that Iesus Christ taketh upon him all my evill and bestoweth on me all his benefits that he quickneth me by his Holy Spirit that I am united unto all the faithfull that nothing shall separate me from thy love that none shall pluck me neither out of the hands of my Saviour nor out of the bosome of his Church I feare neither my sins for behold here the bloud of my Saviour which blotteth them out nor thy wrath for loe here the seale of my reconciliation with thee nor the Devill for behold here Christ who hath overcome Nor death for this day I receive the Sacrament of life everlasting this day is promise made unto me and the scale of it is given me that the heavens are opened unto me that my habitation shal be in the house of God for ever Lord increase my faith Lord raise up my heart unto thee graunt that unto thy glory graunt that unto salvation I may comprehend the excellency and the benefit of these things and that thence I may take up a firm resolution to renounce the world to walk therein as a pilgrim as keeping on my way towards my Saviour to draw unto him my neighbours to edifie them by mine example to adhere to thy Truth to continue their profession thereof against the rage and against the subtilties of all the enemies of thy Truth to my singular comfort even unto the last gasp of my life Amen A Thanksgiving to be rendred unto God after we have been partakers of the holy Communion 10. LOrd my God how is my soule ravisht in contemplation of the good things which thou commest to give me thy poore servant Alas Lord I am farr lesse then the least of thy mercies and then all the truth thou usest towards me it is thou that assurest me that thy Sonne that thine onely Sonne died for me It is thou that hast given me the seales of thine inviolable Covenant But what say I the seales O God thou knowest what ardor I feele at this present within me an assured testimonie that Iesus Christ is come to dwell in my heart by the precious faith thou hast given me Yea Lord I feele that he dwelleth in me I feele he engraveth in my heart the efficacie of his death and passion he died once upon the Crosse for my sinnes But he liveth for ever in my heart for my salvation I know it I beleeve it with as much certainty as with truth I have been partaker of the outward signes of thy grace O let my soule enjoy so great repose against her enemies O let it have an unspeakeable contentment in thy mercy As Iesus Christ died for me let Iesus Christ live in me O God it is so for thou wilt have it so for I am sensible of it and my faith is greatly strengthened Surely Lord thou wilt be my God for ever for thou art with me thou givest me the bread of life thou cloathest me with the innocency and righteousnes of thy Son O good God finish in me thine own work thou hast rescued me out of the dangers of eternall death thou hast assured me of most happy rest graunt me Lord yet this period unto my prayer that I may not repay thee with ingratitude that I may not die in sin but may live to righteousnes that I may deny my selfe may edifie my neighbours may consecrate my self to thy glory that in the sobriety righteousnes and religion of my life I may affect nothing so heartily have nothing so often before mine eyes as my leaving of this world And whilst thou preservest me therein O God as long as thou keepest me in the same I may expect with all thine Elect the most blessed hope and appearance of the glory of the great God which is our Saviour Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory from this time and for evermore Amen A Confession 11. O Lord God Eternall and Almighty Father we confesse and acknowledge unfainedly before thy sacred Majestie we are poore miserable sinners conceived and born in iniquity and corruption inclined unto evill doing unprofitable unto every good work and that by our sins we transgresse continually and without ceasing all thy holy Commandements In doing wherof we purchase to our selves by thy just judgment destruction and utter ruine Yet Lord we are displeased with our selves for having displeased offended thee we condēn ourselves our sins with true repentance humbly praying thy grace may relieve our misery and calamity Have mercy then upon us O God and most gracious Father and full of mercy for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne our Lord. And blotting out our sins and blemishes inlarge in us and increase daily the graces of thy Holy Spirit that we acknowledging heartily all our unrighteousnes may bee toucht with true displeasure which may beget in us sound repentance which mortifying us unto all sinne may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse and innocency which may be acceptable and wel pleasing unto thee thorough the same Iesus Christ thy welbeloved Sonne our Saviour Amen A Morning Prayer 12. O Lord God Eternall Father seeing it hath pleased thee to bring us safely unto this present day be pleased also to give us grace we may passe the same without offending thee and what ere we shall do say or think may be to the glory and praise of thy Name and edification of our neighbours And look not Lord upon our infirmities upon our sinnes and on our unthankfulnesse But looke upon thine accustomed goodnes and according to the same turn not away thy face from us but ever hold us up by thy hand that we fall not from thee at all and let not those threatnings which thou hast pronounced against them that have knowne thee and have not glorified thee as they ought fall upon us But Lord hold us ever in thy feare and forsake us not teach us to do thy will and give us the will and the power to do it for without thee we can do nothing Above all Lord make us alwayes with our whole hearts imbrace the memory and the merit of the death of thy Sonne And especially when the houre of our owne death shall come graunt that in the same we may have such faith recourse and assurance that we may be in the ranke of those which die in the Lord. And even then also graunt us that we may leave this world without all discontent thereat and that all our desire may be to be with thee Also Lord thou hast taught us to pray that thy Kingdome may come be pleased to advance forward the same and in so doing touch our Kings heart and the hearts of his Councill and illuminate them with thy brightnesse that thou maist be King and rule every where And that thine enemies may be made thy footstoole looke downe Lord in mercy upon all the poore afflicted ones persecuted and oppressed especially for thy Word Deliver them O good God as
thy mercy for his sins and true righteousnes in the obedience of the same thy deare Son Iesus Christ our Lord who was delivered up unto death for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification Yea ascended into heaven to take possession thereof in our name and by that meanes give us accesse and entrance thither whence sinne had banished us Imprint in his heart by the Power of thy holy Spirit a full certainty of all these thy graces that thereby he may be enabled to repose himself peaceably in thy mercy and to overcome happily all temptations and crosses which Satan and his owne flesh would lay before him to trouble the serenitie and cleerenesse of his faith and the tranquillitie of his conscience Let not his sinnes then plunge him into despaire seeing they have been so fully payed and satisfied unto thy justice not by gold or silver but by the precious bloud of thy Christ as by that Lamb without spot and blemish Let not death affright him seeing that sinne being destroyed and abolisht in him which is the sting of death it may remaine unto him disarmed and without power to hurt him Yea that his soule being separated from his body by corporall death it shal be to go unto thee victorious and freed from the captivity of sin therby to tast thorow the fruition of it that blessed life which he hath not tasted of in this world but by hope leaving indeed his body in the earth but not for ever but rather to be refined transformed and made in due time conformable to the glorious body of his head by the benefit of his resurrection Let not Satan daunt him any more seeing he cannot hurt him but by sinne and death the dominion whereof he hath lost in his behalfe Assure him in the end that in vain that accuser shall lay ought to his charge at the throne of thy justice seeing that he being already absolved and justified by thy grace there is no Iudge that can condemn him Let it be thy good pleasure also O good God to shew thy fatherly mercy unto all other sicke persons comfort and strengthen them according as thou knowest they have need thereof And above all graunt them the grace to embrace evermore with a true and a lively faith thy mercie in Iesus Christ that therein they may find all matter of comfort Graunt also unto us all that grace Lord that by this example we may profit and learne to renounce the world and our selves to imploy those few dayes we have here below to live to meditate on thy wisdome to walk carefully in thy feare to weane our hearts from the vanities of this life to raise them up to the meditation and expectation of the celestiall life And to this end to be alwayes prepared and in a readinesse to appeare before thee in assurance to be entertained and received in thy great mercie even for thy deare Son Iesus Christ our Lord his sake In whose Name we beseech thee O Father of mercie to heare us and in all other which thou knowest better then we our selves to be necessarie for us and this for thy poore servant as we pray unto thee in that forme of prayer which he himselfe hath commanded us to offer up unto thee Our Father which art in heaven c. Lord increase that faith which thou hast planted in the heart of this thy servant and child defend him with it as with a strong shield wherewith he may be inabled to quench all the fierie darts of the evill one And graunt that persevering constantly in the same unto the last gaspe of his life he may evermore at the least in heart make thereof unto thee a pure and Christian confession as we will presently do both with heart and mouth I believe in God the Father Almighty c. Such is his Faith Lord as also ours give the grace to live and die in the same thorough Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord who in the unitie of the Holy Ghost liveth and raigneth with thee God eternally Amen If the sicke person continue long time and yet alwayes with appearance of danger of death it shal be good to repeate unto the sicke now and then some of the aforesaid consolations but especially those which serve to assure him and to strengthen him against the temptations and combats of conscience And if happily the sicke person bee troubled with raving and fond imaginations or