Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
O Eternal God, and heavenly Father, if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospel, and the examples ofa Peter, bMary Magdalen, the cPublican, dthe Prodigal child, and many other penitent sinners; that thou art so efull of Compassion, and so ready to forgive the greatest sinners, who aref heaviest laden with sin, at whatg time soever they return unto thee with penitent hearts, lamenting their sins, and imploring thy grace: I should despair for mine own sins, and be utterly discouraged from presuming to come into thy presence; considering the hardness of my ⟨p. 196⟩heart, the unruliness of my affections, and the uncleanness of my conversation, by means whereof I have transgressed all thy laws, and deserved thyh curse, which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearful disease, 9
my soul to languish with the death of sin, my good name to be traduced with scandalous reproaches, and make mine estate liable to all manner of crosses and casualties And I confess, O Lord, that thy mercy is the cause that I have not been long ago confounded.
brazen Serpent, that can cure that poison, wherewith the fiery Serpent of my sins have stung and poisoned my sick and wounded soul. And give me, I beseech thee, thine holy Spirit, which may assure me of mine adoption, and that may confirm my faith, increase my repentance, enlighten my understanding,
may be kept unblameable until the glorious •oming of my Lord Jesus Christ. And now, O Lord, I give thee most hearty thanks, •nd praise, for that thou hast this day preserved me from all harms and perils, notwithstanding all my sins and ill deserts.
O Eternal God, and heavenly Father, if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospel, and the examples ofa Peter, bMary Magdalen, the cPublican, dthe Prodigal child, and many other penitent sinners; that thou art so efull of Compassion, and so ready to forgive the greatest sinners, who aref heaviest laden with sin, at whatg time soever they return unto thee with penitent hearts, lamenting their sins, and imploring thy grace: I should despair for mine own sins, and be utterly discouraged from presuming to come into thy presence; considering the hardness of my ⟨p. 196⟩heart, the unruliness of my affections, and the uncleanness of my conversation, by means whereof I have trangressed all thy laws, and deserved thyh curse, which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearful disease, 9my soul to languish with the death of sin, my good name to be traduced with scandalous reproaches, and make mine estate liable to all manner of crosses and casualties And I confess, O Lord, that thy mercy is the cause that I have not been long ago confounded. 10But, O my God,11 as thy mercy only staied thy judgment from falling upon me hitherto; so I humbly beseech thee, in thea bowels of the mercy of Jesus Christ, (b in whom only thou art well pleased) that thou wilt not deal with mec according to my deserts, but that thou wouldstd freely and fully remit unto me all my sins and transgressions: and that thou wouldste wash them clean from me, with the vertue of that most precious blood, which thy Son Jesus Christ hath shed for me. For he alone is thef Ph• sician, and his blood only is theg medicine that ean heal my sickness. And he is the true hbrazen Serpent, that can cure that poison, wherewith the fiery Serpent of my sins have stung and poisoned my sick and wounded soul. And give me, I beseech thee, thine holy Spirit, which may assure me of mine adoption, and that may confirm my faith, encrease my repentance, enlighten my understanding, 20purifie my heart, rectifie my will and affections, and so sanctifie me ⟨p. 197⟩•hroughout, that my whole body, soul, and spi•it, 21may be kept unblameable until the glorious •oming of my Lord Jesus Christ. And now, O Lord, I give thee most hearty thanks, •nd praise, for that thou hast this day preserved me from all harms and perils, notwithstanding all my sins and ill deserts.
And I beseech thee likewise defend me •his night from the roaring Lyon, 1which •ight and day seeketh to devour me. Watch •hou, O Lord, over me this night, to keep •e from his temptations and tyranny; and •et thy mercy shield me from his unappea•ble rage and malice. And to this end, I commend my self into thy hands and pro•ection,2 beseeching thee, O my Lord and God, not to suffer Satan, nor any of his evil members, to have power to do unto me •ny hurt or violence this night. And grant, •ood Lord, that whether I sleep or wake, •ve or die, I may sleep, wake, live and die •nto thee, and to the glory of thy name, •nd the salvation of my soul. Lord bless •nd defend all thy chosen People every •here. Grant our King a long and happy •eign over us. Bless our gracious Queen Mary, with their Princely Progeny, the •ady Elizabeth, the King's only Sister, and •er Princely Issue; together with all our magistrates and Ministers: comfort them •ho are in misery, need, or sickness: good •ord give me grace to be one of those •ise Virgins, 3which may have my heart •repared like a Lamp furnished with the […] of faith, and light of good works, to meet ⟨p. 198⟩the Lord Jesus the sweet Bridegroom of my soul, this second and sudden coming in glory. Grant this, good Father, for Christ Jesus sake, my only Saviour and Mediator, in whose blessed Name, and in whose own words, I call upon thee, as he hath taught me. Our Father, which art, &c.
