life euerlasting and vnspeakeable ioyes of heauen which God vouchsafe to grant vnto vs for his Christs sake our Redeemer and mercifull Sauiour Amen Consolation against damnation IT is most certaine good Brother that when wee lye sick in the pangs of death then presently our sinnes committed against the holy Will and Commandement of God doe present themselues vnto vs rushing in vpon vs with great violence Then wee can behold nothing but Gods Iudgement aboue vs hell beneath vs damnation before vs and our sins within vs then there is nothing but feare trembling and horror on euery side vs. All our enemies are now gathered together to assault vs with sorrow and heauines now we had need of a strong faith and a good courage in this case for no doubt our old enemy Satan will now play his part in tempting of vs hee will with boldnesse present vnto vs all the sinnes wee haue committed all our life time hee will heape together whole VVain-loads of our trespasses in great abundance to the end to dash vs out of countenance with God and to make vs doubt of Gods mercy and so to fall to desperation heere now wee stand in more need of godly counsell and comfort then euer we did in all our life time wee are now put to our plunge and forced to seeke shifts for Satan will then presse silly soules with feare and perplexity that they cannot tell how to winde themselues out of his clawes he will make of euery mole-hill a mountaine of a Flye an Elephant and of euery light sinne a deepe wound in our conscience which breedeth such hurly-burly within vs that we can be at no rest with our selues when it it is day we wish for night and when it is night we would haue it day our meat doth vs no good our sleepe is vnsound our heart cannot bee merry sorrow ouerwhelmeth vs all comfort forsaketh vs there is no ioy nor pleasure in the world that can delight vs. And thus the Deuil which before allured vs vnto sin writeth vp all in his booke and in the time of danger or towards our death when hee commeth to accuse hee will bring the whole reconing and then turne all our former pleasure into present paine then the pearcing sting and wofull worme of our conscience pricketh and biteth vs in such fearefull sort that many men haue beene forced euen openly with trembling flesh and sorrowfull soules to cry out of their sins now thē being broght to this wofull case what is to be done The next way is to seeke for remedy when wee lack our bodily health and are pained with sicknesse we straightway post yea we runne and we ride with all speede vnto a Physician we let for no labour we spare no cost to procure medicines and remedies for our earthly bodies why doe wee not then with like diligence seek out remedies against the noysome diseases and infections of the soule being much more grieuous and more dangerous then these of the body Now therefore deare Brother to apply these words to the comfort of your carefull conscience and wearisome body being afflicted inwardly and pained outwardly Are you desirous of saluation would you willingly dye in Gods fauour would you bee receyued into his heauenly Tabernacle do you desire to bee blessed with old Iacob And do you couet to be a Citizen of the heauenly Ierusalem then giue eare and take good heed vnto such cōfortable counsell as by Gods gift and grace I shall minister vnto you First prostrate your selfe before the diuine Maiesty of God Let your sinne be a griefe vnto you but let it not grieue you to confesse it for of all other things our sinnes doe bite the soarest and pearce our soules the deepest because they are aggrauated with all the threatnings of Gods vengeance which maketh vs loth to haue them searched or knowne to the world or any way touched by the Word we had rather haue them plaistred with sweete promises and bathed in the mercies of God whereas it is more safe to haue them pricked and made manifest by the rigour of the Law although it bring both shame and blame Therefore my good Brother if you bee ashamed of your selfe and of your sinne as all men may be yet for all that be neither abashed or ashamed to acknowledge it and craue pardon If you see no worthinesse in your self but the world accusing you without and your owne conscience within yet despaire not vtterly but lift vp your eyes to heauen and there behold Iesus Christ your Sauiour sitting on the right hand of God as a Mediatour making intercession for you to his heauenly Father he was a Sauiour on earth so he remaineth Heb. 13. 8. in heauen Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also is for euer Yesterday he called to sinners said Come vnto me Mat. 11. 28. all yee that are weary and laden I wil ease you And to day hee cryeth and calleth in like maner and will do to the worlds end Yesterday he said I came not to call the Mat. 9. 12 iust but sinners to repentance And to day hee saith the same Yesterday he forgaue Mat. 18. 27 ten thousand Talents to one debter his arme is not shortned to day he is the same God he was Yesterday he forgaue the prodigall sonne his sinne in leading a lasciuious and lewde life and to day he doth the like to many moe Yesterday hee forgaue Peter his periury Paul his blasphemy the sonnes of Zebede their pride Mary Magdalene her whooredome As hee was a mercifull Christ yesterday so he is to day and will bee to morrow Yesterday hee came to saue sinners and to day he comes to saue to morrow he will come and for euer hee will not reiect them if they repent Therefore Satan what canst thou say or alledge against mee or how darest thou presume to charge me or any one of Gods Elect If God will saue thou canst not condemne If Christ will shew mercy I defie thy cruelty It may bee thou wilt obiect against mee and say These are particular examples and they became holy men afterward This maketh nothing for you but against you you are no such man neither are you to expect such mercy But I say vnto thy teeth Satan Thou art and hast beene a lyar from the beginning Gods VVord and his promise are stablished in Heauen And this one sentence is sufficient to comfort me and conuince thee Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same also for euer Alwayes one and the same he cannot deny himselfe he is mercy it selfe by nature mercifull by office mercifull in his life mercifull in his death mercifull Hee is no changeling I may change the world may change but he is immutable and cannot change He still continueth alwayes alike mighty alwayes alike liberall alwayes alike mercifull A Sauiour yesterday a Sauiour to day a Sauiour to morrow so to the worlds end
not any respect either of person people or place Hee regardeth no more the Princes Palace then the poore mans Cotage a blunt Messenger and therefore goeth bluntly and boldly to worke with vs his condition is come he earely come he late he will giue neither day nor houre but speedily and readily he wil dispatch his errant and serue such a Sub poena vpon vs that hee wil haue our personall appearance before the eternall Iudge without surety bayle or mayne-prize He will not be bribed of the Rich he will not be intreated of the Poore hee weigheth not friendship he careth not for rewards he will pardon no person be he neuer so mighty he feareth no mans face look he neuer so lofty there is but a word and a blowe with him he killeth downe right where he hitteth Let vs therefore keepe our selues continually in that estate wherein we desire to die for although this Messenger come and tell vs not when hee will fetch vs whether in our nonage middle age olde age or dotage yet notwithstanding our mercifull and good God by diuers meanes doth warne and summon vs before by other Messengers Gods summoners before Death are foure First his preachers exhort vs. Secondly his plagues doe threaten vs. Thirdly old age admonisheth vs. Fourthly Sicknes calleth vs. Finally death arresteth vs and taketh vs with him And then the earth wherof we are made deuoureth vs Magots breed vpon vs corruption rotteth vs and the Wormes eate vs. This is the life and end of all flesh good and bad The body then putrifyeth and consumeth to dust But the Spirit returneth to Eccl. 12. 7. the Lord which gaue it Now when Death is about to doe his office which is to separate the Soule and the Body of Man Then our second Seruitor or Secretarie although it haue been mute all our life time and as it were a clasped Booke that is alwaies shut and too seldome opened yet towards our end it speaketh and cryeth yea it both barketh and biteth for after death hath warned and summoned vs by sharpe taste of Sicknes to set our house in order and to prepare our selues to appeare before the celestiall Iudge Then our Conscience which is a continuall beholder of all our thoughts words and workes as a cleere light or Lanthorne bewrayeth all our former life and conuersation it is the very Register of God and booke 〈◊〉 Record which discloseth all our counsels and reuealeth the inward secrets of our hearts for there is nothing hid that Mar. 4. 