Private devotion and a brief explication of the ten commandments

III.

THen looking up to heaven, I will think and Meditate with all seriousnes•• and serenity of mind, with fear and reverence, with firm belief, good affection and admiration upon the chief articles of the Christi∣an Faith:

Most especially upon the Eternal, everlasting, invisible, omnipresent, almighty, omniscient, incomprehen∣sible, immutable, most perfect, most excellent, most high, most happy, most holy, most just, and infinitely merciful and gracious GOD and Fa∣ther, Lord and King, Creatour, Pre∣server and Governour of Men and Angels, and of all things in Heaven

and Earth. I fear thee, I bless thee, I thank thee▪ I adore thee with all submis∣sion of soul and body, I put my whole trust in thee, I love thee, I will obey thee, Author of all good, and endless fountain of life and wisdom and power and peace and felicity.

I will likewise meditate with all thankfulness upon our most gracious Lord and all sufficient Saviour Iesus Christ, the eternal Son of the Father▪ who hath lov••d us, and taken our nature, and washed us from our sins in his own bloud: the perfect rule and pattern of holiness, and the perpetu∣al and ever prevailing Advocate at Gods right hand for all the penitent and believing.

I will also meditate upon the pure and glorious Majesty: the quickning, piercing, enlightning and burning power: the prophecies and miracles: the long-suffering, warning and in∣struction: the sanctification, preven∣••ion, assistance and consolation, and

the manifol•• gifts and vertues of the Holy Ghost. Pardon, I most hum∣bly beseech thee, O God of love and mercy, my too frequent neglects of thy grace and presence.

Glory be now to the Eternal Tri∣nity, which innumerable spotless An∣gels and souls of righteous men, and all the powers of heaven incessantly do serve, and praise, and worship with fear and trembling. To these I joyn my humble voice, and my will∣ing but polluted heart, saying, Amen. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, hea∣ven and earth are full of thy glory. Glo∣ry be to thee, O Lord most high.

Moreover, from daily experience and example I will Reflect on the bre∣vi••y, vanity, various temptations, sin∣fulness and sorrows of this mortal life; upon which the eternal dependeth.

I will also Contemplate with faith, fear and solicitude the general Resur∣rection, and final Judgment of all mankind, according to our works▪

words and designs, at Christs most glorious, most dreadful, most righte∣ous and all-searching Tribunal. Lord Iesus have mercy upon us all, and pre∣pare us for thy coming.

Finally, I will Ponder and congra∣tulate the present satisfaction an•• in∣ternal peace, and the future everlast∣ing joy and happiness; O un••xp••essi∣ble and everlasting happiness both in soul and body, for all the faithful and obedient, th••ough the inestimable me∣rits of Christ Jesus. Amen, Hosanna in the highest.