Hands as into the Hands of a faithful Creator and most merciful Saviour most humbly beseeching thee that it may be precious in thy sight Wash it we pray thee in the Blood of that immaculate Lamb that was slain to take away the sins of the World that whatsoever defilements it may have contracted in the midst of this miserable and naughty world through the lusts of the flesh or the wiles of Satan being purged and done away it may be presented pure and without spot before thee And teach us who survive in this and other like daâ—ly Spectacles of mortality to see how frail and uncertain our own condition is and so to number our days that we may seriously apply our Hearts to that holy and heavenly wisdom whilst we live here which may in the end bring us to life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ thine only Son our Lord. Amen 6. A Prayer against sudden death LOrd they who have lead the best lives are Desirous of some time to prepare for their Death But my Life has abounded in Sins and Frailtyes which make me stand in much greater need thereof Snatch me not away therefore to give up my accounts by the surprize of a sudden Death but Deliver me from an unprepared Heart and an unexpected End As I Sin Dayly O! God let me repent Dayly and stand allways upon my watch that I may be ready for thee whensoever thou callest me But give me time and leasure if it may please thee to put my Spirit in the best order I can for leaving this world and appearing before thee and taking my Leave of all decently that soe with more satisfaction to my Friends and with more settlement of minde and comfort to my self I may yeild it up into the Hands of thy mercy thro Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen Prayers and Devotions upon the Death of Friends Scriptures 1. When a Friend dyes IT is better to goe to the House of mourning than to go to the House of â—easting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his Heart Sorrow is better than Laughter for by the Sadness of the Countenance the Heart is made better Eccl. 7. 2 3. But sorrow not Brethren for them which are asleep even as others which have no hope For if we Believe that Jesus Dyed and Rose again even soe them alsoe which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1. Thess. 4. 13 14. Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints Ps. 116. 13. And Blessed are the Dead which Dye in the Lord for they rest from their Labors and their works follow them Rev. 14 13. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to Dye and their Departure is taken for misery But they are in Peace and their Hope is full of immortality Wisd. 3. 2 3 4. And here the Righteous shall be had in everlastiâ—g Remembrance and the memory of the just is Blessed Ps. 112. 6. and Prov. 10. 7. Besides when the Righteous Dyes iâ— is often to take him from the evil to come Is. 57. 1. And now he is Dead wherefore should I fast and weep Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me 2 Sam. 12. 23. Forget it not for there is no turning again thou shalt not do him good but hurt thy self And think thou hearest him say Remember my judgement or the sentence upon me for thine also shall be so Yesterday for me and to day for thee Therefore take no Heaviness to heart but Drive it away and remember the last end And when the Dead is at Rest let his remembrance Rest and be Comforted for him when his Spirit is Departed from him Ecclus. 38. 20 21 22 23. 2. When a Friend is taken away early THo the Righteous be prevented with Death yet shall he be in Rest. He was taken away speedily lest that wickedness should alter his understanding or Deceit beguile his Soul He pleased God and was beloved of him soe that living among sinners he was translated Yea therefore the Lord hasted to take him away from the wicked Moreover he being made Perfect in a short time fullfill'd a long Time For Honourable Age is not that which Standeth in Length of time nor that is measured by number of years But wisdom is the Gray hair unto men and an unspotted Life is old Age. Wisd. 4. 7 8 9 10 11 13 14. And why art thou against the Pleasure of the most High there is noe inquisition in the Grave whether thou have lived ten or an hundred or a thousand years Ecclus. 41. 4. 3. When one is Childless Trust not thou in the Life of Children neither Respect their multitude For one that is just is better than a thousand and better it is to Dye without Children than to have them that are ungodly Ecclus. 16. 3. Better it is to have noe Children and to have Virtue For the Memorial thereof is immortal because it is known with God and with Men. When it is present men take example at it and when it is gone they desire it it weareth a Crown and Triumpheth for ever haveing got the Victory striveing for undefiled Rewards Wisd. 4. 1 2. Prayers I. Prayers when a Friend Dyes 1. O! Allmighty Lord who hast now taken from us our Dear Brother here Departed at thy word we are sent into the Labor of Life and at the same word we return again into the Rest and Sleep of Death And thy Counsells O! God are Secret and farr above out of our sight But they are allways just and leave noe Ground for our Complaints Yea they are allways wise and Good and will appear to have been most Honourable for thee and most fit and Proper for us in the end Oh! then that I may humbly and dutifully Reverence thy Orderings when I can not Comprehend them and bring my will into a quiet submission unto thine and receive my Loss meekly and without murmuring because it is of thy sending Teach me thereby O! Lord to stand in awe of thy justice and to shew a devout Sense of the desert of Sin whose wages is Death and a Decent Sorrow for my own Loss But let my Sorrow be without fixing Faults on what thou hast orderd and without refusing to be Comforted as others who have noe Hope or growing Rebellious or unthankfull unto thee and troublesome to those about me because thou hast call'd my dear Friend away and deprived me of his Company Yea Lord instead hereof keep me thankfull unto thee that I was allow'd to have and injoy this Comfort before I am call'd now to part with it For I have great cause to Bless thee that I injoy'd him at all especially soe long as I did and have noe Cause now to be angry that I can injoy him no longer Nay I should render my self utterly unworthy of any Gift from thee