22. shal not be opened neither is there a secret but that it shal come to light Can there be any thing hid from the Highest Do nor his eyes pierce our hearts Is not he the searcher of Secrets and Discerner of spirits Yes verily he that will not now beleeue it must one day both finde it and feele it The thickest Trees in Paradise could not hide our first Parents Adam and Eue from the presence of God They both appeare at the first call euen naked as they were their Figge-leaues will not serue their turne their vaine excuses will doe them no good the more they goe about to cloke their sinne the more liuely it appeareth yea their owne Conscience accuseth them and causeth them to make confession of their fact will they nill they Wee cannot then hide our sinnes because which way soeuer wee goe our conscience accompanieth vs it is our Porter carring with it whatsoeuer we haue done be it good or bad it iudgeth all our words and workes and pronounceth inward sentence of vs all it is a Worme alwayes byting and neuer dying it is a fire alwayes burning and neuer quenching for immediately after the committing of sinne the Conscience of the sinner is his Accuser his Witnes his Iudge and his Hangman Therefore when thine owne Conscience bewrayeth thee and prouoketh a feeling of sinne thinke then with thy selfe God speaketh vnto thee for that inward feeling of thy sinne is as it were the peculiar and prerogatiue Court of God whereby he exerciseth his iurisdiction Beware therefore lest thou beeing guilty doest harden thy heart for that is all one as to kick against God and resist the motion of his holy Spirit when we reiect such cogitations as are prouocations and summoners vnto Repentance when God therefore by his holy Spirit knocketh at the doore of thine heart and moueth any such motion either to embrace this Vertue or auoid that Vice thou hadst best open vnto him at first call and let him in for if hee call thee now thou canst not tell whether hee will call againe or no and if he open thee the gate of his Grace to day and will thee friendly to enter in thou canst not tell whether euer hee will open it againe or neuer Thy contempt and vnthankfulnesse may mooue him in his wrath to shut the doore vpon thee for euer and then thou wilt repent but all too late Remember Christs words When the good man Luk. 13. 25 of the house is risen and hath shut to the doore and yee beginne to stand without and to knocke at the doore saying Lord Lord open to vs and he shall answere and say vnto you I know you not whence yee are Depart from me all 27 yee workers of iniquitie There shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth when yee shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and your selues thrust out at doores These are words of weight and able to pierce a stony heart most fearfull to impenitent sinners whē they shal behold a farre off with the rich surfetting Glutton the happy estate of the godly in Heauen in Abrahams bosome and themselues to bee thrust out into vtter darknes and so to take their leaue and last farewell of God his Angels and all the ioyes of Heauen for euer neuer to meet againe nor once to behold the faire beauty of the Lord or of his Saints the deepe consideration hereof is able to shake the Conscience to burst the heart of a sinner and end his dayes if any feeling of Gods Spirit bee in him It is good therefore to haue the testimonie of a cleere Conscience accompanying thee euen to thy graue that when thou shalt appeare before Christ his Throne of iust iudgement it may be a witnesse with thee of thy wealth and not to thy woe a defender of thy purity and not an Accuser of thine iniquitie a iustifier of thy Righteousnes and not a condemner of thy Wickednes Pray to God betime that it may be thy Helper as it was to Paul and not thy 2. Cor. 1. 12. Hangman as it was to Iudas It is not to bee spoken what a sure and singular Treasure a good Conscience will be at that day it shall stand stedfast by thy side as thy dearest friend when all the world shall be set on a flaming fire aboue thee beneath thee and on euery side thee when the elements
whose then shal thy goods bee that thou hast prouided It is wisedome therefore for man to prouide for God then God will prouide for him Therefore good brother I beseech you in the bowels of Iesus Christ repent and correct your selfe betime reforme your manners and behauiour by the rule of Gods Law that you may auoid the curse thereof and bee preserued and saued that when Iesus Christ shall come to his Iudgement from the highest heauens in power and Maiesty accompanied with his holy Angels and Saints you may meete him with a ioyfull heart and obtaine the crowne of glory and victory which is the reward of Gods children and so reigne with that righteous Iudge in perpetuall peace continuall comfort and endlesse ioy which God grant to you and mee and all that loue his comming Amen And that wee may the better performe the Premises let vs in all our actions set these foure things before our eyes that is the Day of Death the Day of Doome that Condemnation of the wicked and the Saluation of the godly To the wicked and damned sort death is miserable Gods Iudgements terrible and their paine intolerable To the godly and such as shal be saued death is pleasant iudgement comfortable and their ioy perpetuall therefore it is better betime to repent reforme our selues with the godly then to driue off from day to day with the wicked which neither by Gods mercy nor iudgement will bee drawne to amendment but neglect all meanes and occasions and there is no better time nor fitter occasion to prepare our selues to our end then when we feele Gods heauy hand laid vpon vs by any kinde of crosse sicknesse or other visitation for therby God giueth vs friendly warning to make our selues in a readinesse and to giue ouer the world and happy man is hee whosoeuer hee bee which forsaketh sinne before sinne forsake him and that giueth ouer the world before the world giue him ouer for when wee haue discharged our selues of this world and this world shall be discharged of vs then we haue the greatest account of all to reckon for Therefore my deare brother that fearest God and beleeuest in him while thou art now chastised with sicknes and paine and perceiuest death to approach bestur your selfe betime follow Christ at foote prostrate your selfe before him fall downe flat on the earth deny your selfe acknowledge your sin trust in him neuer giue ouer cry and call aloud Miserere mei Domine miserere mei i. Haue mercy on me O Lord haue mercy on mee Cry with the Cananite O sonne of Dauid haue Mat. 15. 22 mercy on me and at length he will looke back take pitty vpon you forgiue you your sinnes and receiue you to his mercy Let the innocent Lamb of God be an example vnto you herein for Christ himselfe in his extreme agony when his sweat was like drops of bloud trick ling downe to the ground yet hee prayed earnestly to haue his Fathers Will fulfilled So must you do that is now weake and feeble in body bee feruent in spirit renounce the wicked world with all the vanities therein tread them vnder your feete Sursum cor Lift vp Col. 3. 1 2 your heart to God meditate vpon heauenly things for it is high time Behold the Sonne of GOD your mercifull Redeemer that sweat water and bloud for your sinnes behold him sitting on the right hand of his Father making intercession for you ioyne your selfe to him pray vnto God feruently in his name and say as he himselfe did in the anguish of his Spirit heere on earth Father into thy Luk. 23. 46 hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed mee O Lord God of truth Lord haue mercy vpon me and forgiue me my sins Sweet Iesu receiue my soule into thy Kingdome c. I beseech you gentle Brother thinke vpon my words in my absence and continue in this minde hauing a firme faith in Christ Iesus euen to your end And withall take in good part this my friendly admonition Let it worke in your heart true repentance to saluation and if you doubt any thing touching your beliefe life or Religion or any other priuate causes that may in some sort trouble your conscience I pray you let mee resolue you and I will doe my endeuour to satisfie you therein so far forth as may tend to your saluation and comfort which I heartily wish in Christ Iesus And so for this time I leaue you committing you to the tuition of him that is able to saue you The fourth duety of the Pastor THe fourth duety of the Pastour is to comfort the sick in all their distresse danger and feare with sentences examples and perswasions out of the Word of God especially toward their end We feare chiefely two things 1 Death in this life 2. Damnation after death I purpose not to speake much of eyther for if I did I should but make the volume of this book to large and so cause the Printer to waste paper to his further charges and my greater paines and yet say nothing but that which is set downe already by those that are better learned then my self and haue troden the way before mee Therefore hauing partly touched the same in my Questions I wil only adde these few lines following touching both for example sake It is an old rule in Physick Take away the cause and the effect is taken away with it Vnderstand therefore good Brother that the causes why men so much feare death be many according to the multitude of men and their manners The first cause is for that by death they lose many commodities and pleasures which in their life time they did long enioy and haue great delight therein as wife children parents friends lands liuings possessions sumptuous houses buildings worldly honours offices dignities All these and such like be call-backs and dayly coueted while life lasteth and yet dreadfull death dispatcheth vs of all these delights euen at a blow this is the feare of worldlings Secondly we feare death because of weakenesse diseases and bitter torments which are the forerunners warners and messengers of death This is the feare of the flesh The third cause why men feare death is incredulity or lack of faith in Christ This is the feare of conscience and proceedeth of ignorance or lack of knowledge in the Scriptures whereof our faith is grounded The fourth cause why we feare death is the danger of eternall damnation both of body and soule in hell fire This is the inward feare of the spirit But to bee short one comfortable blast of Gods spirit will extinguish and driue all these terrours quite away from vs euen as the winde doth driue away the thick clowds or mists which do separate vs from the light and sight of the Sunne First therefore for the losse of the world and all the drosse therein it is indeede no losse but gaine to those that by death enioy the company of
