesh, alas, is too pervious to hinder [...]im from entring into the secret recesses [...]f our hearts.

1. This then should teach thee, O my Soul, to revere and adore the God of such infinite Perfections, and firmly to believe what thou canst not comprehend. We know a humane Body (the perfecti­on of the whole Creation) cannot be in two places at one and the same time, yet (blessed God) I am assured by Faith, and by the constant dispensation of thy Providences in all places, that thou art Omnipresent at the same time: That there is not any Creature that is not manifest in thy sight; Heb. 4.13. but all things are open and naked unto the Eyes of thee, with whom we have to do; for in thee we live and move, and have our being: Acts. 7.28.

2. Thou may'st learn hence, O my Soul, to have continually an awful sense of the Divine Majesty, to tremble at the apprehensions of his presence; Jereu [...]. 5.22. and to behave thy self always as in his sight, not to dare to commit any, even the most minute sin in secret, be­cause God sees, and is present, who will be both thy Witness and thy Judge. How shall I do this Wickedness, saith Joseph, and sin against God? Genesis 39.9. Though no Eye saw him, yet he [Page 139]was conscious that God was a Spectator, and therefore he dares not offend in his presence. Do thou therefore (good God) throughly convince my Soul of this great Truth, that I can never ab­scond my self from thy presence, that thy Eye is watchful over all my Actions; that thy Ear is ever open to hear all my words; and that thou discernest the most secret of my thoughts; that so looking upon thee as a Witness of my whole Conversation, I may always keep a Con­science void of offence towards thee and towards all Men.

3. Be careful, O my Soul, because thou art in the immediate presence of God, to be sincere towards him in all thy Re­ligious Duties, as well private as pub­lick, and approve thy self to thy Fa­ther, who seeth in secret; Matth. 6.6.

4. This will be a comfort to thee, O my Soul, in all the Afflictions, in all the Troubles thou can'st meet withal here in this World. Psal. 91.15. Gen. 17.1. God is present with thee, he sees all thy wants and necessities: He is an All-suffici­ent God, he is able, and will always suc­cour and relieve thee; take up then ho­ly David's resolution, Why art thou [Page 140]cast down, O my Soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? put thy trust in God: Psalm. 42.5. Or that of the Church, Lamen. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, saith my Soul, therefore will I hope in him.

5. This should stir up in thee longing and ardent desires after the full enjoy­ment of his more immediate presence in Heaven, where our joys shall be full, and our pleasures everlasting; Psalm. 16.11. Draw nearer, yet then, O my Soul; Is there in his presence such fulness of joy? Bring forth then thy strongest love towards him that hath prepared such great things for so contemptible Worms as we are: Thy strongest endea­vours to please him here, and desires to enjoy him hereafter. I have had some prelibations or fore-tastes of the sweet­ness of thy presence in Praying, Medi­tating, Hearing thy Word, and Receiving the Holy Sacrament, but these have been incompleat and interrupted: It will not be long before I shall (by his Mercy) be admitted unto a more full, perfect, and compleat enjoying of his more immedi­ate presence, where I shall for ever be­hold his Face, and be united to him, with­out any divorce or separation to all Eter­nity. [Page 141] Eo feror, quocun (que) feror. Nihil aliud velim quam permanere illic in aeternum. St. Aug. Conf. If those Ser­vants were accounted happy that stood continually in the presence of an Earth­ly Prince; 1 Kings 10.8. and if the Twelve Apostles were happy in the en­joyment of the sweet company of our Saviour here on Earth, though in the State of his Humiliation; then thrice happy are those Men and those Servants which shall stand continually before thee in thy Kingdom, who art King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

One day in those Coelestial Courts, is better than a thousand. My Soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord, my Flesh and my Heart rejoyce in the living God.

My Soul thirsteth for thee, my Flesh also longeth after thee, in a barren and dry land, where no water is.

Like as the Hart desireth the VVater brooks, so longeth my Soul after thee, O God.

My Soul is athirst for God, even for the living God; when shall I come and appear before the presence of God.

Of the Mercy of God.

MErcy in God is an Attribute Essen­tial to his Nature, by which he pitieth those that are in Misery, re­lieveth those that are in Necessity, and passeth by many sins and frailties in his Creatures, which he might in Justice severely punish.

Mercy and Misery are relatives, and were there no Want nor Trespass, there needed no Mercy.

Mercy is either in the Affection or Ex­pression: In the Affection it is termed Bowels of Mercy: in the Expression, Works of Mercy.

The former God always hath; for it is one of his principal Attributes, and cannot be separated from him, no not at the time when he is in the Executi­on of his Justice; for when his hand strikes, his heart (as I may so speak) melts and pities, and his Bowels yearn within him; like a merciful Judge who at the same time (being compell'd by [Page 143]justice) that he condemns the Criminal, relents in his heart for him. In the very midst of Judgment God remembers Mercy.

The latter, every Man living hath daily fresh Experiences of in the plenti­ful Largesses of his undeserved Bounty. That thou yet livest, is an unparallell'd Mercy; for thou mightest have been now in Hell, beyond the Hopes of any more Mercy, as well as many thousands who perhaps have deserved it less than thy self.

It is of the Lords Mercy that we are not consumed; Lam. 3.22. Should I go about to enumerate the variety of Gods Mercies towards us as Men, and as Chri­stians, I might in the next page recount (what the Philosopher foolishly attempt­ed) the sands of the Sea-shore, or the drops of the Ocean. Gods Mercies to­wards us, as they are undeserved, so they are free; he hath no other motive than what proceeds from his own goodness and pleasure; He hath Mercy on whom he will have Mercy: Rom. 9.18.

Alass, there is nothing in us that could invite his Mercy, but our own misery and wretchedness: he pitied us [Page 144]when we lay in our blood, and said un­to us, live.

God's mercy is universal, illimitable: His mercy is over all his Works; Psalm. 145.9. The wicked as well as the godly daily taste of his mercies; for he sendeth Rain upon the just, and the unjust; Matt. 5.45. but yet his Mercy is more special to­wards his Elect Servants: 1 Tim. 1.16. for those he hath mercies, tender mercies; yea multitudes of tender mercies: Psalm. 51.1.

God is great in mercy, Psalm. 119.156. 2 Sam. 24.14. He is rich in Mercy: Eph. 2.4.

The duration and constancy of God's mercy, it is for everlasting; Psal. 100. ul [...] 136.1.

God is delighted in mercy. He is mercy in the abstract, and therefore David calls him: his mercy. Psal. 59.10.

It it said that Mercy rejoyceth (or tri­umpheth) over Judgment; 2 Jam. 2.13. as if there were a pretty kind of contention between them, and mercy had gotten the upper-hand. [...], God in the Se­cond Commandment threatens to punish to the third and fourth Generation, but his mercy extendeth to thousands. There is no perfection in God the Acts of which are more manifest, than in that of his Mercy: Let us Consider it's opposite, [Page 145]Justice: How few Acts can we find of this, for multitudes of his mercies? And when he does smite, how many warnings doth he give before-hand? How long is he whet­ting his Sword, and lifting up his hand to strike? He seems even to lay aside his Omnisciency, that he might be frustrated in doing this work, This his strange Work: Isaiah 28.21. I will go down (saith God) and see if their wickedness be altogether so great as the Cry which is come up unto me: and if not, I will know: Genes. 18.21. God delighteth in mercy: Micah. 7.18. But it grieves him to the very heart (if I may so speak) when he is forced to execute his Justice. Dolet Deus quoties cogitur esse Deus. Who is there that can say he hath been punished according to his demerits? Nay, canst thou find out any Act of his Justice which hath not an Alloy or Mixture of his Mercy? for his tender mercies are over all his Works. Psal. 145.9.

1. Learn then hence, O my Soul, to ad­mire and adore this infinite perfection of Almighty God, and to labour after a due Sense and Consideration of it, that rhou mayst glorifie him for it.

2. Learn hence to acknowledge God's mercy in all that thou hast, and dost en­joy. [Page 146]All thy mercies come from him; 1 Chron. 29.14. What hast thou which thou hast not received from his benign hand? Every good gift comes down from above; James. 1.17. and St. Paul tells us, 2 Corinth. 1.3. That he is the Father of all mercies; and certainly if we are duti­ful Children, we shall not suffer the re­membrance of them to be buried in un­grateful silence: but as the Heart will be filled with the sense, so will the mouth with the acknowledgment of his Mercies. Who can express the noble Acts of the Lord, or shew forth all his praise? Psal. 106.2. Oh how great is the Sum of them? If we tell them, they are more in number than the Sand: Psal. 139.17, 18.

Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me praise his Holy Name: Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits.

3. And is God so merciful? Then this, O my Soul, should teach thee humility, and to have low thoughts of thy self. If thou wert not miserable, thou hadst no need of Mercy: If thou wert righteous, 'twere but justice to receive good from the hands of God, not mercy. Every parti­cular blessing I enjoy is the fruit and ef­fect of the mercy of God, and ought to each me a Lesson of Humility.

Many Stripes, many Judgments in­deed have I deserved, but I must confess with holy Jacob, That I am not worthy of the least of all his Mercies: Gen. 32.10.

4. Is God a God of such infinite Mer­cies? This then should teach thee, O my Soul, in all thy difficulties and distresses, in all thy wants and necessities to, have recourse unto him, to rest and depend upon him.

The Angel of the Lord, saith holy David, tarrieth round about them that fear him; Psal. 34.7. and delivereth them: And Psal. 34.22. The Lord de­livereth the Souls of his Saints, and all that put their trust in him, shall not be destitute.

And as in temporal dangers, so in tem­poral wants we must cast all our care upon him; for he careth for us: 1 Pet. 5.7. They that fear the Lordlack nothing; Psal. 34.9. and v. the 10. They that seek the Lord, shall want no manner of thing that is good. God is a God all-sufficient, and able to help me in my greatest necessi­ties: He is a God rich in Mercy, and will not suffer me to want; therefore I will cast my burden upon him: I will put my trust in him.

5. Is God so Merciful? This should teach me to fear him: This may per­haps seem strange, What shall I fear him, because of his Mercifulness? I have great reason to trust him indeed, and to love him, but shall I fear him for it? Yes certainly we ought to fear him even for his Mercy: There is forgiveness with thee (saith David) therefore thou may'st be feared: Psal. 130.4. and 67. ult. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the Earth shall fear him. Though he forgives, though he blesses, though he shews us mercy, yet we must fear him: Yea, I must needs say, that of all Gods Attributes, Mercy is the dreadfullest; for where-e­ver his Mercy lights, and is neglected, or returns empty, without answering Gods Designs, he will certainly recom­pense his abused Mercy with double Se­verity. Laesa patientia furor fit.

6. Is God thus Merciful? This should teach us to imitate his Mercy, by be­ing merciful to our poor necessitous Bre­thren. Let us imitate it in its universa­lity; it is over all his works: Who is there under the Sun that hath not tasted of it in its reality? He giveth liberally and upbraideth not. It is far from God to do any thing seemingly; 'tis not e­nough [Page 149]to profess Compassion, and to say as those in St. James, ch. 2.16. Depart in peace, be ye warmed, be ye filled, and yet give nothing to cloath or to feed them. But thou shall do according to the Precept in Deuteronomy, ch. 15.10. Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest un­to him. And to encourage thee, take Gods own promise annex'd to it, Because that for this thing, the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy Works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. Thus we must imitate God in being mer­ciful unto all, and in being really merci­ful. All our acts of mercy to our poor Brethren, Christ takes as done to him; Matth. 25.40. In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my Bre­thren, ye have done it unto me. The miseries of my Brethren are my own miseries, and therfore your mercies to them, are in a sense mercies to me.

Lastly, Is God thus merciful? This should teach thee, O my Soul, to be continually praising him for his Mercies. Praise is a Duty incumbent on all the Sons of Men, because that all have tasted of his goodness and his mercy.

Give the Lord, saith David, the ho­nour due unto his Name; Psal. 29.2. Shewing that it is not an arbritrary or vo­luntary act, but a just debt which we owe to God. God not only supplieth, but even daily loadeth us with his bene­fits (as the Psalmist observes) and as he expects no other, so we can make no other retribution unto him, but our Praises and Thanksgivings: O let us ne­ver then defraud him of that so easie Tribute; but let our Hearts be continu­ally filled with the sense, and our Mouths with the acknowledgment of his Mercies.

We confess, O Lord, that we are not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies, and therefore the less we deserve them, the more thou deservest our Praises. O let us not by our ingratitude provoke thee to discontinue thy Mercies, or to shut up thy tender Mercies in displeasure; and so teach us to value them, by ma­king us feel the want of them. Alelu­jah.

Of the certainty of Death and Judgment.

Hebrew 9.27.

And as it it appointed unto Men once to die, but after this the Judgment.

GOD at first Created Man in a state of Innocency, and appointed him Laws to observe, and gave him withal a power to keep them; and to the keeping of which he annexed the continuation of a happy life, and immu­nity from death: and lest his credulous Nature might be too easily imposed up­on to his own and his posterities ruin; lest the ties of Love, and promise of a Reward, were not strong enough to bind him to his Duty and Allegiance; God was pleased to hedg in his way with a denunciation of threatnings and judg­ments, in case he should any way diso­bey those Laws set, and tells him, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eatest thereof, transgressest my commands (for I have told thee positively, thou shalt not eat of it) thou shalt surely die: but Man, de­generate [Page 152]Man, soon cast off his primitive Innocence, violates those Laws, and thereby renders himself and all his poste­rity obnoxious to that Judgment of Death before threatned.

And now God ratifies his former de­nunciation, establishes it by a perpetu­al Decree, That unto dust he shall return; Gen. 3.19. So that now we see whence Death had its first beginning, Rom. 5.12. It is but the product and birth of Sin. Sin having once conceived, never prove abortive, but brings forth Death; James 1.15. It is now appointed unto Men once to die, and as certain as the Decree of God is Irreversible, so certain­ly shall all the Off-spring of Adam, High and Low, Rich and Poor, Learned and Unlearned, descend unto the gates of the Grave, mingle their dust, and pay down their Symbole of Mortality.

Divesne, prisco natus ab Inacho,
Nil interest & infimâ
De gente, sub dio morieris,
Victima nil miserantis orci.
Omnes eo [...]em cogimur, &c.
Horat. Carmin. Lib. 2. Ode 3.

St. Austin observes three kinds of [...]eath: The first, is when God forsakes [...]he Soul; so he forsook Saul, 1 Sam. 6.14. and so he forsook Pharaoh, Exod. [...]13. This Death is also mentioned, Matt. [...].22. Let the dead bury their dead.

The second is, When the Soul for­ [...]kes the Body, which is in the common [...]urse and order of Nature: So Laza­ [...]s died, John. 11.

The last is, When both Body and Soul [...]ffer eternal Death; and this is menti­ [...]ned, Matt. 25.46. and so also, Luke 16. [...]2, 23. The Rich also Man died and was [...]uried, and in Hell he lift up his Eyes [...]eing in torments, &c.

Now Sin is the parent of all these; [...]ut great sins and a state of impenitency [...]nd hardness of heart are the cause that [...]ove God to the first and last: First to [...]rsake the Soul (but not till the Soul [...]rsakes him) next to consign him over [...] that state of Immortal Death.

The second kind of Death is common [...]o the Godly as well as the Wicked, to [...]im that feareth an Oath, as well as [...]im that sweareth; to the Religious, as [...]ell as the Profane; because Gods Decree [...] unchangeable, Eccles. 7.20. and because [...]hat even they also cannot lead [Page 154]a sinless life, but have many sins, many frailties and imperfections, that they can­not totally be freed from, while they live. Death (saith the Apostle) passed upon all Men, for that all have sinned; Rom. 5.12.

Death then is certain to all

— nullum
Saevà caput Proserpina fugit.

and yet nothing more uncertain than the time of it.

Mors certa est, incerta dies.

One dies in the [...] and vigor of his Age, when his Bones are full of Marrow, and his Blood of Spirits: Another in his Infancy, wen there are great expecta­tions of future comfort, and hopeful successes. Another is intombed in his Mo­thers Womb, and never sees the Light. Another dies in the Flower of his Youth Another in Old Age: but all sooner o [...] later come to one Seat, the Grave. One goes well at Night to his Bed, and in the Morning is found dead.

Lotus nobisum est, hilaris coenavit & ide [...]
Inventus mane est mortuus. Andragoras
Martial. l. 6.

Another goes out of his doors, an [...] his beloved Consort is with much jo [...] [Page 155]and impatience expecting his happy re­ [...]urn, and anon she receives the sorrow­ [...]l news of his Death, by a Fall, or a [...]eavor. Of all the uncertain things in [...]e World, I know not a more uncer­ [...]in thing than the times of our Death.

There are so many thousand Casual­ [...]es that may intervene to deprive a Man [...]f life, that it is a greater wonder that [...]e is, than that he is not. A Plague, or [...]me popular Disease, or Fevour, or Small­ [...]ox: an Immoderate Grief, or profuse [...]y, an Intemperate Draught, or undi­ [...]ested piece of Meat, yea a Hair, or a [...]rape-stone, with Myriads of other acci­ [...]ents, may introduce Death.

And as Death is certain, so is Judg­ [...]ent too.

As it is appointed unto Men once to [...]e, so after this the Judgment. As one fixed by an irrevocable unalterable De­ [...]ee, so is the other too.

He hath appointed a day in which he [...]ill judge the World: Acts 17.31.

This Judgment will be universal both [...] to persons and things. God will judge [...]e secrets of all hearts by Jesus Christ, [...]om. 2.16. Every Man shall receive the [...]ings done in his body, according to [...]at he hath done, whether it be good or [Page 156]evil; 2 Cor. 5.10. and to that end we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ.

God is said to be the Judge of all, Heb. 12.23. which evinces the certain­ty of a day of Judgment: Otherwise to what purpose is there a Judge: And shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right?

