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Chapter 18HolyLiving.1.18

Ejaculations and short Meditations to be used in the night, when we awake.

Night-Watch Meditations

The reader is encouraged to use the stillness of the night for self-examination and peaceful trust in God.

Stand in awe and don't sin; search your own heart while you're in bed, and be still.✦ I will lie down in peace and sleep; for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.✦ Psalm 4. 4, 9.✦1

Intercession for the Dying

A prayer for mercy upon those who are sick and approaching death.

O Father of spirits and God of all flesh, have mercy and pity on all sick and dying Christians, and receive the souls you have redeemed as they return to you.

Contemplating the Heavenly Jerusalem

Meditations on the eternal light and glory of the heavenly city as described in Revelation.

Blessed are those who live in the heavenly Jerusalem, where there's no need for the sun or the moon to shine; for the glory of God lights it, and the Lamb is its light.✦ Rev.✦ 21.✦ 23.✦ And there will be no night there, and they need no candle; for the Lord God gives them light, and they will reign forever and ever.✦ Rev.✦ 22.✦ 5.✦

Biblical Patterns for Night Prayer

Reflections on biblical figures and events—Jacob, the Passover, the Assyrians, and Christ in Gethsemane—to guide night-time devotion.

Meditate on Jacob wrestling with the angel all night; be just as persistent with God for a blessing, and don't give up until He has blessed you.2 Meditate on the angel who passed over the children of Israel and destroyed the Egyptians for their disobedience and oppression. Pray for the grace of obedience and charity, and for God's protection. Meditate on the angel who destroyed the whole army of the Assyrians in a single night for fornication. Call to mind the sins of your youth and the sins of your bed, and say with David, “In the night my inmost self chastens me, and my soul refuses comfort.”3 Pray for pardon and the grace of chastity. Meditate on Christ’s agony in the garden, his sadness and affliction throughout that night. Thank and adore him for the love that led him to suffer so much for you, and hate the sins that made it necessary for the Son to suffer so much.✦

The Four Last Things

A structured meditation on death, judgment, heaven, and hell.

Meditate on the four last things. 1. The certainty of death. 2. The terrors of the day of judgment. 3. The joys of heaven. 4. The pains of hell, and the eternity of both.

Hope in the Resurrection

A prayerful remembrance of departed friends and the hope of a joyful reunion.

Think of all your friends who have gone before you, and pray that God will grant you to meet them in a joyful resurrection.

The Day of the Lord

Reflections on the suddenness of the Lord's return and final prayers for mercy and trust.

The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (2 Pet.). 3.4 10. in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with intense heat; the earth also, and the works that are in it, will be burned up.✦ Since, then, all these things will be dissolved, what kind of people ought we to be—in all holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening toward the coming of the day of God?”5 Lord, in your mercy, remember your servant on the day of judgment. You will answer for me, O Lord my God. In you, O Lord, I have trusted; let me never be put to shame.6 Amen.

The Discipline of Devotion

An exhortation to prioritize daily prayer and an explanation of the structure of these devotional forms.

I want the Christian reader to notice that all these offices or forms of prayer, if they were used every day, would not take more than an hour and a half; but because some of them are double (and so only one of them is to be used in a single day), it is much less; and by giving God one hour out of twenty-four, you may have the comforts and rewards of devotion. But anyone who thinks this is too much is either very busy with the world or very careless about heaven. I've divided the prayers into smaller portions so that you can use whichever ones, and as many as you wish, within any of the forms. At7 Section8 2.

Read the original Latin

Stand in awe and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still. I will lay me down in peace and sleep; for thou, Lord, only makest me to dwell in safety. Psalm iv. 4, 9.

O Father of spirits, and the God of all flesh, have mercy and pity upon all sick and dying Christians, and receive the souls which thou hast redeemed returning unto thee.

Blessed are they that dwell in the heavenly Jerusalem, where there is no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God does lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Rev. xxi. 23. And there shall be no night there, and they need no candle; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever. Rev. xxii. 5.

Meditate on Jacob’s wrestling with the angel all night: he thou also importunate with God for a blessing, and give not over till he hath blessed thee.

Meditate on the angel passing over the children of Israel, and destroying the Egyptians for disobedience and oppression. Pray for the grace of obedience and charity, and for the Divine protection.

Meditate on the angel who destroyed in a night the whole army of the Assyrians for fornication. Call to mind the sins of thy youth, the sins of thy bed; and say with David, ‘My reins chasten me in the night season, and my soul refuseth comfort.’ Pray for pardon and the grace of chastity.

Meditate on the agonies of Christ in the garden, his sadness and affliction all that night; and thank and adore him for his love, that made him suffer so much for thee; and hate thy sins which made it necessary for the Son to suffer so much.

Meditate on the last four things. 1. The certainty of death. 2. The terrors of the day of judgment. 3. The joys of heaven. 4.

The pains of hell: and the eternity of both.

Think upon all thy friends who are gone before thee; and pray that God would grant to thee to meet them in a joyful resurrection.