And I beleeue that they which continue in this Church on earth shall after the Resurrection general Iudgement obtaine euerlasting life and rest from their labors which life and perpetuall peace God grant mee and all his children And from this Church I pray God I neuer at any time swarue or decline either in faith doctrine life or Religion but that I may dye liue therin And I humbly beseech God euen w th al my heart to kindle increase this Faith in me that this hope being stedfastly fixed in my heart I may towards mine end cry and call with the Saints of God and with a good Apoc. 22. 20. conscience Come Lord Iesu come quickly and hasten thy Kingdome that wee may raigne with thee in perpetuall ioy in the life euerlasting Amen The protestation of the Sicke I A wretched sinner redeemed with the precious bloud of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ do protest here before you all that with a free and franke heart I doe pardon and forgiue all people which by any manner of meanes haue spoken thought or wrought mee iniury either in word writing or deed whatsoeuer Desiring that as I know assuredly in my heart and conscience that I am reconciled to God So in like manner I may bee reconciled to the world And therefore I most heartily pray as wel all you that bee heere present before me as others that be absent to forgiue mee wherein soeuer I haue offended you being most willing to part out of this world in the fauour of God and good men I protest and acknowledge that I haue beene a grieuous and horrible sinner all my dayes both in thought word and deede And that I haue not liued so vpright and holy before my Lord God and the world as I ought to haue done I acknowledge my offences to be mo in number then the Starres of Heauen or the sands in the Sea for my negligence in not doing that which is good and my dayly transgressions in committing the things which are euill are infinite I acknowledge that all my life hath been such as looking my selfe now at last in the glasse of my conscience I find daily confusion and my minde and body so blemished with spots of vncleannes and filthinesse that I may be ashamed to looke God in the face or once to lift vp mine eyes towards Heauen Therefore I fall downe to the earth with the poore Publican and with lowly spirit and humble minde I aske mercie and forgiuenes of my Lord God being sorry in my heart that euer I offended this my deare Father and beeing fully purposed with my selfe if God restore my former health neuer so grieuously to offend him againe but to auoid Vice embrace Vertue yea to hate and abhorre the sinne which before I loued and wholly to conforme my selfe to the will of God in his Word I doe protest that albeit 3 I haue thus grieuously and many wayes offended God yet I doe not despayre nor distrust the louing mercy of my sweet Sauiour and Redeemer Iesus Christ But I hope by the merit of his death and Passion and not mine own merits which are nothing but a loathsome life to be partaker of the heauenly inheritance I protest furthermore that I do beleeue that this holy Passion of Iesus Christ is a sure Rocke Refuge and defence wherevnto I may boldly trust and stay my selfe And therefore in all aduersitie and trouble I set the same against my inuisible enemies as a strong Tower bulwarke or spirituall harnesse wherewithall the faithfull Souldiour and Seruant of Christ ought to bee armed Assuring my selfe that the punishment of all my sinnes is thereby fully discharged the ransome paid and the obligation whereby I was tyed to the Law cancelled and that the vertue of this Passion of Christ pertaineth not onely to others but also to me I protest before the omnipotent God and before all his holy Angels and Saints that I couet desire to end my life in that faith which becommeth a true Christian and the Child of God That is I beleeue all the Canonicall Scriptures mentioned in the Old and New Testament and set downe by the holy Prophets of God and the Apostles of his Sonne Christ as the Pen-men and writers but instinct and prompted by the holy Ghost the finger of God as the Author and Inditer which haue been from time to time and in all ages receiued and beleeued of the true Catholike Church and Congregation of Iesus Christ So that if through the tentation or suggestion of the Diuell or being oppressed with the violence or smart of sicknesse I should thinke speake or doe any thing contrarie to this my confession and protestation made I doe now beforehand vtterly debarre and reuoke the same and doe witnesse and confesse before God and you that by no means I will willingly consent or yeeld my selfe in the knowledge and vnderstanding of my heart to any such thoughts words or workes Finally I protest that I reioyce in Spirit for the sweet mercy and merits which I feele inwardly to bee offered mee by the death of Christ Iesus And I doe giue most hearty thankes vnto God the Father my Creator for his graces offerd vnto me in his deare Sonne my Sauiour by whose vnspeakeable goodnes I trust I shall dye the Seruant of God and into whose holy hands and tuition I commend my body and soule both now and in the houre of my death Amen The second dutie of the sicke Person THe second thing that is requisite in a sicke person is faithfull heartie Prayer to God either for his speedy deliuerance out of all woe and wretchednesse or else for constancie in his conflict and patience in his paine A godly metion or Meditatation before Prayer In which we craue for Grace Faith and Patience O Lord I am very sick my body is weake my strength faileth me my sinnewes shrink my hands and my feete waxe feeble mine eyes dazell and lose their sight all things are vnsauourie to me my flesh putrifyeth my breath stinketh my heart panteth and my life draweth to an end I perceiue there is but one way with me The Lord bee mercifull vnto mee and bee my guide in this my last iourney goe I must death is at doore with his dart readie to strike hee stealeth neerer and neerer towards mee he is euen now at my bed-side ready to worke his feate I cannot preuent him neither can I auoid or flye from him Therefore O Lord I make haste to runne to thee for succour which art the true Physician both of bodie and soule Heale mee O Lord and I shal be whole preserue mee and I shall be safe vnder thy protection for thou beeing my defence and shield I need not to feare the force of any foe But who am I O mercifull God that beggeth so boldly at the doore of thy mercy I am a sinner and in sinne I was begotten of my Father and
THE SAFEGARD OF THE SOVLE DECLARING SVNDRY SOVERAIGNE salues tending to the comfort and saluation of the same Very necessarie to bee learned and obserued of all men and at all times but chiefely in the extremitie of Sicknes and grieuous pangs of DEATH Composed by Lawrence Bankes Preacher of the Word of God and Parson of Staunton in the County of Glocester IOB 14. 14. All the dayes of mine appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come LONDON Printed by G. P. for Iohn Clarke and are to bee sold vnder S. Peters Church in Cornhill 1619. TO THE CHRISTIAN AND GENTLE REAder and specially to my owne Parishioners of Drowfeild and Staunton of whom I haue had Charge and to whom I wish saluation and safety of soule in Christ Iesus GOod Christian Reader I haue led my life aboue fortie yeeres in two seuerall places to wit in Drowfeild in the Countie of Darby of which Church I was Vicar fifteene yeeres and at this present in Staunton in the Countie of Glocester wherein I doe now liue and haue beene resident these twenty and seuen yeres In the former place my Charge was great and wide and beeing occasioned oftentimes as dutie required to visit the Sicke there and in some other places neere adioyning whereof some were Lunatike and troubled in their passions and extremities Others I found fearfull of Death and Damnation and therfore to haue need of ghostly counsell and cōfort in their molestations and perplexities and finding not much matter of that Subiect in the visitation of the Sicke contained in the Booke of Common Prayer to comfort and bridle their outragious humours and maladies I bethought my selfe it were expedient for mee to inuent and deuise by Gods assistance some necessarie helpe both for mine owne vse and for more full discharge of my dutie in such cases And therefore not daring to presume of my selfe either to pray or perswade of the sodaine in such fearefull and lamentable accidents I presently deuised to my simple skill to inuent and dispose partly of my selfe and partly by collection out of other Authors such matter and obserue such method therein as might be to the better performance of my dutie towards God the quieting of the afflicted soule the comfort of my deare flock and also some helpe to such of mine owne Calling as were at that time as ignorant as my selfe And hereupon I tooke mee to my pen and paper and so did set down this plaine and simple Treatise in writing which for the most part thereof hath lyen by mee many yeeres seruing onely mine owne turne in time of neede and as occasion was offered And albeit I had thought neuer to haue published or committed it to the Presse in my life time yet now being old and not so well able to performe mine Office in the Pulpit and otherwise as I haue beene in times past by reason that my sight and memory with other powers of nature fayle mee I thought good to auoid idlenesse to reuiew and present this small volume to you my fore said flockes and to offer you a little taste of my first fruits and so to leaue behinde mee in writing some pledge taken of my loue towards you whereby you may the better remember mee when the mould hath couered my body and the Magots and Wormes consumed my fraile flesh And if any others besides you shall be quickned and strengthened thereby in their greatest