otherwise be not of perfect memorie and good understanding to heare any long discourse in a continued speech there shal not be used unto him other then short sentences such short questions as these here following also such as these or others the like And but talking to him by respits and some pauses interposed SIr you must take a good heart It is the fatherly hand of God which visits you for your good and welfare For unto them that love God all things do work together for their good Lift up your heart unto God to confesse unto him your sinnes and offences and to imbrace by faith his mercy in Iesus Christ which he hath promised unto all those that repent and believe in him Have you not alwayes a good assurance in the mercie of God and a stedfast faith in Iesus Christ your Saviour Yes Do you not believe that Iesus Christ died for your sinnes and rose againe for your justification Rom. 4.25 Yes Believe you not that he hath been made unto you by the Father wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 I do Do you not believe that you are freely justified by the grace of God thorow the redemption which is in Iesus Christ Yes According to your faith doubt not but God will free you and securely protect you from perdition and give you everlasting life For God gave his Sonne that whosoever shall believe in him shall not perish but rather have everlasting life Iohn 16. Feare not death seeing by faith you imbrace Iesus Christ who is your life I am saith he the resurrection and the life He that believeth in me although he were dead he shall live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me he shall never die Iohn 11.25.26 If your sinnes trouble and disquiet you have recourse ever by faith unto Iesus Christ and you shall find rest for your soule Come unto me saith he Matth. 11.28 you that labour and are heavie laden and I will ease you Feare not the rigour of Gods justice For there is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ So saith the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 8.1 And who is he saith he Rom. 8.32.33 who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifies who is he that shall condemne It is Christ which died or rather which is more which is risen againe who also is at the right hand of God and who maketh intercession for us Be not loath to leave this miserable life which as S. Iames saith chap. 4.14
are the enemies of our soules But following the Apostles counsel to obtaine the victorie in this Spirituall battell we must resist constantly by faith For the victorie which overcommeth the world it is our faith which is a certaine and assured knowledge of the love of God towards us according as by his Gospell he declareth himselfe to be our Father and Saviour by the meanes of Iesus Christ Having then such a firm faith for your principall foundation know ye and confesse unfainedly before the Majestie of God that you are a poore and a miserable sinner conceived and borne iniâ—niquitie corruption prone unto the doing of evill unprofitable unto every good thing and that by your sinnes you have transgressed without end and uncessantly the holy commandements of God In the committing whereof you have purchased and brought by his just judgement ruine and destruction upon your selfe Notwithstanding you are sorry and grieved in your selves for having offended him and do condemne your selves and your sinnes with true repentance desiring that Gods grace may help and relieve your calamitie Pray then in this firm faith if you cannot with mouth speak it in your heart that God our most gracious and most mercifull Father enter not into judgment nor into an account with you but would be pleased to have pitie on you in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and that he would blot out your sinnes and blemishes by the merit of the death and passion of the same Iesus Christ in whose Name offer up unto him his holy Prayer which he hath taught us saying from your heart Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as wee forgive them that trespasse against us and leade us not into temptation but deliver us from evill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for ever ever AmeÌ„ F. S. N. Acknowledge from the bottome of your heart your unrighteousnes be sorry for your sinnes repent uncessantly and the kingdome of God will draw neare unto you Acknowledge there is no righteousnesse no innocencie nor any good works of yours nor in you But rather as the children of wrath conceived and born in the sinne of old Adam you deserve death and eternall damnation Notwithstanding let not this nor all the sinnes of the world when you should have committed them affright you For Iesus Christ the true Sonne of the eternall God is made true man conceived by the Holy Ghost borne of the holy Virgin to sanctifie and cleanse you He suffered under Pontius Pilate many afflictions injuries and outrages making himselfe a servant and captive to set you in full libertie Iesus Christ was crucified as accursed upon the tree of the Crosse to deliver you from the eternall curse Iesus Christ died shedding forth his bloud his precious bloud to wash you to redeem you to deliver and wholly set you free from the death of hell and from the power of Satan Iesus Christ was buried in the grave to burie all your sins which he tooke away and blotted out Iesus Christ descended into hell insuffering extreame sorrowes to free you from all the paines and sorrowes of death Iesus Christ rose againe from the dead to cause you to rise againe in your owne body and unto glorious immortalitie Iesus Christ ascended into heaven to make you to ascend up thither after him Iesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of God his Father Almighty being your Advocate and Intercessor towards him and the attonement of all your sinnes We look for his comming to judge the quick and the dead to render unto every one according to his works But unto his faithfull ones that believe in him he will not impute their sinnes but having entirely justified them by his grace will make them raigne with him in his heavenly throne for ever F. S. N. Such is the great mysterie of our redemption which by the working of the grace of the Holy Ghost you mâ—sâ— firmly believe was wroughâ— for your salvation And doubt not but that by the merit of Iesus Christ the head of his Church you are a member incorporated into the same returning him thanks in great humilitie that he hath been so gracious unto you to have graunted you the happines to have lived in the communion and company of his faithfull ones for having fed you with his Word with his Body and Bloud acknowledging as being fully assured the great mercy of God in the remission of all your sinnes which is made over unto you in Iesus Christ who will raise you up againe at the last day to make you raigne with him in life everlasting which he hath promised unto all those which believe in him being baptised into his name Now F. S. N. seeing you have this faith doubt you not to receive the promise of Faith for God is true he cannot lie as man Sooner shall heaven and earth perish But the Word of God shall abide for ever God is your Father and Creator you are his creature and the worke of his hands He hath not made you to destroy you for he is the Saviour of all men and will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be converted and live Wherefore I declare unto you in the Name of God that out of his great goodnesse and mercy he gives you full pardon and forgivenesse of all your sins thorow the sole merit of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord in the shedding of his precious bloud for he is the propitiation not only for all your sins but for all the sins of the world F. S. N. Iesus Christ saith with his own mouth that all things are possible unto him that believeth Believe then without doubting at all that Iesus Christ putting on our flesh was made true man wherin he died for you having taken upon him all your sinnes in his body to abolish and blot them out Set before and present unto God the precious death of his Sonne Iesus Christ and for the merit of the same death and Passion ask his mercy in saying from the bottome of your heart in great humilitie and repentance O Lord God Almighty be mercifull unto me a poore and miserable sinner for thy deare Sonne my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ his sake and by the merit of his Death and Passion be graciously pleased to receive my soule which I commend into thy hands F. S. N. Put your whole assured trust and confidence in God For seeing he is for you none shal be against you for Iesus Christ who is the Lamb without spot or blemish hath overcome all for you He offered up himselfe once for you and by the same sole oblation hath wholly abolished all your sinnes He hath abrogated made void and forcelesse your follie unrighteousnesse abomination and obligation With this good Lord Iesus Christ God the
then I have loved heaven I preferred the preservation of my goods before the setting forth of thy glory earthly repose before eternall happinesse Alas Lord what punishments am I worthy of What torments have I deserved For my conscience accuseth me my sinnes call for vengeance against me and surely if the wages of the least of our sinnes be eternall death and if it be impossible for me to number my sinnes or to conceive the enormiousnesse of them how O thou God of vengeance how whilst I consider my selfe in my selfe shall I expect from thee with unspeakeable feare eternall and infinite punishments Yet O gracious God thy word teacheth us and experience witnesseth to us that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but that he turne unto thee and live so also hast thou thy selfe found out in thine eternall counsell the meanes of our deliverance and hast in the fulnesse of time sent into the world the eternall Sonne of thy love thy darling even he in whom thou art well pleased thou hast establisht him a Saviour and Redeemer for all those that hope in him by converting them unto thee He was made for us wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption his bloud cleanseth us from all sinne he was despised to raise us unto glory he hath taken our nature to make us partaker of his he was borne the Sonne of Man to make us the Children of God he was full of sorrow to fill us with happinesse he was wounded for our sins and bruised for our iniquities upon him was laid the penaltie which brought us peace and by his bruises are we healed he came into the world to lead us to heaven he died to give us life he rose againe for our justification To conclude Lord thou so lovedst the world that thou gavest that spotlesse Lamb to the