Here the good man finds the sharpest Misery and greatest Afflictions; the Evil Man the sweetest Felicity, and fullest Pleasures. Here the Rich mans Table stands pressed with Delicacies, and poor Lazarus lacks even Crums to feed him. Therefore it would much impeach the Justice and Goodness of God, if there were not a time and place to make some retribution to each of these; to reward the Righteous, and to punish the Wick­ed. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels; 2 Thess. 1.6, 7. Remember that thou in thy life time re­ceivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is com­forted and thou art tormented: Luke [Page 157]16.25. So that a Man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the Righteous; Verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth: Psal. 58.11. Otherwise where is our Hope? For if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all Men most miserable; 1 Cor. 15.9. Nothing could buoy up the Spirits of a good Christian, amidst all the heavy Pressures and Afflictions of this Life, but that he has the Hopes and Assurance, that there is an exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory, laid up for him in the life to come.

St. John in his Revelation tells us, Chap. 20.12, 13. That he saw the Dead, small and great, stand before God; and the Books were opened; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books, according to their Works: And the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it, and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead which were in them; and they were judged every Man according to their Works.

From the whole, you see there is a certainty, nay a necessity of Death and Judgment. This then should teach thee O my Soul,

1. First to be often meditating of it [Page 158]before it comes; Nil sic revocat a peccato quam frequens Mortis et Judicii medita­tio. This will restrain thee from Sin, and make Death and Judgment less ter­rible when it comes. Is there such a day approaching for all the Sons of Men? How should we then resolve with David to make a Covenant with our eyes, that they behold not vanity: that we set a Watch before our Mouths, and keep the door of our lips, as with a bridle, that we offend not with our tongues: that we always have clean hands, and a pure heart, that at length we may dwell in his Tabernacle, and rest upon his holy Hill for ever.

Si sapis utaris totis Colinediebus:
Extremum (que) tibi semper adesse puta.
Martial.

I know the sting of Death is Sin; but thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Are there such days approaching and is the time uncertain? this then should teach thee, O my Soul, to be continually preparing for them. Upon this [...] this moment of time, depends eternity. After a few years, perhaps months or days (it may be minutes) thou shalt be ar­rested [Page 159]by Death, and thence pass to Judg­ment: Are thy Accounts fair? Canst thou give them up with joy, and not with grief? Art thou reconciled to God? and hast thou peace with him, and thy own Conscience? then, come blessed day: But if not, neglect not one day, nay one minute more; thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. How many have thy Eyes seen, or thy Ears heard of, that have been one day frollicking and taking their fill of pleasure, and the next shut up in the prison of the grave, whence there is no return to rectify thy former aberrations, and where there is no more repentance? The Grave is a safe repository, and as it receives, so it will keep thee to the Judgment of the great Day: He that goes thither filthy, will be filthy still; and he that is unjust, will be unjust still: He that is righteous, will be righteous still; and he that is holy, will be holy still. Revel. 22.11.

Give me grace (Good God) all the days of my appointed time, to wait until my Change shall come; to think every day my last, and to prepare Accordingly: that so though the time be uncertain, I may not be at any time unprovided, but when I come to die I may have nothing [Page 160]else to do but to die; that my Soul in the Arms of the Holy Jesus may be deposited with safety and joy, there to expect the Revelation of his day, and then to par­take the Glories of his Kingdom.

3. Are there such days approaching? Then this should strike Horrour and A­mazement to all loose and wicked per­sons. The consideration of a Judgment to come made stout Felix tremble. The foolish Virgins did bethink them of Oil for their Lamps, when they heard the noise of the Bride-groom's Coming, and perhaps these when on their Death-beds, will then too late think of this Day; but 'tis not then a few still-born abortive prayers, a Lord have mercy upon us, or the like, will serve their turn. The Sinner may frollick it now, follow his intemperance and unlawful pleasures, and say still these are but tricks of youth, or frailties of his Nature; but let him remember that for all these things God will bring him into Judgment; Eccles. 11.9. 'Tis strange that Sinners should be so stupid, and put so far from them the evil Day: they think they shall still re­joyce as in their youth, and see no evil, and so never bethink them of their con­dition, till they find themselves in the [Page 161]confines of Hell. Tell them now of pre­ [...]aration for Death, they will answer [...]ou, 'tis time enough yet; and the fit­ [...]est season for that, is when they are [...]perannuated, and unfit for any thing [...]se: Their time must now be divided [...]etween their lusts and vanities, between [...]nlawful pleasures, and imoderate sleep [...] idleness; they cannot now find a time [...]r Repentance, Prayer, and attending up­ [...]n the things of God; never consider­ [...]g that they must find a time to die in, [...]d that when Death comes, they must [...]e at leisure for that. All their false plea­sures are vanished like a shadow, and [...]ow nothing remains but the sense of [...]uilt, and a fearful expectation of Judg­ment: they now perceive the Arrows of [...]e Almighty stick fast on them, and [...]at there is no profit (but extreamless) [...] those things, whereof they are now [...]hamed: they now feel their Torments [...]gin, and court death to be freed from [...]e stingings of Conscience; but that on­ [...] consigns them over to greater and [...]ore impassible miseries; who like pri­ [...]ners condemned to die, they are [...]rought out of prison, their Chains [...]nock'd off, and yet carried to a more [...]eadful Execution.

4. Are there such Days approaching? Then this brings great comfort and satis­faction to the Godly Man: he is ready to say with Jonah Chap. 4.3. And now I beseech thee, take away my Life, for it is better for me to die than to live: or with Saint Paul, I desire to be dissolved. Death I know, is but a stepping behind the Dark Curtain, and a passage into an­other Room: I set here in this Horizon, but I shall presently rise in another. 'Tis not a Period, but a Parenthesis, which may be put in or left out, To me to die is gain. I have had my Portion of evil things in the World, my share of mise­ries and troubles, but now I shall be free'd from them all, and gain my port, which I have so long looked out after. And can you blame a Man that is toss'd up and down the turbulent Waves of the Sea, to desire a safe Harbour to land in? Can you blame the poor Man that labours and toils all the day long in the sweat of hi [...] Brows, when his Work is done, to de­sire the night, wherein he may take hi [...] ease, and sweet repose? Neither is the Godly man (by Death) only free'd fro [...] those Calamities and Troubles from with out, but from the depraved Corruption of his Nature; from Temptations from [Page 163]within and without, and from Sin it self; the greatest joy to a pious Soul: who more rejoyceth that he cannot sin, than that he cannot suffer.

And as the approach of this Day brings great comfort and satisfaction to the Godly, upon the score of those Negatives, so it is much enhansed upon the considera­tion of those positive Rewards (styled by the Apostle the recompence of Reward) promised by Almighty God; which they have oftentimes some praelibations, or fore­tastes of: This makes them chuse Death rather than Life, and to take up St. Austin's Words (breaking out in a holy rapture, commenting upon Moses's desire of God ( Exodus. 33.) That he would shew him his glory, and God's answer, Thou can'st not see my Face; for there is no Man shall see my face and live.) O let me die, that I may behold thy glory. Eia Domine, moriar ut videam, videam, hic ut moriar; nolo vivere, volo mori, dissolvi cupio, & esse cum Christo. St. Aug. I know that my Redeemer liveth, that where he is, there his Servant shall be; I shall see him as he is, and my eyes shall behold him; [...], face to face; and then, Olim haec meminisse juvabit— It will be very pleasant to think of those [Page 164]many past troubles, and escaped dangers

Grant me gracious God so to live, that at last I may lay down my Head in the dust with joy, rest in hope, and at length rise to a blessed and glorious Immorta­lity. Amen, even Amen Lord Jesus.

Of Heaven and Hell; the Joys of one, the Torments of the other.

JƲxta se posita magis elucescunt. The darker the Foyl, the more radiant doth the Diamond appear. The black­ness and deformity of the Maid, makes the Mistris's Beauty more remarkable. The Meditation of the torments of Hell renders the joys of Heaven the more valuable; and therefore I begin with the former. God hath set before us Life and Death, eternal Rewards and eternal Punish­ments. He hath given us just and holy Laws to observe and keep, and power to keep them; and to the keeping of which he hath annexed an everlasting reward, by an irrevocable Decree: to the violation of which, he hath (by the same Dec [...]ee) annexed an everlasting punish­ment: so that if we embrace the former [Page 165]we shall not fail of the recompence of re­ward; but if we persevere in the latter, we treasure up Wrath against the day of Wrath, and shall be sure at length to feel the Righteous Judgment of God. This is God's Covenant that he makes with us; To them who by patient con­tinuance in well doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal Life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey un­righteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish; Rom. 2.7, 8, 9. Now 'tis essential to God to be just to his Covenant. The Lord is just, saith the Prophet, Zephan. 3.5. He is Just in all his decrees, and just in the Execution of them: He is just in himself, and just in his Law: just in his rewards, just in his punishments. He is Justice in the abstract. He is the Judge of all, and shall not he do right? Yes certainly he shall, and will. As he keeps mercy for the righteous, so he will by no means clear the guilty; Exodus. 34.7. Let no wicked person therefore condemn in this the severity of God's justice in proceeding against wicked Wretches, Whose damnation (as the Apostle says, Rom. 3.8.) is just. For it is their own voluntary free choice, their [Page 166]Destruction is of themselves, Hos. 13.9. Let God be true, and every man a Liar; that he may be justified in his saying, and clear when he is judged by wicked and unreasonable men: Rom. 3.4, 5, 6.

St Paul puts the question, Is God un­righteous, who taketh Vengeance? and answers it himself, God forbid; for how shall God then Judge the World? For if God be a Judge he be must just, and distribute punishments as well as rewards. The Lord is just (saith the Psalmist) and there is no unrighteousness in him; Psal. 92.15.

O enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified.

O Lord if thou condemn me thou art righteous; thou hast but dealt with me after my sins, end rewarded me accord­ing to the demerits of mine iniquities. Righteous art thou in all thy ways, just and true are thy Judgments. Holy St. Jerome was wont to say, That whether he did eat or drink, sleep or wake, or what­ever he did, he thought the Sound of the last Trump did eccho in his Ears, and heard a voice, saying, Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment. If this holy Man were under such continual apprehensions, and had such fears of the approach of the [Page 167]last day, that he could not at any time disband them from his thoughts: How then should it strike horror and amaze­ment into the hearts of obstinate impeni­tent sinners, to think of the dreadfulness of that day, and the greatness and per­petuity of their torments, which shall then commence but never have an end?

They have had their Heaven upon Earth, and now they shall have Hell instead of Heaven. Bona accepisti: Remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, none remain now, but evil things; now thou art tormented.

Ezekiel's Role was sweet in his Mouth but bitter in his Belly. Had Solomon's simple Man seriously considered what Shot his fatal Banquet would have cost him, He would never have commended the sweetness of his stoln waters, and pleasantness of his Bread eaten in secret, for he knew not (at least would not know) that he was a companion with the dead, and that his fellow guests were in the depths of Hell; Prov. 9.17, 18. where be­ing once come he can never return.

— Facilis descensus Averni,
Sed revocare gradum, superas (que) evadere ad auras,
Hic labor, hoc opus,

Hell is a place appointed by God for the tormenting of the Devil, wicked An­gels, and sinful Souls, to all Eternty; and we are told that it is a place down­wards, and beneath us; Prov. 15.24. The way of Life is above to the Wise, that he may depart from Hell beneath; and so ch. 7.27. speaking of the Harlot, Her house is the way to Hell, going down to the Chambers of Death; besides in Prov. 9.18. It is called Profundum, a Depth; to define the local place of which, is too deep for me; God grant I may never be able better to define it: Sin I am sure laid the Corner-Stone of that deep and dark Vault, and it must be my Innocency that must preserve me from being an Inhabitant in it.

The Ingenious Mr. Cowley hath given this Description of the place in his Davideis.

BEneath the silent Chambers of the Earth,
Where the Sun's fruitful Beams give Mettals birth,
Where be the growth of fatal Gold does see,
Gold, which above more influence has than he,
Beneath the Dens where unfletch'd Tempests ly,
And infant Winds their tender voices try;
Beneath the mighty Ocean's wealthy Caves,
Beneath the Eternal Fountain of all Waves;
Where their vast Court the Mother Waters keep,
And undisturb'd by Moons in silence sleep;
There is a place deep, wondrous deep below,
Which genuine Night and Horror does o'r flow;
No bound controuls the unwearied space, but Hell,
Endless as those dire pains that in it dwell.
Here no dear glympse of the Sun's lovely face
Strikes through the solid darkness of the place:
No dawning Morn does her kind reds display;
One slight weak Beam would here be thought the day.
No gentle Stars with their fair gems of Light
Offend the tyran'ous and unquestion'd Night.

But it is not so much the Place as t h Torments there to be endur'd: Who can express their Sharpness? Who their Number?

Non mihi si centum linguae, sint ora (que) centum,
Ferre a vox, omnes scelerum compr'endere formas;
Omnia poenarum percurrere nomina possim.
No heart of Man can think, no tongue can tell,
The direful pains ordain'd and felt in Hell.

All the Senses shall be rend'red more exquisite than ever, the more fully to perceive their Torments; and every one have their fill of them.

[...]
[...]

The Sight shall be afflicted with a more than Egyptian Darkness, and the continual beholding of monstrous Fiends and Devils.

The Hearing with Shreeks and horri­ble Cries.

The Smelling with Fumes of Brim­stone, and noisome Stenches.

The Taste with ravenous Hunger and insatiable Thirst.

The Feeling (the most exquisite of all the Senses) with intolerable yet unquenchable Fire, because the Breath of the Lord, like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it; Isaiah 30.33. Add to these a Fire continually flashing in the Reprobates Face, which shall yield no more light than with a glympse to shew him the Torments of others, and others his; yet withal of so violent a burning, that should it glow on Mountains of Steel, it would melt them like Snow.

Suppose thou shouldest be confined to lie but one Night grievously afflicted with a raging Fit of the Stone, Strangu­ry, Collick, Gout, Toeth-ach, or the like; though thou had'st a soft Bed to lie upon, Friends and Companions about thee, and all things necessary that thou couldest desire, but ease from thy pains, how long would'st thou count the mi­nutes, [Page 171]and blame the Clock for its slow progression? What will it be then for thee to suffer the torment of the hottest Flames? And that not for a Night only, but for Myriads of Ages; and when that circle is gone through, there is yet no point or end: 'Tis Labor actus in or­bem, a continual Revolution.

Believe it, This is no Poetical, Phan­tastical Styx or Acheron, but a real Hell.

Ixion's Wheel was a place of Rest, com­pared with this Wheel of Justice.

The Task of Sisyphus or Danaus's Daughter, but a sport compared with this Torture.

And besides, these external Torments of the Body, the Soul (the more sensi­ble part) drinks most deeply of this Cup of God's fury. All the Furies of Hell af­flict his Conscience: Thought calls to Fear, Fear to Horrour, Horrour to De­spair, Despair to Torment, Torment to Extremity; all to Eternity. The damned Soul, hath no Soul now capable of comfort; and tho his Eyes distil like Fountains, and his Prayers and Cries were loud enough to silence the dismal Shreeks of all his miserable Companions; yet God is now inexorable, and speaks [Page 172]to them in this Language: You refused to hear me when I have called, yea when I have so often wooed and intreat­ed you: I have waited to be gracious, and stretched out my hand all the day long, and you have not regarded; I will not now hear your Cry, I will laugh at your Calamity, and mock at your Fear; this shall be your portion for ever.

This is the Damned's Poena Sensus, their positive punishment: There is also Poena Damni to be considered, their privative punishment; and this the Contemplati­on of the Blessedness of the Righteous, will much help them too; when they shall too late consider that such joys as the Righteous are now partakers of, might have been their lot and portion, if they had obeyed the Laws and Com­mands of God, as the others did. The consideration of this, is that Worm of Conscience that never dies; that cruel Vulture that continually gnaws upon the Liver of this Tityus, and cannot be sha­ken off.

— Haeret latori laethalis arundo.

I could speak much more to aggra­vate [Page 173]the misery of the Damned, and represent the Torments of Hell; out, ‘— par nulla figura Gehennae.’

Reflections upon Hell, and the Yor­ments of it.

Is Hell such a direful Place? And are the Torments of it so acute, so inex­pressible, so remediless, so eternal? Then this should teach thee, O my Soul,

1. First to avoid Sin, which was the Founder of it, and which if persevered [...]n, will certainly bring thee to that dismal Place, those dire Torments, from which there is no Redemption. Did sinners seriously consider of the e­vil consequences of Sin, and had they [...]ut one glympse of those Torments they are to suffer in Hell to all Eternity, how would it charm their Spirits, appale their Faces, and strike fear and asto­nishment to their Hearts; for who can think of the Divine Wrath without trem­bling? Or, Who can dwell with Everlasting Burnings? O poor se­cure [Page 174]sinners, what will ye now do? Where will you hide your selves? Or what shall cover you? Mountains and Rocks are gone, the Earth and Hea­vens that were, are passed away; the devouring Fire hath consumed all, ex­cept your selves, who must be the Fuel for ever. There is no remedy for you but Repentance, that plank after Ship­wrack, that can rescue you from this Vengeance: Think, O think of this, ye that now forget God, lest he pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you.

2. Is Hell such a direful place? &c. Then this should teach thee to mind those things that are above.

The way of Life is above to the Wise, saith Solomon, that he may depart from Hell beneath. The way to depart from Hell, which is the lowest, is to mind those things which are highest, which are above [...], to seek (or be wise for) those things that are above: This is the truest Wisdom, the greatest piece of Understanding. 'Tis not enough to cease to do evil, but we must also learn to do well. Non progredi est re­gredi. If we lie still, we shall never come to our Journeys end: There is no [Page 175]standing idle or loitering in the School of Vertue.

As we must abstain from the appear­ance of Evil, so we must follow after Holiness (without which no Man shall see God) so shall we be free'd from the fears of this dreadful place: And when Christ who is our life shall appear, we shall also appear with him in Glory; Coloss. 3.4.