griefes last combates I shall in heart bee most glad and thinke my paines the better bestowed And therefore haue beene bold to offer this my myte to God your charitable acceptation allowance Humbly crauing pardon if in any point I haue giuen occasion of offence or mislike in omitting any part of my duty therein either towards God and your selues or in committing any offence unto others that are more learned iudicial them my selfe who willingly acknowledge mine owne want and infirmity in these my last and declining yeeres and therefore submit my selfe to the censure of those which are of riper wit and profounder knowledge for I speake not to them but to the vnlearned and simple sort like my selfe Wherefore as I haue plainly set it forth only for the instruction and comforts of the ignorant and afflicted So I beseech thee gentle Reader to permit it to passe with out thy curious carping pardoning therein any fault or defect wherein I haue failed and friendly accepting my good meaning towards the afflicted Soule and troubled Conscience for whose sake I haue published it to the view of the world which I framed first onely for the vse of mine own flock whose safegard and saluation I tender in my heart so commit them and the Reader to Christ Iesus Your Pastor in times past and your well-willer euer euen vntill death L. B. THE SAFEGARD OF THE SOVLE Declaring sundry soueraigne salues tending to the comfort and saluation of the same very necessarie to bee regarded of all men especially in the time of their Visitation and grieuous pangs of Death A Preparatiue for the Sicke BEfore I search the sinewes of the soules safetie or enter in to the Bowels of this Booke I haue thought good in stead of a Preface to set down a Preparatiue or premeditation to the minde of Man to mooue him to be carefull and vigilant for the safety of his soule euen then when hee feeleth himselfe at rest in health perfect remembrance before the weight of Christ Crosse bee laid vpon him and before hee bee visited either in bodie or minde First it is meet for euery man be he neuer so bigge and look he neuer so high to perswade himselfe that he hath two dayly Seruitors or Secretaries attending vpon him from which he can neuer be freed during the date of his dayes vntil his life be ended and his doome take place The one is without thee and is named Death the ender of thy life and finisher of worldly care This Seruitor is alwayes attending behinde thee at thy backe and followeth thee at the heeles euen as the shadow doth follow the body The other is within thee and is called Conscience the very key that openeth and vnfoldeth the secrets of thy soule and inwardly bewrayeth all thy thoughts words and workes These two are destinate to all men and cannot be auoided First Death cannot bee escaped for he is alwayes at thine elbow yea peraduenture he is then neerest thee in thy bosome hacking at thy heart when thou thinkest least of him for in the middest of life we be in death We are no sooner borne but Mors est in limine Death is at the threshold And yet many one thinketh himselfe to be in health and safety euen then when he beareth Death in his heart and hell in his Conscience It is good therefore for euery man to bee in a readinesse euery moment lest Death cite him on the sodaine and so hee be taken tardie in his sinnes For this Messenger hath
whom you must giue an account for them So that this being done your reckoning is the sooner made your Conscience discharged and the world satisfied neither need you to be further troubled with worldly matters if God lay his hand more heauily vpon you but onely thinke of heauenly things Tell me therefore haue you made your Will Answ I haue made none yet but I purpose to doe hereafter if I feele my selfe farre wrong Quest 4. O good Brother you must thinke that you are already far wrong and farre from right and reason too if you deferre the disposing of your temporall things vntill the last gaspe when peraduenture both your speech and memorie shall faile you now you may and will not then you would perhaps cannot many haue so done and repented too late euen then when it had bin more fit to haue minded heauenly things onely Therefore I beseech you take the good time and occasion which God presently offereth if hee giue you life and memory this day or this weeke you know not whether you shall haue it the next weeke or no if you put the good time off which GOD hath giuen you and deferre your businesse till this day or that day or vntill this friend come or that kinsman be present then peraduenture your friends shall come too late and you your selfe be cut short of your purpose Therefore beware in the Name of God betime for you know not whether God wil giue you the like occasion againe or no you may purpose but God will dispose both you and your wealth as he will when you are once gone your riches are none of yours but the worlds and are at the disposition of other men who by corruptiō may deale vnfaithfully and so contrarie to your will your substance which you haue swea◠for may come to those that neither need them nor did euer deserue well at your hands in your life time too many at this day know this to bee true by experience and haue lamented their state all too late when they could not remedie it Therefore neuer put that thing in doubt which may be out of doubt Answ Lord Lord see how forgetfull men bee of their dutie in time of their Sicknes I beseech you Sir beare with my weaknesse I confesse I was out of the way in this point but you haue brought me vnto it and to a further consideration of my state I must needs say your counsell is good and comfortable and therefore I were a very vnreasonable person if I should not be ordered by you to mine owne good Wherefore I purpose now God willing to do as you haue said with your better aduice and others of my friends And therefore I pray you take paines to set my minde downe in writing and so that matter beeing dispatched I will then commend my selfe both bodie and soule vnto God the giuer of all goodnes and the Author of life Heere the Minister may perswade the Testator to impart some portion of his substance to the Poore to Schooles exhibition of Schollers Churches Colledges Bridges High-wayes and other publike commodities as shal seeme to him most expedient for the time the place the abilitie and state of the person for hereupon in times past haue proceeded such workes of Charitie and large liberalitie towards the Church and godly vses which now is pilled and little regarded Quest 5. Here good Brother you are furthermore deepely to consider and ponder with your selfe how you haue come by your wealth directly or vndirectly lawfully or vnlawfully if honestly and according to your Vocation or Art you are the more to reioyce in Conscience your account before God is sooner made if not but that you haue gotten them by fraude deceit lying forging flattering swearing forswearing of your selfe briberie polling and pilling of the poore crueltie Vsury Extortion or Oppression gaming cheating and the like as too many doe at this day Then you are the more deepely charged before the Iudgement seat of God and the testimonie of your own Conscience and you must endeuour your selfe to make satisfaction so neere as you may for that ancient rule of the Father is true Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum That is the sinne is not pardoned except restitution bee made as Zacheus did who heard not that sweet sentence of Christ This day is Saluation Luk. 19. 8. come to this house before he had made restitution Tell me therefore good Brother are you willing to recompence euery one whom you haue wronged or deceiued and to restore your euill gotten goods with iust Zacheus to the vttermost of your power and validitie of your wealth Answ God forbid else for it is meet and right that all men should so doe but I know not any whom I haue in such sort defrauded if any man finde himselfe iniured by me I am willing euen with all my heart to satisfie him to the vttermost farthing And therefore my desire is that notice be giuen thereof to the whole Congregation in the Church this next Sunday with my hearty request that they would commend mee to God in their faithful Prayers And if any debt be due either to bee payed by mee to them or by them to mee whereof we haue no specialtie that they would come to me because I am now Gods Prisoner and am not able to repaire to them And I pray you good Sir publish my minde herein and aduertise mee in all other things which you thinke necessarie for the saluation of my Soule and my full discharge before God and the world Quest 6. You haue well done good Brother and haue shewed your selfe a faithfull Steward of Gods blessings in disposing your selfe and your substance so well towards God and the world for here you found them and here you must leaue them Furthermore seeing all things here on earth are but fickle as Offices Dignities Wife Children Friends Goods Gold and Possessions are you not willing to forsake these worldly vanities and transitorie trash and to change the same for heauenly ioy and felicitie Answ Yes verily for I neuer made them my God neither did I euer repose any confidence in them but vsed them for the time knowing alwayes that they were not mine but lent me to vse for a season and the time beeing now expired I willingly resigne and surrender the same to the world and where I had them there I leaue them committing my selfe to the Mercy-Seat of God and rendring him most heartie thankes for the vse and commoditie I haue reaped thereby in my life time and for all other his benefits his name be praised for euer who is the preseruer of men and louer of soules and his holy will and pleasure bee fulfilled in mee euery way whether it bee in life or death God grant it may be to his glory and then I haue my hearts desire Quest 7. Your words are comfortable to mee and the hearers and you haue hitherto playd