end that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have life everlasting And seeing O my God and Father of mercy that out of thy speciall favour it hath pleased thee in the midst of my errour even in mine infidelitie ingratitude to take pitie on me to give me thy knowledg and the resolution to follow thy Gospell seeing thou hast endued me with true faith in thy Sonne seeing thou hast touched my heart wherefore Lord shall I not have accesse unto thee with confidence Why shall I not approch with assurance to the throne of thy grace to obtaine mercy and to be releeved by thee in due time For though I be miserable art not thou mercifull If I be unrighteous wilt thou not cloath me with the righteousnesse of my Saviour Mine iniquitie amazeth me but thy goodnesse assureth me my unworthinesse estrangeth me from thee but the worthinesse of thy Sonne recalleth me back inviteth me and conducteth me to thee unto thee that art the God of my salvation that hast redeemed my soule from death that hast purchased me life everlasting and most happy O my God how great is my comfort how excellent the joy how precious and unspeakeable the repose which my soule enjoyeth in the meditation of these things Vnto thee onely then it is that I now addresse my selfe as to confesse my sinnes so also to acknowledge thy mercie as to condemne my selfe so withall to find absolution in thy Sonne If to be sorrowfull and to grieve for my sinnes so also to rejoyce and to comfort my selfe in thy bounty who shall lay any thing to my charge Is it not thou which justifiest me Who shall condemne me seeing that Christ died for me Seeing he is risen againe seeing that for me he is at thy right hand making request for my salvation and quest conservation Nothing O my God shall separate me from the love thou bearest me and seeing thou hast loved me in thy Sonne I shall in all things be more then victorious But what shall I render unto thee O Lord unto thee that hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from sliding Vnto thee O Lord that hast loosed the bands of death which compassed me about Vnto thee that hast converted and turned into joy the sorrowes of the grave which had overtaken me What shall I render unto thee O Eternall Lord for all thy benefits conferred upon me I will take the cup of salvation I will call upon thy Name I will pay my vowes before the people I am thy servant thou hast unloosed my bands I will sacrifice unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving I will offer unto thee the fruit of my lips I will confesse thy Name thou hast purchased me with a price I will glorifie thee in my body and in my soule I am thine unto thee therefore will I present my selfe as a lively and holy sacrifice that may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee To this end O my God I crave strength from thee the conduct of thy Spirit thou hast already given me a will to serve thee produce O Lord in me not onely the will but withall perfect it with efficacie and according to thy good pleasure Of my selfe I can do nothing to thy glorie I perceive not the things which are of thy Spirit all the imaginations of the thoughts of my heart are altogether continually evill the wisdome the desires of the flesh is enmitie against thee It will not it cannot be subject to thy Law and yet by thy Spirit thou hast already given me the beginning of my regeneration Yet Lord though I will the thing that is good yet find I not the meanes to performe the same I do not the good that I would but I do the evill that I would not do It is to thee then that I have my recourse thou art the Author of every good gift the fountaine of life lyeth in thee in thy cleare light we see clearely and from thee onely is all our sufficiencie illuminate me by thy Spirit that being directed by the same I may render unto thee the service which I owe in the acknowledgment of all thy benefits Give me grace that to serve thee I may do nothing but what may be acceptable to thee that I may frame my selfe not unto mine owne fancie but according to thy will that I may do not what seemes good unto my selfe but what thou approovest that I may performâ— not mine owne designes but thy will not mine owne intentions but thy commandements not my will but thy Word Graunt I may propound unto my selfe for my end not the vanitie of the world but thy glory not my reputation but the manifestation of thy holy Name not my establishment on earth but the advancement of thy truth and of thy Church Give me to serve thee not unwillingly and by constraint but freely and with a good heart that I may be pricked forward not by the rigour of Menaces and the chastisements of thy Law but incited by the sweetnesse of the promises and benefits of thy Gospell that I may be not possessed with the Spirit of
Paul saith Rom. 8.14 Courage then Sir say boldly with that holy Apostle in the midst of your combats I am assured that nothing shal be able to separate me from the love of God which he hath shewed me in Iesus Christ our Lord To assure the sicke against the temptations and terrors of conscience FOure things there are indeed which in this spirituall combat may give you terror stagger your faith and trouble the peace of your conscience Namely the sense of your sinnes the apprehension of death the feare of the Devill and the horrour of the judgement of God before whom we are to appeare at our going forth of this life But against the feare of al these things the goodnesse of God in the benefits of Christ and in the testimonies he gives us in his Word furnisheth you with good and sufficient remedies thorowly to assure and establish you in invincible constancie Against the terrors proceeding from the sense of his sinnes FIrst for the regard of your sinnes it is indeed very necessarie to have a thorow sensible apprehension and lively feeling of them to humble you before God But in as much as you protest you have a true and serious repentance of them and do seek and lay hold of by faith the satisfaction and expiation of them in the bloud of Iesus Christ assure your self they can in no sort hinder the effect of your salvation If you be a sinner why Iesus Christ also came into the world to save sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 He is that Lamb of God that takes away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1.29 It is his bloud which cleanseth us from all iniquitie 1 Ioh. 1.7.9 And whosoever shall believe in him shall receive remission of his sins thorow his name Act. 10 43. For this cause is it that there should be preached in his name repentance and remission of sinnes Luke 24 47. Yea he himselfe invites us to himselfe to endow us with the fruition of such a good come unto mee all yee that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest Matth. 11.28 Go you then unto him if you feele your selfe overwhelmed with the burthen of your sinnes in assurance to find remedie and rest to your soule And for this selfe same cause performes he yet still dayly the office of an Advocat with the Father for us If we have sinned saith Saint Iohn ch 2. ver 1 2. We have an Advocat with the Father to wit Iesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sinnes Against the feare of death NOW as touching death why should you feare it seeing your sinnes are not imputed unto you For by sin it is that death entred into the world thus saith Saint Paul Rom. 5.12 and by consequent where there is no sinne there can be no death And indeed as for eternall death which the Scriptures call the second death you have from it a full and a perfect release by the meanes of this faith which God hath given you Verily saith the Son of God Iohn 5.24 I say unto you that hee that heareth my Word and believeth in him that sent me he hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto life And as for the death of the body whereunto we remaine still subject it is not unto the faithfull a testimonie of Gods anger upon them as it is ever such unto the reprobate but rather a great and singular favour of his bounty and which bringeth them an infinitenes of excellent commodities First of all it delivereth and setteth us free from all manner of evils and dangers putting an end unto such a number of miseries vexations and griefs which exercise and disquiet us uncessantly both in our bodies and in our mindes during the course of this miserable life or rather of this continuall death wherein we languish here below and by drawing us out of this corrupt world imbrued in malignitie with the corruption wherof we cannot chuse but be infected as with a contagious ayre to see our selves brought to this unhappy necessity of offending daily the goodnesse of our heavenly Father so many wayes as we do Secondly corporall death is an entrance to us into a true life by the benefit of Iesus Christ who hath himselfe passed thorow this death to make the passage happy and dangerlesse unto us it is a safe bridge unto us to passe us and convay us out of the world unto God from earth to heaven and out of the calamities of this transitorie life unto the incomprehensible blessednesse of life eternall unto that fulnesse of joyes which is as David saith Psal 16.11 in beholding the face of the Lord. This is the happinesse which your soule shall injoy even from your very instant departure out of this body And as for your body which shal be put into the earth this shall not be for it there to perish for ever but rather there to rest only for a time in expectation of a blessed resurrection For this cause is it that the death of the faithfull is called a sleepe in the Scriptures and they are called they that are asleepe in regard of their bodies which at the last day shal be awakened and raised up out of the dust to possesse together with their soules glorious immortality being made conformable unto the glorious body of our Lord Iesus Christ Philip. 3.21 He is the head and they are the members And therefore it must needs be that the members be made like and conformable to their head What do you then find now in death which should astonish or affright you seeing it will deliver and set you free from all evill and will mount you up to the highest pitch of all happinesse But rather you shall find in it nothing which makes not fâ—â— your comfort and to settle and warrant you and which for that cause ought not to make you wait for it with resolution and repose of spirit yea to breath and long after it with all your heart when the houre therof shall come And to say with Saint Paul My desire tendeth and endeavoureth to go hence to be with Christ Against the feare of the Devill AS for the feare you may have of the Devill you see now how you have no great subject to fearâ—â—im seeing that death cannot hurt you but by that death whereof he hath the empire and power thereof Now the Apostle witnesseth that Iesus Christ hath not onely by death destroyed death but also him that had the power of death to wit the Devill Heb. 2.14 Our Lord saith himself that the Prince of this world hath nothing in him Nor then hath he ought in those that â—ire his members of the number of whom by the grace of God you are one Besides for us and for our profit it was that the Son of God fought with and hath vanquished and overcome him upon the Crosse upon the which he hath as Saint Paul speaketh