3. Is Hell such a direful place? And are the Torments of it so insupportable, so endless? Then this should teach me to pity, instruct, and pray for those that are posting thither. We see Dives even in Hell, pities his poor Brethren, and would (could he have found a Mes­senger) have sent them an account of the Torments he felt, that they might e­scape their coming into that place. And although this Province be chiefly the Ministers, yet private Persons, as place and fit opportunity occurs, may also in­struct and reprove the unfruitful works of Darkness; or if that doth not take place, we may at least pity them, mourn in secret for them, and pray for their Conversion; and though they perhaps may not reap the benefit, yet we may: God accepts our Charity, and [Page 176]will reward our Prayers; they shall re­turn into our own bosom: Psal. 35.13.

4. Is Hell such a direful place? And have I any assurance that I shall escape it? This then should raise my thankfulness to God for this his great and distinguish­ing Mercy towards me, that he hath called me from under the power of Dark­ness, into his marvellous Light. This should cause me to be continually mag­nifying his great and glorious Name, for so unspeakable, so inestimable a Mercy, that whereas others lie wallow­ing in the puddle of their Sins, heaping up Wrath against the day of Wrath, and hastning to their eternal ruin, he hath been graciously pleased to snatch me as a Fire-brand out of the Fire, and hath given me some hopes and assurance that I shall never come into this Place of Torment. Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me, praise his ho­ly Name. Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits; who sa­veth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness: And now being delivered out of the hands of these my spiritual Ene­mies, I may serve God without fear, in Holiness and Righteousness all the days [Page 177]of my life. This is that which will exact our greatest praises here, and be­cause this life is too scanty and con­tracted for it, it will afford us matter for our eternal Praises in the Kingdom of Heaven.

My next Method leads me to the Me­ditation of the joys of Heaven.

And here I must pause a while — This is a Theme too sublime for Humane Oratory: the Tongues of Men and An­gels come infinitely short of Expressions of those joys; nay they never entred in­to the heart of Man to conceive them: 1 Cor. 2.9. The Eye sees much, the Ears hear more, the Heart conceives most, yet all come short of apprehensi­on, much more of comprehension of those joys: Therefore enter thou into thy Masters joy, for it is too great to enter into thee, said a pious Author: But as Pythagor as guessed at the Stature of Hercules by the length of his Foot: And as the Israelites made some discove­ry of the sertility of Canaan, from the few Clusters of Grapes brought them by the Spies: so may we make some imper fect Collection of the Glory of this heavenly Kingdom, from that of this temporal one; for the visible things [Page 178]of this World which are made, declare un­to us the invisible things of God; Rom. 1.20. If we look downwards upon the beauty and comeliness, the order, decency, and usefulness of all created Beings here below; what Excellencies do we find there? But if we cast our Eyes upwards, and consider the Embroidered Canopy of Heaven drawn over our heads, the Majestick brightness of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, Lights to which pre­ [...]ious Stones in their brightest Lustre are but Clouds. What is exposed to our view, is admirable, how much more what we cannot see. If the out-side of the Royal Pallace be so Magnificent, if the Hall appear so rare, what Orna­ments are there in the Presence-Cham­ber of the King? If the lower side of that Pavement which the Feet of the Saints shall walk upon in Heaven, be so glorious, What be the Parlors and Inner Chambers unseen? Whence the Poet,

If in Heaven's outward Court such Bea [...]ty be,
What is the Glory which the Saints do see?

Heaven I should express but in faint Me­ [...]aphors, should I tell you of Chrystal [Page 179]Streams and Shady Groves, of a feigned Elysium or Temporal Canaan. St. John in his Revelation gives us some imper­fect account of this Holy Place, this New Jerusalem, Rev. 21. to bring the thing as near to sense as he can, and our ap­prehensions; he tells us the Walls are of all manner of precious Stones; the City of pure Gold: the Twelve Gates whereof are Twelve Pearls, every seve­ral Gate of one Pearl: There is no Night there, neither is there any need of the Sun or Moon to shine in it, or of a Candle to lighten it; for the Glory of the Lord doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof: of which Ingenious Mr. Cowley.

For there no Twilight of the Suns dull ray
Glimmers upon the pure and na­tive day:
No pale-fac'd M [...]on do's in stoln beams appear,
Or with dim Taper scatters Dark­ness there.

We are now come to the high Court of Heaven; and if these things be so full of Majesty and Glory, what is the tran­scendent brightness and glory of their [Page 180]Maker? And here I can go no farther for as no Man hath ever seen God at any time, so no mind could ever compre­hend him: Whatsoever we can conceive of him, it is but in part; 1 Cor. 13.12. We hear of him but a little portion, saith Job (ch. 26.14.) and we know less. Who can behold the Sun in his glorious Shining? Much less can we com­prehend the glorious Majesty of God: Who hath beheld it, that he may de­monstrate it? Not the Angels, for they are fain to cover their Faces; Isa. 6. v. much less we that dwell in houses of Clay, who have that ignorance and guiltiness that those glorious Seraphims are freed from.

Should Angels, Cherubims and Sera­phims descend from Heaven, to pro­claim the exceeding greatness of his Glo­ry, we may at length conclude with the Queen of Sheba (concerning Solomon's Magnificence) That the one half was not told us. And yet such is the immense goodness of God, that he hath promised us wretched Creatures, Dust and Ashes, who faithfully serve him, the Vision and Contemplation of this his Glory; that we shall be where he is, and behold him Face to Face. And in this Beatifick [Page 181]Vision consists the greatest joy and bles­sedness of the Godly. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; Matt. 5.8. Here we shall have a perfect compleat knowledg of his Goodness and Glory, and the full fruition of his pre­sence, which will abundantly satisfie; and no wonder, for in his presence is fulness of Joy, and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore: For quality they are pleasures, for quantity fulness, for dignity at Gods right hand; for eter­nity, for evermore; Psal. 16. ult.

Delight we in good Company? Here is the glorious presence of the Blessed Trinity; the Father that made us, the Son that redeemed us, even with the price of his own most precious Blood; the Holy Ghost that sanctified us, and that brought us unto this place: the holy and unspotted Angels that rejoyced at our Conversion on Earth, much more at our Consolation in Heaven: All the Patriarchs, Prophets, and the full Com­munion of Saints.

Delight we in pleasant Musick? Here are Quires of Angels, and beautifi'd Spirits, who cease not night and day to sing Praises and Hosanna's unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto [Page 182]the Lamb; and oh the sweet Melody of Alelujahs, which so many glorified Souls shall sing to God in Heaven.

Delight we in dainty Fare, or good Cheer? We shall eat and drink with Christ at his Fathers Table, and hear Christ himself thus Welcoming us; Eat O my Friends, and make you Merry, O well be loved: Cant. 5.1.

Such honour have all his Saints.

Delight we in good Apparel? We shall be arraied with Fine Linnen, and long White Robes; Revel. 6.11. If in Domi­nion? We shall Judge the Angels. And they shall Reign for ever and ever; Rev. 22.5.

In a word, We shall enjoy more than ever we could desire or wish. All our Faculties (which shall now be more capa­cious than ever) shall be silled to the utmost, and we shall be possessed of those Joys and Delights, which know neither measure nor end.

And as the consideration of the dura­tion of the Torments of the Wicked to all Eternity, gives them their greatest venom and malignity; so on the other side the consideration of the continuance of those Joys to all Eternity, adds unto them their greatest Beauty and Perfection; [Page 183]they shall come out from thence no more for ever.

For as nothing enters into that holy place that defileth, so there is nothing there that can defile. The great Dragon, the grand Enemy and Accuser of the Brethren, is cast down into the bottom­less Pit; whence he shall never return to tempt the Godly more. The World is consumed, and no Temptation can come thence; or if we could come to it, those pleasures now would have no gusts or relish. The Flesh cannot tempt us, for that is now refined and purifi'd from all Corruptions and vain Desires; we are now so confirmed in our State of Happi­ness, that God himself (with reverence do I speak it) cannot alter or change it to all Eternity.

Reflections upon Heaven, and the Joys thereof.

AND now, O my Soul! Is Heaven such a glorious place? Are the joys thereof so transcendant, so satisfactory, and so permanent, without any fear [Page 184]of Diminution, or Mutation? Then this should teach thee to use all possible diligence, that thou may'st in the end at­tain them; and think no pain, care or trouble too great for their Acquisition. This is the Pearl of great price, for which if thou sell all to purchase it, thou wilt be a great gainer. This is the Ʋnum necessarium, the only thing necessary; thy all that thou hast to do in this World.

2. Is Heaven such a glorious Place? and are there such Joys and Priviledges re­served for blessed Souls? Then wo is me that I must remain in Meshech, and have my habitation among the tents of Kedar. I cannot but say with Elias, I am weary of my life; and with Simeon, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace with St. Paul, I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; which is far better than to abide in this Baca of Tears, and Wilderness of Fears; for there all Tears shall be wiped away from mine Eys I shall cease to sorrow, cease to grieve cease to sin. If the poor deluded Maho­metans can rejoyce at the expectation of a feigned sensual Paradise: If a poo [...] Heathen could desire to die, Cicero de Somn. Scipion. because he had hopes of con­versing after death, with such Heroick [Page 185]Spirits as Socrates, Aristides, Scipio, &c. [...]ow much more should all true Christi­ [...]ns, who have far greater hopes and firm assurance of the enjoyment of a real spiritual Paradise, of conversing with Saints and Angels, with our blessed Re­ [...]eemer, nay God himself; rejoyce to [...]hink of that day, and cry out with holy David, Oh that I had Wings like a Dove, for then would I fly away and be [...]t rest. My Soul is athirst for God, yea [...]ven for the living God, when shall I [...]ome to appear before the presence of God? For one day in thy Courts, is better [...]han a thousand: I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God, than [...]o dwell in the Tents of Wickedness.

Thou art my Helper and my Redeemer, O Lord make no long tarrying.

3. Is Heaven such a glorious Place? And are there such joys and pleasures at Gods right hand? Then this discovers unto me the madness and extream folly of the World, who put so high a value [...]nd estimate upon the pitiful, contempti­ble, empty things of this Life, as riches [...]onours, pleasures, and the like (which we either lose living, or leave dying) without securing themselves of that Heaven and those Joys, which are far [Page 186]above all value and comparison. What a deal of toil and trouble do Men take, for that Meat which perisheth? And neg­lect that which endureth to everlast­ing Life? How eagerly do Men gape af­ter Riches; rise early, and late take rest; endeavouring by all unlawful as well as lawful means, to inlarge their Possessi­ons, to add Field to Field, and House to House, till there be no more place▪ and neglect the true Riches? Yet mus [...] at last be content with a mouthful o [...] Earth, whom many Mannors did no [...] content in life. How do Men prefer a [...] little outward pomp and grandeur, o [...] a fading title of Honour, before the Or­naments of a meek and humble Spirit before the honour of being Gods Chil­dren here, and of being admitted into his presence, to raign with him for ever▪ How do Men greedily hunt after, and court the unsatisfactory, yea trouble­some pleasures of this vain World [...] which are but momentany; and aspire not to those which are at Gods righ [...] hand for evermore.

O my Soul, come not thou into their secret, to their Assembly be not thou u­nited.

4. Is Heaven such a glorious Place [...] [Page 187]Do the joys thereof so far transcend all [...]umane Conceptions and Imaginations? Then this should teach thee, O my Soul, [...]o be content with whatever coarse En­ [...]ertainment thou shalt meet withal in [...]hy way thither; be it poverty, sick­ [...]ess, disgrace, disappointment, losses, [...]r the greatest temporal Evil or Calami­ [...]y that may befal thee: Consider that Heaven will make amends for all: O how great is the goodness which thou hast laid [...]p for them that fear thee. All the Af­ [...]lictions thou canst meet with here, will [...]ccompany thee no farther than the Grave, and that is but a little way, a [...]hort time, at most but a moment, with respect to Eternity. Those light Afflictions which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and e­ternal weight of Glory; 2 Cor. 4.17. Those may not retard thy motion nei­ther, for commonly they rather acce­ [...]erate the course they work for us; where as too much prosperity slackens, [...]logs us, and works against us; makes us apt to set up our rest on this side Jordan, and never long for a better, for a more heavenly Canaan. If we come to a Friends House where we are well accommodated, and have all things ac­cording [Page 186] [...] [Page 187] [...] [Page 188]to our desire, we are inclined to stay longer than at first we designed, and are very difficultly drawn thence; but if we meet with bad Accommodation, and unwelcome Entertainment, we care not how soon we are gone, and present­ [...]y bethink us of our home, where we shall have all things at our desire. This World is but our passage, our way, not our home: Heaven is our home, our abiding, our resting place, and we can never be well accommodated till we arrive there.

We have many difficulties to pass through, before we come to our Jour­neys end, and then we may sit down and rejoyce, Et olim haec meminisse ju­vabit; and then it will be pleasant and delightful to reflect upon our past dan­gers. Here I am in a state of Bondage, I shall then enjoy perfect Freedom and Li­berty, yea the Liberty of the Children of God. I cannot here attend one minute to thy service without distraction, there I shall be free, and find no interruption. O bring my Soul out of Prison, that I may give thanks unto thy Name, and together with Angels and Arch-Angels, and all the company of Heaven, laud and magnifie thy glorious Name, evermore [Page 189]praising thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts: Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high. Amen.

JOB 16.24.

When a few years are come, then shall I go the way whence I shall not re­turn.

THere is not a more powerful Argu­ment to reclaim a Sinner from the wickedness of his ways, or to incourage a holy man in the prosecution of Piety and Goodness, than the frequent Medi­tation of Death. When a wicked Man shall seriously consider, That though he now gives himself the full swing and liberty of his unlawful pleasures and de­sires, and denies himself nothing that his depraved Appetite can crave or suggest unto him; yet these are but fleeting and momentany: That when a few years are come, he shall be taken from them, and go the way whence he shall not re­turn; this will certainly imbitter his [Page 190]false joys, and lay some restraint upon him in the Career of all his Sensual De­lights. On the other side, when a good and holy Man shall consider, that al­though in the ways of Vertue and Holi­ness he meets with many straits and diffi­culties, he hath many fears and trou­bles within, many trials and temptati­ons without, yet these will not con­tinue long; when a few years are come, he shall be free'd from them all: he shall go the way, whence he shall not return. This certainly will encourage him to persevere, and to continue faithful unto Death.

This was that which afforded holy Job so much comfort in the midst of all his Afflictions: He was in a very misera­ble Condition, under the power of Sa­than's Malice, full of noisome Boils and grievous Pains; laughed at, and mocked by his cruel Enemies; nay re­proached and contemned by his nearest Friends (as you may see a Catalogue of his Sufferings, from verse the ninth to the 17th) yet he still maintains his Inte­grity with the considerations of the shortness of his life, and consequently of the duration of his afflictions; saying, When a few years are come, then I shall [Page 191]go the way whence I shall not return: from the words we may collect

1. The certainty of Death: When a few years are come, then I shall go the way, &c.

2. The uncertainty of the time of it, When a few years are come. The Pro­phet leaves it in indefinite, he doth not say, Such a number of years, or in such a year I shall die, but, when a few years are come, &c.

3. The brevity of Mans Life: Thought he mentions years, yet they are but few: When a few years, &c.

1. The certainty of Death: St. Paul tells us, Heb. 9.27. That it is appoint­ed unto Men once to die, and this Roy­al Decree of Heaven is like that of the Medes and Persians irreversible; had Man continued in his primitive Inno­cence, he should not indeed have died; but when once Man put off that white Robe, he became immediately obnoxi­ous unto Death; and God tells him, Gen. 3. Dust thou art, and to Dust shalt thou return. The wages of sin is Death.

As certainly as we live, so certainly shall we die. Neither the Majesty of the Prince, nor the meanness of the Peasant: [Page 192]the Wealth of the rich Man, nor the Poverty of the Poor: The strength of the Mighty, nor the holiness of the Pi­ous, can exempt from Death; so that I may take up that Interrogation of the Prophet, What Man is he that liveth, and shall not see Death?

2. The uncertainty of the time of it. Astrologers by Calculating Nativities, have pretended to foretell the Deaths of others as well as themselves, but have seldom ever hit right in either, and have been miserably deceived. Our times are in God's hand: This is one of the Arcana Imperis, those incommunica­tive prerogatives God keeps to himself, and dare any Mortal be so bold as to pre­tend to it. God hath said that he comes as a thief in the Night, and hath bid us Watch: That of the hour and the season knoweth no Man; and yet shall we say that we have any certainty of his coming. Do we not see how many are daily snatch'd away by a sudden and untimely Death? And yet shall we boast our selves of too morrow? Infancy, Child­hood, Youth, Manhood and Ripeness of years, can no more plead Exemption from Death, than old Age; so that you see how uncertain the time of it is.

3. The brevity of Mans Life. David observed that the days of our Age are Threescore years and ten, and at most but fourscore, and if we wade through many thousand Accidents, and at last arrive to that Age, it is still but short with respect to Eternity, and we spend our years as a Tale that is told, scarcely remembring when or where we began. But it is not one of many thousands, whose Lamp burn thus long to its low­est Basis, but either the Oyl is consumed, or a puff of wind hath blown it out long before. What is our life, saith St. James? It is even a vapour that continueth but a little while, and then vanisheth away. David compares it to sleep, which last­eth but for a Night; to Grass, which in the Morning is green and groweth up, but in the Evening is cut down, dried up, and withered. Lucian calls it a Bubble, which by the next breath of wind va­nisheth into Air. Homer a Leaf, which if it be not gathered by the hand, or eaten by a Worm, or forced by the wind, will wither and fall of its own accord at Autumn. Pindar, the Dream of a sha­dow; what more vain, unconstant, short liv'd things than these? Yet such is the Life of Man. Well then might Job say, [Page 194] When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

From the words we may gather these four Corollaries or Observations.

1. From the Example of this holy Man, I learn that we ought to think of Death before it comes. When a few years are come, then I shall go the way, &c.

2. That we ought not only to think of Death in general, but of our own Death in particular: I shall go the way, whence I shall not return.

3. That it is the highest piece of Pru­dence to prepare for it before it comes, because that after Death we shall not be able to return, to amend or rectifie the deficiency of our former preparations; I shall go the way whence I shall not re­turn.