the part of a good Christian in renouncing the vanities of this wicked world and cōmitting your selfe wholly both body and soule to Gods carefull tuition whose armes of mercie no doubt are now spred wide open readie to embrace you But because you answere so directly I will be bold to put moe questions vnto you Doe you from the bottom of your heart ask forgiuenes of all those whom you haue offended in this world by thought word or deede and are you in heart sorrie for the same Answ I am heartily sorrie for my offences both towards God and Man I must needs confesse I haue not once but often offended both and therefore I humbly craue pardon of both whom I haue often abused and I must desire you to signifie so much to the Congregation among other remembrances of mee Quest. 8. Doe you your selfe for Christs sake vnfainedly and from the bottome of your heart forgiue all those that by any means haue iniured and offended you either in speeches thought or actions Answ I willingly and freely forgiue al the world euen as I looke to bee forgiuen my selfe at the hands of my heauenly Father whom many times and sundry waies I haue offended Or otherwise I know I could neuer with a good conscience repeat that Petition of the Lords Prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses as Math. 6. 12 wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And furthermore our Sauiour Christ saith If you doe not forgiue men their Math. 6. 15 trespasses no more will your heauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses c. And therefore I know assuredly if I had a stout and stonie stomake and not a fleshy and tender heart apt and prone to forgiue I could not die in loue and charitie with the world and then not in Gods fauour For as Saint Iohn saith If 1. Ioh. 4. 11 God haue so loued vs wee ought also to loue one another Which we cannot doe except we forgiue one another and that dayly for in many things we offend all Iam. 3. 2. and who knoweth how oft he offendeth And therefore it remaineth seeing the case so standeth that if wee will be beloued wee must loue if wee will bee forgiuen we must forgiue if we will be blessed wee must blesse and not curse and if we will haue mercie we must shew mercy God grant vs his mercie and giue vs grace so to do and so to liue that wee may make a godly and quiet end and so die the death of the righteous Quest 9. I pray God both now and euer shew the light of his countenance vpon you and continue this good which hee hath begunne in you euen to the end for most Christianly and like a good seruant of God you haue taken your leaue of the world in disposing your selfe and yours towards God and Man And I find you so furnished and fit for God that you may boldly assure your selfe of his fauour loue towards you if you continue in so good and godly a minde to the end And truely I am glad and so are all your wel-willers here present this day to heare and see in you so good fruits of a Christian whose end is commonly according to his life If any other thing be in your mind that you would haue done touching worldly matters I pray you aduertise me thereof and I will doe my diligence to haue your minde and will fulfilled therein so farre forth as is requisite Answ Sir I am at a point with the world and all worldly affaires and I haue no more to say or to deale with such matters but leaue them and their appurtenances to those that come after And I renounce here before you and the rest all worldly wealth pleasures goods lands and liuings I yeeld and surrender them vp to the longest liuer and now resigne my selfe wholly to God that made mee and saued mee And my heartie desire is now to dwell with the Lord in the Land of the liuing My faith is there fixed and I hope assuredly to attaine vnto it by the bloud of the Innocent Lambe of God Iesus Christ my Redeemer Quest 10. The Lord increase your faith and God grant you your hearts desire and that Land which you long for you are in the high-way towards it God keepe you in it for if you liue and die as you haue professed assure your selfe the gate is open alreadie and you are longed and looked for it was prepared for such as you are from the beginning and that you may be the better perswaded hereof I will put forth vnto you a few spirituall questions which being answered as before you shal sufficiently satisfie me and all that heare you this day that you are the Child of God and an Inheritour of his heauenly Kingdome and so we will proceed to Prayers But I feare I am too tedious and troublesome vnto you Answ No good Sir thinke not so hardly of me I beseech you though I be wearie of sicknes yet I am not wearie of well-doing and of good counsell I had neuer more neede of it neither can it come in a better time and I take great pleasure therein being now past the pleasure of the world therefore I pray you in Gods name say on for my earnest desire is to be prepared and made readie for the good houre that God hath appointed for my deliuerance out of this wretched world and I looke euery moment for the comming of the Bridegroome I am ready with my Lamp burning and my trust is he is ready to let me in Examples of Spirituall Questions Quest 1. GOd be thanked for your good remembrance and for your stedfast beliefe and I pray God continue it euen to the end But now I will by your patience apply the rest of my speech onely to the safety of your Soule Doe you not acknowledge your selfe to bee a sinner and grieuously to haue offended God in not liuing so well and vprightly in this world as you ought to haue done Answ I must needs acknowledge and confesse that I am a grieuous sinner and that I haue oftentimes and many waies disobeyed and broken the Law and will of God both in my thoughts words works Quest 2. How doe you know the same Answ By the Law of God For the Law hath said Doe this and I haue not done it Doe not that and yet I haue done it and in this sort I haue sinned both by omitting that which was good and by committing that which was bad Quest 3. What danger haue you incurred by this meanes and what hath your negligence and disobedience herein deserued at Gods hands Answ Of my selfe I must needs say that I haue thereby deserued at Gods hands eternall death and damnation a curse and not a blessing and so I am taught by the word it selfe For it is written Cursed is Gal. 3. 10. euery man that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the
Law to doe them Quest 4. Good Lord if this bee true then what a miserable case are all wee in beeing wicked and cursed creatures Answ Truely our state indeede is wretched and damnable and but that God of his infinite goodnes hath prouided a salue for this sore we should vtterly perish and then were 1. Cor. 15. 19. we of all men most miserable Quest 5. Do you beleeue then that there is a salue for so grieuous a wound and a remedy for so great a mischiefe Answ Yea verily I firmely beleeue and know it or else I could not with so cheerefull and patient a minde beare this crosse which God hath now laid vpon me Quest 6. I pray you what remedy is there against the sting of sinne and the curse of the Law Is there any thing in the world that can pacifie Gods wrath and mooue him to such mercy as may cause him to take away this deadly curse and giue vs a blessing Answ Yea God bee thanked that there is I can tell you so much though I be not Booke-learned yet I haue heard it and I doe vndoubtedly beleeue it because Gods Word doth teach it That when there was no means to be found for man to be saued neither in heauen nor earth it pleased our heauenly Father of his meere mercy to send his only begotten Sonne Rom. 8. 3. into the world to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting So that that which was impossible to the Law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh I doe therefore beleeue that this Sonne of God Iesus Christ hath quite taken away the curse of the Law Col. 2. 14. and nayled it vpō the Crosse Quest 7. These are good words indeed and generally spoken to all sinners but how can you apply this to your selfe Answ Because I know assuredly that I am Christs and haue the testimonie of the Holy Ghost in mee comforting mee and bearing witnes to my Spirit that I am the child of God and therefore may boldly cry Abba Father Gal 4. 6. c. Quest 8. Then I perceiue if you bee thus faithfully minded as you do professe that you are not afraid to dy neither is death so dread full vnto you as it is to many in these sinfull dayes Answ Although indeed death seemeth detestable to the most part of men especially to impenitent sinners and such as haue the wealth of the world at will Yet notwithstanding I see no reason why any wise man should feare that which cannot be auoided but rather all things considered aright they haue cause to couet it with the holy Apostle Saint Paul who desireth to be loosed and Phil. 1. 23. to be with Christ which is best of all because death is the doore to eternall life for we connot liue for euer but first we must dye And therefore the godly man after he is mortified heere by crosses and griefe of sicknes may cheerefully sing and say with the same Apostle Christ is to mee Phil. 1. 21. both in life and death aduantage And most comfortable to a good conscience is that sentence of Ecclesiastes A good name is better then a Eccl. 7. 