The Practice of Piety, Treatise · Part 10 – Part 11
A Prayer for the Evening,
O Most gracious God, and loving Father,Psal. 139. 2, 3. who art about my bed, and knowest my down-lying, and mine up-rising, and art near unto all that call upon thee, in truth and sincerity; Psal. 145. 18.I wretched sinner do beseech thee, to look upon me with the eyes of thy mercy, and not to behold me as I am in my self: For then thou shalt see but an unclean and defiled creature, conceived in sin, and living in iniquity: Psal. 51. 5.so that I am ashamed to lift up mine eyes to heaven, Luk. 18. 13.knowing how grievously I have sinned against Luk. 15. 18.heaven and before thee: For, O Lord, I have transgressed all thy Commandments and righteous Laws, Dan. 9. 11.not only through negligence and infirmity, but oftentimes through willful presumption, contrary to my knowledge: yea contrary to the motions of thy Holy spirit reclaiming me from them: so that I have wounded my conscience, and grieved thy Holy Spirit, by whom thou hast sealed me to the day of redemption. Eph. 4. 30.Thou hast consecrated my soul and body, to be the temples of the Holy Ghost: I wretched sinner have defiled both, with all manner of pollution and uncleanness. My eyes in taking pleasure toaPsal. 11…. 3…. behold vanity; mine ears, in hearing impure and unchaste speeches; mybIsa. 6. 5. tongue, in leasing and evil speaking; mycIsa. 1. 15. hands are so full of impurity, that I am ashamed to lift them up unto thee; and mydRom. 3. 15, 16. feet have carried me after mine own ways; my understanding and reasoning, which are so quick in all earthly matters, are only blind and stupid, when I come to meditate or discourse of spiritual and heavenly things; my memory, which should be the treasury of all goodness, is not so apt to remember any thing, as those things which are vile and vain. Yea Lord, by woful experience I find that naturally,Gen. 6. 5, all the imaginations of the thoughts of mine heart are only evil continually. And these my sins are more in number than the hairs upon mine head, Psal. 40. 12.and they have grown over me like a loathsom leprosie, that from the Crown of my head to the sole of my feet, Isaiah 1. 6.there remains no part which they have not infected. They make me seem vile in mine own eyes: 2 Sam. 6. 22.how much more abominable must I then appear in thy sight? And the custom of sinning hath almost taken away the conscience of sin, and pulled upon me such dullness of sense, and hardness of heart, that thy judgments denounced against my sins, by the faithful Preachers of thy Word, do not terrifie me to return unto thee by unfeigned repentance for them. And if thou, Lord, shouldest but deal with me, according to thy justice, and my desert, I should utterly be confounded and condemned. But seeing that of thine infinite mercy▪ thou hast spared me so long, and still waitest for my repentance: I humbly beseech thee, for the bitter death and bloody passion sake, which Jesus Christ hath suffered for me, that thou wouldest pardon and forgive unto me all my sins and offences, and open unto me that ever streaming fountain of the blood of Christ, Zach. 13. 1.which thou hast promised to open under the New Testament, to the penitent of the house of David, that all my sins and uncleanness may be so bathed in his blood, buried in his death, and hid in his wounds; that they may never be more seen, to shame me in this life, or to condemn me before thy Judgment-seat in the World which is to come. And for as much, O Lord, as thou know'st that it is not in man to turn his own heart, Jer. 20. 23.unless thou dost first give him grace to convert; and seeing that it is as easie with thee to make me righteous and holy as to bid me to be such: O my God,Da Domine quod jubes, & jube quod vis. Aug. give me grace to do what thou commandest, and then command what thou wilt, and thou shalt find me willing to do thy blessed will. And to this end give unto me thine Holy Spirit, Mat. 28. 20.which thou hast promised to give (to theJohn 16. 13. world's end) unto all thine Elect people. And let the same thy holy Spirit purge my heart, heal my corruption, sanctifie my nature, and consecrate my soul and body; that they may become thea1 Cor. 3. 16, 17. temples of the Holy Ghost, to serve thee inbLuk. 1. 74, 75. righteousness and holiness all the days of my life; that when (by the direction and assistance of thy holy Spirit) I shallc2 Tim 4▪ 7. finish my course in this short and transitory life, I may chearfully leave this world and resign mydPsal. 31. 5. soul into thy Fatherly hands, in the assured confidence of enjoying everlasting life with thee, in thine heavenlyeMat. 25. 34. Kingdom, which thou hast prepared for thine elect Saints, who love the Lord Jesus, andf2 Tim. 4. 8. expect his appearing.
In the mean while, O Father, I beseech thee, let thy holy Spirit work in me such a serious repentance, as that I may with tears lament my sins past, with grief of heart be humble for my sins present, and with all mine endeavour, resist the like filthy sins in time to come. And let the same thy holy Spirit likewise keep me in the Vnity of thy Church, lead me in the truth of thy Word, and preserve me, that I never swerve from the same, to Popery nor any other errour or false worship. And let thy Spirit open mine eyes more and more,Psal. 119. 18. to see the wondrous things of thy Law: and open my lips, Psal. 51. 15.that my mouth may daily defend thy truth, and set forth thy praise▪ Increase in me those good gifts, which of thy mercy thou hast already bestowed upon me, and give unto me a patient spirit, a chast heart, a contented mind, pure affections, wise behaviour, and all other graces which thou feest to be necessary for me;Psal. 19. 14. to govern my heart in thy fear, and to guide all my life in thy favour: that whether I live or die, I may live and die unto thee, who art my God and my Redeemer.
