THE HEART: ITS MEDITATIONS AND EXERCISES. COMPRISING PRIVATE PRAYERS FOR EVERY DAY IN THE WEEK, AND FOR THE SEVERAL PARTS OF EACH DAY. TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK DEVOTIONS OF BISHOP ANDREWS; ALSO, FROM APPROVED AUTHORITIES, BY JOSEPH MACARDY, AUTHOR OF A "SYNOPSIS OF THE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY," &c. "Man looketh on the outward appearance; but the Lord "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the "Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." LONDON:-H. & A. MACARDY & CO. AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. 1843. ADVERTISEMENT. IN the Holy Scripture how obvious and excellent the elements of sound and pure Devotion! The history of the Creation; of the Fall; of the Deluge; of the Dispersion; of the Patriarchs; of the Mosaic and Prophetic Economy; and of the Redeemer, and his Disciples, so awaken, instruct, and enlarge the heart; and the vast and varied experience of the Royal Psalmist is so minutely adapted to its necessities, its sorrows, its hopes, and its felicities, that other words than those of the Sacred Volume, and the spontaneous overflowings of gratitude and holy confidence, might be deemed unnecessary for Devotional Exercises. But, from the continuous effort, excitement, and anxieties, of life, there springs an inattention; and, from its affluence and honours, an indifference-to the BOOK OF GOD-to all its treasures of instruction, admonition, and solace. And this, alas! in contempt of the national visitation, embarrassing and disastrous events, and individual vicissitude, which so repeatedly present themselves to every eye, and appeal to every understanding, in corroboration of the Divine Oracles, and a supreme and vigilant Providence! We present a Manual which is pre-eminently calculated to attract attention, to arouse the judgment, and to enlighten the understanding; a Manual which emanated from the heart and pen of an erudite and eminent servant of God;* and may, indeed, be styled * Bishop Andrews was one of the translators of the Pentateuch, and of the historical Scriptures, from Joshua to the first book of Chronicles exclusively. He was born in London, and made rapid progress in learning at the Coopers' free school, Radcliffe; and subsequently at Merchant Taylors' school; from which he was sent to Pembroke-hall, Cambridge, where the MANUAL OF THE HEART; for it is essentially sound, and pure, and fervent; and every page bears the stamp of sacred authority. To this admirable production, we prefix a general and distinctive, but appropriate title-THE HEART: ITS MEDITATIONS AND EXERCISES! We subjoin a few explanatory extracts from the Preface; and reprint the work, nearly verbatim, from Dr. Stanhope's* translation. The INTRODUCTION, NOTES, and SUPPLEMENT, are from high and approved authorities, and cannot fail to be appreciated by every candid and intelligent reader. he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and obtained a fellowship. Shortly after, on taking his Master's degree, he was chosen catechist in his college, and read a course of lectures on the Decalogue with great and merited celebrity. Through the interest of Sir Francis Walsingham, he obtained, first, a living in Hampshire, and afterwards the vicarage of St. Giles, Cripplegate; from which he was preferred to a Prebend in the cathedral of St. Paul, with a residentiaryship. On the death of Dr. Fulke, he was chosen Master of Pembroke-hall; and, being appointed Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, she made him a Prebendary of Westminster. He was also Dean of St. Peter's, and of the King's Chapel. Subsequently he was Lord Almoner and Privy Counsellor to James I. and Charles I.; and successively Bishop of Chichester, 1605; of Ely, 1609; and of Winchester, 1618. He died September 27, 1626; leaving a character thus pronounced by his contemporaries: "his PARTS and KNOWLEDGE were rare and great, his JUDG MENT greater, and his HOLINESS and DEVOTION greatest of all." * Dean Stanhope, born in Derbyshire, March 1660, was educated at Eton; and thence elected to King's College, Cambridge, where he took his Master's degree in 1685. Upon leaving college, he was preferred to the rectory of Tewing, in Hertfordshire; in 1689 presented to the vicarage of Lewisham, in Kent; within a short period, appointed Chaplain to William and Mary; and, in 1703, made Dean of Canterbury. In 1701 he preached the lecture founded by Mr. Boyle; and was thrice Prolocutor of the Lower House of Convocation. He published Sermons at Boyle's Lecture; Practical Discourses; and a Paraphrase on the Epistles and Gospels. Also, translations of Thomas a Kempis; St. Augustin's Meditations; the Meditations of Antoninus; Epictetus; Charron on Wisdom; Rochefoucault's Maxims; and the PRAYERS now in the hands of the reader. He died March 18, 1728. PREFATORY EXTRACTS. THIS performance will recommend itself to Christians, by the usefulness and importance of the subject matter; as a help to those addresses to the Throne of Grace, on which, in so great a measure, depend all the comforts and blessings of time and of eternity. The Heart, already enlightened with piety and charity, will here find something exactly suitable to its inward motions; and the most significant and beautiful words, wherein to utter its holy desires; and those gracious sentiments, which, without this help, would perhaps break forth with less advantage and less accuracy both of method and expression. Not that our Heavenly Father, who hears even the silent sighs and unuttered desires of humble souls, despises the petitions of his children, when poured forth in the meanest language, provided it be the best they can command. But sure it will be acknowledged, that when the heart, the principle, the matter, and the words, are all excellent and accurate, the sacrifice is more complete, fresh sweetness is added to the incense, and the whole service is more worthy of God. But the less perfect Christian, who has not yet made so much progress in the school of piety as the former, may reap still greater benefit from this work. It will tend to improve him in knowledge and prac |