conceiued of my Mother I confesse my wretchednesse and my vncleannesse is too manifest both to thee and the world it troubleth my minde and woundeth my guilty conscience woe is mee therefore Yet spare me O Lord I humbly beseech thee destroy me not in thine anger but chastice me in lenitie And albeit I am a grieuous sinner yet I perswade my self I am thy sonne and that thou canst not but haue a fatherly care ouer me for my elder Brothers sake Christ Iesus thy beloued Wherefore arise and help me O Lord arise I say and cast me not away for euer forgiue mee all my sinnes and raise thy poore Seruant out of the dunghill that being released by thee from paine griefe and also deliuered from eternall death I may pray vnto thee faithfully during my life and after death obtaine of thee euerlasting life which thou hast prepared for me by the death and Passion of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour in whom thou art well pleased and by whose stripes I am cured and trust to be saued whose holy name bee blessed and praised now and for euer Amen A fruitfull Prayer for the assistance of God in the extremitie of sicknes O Deare Father of Heauen and Gouernour of the wide world and the worker of our wealth whose goodnes is vnspeakeable and vvhose wifedome is incomparable whose mercy reacheth vnto the Clouds and vnto whose power all creatures are subiect Thou God of the quicke and the dead which hast placed me heere on earth as a pilgrime or tenant at will to remoue at thy pleasure and hast appointed mee and all men liuing our bounds which we cannot passe Haue respect vnto the worke of thy hands bow downe thine eyes of compassion O Lord visit and comfort the pensiue soule of thy poore prisoner Open thy gracious eares and heare my petition thou which art the Sauiour of my soule grant mee pardon of my sinne and patience in my paine that I neuer blaspheme thy holy name but suffer this thy scourge and punishment meekely as becommeth a good Christian and seruant of God So that in this conflict of sicknes when my flesh consumeth away my limmes waxe lame my sight faileth my heart fainteth and all my sences become nummed yea when life death struggle and warre within me for superioritie and I lye linked in woe in the paine and pangs of death receiuing no food taking no rest but being past all recouerie of health to the iudgement of man Then looke vpon me with the eyes of mercy O thou glory of Sion Thou Comfort of Israel and beauty of Ierusalem Then let thy strength help my weakenesse and thy mercy cure my misery Then deliuer poore Ioseph thy Seruant out of Prison Defend thy deare darling from the deuouring Dog Stop the mouth and weaken the force of the roring Lyon and all his diuelish practises that they neuer preuaile against me O Lord haue mercy vpon me establish my heart that I neuer faint in this my last and bitter death Remember O Lord what metall I am made of that I am but sraile flesh and filthy earth Let it bee thy pleasure therefore O gracious God to forgiue me my sinnes to remit and vtterly blot out of thy reckoning Booke the tenne thousand Talents which I owe thee I acknowledge the debt cancell therefore the Obligation for seeing I am not able to pay the debt I must needs craue a generall pardon or else perish for euer Spare mee therefore deare Father and comfort the soule of thy Seruant which repenteth his former folly and humbleth himselfe here before thy Maiestie O Lord let not the terrour of Hell the feare of death the vexation of minde the bitter torment of sicknes the losse of life or worldly wealth withdraw my soule from thee But as thou diddest create it and breathe it into my body Euen so vouchsafe of thy great goodnes to preserue it during life and after death receiue it with the soules of the righteous into thine owne hands and custody and place it in perpetuall felicitie So that at the generall Iudgement and the glorious Resurrection of all flesh I may both body and soule rise to life euerlasting and praise thee continually with the Angels Saints in Heauen through Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen A pithy profitable Prayer when wee are in danger of death wherein we commit our selues to God renounce the world craue pardon for our sinnes and forgiue our enemies O Lord my good and gracious God the Creator of Heauen and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords which hast made me of nothing to thine owne likenes and redeemed me with thine owne bloud whom I a wretched sinner am vnworthy to name to call vpon or once to thinke in my heart Here I prostrate and submit my selfe before thy diuine Maiestie and acknowledge my grieuous sinnes which I haue committed against thee in thought word and deede humbly crauing pardon thereof at thy fatherly hands And I doe also for mine owne part most willingly forgiue all men that haue offended mee euen as I looke to bee forgiuen of thee my louing and mercifull God