4ly. and Lastly, That to a pious and innocent Soul, the consideration of Death and never returning again to a troublesome and sinful Life, is matter of great joy and comfort. When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

1. As to the first, That we ought (from the Example of holy Job) to think of Death before it comes. There is nothing [Page 195]so much discomposes a Man, or unfits him for the due Exercise of his Reason and Prudence, in the conduct of any weighty Affair, as to be surprized sud­denly, and without his expectation. E­ven a sudden and profuse joy, as well as an immoderate and unlook'd for grief, hath cut off the thred of the lives of ma­ny: What disorder and discomposure then, will a sudden Arrest from Death, make in the heart of that Man, that ne­ver as much as thought on, or looked for it before hand? How will it amaze or distract him? And turn all his Senses in­to Confusion? If a Man had only one thing of great moment to do in his whole Life, upon the success of which depend­ed either his happiness or misery; we should count him certainly the most stu­pid and careless Fool, that should not as much as think and consider of it, and contrive all ways possible before hand, how he might succeed in it: You have seen already that Death is certain, and upon our dying depends our Eternal Sal­vation, or Eternal Damnation; how in­sensible must we then be, if we are not often in the time of our life and health, taken up with some serious thoughts, and contemplations of it?

2. That we ought not only to think of Death in general, but of our own death in particular: I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

Death is a general term, and if it touch not us or our Family, our Friends, or Relations, we are as unconcern'd as to hear of a Sickness or Mortality beyond the Seas, in which we are like to be no fellow sufferers or sharers. We can read every Week the Bills of Mortality, and hear of this and the other great Person dead; nay we can take many turns in the Church and Yard, and walk over the Graves of our deceased Friends, and yet be as unmoved and unsensible of our own change, as the Stones we walk upon: But Alass! Do we think that our selves alone are Immortal? That we on­ly shall have an Exemption from Death? Shall not the Passing Bell at length Toll for us, and shall it not at length be said in the Streets, That such a one is dead? Yes certainly, when a few years (perhaps weeks or days) are come, then thou in particular shalt go the way whence thou shalt not return. O then think of Death before it comes, and of thy own death in particular; say thus within thy self, I am now in a state of health and strength, [Page 197]I have now time and opportunity for Repentance, my Lamp is yet burning, I am invited to the Marriage of the Bride, and the Door is yet open; now my Tears will be accepted, now my Prayers will be heard; now is the acceptable tme, now is the day of Salvation: Now or never must I prepare for Eterni­ty, now or never must I make my peace with God: What madness, what folly, will it be in me to hazzard my Eternal Salvation upon the hopes of a long life? Or upon the possibility of having time to repent on my Death-bed.

Our time you see is uncertain, and ma­ny there are who are taken away by a sudden death, even in the midst of their sins: Why may not I be one of those? Many that thought as little of it as I do, and had as good Resolutions as I have, have yet perished to all Eternity. Others there have been, who though they have had timely Warnings of their Death by a lingring and tedious Disease, yet ei­ther their pains and uneasiness have dis­composed them for Repentance and fitting themselves for their change; or else God hath then in Justice denied them the grace of Repentance, who have been so long time neglective of it. Re­pentance [Page 198]is the gift of God, and he that hath promised pardon to the Penitent whensoever he repents, hath not always promised to give the Sinner Repentance. And if God should thus deal with me (as he may justly do) even then deny me Repen­tance (without which I cannot be saved) when I call upon him for it, Qui promisit paeni­tenti veniam, non pro­misitpeccanti paeniten­tiam. because I refuse to do it now, when he calls upon me; how miserable and deplorable will my condition be? Can I endure the Wrath of a Sin-reveng­ing God? Can I dwell with everlasting Burnings? Can any thing screen me from those direful Torments, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; but now I to have my share in them! O remember what God says, Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out minn hand, and no Man regarded; but ye have set at nought my counsels, and would none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear com [...]th.

3. That it is the highest pice of Pru­dence to prepare for Death before it comes, because that after Death we shall not be able to return to amend or recti­fie [Page 199]the deficiency of our former prepara­tions. I shall go the way whence I shall not return — Vestigia nulla retrorsum. The grave receives all that come into it, but will never suffer any to return thence before it hears the Voice of him that hath the Keys of it, saying, Arise ye dead, and come to Judgment. As the Tree falls, so it lies, there is no Repentance in the Grave, whither we all go: As Death leaves us, so the Resurrection will find us: If we died Sinners, no Purgatory can make us to rise Saints: He that was filthy at his Death, will be found to be filthy still; and he that was unjust then, will be unjust still; and he that was righteous, will be righteous still; and he that was holy, will be holy still; Rev. 22.11. O then let it be now thy care, as it is thy prudence and interest, so to prepare in life, that thou may'st receive comfort in death; that thy accounts may be fair, no error or deficicncy in them, and thou may'st be able to give them up with joy and not with grief, and re­ceive that blessed Character and Reward, of, Well done thou good and faithful Ser­vant, enter thou into thy Masters joy.

4. That to a pious and innocent Soul, [Page 200]the consideration of Death and never re­turning again to a troublesome and sin­ful life, is matter of great joy and comfort: VVhen a few years are come, then I shall go the way, whence I shall not return. This life is a life of trouble; we no sooner enter into it, but we com­mence miserable; the best part of it is Checkered with Sorrows, and when we leave it, it is not without pains and groans: So that the whole Series of it from the Cradle to the Grave, is nothing else but one Chain and Link of Misery. This lot happens both to the good, and to the bad; to the just, and to the un­just; and the latter as well as the former might seem to solace himself with the consideration of the brevity of the dura­tion; but yet the righteous and holy Man, as his troubles are far greater, having the addition of grief for his own and others Sins, the fears of Relapses in­to them, the difficulty of conquering Temptations, and being faithful unto death: This enhanses his sorrow, and multiplies his troubles, and so conse­quently the consideration of his ap­proaching Death and never returning more to so troublesome and sinful State of Life; must needs revive his Spirits, [Page 201]and magnifie his joy. Methinks I hear him expostulating with himself in such language as this, Ah Wretched Man that I am, I came into the World with pains and tears, my Infancy was spent in sleep and ignorance, but yet not without its allay of sickness and inqui­etude: My riper years have been whol­ly taken up with Folly and Vanity, dis­honoured with the multiplicity of Lusts and Sins, insnared with passions, ama­zed with fears, divided between cares and impertinencies, wearied with la­bours, loaden with diseases, afflicted with want, evil spoken of with and without a cause: I have had many disappointments and losses, been unfor­tunate in my Friends and Relatives; and (which is worst of all) I have been daily harrassed with many impetuous Lusts and Temptations: My sins have prevail­ed against me; I have displeased my God, and wounded my own Consci­ence, interrupted my hopes of Heaven, and am continually tormented with evil and wicked inclinations: I find still a Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind, and bringing me in­to Captivity, to the Lavv of Sin and Death: Those things vvhich I vvould [Page 202]do, I cannot do; but those things that I would not do, those I do: O Wretch­ed Man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death that I carry about me? I am afraid lest my Faith should fail, lest having re­ceived the Grace of God, and tasted of the heavenly Powers, I should again be entangled by the Snares of my old be­loved Lusts, and so forfeit all my right to Heaven, lose the Reward of all my strict and circumspect Walking, and not continue faithful unto Death: But, O my Soul, there is something, the re­membrance of which alleviates my grief, and sweetens this bitter Cup; These my sorrows will not last long, a few years are the most, and they will suddenly come, and then I shall go the way whence I shall not return: I shall then cease to grieve any more, cease to sorrow, cease to fear, and cease to sin any more for ever. All tears shall then be wiped away from mine Eyes, and there shall be no more Sickness, nor Sorrow, nor Death, nor Crying, nor Pain: I shall then have perfect rest and joy, peace and quietness, with­out any interruption; for in his presence is fulness of joy, and at his right hand [Page 203]are pleasures for evermore. Though the way be foul and troublesome, yet the Journey is but short, and the end will be pleasant and peaceable, and this consideration shall make me go cheer­fully away with my present burthen; for when a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not re­turn.

Meditations before (or at) Dinner or Supper.

1. VVHen you see the Table spread, Meditate on Gods Fatherly goodness and providence to­wards all his Creatures, what vast in­finite numbers there are, and yet he carefully (as a loving Father for his Children) provides for them all their Meat in due season.

2. Meditate how much more graci­cious God is to thee, who hath richly furnished thy Table, and prepared these his good Creatures for thee without any great care or trouble of thine; where­as there are many thousands in the World far better than thy self, who are [Page 204]sentenced to a necessitous Condition, and are enforced daily to tug at the Oar, to delve in the Dirt, to wash their Faces and bathe their Bodies in their own Sweat, and yet for all this, must be content at last with course Fare, and hungry Stomachs.

3. Meditate that every Creature of God is good, if it be received with Thanksgiving, and that it is sanctified by the Word of God and by Prayer; and therefore resolve always to implore his blessing on the same in the first place.

4. Meditate that several of Gods Creatures lose their lives to preserve thine, whose Nature have as great a repugnancy to Annihilation as thy own, and as thou now feedest on them, so the Worms shall shortly feed on thee; and let this excite thee to be temperate in the use of them, and so to eat and drink, as may the better dispose thee for any service of God, thy Neighbour, or thy self: Let not the daintiness of the Cheer tempt thee to Luxury, remembring that it is the greater Vertue to abstain when there is the greater Temptation.

5. Lastly, Meditate that God who filleth things living with his good­ness, expects no other return but [Page 205]praise and thanksgiving; therefore when thou hast eaten and art full, have a care that thou forget not to pay him that so easie Tribute.

Occasional Meditations.

Ʋpon the sight of a Dying Friend.

IT was not many days since that we had sweet Commerce together, and our Conversation was dear to each other; we frollick'd it till the Night parted us, and then our separation was as the shadow of Death: We thought the Nights tedious and the Days long, till we should be again happy in each others Embraces; but [...]o how soon the Scene is altered, my Friend is arrested by a fatal Disease, and is just expiring his last Breath: I came to comfort him, and to receive Comfort and Satisfaction from him; but alass, all that is left me to do now, is to be only a witness of his dying groans, to close his Eyes, [Page 206]and to receive his departing Breath. Those Arms that used to hug and im­brace me at our first Meetings, are now become so weak and languid that he cannot shake hands at parting, nor lift them up unto his Maker, That Tongue that was formerly the Conduit of Eloquence, and Charm'd all that heard him (by its sweet and melli­fluous Expressions) into a sensible but silent admiration, is now become mute and speechless, that he cannot as much as take his Ʋltimum Vale, or bid me farewell at parting. Those Ears that were heretofore delighted with pleasant Discourse and melodious Sonnets, are now become thick of hearing, and can­not distinguish between the soft murmurs of some, and the louder cries of other his mournful Friends, nor can admit of the least comfortable Advice in this his greatest extremity. His Eyes some­times so sparkling and sprightly, that they would not suffer the most minute Object to pass their Advertency, are now become so dull and heavy, that they can scarce peep out of their Case­ments, to behold the most glorious Ob­ject, nay not so much as to salute that Heaven, which he is just going to be [Page 207]the possessor of. That countenance which a few days since was so amiable and pleasant as to attract the Eyes (as well as raise the Envy) of all beholders, is now so pallid and ghastly, and his Cheeks so bedewed with Cold Sweats, that his dearest Friends and Relations draw the Curtains about him, that they may not contemplate his grim Visage. In a word, his brother Body, the Re­ceptacle of his Divine Soul, and partner with her in all her Actions, which till now kept an indissoluble Relation with it, is turning into Dust, and says to the Grave, Thou art my Father, and to the Worms,, my Mother and my Sister, Job. 17.13. Good God, how great a change is this, in so short a span of time? This shall teach me to put a very slight estimate on all the imperfect Per­fections of this World, and to seek af­ter those things which alone are truly valuable. This shall teach me also to think often of my latter end, and all the days of my appointed time, to wait until my change shall come.

O consider with thy self that thou art made of the same Flesh and Blood, mould­ed out of the same Clay, and that this might have been thy present Condition [Page 208]as well as thy Friends; and that it will be so before many years (perhaps moneths or days) pass by thee. Be wise therefore now in this thy day, and provide for it before hand: Lay up Treasures in Hea­ven, that when this Earthly Tabernacle of thy Body shall be dissolved, thou may'st have a building with God, not made with hands, but Eternal in the Heavens, and then be received into Ever­lasting Habitations.

2. Ʋpon the sight of Two Apple Trees, growing one by the other: The one tall and spreading, but having only Leaves, no Fruit; the other low, but full loaden.

CErtainly there hath been as much Cultivation and M [...]nuring bestow­ed upon the one as the other; they stand in the same soil, and if there be any difference, it is that the tallest seems to have had the greater plenty of Nourishment, and the more prolifick Influences of the Suns Beams; how then is it that we find here only a fair Spread­ing Tree, and a multitude of shining [Page 209]Leaves, but no Fruit? This minds me of that place of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.26. Not many Noble are called. Pro­sperity puffeth up, but Adversity hum­bleth. Those that are advanced to a degree above their Brethren, do many a times forget God and their duty; and over-topping others, shine very bright at a distance, and make a fair shew, but if we come near and examine their Lives, we find indeed leaves and formal outward Profession, but no real Fruit. On the other hand, this low Tree re­presents the humble Christian, which lives (as it were) under the shadow of others Wings: He is content with his mean Condition, praises God for that Competency he enjoys, and makes it his business not so much to exhibit Leaves as Fruit, not so much to appear, as to be sincerely Religious.

How mean soever my Condition be, grant good God that I may not be like the barren Figg Tree, and after all thy patience in digging and dunging, after all thy various Methods and Means of Grace, I may not be barren or unfruitful in good Works, and so be cut down for cum­bring the ground, but may through thy discipline bring forth much Fruit to the Saving of my Soul.

3. Ʋpon the Sight of a Wasp without a Sting.

I Was fast asleep in my Arbour, and the Noise of this Creature buzzing awak'ned me: I was angry with him at first, and took him in my hand, thinking to have kill'd him; but finding that he had no Sting, and had done me no hurt, but only rouz'd me from my lazy slum­bers, whereby I might better imploy my time, I let him go, and thought my self obliged to his Courtesie. Thus it is with Afflictions; they may be some­what irksome and ungrateful at first to Flesh and Blood, but they only serve to rouze us up out of our Carnal Security, and make us to consider of our Conditi­on; but seeing they have no Sting, they cannot hurt us, and therefore we have great reason to thank God for them.

4. Ʋpon the sight of Two Doves billing each other.

THe sight of this loving pair, minds me of the mutual Endearments be­tween Christ and his Spouse the Church: He is pleas'd himself to call her by the Name of his Dove, Cant. 2.14. as be­ing the greatest Emblem of unspotted Innocence, and of intire and unmix'd love. When one of these hath lost his dearest Mate, how pensive and melan­choly doth he wander alone, seeking her in every corner, and calling after her till he finds her; and then congra­tulates her with all the Expressions of Joy and Love. When the Church is de­prived of Christ her Husband, though but for a little time, she is sick of Love; she seeks him, she calls him, she enquires after him untill her head is full of Dew, and her Locks with the drops of the Night; and when she finds him whom her Soul loveth, she kisses him with the kisses of her Lips, and her right hand doth embrace him, Cant. 5.

Make me, O my God, so much in love with my dearest Saviour, that I may with all diligence and unweariedness seek him, never rest satisfied until I have found him, think no pains or troubles too great to endure, that I may enter into a nearness and familiarity with him, and then caress and welcome him; exhibiting all the Testimonies of my love unto him, by admiring and adoring him, and enga­ging my self in such new indissoluble bands of Love, as no Waters may ever quench, no Floods drown, but that maugre all difficulties, my beloved may be mine, and I may be his to all Eternity.

5. Ʋpon the sight of a Ladys Fingers bedeck'd with many rich Diamonds of great value.

I Cannot but with much pleasure look upon those beautiful Stones, and at once admire both their intrinsick value and outward lustre: Where Vertue and Beauty are conjoyned, the Object is much more desirable.

(Gratior est pulchro veniens è corpore virtus.)

But if it be not my happiness to enjoy both, may I ever possess the former. Give me ever, O Lord, the bona Animae, the Graces of thy Spirit, and then as to the bona Fortunae, those Ornamental Endowments of Riches and other Earth­ly Enjoyments, deal with me as it seem­eth good in thine own Eyes.

I consider again the great value of those Jewels, and think how useless they now lie, which if sold, and the Money employed, how much over-plus would come in to relieve the Bowels of the Poor, which now only please the Curi­osity of the Eye, and how much better I should be for the prayers of my poor Christian Brother, than the admiration or applause of the Vulgar. Grant good God, I may not be as a Treasure hid in the Earth, useless and unprofitable; but diligently imploy all those Talents thou hast intrusted me with, for the benefit of others as well as my self, that I fall not under the sentence of the slothful and wicked Servant.

6. Ʋpon the sight of many Millepedes kill'd for a Medicine for my Patient.

THese poor silly Worms which but just now had a life and being with my self; made and preserv'd by the same hand of providence with me, are in a moment (by my means) deprived of both, that they may be salutary to my Patient, and answer those ends for which they are design'd. I am a Worm too, only of a greater magnitude, furnished with nobler Faculties indeed, but less Innocence, perhaps usefulness too: Thou may'st, blessed God, with much more reason and justice, because of my infinite transgressions, cut me as sudden­ly off from the land of the living, as I destroy these poor Creatures, and I might thereby answer the end of thy Justice, by teaching others not to pre­sume too much on thy Mercy: But thou, O Lord, art God, and not Man, and therefore I continue to live; O let me live to answer the ends of my Creation; to glorifie thee here, that I may enjoy thee for ever hereafter in thy Kingdom.

7. Ʋpon the sight of a brass piece of Mo­ney curiously gilded over.

THis is like all outward things; before you enjoy them, they seem to be glorious, and promise much of satis­faction; but when you have enjoyed [...]nd tried them, you soon discover that [...]t is but a false lustre that Satan and our own exhorbitant Lusts put upon them: They have gilded out-sides, but when they come to wearing, the gilt wears off, and you find after a while what they are within: Or not unlike the wicked Man, who varnishes over his fouler Actions with some specious colour of pious Intentions; but as for spiritual things, the more you wear them, the more you find the beauty and excellen­cy that is in them; for there is a dust and a rust that is cast upon them, which likewise the wearing takes off, and af­ter a while makes it appear what they are, not a Counterfeit but a true Coin, which bear the stamp of their Prince and Author.

