The Handmaid to Private Devotion, Part 10
THE MORNINGS DEVOTION.
An admonition for the Morning.
VVEE hauehave a more sure word of Prophecie whereunto ye do well that yee take heede, as vntounto a light that shineth in a dark place, vntill the day dawne, and the day starre arise in your hearts. 1 Pet. 1. 19.
I am the roote, and the offspring of Dauid (saith Christ) and I am the bright morning Starre. Reu. 22. 16.
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall giuegive thee light. Ephes. 5. 14.
It is now time to awake out of sleepe, for now our saluation is neerer then when wee belieued. Rom. 13. 11.
The night is past, the day is at hand, therfore cast off the works of darknesse, and put on the armour of light. verse 12.
See that ye walk circumspectly, redeeming the time, because the dayes are euill Eph 5. 15.
Walke honestly as in the day, not in rioting, and drunkennesse, not in chambering, and wantonesse, not in strife and enuying, but put on the Lord Iesus, and make no prouision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Rom. 13. 13. 14.
A Hymne for the Morning.
O Lord thou art my God, earely will I seeke thee; my soule thirsteth for thee; I will sing alowd of thy power, and mercy in the morning. Psal. 63. 1. 2. Psal. 59. 10.
My tongue shall speake of thy righteousnesse, and thy praise all the day long. Psal. 35. 28.
I layd mee downe, and slept, for thou Lord sustainedst me. Psal. 3. 5.
I hauehave dwelt in the secret place of the most High, & abode vnderunder the shadow of the Almighty. Psal. 91. 1.
4 He shall couer me with his feathers, and vnderunder his wings will I trust; his faithfulnesse and truth shall bee my shield, and buckler. ver. 4.
Lord arise and lift vp the light of thy countenance vponupon me. Ps. 4. 7.
Teach me to number my dayes that I may apply my heart vntounto wisedome; Instruct mee in the way which I shall go, and guide me with thine eye. Psal. 90. 12. Psal. 32. 9.
Teach mee thy way ô Lord, and I will walke in thy truth, ô knit my heart to thee, that I may feare thy Name! Psal. 86. 11.
Hold vp my goings in thy path, that my footsteps slip not. Psal. 17 5.
O satisfie mee earlie with thy mercy, and that soone that I may reioyce, and be glad al my dayes! Psal. 143. 8.
Let the beauty of the Lord my God be vponupon mee; establish thou the worke of my hands vponupon me; ô prosper thou my handie worke. Psal. 90. 17.
A Prayer for the Morning.
GRacious Father, rich in mercy to all thy children that call vponupon thee, accept I beseech thee this my morning Sacrifice of praise, & thanks giuing, which with a willing heart, and deuout affection I offer vntounto thee in confidence of thy sonnes infinite merits, and acknowledgement of thine euerlasting louelove, and those inestimable benefits which by him, and for him, and with him thou conferredst vponupon me, and all thine Elect in him. How deare are the thoughts of thy mercies vntounto me how great is the …umme of them? Who can value the precious Pearle of thy Word, and treasure of thy grace? Who can raise his thoughts, and desires to the high price of our …aling, an incorrupt…ble crowne of glory layd vp for vsus in heauen? Lord fit me with thy grace, that I may abound in thanksgiuing, and praises for it. Enlarge my heart with thy louelove, that I may in some sort comprehend with al Saints the measure of thine infinite …oue m… nifested to me in the faith of Iesus Christ, and abundantly testified by writing my name in the booke of life before I was; and engrauing me as a signet with thine owne image at my creation; and when I had defaced▪ and in a manner quite raced it out, by renuing it in me againe, and redeeming mee that had sold my selfe as a bondslaue vnderunder sinne, and death, not with corruptible things, as gold, siluer or pretious stones, but with the inualuable, and incorruptible blood of thine onelyonly begotten son, who gaue his life for my ransome, and by his suffering, and death hath purchased for me a crowne of life. To whom therefore with thee, and thy spirit which sealeth all thy mercies vntounto me, and me vntounto the day of redemption, bee ascribed the whole glory of my creation, redemption, sanctification, and saluation. For vntounto me nothing belongeth but shame, and confusion, who insteede of embracing any mercy, and answering thy louelove, prouoke thy iustice, and incense thy wrath, and grieue thy spirit, and despight thy grace, and as much as in me lyeth, crucifie againe to my selfe the Lord of life, and trample the blood of the New Testament vnderunder foot. Such is my peruerse nature, and vngratious disposition, that the better thou art to me, the worse I proue to thee. What couldest thou hauehave done vntounto mee that thou hast not done? Thou hast planted me in a fruitfull country; thou hast fenced mee with thy prouidence; watered me with the former, and latter raine of thy Word, pruned me with milde, and seasonable afflictions; and thou castest continually the hot and bright beames of thy fauour vponupon me; and thou lookest for grapes, but behold nothing but wilde grapes. What