whose wrath iust iudgement I haue too often and that deseruedly prouoked against me But neuerthelesse howsoeuer I haue liued hitherto in my fraile flesh and in this body of sinne yet I trust that thou of thy gracious goodnesse wilt grant me a happy end for I vtterly renounce the world and the vanities thereof which all my life time hitherto I haue too much coueted and delighted in onely I am now carefull for my soule that it may be saued and my earnest desire is that I may dwell with the Lord in the land of the liuing which I trust to obtaine by the bloud of the innocent Lambe of God Iesus Christ and so to be partaker of the heauenly ioyes and Communion of Saints in the triumphant Church of God In the meane time vvhilest I remain in this earthly Tabernacle I beseech thee O Lord to increase my faith comfort my silly soule lighten my vnderstanding strengthen my feeble body and grant me patience in my paine that my faith neuer faile And I willingly surrender my body and soule to thy carefull disposition and as willingly leaue my goods to the world where I had them Rendring to thee most hearty thanks for the vse I haue had of them hitherto and for all other thy greater benefits and spirituall blessings as my Election Creation Saluation Sanctification Preseruation and hope of Glorification in thy heauenly habitation O Lord thy holy Name bee praised therefore and thy blessed will be fulfilled in me euery way whether it bee by life or by death let it be to thy glory and then I haue my hearts desire for I am in thy hands as the Clay is in the Potters therefore doe with me as best pleaseth thee Make
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
so often offended So did Dauid the King so did the poore Publican knocke at the doore of his heart and being pressed and ouerwhelmed with sorrow he cryed Lord be mercifull vnto me a Luk. 18. 13. sinner So we spare vs O Lord spare thy people And this must be done in time euen now presently For now is that acceptable time 2. Cor. 6. 2. Now is the Day of saluation Now is the Day of hearing Christ lamented the state of Ierusalem because shee knew not the times of her visitation Therfore good brother apply this plaister to your sore you are now visited of God by sicknesse it is now your time to call your sins to remembrance defer it not but watch for your saluation offered they say warned men may liue Ierusalem warnes you sicknes warnes you your gray head warnes you your friends warne you I warne you and God warnes you in his Word to repent to renounce this world to watch for your deliuery to look for your redemption and to haue your conuersation in heauen from whence Phil. 3. 20. you looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ The fiue foolish Virgins would not watch but slept and slumbred and therefore had heauen gates shut vp against them The dores were opened but they were not ready with their Lamps burning but were taken napping in their security and sinne Therefore they may now knock and thumpe and cry and call as loud as they can and yet they shall neuer be heard it is but lip-labour all is in vaine The time was but it neuer shall be againe Mercy was offered which being refused Iustice must take place Such examples are set downe for our instruction and happy is that man which can take heede by other mens harmes If Gods iudgement cannot feare vs to forsake sinne yet his mercy should moue vs and leade vs by the hand to warch and be carefull for our saluation for God pitieth vs his Angels fauour vs his benefits prouoke vs yea all his creatures Sunne Moone and Starres Heauen earth do admonish vs and should prouoke vs to beware to watch and ward for our saluation They cry continually Repent and amend The shortnes of our time may moue vs hereunto Wee see by dayly experience to day a man to morrow none he that liueth the longest his race is soone finished ended and that made Iob to say Man hath but a short time to Iob 14. 1. liue and in that time he is subiect to many miseries as pouerty slaunders persecutions blindnesse lamenesse oldnesse coldnesse trouble and sicknesse All these molestations and thousands mo warne vs by course to beware that wee runne right Let vs therefore good Brother tuck vp our garments and prepare our selues for the life to come for the time of our departing is at hand That little time that remaineth let vs bestow it in the seruice of God and not of the deuill Let vs not walke with the wicked in the wide way that leadeth to damnation but rather keepe company with the seruants of God and walke in the narrow way with them though it be painefull and cumbersome for a while yet it is comfortable in the end when wee shall haue our recompence with the righteous then shall death bee welcome to vs which now is shunned of the most then the Day of Iudgement shall lighten our hearts when it shall load the conscience of the impenitent sinner we may then with comfort lift vp our heads