us to them and Naturally imprints the same And it is our truest wisdom to entertain them in our Sickness For if we dye we shall all judge it was the best way we had to employ our thoughts and that of all things Death should not be met unthought of And they render us fitter to Live if God spare us They make Death Safer but do not hasten or bring it sooner and are no hindrance to our Living longer but a great help if we recover to our Living better In this Preparation to leave the World the Sick Persons first care is to seperate himself from worldly cares and incumbrances of Business Let him look upon himself as one call'd off from the conduct of these matters to the giving a strict account of â—â—â—m And who has work enough cut out for his thoughts and prepare to take a decent leave of this World and to trim up his Lamp and 〈◊〉 his Soul for a better His business now is how to meet Death with most safety and comfort to himself if he dyes as for ought he knows he may dye of this Sickness and to commit no Errors therein because he is to dye but once and cannot afterwards amend them The work and worldly Cares of Life are to be left to those who think of living but how to dye is the Business that lyes before him To cast off these worldly Cares 't is fit he first settle them And that is by setting his House in order and making his â—ill This methinks should be done with great consideration and Men are wanting in that Prudence and Care which they usually shew in their affairs thro all their Lives if this is left to be clapt up in haste at their Deaths When they dispose of a little parcel of Land or of a moderate sum of money they consider well of it before they part with it And if they are thus considerate when they dispose of any single Branch of their Estate must that be left to be the only hasty and unconsidered act when they are to dispose of all When a Person has his Worldly Estate to give away it will take much thought to do it like a wise Man and a good Christian. To consider what Portions are fit to be given to Dependants as Recompence of Diligence and good Services What to Benefactors as respectful tokens of Gratitude for Favours and obligations What to particular Friends and acquaintance as Memorials of Love and Dearness What among Kindred in Declaration of natural Affection for their nearness their deserts or their wants And what to himself for so I more especially call that which is given to Religious or Pious uses since these works follow him and these layings out go along with him to be recompenced and repaid in a better place Such as are all gifts of Restitution when he had wrong'd or defrauded any Persons of equitable compensation where he has taken too great advantage of other Peoples wants or weakness and been too hard upon them and made too great advantage of them in Bargaining or Dealing of Charity or Piety in Gifts or Settlements on the Poor and Needy or for the encouragement and promotion of piety To settle Accounts in Dealing what he ows or what is owing unto him what he has in his hands in trust for others and what he has left in their hands or in trust with them For this disposal he must remember is the Farewel he takes of all the World And when he is parting with Kindred and Relations Friends and Benefactors Servants and Dependants Chapmen and Customers Poor and Rich Sacred and Secular Persons a Wise and Good Man who has carryed it well towards them all his Life should think of continuing to do the same and supplying of former Defects at his Death and study to take a fair and Friendly and decent leave of all Especially to carry it as becomes him towards God and in this great disposal of all his Goods to look at him the Soveraign Donor of them And to do all this with discretion and to a Man's satisfaction will require consideration And therefore is like to be best dispatch'd whilst the Person hath both Ability and Leisure for it And accordingly is always most providently and is like to be most perfectly settled in time of Health However in the beginnings of Sickness e're Nature is weak and Time is short or a Disease is come to Extremities When all his Worldly cares and concerns are thus settled and laid aside having taken this leave of the World he may give himself up to the Will and good Pleasure of Almighty God to dispose of him either in Life or Death and make his Sickness end either in Health or Heaven as he sees will make most for the Sick-mans good and for his own Glory If the Physitians are called in to take care of his Body 't is fit he receive their advice with meekness and thankfulness and willingly follow and submit himself to their wholesome and Reasonable Directions A Prudent and Compassionate Physitian will be tenderly and conscientiously careful of his ease so far as that is consistent with the Care of his Health