8. Ʋpon the finding of an Adders Skin left behind in a strait passage.

THis Creature being weary of her old Garment, voluntarily forced her self through this narrow passage, to be freed of its burthen, by which she hath renewed her life and vigor. What is this but the lively representation o [...] the good Mans strait passage through the dark and narrow Gates of the Grave, to Immortal Life?

His life was indeed troublesome and wearisome; he a long time desired to put off this his Earthly Tabernacle, that he might be cloathed with the Robe of Immortality, but yet would not be any Volunteer to force his speedier dismission; but when God call'd him to it, he cheerfully deposited the burden of his Flesh, and being found cloathed with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, he is now passed to a state of Bliss and Immor­tality.

9. Ʋpon a Glow Worm.

ALthough this Worm looks like a lit­tle Star in the night, and a Man would think at a distance it were some Glorious body, but if you approach near it, you will find it hath no more Light than to shew it self to be something, and all it's splendor is sure to be benighted with the rising Sun, and then nothing ap­pears but an ugly Worm. The Hypocrite in the Eyes of the world makes a Gawdy shew of Religion, hath such great pre­tensions of Piety and Holiness, that a Man would think him (at first Blush) to be nothing less than a Saint on Earth; but if we come near, and throughly view and scan his Actions, we shall find no more goodness in him than to discover him to be an Hypocrite and Counterfeit; and when the Sun of Righteousness shall appear, who shall detect the secret of all hearts, then every ones work shall be made manifest, and all the Hypocrite's gilded Glory vanish, and nothing remain but an empty deformed Caitif.

10. Ʋpon a Rotten Dunghil.

SEe how the generous Sun casts his en­livening Rayes and Influences upon this most contemptible place, and how this again requites that bounty it per­takes of in a Stenchy fume or generation of vermine. We ought to imitate the cour­teous Sun by our diffusive kindness to all persons, the poor as well as the rich, the bad as well as the good; and not be like that vile ungrateful generation of Men, who daily participate of the sweet Influ­ences of Heaven, and yet requite that Bounty with no other than eructations of Oaths and Execrations, and instead of improving God's mercies to his glory, turn them into Wantoness, make them an occasion of greater loosness and debauchery; as if because God hath been exceeding good to them, they industri­ously resolv'd to repay that his goodness with exceeding ingratitude and disap­pointment.

We ought rather to emulate the true Chrystal, whose property it is either to [Page 219]transmit or reflect those Rays it receives with great advantage of Light to the Darker Objects about it, and of a more visible splendor and glory to the Light it self; and so proportion our gratitude to the bounty which enrich'd us.

11. Ʋpon seeing of a Shepherd's Dog, bringing in the stray Sheep.

HOw useful is this contemptible Crea­ture, and how exactly doth he an­swer the Commands and Intentions of his Master? The Shepherd observing some of his Sheep to stray from the Flock, sets on his Dog, not to worry them, but gently to reduce them to the Herd; and as soon as they are come in, he rates off the Dog, and the Sheep are at quiet. I know, O Lord, that even Afflictions have their use as well as Comforts: in the Enjoyment of an uninterrupted Prosperity, we are apt to forget thee, and to stray from thy Paths and Commandments; but then thou the great Shepherd, in very faith­fulness sendest us some crosses, some trou­bles or afflictions, not to consume us, but [Page 220]to be only as so many Monitor's to us, to return again into thy Fold, and when we are come in, thou ratest off those Af­flictions, and they shall no longer rest upon us.

Give me Grace, good God, in all thy dispensations towards me to acknowledge the Methods of thy infinite Wisdom and Mercy. Eceles. 7.14. In time of prosperity make me watchful. In time of ad­versity make me humble, and to consider that if I have strayed from thy ways, I may speedily return, and till then, cha­sten me here, O Lord, as thou pleasest, that I be not condemned with the World.

12. Ʋpon the Sight of a Ship cast a­way within a little of the Port.

THis Ship hath been a long Voyage, and run through many Hazards, and Difficulties, yet now at last, even in sight of the Harbour by a secret Leak, or a suddain Storm, is unfortunately with all it's Cargo cast away. This minds me of the hypocritical or unstable Christian, who did run well for a long time, had overcome many sinful Habits, and in­bred [Page 221]Corruptions, but still retained one beloved lust, which hath ruined his preci­ous Soul; or else now at last, in a day of Temptation, when Persecution ariseth for the Gospel, he cannot ride out the Storm, but cowardly (to avoid suffering) betrays his Faith, sinks under the pressure, and so is cast into Hell, when he is just up­on the Confines of Heaven.

The heart I know, O Lord, is deceitful above all things, yet suffer me not, O my God, to harbourany hypocrisie and unsin­cerity in mine, but make me rather conti­nually the more watchful over it, that I do not permit any Dalilah or Darling Lust to have entertainment there; but having shaken off my Old Lusts, I may no more (be the temptation what it will) return with the Dog to his vomit, or the Sow to the mire, to my former pollutions; but that as I have received how I ought to walk, and to please thee my God, so I may abound more and more. And if, O Lord, thou shalt see it fit to try me in the fire, to call me to the Cross for thy sake, make me readily and chearfully to embrace it. I carry always about me a Body of Flesh, which is ready to shrink at the approach of any thing grievous, do thou, O Blessed Jesu, pray for me, that [Page 222]my Faith fail not, that no terrors of Death, or Pains, may ever shake my con­stancy, or cause me to deny that Lord that suffered such bitter Agonies for me; but that I may continue faithful unto Death, and so receive a Crown of Life.

13. Ʋpon an Epileptick Person falling into the Fire, and being thereby Cured of his Disease.

THis Person had for a long time labour­ed of his Epilepsie, the accessions of which at length were so frequent and vi­olent, that it would often precipitate him to the Ground without as much as giving him any warnings of it's ap­proaches, where he would lie as incapable of helping himself, as he was insensible of his condition: The Patient used to have a Servant attending him to prevent dan­ger, but was now by God's providence out of the way; In the mean time a fit seizes him, he falls into the Fire, which being fervent scalded and burned the hinder part of his Head and Neck, where­by were produced many Blisters and Ul­cers, [Page 223]which afterwards unexpectedly by Gods blessing effected a Cure of that ob­stinate Disease which hitherto had elud­ed the force of all Medicines. Good God! what a Providence is this? how wonder­ful art thou in all thy doings? what an allay of Mercy with Judgment is here? judgment in Afflicting, mercy in Reliev­ing. The impotent Man which thirty and eight years had been Diseased, lay a long time at the Pool Bethesda, but could not be cured till our Saviour came; when we are all together unable to help our selves, and when all outward means do fail, then God comes with his seasonable Re­lief, and to our amazement and admi­ration perfects that which we could not expect: He that once brought light out of darkness, can still bring good out of evil; nothing shall impede or hin­der his Designs, but even that which in humane Judgment seems contrary, shall prove a salutary Remedy. This shall teach me even in the mid'st of the hea­viest pressures not to despond, but to trust in him who is able (by ways tho al­together unknown to me) to relieve me in the greatest difficulties.

Ejaculations for several Occasions.

For Pardon of Sin.

HAve mercy upon me, O God, ac­cording to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy tender Compassions blot out all my Transgressions. Wash me throughly from my Iniquity, and cleanse me from my Sin.

For I acknowledg my Transgressions, and my Sins are ever before me.

O God thou knowest my foolishness, and my Sins are not hid from thee.

Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter than Snow.

If thou Lord should'st be extream to mark what is done amiss, O Lord who could abide it? But there is forgiveness with thee, therefore thou may'st be feared.

Hide thy Face from my Sins, O Lord, and blot out all mine Offences.

Be Merciful unto me, O Lord, heal my Soul, for I have sinned against thee.

Remember, O Lord, thy tender mer­cies and loving kindness, for they have been ever of old.

For thy Names sake, for thy Mercies sake, yea for thy dear Son Jesus Christ his sake, pardon all my Iniquities, for they have been very great.

For Grace.

TEach me to do the thing that plea­seth thee, for thou art my God.

Shew me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy Truth: O knit my heart to thee, that I may love and fear thy holy Name.

Lead me in thy Truth and teach me, for thou art the God of my Salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

With my whole heart have I sought thee; O let me not wander from thy Commandments.

Incline my heart unto thy Testimo­nies, and not to Covetousness.

Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me.

Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wick­ed [Page 226]way in me, and lead me in the way Everlasting.

Set a Watch, O Lord, before my Mouth, and keep the door of my Lips.

Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy Statutes.

So teach me, O Lord, to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto Wisdom.

Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am.

For the Light of Gods Countenance.

O Lord hide not thy Face far from me, put not thy Servant away in anger: thou hast been my help, leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my Salvation.

O Lord, whatever thou art pleas'd to deny me, yet lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon me.

Thy loving kindness is better than life: My Lips shall praise thee.

Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

Give me the comfort of thy help a­gain, and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

Withhold not thy tender Mercies from [Page 227]me, O Lord, let thy loving kindness and truth continually preserve me.

Turn me again, O God of Hosts, and cause thy Face to shine upon me, and so shall I be saved.

Make me to hear of joy and gladness, that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce.

Speak peace unto my Soul and Con­science, and say unto my Soul, Thou art my Salvation.

Thanksgiving.

I Will praise the Lord according to his Righteousness, I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord most high.

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart, I will shew forth all thy marvellous Works.

I will freely sacrifice unto thee, I will praise thy Name, O Lord, for it is good.

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which only doth wondrous things.

Morning and Evening, and at Noon, will I praise thee.

Seven times a day will I praise thee, because of thy Righteous Judgments.

While I live I will praise the Lord, I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me praise his holy Name.

Praise the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits.

Blessed be the Lord God, which daily loadeth us with his benefits, who is the God of our Salvation, and blessed be the Name of his Majesty from everlasting and to everlasting. Amen. Amen.

In the time of outward or inward Trouble.

O Lord rebuke me not in thine Anger, neither chasten me in thy heavy dis­pleasure.

Look upon my Adversity and Misery, and forgive me all my sin.

Be merciful unto me, O Lord, for my Soul trusteth in thee, and under the sha­dow of thy Wings shall be my refuge un­til these Calamities be overpast.

Have Mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak, O Lord heal me, for my Bones are vexed.

My Soul also is sore vexed; but thou O Lord, how long?

Be not far from me, for trouble is near at hand, and there is none to help.

Give me help, for I am in trouble, and vain is the help of Man.

Keep me as the Apple of thine Eye, hide me under the shadow of thy Wings.

O keep my Soul and deliver me, let me not be disappointed, for I put my trust in thee.

Comfort in Troubles.

THe Lord is my Light and my Sal­vation, whom then shall I fear? He is the strength of my Life, of whom shall I be afraid?

When my Father and Mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.

Many are the troubles of the Righte­ous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all.

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my Glory, and the lifter up of my Head.

I have set the Lord always before me, He is at my right hand, therefore I shall not be moved.

My defence is of God, which saveth the Upright in Heart.

At what time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee.

In God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what Man can do unto me.

The Righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

In God is my Salvation and my Glory, the Rock of my Strength, and my refuge is in God.

Why art thou cast down, O my Soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my Countenance, and my God.

Thanksgiving for deliverance from Troubles.

BLessed be the Lord God, for he hath heard the Voice of my Supplication: With my Song will I praise him.

O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

I will praise thee, O Lord my God with my whole heart, and I will glori­fie thy Name for evermore, for great is thy Mercy towards me, and thou hast delivered my Soul from the lowest Hell. The Snares of Death compassed me round about, and the pains of Hell got hold upon me.

I found trouble and heaviness, and I called upon the Name of the Lord: O Lord I beseech thee deliver my Soul.

Gracious is the Lord and Righteous; yea our God is Merciful. I was in misery and he helped me.

Sing unto the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me sing praises at the remembrance of his Holiness.

Blessed be God, which hath not cast out my Prayer, nor turned his Mercy from me.

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.

I will offer to thee the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and praise thy Name for ever and ever.

Going to the Church or House of God.

I Will wash my hands in Innocency, and so will I compass thine Altar, O Lord.

It is good for me to draw near unto God, even unto God, in his Sanctuary.

How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts? My Soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of my God. When shall I come and appear before him?

As the Hart panteth after the Water brooks, so panteth my Soul after thee, O God.

Immediately before entring into Church.

I Will enter into thy Gates with Thanks­giving, and into thy Courts with Praise.

I will Worship in thy holy Temple, and will praise thy Name.

I will wait for thy loving kindness, O God, in the mid'st of thy Temple.

In Church (if thou happen to be there before Service begins.)

BUt as for me, I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy Mer­cies, and in thy Fear will I Worship to­wards thine Holy Temple.

Lord, I have loved the Habitation of thy House, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I might dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his Temple.

Thy way, O God, is in the Sanctu­ary: Who is so great a God as our God?

I will abide in thy Tabernacle for e­ver: I will trust in the Covert of thy Wings.

Blessed are they that dwell in thy House: They will be alway praising thee.

A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God, than to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness.

God is greatly to be feared in the As­sembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are round a­bout him.

Thy Testimonies are very sure: Holi­ness becometh thine House, O Lord, for ever.

This is my rest for ever: Here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.

O let my Soul be satisfied, as with Marrow and Fatness, when my Mouth praiseth thee with joyful Lips.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, &c.

Returning from the Church.

O What shall I render unto thee, O Lord, for all thy benefits towards me? I will receive the Cup of Salvation and will call upon the Name of the Lord.

Worthy art thou, O Lord, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength; and Honour, and Glory, and Blessing: Wherefore Blessing, Honour, Glo­ry and Power, be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

The Law of thy Mouth is dearer unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver.

I have had as great delight in thy Te­stimonies, as in all manner of Riches.

I have thought of thy loving kindness O God, in the midst of thy Temple.

O let my heart be sound in thy Sta­tutes, that I be not ashamed.

Hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my foot-steps slip not.

Order thou my Steps in thy Word, so shall I not be disappointed of my hope.

Thy Word is a Light unto my Feet, and a Lanthorn unto my Paths.

O lead me in thy Truth, and Teach me, for thou art the God of my Sal­vation, on thee do I wait all the day.

In the time of Sickness, or approach of Death.

I.

O Lord Correct me not in thine Anger, neither Chasten me in thy heavy dis­pleasure.

For thine Arrows stick fast on me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

Mine Eye is consumed because of Grief.

There is no Health in my Flesh, be­cause of thy displeasures; neither is there any rest in my Bones by reason of my Sin.

My Soul also is sore vexed, but thou, O Lord, how long? Return O Lord, deliver my Soul: O save me for thy Mercies sake.

For in Death no Man remembreth thee; and who will give thee thanks in the Pit?

What profit is there in my Blood, if I go down into the Pit? Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it give thanks unto thee, or declare thy Truth? The living, the living shall praise thee, even as I do this day.

O Let my Soul live, and it shall praise thee.

Have Mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord heal me, for my Bones are vexed.

Cast me not away in the time of Age: Forsake me not when my Strength faileth me.

Hide not thou thy Face from me, for I am in Trouble: make haste, O Lord, to deliver me.

Hear me, O God, and have mercy upon me: Lord be thou my helper.

O spare me a little that I may reco­ver my strength, before I go hence and be no more seen.

II.

I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of Men?

The Lord is Righteous; for I have rebelled against his Commandments, Lam. 1.18.

I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him.

Thy ways are equal; but mine have been very unequal.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his Works.

Thou hast punished me less than mine Iniquity hath deserved.

I have sinned against Heaven, and be­fore thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son, no not the meanest of all thy Servants: But yet, O do not thou cast off the bowels and com­passions of a Father, but as a Father pitieth his own Children, so be thou merciful unto me.

Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no Flesh living be justified.

But there is Forgiveness with thee, that thou may'st be feared.

Thou art full of Compassion and Mer­cy, long Suffering, and very Pitiful, and forgivest Sins, and savest in time of Affli­ction. Eccles. 2.11.

Look upon my Affliction and my Pain; and forgive me all my Sin.

‘My sins have deserved Eternal Tor­ments; make me cheerfully and thank­fully to bear my present Pains: Cha­sten me here as thou pleasest, that I be not Condemned with the World.’

III.

I have set the Lord always before me: Because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of Death, I will fear no [Page 238]Evil; for thou art with me, thy Rod, and thy Staff shall comfort me.

Thy Word standeth fast for ever; in thy Word [and gracious Promises] is my hope: This is my Comfort in my Affliction.

In the multitude of the Sorrows that I have on my Bed, thy Comforts shall refresh my Soul.

My Flesh and my Heart faileth; but God is the strength of my Heart, and my Portion for ever.

I will wait patiently for the Lord, un­till he incline his Ear unto me, and hear my cry.

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and because he lives, I shall live also.

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.

Why art thou cast down, O my Soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? Put thy trust in God; for I shall yet give him thanks, who is the health of my countenance and my God.

I have fought a good Fight; I have finished my Course; I have kept the Faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Glory.

IV.

I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, which is far better than to re­main in this Vale of Tears; for there all Tears shall be wiped away from mine Eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain.

O that I had Wings like a Dove; for then would I fly away and be at rest.

My Soul is athirst for God, even for the living God: When shall I come to appear before the presence of God?

In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for ever­more.

Lord now lettest thou thy Servant de­part in peace; for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation.

Thou art my Helper, and my Redeem­er: O Lord make no long tarrying.

Into thine hands I commend my Spirit; for thou hast redeemed it, O Lord, thou God of Truth.

Come Lord Jesu; come quickly.

Thanksgiving for Recovery.

BEhold for peace I had great bitterness▪ but thou hast in love to my Soul de­livered [Page 240]it from the Pit of Corruption; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back, Isaiah 38.17.

The Lord was ready to save me: therefore will I sing unto him as long as I live; yea I will sing praises to the God of my life while I have any being.

