Devotions in the ancient way of offices. With psalms, hymns, and prayers for every day of the week and every holiday in the year. / Reformed by A person of quality, ; and published by George Hickes, D.D.

Psalm 133.

WHy do we thus bemoan our selves; and rashly utter such repining words?

Seems it so hard a Fate to tread the Path which all our Ancestors have gone before us?

Adam the first of Men, and Abraham the Friend of God; David the Man after God's own Heart, and the blessed Virgin Mother of our Lord.

All these have paid their Debt to Na∣ture; and subscrib'd the Law of universal Mortality.

Jesus himself, the eternal Son of God, expir'd on the Cross; and went to his Glory through the Gates of Death.

And shall our fond self-love so blindly flatter us, to wish an exemption from this general Rule?

Shall we be murmuring, still our Life is but a Span; and that exposed to innu∣merable Sorrows?

Does not the very shortness abate its Miseries? Do not those many Miseries commend its shortness?

Should we not rather rejoyce at the sight of Death; that when e'er it comes it brings us advantage?

If in our Age it is a Haven of Repose; and ought to be welcome after so long a Voyage.

If in our Youth it prevents a thousand Calamities; a thousand dangers of ruining our Souls.

If by an ordinary Sickness, 'tis the course of Nature; if by an outward vio∣lence, it is always the Will of Heaven.

What need we fear how many Deaths there are? we are fure there can be but one for us.

Dying is an act that is to be done but once; and once well done, we are happy for ever.

Lord, we confess thy Decrees are just; and our selves the cause of all our Mi∣series.

We sacrifice our Youth to Sport and Folly; and our manly Years to Lust and Pride.

We spend our Old Age in Craft and Avarice; and begin not to live, till we are ready to die.

Then we bewail the shortness of our Time; when our selves have prodigally thrown it all away.

We lead a loose and negligent Life; and then complain that Death takes us unawares.

Our Days perhaps are too few to grow rich; or satisfie the ambition of a haugh∣ty Spirit:

But to be taught the Love of God, and the meek and humble Life of Jesus,

Requires not so much the number of Years, as the faithful endeavours of a pious Mind.

Could we bestow on the improvement of our Souls the time we so vainly trifle away;

Our day would be short enough not to seem tedious; and long enough to finish our appointed Task.

And what, O glorious God, is our bu∣siness here; but to trim our Lamps, and wait for thy coming?

But to sow the immortal Seed of Hope; and expect hereafter to receive the en∣crease.

No matter how late the Fruit be ga∣ther'd; if still it go on in growing better.

No matter how soon it fall from the

Tree; if not blown down before it be ripe.

O thou most just, but sacred Provi∣dence; who governest all things by the secret of thy Will.

Whose powerful hand can wound and heal; lead down to the Grave, and bring back again:

Behold, to thee we bow our Heads; and freely submit our dearest Concerns.

Strike, as thou pleasest, our Health, our Lives; we cannot be safer than at thy dispose.

Only these few Requests we humbly make; which, O may thy Clemency, vouchsafe to hear.

Cut us not off in the midst of our Folly; nor suffer us to expire with our Sins un∣pardon'd:

But make us, Lord, first ready for thy self; then take us to thy self in thine own fit time.

Give us eternal rest, O merciful Lord, and may thy glorious Light shine upon us for ever.

Glory be to the Father, &c. As it was in the beginning, &c.