Especially he will consider well how he proposes and much more how he presses any Medicine which the Patient has an Antipathy against and which is found greatly to disorder him tho' it generally relieve others And when he sends for him he must put his Body into his Hands under God and willingly take such Medicines and submit to such Rules and Restraints as he Judges needful for his Safety or for the Recovery of his Health and not order and tell his Physitian what he shall prescribe to him nor weary him out with importunities to let him have what he himself fancies tho' the other thinks it would be to his prejudice And these prescriptions of the Physitian he must use with looking up to God in the first place for the good effect of all Medicines and without fretfulness and accusations of the means and methods if by the pleasure of God the Disease increase and grow more troublesom in spight of all Remedies and without being too eagerly desirous of Life or ease unless God please thanking his Physitian for the ease which he studies but at the same time submitting to God for the Pains which he sends And let him still remember to make fervent Prayers one ingredient in all his Medicines considering that since it is God who works cures Prayers are as necessary thereto as any thing else He must not like Asa set God a side when he seeks to the Physitians but expect all the Cure from Gods blessing and when it comes give him the chief Honour and Praise for the same and acknowledge that the Prayers of pious Friends have been among the powerfullest of his Medicines If it be thought needful or profitable for the body some times at intervals especially in slow and languishing diseases to divert his spirits
DEATH MADE Comfortable OR The Way to Dye Well Consisting of Directions for an Holy and an Happy Death Together with An Office for the Sick and for certain kinds of bodily illness And for dying Persons And proper Prayers upon the Death of Friends By IOHN KETTLEWELL a Presbyter of the Church of England LONDON Printed for Robert Kettlewell And are to be sold by Sam. Keble at the Turks head over against Fetter-Lane in Fleet-street MDCXCV THE PREFACE EVery Person who comes into this World under the Guilt of Sin is a Debtor to Death And this Debt sooner or later all must pay even they who fence themselves about with the strongest Armies or heap up Riches as if they were always to possess them or whose daily Business it is to drown all Thoughts of Death in the Noise of Mirth and Pleasures In the midst of all their Care and Labour to avoid him Death will surely meet them and spoil all their Glory and Iollity and that commonly when they least expect him And then he makes them see their own Vanity and the Vanity of all earthly things which nothing else could teach them to consider of For he shews us the Shame of our Bodies and makes the Pride of Human Greatness to become an easie Conquest and inglorious Prey for Worms and brings all earthly Hopes and Projects to end and hide themselves in Dust. This is a thing which all Men know and all Men fear And they who study most to keep the Thoughts of Death far from them do yet certainly know that it will come And happy then is he whose Mind is so well prepared and â—ortified that it can neither fright nor hurt him who has disarmed this King of Terrors and made this great Enemy of Nature to become a Friend All this Religion will do if we will make a right use of it For the sting of death is sin and true Repentance takes that out And if we take care that our Life contain nothing terrifying our Death need not And the compleatest Victory over Death is Eternal Life and the same Repentance secures us thereof And Trust in God fortifies us against Fear and Patience makes our Pains lighter So that whilst by true Devotion we are spending our selves in these Exercises we are dressing our Souls in Armour which will not only sustain the Shock of Death but conquer it with all its Strength and Terror And the business of these Papers is to furnish out thoughts for all those who are willing and dâ—sirous to use the same whereby all this may be done And whereby we may receive Sickness and meet Death so as at the same time to have enough under them to support and comfort us and in the end to be made better by both And all this I treat of not as a man who is preaching to men at ease who must be diverted and entertained with nice inquiries and fine discourses and speculations about Death But as one who is called to sick and dying Persons who desire to be helped and directed in things of use and told those matters which are fit to support and ease their weary Souls and to dress them in such habits as are the best defence both against the sting and terror of their approaching Enemy I have first according to the best of my skill given them directions what to do and wherein to spend their care thro all the steps and progress of their sickness from its first seisure to their departure I show them what will render their sick-bed carriage rewardable and its Sorrows â—olerable and comfortable How they are like to be most easie to themselves and may most profitably chuse or improve the Company and employ and receive the services and kind Offices of others What they are to do that they may dye well and be happy and full of Comfort in their Death and after it and how it is fit for them to part with all men and take a decent and a Christian leave of this World And in regard Devotion is the chief work and the best support of sick and dying Persons to these directions I have added Offices of Devotion In these I have made collections of select and proper Scriptures upon the several duties and necessities of sick or dying Persons which I have ranged and put in order the best I can for their comfort and instruction And these they may resort to as a Storehouse of Divine Sentences fit to direct their practice in the virtues and to cheer and revive their Spirits under all the sorrows of their Affliction How forceable are right words says Job under the bitterness of his sorrows Job 6. 