3. good oyntment and the day of death then the day that one is borne The Preacher spake not this without booke nor without reason for then we change sicknes for health woe for wealth transitorie vanities for perpetuall ioyes and earthly trash for heauenly treasure c. Quest 9. You are in the right of it and haue hit the naile on the head in this point keepe you there and my life for yours But because I finde you in answering both wise and willing it incourageth mee to bee bold in questioning Doe you beleeue all the Articles of the Christian Faith which the true and Catholike Church doth hold at this day and all other Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the very and liuely Word of God the foode of your soule and the perfect way to eternall life and that there is sufficient matter contained in them to establish your minde and conscience to saluation according to the consent of Christs Apostles in the Primitiue Church Answ I constantly and vnfainedly beleeue all this you haue said to bee true and grounded vpon the Word of God as vpon a sure foundation which shal neuer faile nor fall And therefore it is called the Word of Life the Word of Rom. 3. 16. Grace the Word of Truth and the power of God to Saluation to euery one that beleeueth Quest. 10. Doe you detest and abhor all Idolatry Heresies errors schismes innouations and opinions which in any point do dissent or disagree from this liuely Word of GOD and the ancient Catholike and Primitiue Church Answ As these enormities of themselues are detestable and damnable euen so I do from my very heart detest and abhorre them all and most ardently I imbrace the Truth of Gods Word with all due reuerence to the same as to the heauenly will of GOD therein specified and reuealed to vs by his Seruants the Patriarks and Apostles of God and his Sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour the Head of the Church And I am desirous to die a member of the same Church beeing the bodie and Spouse of Christ Quest 11. And do you euen in heart reioyce to liue and die in this Christian Faith and in the vnitie of this true ancient Catholique and Apostolique Church militant heere on earth which is and shall be the Communion of Saints the triumphant Church of God in Heauen Ans I reioyce in nothing so much for I know that out of the Church there is no saluation or safetie Those in old time that were found out of Noahs Arke being a Type of the Church perished by water but they which are not of the Catholike Church of Christ shall be tormented in Hell fire which shall neuer bee quenched Quest 12. Good Lord mee thinke it is a fearefull thing that the wicked should enter into euerlasting paine and vnquenchable fire And the words which are vsuall in the Scriptures are able to make any man tremble euen at the heart as Hell Mat. 8. 12. fire the bottomelesse pit vtter darknes vnquenchable fire perpetuall paine c. where shall bee weeping and Mar. 9. 44. gnashing of teeth where their worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out Mee thinks this word neuer is a long one for if there were any hope that euer the wicked might feele any release or easement of their paine or that the damned might haue any end of their torment yea if it were but after a thousand or a thousand thousands of yeeres there were some comfort to be expected in time to come though it were long first yet time would once make an end and weare
all things therein contained as Angels Archangels Men Women Children the beasts of the field the fishes in the Sea the Fowles of the Ayre and the Fruits of the Earth which all were made at thy Word and are subiect to thy power to vse at thy good will pleasure as seemeth best to thy Maiesty whether it bee to honour or dishonour saluation or condemnation We entirely beseech thee of thy goodnes O Lord and that with sorrowfull hearts trickling teares watery cheekes and groning spirits to be mercifull vnto vs all here assembled and to all thy people vexed with woe throughout the wide world but especially at this present we heartily desire thee to looke downe from heauen with the eyes of compassion and pitie vpon this thy creature and workmanship of thy hands who is now grieuously vexed and tormented in mind O Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruants for then no flesh can be saued in thy sight We acknowledge O Lord that wee are miserable sinners vnworthy to lift vp our eyes to heauen or to gather vp the crums which fall from thy table Yet notwithstanding wee humbly beseech thee O deare Father not to deale with vs according to our deserts which is euerlasting death vtter shame and confusion hell fire perpetuall paine and damnation But according to thy accustomed clemency take from vs all ignorance hardnes of heart desperation and all the wyly suggestions and grieuous temptations of Satan our old enemy Let not the Diuell O Lord nor any hellish hound spoile thine inheritance which thou hast bought with the price of the precious bloud of thy deare Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ Thou onely O Lord reignest in heauen in glory in earth in mercy and in hell in iudgement Thou onely art the author of life death sicknes and health ioy and paine It is thou which castest downe to hell and raisest vp againe to heauen yea it is thou and none other which giuest thy holy Spirit to bee a comfort to thine elect people and sometimes troublest their minds with illusions and vanities suffering Satan the roring Lyon and his Ministers to haue dominion for a time ouer them as appeareth at this present by thy iust iudgement declared and inflicted vpon this comfortlesse cayâ—ife thy poore prisoner and afflicted creature vnto the great anguish and torment of his soule and body to the discomfort of his wife friends and kinsfolke and to the terrour and feare of all that euer heare or see him in this wofull case O Lord thy iudgements are deepe and thy counsell vnsearchable and vnworthy are wee to know the counsels and secrets of the Highest much lesse ought wee curiously to search to vnderstand the causes of this woe and the occasion of this thy plague and grieuous crosse laid vpon this miserable man Notwithstanding whether thou hast thus visited him for his former sinnes and by that meanes to call him to repentance and amendment of life or to exercise his faith by the tryall of thy iustice or for the terrour and warning of all those that see or heare of him that they may therby feare thy name acknowledge thy power auoid thy heauy displeasure repent their sinfull liuing and call to thee betimes for mercie and grace or else to the end to shew thy great might glory vpon him and so to signifie vnto all people that thou art God alone that rulest both heauen and earth that stayest the madnes of the people and the furiousnes of the Fiend or for what cause so euer it bee that thou hast laid thy heauy hand of iudgement vpon him Yet wee humbly beseech thee O Lord God not of our selues or for our selues but in the bowels of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ whom thou hast made the Redemption of the world to mitigate thy sury by tender mercy asswage thy wrath and stay thy heauy hand already begunne and continued in fraile flesh Let not the Diuell nor all the powers in hell tempt him aboue that which hee shall be able through Christ his Sauiour to beare O Lord restore in him of thy goodnes whatsoeuer hath been decayed by the malice or suggestion of Satan or by his owne frailtie and wicked disposition or by any his enemies the flesh world Diuell or sinne We confesse vnto thee O Lord that sinne is rife in vs the flesh is fraile the world is wicked and the Diuell is most malicious O Lord God among these so many and mischieuous enemies what shall we deuise to do Whithershal we fly There is no way with vs but one wee must lift vp our eyes our hands and our hearts vnto thee O Lord Our help is from aboue our victory proceedeth from thy grace and Throne of thy Maiestie To heauen therefore wee lift vp both heart hands eyes and all our powers and vnto thee O gracious Lord we call and cry for helpe Breake the heauens come down O Lord let our prayers pierce thine eares Arise O God and scatter thine enemies and ours stay the race of Satan thon that art the glory of Sion and strength of Israel take from him his weapons and harnesse wherewith he goeth about to spoile thine Inheritance Bruze and breake the head of Leuiathan that subtill Serpent which seeketh nothing but our destruction Weaken his force disperse and confound all his politique practices whereby hee dayly goeth about to ouerthrow thy seeble flocke Let not this ramping and roring Lyon deuoure vs but chain him vp and tye him short halter and bridle his cruell deuices wherewithall hee worketh woe vnto thy seruants and Saints for he can doe nothing without thy permission thou which rulest the raging of the Sea that it cannot passe her bounds and hast Satan fettered and fast bound in chaines so that he cannot doe what hee would but what pleaseth thee for thy mercy hath conquered his cruelty to our great comfort Thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thee in the day of our trouble and thou wilt deliuer vs and we shall glorifie thee Thou hast also promised in thy holy Word to grant our godly Petitions saying vnto vs like a most louing Father Aske and you shall haue Seeke and you shall finde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you We aske of thee with pensiue soules and would gladly obtaine mercy and forgiuenes of all our offences We seeke and would gladly finde that which wee haue lost by our vnthankefulnes and sinne we knock at the gate of Grace and will neuer cease knocking vntill thou open vnto vs the bowels of compassion and pitie and grant vs the feeling of thy good graces to the full satisfaction and quieting of our troubled spirits carefull consciences Therefore O God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost heare our prayers and grant our humble requests which with sobbing sighs contrite hearts cry vnto thee for succour O Lord haue mercy vpon vs haue mercy vpon vs most mercifull Father and for thy Sonne Iesus Christs
