Jacobs ladder, or, The devout souls ascention to Heaven, in prayers, thanksgivings, and praises in four parts ... : with graces and thanksgivings : illustrated with sculptures / by Jo. Hall.

Preparations to Devotion.

PRemeditation is the prepa∣ration to Private Prayer; Pri∣vate to Publick; Private and Publick, to the hear∣ing of the Word; to Private and Publick Prayer, together with the hearing of the Word, to the worthy participation of the holy Sacra∣ment: For the Sacrament receives strength and vigour from the Word, the Word preached from publick Prayer: publick Prayer from private devotion, and that from Premedita∣tion, and Pre-consideration of the nature of Devotion, and the necessity of preparation it self to all holy du∣ties in the immediate worship of God.

What Devotion is.

DEvotion is the hearts warmth, or rather the life-blood of Reli∣gion: It is a sacred bond knitting the Soul unto God: It is a Spiritual Muscle moving only upward, and lifting the heart, eyes, and hands continually to Heaven.

Whosoever desires to make a Di∣vine Prayer, must by Premeditation frame in his mind,

First the Form which must be,

1. Short, or conceived in as few words as may be.

2. Conformable in all things to the Pattern, the Lords prayer.

Secondly, The Matter, which con∣sists of three parts.

1. Humble Confession.

2. Confident Invocation, Petition or Supplication.

3. Hearty Thanksgiving.

1. In humble Confession set before thee.

1. God, his terrible name, glori∣ous

Majesty, All-seeing-Eye, Infinite Purity, strict Justice, Fierce wrath a∣gainst Sin.

2. Man his vileness, wretchedness, sinfulness, wants and inability.

2. In the second part, Invocation, and Petition, fix thy thoughts.

1. On God, his love to man, his mercy and long suffering, his graci∣ous promises, and his omnipotent goodness.

2. On Christ his perfect obedience, his plenary satisfaction, his perpetu∣al Intercession.

In the third, which is hearty Thanksgiving, recount Gods benefits.

1. Spiritual, as Election, Creation, Redemption, Vocation, Justificati∣on, Sanctification, and hope of Glo∣rification.

2. Temporal, as Health, Strength, Wealth, Liberty, good Name, Friends, and Safety.

Some Texts of Scripture, which may be orderly applyed to every one of the forego∣ing particulars.

When you pray, use not vain Repe∣titions, as the Heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking, Matt. 6. 7.

After this manner pray ye, Mat. 6. 9.

I said I will confess my Transgres∣sions to the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Psal. 32. 5.

Let them praise thy great and ter∣rible Name, for it is holy, Psal. 99. 3.

Who is the King of glory, even the Lord of Hosts, he is the King of glo∣ry, Psal. 24. 10.

Mine eyes are upon all their ways, they are not hid from my face, nei∣ther is their Iniquity hid from my eyes, Jer. 16. 17.

And one cryed to another and said, Holy, Holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts, Isai. 6. 3.

Who will render to every man ac∣cording to his works, Rom. 2. 6.

Thou, even thou art to be feared, and who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry? Psal. 76. 7.

Surely every man is altogether va∣nity, Psal. 39. 11.

O wretched ma•• that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death, Rom. 7. 24.

We are all as an unclean thing, and all our Righteousness is as filthy rags, Isai. 64. 6.

Without me ye can do nothing, John 15. 5.

All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall re∣ceive, Mat. 21. 22.

God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but should have everlast∣ing life, John 3. 16.

The Lord is merciful, and Graci∣ous, slow to anger, and plentiful in mercy, Psal. 103. 8, 11.

Come unto me all ye that are wea∣ry and heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Mat. 11. 28.

Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as wool, Isai. 1. 18.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy, Psal. 126. 5.

To him that is able to do exceed∣ing abundantly, above that we ask or think, be glory, &c. Eph. 3. 20.

Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, by thy blood, Rev. 5. 9.

Christ is entred into Heaven, now to appear in the presence of God for us, Heb. 9. 24.

Giving thanks always, for all things to God, and the Father, Eph. 5. 20.

What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits, Psal. 116. 12.

God hath, from the beginning, chosen you to Salvation through san∣ctification of the spirit, &c. 2 Thes. 2. 13.

Thy hands have made me, and fa∣shioned me, Psal. 119. 73.

Blessed be the Lord, for he hath visited and redeemed his people Luke 1. 68.

I am not come to call the Righte∣ous, but sinners to repentance, Mat. 9. 13.

Being justified by his grace, we shall be made Heirs, according to the hope of eternal life, Tit. 3. 7.

Such were some of you, but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, 1 Cor. 6. 11.

Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel, and afterward receive me to Glory, Psal. 73. 24.

Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits, Psal. 103. 2.

The Lord killeth and maketh a∣live, he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up, 1 Sam. 2. 6.

It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect, Psal. 18. 32.

Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before, Job ult.

Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in thrall, Psal. 4. 1.

And these all having obtained good report, through Faith, receive not the promise, Heb. 11. 39.

Ointment and Perfume rejoyce thy heart, so doth the sweetness of a mans friend by hearty Counsel.

Thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety, Psal. 4. 8.

The Lord shall preserve thee from evil, he shall preserve thy Soul, Psal. 121. 7.

A Preparatory Hymn Collected out of divers Psalms.

THou sayest: seek ye my face, my heart saith unto thee, Thy face Lord will I seek, Psal. 27. 8.

Hide not thy face far from me, nor put thy servant away in anger, vers. 9.

Cast me not away from thy pre∣sence, and take not thy holy spirit from me, Psal. 51. 11.

Hear O Lord when I cry unto thee, have mercy also upon me and answer me, Psal. 27. 7.

Ponder my words, O Lord consi∣der my meditation, Psal. 5. 1.

My heart is inditing a good mat∣ter, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer, Psal. 45. 1.

O Lord open thou my lips, and my lips shall shew forth thy praise, Psal. 51. 15.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as Incense, and the lifting up of my hands as an Even•••••• ••••••rifice, Psal. 141. 2.

Set a watch O Lord ••efore my mouth, and keep the door of my lips, Psal. 141. 3.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be ac∣ceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer••, Psal. 19. 14.

An Exhortation to stir up Christians to Prayer.

PRayer is of that force and virtue, that it ties the ear of God to the tongue of man: O it is an accep∣table Incense to God always, for how hath he always rewarded it, and regarded it? It never returned but

with a blessing, so that the Prayer be sent up out of a pure and upright heart, mingled with Faith; for we must ask in Faith, and waver not, as St. James saith.

By fervent Prayer the children of Israel were delivered from the Egyp∣tian bondage, as you may read, That when they cryed unto the Lord, he heard them, and delivered them out of their Enemies hands: Therefore let us continually pray unto God both Morning and Evening, and let us call and cry unto him, for a blessing upon us, and desire him to preserve us, and to remove his Judgments from us. To which end, I have thought good to frame this Manual of private De∣votions, for a help to those that may want them.