thou hast broken rejoyce As then thou didst that favour unto the Israelites even then when they were in the desarts to make them to tast of the fruits of the terrestriall Canaan to the end to incourage them to make them to walk on forward with boldnesse towards the Land of Promise So Lord give unto this sick person and unto us that are in the wildernesse of this world an assurance of the forgivenes of our sins in the bloud of thy Welbeloved who was wounded for our trespasses and bruised for our iniquities peace in our consciences a continuall acknowledgment of thy favours a firm reliance on thy love and joy in our soules which are the fruits of the Celestiall Canaan to the end that relishing that sweetnes we may aspire with zeale and courage towards the end of our Spirituall Calling in Iesus Châ—â—st to be filled not with 〈◊〉 and hony but with 〈◊〉 beams of thy glorious 〈◊〉 and with the rivers of thâ— pleasures with thee for evermore For in possessioâ— of thee great God we shall possesse all things and in thee and thorow thee we shal be all radiant with thy glory and shining as the brightnes of the firmament and as the Sun which shineth in his strength And during this small time which remains for us to live in this world give uâ— grace that thorow good works we may make sure 〈◊〉 Vocation and Election to the end that thus doing 〈◊〉 â—ntrance into the eterâ—â—â—â—â—ingdome of our Saviour Iesus Christ may be abâ—ndâ—ntly accommodated unto us bearing evermore in â—â—nd those words of thy Sonne Iesus Christ that he that shall persevere and shall overcome shal be clothed with white garments and I will not blot his name out of the booke of life But I will confesse his name before my Father and before his Angells And to the end we may receive death which is the end of our miseries in good part make us seriously to think on the future resurrection of our bodies for as this day according as thy Prophet Amos teacheth us shal be a day of darknes not of brightnes of heavines not of joy of destruction not of salvation to the wicked so shall it be the acceptable day of the Lord for the good for as thy Son our Saviour teacheth us we ought to lift up our heads and to rejoyce in that day because our redemption is neare In that day shall it be according to thy Prophet Malachie that the register or book of remembrance which is written before thee of them which think of thy Name shal be opened If King Assuerus had in his Palace a Booke of the worthy exploits of his subjects wherein he found written the good deeds of Mardochâ— to recompence it and shalt not thou have O great King by whom the Kings of the earth raigne Thy book of life and retribution wherin are writ the names of thy children whom by a singular prerogative thou hast adopted for such in thy Son Iesus Christ David surely knew this mysterie when as in his sorest afflictions he said unto thee Lord thou tellest my wanderings my tears are in thy bottle are they not in thy Book Now to the end we may bee acceptable to thee whilst we are incompassed with this mortall flesh graunt us the grace to live in this present world soberly justly and religiously expecting that happy day of the last resurrection and appearing of thy deare Son our Saviour Iesus Christ who in the same shall transforme our vile bodies to the end they may be made like to his glorious body according to the effectuall power wherby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Vnto thee O great God thorow thy Son Iesus Christ in the Vnity of the Holy Ghost be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 2. Another Prayer when the sicke is neare unto death 35. O Lord our good God and Father who out of thy great goodnes daily showrest downe upon us a sea of bounty and blessings and who hast in thy hand rest and labour health and sicknes life and death We poore sinners setling our selves upon the assurance of thy goodnes which is continually ready to relieve those that resort thereunto in the interim of their grievous assaults unto the blessed haven of thy sacred mercy We are bold in the name of this sick person who fighteth against death to lift up our hearts and our eyes towards thee to the end that thy favour and grace may serve unto him for a starre of light and a guide in that voyage which his soule maketh from earth to heaven and from this mortall life unto the immortall to persist firmly in the faith even unto the end without being terrified or shaken by temptation illusion or by any other stratageme of the enemie Thou art O great God the light of all them that hope in thee and who leddest thy people Israel thorow the ghastly wildernes by a pillar of fire in the dark night therfore we beseech thee to enlighten with thine assistance and holy protection this thy childe in the darkesome passage of death And surely Lord experience shewes us that when humane means seeme most to faile us then is it that thou keepest nearest unto thine to comfort them with thy right hand handling them with thy helpfull hand with gentle and cherishing fomentations and that thou makest them sensible that the point of their extreame need is the opportunitie of thy succours And therefore is it that now the heart of this sicke person sobbeth that his eyes are duskish and heavy his eares deafe his mouth dry and juycelesse and as the outward man falleth in him it would please thee to give him strength in his inward man and to fill his soule with gladnes and joy in that last conflict making him powerfully to relish those celestiall gifts which are laid up for us in heaven by the merits of thy deare Sonne our Saviour who to make us to live againe in heaven after he had by his death reconciled us unto thee ascended into heaven there to prepare a place for us In the interim then of this small time which remaines for this thy child to live in this world give him grace that his spirit may alwayes acknowledge thee that his heart may adore thee whilst he shall breath that he may be assured stedfastly that in the end of his mortall sweat he may find unspeakable happines with his bride-groome Iesus Christ unto whom with thee in the unitie of the Holy Ghost be honour and glorie for ever Amen 3. Another prayer in distres 36. LOrd God and Father of all mercy that sentest from heaven an Angell to comfort thy Son when in the depth of his Passion bearing our sorrowes and loaden with our griefs wounded for our offences and bruised for our iniquities his soule was heavie even unto death We beseech thee from the bottome of our hearts to comfort this thy sick child whom thou hast regenerated and incorporated
honour and glory for evermore So be it 7. Another Prayer wherein supplication is made unto God to assist with his holy Spirit the Sick in his agonie 40. O Lord God and most gracious Father when we enter into a serious consideration of our estate certaine it is that we are in this world as upon a rough and tempestuous sea and that the winds and storms of temptations advance themselves and arise every minute against us and therefore is it that we humbly beseech thee that in this perillous passage thy Spirit may conduct and strengthen our brittle vessell that by the assistance thereof at the last we may happily arive at the haven of eternall salvation And especially we beseech thee for this thy sicke child to the end it may please thee to imprint by the effectuall power of thy Holy Spirit more and more in his heart charity and the love of thy Sonne in whose name we have remission of our sinnes that Persevering with invincible constancie unto the end in the faith and confession of the Name of his Saviour he may find undoubtedly in him whatsoever is requisite unto his assured blessednes Let that thy Spirit which inflameth that which is cold which erecteth what is fallen which giveth breath unto that which is weary cheare up by his vertue the feeblenes of this sick person and produce in him ardent sighs Which may be dissolved into the sweet raine of teares fruitfull unto his soule Let the Same thy Spirit be unto this sick person that which it was unto Elias the whirle-wind and the chariot of fire wherein he may be carried up to heaven Let it be the same that was the New Starre to the Wisemen of the East that by the guiding thereof he may come unto Iesus Christ not laid in the manger not any more passible but glorious and risen againe sitting at thy right hand above all powers and principalitie victorious over death triumphant over hell and Head and Consummatour of our faith And as thou shewedst unto three of thy Apostles in the mountaine when as thy Sonne was transfigured having his face shining as a radiant Sun a skantling and patterne of the glory and celestiall beauty which they should injoy whom thou hast chosen and incorporated into thy said Son So we beseech thee that during the small time which remaineth for us to passe the course of this life it may please thee to give us a continuall tast of that heavenly happinesse and an holy sense of thy glory with a firme and an assured peace of conscience founded upon thy love to walke in the strength of this consolation unto thy holy mountaine For in as much as this world is but a pilgrimage and a way wherein there is nothing to be found firme and wherein the more that men digge to build in it the more do they find unstable sand and unconstant agitations Where ought we Lord to seeke for the true foundation of our expectation and hope but in heaven And seeing that where the body is thither gather together the Eagles We beseech thee to raise up aloft the heart of this sicke person and ours unto thee that thy love may be a precious ointment to make us run and aspire after thee If David in the midst of his great riches thought himselfe a stranger and a forraigner as his Fathers if he said that his dayes were as a shadow upon the earth wherein there is no stay if he looked upon his Royall Pallace as upon an Inne whereout he was every houre to dislodge if he looked upon his Throne as upon a seat which he must leave and resigne over to another And if looking upon his Crowne as on a thing which was subject to fade in these terrestriall