And here (O Lord) according as I am bound I render unto thee from the Altar of my humblest heart, all possible thanks, for all those blessings and benefits, which so graciously and plentuously thou hast bestowed upon my soul and body, for this life, and for that which is to come: namely, for mine Election, Creation, Redemption, Vocation, Justification, Sanctification, and Preservation from my child-hood until this present day and hour: and for the firm hope which thou hast given me of my Glorification. Likewise for my health, wealth, food, raiment, and prosperity: and more especially, for that thou hast defended me this day now past, from all perils and dangers, both of body and soul, furnishing me with all necessary good things, that I stand in need of. And as thou hast ordained the day for man to travel in, and the night for him to take his rest: so I beseech thee, sanctifie unto me this night's rest and sleep, that I may enjoy the same, as thy sweet blessing and benefit. That so this dull and wearied body of mine, being refreshed with moderate sleep and rest, I may be the better enabled to walk before thee, doing all such good works, as thou hast appointed, when it shall please thee, by thy divine Power, to waken me the next morning. And whilst I sleep, do thou, O Lord, who art the keeper of Israel, that neither slamberest nor sleepest, watch over me in thy holy providence, Psal. 121. 4.to protect me from all dangers;Rev. 12. 7. so that neither the evil Angels of Satan, nor any wicked enemy, may have any power to do me any harm, or evil. And to this end give a charge unto thy holy Angels, Psal. 34. 7.that they at (thine appointment) may pitch their tents round about me, for my defence and safety: as thou hast promised that they should do about them that fear thy name. Prov. 18. 10.And knowing that thy name is a strong Tower of defence unto all those that trust therein, I here recommend my self (and all that do belong unto me) unto thy holy protection and custody. If it be thy blessed will to call for me in my sleep; O Lord, for Christ his sake, have mercy upon me, and receive my soul into thy heavenly kingdom. And if it be thy blessed pleasure to add more days unto my Life; O Lord, add more amendment unto my days: and wean my mind from the love of the world, and worldly vanities; and cause me more and more to settle my conversation on heaven, and heavenly things. And perfect daily in me that good work which thou hast begun, to the glory of thy Name, and the salvation of my sinful soul. O Lord, I beseech thee likewise, save and defend from all evil and danger, thy whole Church, our King Charles, Queen Mary, the noble and hopeful Prince Charles, with the rest of the Royal Progeny, the religious Lady Elizabeth, the King's only Sister, and her Princely Issue: keep them all in the sincerity of thy Truth, and prosper them in all grace and happiness. Bless the Nobility, Ministers, and Magistrates of these Churches and Kingdoms, each of them with those graces which are expedient for their place and calling. And be thou, O Lord, a comfort and consolation to all thy people whom thou hast thought meet to visit with any kind of sickness, cross or calamity. Hasten, O Father the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rev. 6. 10, 22, 23.Make me ever mindful of my last end, and of the reckoning that I am to make unto thee therein▪ Matth. 19. 28.and in the mean while, careful so to fo…ow Christ in the regeneration during this life, Luke 14. 14as that with Christ I may have a portion in the resurrection of the just, when this mortal life is ended. These graces, and all other blessings which thou, O Father, knowest to be requisite and necessary for me, I humbly beg and crave at thy hands, in the name and meditation of Jesus Christ thy Son, and in that form of Prayer, which he himself hath taught me to say unto thee, Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.
Another short Evening Prayer.