and heartes when the vngodly may hang them downe and be ashamed to looke either God or man in the face I would to God all men would remember this day of reckoning and reward then if loue of saluation could not make vs do well yet feare of damnation would somewhat bridle and stay vs from doing euill It would mooue the rich to pitty the poore the Vsurer and Extortioner to restore their euill gotten goods with iust Zacheus the Land-lord not to cut his Tenants throat by making him and al he hath his bondslaues for those wicked worldings which will not now bee drawne to repentance by hearing shall then bee tormented both body and soule by feeling when they shall bee taken tardie in their sinnes apprehended accused indited and arraigned at the Barre of Gods Tribunall Iudgement Seat where the vngodly shall not bee able to stand much lesse to answere their crime when Gods sword is drawne ready to strike and take vengeance at that day no intreaty will take place nor prayer bee heard either of men or Angels in their behalfe for all the creatures of God shall refuse to doe them seruice at their death because they refused to do God seruice in their life and for that occasion they shall heare see all things cry vengeance vpon them nothing in heauen or earth to minister comfort but rather cause of griefe and horror let this geere enter into your braine betime good brother and let it pearce your heart now in your life time for after death you shall haue no time to repent and turne to God neither is there then any mercy to be hoped for at his hands but a fearefull looking for the sentence of Gods iust iudgement Goe Math. 25. 41. yee cursed into euerlasting fire c. Then they may yell houle and cry and yet neuer finde grace after Gods curse hath once taken place All their mirth shall then bee turned to mourning their honour to shame their pleasure to paine their wealth to woe and their delicate fare on earth to the bitter torments of hell where they shall remaine for euer in darkenesse and perpetuall paine This shall be the portion of the vngodly whereas contrariwise the righteous shal be shrouded vnder the wings of Gods mercy and safely preserued from those tortures by the bloud of the Lambe the Angels shall gard them the Saints shall imbrace them the heauens receiue them and the pleasures of the Celestiall Paradise shall replenish them with vnspeakable ioy continuall comfort therefore let vs prepare our selues for that Day of reward perhaps it is neerer then wee are aware let vs haue continually in our mindes the ioyes of heauen and the paines of hell let the one mooue vs to loue God the other to feare him lest wee be damned with the wicked Let vs turne to the Lord betime Let vs promise perform for many promise in their woe that which they soone forget whē they wax wanton They are then secure they dreame of a dry Summer as the rich Cormorant did which forgetting God and wallowing in worldly wealth cast away all care of doing his duty and said Soule thou Luk. 12. 19 hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime Oh iolly Gentleman this fellow is now in his ruffe but behold a cooling card the Lord answered againe and that speedily and readlly O foole this night will they setch away thy soule from thee
hee reuile his enemies Doth hee vvithstand his persecutors or doth hee blaspheme his Maker No no He patiently taketh his Martyrdome He doth not curse or desire vengeance from heauen to light vpon his Aduersaries but most humbly falleth downe vpon his knees praying for his persecutors and saying Lord lay not this sinne Act. 7. 60. to their charge Behold heere an example of a witnesse and true Professor of Christ Iesus a Martyr of such modestie and meekenesse as seldome or neuer hath bin seene This Disciple had both learned and recorded his Masters lesson Resist not Mat. 5. euill but loue your enemies Blesse them that curse you Doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute you See how neere this man followeth his Masters manners Christ cryeth in the middest of his enemies Father forgiue them they wot not what they doe Stephen cryeth in the middest of his Stoners Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Christ said in his Passion Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Stephen Act 7. 59. said in his stoning Lord Iesu receiue my Spirit Christ beeing crucified meekely gaue vp the Ghost Stephen being stoned sweetly fell on sleepe Here the man followed the Master at heeles yea euen to death Well in the extremitie of their sufferings they both haue patience they both pray they both forgiue they both resigne themselues and their soules to him that smiteth and healeth I say no more but God grant wee may tread in Stephens steps and doe as he did and then wee shall haue that hee had that is in the end of our suffering heere on earth wee shall haue heauen opened vnto vs see the glory of God and Act. 7. 