thee towards this great God who being pittifull doeth see and heare thee in thy sufferings who vnder his hand holdeth both the disease the cure the paine and the rest life and death to make the one as profitable and heathfull vnto thee as the other Then will I say with a contrite heart yet full of confidence I haue sinned against thee O my God I haue grieuously offended thee I deserue to be throughly chastized and the diuells that I doe endure are farre lesse then my offences which onely death and hell are able to counterprise But thy grace and compassion greater then my sinnes are eternall vpon all those whom thou hast washed fructified and iustified in thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ of which number I doe belieue I am and that in him and for his sake thou wilt make me blessed forgiue mee my debts in his name and ease me of my anguish wherein I remaine without strength I beseech thee from the botome of my thoughts in the bitternes of my hart and with the words of Dauid O eternall God heare my prayer petition let nothing hinder my crie for comming vnto thee hide not thy face from me bend downe thine eare vnto me in the day of my trouble make haste and deliuer me in the day that I call vpon thee for my dayes are vanished like smoake and my bones are dried like chaf my heart hath bin smitten and withered like the grasse that I haue forgotten to eate my bread O Lord all my desire is before thee comfort the soule of thy seruant shall any man tell of thy mercies in the sepulchre or thy faithfulnesse in the graue Thus then O mercifull God bearing my self in thy chastisements I will in all patience waite for the seasonable succour of thy hand as being well assured that while it is in comming thou wilt not suffer thy spirit of consolation to forsake mee in the middest of my tribulation that my present heauinesse shall be vnto mee the watch of some ioy at hand and that at all aduentures the last of my sorrowefull dayes shall be the first of my rest in eternall life And therefore I will againe say with the Apostle Behold I am here deale with me at thy pleasure and with thy seruant Iob Albeit God should slay me yet will I trust in him and reprooue my wayes in his presence with Saint Agustine O Lord smite here cutte here burne here so that thou doost pardon mee for euer Amen Our Father which art in heauen c. The seauen and twentieth Prayer At the visitation of the sicke Is there any among you sicke let him call the elders of the Church and let them pray for him and annoint him with oyle in the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith shall saue the diseased and the Lord shall raise him vp and if hee haue committed any sinnes they shall bee forgiuen him Iames 5. O LORD our GOD who art all righteousnes goodnesse we knowe that among thy corrections wherewith thou wakenest vs to our duties it pleaseth thee many times to tame our flesh with sundry diseases for thou dost by the pains that we suffer aduertize vs of the cause of our euills which is sinne and of the punishment due to the same namely death whereof the infirmities of the body are the ordinary meanes And also thou doest withall put vs in minde of the great day of thy Iudgement which after death doeth ensue to life euerlasting full of glory and beatitude to the elect and of reproach and torments to the rebrobate But of these things the flesh so long as it feeleth it selfe at ease hath least care to heare Sith therefore it hath pleased thee O iust and mercifull Father with thy rod to visite this poore sicke person here present afflicting him for his offences as himselfe doth with vs confesse we beseech thee that in pardoning him for the loue of thy welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ thou wilt make this chastizement to profit him to his correction so that he may with quiet obedience beare thy visitation submitting himselfe volunrarie with all his heart to thy holy will who strikest him not as a seuere iudge but as a most merciful Father whereby he may learne to repose his whole trust assurance in thy loue as in him that art the author of his lif canst preserue him whither it be to abide below here in thy church or that thou wilt gather him into thy kingdome of heauen Thus Lord on th' one side awakning in his soule by his sickenes on th' other the feeling of humane miseries make him with the eies of his faith to behold the eternall blessings thou reseruest for him in thy Paradice to liue happy for euer so that he may with patience easly digest the bitternesse of that potion that thou hast powred foorth vnto him bending his principall desire to enioy thy presence in heauen But thou knowest O mercifull Father that the