places he breathed after an incorruptible Crowne of glory how much more ought we out of the midst of the dust of this world to desire and to breathe after that glorious eternall Crowne where our heavines shal be turned into gladnes our poverty into eternall riches and our ignominie into incorruptible honours Graunt us this grace then O great God not only to despise the things which the world admires but also make us to take patiently the afflictions which invirone and assault us whilst we run this our mortall race For seeing thou hast ordained that they whom thou hast chosen should be made like to the image of thy Sonne not only in suffering but also in glory graunt us grace firmely to be sensible of in this world and truly to injoy in the other the effect of this holy promise which thy Sonne who is holy and true hath made unto those that partake in his afflictions namely that he will give unto him that shall overcome to sit with him upon his Throne so as he also that hath overcome sitteth upon the Throne of his Father For it is certaine if we beare here below the Crosse of his Son we shall weare also the Crowne of glory with him in heaven That if we drink gall and vinegar out of the cup of his Passion we shal be watered and thorowly moistened with the rivers of his pleasures and if we beare in our bodies the mortification of the Lord Iesus even so also the life of the Lord Iesus shal be manifested in our mortal flesh then al of us casting forth bright beams of glory and shining with splendor we shal be not only like unto Angels but even withall we shal be like unto thee to injoy thorow thee and with thee that thy glory and felicitie the which because our words fall farre short of our thoughts yet shorter of the greatnesse therof eye cannot behold eare cannot heare nor heart comprehend Graunt us these things O God who art goodnes it self love it self holines it self who givest us what ere we have wilt give us out of thy bounty and mercy the fruition of what ere we hope for in all eternity thorow thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honor and glory Our Father which art in heaven c. A prayer to be said after the sicke hath rendred his soule unto God for the comfort of the by-standers 41. O God and most merciful Father who hast created all things without necessitie who governest them without labour and who changest them thou thy selfe being unchangeable and whose sacred and perfect will is daily done on earth as in heaven We thank thee for this that it hath pleased thee to withdraw unto thee the soule of our brother making us to know in his death what our infirmity is and making us to behold as in a glasse the accomplishment of thine irrevocable sentence by which dust must returne to dust and the soule goe to heaven to him that gave it Graunt us this grace that this death may serve to make a serious impression in our thoughts not onely how his day is this day to die ours shal be tomorrow and that
Ap 21 New Ierusalem The prayers of the Saints Reuel 8 4. Prayer breakes through all Act. 12.7 The prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Iam 5.15 Wisedome cryeth in the streetes Proue 1.20 THE RIGHT WAY to Heauen Prayers and Meditations of the Faithfull Soule with the Spirituall morning Sacrifice and Consolations for the Sicke By Peter D. Mâ—â—lin These were strangers and pilgrimes in the earth Act. 1â— 13 London Printed for George Edwardes and are sold in the Old Baily in Greene Arbor at the Angell 1630. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull truly religious and vertuous Lady Mary Crooke wife to the Right Worshipfull Sir George Crooke Knight one of His Majesties reverend and learned Iudges of the Kings Bench. Madame AS Speech is the Character of man that is the image of his heart and mind and be the Image of God so silence whilst it is a seasonable and discreet suspension thereof becomes a man in its time and place unseasonable use of either offensive and obnoxious to censure The excesse is branded for a nullifier of Religion whilst it makes it vaine The seeming defect finds some approbation in moralitie Nam nulli racuisse nocet nocet esse locurum I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it this untun'd not this sweete singer yet made him fall upon a large rest which it served not to impeach but rather to improve his spirituall melodie Often suddaine and unexpected accidents produce semblable effects Zacharias silenc't for his want of faith yet after Ward enabled both with his heart and tongue to praise God and to sing a Benedictus That Saepe taccâ—s vocem verbaque vultuâ— habet Who holds his peace hath yet a voice that bewrayes him and his countenance beares words with it Yea a delinquent in the one or an offendor in the other as farre as either are exempt from the mixture of the leaven of malice deserves an indulgent construction and exemption from all imputation either of surquedrie or sullennesse as different circumstances may accordingly induce dissimilitude as of affect in one so of affection in another Hac ego si compellar imagine This plaine yet true version of these sacred expressions Holy Prayers and Meditations of a faithfull soule so truly stiled by their Author so well knowne to all to be a reverend and worthy Divine of the French reformed Church I present and dedicate to your Ladiship The end herein proposed to my selfe being the same with that of my Authors which none can justly either question or quarrel at to wit the advancement of this part of Gods worship so ' much languishing in the cold if not frozen deuotions of many and opposed by the giddie practice of mothen a good many that so farre nauzeate Prayer publike especially that in their unkindly and misguided zeale they endeavour by one Ordinance of God to shoulder out another Prayer by Preaching God hath stiled his House the House of Prayer Now what my well meant paines herein cals mine I wish may finde acceptance with you as I do humbly tender resigne the same unto you not so much for supply of a supposed want in your own particular of these Spirituall helps to devotion as for a testimony of observance and due respect Where my obligation is so great When I plowed with mine own heifer a smiling autumn failed not to crown those weaker performances with a plenteous lasting crop for after-use But to usher in these Holy Prayers and sacred expressions of a faithfull Soule into the approbation and use of all that know their Author or his works His name as I suppose will suffice And hence is it Madame that I presume of your good allowance for them to beare your name in their Frontispice that thereby others may be excited and induced to the perusall and use of them in the frequent practice both of this sacred duty and of the works of mercy whereunto the other subsequent Tractates annex't do invite The perusall of which as in order they stand rankt with like good affection I commend to those your Olive branches that stand about your table to whom any tie of precedent relation may iustly claime my respect All which I shall not faile to second with continuance of my daily prayers for your Ladiships health and happinesse both in your stemme and branches and will ever rest At your Ladiships service and command RICHARD BAILY A Table of the Matters contained in this present Book in order as they stand A 1. A Prayer and Meditation of the faithfull Soule 2 A Prayer for the Morning 3 A â—raâ—er fâ—â— the Evening 4 A Prayer of Thanksgiving for the accomplâ—shmeâ—t of his Ansâ—er made to Mounsieur the Cardinall of Perroun 5. A â—rayer in â—orme of a Confession 6. Another â—raâ—er 7 A Prayer fâ—r he Communion 8. A Thankâ—giving after the Communion 9 A â—onfession 10. A Prayer fâ—r the Morning 11. A â—rayer for the Evening 12. Another Prayer for the Morning 13. Another Prayer for the Evening 14. A Prayer in the time of the Plague 15 A Prayer touching the Creation 16. A Morning Prayer 17 An Evening Prayer 18. A Prayer for the obtaining of victorie 19. A Prayer for the Preservation of the Church 20. Another Prayer for the Church 21. A Prayer to have our hearts set on Spirituall things and to renounce the world 22. A Thanksgiving and a Prayer on the same Subject 23. A Prayer to be filled with charitie 24. The Kings Prayer 25. Another Prayer of the Kings Chron. 1. 26. The Peoples Prayer for the King 27. A Prayer of the faithfull who fervently desireth to be made partaker of the publâ—ke exercises whereof he was deprived 28. Another Prayer out of the 2 Epistle of S John 29. The Holy Spirituall Morning Song 30. A Consolation for the Sicke 31. A Prayer for the Sicke in whom there is no appearance of death 32. A Prayer for the sicke in whom there shal be a likelihood of death 33. Another Prayer for the sicke 34. A singular Prayer for a person greatly afflicted with sicknes which seemeth to approach neaâ—er unto death then to life 35. A Prayer against the apprehension of death 36. A Continued Sequell or an Vnintermitted Course of Comforts and Prayers for the sicke and therein these Prayers 37. A Prayer when the sicke is in perplexitie 38. A Prayer when the sicke is neare unto death 39. Another Prayer in distresse 40. Another Prayer when the sicke iâ— in some grievous perplexitie 41. A Prayer the sicke being in extremitie 42. Another Prayer unto Iesus Christ the Great Soveraigne Shepheard of our Soules for the sicke in his extremitie 43. A Prayer for Divine assistance to the sicke 44. A Prayer after the sicke hath given up the Ghost for the comfort of the by standers Whereunto is added A Morning Prayer An Evening Prayer A short Catechisme to prepare People for the receiving of the Lords Supper THE PRAYER AND MEDITATION of the