“The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;2 Pet. iii. 10. in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God?”

Lord, in mercy remember thy servant in the day of judgment.

Thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God. In thee, O Lord, have I trusted: let me never be confounded. Amen.

I desire the Christian reader to observe, that all these offices or forms of prayer (if they should be used every day) would not spend above an hour and a half: but because some of them are double (and so but one of them to be used in one day) it is much less: and by affording to God one hour in twenty-four thou mayest have the comforts and rewards of devotion. But he that thinks this is too much, either is very busy in the world, or very careless of heaven. I have parted the prayers into smaller portions, that he may use which and how many he please in any one of the forms.

Ad. Sect. 2.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Ps.4.4;Ps.4.5 — And know that the LORD has set apart the faithful one for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him. Ps.4.5 — Be angry, and do not sin; speak in your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah.
  2. ↩Ps.4.8;Ps.4.9 — You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and wine abound. Ps.4.9 — In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you, LORD, alone make me dwell in safety.
  3. ↩Ps.4.4;Ps.4.4 — And know that the LORD has set apart the faithful one for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him. Ps.4.4 — And know that the LORD has set apart the faithful one for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.
  4. ↩Rev.21.23 — And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
  5. ↩Rev.21.23 — And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
  6. ↩Rev.21.23 — And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
  7. ↩Rev.21.23 — And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.
  8. ↩Rev.22.5 — And there will be no more night, and they will have no need of the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
  9. ↩Rev.22.5 — And there will be no more night, and they will have no need of the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
  10. ↩Rev.22.5 — And there will be no more night, and they will have no need of the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
  11. ↩Rev.22.5 — And there will be no more night, and they will have no need of the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
  12. ↩Matt.26.36-Matt.26.46;Mark.14.32-Mark.14.42;Luke.22.39-Luke.22.46;John.18.1 — Then Jesus comes with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he says to the disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.' Matt.26.37 — And taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be grieved and troubled. Matt.26.38 — Then he said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, even to death. Stay here and keep watch with me." Matt.26.39 — And going forward a little, he fell on his face, praying and saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.' Matt.26.40 — And he comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping, and he says to Peter, 'So! You were not able to keep watch with me one hour?' Matt.26.41 — Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matt.26.42 — Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, let your will be done.' Matt.26.43 — And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. Matt.26.44 — And leaving them again, he went away and prayed a third time, saying the same words once more. Matt.26.45 — Then he comes to the disciples and says to them, 'Sleep on now and rest. Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is being handed over into the hands of sinners.' Matt.26.46 — Get up, let us go. Look, the one who is betraying me has drawn near. Mark.14.32 — And they come to a place whose name is Gethsemane, and he says to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." Mark.14.33 — And he took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be deeply troubled and distressed. Mark.14.34 — And he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch." Mark.14.35 — Going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. Mark.14.36 — And he was saying, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. But not what I want; what you want.' Mark.14.37 — And he comes and finds them sleeping, and he says to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to watch one hour?" Mark.14.38 — Watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Mark.14.39 — And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. Mark.14.40 — And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. Mark.14.41 — And he came a third time and said to them, 'Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough. The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being handed over into the hands of sinners.' Mark.14.42 — Get up, and let us go. Look, the one who is betraying me has drawn near. Luke.22.39 — And he went out and proceeded, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. Luke.22.40 — When he came to the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." Luke.22.41 — And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, Luke.22.42 — Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; but not my will, but yours be done. Luke.22.43 — And an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. Luke.22.44 — And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke.22.45 — And rising from the prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping from grief. Luke.22.46 — And he said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation." John.18.1 — When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered.
  13. ↩2Pet.3.10 — But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing roar, and the elements, being burned up, will be dissolved, and the earth and the works in it will be found.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Taylor’s verse numbers 4 and 9 follow Vulgate/LXX-style numbering of Psalm 4; in common English/Hebrew numbering the same lines are usually 4 and 8.
  2. 2 ↩Source reads "he thou also importunate"; sense and Early Modern usage point to intended "be thou also importunate" (imperative). Rendered as "be ... yourself".
  3. 3 ↩Source ‘reins’ is biblical English for the inner organs/seat of conscience and desire; rendered as ‘inmost self’ to keep the interior force without archaic diction.
  4. 4 ↩Source has Roman 'iii.' as part of a split citation for 2 Peter 3:10; rendered as Arabic 3 for modern readability.
  5. 5 ↩Early Modern 'conversation' means manner of life / conduct, not speech; rendered 'conduct'.
  6. 6 ↩Source 'confounded' is rendered 'put to shame' (the ordinary modern sense of the psalm/Te Deum petition); not 'confused' in the modern mental sense.
  7. 7 ↩Source is the abbreviation Ad. In period usage with Sect., this is a structural pointer (Latin ad = at/to), not prose.
  8. 8 ↩Source is the abbreviation Sect.; expanded to Section as part of the structural label Ad. Sect. 2.

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