Sacred principles, services, and soliloquies or, a manual of devotions made up of three parts: I. The grounds of Christian religion, and the doctrine of the Church of England, as differing from the now-Roman. II. Daily, and weekly formes of prayers fortified with Holy Scriptures, meditations and rules to keep the soule from the common roads of sin, and carry it on in a mortified course. III. Seven charges to conscience, delivering (if not the whole body) the main limbs of divinity, which is the art not of disputing, but living well.

Prayers for every day in the Week.

SUNDAY. A Prayer against the flesh.

O Lord! deliver me from my selfe, my sinfull, sensuall, and carnall selfe; ready to joyne with my foes, to ruine my soule by yeilding it up to the tempta∣tions of sinne. Let me watch it as my most mortall enemy, without which all the Devils in hell cannot force, nor all the powers on earth fasten a sin upon me! and yet a foe so inbred and Na∣turall to me, as will lodge in me whilest I live, and never leave me! Make me see what cause I have to keepe a strict and continuall watch, and pray thy aide, when the Devill and the World without beset me, and lead on Armies of Temptations against me; and the flesh within is false and ever ready to betray me, and let them in upon me! From such Enemies and Traytors, Lord deliver me! and as I love the eternall salvation of my soule, let me not sleepe

in security, that have to doe with such Enemies!

And since the flesh is my foe, let me not cherish it, and satisfie it, and pro∣vide for it, and entertaine it as a friend: but according to thy will and the ne∣cessity of my soule, let me not spare to crucifie and kill it as my Enemy: which will torture me if I be not cru∣cified, and kill me if I doe not kill it. And grant me Good God, the power of thy Spirit, to doe thy will in mor∣tifying of the flesh, to the saving of my soule!

Let my life be a continuall fight a∣gainst the corruptions of my flesh, and succour me with wisdome and grace to maintaine that fight; let me watch, and fast, and use all due meanes to beat downe my body, if that give it strength. Let me meditate and heare, and reade, and pray, and weep, in all good wayes seeking to beare up my soule, to beat downe that sinfull body, and bring it to death.

And because, though now beaten downe, a new Temptation will raise it up; and struck dead, it will revive againe. Hasten my soule O Lord, out of these endlesse Warres, where I may

keep the triumphs of an eternall peace from earth to heaven, and strengthen my soule to get those daily victories over my lusts, that they bring me to those triumphs! O Christ, that hadst flesh and no corruption, pitty me that have both! Succour my double frailty, thou that knowest the infirmity of the flesh! Assist me with thy holy Spirit, to stand: Recover me when I fall, in these holy fights. Relieve my wants, forgive my weakness••s close up my wounds by thy bloud! Blessed Savi∣our, the Captaine of my Salvation, who didst fight and conquer all my foes, and now sittest on thy Throne in triumph in heaven; make me so to fight, that I may conquer on earth; and having subdued the flesh, may sit with thee on the Throne. From their shame keepe me, that prefer the Sub∣ject before the Soveraigne, Flesh be∣fore the Spirit! From their losse keep me, that prefer a Toy to a Crowne, a Lust to a Kingdome! From their Co∣wardise keepe me, that dare not fight for a Crowne, but yeild their souls up to lust! From their woe ever keep me, that buy delights with their death, for a little life after the flesh, dying eter∣nally

bodies and soules! From such folly and misery, deare Jesus deliver me! Amen! Amen!

MONDAY. A Prayer against the Devill.

O Lord! how shall my poore soule stand against Temptation, it thou doe not assist me, who have as many Ghostly Enemies as Devils to tempt me; malicious, crafty, busie, and mighty, all of them hating my soule to death, watching my weaknesses, and continually seeking occasion to devour me! O my God without thy strength I cannot stand, and by thy strength I shall not fall. For thou O God art a∣bove the Devill, of more goodnesse, wisdome, care, and power to save, then he is able to destroy. Thou canst send more succours to me, then he can bring forces against me; more holy Angels, then he hath wicked Spirits; Lord give me that strength! Lord send me those succours! Put upon me the

armour of light, to fight with the Ru∣lers of darknesse! Let the Helmet of hope be on my head, and the brestplate of faith and love on my heart, that I be not mortally wounded in the fight! In my extremity send thy Angels to succour me! And let thy holy Spirit be my Leader, that the evill one may not be my Conquerour.