25. And heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop but a good word maketh it glad says Solomon Prov. 12. 25. But the good words which God himself speaks to us do leave a much stronger impression and give more ease and do more revive and make glad the Heart than any others And after these collections of Scriptures I have furnished them with variety of fit and proper Prayers upon their several Duties or Needs in that condition And as I was able I have stored those Prayers with such proper thoughts and considerations as may serve at once both to express and put up to God the several bounden duties and tempers required of us and also to ingenerate and increase the same in our own minds And to these for sick and dying Persons I have annexed like Devotional helps for Women with Child or in Child Birth and for some other cases of Bodily distempers and Calamities And to conclude all I have added Devotions on the Death of Friends and made particular Prayers for those cases which usually are most affecting and provided them with such considerations as seem to me to be most proper and of greatest force to support and comfort us under such mortifying and afflictive losses And in all these Prayers I have taken care to be as instructive as I can in the several States and Cases they refer to that we may see what our work and wants are under them and know what we have to mind and do therein better than we knew before And so likewise in the several duties which the Prayers are made upon For I have endeavoured therein especially in the Prayers about Trust in God and about Patience which are the virtues most tryed on sick-beds and indeed of most general use thro the whole course of our lives to set off the several Acts wherein we are to exercise and show forth those Graces and the most proper and important helps and considerations whereby we are like to be most quickened and best assisted in our performance of them And therefore when any are desirous to encrease knowledge and improve their understandings therein they may read the Prayers or have them read to them tho not in way of Devotion but as Discourses upon them And these Offices for sick or dying Persons should
let it not be by reading Plays or Romances or foolish and undue Ideas of Love and Honour which feed or revive vain thoughts nor by Play or other things fit to excite Passion or exercise Covetousness but in pastimes of least lightness and fewest temptations and used with moderation remembring that on a sick-bed when a mans time is almost spent 't is not for him to cast about how to pass away his time but how to redeem and improve it Let the reading which is read to him and the conversation which is held with him be suitable to one in his condition Not light to lessen his seriousness nor in any thing vicious uttering things either against Modesty or against Piety or against Justice or against Charity All which may either leave ill impressions upon him by giving his spirit a tincture of the same or bring him into a snare by thinking that he has been wanting in reproof thereof out of too little respect to God and too much to the speakers by either of which he is the worse for them But let all that passes be fit to suit the seriousness and preserve the innocence and help on some virtues but hinder none that are befitting a Person in his condition Whereof I shall say more in the ensuing directions CHAP. II. Of settling his Accounts and securing his Peace with God by Repentance Faith and Continuance in the Vnity of the Church BUT whilst this care is taken for the Body the chief thing which he has to employ himself in on his Sick-bed after the settlement of his Worldly Estate is to take care of his Soul This must exercise his own thoughts when he is by himself And for this he must call in the assistance of the guides of Souls Sending for the Elders of the Church that they may Pray over him and assist and Comfort him by words spoken in their due Season and Administer to him the Word and the benefit of Absolution and the Holy Communion resolving and assisting him in all things that may be needful for the finishing of his Repentance the support of his Spirit or the Peace of his Conscience And in this Care of his Soul these things are chiefly to employ his own thoughts or his Guides assistance 1. To settle his Account and secure his Peace with Almighty God And in care of this let his work be 1. To finish his Repentance And in order thereto let him carefully review all his past life and the present frame and habit of his Mind And let him diligently observe what is good in either and with all Humility thank God for it and take comfort in it and what is amiss in both and work himself up into true contrition for the same affectionately bewailing his extream folly and unworthiness therein And let him fix holy deliberate and unreserved purposes against all his former Offences And make all due and reasonable satisfaction for all Wrongs done by him to any Persons by any ways And take care of the payment of all his just Debts And seek Reconciliation where he has given any just Offence