spirit of thy children is willing but their flesh is alwayes frayle and full of great mistrust especially in the bitternesse of afflictions Assist therefore this sicke person with the plentie and strength of the giftes of thy spirite that he may ouercome all the enemies of his peace and be thou his shield against the assaults terrors of death especially if his conscience do trouble and accuse him for his inward and hidden sins which are open in thy sight Then let the holy Ghost the perpetuall comforter of all faithfull soules vouchsafe to represent vnto him for his defence the passion and sacrifice of our Lorde Iesus who hath himselfe borne vpon the crosse al our iniquities that so he might absolue and discharge vs before thy iudicial throne according to the infinite merite of his righteousnesse and open the gate of thy Kingdome to all that shall beleeue and be baptized in his name Thus this poore patient being comforted in feeling through a liuely stedfast faith the fruite and vertue of that earnest penie of saluation that Christ hath left vs in his Church namely remission of sinnes for his sake also that this hope which is neuer confounded doth keepe his spirit quiet that he may call vpon thee O Lord and sanctifie thy name euen to his last gaspe neuer fearing the temptations of Sathan of death or of hel as beeing assured that Christ hath ouercome them ledde them in triumph breaking their bonds so that he may in all Christian confidence cry out with thy Apostle O death where is thy sting O hel where is thy victory In this manner O mercifull God let this sicke person be by our prayers commended vnto thee and vouchsafe if it be thy pleasure to restore him to health with encrease of thy graces that he may yet amongest vs serue to thy glory If not but that thou hast otherwise appointed to bring him into thy rest thy will bee done and accepted both by him and vs in
al quiet obedience Receiue him into thy heauenly Hierusalem for hee hath his whole recourse vnto thee by one onelie mediatour Iesus Christ and all his confidence is in thy mercy In steade of bodilie death graunt him the life of his soule amongest thy Angels vntil that by the resurrection of all flesh in the great day of the LORD he may liue a whole man in the contemplation of thy glory And to vs all heere present likewise graunt thy grace that we may as we ought beholde in this myrror the shortnesse and vncertainetie of our dayes that hereafter we may not desire anie thing so much as to employ them carefully to thy honour and seruice For all these thinges doe we pray vnto thee in the name of thy Sonne in that Prayer which himselfe hath taught vs Our father which art in heauen c. The eight and twentieth Prayer For him that feeleth his death at hand Wee knowe that if this earthly tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God that is a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens The body is sowen in corruption it shall rise againe in incorruption 2. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 15. O GOD my God and FATHER iustly was man thy creature when by sinne he had turned from thee who art the life cast headlong into the curse both of temporall and eternall death for thy Maiestie being infinitely offended ought also in iustice to require a punishment without end which beginneth euen in this life in many miseries and is perpetuated hell whereto death is as it were the gate O Lord The cause of so lamentable a mishap is in our nature But in thee is pittie and compassion O mercifull Father who after thy vnspeakeable goodnesse makest the temporall death which to all men is ineuitable and to the reprobate an entry into hel to change his qualitie concerning the Elect beeing vnto them a ioyfull passage to that happinesse which is in heauen For Iesus Christ thy eternall Son to purchase vs this benefit did put on our flesh and therein healed the wound of sinne by his righteousnesse and by his oblation satisfied for our debt triumphing by his resurrection ouer Death Sathan and Hel for the saluation of those to whome thou giuest grace to belieue in his name Now then my God sith it hath pleased thee of thy great loue thus to accomplish the high mysterie of our redemption I beseeche thee grant mee to feele the fruite and efficacy thereof through the vertue of thy spirit euen to the last gaspe of my life that then I may render to thee my soule in peace For I am baptized in the name of Christ I belieue his holy gospel and am fed with his body and blood in the holy Church True it is O Lord that the remembrance of my sins whereof my conscience doeth accuse mee doeth greatly trouble me for the darkenesse of my vnderstanding hath kept me from