Lord Jesus that knowest what it was to be tempted, and didst overcome the Tempter for me, relieve my frailty when I am tempted, and suffer not Satan to overcome me! And let me be sober and watch and pray that I en∣ter not into Temptation, that thou mayest relieve me! O Lord! How shall I not fall into the hand of Hell, if I throw my selfe into Temptation! From such presumptions, O Christ pre∣serve me! How many soules have beene left and lost in those bold ad∣ventures of their strength, make me sadly to consider, that such a daring Spirit may never possesse me! Let me remember with feare and trembling, what great Saints have falne, that I may with an humble and holy care and feare, seeke for thy strength to stand, and being upheld by thy right hand,

may never fall. But let me not cast my self out of thine, into Satans hand; for if thou Lord doe not uphold, and he pull downe, how shall I stand? And let me keepe my wayes, that I cast not my selfe out; for thou wilt not pro∣tect me but in thy wayes! And let me not runne my selfe into temptation, for that is out of my wayes, and thy protection. Thou great Shepheard of the sheep, keepe me, a poore Lambe of thy fold! Thou Lion of the Tribe of Juda that hast prevailed, save me from the roaring Lion that he may never prevaile! And in and from all his Temptations deliver me in thy mercy, that he may not devour my soule for all his roaring. Rescue me, thou that didst redeeme me; Preserve me, thou that didst create me, my Lord and my God, my strength & hope, deare Jesus! Amen.

TUESDAY. A Prayer against the World.

O Lord! The World is a strong Enemy to conquer, (The great Conquerors of the powers, were Cap∣tives

to the vanities of the World) yet by thy strength it may be conque∣red, for thou art greater then he that is the world: Thou didst O Saviour, conquer it for me; and by thy aide I may conquer it for my selfe. And by thy will I must conquer it with thee on earth, if I will triumph with thee in Heaven; O then, let me resolutely set and fit my selfe for the conquest of the world! And to the forces of rea∣son, Lord give me the powers of grace, by which I may make a conquest.

This world is but for a time, and will end at last, and how soone to me, thou Lord onely knowest: and did it endure, what comfort or contentment can my immortall soule receive in any, or all the good of the world? O let me not lose my eternall inheritance in the world to come, for a poore porti∣on in this present world! Thou Lord hast made me in it, but me for thy self, and it for me. O then, let me never be of it, let my Spirit alwayes be above it! Let me not make my Servant my Soveraigne good. Assist me by thy grace, that I may not, O God! And because my senses are so naturall and neare unto me, and the world takes

my soule captive, by the power of my senses; O let me watch those gates against the entries of Temptations! and looke well to my sense, that I lose not my soule. That I doe not, Lord keepe me from all evill, from the men, and from the things of the world! From Companies and Counsels, and examples of the ill, set on by the De∣vill, to wooe for the world. Lord keep me as so many foes and fiends to my soule, and let me rather suffer them as my sorrowes, then take solace in such men! From the Vanities of the world that they doe not allure me, and the miseries of it, that they may not deject me; The great powers by which the world assaults me, defend me O Lord, that they doe not overcome me, and let me looke well to my soule, because I am never free from such assaults! From the Vanities of Riches, Honours, Pleasures, the prevailing goods of the world (the Heaven she brings;) And from the miseries of wants, scornes, ignominies, injuries, tortures, the pow∣erfull ills of the world (the Hell she hath;) Lord keep me, that they lead not my soule into the Captivitie of sin, lest I feele a worser Hell, and lose a