And forgive those who have injured or disobliged him And break off his Iniquity by Righteousness or by being more abundant in Alms-Deeds and consummate and finish any good designs which he had piously laid in his Health and would not lose the reward thereof by having them dropt at his Death And in these ways of expiating Sins let him earnestly begg God's Pardon and comfortably hope for the same through the Merits of Jesus Christ. And in the care of paying his Debts and making Restitution or giving Charitable or Pious Gifts if he can let him settle and finish them himself before his own Death and not refer all to a Will and leave the accomplishment and recompence of so rewardable purposes to the contingencies of time and the Fidelity Kindness or care of Executors Sometimes indeed the Surprize of Dying Persons is so great that they must leave these things to others And sometimes the Persons intrusted are fit to serve the Dying Persons ends and really do serve them to advantage But this is not ordinarily to be trusted to if he can help it For why should he think they will make more dispatch or find fewer delays and put offs in doing these things for him than he did in doing them for himself He has a quicker sense of his own burdens and of his own desires and longings than another ordinarily can or will have and if for all that he shall delay to disburden his own Soul and consummate his own desires and purposes when he may why may not they do so too And on this point let him often say A broken and a contrite Heart Lord thou wilt not despise I acknowledge my transgressions and my Sins are ever before me Wash me throughly from mine iniquities and cleanse me from my Sins Amen Lord be merciful to me a Sinner Amen Oh let the Blood of Iesus cleanse me from all my Sins Amen Lord I have Sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants Amen Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us Amen 2. To shew forth his Faith which he may do by often repeating his Creed I believe in thee O God! the Father Almighty and that thou art the maker of Heaven and Earth And I believe in thee O Jesu Christ that thou art Gods only Son and our Lord. I believe that thou wast conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin mary That thou didst Suffer under Pontius Pilate wa st Crucified Dead and Buryed and descendest into Hell That thou dist rise again the third day from the Dead That thou didst ascend into Heaven and there now sittest at the Right Hand of God And that from thence thou shalt come again to Judge both the Quick and the Dead I believe in thee also O! Holy Ghost I likewise believe that my Blessed Saviour had and hath and whilst the World lasts ever will have on Earth an Holy Catholick Church And that in this Church there is to be a Communion of Saints I believe also that therein is to be had Remission of Sins And after Death I believe there shall be a Resurrection of the Body both for good and bad and a Life Everlasting for the Righteous Amen And let him often say Lord I Believe Help thou mine unbelief Amen Lord increase my Faith Amen All this O! Lord I stedfasty believe Oh! keep me from having my Portion among unbelievers Amen Lord I thank thee that I have been instructed in this Belief and Professed it in my Life Amen Lord keep me from wavering or any ways doubting of the same in my weakness Amen Lord give me the comfort of this belief at my death and make me find the Blessing of it after death Amen And if the
of those who are feeble and sore smitten as I was Help them to Patience Comfort and sure Trust in thee Be thou their Physitian both of Soul and Body and in thy Due time ease them of their Pains and restore them to Health and Strength as in thine abundant Mercy thou hast restored me and Give us all Hearts therewith Thankfully to adore and Faithfully to serve thee thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2. BUt altho by thy Grace I am now recover'd O! Almighty Lord from this Sickness yet I know that at thy time I must expect to be sick again and shall surely Dye and I know not how soon that time may come And I have found how much need there is under the Terrors of Death to be conscious to our selves of having lead a truly Religious and upright Life and how unfit we are to begin it under the Weaknesses of that State Oh! then that my chief Care may allways be to live with such Good Conscience as I should be willing to Dye with and to doe all those things in the time of my Health and Strength which I shall surely wish I had Done when my last weakness and sickness comes And therefore O! my Dear God I humbly and earnestly Pray thee that I may never fall to admire or grow fond of any of the things of this world by coming again to relish and enjoy them Let me never envy the Wealth of the Covetous nor the Honours and High Places of the ambitious nor the Sensual Pleasures of Licentious men For these things O! Lord can not profit me in the Days of Evil. They are vane Things that pass off in the useing and leave nothing but remorse and and Guilt behind them And the Remembrance of them at the Approach of Death instead of affording ease and Comfort will be the greatest wound and weakning to my Spirit and increase my pains and Terrors instead of any ways asswaging them Nor suffer me O! God to trifle away this time of Respite in things of noe benefit which doe thee noe Honor and my poor Soul noe Good For either to hide my Talents or to misemploy them will inflame the reckoning of my Sins And that will turn this great Blessing of lengthning out my Days into a Curse and make my latter end worse than my beginning was But give me Grace O! Father to Redeem those Precious Hours which I have formerly thrown away on vice or vanities by employing all this small Remainder of my time in seeking thy Glory and in carefully preparing for my change and Religiously and Reverently waiting for it hopeing thereby to have entrance for ever into thy Presence where is fullness of joy thro the merits and mediation of my Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Prayers and Devotions on the Apprehension or Approach of Death Scriptures Ps. 49. Ps. 90. to v. 13. Job 14. 