I should utterly have fainted, but that I believed verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living.

I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my Salvation.

The Lord hath Chastned and Cor­rected me, but he hath not given me o­ver unto Death.

Open to me the Gates of Righteous­ness: I will go into them, and will praise the Lord, and pay him the Vows which I promised with my Lips, and spake with my Mouth when I was in trouble.

Gracious is the Lord and Righteous; yea our God is merciful.

The Lord preserveth the simple: I was in Misery, and he helped me.

Return into thy rest, O my Soul; for the Lord had dealt bountifully with thee.

For thou hast delivered my Soul from death, mine Eyes from Tears, and my Feet from falling.

What shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me? I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Hold thou up my goings in thy paths, that my Foot-steps slip not.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, &c.

A Prayer for the Morning in private.

EArly in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee, O [...]ord, and will look up: O hear me in the multitude of thy mercies, and for the sake of Jesus Christ. O thou great Creator both of Heaven and Earth, and of all things contained therein: thou art a God infi­nately Wise, Holy, Powerful, Just, and Good; transcendent in all perfections: give me I beseech thee, O Lord, a firm be­lief and an acknowledgment of thy di­vine Nature and Existence; a deep sense, and due apprehensions of all thy excel­lencies and goodness, together with suta­ble [Page 242]affections and demeanor towards thee, that I may daily more and more adore thee, love thee, fear thee, honour thee, and depend upon thee. Give me a deep sense of thy infinite Purity and Ho­liness, which may cause in me aversness unto, and an abhorrence of whatsoever is sinful and impure; and excite in me the fear of Reverence and Caution of offend­ing thee, by doing any thing that may displease thee, or omitting to do what may be pleasing unto thee. I confess, O Lord, hadst thou been exact to mark iniquity, and laid judgment to the Line, and righteousness to the Plummet, I had long since been cut off in the midst of my sins, and felt the Effects of thy severe dis­pleasure; but because thy mercy triumphs over thy justice, I am not consumed un­to this day: I have one opportunity more (praised be thy holy name) to beg pardon at thy hands for all my sins, which (to my own shame and confusion) I confess to be exceeding great and hainous, but yet, O Lord, I know thy mercies do far ex­ceed the multitude and haniousness of my Transgressions, O magnifie therefore the Riches of the same mercy, in the full pardon and forgiveness of them all, cast them behind thy Back, bury them in my [Page 243]Saviour's Grave, that they may never rise to shame me here, or to condemn me hereafter: and I pray thee, O Lord, to give me every day a deeper sense of my sins, and a more compleat repent­ance for them, a loathing and detestation of them, and let their remembrance be bitter unto my soul. Send down thy ho­ly Spirit into my heart, and let him root out every accursed unmortified Lust, and sinful corruption from my Soul, and de­stroy in me all the remaining affections unto Sins, and dispose my Soul to a con­stant obedience of all thy Commandments and keep me in an habitual frame and temper of Piety, all the days of my Life. O Lord, give me daily a clearer sight of my Duty, and incline my heart to walk exactly, and so acceptably con­tinually before thee; make me sensible of thy exuberent Love, and let not all thy mercies, longanimity, and pati­ence towards me (a miserable Sinner) prove successless; but raise in my heart all grateful acknowledgments.

Blessed be thy great and glorious Name, O Lord God, for all the mianfestations of thy love and goodness towards me unto this day, for the Mercies of thy right, [Page 244]as well as thy left hand, but especially for the Fountain and Foundation of all our Mercies, Jesus Christ; for the means of Grace, for the hopes of Glory; for thy particular preservation of me (and mine) this Night past, and for all other thy goodness and loving kindness; and I pray thee, O Lord, Give me that due sense of all thy Mercies, that my heart may be unfeignedly thankful, and that I may shew forth thy praise; not on­ly with my lips, but in my life, by giving up my self to thy Service, and by walking before thee in Holiness and Righ­teousness all my days. And now, O Lord, since thou hast been pleased in thy Mercy to bring me safe to the beginning of another day; preserve me, I beseech thee, in the same by thy mighty power from all sin, and from all danger. Let thy spirit and providence direct and pre­side over all my Actions this day, and keep me by the power of thy Grace from those Sins to which my wicked and dis­orderly Nature subjects me to, but e­specially free me from [Here mention thy most prevailing Sins, or such as thy Na­ture, Business, or Company, may that day incline thee to.] Make me exactly watchful over my self, to behave my [Page 245]self as in thy presence, and to set thee always before my Eyes, that so I do nothing which may dishonour thee my God, or wound my own Soul; and grant that by the conduct of thy Grace I may be directed and assisted in keep­ing strictly close unto all thy Command­ments, and in the discharge of my Duty in that place and Calling in which thou hast set me. Let thy blessing, O Lord, attend me in my Studies, Labours or Em­ployments this day, give me holiness of intention in them, and succeed all with thy benediction: Let thy Providence signally watch over me, and thy Pre­sence secure me from all evil, either of Soul or Body, this day and for ever. Hear me, O Lord, and answer me graci­ously, and do for me more abuundantly then I can ask or think; and all I beg for Jesus Christ his sake, for whom my Soul desires to bless thee, and in whosemost prevailing name, and holy words, I far­ther pray unto thee, saying, Our Father which art in heaven, &c.

A Prayer for the Morning in publick with thy Family, which with little variation may be also used in private.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto thee, O Lord, and to sing praise unto thy name, O thou most high: to shew forth thy loving kindness in the Morn­ing, and thy faithfulness every Night.

Hear our Prayers, O Lord, and accept of our praises in Jesus Christ.

O Most Gracious Lord our God, whose Mercies endures for ever, and thy Remembrance throughout all generati­ons: Thou art boundless in thy com­passions towards all thy Creatures, and art infinitely good unto them, not only beyond what they can deserve, but what they can wish: We the unworthy­est of them, desire (at this time) to give glory unto thee, in a humble and hear­ty acknowledgment of those many mer­cies and favours, both Spiritual and Temporal, which thou from time to time hast vouchsafed unto us, and most liberally heaped upon us. We confess, O Lord, that we are not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies, but most wor­thy [Page 247]of the greatest and severest of all thy Judgments, especially when we consi­der the sinfulness and wickedness of our lives past; for we have drank iniquity like water, gone on very Stubbornly and Rebelliously against thee and thy Commandments, all the days of our lives, continually committing those things thou forbiddest, and leaving un­done those things which thou command­est; yea all the thoughts and imagina­tions of our hearts have been evil, and only evil, and that continually, and (which is worst of all) we have still the same proneness to all that is evil; but aversness and obstinacy towards that which is good: We have still impeni­tent hard hearts, that are not mollifi­ed with the sense of our Sins, or of thy Wrath due unto us for them: But O thou who art a God of infinite Mercies and Compassions, manifest the same unto us in the full pardon and forgiveness of all the Sins that ever we have committed against thy Divine Majesty: Accept of that satisfaction and attonement made by thy innocent and beloved Son Jesus Christ, and for the merits of his suffering pardon all that is past, and be thou fully reconciled unto us: And so assist us [Page 248]with thy Grace and Holy Spirit, that we may be able for the time to come to re­pel all the temptations of the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, and to live more Soberly, Righteously, and Godly, in this present evil World, that so having our fruits unto holiness here, we may have our ends everlasting Life. O make us stedfastly resolved to despise all the plea­sures of sin, rather than offend thee our God: and to chuse the most difficult parts of Virtue and Piety to obtain and secure thy Love: O let us delight in thy Service, and desire thy favour above al [...] things, which is better than life it self, and all the comforts of it: Let us love what thou lovest, and hate what thou hatest, wish nothing so much as to please thee, fear nothing so much as to offend thee, and in all things be conformable to thy holy Will, and walk before thee in all well pleasing. O Lord put us in mind of Death and Judgment, that every day we draw nearer to our last day, and that we shall all shortly give a severe account of all that we have done in the Body, and all that we have left undone; of all that we have spoken, nay of all that we have thought: So teach us therefore, O Lord, to number our days, that we may ap­ply [Page 249]our hearts unto Wisdom; and conti­nually so to demean our selves, as those that must one day appear before the Judgment seat of Christ. As to all our outward concerns here in this life, we desire to refer our selves wholly unto thee, our good God; Thou art infinite­ly wise, and knowest what condition is best for every one of us: give us there­fore any measure of prosperity, or ad­versity, riches or poverty, health or sickness, whereby we may most of all glorifie thy holy Name, and in every condition give us grace to look up unto thee as the author and disposer of it, and therein to be really content.

Together with us, we beseech thee to be mindful of all mankind: Let thy ways be known upon earth and thy saving health among all nations. Bless thy universal Church, lead it into all truth, and let not the Gates of Hell be ever able to prevail against it. Be gracious unto our Soveraign Lord the King, the Queen, and all the Royal Family, to all the Ministers and Magistrates, toall that fear thee, and call upon thyname. Re­member all the Sons and Daughters of sor­row and affliction in what case or state soever, and relieve them all according [Page 250]to thy Mercies, and their several necessi­ties; for thou only knowest them all. Bless all our Friends, Kindred, and Be­nefactors, and all that we are under a­ny Obligation to pray for, whether Friends or Enemies; infuse Grace where it is not, and where it is weak do thou strengthen it, give them all things ne­cessary for their Souls and Bodies, guide them here by thy Counsel, and at length receive them to thy self in Glory. And now, O Lord, because it is very meet, right, and our bounden duty at all times, and in all places, to give thanks unto thee, we desire at this time to praise and magnifie thy holy Name for all the free­ness and fulness of thy Mercy, and lov­ing kindness towards us and others: Thou daily loadest us with thy benefits, spiri­tual and temporal, who art the God of our Salvation; thou hast given a fresh Testimony of thy Goodness and Mercy to us in our preservation this Night past from those many sad Casualties and Ac­cidents, which might justly (by reason of our sins) fall upon us, and brought us safe unto another day. O Lord thou mightest have made our Beds our Graves, our Sheets our Winding Sheets, and our rising again this Morn­ing [Page 251]a rising unto judgment: What is man that thou art mindful of him? Or the Son of Man, that thou visitest him? Praise the Lord, O our Souls, and all that is within us praise his holy Name. Praise the Lord, O our Souls, and for­get not all his benefits; and grant that we may render thee not only the fruit of our Lips, but the obedience of our Lives, by consecrating our selves en­tirely to thy Service, and walking be­fore thee in a sincere and impartial ob­servance of thy holy Commandments, all the days of our lives. And seeing thou hast been graciously pleased to add another day unto our Lives, so we be­seech thee to give us Grace to add more Wariness, Repentance, and Circumspe­ction unto our days: Make us, O Lord, carefully to watch against all Sin, especi­ally those that do so easily beset us, and that we have been so often conquered by. Teach us by the Strength of thy holy Spirit to deny our selves, to pluck out even our right Eyes, to cut off even our right hands, to undergo the severest afflictions rather than to offend so Sacred a Majesty: Let our thoughts be always holy and heavenly, and when we are about our Studies and Employments, [Page 252]let them be often carried up unto thee by holy Meditations, and Divine Ejacu­lations. Let our words be seasoned with Salt, with prudence and discretion, not stained with filthiness and vanity, lying, detraction, or any other sin, but such as may tend to the use of Edifying, and minister Grace unto the hearer: Set a watch, O Lord, before our Mouths, and keep the doors of our Lips. Let our Actions, O Lord, be always holy and just, or at least innocent and un­blameable: give us grace to walk as in thy sight, and evermore to set thee be­fore our Eyes. Make us careful in the well spending of our time, so as we may best prevent or resist Temptations, and by discharging our Duties in our places and callings, may glorifie thy holy Name. Take from us, O Lord, all slothfulness, and give us diligent and active Spirits, that when the Devil assaults us, he may not find us idle, but improving those Talents intrusted to eve­ry one of us, that we may at length re­ceive from our great Lord and Master Jesus Christ that blessed Sentence, Of Well done ye good and faithful Servants, enter ye into your Masters Joy. Do thou O Lord, be with us in our labours and [Page 253]employments this day, and bless us; bless and prosper, O Lord, the works of our hands upon us, yea prosper thou our handy-work. Give thy holy Angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways, that we rush not into any Temp­tation, nor fall into any kind of bodily danger, which our sins may justly ex­pose us to; but preserve us as the Apples of thine Eye, and hide us under the sha­dow of thy Wings, that in our going out, and in our coming in we may be blessed, and have always thy watchful protection over us. These and whatever other Mercies thou knowest needful and requisite for us, for all thine, and thy whole Church, we humbly begg in the Name, and for the sake of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and in whose words we shut up our imperfect Petitions, saying as he hath taught us.

Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.

A Prayer at Noon.

Morning, and Evening, and at Noon, will I praise thee, and thou wilt hear my Voice. Open thou my Lips, O Lord, and my Mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

O Father of Mercies, and God of all Comfort and Consolation, Thou art to be Worshipped and Adored with my continual Praises and Thanksgivings, for thou continually followest me with thy Goodness, and thy Mercies are renewed upon me every moment. In thee I live and move, and have my being, and with­out thy succour and support I should quickly return to my first Principle, of no being at all: Thou hast created me, redeemed me, and by thy Fatherly care and providence constantly provided for me: Thou art the God of my life, and the Author of all those Mercies I enjoy, whether Spiritual or Temporal, and therefore thou alone deservest my praises, and unto thee I ascribe, as is most due, all honour, praise, and glory, both now and for evermore. More especially I de­sire to bless and praise thy holy Name, for thy particular Mercies towards me at this time, that thou hast so plentiful­ly refreshed my Body with thy good Crea­tures, and filled me with the Flower of Wheat: Blessed be the Lord God who daily loadeth me with his benefits, even the God of my Salvation: O Lord refresh my Soul also with the Spiritual Manna of thy [Page 255]Heavenly Grace, and grant my pursui [...] may not be after the Meat that perish­eth, but after that which endureth to Everlasting Life. Pardon I beseech thee, O Lord, as all my sins in general, so especially whatever amiss hath passed from me this day, and for Jesus Christ his sake do thou become unto me a recon­ciled Father, own me for thy Child, and continually preservr me by thy provi­dence; keep in me always a Religious Sense of thee, and of thy goodness to­wards me, and sanctifie my heart with thy holy Spirit, that I may walk before thee the remaining part of this day, and all the days of my life, to thy honour and gl [...]ry, through Jesus Christ my bles­sed Lord and Saviour, in whose Name and Words I continu [...] to implore thy Mer­cies; saying, Our Father, &c.

A Prayer for the Evening in private.

O Most holy, holy, Lord God; Hea­ven and Earth are full of the Ma­jesty of thy Glory: Thou art a God of purer Eyes then to behold the least Ini­quity [Page 256]with the least Approbation, thou chargest thine Angels with folly, yea the Heavens are not pure in thy sight; How shall I then so sinful and impure a Wretch, dare to appear before thee, or to take so holy a Name into my sinful and unhallowed Lips? But, O Lord, thou art God and not Man, thy ways are not as our ways, nor thy thoughts as our thoughts, but as high as the Heavens are above the Earth, so are thy thoughts of Love and Peace higher than our thoughts, and there­fore relying on thy Mercies and gracious Promises, I am bold at this time to pro­strate my self before thee, humbly confessing that I am corrupt in my very Nature, having an inability and avers­ness to that which is good, and an apti­tude and proneness to all that is evil; but I have corrupted my self yet much worse by many vicious Customs and sin­ful Habits: I have transgressed my duty to thee, my Neighbour, and my self, followed too much the devices and de­sires of my own wicked heart, and not only not obeyed, but many times wil­fu [...]ly broken thy Commandements which are holy, just, and good: and to my former provocations I have added the [Page 257]sins of the day past, of omission and com­mission, of thoughts, words, and acti­ons. [Here particularize any sin.] Yea, I know not how often I have offended, O cleanse, cleanse thou me from my se­cret faults. And now, O Lord, should'st thou be extream to mark what I have done amiss, I could not be justified in thy sight, nor be able to answer thee for the sins of this one day; but thou, O God, delightest in Mercy, and there is forgiveness with thee that thou may'st be feared O I beseech thee let Repent­ance and Contrition prepare me for that Mercy of thine, and then be thou plea­sed to take away all mine Iniquity, and to receive me graciously into thy fa­vour. Neither do I desire thee only for the pardon of my past sins, but do most bumbly beg for a Divine Power, that I may be able to subdue them for the time to come, and get a compleat Vi­ctory over all the Temptations of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil: To that end, let thy Grace and goodness, and tender mercies prevent and follow me all the days of my life; and bring into obedience whatsoever exalteth it self against thy blessed will, that at last I may come to be such as thou would'st [Page 258]have me to be, even holy in all manner of Conversation. And as I pray unto thee, so I desire likewise from an un­seigned heart, to praise and to bless thee for thy infinite Mercies, for those which relate to this life, and a better; particularly for the Mercies of the day past. [Here enumerate them.] O Lord, the least of these deserves my hearty Thanks­givings: let not the universality and commonness of thy goodness, make me to have the slighter regard of it, but fill my Soul with a Sense of thy Love, and my Tongue with sincere acknow­ledgments; that as I daily receive blessings from thee, so I may daily from an affectionate and devout heart offer up thanks unto thee; and let my whole life, and all my actions be the verifi­cation of my Praises. And now I be­seech thee, O Lord, receive me this Night into the Arms of thy providence, hide me under the shadow of thy Wings. Give thy holy Angels charge over me, to pitch their Tents round about me, that no evil happen unto me, nor any plague come nigh unto my Dwelling; but that I, and mine, and all my Con­cerns may be safe under thy gracious protection, that lying down in thy fear [Page 259]and being refreshed with moderate rest, I may be the fitter to serve thee in the duties of the ensuing day. And all I beg in the Name, and for the sake of Jesus Christ my alone Saviour and Redeemer, for whom my Soul hath endless cause to bless and to praise thee; to whom, with thy self, and Holy Spirit of Grace, be by me ascribed (as is most due) and all thy Saints and Servants, both in Heaven and in Earth, all possible Praise, Might, Maje­sty and Dominion, both now and for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer in publick with the Family for the Evening.