better Heaven! Let me not lose thy favour for the smiles, nor incurre thy displeasure for the frownes of this world. Let neither her Sorceries be∣witch me to ill, nor her Tyrannies fright me from good. Let my love and feare be both on thee, & the good and ill, not of this, but another life! On that be my heart, on this my foot! Let me love and value and use this world, onely as it may helpe me to that! Not for the Throne of my Spi∣rit, but the footstoole of my soule. By whose good my body may be better enabled to serve my Spirit, and both to serve Thee, and come to the good of a better world! For such a Con∣quest, Lord strengthen me, and to these Triumphs above bring me, even for his sake, who hath overcome the flesh, the Devill, and the World for me, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

WEDNESDAY. A Prayer against sudden Death.

O Thou great Judge of the world, I am a child of death by the sen∣tence of the Law for Adams sinne, and

have deserved it at the hands of thy Justice for my owne; yet in thy mercy thou hast not executed that sentence upon me, but to this day hast continu∣ed my life. Yea, most mercifull God, when the feares and snares of Death and Hell tooke hold on me, and my provocations were great against thee; in those great distresses I called upon thee, and thou didst heare me and de∣liver me!

Lord! make me ever thankfull for thy goodnesse, and take not away thy loving kindnesse from me, though since I have not walked worthy of thy mer∣cy. Save my soule from the sins that trouble me! Save my body from the sicknesses that feare me! And save my life from all ill accidents and disasters that may befall me! If thou speak the word O Lord, I shall be safe, body and soule, and no ill can touch me; Good Lord, speake that word, and save me? Pardon my sins that they doe not de∣stroy me, and lengthen my dayes that I may better serve thee. For a sudden death by a present repentance, and good life, Lord ever prepare me. And from a sudden death, by thy good pro∣vidence deliver me. That I may have

time with more comfort and content∣ment, and setlement of minde, to yeild up my life and soule unto thee.

Deare Saviour heare me, that shed∣dest thy bloud to save me, and sittest in Heaven, to preserve me! For my last houre fit me. From sudden sur∣prizall of it, keep me. To it, and in it, ever save me; and by thy grace and holy merits make it a happie houre unto me, that I may then die in thy armes, and at the day of Judgment rise and stand joyfull before thee. Lord Jesus for thy mercies sake grant all this to me. Amen! Amen!

THURSDAY. A Prayer against Hypocrisie.

O Lord! Make me abhorre to be prophane, and feare to be an Hypocrite! If I be a notorious sinner, the world will condemne me; and if a close offender, Thou wilt not justifie me: Let me therefore be a Saint in sinceritie, that God and man may ap∣prove and blesse me!

O Lord God of truth that searchest the heart, what will it availe me to have the world accquit me, when my conscience shall be a thousand witnes∣ses against me, and Thy selfe more then ten thousand consciences to condemne me! Keepe me therefore from the blot and follie of Hypocrisie.

And since Hypocrites are the first∣borne of the damned, let me have no part in that sinne, that I may have no portion with such sinners! Let me be the same wheresoever I am, in the Clo∣set and Church, in secret and publike, in the darke and day; and let me be alwayes what I should be, studying ever to approve my heart and wayes before thee, that thou who seest in se∣cret, mayest reward me openly. O let me set Thee every where before my eyes, and my selfe before thine; and accordingly walk uprightly before thee, till I come to rest eternally with thee!

O Lord, since thou requirest no more, to have thy favour on Earth and glory in Heaven, but a heart true unto thee, and doest pardon and passe by many infirmities, where thou seest such a heart; Let me not give thee lesse,

then a sinceritie in thy service. God of Truth, give me a single heart to serve thee, and accept it from me: and a Monster of a double heart let Satan never make me. From Hypocrisie and lyes of life, Lord deliver me! Thou that hadst no gaule in thy heart, nor guile in thy mouth, Blessed Sonne and Truth of God, let me be Thine in truth sweet Jesus. Amen!