1 Thes. 4. from v. 13. to c. 5. v. 7. 1 Cor. 15. Ps. 88. Jo. 5. v. 21. to v. 30. Rev. 21. 1. On the Prospect of our own Death Drawing near IT is appointed unto men once to Dye and after this the judgement Heb. 9. 27. For out of the ground wast thou taken Dust thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return Gen. 3. 19. We are Strangers here and our Days on the Earth are as a shadow and there is none abideing 1 Chron. 29. 15. As Pilgrims we sojourn and have here no continuing City but seek one to come 1 Pet. 2. 11. Heb. 13. 14. Yea the Days of man upon Earth are like the Days of an hireling to serve his appointed time And when his time is up a Servant Earnestly Desireth the Refreshment of the Shade and the hireling looketh for the Reward of his Work Job 7. 1. 2. And as for me I know that thou wilt bring me to Death and to the House appointed for all Liveing Job 30. 23. For few and Evil have my Days been And now behold I seem as one who am going the way of all the Earth Gen 47. 9. Josh. 23. 14. And as I came forth of my Mothers Womb soe naked shall I return to go as I came and shall take nothing of my Labor away in my Hand with me Eccl. 5. 15. I shall Rest from my Labors and nothing but my works follow me Rev. 14. 13. And I must work the Works of God while it is Day the night cometh when noe man can work Jo. 9. 4. Blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall â—ind watching Luk. 12. 37. Behold I come as a Thief Bâ—essed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments Rev. 16. 15. Watch therefore for ye know neither the Day nor the Hour when the Son of man Cometh For at midnight there shall be a Crye made behold the Bridegroom cometh goe ye out to meet him And they who are ready with their Lamps trimmd and Oyl in them goe in with him but after that the Door is shut and to those that knock he will Say I know you not Mat. 25. 6 7 10 12 13. And who is that Faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make Ruler over his Household to give them their Portion of meat in due Season Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find soe doing Of a trâ—th I say unto you that he will make him Ruler over all that he hath Luc. 12. 42 43 44. 2. On Willingness to die O! Death how bitter is the Remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at Rest in his Possessions and that hath nothing to vex him and that hath Prosperity in all things And how acceptable is it unto the needy and to him whose strength faileth that is now in the last Age and is vexed with all things and to him that Despaireth and hath lost Patieâ—ce Ecclus. 41. 1 2. And wherefore is Light given to him that is in misery and Life unto the bitter in Soul Which long for Death but it comes not and Dig for it more than for hid Treasures Which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can find the Grave Job 3. 20 21 22. Besides whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. And we are confident and Willing rather to be absent from the Body and Present with the Lord. For if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved we know that we have a Building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens And in this being burdened we Groan Earnestly Desireing to be Cloath'd upon with our House which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 4 6 8. For to me to Dye is gain And therefore I have a Desire to Depart and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 1. 21 23. The Day of Death is really better than the Day of ones Birth Eccl. 7. 1. For the Spirit shall return to God who gave it The Dust indeed shall return to the Earth as it was
Eccl. 12. 7. But there the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at Rest and they hear not the voice of the Oppressor Job 3. 17 18. Yea I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave saith the Lord I will redeem them from Death O! Death I will be thy Plague O! Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos. 13. 14. For he shall change this Vile Body and fashion it like unto his own Glorious Body Phil. 3. 21. And this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all Faces and there shall be noe more Sorrow nor Crying nor Pain but Death shall be swallowed up in Victory Is. 25. 8. Rev. 21. 4. 1 Cor. 15. 54. 3. Against Fear of Death FEar not the sentence of Death remember them that have been before thee and that come after for this is the Sentence of the Lord over all Flesh Ecclus. 41. 3. It is but a going to Rest Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth Jo. 11. 11. And tho therein I leave Dear Friends yet I go to my Fathers Gen. 15. 15. And am gather'd to my People Gen. 49. 33. And the Righteous hath Hope in his Death Prov. 14. 32. For God hath begotten us again to a lively Hope thro the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead 1 Pet. 1. 3. And by his Death he hath destroyed him who had the Power of Death and Deliver'd them who all their Life Time were in Bondage to the Fear of Death Heb. 2. 