And I beseech thee likewise defend me •his night from the roaring Lyon, 1which •ight and day seeketh to devour me. Watch •hou, O Lord, over me this night, to keep •e from his temptations and tyranny; and •et thy mercy shield me from his unappea•ble rage and malice. And to this end, I •ommend my self into thy hands and pro•ection,2 beseeching thee, O my Lord and God, not to suffer Satan, nor any of his e•il members, to have power to do unto me •ny hurt or violence this night. And grant, •ood Lord, that whether I sleep or wake, •ve or die, I may sleep, wake, live and die •nto thee, and to the glory of thy name, •nd the salvation of my soul. Lord bless •nd defend all thy chosen People every •here. Grant our King a long and happy •eign over us. Bless our gracious Queen Mary, with their Princely Progeny, the •ady Elizabeth, the King's only Sister, and •er Princely Issue; together with all our •agistrates and Ministers: comfort them •ho are in misery, need, or sickness: good •ord give me grace to be one of those •ise Virgins, 3which may have my heart •repared like a Lamp furnished with the 〈…〉 of faith, and light of good works, to meet ⟨p. 198⟩
Thy Grace, O Lord Jesus Christ; thy love, O heavenly Father; thy comfort and consolation, O holy and blessed Spirit, be with me, and dwell in my heart, this night, and evermore. Amen.
1. That the day is coming, when thou must be as barely unstripped of al• that thou hast in the World, 1as thou ar• now of thy Clothes: thou hast therefore here, but the use of all things, as aa Steward, for a time, and that upon accounts Whilst therefore thou art trusted with thi• Stewardship, bbe wise and faithful.
1. THat the day is coming, when thou must be as barely unstript of al• that thou hast in the World, 1as thou ar• now of thy Clothes: thou hast therefore here, but the use of all things, as aa Steward, for a time, and that upon accounts Whilst therefore thou art trusted with thi• Stewardship, bbe wise and faithful.
2. When thou seest thy Bed, let it pu• thee in mind of thy* grave, which is now the bed of Christ: for Christ (by laying hi• holy body to rest three days and three nights in the† grave) hath sanctified, an• (as it were) warmed it for the bodies o• his Saints, to rest and* sleep in, till th•⟨p. 199⟩morning of the Resurrection: so that now unto the faithful, death is but a sweet sleep; and the grave is but Christ's* bed, where their bodies rest and sleep in peace, until the joyful morning of the Resurrection-day shall dawn unto them.5
*Job 17. 13. Ut somnus mortis, sic lectus imago sepulchri.
Let therefore thy Bed-clothes represent unto thee the mould of the Earth that shall cover thee; thy sheets, thy winding sheet; thy sleep, thy death; thy waking, thy resurrection. And being laid down in thy bed, when thou perceivest sleep to approach, say, I will lay me down and sleep in peace, for thou, 1Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Thus religiously opening every Morning thy heart, and shutting it up again every Evening, with the Word of God and Prayer, as it were with a Lock and Key, and so beginning the day with God's Worship, continuing it in his fear, and ending it in his favour: thou shalt be sure to find the blessing of God upon all thy days labours and good endeavours: and at night thou mayest assure thy self, thou shalt sleep safely and sweetly in the arms of thy heavenly Father's providence.
Thus religiously opening every Morning thy heart, and shutting it up again every Evening, with the Word of God and Prayer, as it were with a Lock and Key, and so beginning the day with God's Worship, continuing it in his fear, and ending it in his favour: thou shalt be sure to find the blessing of God upon all thy days labours and good endeavours: and at night thou maist assure thy self, thou shalt sleep safely and sweetly in the arms of thy heavenly Father's providence.
Thus far of the Piety which every Christian in private, ought to practise every day. Now followeth that, which he (being an Householder) must practise publicly with his Family.
Thus far of the Piety which every Christian in private, ought to practise every day. Now followeth that, which he (being an Housholder) must practise publickly with his Family.
the Lord Jesus the sweet Bridegroom of my soul, this second and sudden coming in glory. Grant this, good Father, for Christ Jesus sake, my only Saviour and Mediator, in whose blessed Name, and in whose own words, I call upon thee, as he hath taught me. Our Father, which art, &c.