ended not my labour in thy praise O God that hast strengthened and enabled me It is thou whose strength is perfected in our weakenesse it is thou that choosest the lowly and meane to confound the strong and who in the weaknesse of the instruments thou imployest displayest the greatnesse of thy strength not unto us but to thy Name give the glory and the honour for who are we that we should be able to beare so great a burthen and what is our strength to sustaine so great a combat But that very Truth it self which we defend giveth strength to them that defend it and thou deniest not them thy succours that in defending thy cause have no other end but the glory of thy holy Name It 's thou my God who having been favourable to me from the beginning of my dayes wilt not forsake me in my old age and wilt make it yet profitable to the edification of thy Church being beaten with sundrie afflictions plucked from my flock bewailing the pressure of thy People disfurnisht with all necessarie aydes for so great a worke travelled of a sicknesse almost this two yeares which hath brought me within two inches of the graue and having in my ordinary vocation a sufficient taske to take up a whole man yet even against all appearance I have taken in hand this great labour and against my expectation am come to the end thereof through thy assistance I also hope O my God that thou wilt make fruitfull thy servants labor to the end to draw into the right way the minds of those who wilfully go not out of the way and who err but thorow want of instruction Against mine inclination I have imployed a multitude of humane testimonies in this worke for I know that thy Word alone is the rule of our faith and receiueth not men for judges in thy cause and I know well that a word which commeth forth of thy mouth is more worth then all the writings of all men But we are hurried away with the streame and are constrained to give place to the maladie of this age which holding thy word suspected as a dangerous booke searcheth into the writings of men wherwith to arme themselves against divine rules Wee shew unto the advocats of errour that they lose their cause even before the Arbitrators whom they have chosen but O God thou art mighty good to bring forth an age wherein thy Word alone shal be listened unto and whereunto for the sole unfolding and deciding of doubts thy Sonnes mouth shall onely be consulted withall Grant it O God and Father of all mercy and author of all consolation pittie the people that stoupe and stand still in so profound darknes cause to shine forth the brightnesse of thy Word before the eyes of all Nations as for me having traverst and struck through a way ful of thornes and with many infirmities defects which are in me sustained the contradiction of an age contrary to thy Word I am glad perceiving the time to draw nigh of my repose and my task to be so soone finished But thou O God wilt raise up workmen who with better successe shall labour in thy harvest and whom thou wilt cloath with thy Spirit in greater measure to defend thy holy Truth Lord it is thy cause Lord it is for thy sake that we are hated Awake thy jealousie and thine ancient compassions upon the people whom thou hast redeemed that many soules may be saved and thy holy name glorified for Lord though we be worthy to be forsaken and unworthy to be releeved yet ever art thou worthy to be glorified It is indeed a small matter that we are afflicted were it not that amidst our afflictions thy truth is oppressed and thy holy name blasphemed Attend then O God and Father of all consolation and heare and pardon for thine owne sake thou art wise in thy counsels just in thy judgements mighty to execute thy will but withall thou art full of tender compassion and true true in thy words Do then O Lord according to thy promise for thou hast promised not to forsake vs but to bee with us to the end of the world Thou that hast redeemed us from the power of Satan by the death of thy Sonne wilt deliver us also from the hands of those which oppresse us the time commeth and is not long to that out of the ashes of that burning which seeme extinguisht thou wilt cause to come forth a great brightnesse and wilt confound the tongues of Babell and wilt cause to fall outright the seat of the sonne of perdition In the meane time we will possesse our soules in patience whilst the full measure of their iniquitie be heaped up and we expect from heaven our Lord Iesus who will come to examine our cause and to render unto every one according to his workes Amen A Prayer to be said going to the Communion 5. LOrd great God have pitie on me a miserable sinner and grant me grace to lay hold on my Saviour by true faith and that being called to this holy and sacred banquet in the number of thy faithfull and elect and truly repenting of my transgressions and sinnes my soule may receive her spirituall nourishment the true bread of life which giveth salvation to the world looke upon me desiring ever to receive this holy and sacred spirituall meat Amen A thanksgiving after the Communion received 6. O My Saviour and my God I render unto thee humble thanks for the great benefit which thou hast this day bestowed on me as having thy selfe for a ransome for me for having pluckt me out of the pawes of the Divell and out of the depths of hell whither so many enormious sinnes had plunged me guide me by thy Spirit and give me grace that in overcomming the concupiscence of the world and the flesh I may finish the rest of my dayes in thy feare Amen HOLY PRAYERS A Prayer in forme of a Confession 7. LOrd my God and Father Almightie and most gracious to thy children I cast downe my selfe in thy presence acknowledging my selfe a poore and miserable creature guilty of high treason against thy divine Majestie For O my God I came into the world tainted with sinne polluted with iniquitie and through my evill conversation I have thorow the whole course of my life exceedingly augmented the same I have made infinite the number of my transgressions I have beene over unthankfull for so many blessings wherof it hath pleased thy bounty to afford me the fruition too often have I opposed to thy infinite goodnesse extreame ingratitude by my hypocrisie and dissimulation I have made my selfe utterly unworthy of that freedome and faithfulnesse wherewith thou hast entertained me I have beene deafe to thy admonitions have stopped mine eare at thy Word I have estranged my heart from thy instructions the feare of men hath hindred me from making free publike profession of thy Truth I have more feared the world
Father hath given you all things F. S. N. Be strong in Iesus Christ who calls and inuites you by his Prophets Apostles and Evangelists to resort and freely to make towards him saying you that thirst come unto the great fountaine come unto me all you that travell and are heavie laden and I will ease you F. S. N. Believe stedfastly that Iesus Christ hath discharged and set you free from all your sins and hath reconciled you unto God his Father Vnto whom in all humilitie and repentance say from the bottom of your heart LOrd God Almighty have mercy upon me a poore miserable sinner for thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake and by the merit of his death passion be pleased to receive my soule which I commend into thy hands F. S. N Bee of good hope For assuredly he will receive your soule as his for his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lords sake who is the Saviour and Redeemer of all those that believe in him Moyses and all the Prophets have testified that all Nations shall receive salvation and blessednes by Iesus Christ The Apostles and Evangelists do testifie that Iesus Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and to give his life for the redemption of many for he hath shed his bloud for the remission of sinnes Believe then and doubt not in any wise for Iesus Christ hath made you cleane from all your sinnes having promised that all they that shall believe in him and in his Father that sent him shall have eternall life and shall not come into judgement but shall passe from death unto life Well then F. S. N. take a good courage in Iesus Christ For he hath loved you and washed you from your sinnes in his bloud Have then this stedfast faith to fight valiantly against the adversarie use no other buckler to defend your selfe withall but this precious bloud of Iesus Christ which by vertue of his Death and Passion hath reconciled you unto God his Father unto whom in great humility and repentance offer up this Prayer O Lord God Almighty have mercy upon me a poore miserable sinner for thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake and by the merit of his Death and Passion be graciously pleased to receive my soule which I commend into thy hands F. S. N. Let this be your hope stedfast faith that that good God full of all mercy will receive your soule as his into his hands for his Sonne Iesus Christs sake For there is no other Name under heaven given unto men wherby we must be saved nor is there salvation in any other but in Iesus Christ Arme your self then indeed with this gracious Iesus Christ for he hath done all for you he hath fulfilled the Law for you he hath overcome all for you Well then F.S.N. cheer up your self in God be you ever unmooveable in this lively faith follow and imitate you the holy Patriarks Prophets and Apostles who are all saved in this faith who assure you all of them that the adversarie can no wayes hurt you For your suit is won by Iesus Christ who is both your Iudge and Advocat together Wherfore say evermore in this stedfast faith that though I should walke thorow the midst of the shadow of death yet would I feare no manner of evill For thou Lord God art with me F. S. N. Also cease not to say from the bottome of your heart in great humility and repentance LOrd God Almighty have mercy upon me poore miserable sinner for thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake and by the merit of his Death and Passion let it please thee to receive my soule which I commend into thy hands So be it A singular Prayer for a person greatly afflicted with sicknes which seemeth to approach nearer to death then to life With a short Catechisme purposely made to instruct the sicke and to make him contemplate by faith the great mysterie of our redemption Eccles c. 18. v. 19.20 Vse Physicke ere ever thou be sick before judgement examine thy selfe and in the day of visitation thou shalt find mercy NOw the Lord admonisheth us to pray continually especialy when we are touched with his rods wherefore all kinsfolks and faithfull friends that visit the sick person ought not only to visit and be carefull for the body but withall to seek and ask for the spirituall physick for his Soule This must he do by good prayers confession of sinnes and Christian exhortation according to the Word of God without which man cannot live and to this end that all things may be done in good order and with zeale First of all it is meet to cast downe himselfe before the Majestie of God and to call upon him by beginning Our helpe is in the Name of the Lord c. Then to present unto him the generall confession of sinnes and consequently this present prayer as it followeth O Lord God Almighty and Father of mercy we are here assembled together in the Name of thy welbeloved Son our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ thorow whom we are bold to present our selves before thee to call upon thy holy Name having our sole refuge unto thy Soveraigne and transcendent goodnes which we not only desire to be sensible of and to tast in our selves but also in the necessitie of thy poore creature here afflicted with corporall sicknes and with the affliction and calamity of mind We know Lord that justly thou visitest and chastnest him with thyrods to make him to understand thy fatherly affection But thy great mercies which thou hast used towards our fathers are not extinguisht nor exhausted For thou art that great eternall God gracious and mercifull that never changest with whom there is no variablenes nor shadow of change Thy holy Word teacheth us most evidently that the whole earth is full of thy mercies which are farre above thy justice Wheâ—fore Lord mitigate thy rigour towards thy creature have pity and compassion on him for thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lords sake Looke not upon his sins but looke upon the face of thy Christ who hath fully satisfied thee for him by offering up unto thee that great sacrifice of his body upon the Crosse We beseech thee then O most gracious God full of mercy to make him sensible of thy grace which thou hast never denied to thy children And because thou art our eternal Father well knowing whatsoeveâ— is needfull and expedient for our salvation We pray not unto thee to lengthen unto him his life or to abridge it for we repose our selves upon thy holy will whereunto onely we desire to be conformable Thou art wise without counsell to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure That if it shal be thy pleasure to call him hence who is he that shal be able to resist thee But if it be thy good pleasure to send him health againe who is he that shall reprehend