FRIDAY. Prayer against Inconstancie in good.

O Lord! Thou art immutable what thou art, let me be un∣changeable what I should be! never ceasing to be thy good Child and Ser∣vant, who ever continuest to be my good Father and Lord!

O Lord! There is not one moment, in which I can be or live without thy goodnesse, and shall there be many dayes wherein thou art without my service? The glory with which thou

rewardest it, is to all eternity, and shall the duties of it faile and fall short of constancy? O my God! had I the age of Angels to live, I owe the service of all that life unto thee; and now that I have but a span of time, shall I keepe away a great part of that from thee? O Lord, let me not so much forget thee and my selfe, as to doe thus by thee!

And should I so farre forget my duty, let me remember my necessity. It is constancie gets the Crown to thy service, and shall I fall off from it, and lose my Crowne? O Lord! In what a fearefull condition would my soule be, if death should seize me when I am faln off, and take me away in that time of sin? and have I any assurance this howre, the next not to see death? And were I sure of life & time, should I so live, and divide it, best yeares to the devill, and worst to my God? Months to vanity, & minute to piety? Day and night looke to this world, and not spare an houre for a better? Lord! Let not the Devill and the World divide my time with thee, lest not giving thee all, thou takest none from me; or giving thee the least

share, thou throwest it backe upon me.

Fix my heart on thy feare, that no temptation of Devill or man may re∣move mee; Bind my soule with such resolutions to thee, that no strength of the flesh may loose me. Since I can∣not for my bodies frailty, serve thee as an Angell without intermission, continually; let me as a Saint, with∣out failing, constantly be devoted to thee; not as a retainer, but daily ser∣vant attending upon thee. Keeping carefully my howres of devotion, and consecrating all my dayes unto thee, in a conscionable and constant endea∣vour in all places ••nd things, and at all times to shun all evill, and doe what may please thee. O thou that art with∣out shadow of change, ever the same; settle my fickle soule in thy feare, and establish thy holy Spirit in me, that I may serve thee on earth with constan∣cie, and in heaven to all eternity! By the grace and merits of him who fi∣nished the work of Eternall Redemp∣tion for me, living and dying, to save me, and now sits at thy right hand to uphold and keepe me, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SATURDAY. Prayer against impenitence in ill.

LOrd keepe me from the fearfull sinne and judgment of an impeni∣tent heart: Since repentance for sinne is the onely remedy appointed to save me, let me not neglect it lest I die for it irrecoverably.

O Lord what shall become of my guilty soule, if thou doe not pardon me? And how should I hope thy par∣don, if I goe on to provoke thee? Give me therefore a sorrow for my sinnes past, wherein I have offended thee, and if I fall by frailty into sin, let me not lye without remorse, but rise by repentance, that I may returne againe into favour with thee.

O my God, if now I will not, I shall repent in Hell, if not on Earth: if not with timely teares in hope, in fires with everlasting horrour. O let me weep for a time, that I may not

waile them for ever! Let me mourne for them unto comfort; rather then rejoyce into confusion.

From a heart hardned in sin, and a conscience seared with guilt, Lord keep me as from the threshold of hell. And from continuance and custome in sin, keep me, that I grow not senselesse of it, and seared. And from multiplying, and reiterating the acts of sin, keep me that I get not a custome. If I sin, let my heart smite me, that thy hand of vengeance may not touch me.

And for that hardnesse and habit of ill which I have already got by any acts of sin, Deare Saviour help me, and heale me. Melt my heart in the fire of thy love, to a tendernesse of offending thee: and (O blessed scape-goat * 1.1) mollifie my hardnesse by the vertue of thy blood, that I may not stand stub∣borne against thee. Bow me with thy mercies, break me with thy judgments, wound me with thy Word, move me with thy Spirit, and by all meanes mould me and make my heart of that temper, that the least touch of sin may trouble me, that I may not obstinately goe on in a course of Rebellion against thee. Mercifull Father, let all thy

crosses come rather upon me, then this curse befall me. That I may rather grieve and groane with hope on earth, then waile and houle in hell without remedie. A heart of flesh for stone, Lord give me, let thy holy Spirit work and keep it in me. Doe it deare Savi∣our for me, I beseech the, in thy mercy. Amen, Amen.