14 15. Sâ—e that now whether we Live or Dye we are the Lords Rom. 14. 8. For he died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him 1. Thes. 5. 10. The Sting of Death is Sin 1 Cor 15. 56. But he is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins Act. 5. 31. And we have such an High Priest as will have Compassion on our infirmities He can mercifully Consider and be touched with them in us having in all points Sin only excepted been tempted like as we are himself Heb. 4. 15. c. 2. 17 18. And therefore Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory of Death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 57. And Blessed are the Dead from henceforth which Dye in the Lord Yea saith the Spirit for they rest from their Labours and their Works follow them Rev. 14. 13. 4. Against Presumption LEt him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. Thou standest by Faith be not high-minded but Fear Rom 11. 20. Happy is the man that feareth always but he that hardneth his Heart against Fear shall fall into mischeif Prov. 28. 14. Work out therefore your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling For it is God that worketh in you of his Good Pleasure Phil. 2. 12 13. Likewise since you must stand before him who without Respect of Persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your Sojourning here in Fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. Tho I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justifyed 1 Cor. 4. 4. The Heavens are not clean in his sight Job 15. 15. He put noe trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with folly Job 4. 18. When I consider I am afraid of him Job 23. 15. I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal. 52. 8. But will keep withall an humble Spirit that trembleth at his word Is. 66. 2. And serve him with Reverence and Godly Fear Heb. 12. 28. 5. In the last Agonies LOrd now let thy Servant Depart inâ— Peace Luc. 2. 29. Say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation Psal. 35. 3. This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Luc. 23. 43. Lord Jesu receive my Spirit Act 7. 59. Into thine Hand I commit it for thou hast redeemed me O! Lord God of Truth Psal. 31. 5. Be with me and Conduct me thro the Valley of the shadow of Death Psal. 23. 4. Send thy Holy Angels to Carry me into Abrahams Bosom Luk. 16. 22. And into the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. For if we beleive that Jesus Dyed and rose again even soe them allsoe which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thess. 4. 14. And I know whom I have Believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have Committed to him against that Day 2 Tim. 1. 12. Prayers 1. Prayers on the Prospect of ones own Death Drawing near 1. GRaunt O! Lord that I may end my Life in thy Fear and Favor and that I may Receive my Death which now threatens me not as my Curse but as my Deliverance Let me find it a Rest from my Labors and an Entrance upon a Life without Trouble and without Sin And Blessed be thy Mercy which tho it has seen fit and needfull to Discipline me with Sorrows yet has not made my Sorrows Endless but all to be laid down with this mortal Life and even in my Death has given me hopes of joys without end in a better Life through my Dearest Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 2. O! Blessed Lord now I am hasting on to the End of my Life Remember not against me the Great and manifold errors thereof but let them all be wholly done away by thy Mercyes and my Blessed Saviours merits and my own true Repentance Let me come to my Change without Guilt and foresee its near approach without Fear or impatience And Oh! that I may allways stand ready to give a Good account of my Life unto thee And that I may fight out the Good Fight of Faith with Constancy and Perseverance and finish my Course with joy and never Sleep in Sin nor lye Down in misery and Sorrow And since my Soul is now summon'd to meet the Bridegroom Dress it O! Lord in a Wedding Garment fit to appear in his train Give me Oyl in my Lamp and Grace to trim and light it and keep it allways burning sending up a pure and holy Flame that when the Door opens I may be ready to Enter in with him And enable it to strip it self of all Fleshly affections before it leaves my Body and to be of like mind and Disposition with the Holy Angels and Beatifyed Spirits before it goes to keep them Company And O! my God let me never forgeâ— that this is like to be the last Tryal which thou wilt afford me of renouncing mine own will and resigning my self up to thine and of shewing forth Devotion of Spirit and all Holy Obedience and Patience and Faith and humble Confidence in thee And therefore