remaineth therefore but that thou shouldest roote mee out of thy vineard, and plant another in my place that might bring forth better fruits? Yet thou sparest mee and striuest to ouercome my euill nature with thy goodnesse? Mine eyes gush out like riuers of waters for my sin and the sinne of this nation. Doth not the land euen groane vnderunder the heauy burden of our transgressions? HaueHave not our infectious sinnes long agoe deserued an infectious disease, and our rebellions against thee the sword; and our barrennesse in good workes a dearth; and our want of penitent, and compassionate teares a drouth; our ouerflowing luxury a deluge, and our burning lusts fier from heauen; and our loathing the Manna of our soule a famine of the Word? Notwithstanding thy merciemercy triumpheth ouer iustice, and contrary to mine and all our deserts, and aboue hope of any of vsus thou sendest blessings for curses; peace for trouble; plenty for want; beauty for ashes; and the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse. Who is a God like vntounto thee that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? who considerest not the euill that we do, but the goodnesse which thou art. This last night past for the sinnes of the former day, thou mightest most iustly hauehave taken me away in the darke, and east mee …nto vtter darknesse. But thou coueredst my sins, and hiddest me safe vnderunder the shadow of thy wings, and I hauehave taken quiet, and comfortable rest; and with ioy, and cheerefulnesse, I behold the day spring from on high come to visit me. Lord let not these thy mercies, because they are ordinary, diminish, but rather because they are continual, increase my thankfull duties, and religious obsequies vntounto thee! As thou heapest blessing vponupon blessing, so still adde grace to grace, that thy goodnesse continued to me, may make me continually better. And sith now thou hast giuen mee a day more to my life, grant that I may giuegive, and consecrate it to thee, by spending it wholly in thy seruice, and the necessary duties of my calling. Which that I may more cheerefully performe, open thy hand to fit mee with all those good things I neede; and stretch out thine arme to turne from me all the euills I feare. Aboue all things keepe mee from the vnprofitable workes of darknesse, that my sins turne not day into night, sith thy goodnesse hath turned night into day. Awake my soule from carnall security, as thou hast my body from sleepe, that I may stand vp from the dead, and Christ may giuegive me light, to walke honestly, vprightly and circumspectly; as becommeth the childe of the day. And that I be not ashamed to walke naked in the light, put vponupon mee the true wedding garment, and couer me with the robes of thy sonnes righteousnesse. And as the light of the Sunne shineth before mee, so grant that my light may shine before men, that they may see my good workes, and glorifie thee my heauenly Father. And because thou art the light which enlightneth eueryevery man that commeth into the world, cast I beseech thee the bright beames of thy fauour vponupon thy whole Church: Propagate thy Gospell through the whole world, and by the preaching of thy Word, adde those daily to the Church that shall be saued. Say to the North GiueGive, and to the South Restore, and speedily accomplish the number of thine Elect, and so Come Lord Iesu, come quickly. More particularly I pray thee for the prosperous, and flourishing estate of the Churches of great Britaine, and Ireland. Crowne the Kings Maiesty with all royall graces befitting his high calling. Establish his Throne that hee may aduance thy Kingdome. Blesse our Queene, that she may bee a nursing Mother to thy Spowse. Blesse the Prince and Princesse Palatine, and all the royall Issue, that in their stocke the roote of Iesse may spring vp and flourish ouer the whole earth. Blesse the Nobles, and Peeres of this Realme, that they may maintaine thine Honour, and support thy Gospell. Blesse the Bishops, and Ministers, that they may preserue thy worship, and carefully feede thy flocke. Blesse the Iudges, and Magistrates, that they may execute thy iudgements, and keepe thy peace. Blesse the Captaines and Soldiers, that they may fight thy warres, and defend thy Church. Finally, blesse all thy people, that they may obey thy Gospell, and enlarge thy Kingdome. And giuegive mee grace in this my day to learne, and follow the things that belong to my peace; to accept the saluation now offered vntounto mee, and bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life. So be it, deare Father for the merits and Passion of thy Sonne, by the powerfull operation of the holy Ghost with whose assistance I summe vp all my requests, and tender them vntounto thee in that forme of Prayer which thy Son hath taught me, saying, Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
The close out of Scripture.
THe Lord blesse me, and keepe me: The Lord make his face shine vponupon me, and be gratious vntounto me! The Lord lift vp his countenance vponupon me, and giuegive mee peace.