Animadversion to the Devout Reader touching these Services.

THe Author in these Services ten∣ders thee some things new, and no∣thing (he hopes) naught. There are ex∣tant, Books of Prayers, and Meditations, and Directions apart, and those who joyne some of these together; but all (as in his way) he knowes none.

He conceives that the Soul engaged in a particular duty, will be much assisted by so manie helps at hand, and come off bet∣ter with the Service. Vicissitudes of De∣votions (like changes of clothes) as they please the mind, because they clog lesse; so they will advance her piety the more, when all (though they goe severall waies) meet in one study, and care to work her Spirituall preferment.

Thy Spirit will not be lesse devoted to thy Prayers, for having breathed it in holy Scriptures: Nor wilt thou take in that Holy aire with lesse advantage to thy Soules health, for going to it from thy Prayers: Nor will those Heavenly re∣freshments

profit or last less, for plying the Soul (at present) well-devoted with pro∣per & pious Meditations, & Instructions set & suteing to her particular purposes. This will be as a Word in due season, fit, and good; and serve as a little Sermon to nourish Holy Spirit so Divinely begot, which else may starve before it can come to a greater; and perhaps, not have her particular state, and case, much reached, and relieved neither, if she come.

The Closet, (the good mans Daily Sanctuary alwayes * 1.2, and in persecution often his onely Church) as it never wants Gods Spirituall Altar, (a Devout heart) nor his Garden, (Gods Holy Book) in it; nor Gods Holy Service (an Holy Prayer-Book) for it: By this, shall have a little Pulpit too. Necessary for those who have no other, and profitable for those who may want a better.

And surely, the Soule which keeps her daily walkes betwixt Gods Altar and Garden (her Prayers, and his Scrip∣tures) must needs grow, and goe on in Godlinesse. And faster, and firmer both for hearing every day a Sermon, when Her selfe is the Preacher, Her state the Text, and God and Conscience the Au∣ditory.

Reader, He that is not for a Pulpit in the Chamber, would have this in thy Closet, and thinkes he shall doe God and thee good Service in these devote-lesse times, to furnish thy Closet with such a Pulpit. His Aime thou seest, His pat∣terne thou maist easily aime at, especially if a Child of that Mother, whose wisdome taught him such Prayers; Though some things in the Services be new, there are no novelties in them; but for thy singular use compiled, and made a Handfull of little Homilies and Prayers.

Rules for every Sundayes Devotion.

Sunday-morning.

When you awake, lift up your heart, and say,

O Sun of Righteousness, which this day didst rise for me, shine now, and ever, with thy Grace, and Mercy upon me! Amen.

When you are up, kneel, and say this Prayer.

O Lord, Holynesse becometh thy House; & Dutifulness becometh me to go to thy Courts, & wait upon Thee: And this is the great day of thy Service. Thou that hast given me to see the light of this day, make me carefull to do the duty of it, timely to Present my selfe unto Thee; and reverently to behave my self before Thee, that I may come with fruit, and favour from thee, for Jesus Christ His sake. Amen.

Before you goe to Church, say (if you have time) the Sunday-Service follow∣ing: Omit not to say the Collect for it, howsoever in the Afternoone say the E∣vening-Service.

Sunday-night.

When you goe to Bed, kneel, and say,

O Sun of Righteousnesse, keep me from utter darknesse, let me so sleep in thy Peace, that I may be every ready to arise, and meet thee in thy Glory. Amen, Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Levi•• 16. 21. Goates blood melts Adamant, Such is an hard heart, Zach. 7. 12.
• * 1.2

  Ezek. 11 16.