knowing thee aright and the corruption of my heart from worshipping thee in spirit and truth according to thy word I haue neglected this pretious treasure euen the voice of my Redeemer and by my slackenesse made the seede therof vnfruitfull in my soule many times preferring the loue of my selfe and the vanities of the world before the loue that I owe vnto thee my Creator and my neighbour for thy sake I haue not affected the crosse of thy Sonne that I might cheerefully carry mine after him in renouncing all my concupiscences neyther haue I applied thy chastizement to an vpright amendment of life I haue beene weake in faith slow in hope cold in charitie vnpatient in tribulation and more stiffe in retaining other mens offences against mee then ready to pardon them what more shal I say my God Also many other sins which I cannot expresse which being euen at this day hidden from mee in my infirmities doe ouerwhelme my soule were it not for the repentance that thou grauntest mee and the trust that I haue in thy mercy through the righteousnesse of my Sauiour Iesus Christ which it pleaseth thee in thy Fatherly loue to make mine I see nothing but matter of dispaire His sacrifice giueth mee peace with thee his blod cleanseth me his obedience absolueth me his woundes doe cure mee In his torments my soule findeth her rest for of all these benefites doe I feele thy promise sealed in my heart by thy spirit which maketh me to crie vnto thee Abba Father and assureth me that thou wilt of thy free mercy in the name of thy Sonne and for his sake giue mee remission of my sinnes and eternal life being illuminated therefore by this celestiall light I doe with the eies of my mind behold the ship that shall carry me ouer from earth to heauen no farther off from the presence of my Redeemer then was that of his Disciples when they rowed against the tempest to whom he said feare not for it is I. For in like maner commeth hee to meete mee to say vnto me Feare not assure thy selfe be constant It is I not the death which thou maist peraduenture feare but hee that hath broken the sting thereof that hath led it in triumph that hath broken the barres and bonds euen in hell and who therefore doeth make thee to ascend from the graue into the Pallace of my glorie Thus my God strengthened by thy grace with Christian hope which is not confounded and couered vnder the buckler of Faith which the darts of the diuell cannot wound I am able with a strong motion to paâ—â—e in peace from this prison of nature with these last words of Iesus Christ vpon the crosse Into thy hands O LORD I commend my spirit and the same Christ saying vnto me as to the poore theefe that was dying Sonne reioyce this day thou shalt be with me in Paradice FINIS
of the sanctified spirits whereof wee liue and shal liue for euer blessed Besides O heauenly Father it pleaseth thee to giue vs heere belowe in the following of our course a conuenient leisure to meditate vppon the most wonderfull effects of thy spirite in vs the singular woorke of our new birth the progresse of our faith the fruites of our loue the feeling of our peace in the hope of our saluation to come when wee shal by Christ be wholly vnited vnto thee alone I beseech thee therefore my GOD to giue mee grace in these godly and spirituall considerations to acknowlege thy great benignitie in the gift and vse of this humane life and to know how I am to cherish and nourish the same because it is vnto vs as a treasure abounding in al excellencies riches and prerogatiues which it hath pleased thee to impart to our nature the Image of thy glory So that remaining constant in my vocation in the pathes of thy Kingdome and free from the cares of the world and all the vanities therof I may so loue this life that it may bee wholy deare vnto me onely to know worship and serue thee and my neighbours according to the place whereto thou dost call mee and carefully to meditate to the same end how thou doest alwayes minister iustice iudgement and mercy whereby I may learne to liue content in thee onely and of thy goods vsing the same with acknowledgement and alwayes reioycing in well doing alwayes assured that thus fighting a good fight and keeping the faith I shal obtaine the crowne of eternall righteousnesse in the kingdome of glory So be it The eighteenth Prayer Vpon temporall death Our life is but a vapour which appeareth but for a while and then vanisheth away For the reward of sinne is death and the sting thereof is sinne But thanks be to God who hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Rom. 6 1. Cor. 15. O eternal god with whom a thousand yeares are as one day one day as a thousand yeres and whose iudgements so diuerse are