me O Lord a fit sacrifice for thy selfe by punishing my fleshly body and pardoning my sinfull soule Grant mee perfect remembrance of the houre of my death last gaspe that I may thankefully take this thy fatherly visitation and willingly beare my crosse after thy deare Son Iesus Christ my Sauiour O Lord prepare me for the good houre which thou hast appointed for the deliuerie of my soule out of this wretched world settle my thoughts and fixe my faith on the life to come that I neuer shrinke from thee and thy sauing health what paine or torment soeuer thou inflictest vpon mee here on earth yet deare Father let heauen be my reward in the end Finally so dispose of me good Lord as may be most meete for thy glory and mine own saluation in Christ Iesus my mercifull Redeemer and Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour power and praise world without end Amen A Prayer to be said in the pangs of Death O Infinite Deitie and vnmeasurable goodnes O blessed and glorious Trinitie O perfect loue and charitie haue mercy on mee and open the bowels of compassion vpon mee a wretched sinner wrapped in woe and ouerwhelmed with anguish of soule and vexation of spirit Into thy hands O Lord I wholly commit and resigne my selfe make haste O Lord to deliuer mee for it is high time My flesh trembleth my bones are brused mine eyes wax dimme my strength faileth my heart panteth and my sorrow and paine euery way increaseth O mercifull Creator shew mercy to thy creature In thee O Lord alone is all my trust In my misery and smart I haue no other to make my mone vnto but onely to thee O thou preseruer of men Therefore forsake me not vtterly but stand by me and with comfort relieue me in this my extremitie and last combate Stretch out thine arme O Lord and hold thy hands of pitie ouer me that lyeth here in woe and misery O Iesu O sweet Iesu mercie O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me O Father of Heauen help me O holy Spirit of God confirme comfort me O God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost three persons and one God haue mercie vpon me O Iesus my sweet Sauiour receiue my silly soule into thy holy hands Place it O LORD for thy mercie sake with thine owne selfe in thy heauenly Kingdome among thine holy Angels and Saints O my good God and my heauenly Father pitie my case ease my paine comfort my soule and be mercifull vnto me Lord shew the light of thy louing countenance vpon mee And in the houre of my death strengthen my faith So that my body returning to the earth from whence it came my soule may ascend to thee which gaue it and at the day of doome generall iudgement when they shall both meete againe they may rise to life euerlasting thorow our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Short Petitions collected for the Sicke Partly out of other Authors BEhold O gracious Father the body of thy deare Sonne all to rent and torne and remember I most humbly beseech thee of how small base substance I am Behold O good God the grieuous paine Passion of Christ my Redeemer and forgiue the sinnes of me thine vnworthy and vnprofitable Seruant which am therby redeemed O Lord looke downe from Heauen incline thine eares vnto my prayers confort my sobbing soule cheere my carefull conscience increase my faith forgiue me my sinnes and haue mercy vpon me through Iesus Christ my Sauiour Amen O Lord I beseech thee mercifully heare my prayers and spare mee which doe confesse my sinnes to thee that I whose conscience by sin is accused by thy mercifull pardon may be absolued through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen O GOD the Father which made mee blesse mee O God the Sonne which redeemed me preserue mee O God the holy Ghost which sanctifieth me confirme and strengthen me The blessing defence and sauing health of the Almighty God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost preserue mee from all euill and bring mee to euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Glory be to thee O Father my Maker Glory be to thee O Sonne my Redeemer and glory bee to thee O holy Ghost my Comforter from age to age from posteritie to posteritie both here and in the world to come and let all people say Amen The peace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the power of his Passion the prayers of his Elect the Communion of Saints the sword of the Spirit and the shield of Faith bee betwixt mee and all mine enemies bodily and ghostly publike and priuate visible and inuisible both now and in the very houre of my death Amen O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of Truth Lord Iesu at thy pleasure and at the time which may be acceptable vnto thee receiue my spirit into thy heauenly Kingdome Amen The third Dutie of the Sicke THe third and last duty of the sicke person is to be patient in his sicknes or any other aduersitie willingly to beare the burthen of Christs Crosse so to follow him for the better performance wherof I haue thought good to annex to the premisses this short Treatise of Patience wherein I will obserue this order First I will perswade by Precepts to suffer aduersitie and all kinde of calamitie Secondly I wil produce out of the Scriptures some speciall and particular examples which may prouoke vs both to suffer affliction and to be patient therein Thirdly I will shew some Reasons to allure vs thereunto 1. Precepts perswading FIrst it is an old saying Patience in aduersitie is a goodly vertue and truely so it is and Patience is a rare vertue and so it may well bee because it is so seldome seene and neuer so seldome as in these our dayes wherein wee haue many motions to euill but few or none to that which is good We offer wrong we will take none Wee giue shrewde words to others wee can brooke none towards our selues Wee haue Eagles eyes to espy a mote in our Brothers eye but like blinde buzzards wee see none at all in our owne We complaine of euery griefe in our selues bee it neuer so little wee pitie none in others bee it neuer so great And therefore we had need both of Precepts to perswade and Examples to prouoke but I feare neither the one nor the other will preuaile or take place in vs. And why Mens hearts are steeped in bitter gall their hands are cruell their feete swift to shead bloud their braine busie to inuent mischiefe And to speake the truth without flattery Loue is lost Charitie is cold Faith is not to be found Pietie maketh mone being pinched by aduersitie and patience is gone beeing forced by extremity Wel what is to bee done in this wofull case Wee must comfort our selues with sentences and examples which are written for our
Christ we shall also reigne with him Art thou desirous to liue for euer and to reigne with Christ in eternall glory Then arme thy selfe with patience to suffer aduersitie heere on earth that thou maist haue place in Heauen Take counsell of Saint Paul who saith Let vs by Heb. 12. 1 2. patience runne in the race which is set before vs looking to Iesus the Captaine and finisher of our Faith which for the ioy that was set before him suffered the Crosse contemned the shame and sitteth on the right hand of the Throne of God Behold heere a reward after the race a crowne after the conflict The consideration whereof moued all the Martyrs and holy men of GOD to beare Christs Crosse were it neuer so grieuous and heauy for the time to suffer mocks stripes bands rackings famine imprisonments and death and so must we doe the whole course of our life heere on earth sheweth the same Troubles try our patience and tame the flesh lest wee should bee condemned with the wicked world and therefore wee begin our life with teares before we be able to speake we leade it in sorrow care and we part from it with great griefe or otherwise wee should put too much confidence in our quiet estate as Dauid testifieth I Psal 30. 6. said in my prosperitie I shall neuer bee mooued And therefore lest wee should bee too proud in our prosperitie the Lord oftentimes bridleth our appetites by losses and crosses and so sheweth his loue by afflicting vs for our good As for example if for Gods cause or his Truth we be shriuen of all our riches heere on earth our portion shall bee the greater in Heauen If wee bee thrust out of our houses or offices we shall bee receiued into the Family of God If we be contemned among men wee shall be highly esteemed with God If we be cast downe in the world our seates shal be the higher in Gods Kingdome If we be murthered and so lose our life this shall bee a meanes to bring vs to eternall life For if there were no griefe in pouertie no torment in sicknes no sorrow in slander nor horrour in death what tryall could there be of Gods people None at all Therefore in our greatest extremitie let vs say Fiat voluntas Domini that is The wil of the Lord be fulfilled in mee come life come death come sicknes come health come prosperitie or aduersitie And let that man neuer boast himselfe to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain hath not afflicted Nor a Iacob whom an Esau hath not hated nor a faithfull Mardocheus whom a spitefull Haman hath not slandered nor a Paul whom a Nero hath not persecuted nor a Christian whom a Iudas hath not betrayed Where the good are there must of necessitie be some bad to try them The Wheate is tryed by the Fanne the Iron by the file and the gold by the fire euen so is a Christian knowne by affliction and being so tryed he cannot lose his reward It is great in heauen and not for gotten on earth For we see dayly that ioy followeth sorrow life death glory miserty and prosperitie pouertie Patient Iob had his substance doubled The holy Patriarks Prophets and Martyrs of Christ which suffered sundry sorrowes heere on earth are now crowned Kings in Heauen And so shall we if we runne their race for many runne but it is the wrong way that leadeth to destruction But wee must so runne that wee 1. Cor. 9. 