HEar us, O Lord, in the multitude of thy Mercies, even in the truth of thy Salvation; and let not, O let no [...] the loud cry of our sins hinder our Prayers from coming up unto thee, or thy Graces and Mercies from coming down upon us; but pardon our sins which make us un­worthy to appear in thy presence, and our services to be accepted by thee; and assist us we pray thee with thy ho­ly [Page 260]Spirit, which may make us fervent and earnest in our Devotions, that so we may obtain our Requests at thy hands in and through Jesus Christ.

O Eternal and Everliving Lord our God, thou art in thy self most glo­rious and in thy Son most gracious: Heaven is thy Throne, and that thou fillest with thy Majesty, the Earth is but thy Foot-stool, and yet that thou fillest with thy Goodness; both Heaven and Earth loudly proclaim the exceeding greatness of thy Glory, and transcen­dent Excellencies: We thy sinful Crea­tures, who are not worthy to lift up our Eyes unto Heaven, for we have sin­ned against Heaven and before thee, are yet bold in the Bowels and Mercies of Jesus Christ, to cast our selves down at the Foot-stool of thy Majesty, de­siring in all humility of Souls and Bodies to acknowledg our own vileness and wretchedness. O Lord we brought in­to the World with us evil and wicked Inclinations, and we have since made it our business to improve them into pra­ctice: As the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts, so the very words of our Lips, and actions of our Lives have been evil, and only evil, and that con­tinually: [Page 261]Our provocations against thee, our God, have been very great and hainous, and as for their number, more than the Sands of the Sea: We have lived in an universal disobedience to thy Laws, and violated all thy holy Com­mandments, in the keeping of which there is great Reward: And this, O Lord not only through ignorance and frailty, but too many times knowingly and wil­fully, against the Motions of thy holy Spirit, against the Checks of our own Consciences, against those various me­thods of thy Mercies and thy Judgments, which thou hast used to draw us to thy self; yea against those many Promises, Vows, and Resolutions which we have so often made betwixt thee and our own Consciences, both in publick and in private, of better obedience and a­mendment of Life: And now, O Lord, what belongeth unto us but shame and confusion of Face? And should'st thou abandon and cast us out of thy favour for ever; we must needs confess that the Lord our God is Righteous, and that we reap but the fruit of our ways; but unto thee our God belong Mercies and Forgiveness, though we have re­belled against thee: Thou hast published [Page 262]thy self to be the Lord Merciful and Gracious, slow to Anger, and abun­dant in goodness and in truth: A God forgiving Iniquity, Transgression and Sin, and therefore it is that we yet hope; and because we hope, we pray: Have Mercy therefore upon us, O God, ac­cording to thy loving kindness, and ac­cording to the multitude of thy tender Mercies, blot out all our Transgressions washus throughly from our Iniquities, and cleanse us from our Sins, for we acknowledg our faults, and our sins are ever before us. We know, O Lord, that though our sins are exceeding great and many, yet they cannot exceed the multitude of thy Mercies, nor the great­ness of Christ his Merits: O we beseech thee therefore, remember thy tender Mercies, which have been ever of old, and remember the bitter Sufferings of our blessed Redeemer; and for the Merits thereof, pardon all that is past, and become unto us a reconciled Father, and own us for thy Children. Neither do we desire thee only to forgive unto us our past sins; but we pray thee also to sanctifie our Natures, to instruct our Understandings, that we may know the things that belong to our Peace: to re­gulate [Page 263]our Affections, and place them on their right Objects, and to dispose and incline our Wills readily to choose, and cheerfully to imbrace what relates to thy Glory and our own Eternal Happiness: Subdue all our Lusts, mortifie all our Corruptions, and bring into obedience whatsoever exalteth it self against thy most holy and blessed will, that at last we may come to be such as thou would­est have us, and canst delight in. Strengthen us, O Lord, against all the Temptations of the Devil, the World, and our own corrupt Flesh: O Lord, thou knowest the Frailties and weaknes­ses of our Natures, and the number and strength of those Temptations we have to struggle with: We humbly pray thee leave us not to our selves, for then we shall quickly leave thee, but assist us with thy Grace, perfect thy Strength in our weakness, and where thou feest we are either by Nature, or Custom, Com­pany, or Temptation, most apt to be drawn aside to sin, there do thou more especially magnifie thy power in our preservation: Set a watch, O Lord, before our Mouths, and keep the doors of our Lips: Turn away our Eyes from beholding Vanity, our hearts, lest they [Page 264]think on Vanity, and our hands, lest they at any time act it; and quicken thou us in thy way. Search us, O God, and know our hearts; O try us, and know our thoughts, and see what ways of Wickedness there are in us, and lead us in the way Everlasting. Give us grace to abstain from the very appearance of Evil, and to watch and pray that we enter not into Temptation. Possess our Souls continual­ly with an holy fear and love of thee our God. Make us holy as thou art holy, pure as thou art pure, and merciful as thou our heavenly Father art Merciful; and Crown all thy Graces in us with Patience, and Perseverance, that notwithstanding all those discourage­ments and oppositions which we may meet withal here in this sinful World, we may go on chearfully and constantly to do and suffer those things which thou requirest of us in order to thy Glory and the Salvation of our precious and im­mortal Souls: O grant that we may not recede from any Christian performance, upon the sight of any Obstruction lying in the way, but may be willing to resist even unto Blood for the Name, and for the sake of Jesus Christ. Fit and prepare [Page 265]us, O Lord, for all Estates and Conditi­ons whatsoever thou in thy Divine Providence hast allotted for us; for Ad­versity, as well as prosperity; for Sick­ness as well as health, for an Evil, as well as a good Report. But above all, fit and prepare us for the hour of Death, and the day of Judgment, that so whensoever, wheresoever, or how­soever it shall please thee to call for us out of this Vale of Tears, we may be found prepared for thy coming, and may cheerfully and contentedly resign our Souls up into thine hands, as into the hands of a faithful Creator. But seeing that whilst we are here below, we have a continual need of supply of all those outward things for supportance of these Houses of Clay, we humbly beseech thee give us such a portion of them, as thou knowest may make most for the glory of thy Name, and the good of our selves and others: Grant that we may seek first thy Kingdom, and the Righteousness thereof, and then let all those outward things be added unto us in such a measure, as thou in thy Di­vine Wisdom seest best for us; and in every condition that it shall please thee to place us; give us Grace to be content. [Page 266]Take away from us, O Lord, both the Evil of Sin, and the Evil of Punish­ment: O keep thy Servants from pre­sumptuous Sins: deliver us from thine Anger, from the withdrawing of thy Grace, and from Everlasting Damnation: and as for all Temporal Afflictions, not as we will, O Lord, but thy holy and blessed will be done in all things; only whatsoever thou shalt please to inflict upon us, give us patience and contentment under it, and then chasten us here, O Lord, as thou pleasest, that we be not condemned with the World.

With us we humbly beseech thee to be mindful of all thine the World over, give thy Enlightning Grace to all that are in darkness: Thy Converting Grace to all that are in Sin.

O be favourable and gracious unto Zi­on: Build thou the Walls of Jerusalem; look upon the Tribe of thine own Inhe­ritance, and the place where thou hast dwelt.

Let thy Mercies and Blessings rest up­on all people of this Nation from the highest to the lowest; more especially bless with thy choicest blessings our Gracious King Charles: The Queen, and all the Royal Family. Bless all our [Page 267]Ministers and Magistrates: Grant that they may be Men fearing God, and ha­ting Coverousness. Charge thy Provi­dence with all our Friends and Relati­ons: Let those that are near and dear unto us, be near and dear unto thee; let their Souls be bound up in the bun­dle of Life, give them all things neces­sary for their Souls and Bodies; guide them here by thy Counsel, and after­wards receive them to thy self in Glory. Extend thy Compassions towards all that are in any Want, Trouble, Sorrow, Sickness, or other Adversity, either of Soul or Body; O visit and relieve them according to thine own Mercies. Re­ward those that have done us any good, and pardon those that have done or wish'd us any Evil.

And now, O Lord, we desire to min­gle praises with our Prayers, and to bless and magnifie thy glorious Name for all thy Mercies and Favours from time to time vouchsafed unto us; but more especially for the Fountain of all our Mercies Jesus Christ, for the means of Grace, and the hopes of Glory; for all those Temporal Mercies, which thou hast given us richly to enjoy: For the Mercies of the day past to our Souls [Page 268]and Bodies, to our selves and others: Blessed be the Lord God, which daily loadeth us with his benefits, even the God of our Salvation, and blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever and ever.

Finally we recommend unto thee (our good God) our Souls and our Bodies, all that we have, and all that are near and dear unto unto us; most humbly beseeching thee to receive us this Night into thine Almighty protection, and whensoever it shall please thee that our Souls depart our Bodies; receive them, O Lord receive them into the Arms of thine Everlasting Mercy; in whose pre­sence is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore: Grant us quiet and comfortable Refresh­ment by sleep, and awaken us again the next Morning with hearts full of the sense, and with mouths full of the ac­knowledgments of thy Mercies, that we may all of us return with more cheerful­ness to serve thee in the respective places of our calling.

Hear us, O most merciful Father, and graciously answer us in these our Re­quests, and not only in these, but in whatever else thou knowest more need­ful [Page 269]and requisite for us: Accept we hum­bly pray thee both of our persons and our Prayers at this time, pardon the ma­ny frailties and imperfections of our holy things, and deal with us not ac­cording to their weakness, or our de­merits; but according to the Richness of thy Mercy in and through Jesus Christ; for whom we bless thee, and in whose Name and Words we farther pray, Our Father which art in Heaven, &c. Thy Grace, O Lord Jesus Christ, thy Love, O heavenly Father, thy sweet and comfortable Fellowship, O holy and blessed Spirit of Grace, be with us, remain with us, guide, defend, and comfort us this Night, and for evermore. Amen.

A Prayer for Sunday Morning in the Fa­mily; which with very little variati­on, may be used by any single person in his Closet.

Hear our Prayer, O Lord, give Ear to our Supplications: In thy faithful­ness answer us, and in thy righteousness.

O Thou high and lofty One, that inha­bitest Eternity: Thy Name is great, wonderful, and holy, and thou dwellest in the high and holy place, with them also that are of a contrite and hum­ble Spirit; howshall we then sinful Dust and Ashes, who dwell in Houses of Clay, and are very far from that Humility and Contrition, which should render us fit for thy Co-habitation, dare to appear before thee, or approach the place where thine honour dwelleth? But though thou art high, yet hast thou respect unto the lowly, and art pleas'd to humble thy self to behold the things that are done by us poor wretched Mortals here on Earth: Thou art pleased not only to per­mit, but to invite and command us mise­rable and needy Creatures, to make known our Requests unto thee; and it is our interest, as well as our duty so to do: In obedience therefore unto thy Com­mands, in a sense of our Du [...]y, and in a sense of our own Necessities (which can no where else be supplied but from the riches of thy Bounty) we are now em­boldened at this time to present our Peti­tions unto thee: And because thou hast said, that if we confess our sins, thou [Page 269]wilt be faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all un­righteousness; relying an thy Mercies, and gracious Promises, we desire in the first place, most humbly to confess before thee that we were not only con­ceived in Sin, and brought forth in Ini­quity; but (as if that had been but a small matter) we have proceeded on to the commission of many actual Trans­gressions; To Sins of omission, we have daily added sins of commission: To sins of weakness and surprize, sins of wil­julness and obstinacy: To sins of igno­rance, sins of presumption: Yea, O Lord, if we reflect upon the actions of our lives. past, and seriously consider how we have behaved our selves even from the first use of our Reason, to this very moment, we can scarcely find that sin which we have not committed; that Command­ment of thine which we have not often broken; although to the keeping of it thou hast annexed a great reward. Thou hast not been wanting unto us in any thing that might invite or incourage us to promote the welfare of our preci­ous and immortal Souls: Thou hast given us the knowledg of our duty, and instruct­ed us in it, and followed it with the in­ward [Page 270]work of thy Grace, whereby we might be enabled to perform it, and to conquer our sinful Lusts and Desires: But, O Lord, we still retain a darkness in our Ʋnderstandings, an unruliness in our Affections, and a crookedness in our Wills, bending down towards the car­nal part, and great proneness to grati­fie it: Thou hast deterred us also by thy menaces and denunciation of Judgments, saying, Thou wilt by no means clear the guilty: Tribulation and Anguish, In­dignation and Wrath upon every Soul that sinneth; and yet neither have thy Mercies allured us, nor thy Threats affrighted us, from following the dictates of our own sinful Inclinations; but we have gone on in a continual Rebellion a­gainst thee, as if we meant speedily to fill up the measure of our Iniquity, and to hasten our own destruction. And now, O Lord, what can we say for our selves? But that we have deserved the severest of thy wrath and displeasure, and that it is purely of the Lords Mercy that we are not consumed. And now Lord what is our hope? Truly our hope is even in thee. Thou hast revealed thy self to be a God gracious and merciful, slow to Anger, and of great kindness, re­penting [Page 271]thee of the evil. We Appeal therefore from the Bar of thy Justice to the Throne of thy Mercy, humbly be­seeching thee not to deal with us after our sins, nor to reward us according to our Iniquities, but for thy Names sake, for thy Mercies sake, yea for thy dear Son Jesus Christ his sake (in whom thou hast said thou art well plsased) blot out the multitude of our Transgressions, pardon all our sins, and receive us graciously yet once more into thy favour. And as we destre thee to free us from the guilt and punishment of our sins, so we pray thee also to free us from the power of them too: So assist us continually with thy grace, that we may be able to repel all the Temptations of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. Teach us to deny all Ʋngodliness, and every worldly Lust, and to live more Soberly, Righte­ously, and Godly in this present World, that so having our Fruits unto holiness here, we may have our ends Everlast­ing Life. And grant, O Lord, we may not only cease to do evil, but we may also learn to do well, that we may have respect unto all thy Commandments, and serve thee by a sincere, uniform, impar­tial Obedience, all the days of our lives; [Page 272]giving all diligence to add unto our Faith Vertue, to Vertue Temperance, to Temperance Chastity, to Chastity Humility, to Humility Meekness, to Meekness Brotherly kindness, Charity, Preseverance, and every Christian Grace. That we may at length arrive to the measure of the stature of the ful­ness of Christ; to be such as thou would­est have us to be, holy in all manner of conversation, even as thou our God art Holy.

Prepare us for all Conditions that thou shalt see fit to call us unto here in this life, and give us hearts truly thankful, submissive, and contented in all thy di­sposals. Give us a sanctified use of all thy Creatures, and such a portion of those Temporals as may best secure our eternal concerns. Mind us of Death and Judg­ment; That we dwell in Houses of Clay whose Foundation is in the dust; that when a few days are past we shall go the way whence we shall not return; and that it will not be long before we shall stand at thy just Tribunal, and be cal­l [...]d to give an account of all our Actions in the Flesh, whether they be good or e­vil: Give us Grace therefore all the days of our appointed time to wait until [Page 273]our change shall come: That we may be continually trimming our Lamps, and waiting for the coming of the Bride­groom, that at whatsoever hour he calls for us, we may be ready to enter in, and be admitted to sit down at the Eternal Sup­per of the Lamb.

Neither desire we a blessing for our selves alone, but for the whole race of Mankind. Let the knowledg of the Lord cover the Earth, as the Waters cover the Sea. Let the people praise thee, O God, yea let all the people praise thee. More especially bless, we beseech thee, the Congregation of Christs Church, how­ever dispersed over the face of the whole Earth. Have a particular regard to that Church and Nation in which we live. Bless the principal Member of it, our gracious Soveraign Lord the King, the Queen, and all the Royal Family. Bless all that wait at thine Altar, by what Names or Titles dignified or distinguished. Grant that they may speak as the Oracles, and live as the Messengers of God. Bless all to whom thou hast committed the Sword of Ju­stice; let them not bear it in vain, but so use it, as to be a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well. Bless [Page 274]all the Commonalty of this Land; eve­ry one of us in our several places and relations, and grant that we may all live in the true Faith and Fear of thee our God; in humble obedience to the King, and in brotherly Love and Cha­rity one towards another. Bind up the broken hearted: Give liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound. Comfort all that mourn in Zion; give unto them Beauty for Ashes, the Oyl of Joy for Mourning, and the Garment of praise for the Spirit of Heaviness.

And as we pray unto thee, so we de­sire likewise to laud and praise thee for all thy Mercies Spiritual and Tempo­ral towards us; for thy protection of us this Night, for all the Mercies of the Week past, to our Souls and Bodies: More especially we beseech thee accept our praises for the great Mercies of this day, for all the wonderful works of thy Creation, and for the providential care and provision made for every one of them: That thou hast appointed us cer­tain seasons and opportunities to Wor­ship and Adore thee, even for our own good. But above all we acknowledg thy inestimable benefits bestowed upon us [Page 275]in Jesus Christ. We praise thee for his immaculate Conception and Incarnation, his holy Life, and bitter Death; for his glorious Resurrection upon this day, for the Mission of his blessed Spirit, and continual Intercession for us at thy right hand; for all the means of Grace, and the hopes of Glory. We praise thee for the glorious Company of the Apostles; for the goodly Fellowship of the Pro­phets; for the Noble Army of Martyrs, and for all other thy Saints and Ser­vants departed this life in thy Faith and Fear; beseeching thee to give us grace so to follow their good Examples, that we to­gether with them, may be partakers of a glorious Resurrection unto life ever­lasting.