55. Iesus standing at the right hand of God But what should I stand longer to repeat the examples of men who are mortall if I should proceede I should be weary in writing and you in reading the examples of those which were neuer weary of suffering There remaineth one Prophet VVhat did I say a Prophet Yea and more then a Prophet of whom all the Prophets haue prophesied The Prince of Prophets the Prince of Peace and the Prince of Patience VVho as he is most commendable euen so he is incomparable I neede not to name him he was named of the Angell in his mothers womb before he was borne into this sinfull world You know whom I meane the King of Glory the Head of the Church the Sauiour of the VVorld Christ Iesus the innocent Lambe of God who patiently suffered death for our sins Of whom S. Peter reporteth saying Christ suffered 1. Pet. 2. 21 for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps VVho being his Fathers best Beloued in whom Mat. 3. 17. his soule was well pleased yet suffered hee continuall crosses He that did many good deeds suffered many euill He suffered the Diuell to tempt him his owne Disciple to betray him the Iewes to deride him the malicious to blaspheme him and his enemies to slander him Againe beeing spitted vpon beaten backe and side buffeted on his face with fists whipped on his bare body cloathed in purple crowned vvith thorne c. hee behaued himselfe as meekely as the Innocent Lamb or shiftles sheepe vnder the hand of the shearer His aduersaries cry alowd Cruoifie him Crucifie him Christ crieth as fast Forgiue them forgiue them They cry against him Hee prayeth for them Hee that might haue commanded all the Angels and Saints in heauen and haue had them at a beck to reuenge his quarrell and defend his innocencie was so farre from requiting wrong that hee sharpely rebuked the rash enterprise of Peter that drew his sword and gaue but one blowe and hee healeth the partie whom he neuer wounded Hee cured the vnthankefull he gaue place to those that laid in wait for him and refused not to kisse the venemous lips of Iudas that betrayed him Hee despised no mans person were hee neuer so poore he refused no mans house were it neuer so homely and yet for all this his doctrine was contemned and his person persecuted He that giueth victorie to those that ouercome was beaten on the face vvith rods He that gaue heauenly and wholesome meate to others had bitter gall offred to himselfe He that gaue the water of life had vineger giuen to drinke He that was Innocencie it selfe was counted among the wicked Hee that healed others was wounded himselfe Hee that was the Truth was condemned by false witnes And he that must iudge all men was iudged of man And when his blamelesse and innocent life drew neere to an end and he ready to suffer a most shameful and bitter death the death of the Crosse How meekely he tooke it how modestly hee answereth how patiently hee suffereth how feruently he prayeth and how freely he forgiueth it is a matter worthy to be noted and printed in the perpetuall memory of man and to be an example to all posterities Art thou a Christian or follower of Christ in his crosse Art thou slandered and handled as hee was Then follow him looke vpon him and take him for an ensample of suffering aduersitie and of long patience Hee was not crowned before hee was crucified and thou must not be crowned before the victory If the world be iniurious to thee Christ is a rewarder cleaue to him forsake thy sinne and take vp his crosse and follow him Forsake the world and feare neither the Diuell nor affliction set Christ naked whipped crowned and crucified continually before thine eyes See how hee was bought and sold hated slandered and reiected of his owne The Iewes cry Away with him let him bee crucified that is let him bee tormented and hanged What euill hath hee done saith the Iudge I finde no fault in the man He hath committed nothing worthy of death I take him to bee an innocent or simple man Let vs therefore whip him and send him packing O no say they if thou let him goe thou art not Caesars friend The Iudge seeming still to fauour his innocencie maketh another offer You haue saith he a custome to let one prisoner loose vnto you We haue one Barabbas who is in for a Bird and fast in hold a Thiefe a Murtherer and a seditious fellow yee shall hang him and save Christ aliue Ah no say they Barabbas is a good fellow Deliuer him and Crucifie Christ Well if there bee no remedy saith Pilate I will Mat. 27. 24 wash my hands here before you all in witnes that I am innocent from the shedding of the bloud of this Iust Man This protestation of the Iudge and cleering of Christ might haue bridled them and their affected crueltie But alas they were as the world is now and euer will be peruerse and wilfull No reason could rule them no counsell could moue them no words could perswade them They runne headlong on their owne destruction saying His bloud Mat. 27. 25 be vpon vs and