holy iust and incomprehensible Where is the man so gallant or prowd who thinking vpon the vanitie and shortnesse of his life doeth not easily asswage his pride and presumption euen to the end that hee extend not his temporall cogitations too farre but keepe them bounded within the limits of thy law and referre the euent to the good pleasure of thy will The vertue of our fairest daies is but affliction of minde and miserie of our flesh we fall as by a gushing of waters wee passe away as a dreame or a smoake our eares doe consume like grasse that withereth from night vnto morning and the longest time of our course whereof sleepe nibleth awaie a good part is but threescore and tenne yeares or foure-score for the strongest bodies whilest in euerie moment of life the nearest and sinallest daunger that threatneth vs seemeth to be death which as our shadow followeth vs at the heeles and laugheth at our goodly deuises vntill she hath scattered them in the winde brought vs into ashes But which is worse where is the man so holy and perfect that doth not tremble and quake if there bee represented vnto him O Lord the tribunall seate of thy soueraigne iustice where we all after death must appeare Thy indignation against sinners is manifest and there is none righteous thy vengeance is readie against rebellion whereof wee bee all guiltie which doth also cause that death is vnto vs not only as a temporall ending as concerning the flesh whereat nature is mooued and abashed but also an interior feeling of the curse fallen vppon sinne yea euen an entry into eternall death vnlesse there be for vs with thee our Father Redemption in our Lorde Iesus Christ I beseech thee therfore my God to giue mee grace to knowe how to meditate euerie day of my life vpon this sentence of the holy ghost That it is decreed that al men shal die once and after that shall the iudgement followe to the ende that while I creepe vppe and downe in this earthlie myre I suffer not my selfe to be deceiued with the deceiptfull baites of the pleasures of this worlde neyther with the allurements of the diuell who still seeketh by his suttleties to race out of our hearts the remembrance of death so for to detaine vs in the thoughts of vanitie and to entangle vs in the snares of our Iusts Grant me rather O Lord to knowe the vilenesse and bitternesse of this miserable life to the end that withdrawing my affection from mortall things I may bee able to direct and stay my selfe in things stedfast and eternall And also that therby the remembrance of death may daily be vnto mee as a trumpet to waken and call mee to the pursuite of my life in the path of thy truth to kindle in mee a holie desire soone to departe out of the world wherin the longer a man soiournes the more is hee loaden with infernall Marchandize which is the filthines of sinne and the more he cutteth him selfe off from that portion of soueraign felicitie which is in the life to come Truely he that hath most yeares hath most iniquitie and hee that croucheth most in the mire of the world rotteth most And therfore to the Children of darkenesse the vncleannes of the flesh is a pleasant habitation But to the children of light to the immortall spirites to the regenerate heartes heauen is much more desiderable Grant therfore my God that as I dayly grow towards my end so I may liue the more cheerefully learning in thy schoole to preferre thy eternal life before the light of the Sunne the glory of heauen before the vanitie of the earth the glorious habitation in paradice before the painefull tumults of the worlde the societie of Angells before the fellowshippe of mortall men the onelie blessed and permanent life before the passing shaddowe of this life which is fruitfull in anguishes ryotes and labours the triumph before the combat the present possession of soueraigne good before the hope of enioying and that attending this hauen of health I may know how to prepare my selfe by continuall meditation in these excellent Christian consolations that happy are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labors That death is to them no death but a sleepe in regard of their bodies then freed from the miseries of life and that as for the soule which findeth it selfe deliuered from the tyrannie of sinne it is to her a change to a better life That this death is to all faithfull the time of receiuing the garlands for their race the crowns of their labours That to them shee is an acceptable issue of a laborious trauell their deliuerie from all terror and feare and the stedfast accomplishment of their vocation to felicitie which made the Apostle to say Alas wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death I desire