thee For all things are in thy hand and nothing is done without thy will and holy providence Yet Lord if out of thy grace thou prolong unto him his dayes thy rod shall serve him for a chastisement to amend him and to convert him unto thee and we together with him will render unto thee thanks and praises But if thy will be determined to make him passe hence into a better life wee beseech thee for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake to forget all his sins and transgressions which thou hast been pleased to blot out and towaâ—â— away by the effusion of his precious bloud be graciously pleased thorow the merit of the Death and Passion of thy Sonne to receive his soule into thy hands when as thou wilt call him out of this world Lord God despise not the work of thine owne hands for behold here thy poore creature as it were wholly overwhelmed who calleth upon thee out of the depth of all these evills presenting unto thee his sad and penitent soule with his dejected and humbled heart which we beseech thee to be pleased to accept as well pleasing unto thee for thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lords sake in whose Name thou hast promised to heare our requests Wherefore Lord we beseech thee to receive us into thy holy protection to illuminate our hearts and understandings to addresse our selves unto thee to call upon thy holy Name as thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord hath taught us to pray unto thee for the relieuing of all our necessities saying Our Father which art in heaven c. Finally O God most gracious Father full of mercy be pleased evermore to support us by thy grace and power that by the infirmity of our flesh we fall not away And because that of our selves we are so fraile that we are not able to continue firm one minute of time graciously strengthen us by thy Holy Spirit and arme us with thy graces that we may bee enabled to persevere constantly in the faith without which it is not possible to please thee Bee graciously pleased then to confirme and establish us daily in the same whereof we will make confession with heart and mouth I believe in God the Father Almighty c. Prayers being ended notice shal be taken how the sicke person doth and hee may bee asked how he feeleth himselfe touching the state of his health with gracious talke and Christian Speeches But if it appeare that he decline and no token of recoverie appeare a while after a fit time shall be chosen to speak unto the said sicke person and to aske him whether he be not willing to heare talk of God and to hearken to his Word Whilst he is still in perfect memorie So that if he be inclinable to entertaine discourse concerning God the short Catechisme following shall be begun A SHORT CATEchisme which is not onely to instruct the sicke but also to refresh his memorie with the great mysterie of our Redemption For the better understanding and retaining whereof in his latter dayes he ought to make confession of his faith before the assistance of the faithfull whereof one of them in the Ministers absence must question him as followeth The Minister F. S. N. EVery man that rightly knows himselfe and is not ignorant of his owne condition and qualitie certainly he ought to acknowledge that although he was created after the image and likenesse of God neverthelesse he is conceived and borne in the sinne of old Adam whereby he is made a poore and miserable sinner ignorant inconstant and full of iniquitie and consequently subject unto all miseries afflictions adversities and finally unto death all which sinne hath caused which God not willing to leave unpunished daily afflicts us for or to speake more properly hee chastiseth us in this world that he might not condemne us with the world Wherefore F. S. N. be patient in your sicknesse and you shall possesse your soule in spirituall ioy Acknowledge your sins and accuse you your selfe before the Majestie of God whom you must looke up unto and behold by faith making confession thereof with heart and mouth before this whole assistance for it is written that wee believe with the heart unto justification and confesse with the mouth unto salvation Hearken then unto the questions which I will now propound unto you and answer them faithfully according to that understanding which you have received of the Lord. Which if you cannot answer by reason of your weakenesse and hinderance of your sicknesse I will answer for you and it shal be sufficient for you to give us to understand your heart and constancie of your faith in which you must live and die Go to then I demand of you wherefore and to what end were you created in this world The Sicke To know God The Minister Was it necessary for youâ—â— know God The sicke Yes verily For seeing he is my soveraigne good without the knowledge of him I had been more miserable then the bruit beasts The Minister Seeing you know God you well know that he is power wisedome and infinite goodnesse one God alone in three persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost He is that one God whom Abraham Isaac and Iacob worshipped in spirit and truth hee is that one God Eternall who created heaven and earth and all things that are therein not such the knowledge of God which you have The Sicke Yes The Minister But can such and this simple knowledge of God conduct and guide you straight to eternall life The Sicke Very hardly For it is life eternall to confesse and know one onely God and him whom he hath sent his onely eternall Sonne our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ The Minister Why is it necessarie for you to confesse and know the Lord Iesus Christ The Sicke Because in Iesus Christ I must recover all that I have lost in my selfe by reason of the sinne of old Adam in whom I am borne and conceived Wherfore it hath been behooffull for my salvation that Iesus Christ true God and true man being clothed with our flesh should give unto me of his free grace all that which I had lost in Adam The Minister It is very well said Behold why Iesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary to purge and sanctifie you For absolutely contrary hereunto him you are conceived and borne in sinne and of sinfull parents Why do you not confesse that without Iesus Christ you had remained a poore miserable sinner in eternall death The Sicke Yes assuredly But I believe and confesse that that good Iesus Christ hath reconciled me unto God his Father The Minister But how hath he reconciled you unto God his Father The Sicke By his Death and Passion in the shedding forth of his precious Bloud for to deliver me from all eternall paines This good Iesus Christ hath suffered for me under Pontius Pilate many afflictions injuries and troubles Iesus Christ it is that was crucified
into thy welbeloved Sonne acknowledg Lord the mark of thine adoption in him We know O God of inestimable puritie that our sinnes drive us back far away from thee But thy deare Sonne who is made for us by thee wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption not only washeth us with his bloud to becom acceptable unto thee but withall maketh giveth us entrance into thy Sanctuary boldnes by his death to approch with assurance to the throne of thy grace to be heard in due time Graunt grace unto this sick person to free the point of death with an holy and Christian resolution Redouble his courage at that present houre that his soule is upon the point to behold thy face wherein is fulnesse of joy And amidst the violent dartings of those sighs which accompanie the last acts of his life give him perfect clearâ—esse of judgement accompanied with calmenesse of spirit evermore to acknowledge his true and only God that drawes him out of the desarts of this world to live happy in the Heavenly Ierusalem and who withdrawes him out of the bottomlesse depths of wretchednes to bring him to live in heaven heaped with eternall blessings Command thy holy Angels which thou incampest round about those that feare thee and which watch for the welfare and safety of thy children that they beare the soule of this thy servant up into heaven the sacred Temple of thy glory most gloriously resplendant with happinesse and honour where he shall clearely see that which his spirit adores here below and where he shall injoy that divine and celestiall harmonie which the blessed Spirits make unto thee uncessantly and the eternall joyes which cannot be valued and where he shall live in continuall admiration of those incomprehensible bounties in the presence of his Spouse thy beloved Sonne Iesus Christ To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory for evermore So be it 4. Another Prayer to bee said when the Sicke is in extremity 37. O Lord our good God and most mercifull Father who being overcome with the bowels of thy tender mercies hast sent down thy beloved Sonne to save sinners and hast been pleased that this thy Sonne was bound to loose us condemned to absolve and free us that he died to give us life yea that he was made a curse to the end that we might be made a blessing of God in him We beseech thee to graunt this grace unto this sick person to repose and relye himselfe on the certainty of faith for the full remission of his sinnes upon