And now, O Lord, seeing this is thy day, a day which thou hast sanctified and set apart for thy Service, be pleased to give us Grace wholly to devote it un­to thy glory. Make us more watchful over all [...]ur thoughts, words, and actions, than on other days; and so assist us with thy holy Spirit, that we may perform all those Duties thou re­quirest of us, in such manner as they may be well pleasing and acceptable in thy sight. Fit and prepare us for thy [Page 276]House of Pr [...]yer, and for the discharge of those great and weighty Duties, which thou there expectest from us; purifie bur hearts from all sin, and in­flame them with a Spiritual Zeal and Affection, that we may enter into thy Gates with Thanksgiving, and into thy Courts with Praise. Give us Grace to come before thee with reverence and godly fear: Make us servent in our De­votions, answerable to our needs and necessities: Give us hearing Ears, un­derstanding Hearts, retentive Memo­ries, particular Application of it to our selves, and holy Resolutions of pra­ctising it in our Lives and Conversations, that we may return satisfied with the fulness of thy House, and praise thee more and more. Open thou the Mouths of thy Ministers every where this day: O be present with the Assemblies of thy Saints. Spea [...] unto thy Servants (the Ministers) that they may speak unto thy people, and deliver unto every one such Doctrine as may be suitable and seasona­ble to the several Conditions of their Auditors: That the most obdure sinner may be convinced and converted; the most weak in faith may be strengthned; the most d [...]je [...]cted in spirit may be com­forted: [Page 277]And grant that all who speak, and all that hear this day, may add some Glory unto thy Name, and receive some benefit and comfort to their own precious and immortal Souls. Finally, thou, O Lord, who knowest the several wants and necessities of all thy Servants; O that thou wouldest be graciously pleased to put a word into the mouth of thy Mi­nister, which shall dispense thy holy O­racles unto us this day, which may par­ticularly respect our Condition; whether it be for Comfort or Terror, Reprehensi­on, or Exhortation; Give us grace to apply it to our selves, and to reduce it into practice, that thy word may be un­to us the savour of life unto life, and not unto any Soul of us, the savour of death unto death. These Mercies, O most merciful Father, for our selves, or any of thine, and whatever else thou knowest fitting for us (together with the acceptance of our praises) we humbly beg at thy hands, though not for any worthiness that is in our selves (for we utterly disclaim all) but for the Merits of him who alone is worthy, Jesus Christ the Righteous; in whose endearing Name, and holy Words, we continue to pray unto thee, saying, Our Father, &c. Thy Grace, O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

A Prayer for Sunday Evening in the Family.

Open thou our Lips, O Lord, and our Mouths shall shew forth thy praise.

O Most blessed and glorious Lord God, Father of Mercies, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thou fillest Heaven with thy Glory, and the Earth with thy Goodness: All thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy Saints give thanks un­to thee: Thy Name only is excellent, and thy praise above Heaven and Earth; but because thou art good, and delight­est in doing good, thou art pleased to permit us thy poor unworthy Creatures here on Earth, to offer up our Prayers and our Praises unto thee, who dwellest in the highest Heavens, that thou may'st reward them with thy favour and loving kindness: And that we might never be wanting to our selves, thou art daily pleased to give us new and fresh occasions of Praising and Magnifying thy Holy Name Even this very day we have had [Page 279]large Experiences of thy Goodness, which call for our highest Thanksgivings: The temporal Mercies we have received in thy protection of us from those many dangers to which we were exposed by reason of our sins, and the plentiful refreshment we have had in the use of thy good Creatures, deserve our due acknowledgments; but that thou hast given us (Dust and Ashes) an opportu­nity and leave to come into thy more im­mediate presence, to wait upon thee in thy House, to speak unto thee (the glorious Majesty of Heaven, before whom Angels cover their Faces) and to hear thee speaking unto us, instructing us in our Duties, and offering unto us terms of Reconciliation, most justly challenge our devoutest Affections, and most exalted Praises. Thou hast given thine only Son to be a Sacrifice for us, by whom we have Redemption through his Blood; thou hast given him Victory over Hell and the Grave, by his Resur­rection from the dead, and he is now sat down at the right hand of the Maje­sty on high, making continual Intercessi­on for us.

Thou hast given us the constant Soli­citations of thy blessed Spirit of Truth, [Page 280]the Seal of our Adoption, and the ear­nest of the Inheritance of the Saints; to­gether wih a succession of Pastors and Teachers, to be the Dispensers of thy Word and Will, and the Guides of our Souls: And thou hast prepared such things for those that fear thee, as Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor ever entred into the heart of Man to conceive. Lord, what is Man that thou art mindful of him? Or the Son of Man, that thou hast done such great things for him? Praise the Lord, O our Souls, and all that is within us praise his holy Name. Praise the Lord, O our Souls, and for­get not all his benefits.

O that all this Goodness of thine might ingage us by way of just return to thy free and undeserved Mercies, more heartily to love thee, more devoutly to worship thee, and more diligently to live after thy Commandments.

Give us a due savour and relish of those Divine Truths we have learned this day: Grant that we may not be only hearers, but doers of thy Word; lest we deceive our own Souls. Cherish those holy Thoughts, Affections, and Resolutions which thy good Spirit hath raised in us: O Let not them pass out of [Page 281]our minds with the day, but leave Im­pressions upon our hearts the whole Week following, and all our days; that as we have received how we ought to walk and to please thee, our God, so we may abound more and more.

Bless all the faithful Dispensers of thy Word and Sacraments, however dig­nified, or distinguished: More especial­ly bless him, O Lord, who hath this day blessed us in thy Name, Pour down a double portion of thy holy Spirit into his heart, make him an eminent Instru­ment for thy Glory: Let him turn many from their wicked ways unto thee, the living God, and hereafter let his Soul shine as a Star in the Firmament of thy Kingdom.

Continue unto us, O Lord, such holy op­portunities and seasons of Grace, as thou now affordest us; and send them where they are not. Let not, O let not the loud cry of our national Sins provoke thee to remove thy Candlestick from us, or to quench the Light of our Israel; but blessed God, whatever temporal Judgments thou art pleased to bring up­on us; whatever Mercies thou art pleas­ed to deny us; yet for thy Names sake, and for thy Truth and Righte­ousness [Page 282]sake, be pleased still to con­tinue unto us the free liberty of thy House, of thy Word, Sacraments, and Ordinances, in their primitive purity, and regularity, until time shall be no more.

Pardon, we pray thee, good God, whatever thou hast seen amiss in us the day past, even the many frailties and imperfections of our holiest Duties, and Performances.: Look not upon the weakness of our Flesh, but upon the sincerity of our Hearts and Desires. Pity all our Infirmities; and let those Sacrifices which we have this day offer­ed unto thy Divine Majesty, be accept­ed in and for that Sacrifice which thy Son Christ Jesus hath offered up upon the Cross for us. Finally, O Lord, we commend into thine hands, this Night, our Selves, Souls, and Bodies, and all our Friends every where, to be pro­tected by thy providence, refreshed with moderate rest, and raised again the next Morning by thy power; to serve thee with more cheerfulness, and to praise thee for thy renewed Mercies: And all we beg for the alone sake and love of thy Son, who is the Son of thy love, Jesus Christ our Lord: In whose holy Name we are bold to beg [Page 283]the acceptance of our Petitions and Thanksgivings, and to continue to sup­plicate thy Divine Majesty: Saying as he hath taught us,

Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.
Thy Grace, O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

A Prayer preparatory for Death, to be often used in the time of Health.

O Immortal and Everliving Lord God, thy years endure throughout all Generations; from everlasting to ever­lasting thou art God. I thy frail Crea­ture, created at first (by thy power) to a state of Immortality with thy self, which by Adams Transgression (the re­presentative of all mankind) I have long since forfeited my right to, and am be­come liable to Death. I acknowledg thy mercy towards me in my Creation, and thy justice and faithfulness in the execution of thy Threatnings, upon breach of the first Covenant. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Behold thou hast now made my days as it were a span length, and mine age is even as nothing in re­spect [Page 284]of thee, and I am altogether vani­ty. The sentence of Death hath passed upon all; for that all have sinned: And I who have had so great a share in sinning, cannot but expect to receive the due Wages of it, Death. Only I beseech thee, blessed God. to make me wise now in the time of my Health and Srength, to understand this, and to consider my latter end. Grant, O Lord, that by departing from every known sin: by keeping Innocency, and always taking heed to the thing that is right, I may be in an habitual preparation for Death, and find peace at the last. Wean my heart daily more and more from the love of the World, and worldly things, and place my affections upon their right and more de­serving Objects, Heaven, and Heavenly things; that my heart may be where my Treasure is; and that whenever I shall be called to part with them, I may leave all without any murmuring or reluctan­cy; and be willing and content to die. Let every pain and sickness mind me of my last: And that Death may not be a surprize unto me, furnish my Soul with all those Graces before-hand, which I shall have greatest occasions to make use of in my last Conflict. Give me Repent­ance [Page 285]unto life, not to be repented of. A Stedfast Faith, that worketh by Love towards thee my God, and Chari­ty to all the World: A Firm Hope, such as maketh not ashamed, but may be­come an Anchor of my Soul, entring e­ven within the Vail: True Christian Courage and Patience, and a resolved­ness of a cheerful submission to thy Fa­therly Correction: And Grant that in all things I may so put my Soul, and House in order, that when I come to die, I may have nothing else to do but to die.

Let not my Death be unexpected, untimely, or violent, if it be thy holy will: And when it shall please thee to cast me on my last Bed, give me Grace to search my Heart; to renew my Repentance and Interest in Jesus; and to compose my Soul for God. Give me the opportunity and refreshment of thy holy Sacrament (the Seal of the Divine Love) the benefit of Absolution: Some irradiations of thy Love and Favour, in the assurances of pardon and peace, together with a patient and comforta­ble expectation of the performance of all thy promises. Let not the Devil take advantage of my weakness, nor [Page 286]any of his Suggestions prevail upon me. Let not his Accusations or my Sins di­stract me in my last hour; but do thou interpose thy seasonable Relief: O for­sake me not when my strength faileth me, but in the mid'st of the sorrows and temptations that I have upon my Bed, let thy Comforts refresh my Soul. O suffer me not for any pains of death to fall from thee: And in my last Ago­nies, when my Soul shall quit the rui­nous habitation of my Body, let thy holy Angels convey it into the Regions of a glorious Eternity; where there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. Grant this, O merciful Father, for the sake of him, who by death hath overcome death, e­ven Jesus Christ, my High Priest, and blessed Redeemer. Amen.

A Prayer for Sincerity, out of the Whole Duty of Man.

O Holy Lord, who requirest Truth in the inward parts, I humbly be­seech thee to purge me from all Hypo­crisie [Page 207]and unsincerity. The heart, O Lord, is deceitful above all things, and my heart (I fear) is deceitful above all hearts; O thou who searchest the Heart and Reins, try me, and seek the ground of my heart, and suffer not any accursed thing to lurk within me, but purifie me even with Fire, so thou consume my dross. O Lord, I cannot deceive thee, but I may most easily deceive my self; I beseech thee let me not rest in any such deceit, but bring me to a sight and hatred of my most hidden Corruptions, that I may not cherish any darling Lust, but make an utter destruction of every Amalekite. O suffer me not to speak peace to my self, when there is no peace, but grant I may judge of my self as thou judgest of me, that I may never be at peace with my self, till I am at perfect peace with thee, and by purity of haert be qualified to see thee in thy King­dom, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

For Contrition, out of the same Author.

O Holy Lord, Who art a merciful Em­bracer of true Penitents, but yet a consuming Fire towards obstinate sin­ners, [Page 288]how shall I approach thee, who have so many provoking sins to inflame thy Wrath, and so little sincere Repen­tance to incline thy Mercy! O be thou pleased to soften and melt this hard ob­durate heart of mine, that I may hear­tily bewail the Iniquities of my life: Strike this Rock, O Lord, that the Wa­ters may flow out, even Floods of Tears to wash my polluted Conscience; my drowzy Soul hath too long slept secure­ly in sin, Lord awake it, though it be with Thunder, and let me rather feel thy Terrors then not feel my sin. Thou sentest thy blessed Son to heal the bro­ken hearted, but Lord what will that avail me if my heart be whole. O break it, that it may be capable of his healing Virtue; and grant I beseech thee, that having once tasted the bitterness of sin, I may fly from it, as from the Face of a Serpent, and bring forth Fruits of Re­pentance in amendment of Life, to the praise and glory of thy Grace, in Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer. Amen.

Those whose Devotions are apt to be assisted by variety, or are desirous of Forms for other Graces, or more parti­cular [Page 289]occasions, may find a plentiful sup­ply in the Books of the aforementioned-Pious Author; in Dr. Tailor's holy Living and Dying: but more especially in the Book of Devotions composed by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Patrick.

A Prayer to be used by any Pious Chri­stian in these difficult times.

O Most just and holy Lord God, thou art Righteous in all thy ways, and holy in all thy Works; I must needs confess that when I seriously consider the multitude and hainousness of my own Sins, and those of the whole Nation, which cry loudly to Heaven for Vengeance, that it is e­ven a miracle of Mercies that we have not long since felt the severities of thy Wrath in some direful Judgments; but thou, O Lord, hast been exceeding­ly gracious, and with much patience and long suffering hast waited for our Repentance and Amendment of Life; but yet we have abused this Mercy [Page 290]of thine beyond all the former, and have not returned unto thee. And now, O Lord, seeing we would not be allured by thy Mercies, thou art pleas'd to threaten us with the approach of thy Judgments, which if thou wilt not avert, O fit and prepare me for the cheerful Entertainment of whatsoe­ver thy Wisdom shall think fit to in­flict upon me, whether in Mind, Body, or Estate; and to that end furnish my Soul with those Gifts and Graces which are accommodate to the Condition of Suffering: Give me Spiritual Wisdom, Discretion to manage my Affairs aright in these difficult times, give me true Patience, Meekness, and an inlarged Charity towards all, yea even those whom thou shalt permit to be the instru­ments of my suffering, no way murmur­ing or repining, but instead thereof, following that admirable Example of my Blessed Saviour, loving and praying for my greatest Persecutors. Fortisie my Soul with Christian Courage and Con­stancy, that I may with cheerfulness and inward joy run the race that is set before me, and O let me receive such invisible Aids and Succors from thee, as may enable me thankfully to resign my [Page 291]self to thy disposals, and to resist even unto Blood: And because of my self I am a very frail Creature, subject to many Infirmities, having a heart apt to be di­vided betwixt the love of God and the World, betwixt fear of punishment, and trusting in thee; do thou, O blessed Mediator pray for me, that my Faith fail not, but that tho it be tryed with Fire, it may be found unto Praise, and Glory, and Honour, at thy appearing: In the mean time take from me all anxious, troublesome, and solicitous thoughts, and make me to commit my self wholly unto the Lord, and to trust in him; and so in every thing by fervent and humble Prayers with Thanksgiving make my Requests known unto thee, my God: and having done this, let me cheerfully acquiesce in thy disposals, meditate of thy Promises, of thy Faithfulness in performing them, and joyn these with my constant Experiences of thy goodness; and so rest confidently assured that all things, even the most bitter Afflictions that can befall me, shall work together for my good, either to make me more holy in life, or else more happy in death. Grant this, O merciful Father, for thy dear Sons sake, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Close.

I Have now (by Gods Assistance) gone through my proposed method, and I cannot but think it high time to draw to a Close, especially being con­scious of the numerous Defects and Im­perfections which the Reader hath met withal in his Journey hither. Many things (I confess) I have passed over sic­copede, slightly and cursorily, design­ing only a Specimen or Essay, leaving it for more pious and worthy persons to make a compleat discovery of the whole Merchandize.

By way of Surplusage I have added those last Forms of Prayer, yet I would not be understood to be so supercilious as to think my own private Inventions better than those publick ones of the Church, or that the one ought to justle out the other, or that any should be obliged to these Forms here prescrib­ed (who probably can much better a­dapt their Conceptions and Expressions to their own particular Conditions) they [Page 293]being only designed to be a Direction [...]r Method for those who are defective [...] it; and therefore I shall hope to e­scape the Censure of my holy Mother, the Church, and all pious persons.

If it be Objected by any that the course of Piety by me here prescribed, as too severe, and the burden I would impose is too insupportable, I must an­swer that if he be a person of leisure, and disposed to live a Godly Life; he will be willing to press on farther towards per­fection, and diligently apply himself to every (even the most difficult) work of Piety, and walk in all the ways of well-doing, that may conduct him to it. Use and Custom will make that Task ea­sie and pleasant, which at first seem'd difficult, if not possible. Elige vitam optimam (said Seneca) consuetudo faciet jucundissimam.

The Sands of Arabia, which to Stran­gers and Forreigners are troublesome to pass, to the Inhabitants are easie, be­cause accustomed to them. And I dare presume may I so far prevail with any pious Soul as to put it in practice for some time, he will then confess it to be not only tolerable, but facil and de­lightsome. And yet I would not have a­ny [Page 294]well disposed humble Souls to think ill of their conditions, although they proceed not to so a severe a Course of Piety as is here described; for I know this cannot be a Rule for all; nay 'tis not proper for all to follow. Some have not leisure and opportunities, and here it is not expected; others are Novices in the School of Grace, and those I would not counsel to lay too heavy burdens on their Shoulders before they are of Strength able to bear them. Milk is fittest for Babes, and strong Meat for those of adult years. Let not therefore such be discouraged, or follow after sorrowing, because they have not ar­rived to that heighth as others, but comfort themselves with this, viz. That God exacts not a perfect, but sin­cere Obedience; and that where Per­fection is wanting in the act, that it be made up in the desires and endeavours; and this God will please to accept.

We all pretend to be Christians, and we Name the Name of Christ, O let us depart from Iniquity, and let our pra­ctice be someway (at least answerable) to what we profess. I have read of A­lexander, that hearing of a Captain in his Army called by his own Name, that [Page 295]proved himself to be a very Coward, he sent to him either to quit his Name, or to fight better. If we indeed own a God, and pretend to fight under his Banner, let us live God-like, and be­have our selves as his faithful Souldiers and Servants. Though a speculative Atheist be indeed a great wonder, yet the practical one is certainly the biggest prodigy of the two; and I would much rather choose to be found at the last a Seneca, Antoninus, Scipio, or Aristides, an honest Heathen, or a devout Idola­ter, than a prophane Christian.

I shall add no more but my Prayers that God will make us Christians in Deed as well as in Name, that we may not only believe and acknowledge the Ex­istence of a God, but that we may also be subject to him, governed by him, and in all things be conformable to his Will; which God grant for his Son Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.

FINIS.
[...].

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