O Eternal God, and heavenly Father, if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy Gospel, and the examples ofaLuk. 22. 61. Peter, bLuk. 7. 47.Mary Magdalen, the cLuk 18. 14.Publican, dLuk. 15. 20.the Prodigal child, and many other penitent sinners; that thou art so ePsal. 103. 8full of Compassion, and so ready to forgive the greatest sinners, who arefMat. 11. 28. heaviest laden with sin, at whatgEzek. 18. 21, 22, &c. time soever they return unto thee with penitent hearts, lamenting their sins, and imploring thy grace: I should despair for mine own sins, and be utterly discouraged from presuming to come into thy presence; considering the hardness of my heart, the unruliness of my affections, and the uncleanness of my conversation, by means whereof I have trangressed all thy laws, and deserved thyhDeut. 27. 26. curse, which might cause my body to be smitten with some fearful disease, Gal. 3. 10.my soul to languish with the death of sin, my good name to be traduced with scandalous reproaches, and make mine estate liable to all manner of crosses and casualties And I confess, O Lord, that thy mercy is the cause that I have not been long ago confounded. Lam. 3, 22.But, O my God,Mat. 3, 6. as thy mercy only staied thy judgment from falling upon me hitherto; so I humbly beseech thee, in theaCol. 3. 12. bowels of the mercy of Jesus Christ, (bMat. 3. 17. in whom only thou art well pleased) that thou wilt not deal with mecPsal. 28, 4. according to my deserts, but that thou wouldstdHos. 13. 5. freely and fully remit unto me all my sins and transgressions: and that thou wouldsteIsa. 1. 16, 18. wash them clean from me, with the vertue of that most precious blood, which thy Son Jesus Christ hath shed for me. For he alone is thefMat. 9. 12. Ph… sician, and his blood only is theg1 Joh. 1. 7. medicine that ean heal my sickness. And he is the true hJoh. 3. 14.brazen Serpent, that can cure that poison, wherewith the fiery Serpent of my sins have stung and poisoned my sick and wounded soul. And give me, I beseech thee, thine holy Spirit, which may assure me of mine adoption, and that may confirm my faith, encrease my repentance, enlighten my understanding, Gal. 4. 5, 7.purifie my heart, rectifie my will and affections, and so sanctifie me …hroughout, that my whole body, soul, and spi…it, 1 Thess. 5. 23.may be kept unblameable until the glorious …oming of my Lord Jesus Christ. And now, O Lord, I give thee most hearty thanks, …nd praise, for that thou hast this day preserved me from all harms and perils, notwithstanding all my sins and ill deserts. And I beseech thee likewise defend me …his night from the roaring Lyon, 1 Pet. 5. 8.which …ight and day seeketh to devour me. Watch …hou, O Lord, over me this night, to keep …e from his temptations and tyranny; and …et thy mercy shield me from his unappea…ble rage and malice. And to this end, I …ommend my self into thy hands and pro…ection,Psal. 31. 5. beseeching thee, O my Lord and God, not to suffer Satan, nor any of his e…il members, to have power to do unto me …ny hurt or violence this night. And grant, …ood Lord, that whether I sleep or wake, …ve or die, I may sleep, wake, live and die …nto thee, and to the glory of thy name, …nd the salvation of my soul. Lord bless …nd defend all thy chosen People every …here. Grant our King a long and happy …eign over us. Bless our gracious Queen Mary, with their Princely Progeny, the …ady Elizabeth, the King's only Sister, and …er Princely Issue; together with all our …agistrates and Ministers: comfort them …ho are in misery, need, or sickness: good …ord give me grace to be one of those …ise Virgins, Mat. 25. 2.which may have my heart …repared like a Lamp furnished with the … of faith, and light of good works, to meet the Lord Jesus the sweet Bridegroom of my soul, this second and sudden coming in glory. Grant this, good Father, for Christ Jesus sake, my only Saviour and Mediator, in whose blessed Name, and in whose own words, I call upon thee, as he hath taught me. Our Father, which art, &c.
Afterwards say,
Thy Grace, O Lord Jesus Christ; thy love, O heavenly Father; thy comfort and consolation, O holy and blessed Spirit, be with me, and dwell in my heart, this night, and evermore. Amen.
Then rising up in a holy Reverence, meditate as thou art putting off thy Clothes.
Things to be meditated upon, as thou art putting off thy Clothes.
1. THat the day is coming, when thou must be as barely unstript of al… that thou hast in the World, Nudus in hunc mundum veni, nudus quoque abibo.as thou ar… now of thy Clothes: thou hast therefore here, but the use of all things, as aaLuke 16. 2. Steward, for a time, and that upon accounts Whilst therefore thou art trusted with thi… Stewardship, bMat. 24. 2.be wise and faithful.
2. When thou seest thy Bed, let it pu… thee in mind of thy*Job 17. 13. Ut somnus mortis, sic lectus imago sepulchri. grave, which is now the bed of Christ: for Christ (by laying hi… holy body to rest three days and three nights in the†Mat. 12. 40. grave) hath sanctified, an… (as it were) warmed it for the bodies o… his Saints, to rest and*1 Thes 4. 14. sleep in, till th… morning of the Resurrection: so that now unto the faithful, death is but a sweet sleep; and the grave is but Christ's*Isa. 57. 2. bed, where their bodies rest and sleep in peace, until the joyful morning of the Resurrection-day shall dawn unto them.Isa. 26. 20.
Let therefore thy Bed-clothes represent unto thee the mould of the Earth that shall cover thee; thy sheets, thy winding sheet; thy sleep, thy death; thy waking, thy resurrection. And being laid down in thy bed, when thou perceivest sleep to approach, say, I will lay me down and sleep in peace, for thou, Psal. 4. 8.Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.
Thus religiously opening every Morning thy heart, and shutting it up again every Evening, with the Word of God and Prayer, as it were with a Lock and Key, and so beginning the day with God's Worship, continuing it in his fear, and ending it in his favour: thou shalt be sure to find the blessing of God upon all thy days labours and good endeavours: and at night thou maist assure thy self, thou shalt sleep safely and sweetly in the arms of thy heavenly Father's providence.
Thus far of the Piety which every Christian in private, ought to practise every day. Now followeth that, which he (being an Housholder) must practise publickly with his Family.