that entire and perfect satisfaction which thy deare Sonne whose bloud was once offered up to abolish the sinnes of many hath made unto theâ— upon the Crosse For it is certaine that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but that he be converted and live Thou bruisest not in thy displeasure those that thou hast redeemed by his death thou dost not precipitate into that eternall gulfe those whom thou hast ingrafted and regenerated in that great Mediator and Saviour of the world when as calling upon thy mercy they shal be converted with their whole heart unto thee That when Satan our adversarie who like a roaring Lion goeth about us endeavouring to devoure us maketh himself a party against this sick person in this his last conflict setting before him the checkroule and catologue of his sinnes and thy rigorous judgment to astonish and to precipitate him into despaire give him grace to shield and ward himselfe as with a target and buckler to repell and beat back the fierie darts of that enemie with the truth and assurance that the bloud of thy Sonne Iesus cleanseth from all sinne Fortifie then and animate O God of invincible power and our firme hope this thy child with the strength of thy Holy Spirit at this present houre that his soule being disburdened of the miseries which presse him yea set free from the captivitie of his body is ready to go unto thee And in that houre wherin the earth claimeth in his person what we have borrowed of her have pitie Lord on thine owne image and despise not the works of thy hands Behold Lord the teares the plaints the sighes the groanes and the contrition of the heart of this sicke person and our prayers that we may acknowledge in his person thy clemency the mother of our hope thy succours the source of our life and that indeed thou art our sacred and saving refuge And as for us which remaine in this vale of miserie graunt us this grace that as thy people being captive in Babilon had the comfort to direct and lift up their eyes towards Ierusalem the place wherein thou didst manifest unto them thy glorious and gracious presence that even so amidst the captivitie of this world where we see nothing but confusion and where vice raigneth and thy honour is dis-esteemed we may have our eyes towards thee as on the sole object and subject of our joy and rejoycing seeing in thy face is the fulnes of joy and at thy right hand are perfect pleasures for evermore Even so O thou God of inestimable bounty and goodnes and who hast chosen us out of the world to follow thy holy will we beseech thee that when thou shalt call us out of this world to place our soules in the company of those who by faith have overcome Kingdomes have done righteousnesse and have obtained the promises and who are written in the Booke of Life of the Lamb. In the meane time O Lord arme us with patience and in the midst of our troubles make us sensible by a lively feeling that our light affliction which is transient and soone over produceth in us a waight of glory wonderfully excellent and that leaving by death these visible things which are but of small continuance we shall injoy those that are now invisible to our eyes which are abiding for ever in Iesus Christ and by Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory for ever Amen 5. A Prayer when the sick is in some grievous perplexitie 38. O God and Father of all mercy who art wise in thy counsels true in thy word and admirable in thy works yea who keepest thy deare children as the apple of thine eye In as much as now we see that now it is even at this time that it wil be thy pleasure to withdraw this thy sick child out of this mortall world We beseech thee enter not into account with him to punish him nor reprove him in thy displeasure neither chasten him in thy wrath But remember Lord he hath beene called in thy Church and in the number of thine Elect to be washed and sanctified by thy grace in the name of Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne who took upon him our griefs and hath undergone the burden of our sorrowes that by his wounds we might receive health whereof his baptisme hath beene the badge Wash then Lord who art in
is but a vapour which appeareth for a short time and then vanisheth away sith in exchange therof there shal be given you life eternall and therein the height of happines so transcendent and incomprehensible that neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man that which God hath prepared for them that love him When it shall appeare that the sicke doth notoriously draw on unto death or seemeth indeed readie to give up the ghost there may be yet further added if need require and repeated this briefe consolation with the prayer following COurage Sir you draw neare now unto the end of the combat which cannot but be happy for you as you are assured of the victorie by the meanes of your faith which is the victorie which overcommeth the world and the Prince of the world Iesus Christ your head and Saviour stretcheth out his arme unto you and stayeth attending you at the end of the fight to present unto you the incorruptible Crowne of glory which he hath purchased for you by the price of his bloud Commend and commit your selfe then unto him with your whole heart go unto him with cheerfulnesse cast your selfe into his armes and say unto him my soule into thine hands I come to yeeld for thou hast redeemed me ô God of truth Psa 31. We will beseech God againe that he will give you grace so to doe A Prayer O Lord Father of mercy and God of all consolation and comfort unfold plenteously in this exigencie thy mercies and boundlesse comforts upon the person of this thy poor servant and child Give him to reape now and to apply unto himselfe an abundant and excellent fruit and profit from those holy lessons which thou hast during the course of his life taught him in thy schoole Give him an invincible faith in this combat arme him with thy whole Spirituall armour that he may be able to stand against all the temptations and ambushes of Satan and having vanquisht them all he may abide stedfast If thy justice astonish him let thy mercy establish and comfort him if his sinnes accuse him let the obedience of thy beloved Sonne excuse and justifie him If the apprehension of death trouble him make him behold the gate of eternall life Open unto him wherunto thou goest to give him entrance Thou hast given him thy Sonne make good unto him such a gift that it may not be vaine nor unprofitable He is one of the sheepfold of that great shepheard let none take him out of thy hands Thou hast begun in him his salvation let not thine owne work remaine unperfect And seeing thou hast led him on forward to the end of a painfull course receive now his soule into thy hands and carrie it into thy celestiall paradise to that height and full accomplishment of rest and blessednesse in the companie and fellowship of thy blessed Angels and of all the holy soules of thine Elect which thou hast already gathered thither there jointly to injoy together for ever the fulnesse of joy which standeth in the beholding of thy face Heare us Father of grace for the sake of thy deare Son Iesus Christ our Lord who in the unity of the Holy Ghost liveth and raigneth with God eternally Amen A briese consolation to give unto the neare friends of the deceased person of whether sex soever especially afther their returne from the funerall DEare friends in this exigent it is that you are to call to mind that holy and Christian instruction which you have received in the schoole of Iesus Christ to make your profit thereof by bearing patitiently your affliction and resting with humilitie and with a quiet mind in the will of God whereunto evermore ours must conforme and submit it selfe Our nature indeed in such accidents carrieth us to nothing but to teares to plaints and sorrowes But the Spirit of God the author of all new-birth teacheth therein to keepe meâ—sure and not to grieve after the manner of those that are without hope 1 Thess 4.14 If we be men in mourning we must withall shew that we are Christians adorn'd with Faith and with Hope to assure us that this corporall death is unto the faithfull children of God by the benefit of Iesus Christ nothing else but a doore to enter by into everlasting life Iohn 5. vers â—8 29 and that for the regard even of their bodies themselves that the earth receiveth them but a pledge they shall heare one day the voice of the Lord that shall cause them to come forth of their graves into the resurrection of life that the partie deceased he or she may there be of the number of the children of God the witnesses and the mirks and badges that God hath given him thereof by the good profession of pietie and integritie which he practised in the midst of his Church unto the last gasp of his life ought not hereof to leave any scruple or doubt in us He lived to the Lord and he is dead to the Lord by consequent he is happy resteth from his labours Apo. 14.13 by the heavenly witnes of the Spirit of God himselfe You have then no subject matter to weepe over him in regard of his estate which is not to be bewailed he being every way most happy He hath likewise a great advantage above us that remaine still in the world after him for he is arrived at the haven of happines whereas we are still tossed under the storme and tempest of the troublesome and dangerous Sea of this miserable world And therfore farre better is it for us to breath after our going to him then to wish him here againe with us As for the regard of your selves who in that which may concern this life may receive some inconvenience by his absence you must consider that God who gave him you abideth for evermore for you who is sufficient for us without all other things whereas all other things are nothing without him He it is who will continue evermore over you the care of his Fatherly Providence if you continue alwayes to walke in his feare I beseech him to give you the grace so to do and that he will therein strengthen you with an holy resolution and with constancie Consolation for the sicke extracted out of the holy Scriptures to prepare them unto death F. S. N. HE that is of God heareth the Word of God and he not only heareth it but keepeth it and bringeth it into practice For all things shall come to an end and shall wax old as a garment but the Word of God shall abide for ever Now seeing it is so that by one man sinne came into the world and by sinne death and consequently all afflictions and adversities do thereon depend upon just occasion the life of man is but a continuall battell upon the earth in like manner the flesh fighteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Devill the world and the flesh Which