should I fall to claim thy Free Favours as my due because thou hast long continued them to me and to thinke thou doest me wrong if at any time thou holdest back thine own and for wise and Good Ends stoppest some stream of thy Free Bounty towards me And let this uncertainty O! God of the dearest Worldly Comforts teach me to fix my Heart on joys which will never fade or perish To take more Comfort in thy self and to look for less in all Earthly things Oh! be thou my Desire and my Hearts Delight and let a Good Conscience be my Treasure and integrity my joy And these will stick to me till Death and follow me beyond it and Give me Rest in thy Presence and Pleasures for evermore thro my Dearest Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 2. LEt not my Grief excede O! Lord or be obstinate against Thoughts or Words of Comfort because I cannot bring him back again and because it can not benefit him but will much hurt me And make me Consider which alass I ought thoroly to have Consider'd sooner that altho he was a very Dear and Great yet he was only a mortal Comfort whose Life would be sure to fail tho his Friendship should not I know my Tenure was only to hold him as thy Giâ—t and to part with him again at thy Pleasure And that as we have the Comfort of injoying Dear Friends or Relations here soe we must be content too to have the trouble and sorrow of parting with them And now Lord when thou hast taken him I know that he is more thine than he is mine and that thou hast the best Claim to him And when thou tookest him from me thou tookest him to thy self And I trust thy taking him is to his unspeakable joy tho it be to my sorrow and that with thee he is now infinitely better than he was or could be here Yea that thou hast taken him to that Place where by thy Mercy I also hope to come and whither in my Order thou wilt likewise take me in thy Due time Soe that thy Grace O! Dear God and a little Patience will bring us together again And Oh! that thou wouldest be pleased to put an End to all our Sins and Sorrows and to hasten thy Kingdom and to accomplish the Number of thine Elect. And mercifuilly to Graunt that all we and all others who either have Departed or shall Depart this Life in thy true Faith and Fear may have our Perfect Consummation and Bliss in thy Heavenly and Eternal Kingdom thro Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen 3. LEt not my Grief for my Deceased Friend excede O! most Gracious God for I hope thou hast taken him for his own Good And that thou hast Comforted his Soul by his exchange and hast only smitten ours leaving us to mourn for our Sins and for our Loss whilst he by thy Mercy is hereby set out of the Reach of Sin and Misery For as he is now removed O! Father from all worldly satisfactions soe is he allsoe from all worldly Temptations And our Comfort is to Hope that he is now at Rest from Labour and has Ceased from Sin and Shame That He is now eased of Pains and is above Misfortunes and has found a Cure for all his Sorrows having Grief and Care for ever banishd from his Heart and all Tears wiped away from his Eyes And that he is gone from the Vale of Misery to the Regions of joy and from Conversing with us to live with thee and the Blessed Jesus and to be a Companion of Saints and Angels Let not self Love then O! Lord and the sense of my own Loss make me repine at that change which I take to be his Happiness Let not that which I hope doth highly please him displease me nor let me refuse Comfort because I trust he is taken for ever to be fill'd with it His Death I humbly hope is the joy of Saints and Angels and the Envy and Grief of Evil Spirits who see him taken up to a State where they can not tempt and to an Happiness which is for ever Denyed to themselves Oh! then that I may not joyn with his utter Enemyes and mine in their Envy but with those Blessed Spirits in their Charity and instead of greiving immoderately or being angry with thee that I may heartily Bless thy Name for turning Death thus into a Blessing and as I trust for accomplishing his Hopes thereby and makeing of him happy And let thy Providence O! Father be a Store-House of Supplyes to make up to me and to all his Friends and Dependants all those Supports and Blessings which we receive from thee by his means Especially let his change put us all upon prepareing Diligently and Carefully for our own Make it raise us up from the Death of Sin to a Life of Righteousness and take us off from all undue esire or Care of Earthly things to minde the one thing necessary which is the Great and most Comfortable Business of Life and which alone will stand us in stead and make us Happy after Death thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 4. A Prayer when any Persons Feed impatience and fix themselves in Greif by Surmizing that God is angry at them when he takes away their Friends O! Blessed Lord let not me make it a Pretence for my impatience that this Loss comes as thy Visitation for my Sins or greive obstinately as fancying that thou takest away my Friend here Departed out of Anger and displeasure against me For thou O! God hast many other Ends to look at besides what Concerns me in these matters And these Providences touch our Friends themselves Directly and Principally and reach us only by the by And when in meer Love and Kindness unto them thou wouldest call them to thy self that must unavoidably take them away from us But if in this change thou dost shew Displeasure against me for my Sins Lord teach me that it is my Part humbly to submit my self to thee and not to be angry or impatient under thy Correction of me but to accept my Loss with quietness as the punishment of mine iniquities And that whilst thou art removeing my Blessings because of my Great Ununworthyness and unthankfullness under them I have the more need to shew my self Thankful for any that are still continued to me and to give up my will in all things to thine to serve and please thee thro our Dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 5. A Prayer when these Losses come close one upon another ANd altho these affecting Losses come thick upon me O! Father yet I know all this is for a Greater Tryal of my Patience And I am sensible that I have enough and abundantly too much in me that needs to be punished thereby And that thou hast wise and kinde Reasons â—now thus to Heap upon me these Sorrows tho it were not to punish but only to