24. may obtaine and in the end get the wager The Merchant resuseth no perill by Sea the Husbandman no labour by Land the Captaine no wound in warres and they doe it for a temporall reward How much more ought wee patiently to indure any losse of goods torment of body or griefe of minde for euerlasting life and heauenly ioy The Wise man considering this affirmeth that the day of death is better Eccl. 7 3. then the day of birth Saint Paul was of the same minde when he said I desire Phil. 1. 23. to be loosed to be with Christ which is best of al for then shall Christ our Sauiour wipe away all teares Apoc. 4. 21 from our eyes and sorrow from our hearts We shall neede to suffer no more our troubles are at an end Neither shall there bee any more death neither griefe neither crying neither paine Our paines here haue endured but a time the pleasures there shall be perpetuall What is he therefore in the vniuersall world but would willingly hazard life and liuing yea and yeeld his soule to God his body to the blocke and his flesh to the fire for such celestiall ioyes as are prepared for those that fight Gods battell heere on earth Therefore my deare Brethren to conclude Let vs runne our race and passe our painefull pilgrimage in this transitorie world so godly and patiently by the example of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles that in the end of the course when death shall shut vp the eyes of our bodies we may with a firme faith and good conscience say with Saint Paul I have fought a 2. Tim. 4. good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the Faith For henceforth there is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnes which the Lord a righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day and not to me onely but to all them that loue his appearing Then in the end of our race we shall haue rest and ioy yea perfect complete and full ioy Ioy aboue vs ioy beneath vs ioy before vs ioy behinde vs ioy on our right hand ioy on our left hand ioy within vs ioy without vs and ioy on euery side vs. Vnto the which ioy he vouchsafe to bring vs which dearely hath bought it for vs not with siluer and gold for it cost a great price but with the sheading of his precious bloud euen Iesus Christ the righteous vnto whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerlasting iust and mercifull God be all honour power and glory both now and euer Amen A generall and fruitfull Prayer for all Christians to bee reuerently said at all times Morning Euening Night or Day O God our Maker thou most mighty and holy IEHOVAH in thy name and to thine honour and glory we begin continue and end these our Prayers And we offer this our dutifull seruice vnto thy diuine Maiestie as to our Soueraigne Lord and mighty Creator of Heauen and Earth and of all things therein contained O sweet Lord Iesus Christ wee offer vnto thee our selues body and soule and all the powers parts thereof within vs and without for by right they are all thine because thou hast dearely bought and paid for the same with the peerelesse price of thy precious bloud And wee most humbly beseech thee O holy Ghost our Comforter to giue vs grace and strength to doe thy will in all things and to offer these
our prayers with cleannesse of heart vprightnes of action and in the vnity of thy true Church and Catholike Faith that so they may ascend into thy sight as a sweet sacrifice of incense for our health help and other things necessarie for our bodies and soules for the true mortification of our flesh and the right direction of our whole life that hereafter it may bee pleasing and acceptable vnto thee and so by faith in Iesus Christ bring vs to euerlasting blisse And we offer the same for the health and help of all other persons that thy blessed will is to haue prayed for within the Church and without in speciall and in generall And for whom and whatsoeuer else thy wisedome knoweth necessary and our frailetie cannot aske that may be most conuenient for vs to receiue and best becommeth thee to giue That it may please thee of thy gracious goodnes to grant vnto vs true and vnfained repentance for our former sinfull life patience in all our temptations and tribulations ghostly and bodily protection and defence against our enemies visible and inuisible constancie and perseuerance in all vertue goodnes help and reliefe in all our needs and necessities succour and comfort in all our woe and distresse ease and deliuerie out of all our troubles calamities afflictions that we are in or may any way happen vnto vs. O most tender God deare Father we beseech thee also of thy mercy and forgiuenes of sinnes for our selues and all others and mitigation of thy iustice towards vs now and in the houre of our death and last iudgement particular and generall Open vnto vs O Lord we most humbly beseech thee the plentifull streame and fountaine of the bloud of CHRIST IESVS which for our sake and for our saluation issued most aboundantly out of his grieuous wounds hanging on the Crosse Drowne vs in them hide vs in them wash vs in them write print them deepely in our hearts that all our sinnes may bee so bathed in his bloud buried in his death and hid in his wounds that they neuer more be seene to our confusion in this world or to our condemnation in the world to come But put them al into his most dearly beloued wounds and cast them into the bottomelesse depth of his mercie and merits We call and cry dayly vpon thee for thy fatherly assistance that we may conquer al our enemies Heare vs therefore O Lord in that mercie which hath no measure and looke not vpon vs with the eyes of Iustice neither draw against vs the sword of iudgement for then wee are vtterly lost and perish for euer But subdue all power of Satan and sinne in vs and giue vs strength to resist patience to endure and constancie to perseuer And if men assault or tempt vs to any euill good Lord giue vs wisedom to discern them feare to follow them and zeale to defie them And rule thou euer as Lord and King ouer vs and ouer all that wee haue ouer body and soule ouer heart and minde ouer worke and word for Iesus Christ his sake we heartily craue it euen in fauour at thy Fatherly hands And furthermore wee commend vnto thee O Lord in these our Prayers the whole Catholike Church Renue in it wee beseech thee puritie and sinceritie of life and conuersation from the which in these euill and latter dayes it is vtterly declined and wanting in all sorts of persons as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill And grant vnto euery member therof from the highest to the lowest from the Prince vnto the People that they may correct and amend in themselues that which is amisse Nourish and keep among them vnitie peace mutuall charitie to loue thee aboue all and their neighbours as themselues Make their hearts so meeke and gentle good Lord by thy working power that they may gladly and vnfainedly freely and frankely heartily and wholly forgiue all men that haue hated or hurted them by word or by deede Such as doe erre and goe astray in the path of Perdition call back and bring againe into the way of Saluation and vnderstanding Extinguish all Sects Schismes Innouations Diuisions Opinions Heresies wherby and wherewithall thy Church in these euill and latter dayes hath beene wonderfully molested and troubled and as it were euen rent and shaken in pieces and conuert all those to the knowledge of thy true ancient Catholike Apostolike holy and Christian Faith which as yet goe astray and wander out of the right way O Lord of thy gracious goodnes fetch them home as sheep of thy pasture to thine owne Fold and Family preserue and keepe them euer safe in the lap and vnitie of thy Catholike Church And grant vnto them true vnderstanding to know thee diligence to seeke thee wisedome to finde thee conuersation to please thee and euermore faithfully to serue thee vnto their liues end Comfort and lift vp O Lord all those that are troubled vexed in minde or in body and teach them to see their owne happinesse through tentations and troubles and that the readiest way to Heauen is euen to goe thither by Hell and that euery paine heere is as it were a preuention of the paines of Hell and euery ease in paine a foretaste of the ease and ioyes of Heauen And finally grant that wee may all with quiet mindes and good conscience patiently passe the time of this our painfull pilgrimage heere on earth peaceably spend and end our dayes in thy seruice and so at the last come to thy heauenly Kingdome life euerlasting thorough Iesus Christ the Author of life In whose holy name wee are bold to lift vp our hearts hands and voices praying vnto thee as hee hath taught vs saying Our Father which c. All glory and praise bee onely giuen vnto God A Prayer for Morning MOst gracious God and deare Father we yeeld vnto thee from the bottome of our hearts most humble thankes in that it hath pleased thee not onely to defend and preserue vs this night from all our enemies both ghostly and bodily but also of thy fatherly pitie to giue vnto these our earthly and languishing bodies such sufficient sleepe and rest as hath satisfied the earnest desire of our weake and feeble nature And as thou of thy mercy hast safely brought vs to the beginning of this present day and shewed vs the light thereof so we humbly beseech thee O God grant that our soules may bee spiritually lightened with the brightnes of thy Word and sacred mysteries whereby we may walk in the steps of Christianitie and leade a life agreeable to our vocation in Christ Iesus our Lord. Assist vs also with thy grace and holy Spirit O God that wee may neuer shrinke from thee for any earthly torments but diligently apply our selues to the performance of thy will and giue our selues wholly therevnto hauing a strong and stedfast faith in the truth of thy promises Indue vs with wisedome from aboue that we may dayly