DEATH MADE Comfortable OR The Way to Dye Well Consisting of Directions for an Holy and an Happy Death Together with An Office for the Sick and for certain kinds of bodily illness And for dying Persons And proper Prayers upon the Death of Friends By IOHN KETTLEWELL a Presbyter of the Church of England LONDON Printed for Robert Kettlewell And are to be sold by Sam. Keble at the Turks head over against Fetter-Lane in Fleet-street MDCXCV THE PREFACE EVery Person who comes into this World under the Guilt of Sin is a Debtor to Death And this Debt sooner or later all must pay even they who fence themselves about with the strongest Armies or heap up Riches as if they were always to possess them or whose daily Business it is to drown all Thoughts of Death in the Noise of Mirth and Pleasures In the midst of all their Care and Labour to avoid him Death will surely meet them and spoil all their Glory and Iollity and that commonly when they least expect him And then he makes them see their own Vanity and the Vanity of all earthly things which nothing else could teach them to consider of For he shews us the Shame of our Bodies and makes the Pride of Human Greatness to become an easie Conquest and inglorious Prey for Worms and brings all earthly Hopes and Projects to end and hide themselves in Dust. This is a thing which all Men know and all Men fear And they who study most to keep the Thoughts of Death far from them do yet certainly know that it will come And happy then is he whose Mind is so well prepared and â—ortified that it can neither fright nor hurt him who has disarmed this King of Terrors and made this great Enemy of Nature to become a Friend All this Religion will do if we will make a right use of it For the sting of death is sin and true Repentance takes that out And if we take care that our Life contain nothing terrifying our Death need not And the compleatest Victory over Death is Eternal Life and the same Repentance secures us thereof And Trust in God fortifies us against Fear and Patience makes our Pains lighter So that whilst by true Devotion we are spending our selves in these Exercises we are dressing our Souls in Armour which will not only sustain the Shock of Death but conquer it with all its Strength and Terror And the business of these Papers is to furnish out thoughts for all those who are willing and dâ—sirous to use the same whereby all this may be done And whereby we may receive Sickness and meet Death so as at the same time to have enough under them to support and comfort us and in the end to be made better by both And all this I treat of not as a man who is preaching to men at ease who must be diverted and entertained with nice inquiries and fine discourses and speculations about Death But as one who is called to sick and dying Persons who desire to be helped and directed in things of use and told those matters which are fit to support and ease their weary Souls and to dress them in such habits as are the best defence both against the sting and terror of their approaching Enemy I have first according to the best of my skill given them directions what to do and wherein to spend their care thro all the steps and progress of their sickness from its first seisure to their departure I show them what will render their sick-bed carriage rewardable and its Sorrows â—olerable and comfortable How they are like to be most easie to themselves and may most profitably chuse or improve the Company and employ and receive the services and kind Offices of others What they are to do that they may dye well and be happy and full of Comfort in their Death and after it and how it is fit for them to part with all men and take a decent and a Christian leave of this World And in regard Devotion is the chief work and the best support of sick and dying Persons to these directions I have added Offices of Devotion In these I have made collections of select and proper Scriptures upon the several duties and necessities of sick or dying Persons which I have ranged and put in order the best I can for their comfort and instruction And these they may resort to as a Storehouse of Divine Sentences fit to direct their practice in the virtues and to cheer and revive their Spirits under all the sorrows of their Affliction How forceable are right words says Job under the bitterness of his sorrows Job 6. 25. And heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop but a good word maketh it glad says Solomon Prov. 12. 25. But the good words which God himself speaks to us do leave a much stronger impression and give more ease and do more revive and make glad the Heart than any others And after these collections of Scriptures I have furnished them with variety of fit and proper Prayers upon their several Duties or Needs in that condition And as I was able I have stored those Prayers with such proper thoughts and considerations as may serve at once both to express and put up to God the several bounden duties and tempers required of us and also to ingenerate and increase the same in our own minds And to these for sick and dying Persons I have annexed like Devotional helps for Women with Child or in Child Birth and for some other cases of Bodily distempers and Calamities And to conclude all I have added Devotions on the Death of Friends and made particular Prayers for those cases which usually are most affecting and provided them with such considerations as seem to me to be most proper and of greatest force to support and comfort us under such mortifying and afflictive losses And in all these Prayers I have taken care to be as instructive as I can in the several States and Cases they refer to that we may see what our work and wants are under them and know what we have to mind and do therein better than we knew before And so likewise in the several duties which the Prayers are made upon For I have endeavoured therein especially in the Prayers about Trust in God and about Patience which are the virtues most tryed on sick-beds and indeed of most general use thro the whole course of our lives to set off the several Acts wherein we are to exercise and show forth those Graces and the most proper and important helps and considerations whereby we are like to be most quickened and best assisted in our performance of them And therefore when any are desirous to encrease knowledge and improve their understandings therein they may read the Prayers or have them read to them tho not in way of Devotion but as Discourses upon them And these Offices for sick or dying Persons should
55. 22. For in thee O! Lord the Fatherless findeth mercy Hos. 14. 3. And thoâ— hast said Leave thy Fatherless Children I will preserve them alive and let thy Widows trust in me Jer. 49. 11. And I never saw the Righteous forsaken but his seed is blessed Ps. 37. 25 26. The Generation of the upright shal be blessed Riches shall be in his house and his Righteousness endureth for ever Surely he shall not be moved for ever but shall be in everlasting remembrance Ps. 112. 2 3 6. For when their Father and Mother forsake them then doest thou take them up Ps. 27. 10. Even thou who art the Father of the Fatherless and the Judge of the Widows Ps. 68. 5. And as a Mighty Redeemer wilt plead their cause Prov. 23. 10 11. 3. The Benefit of both And he who thus trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about Ps. 32. 10. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge even the Most High thy Habitation There shall no evil befal thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy Dwelling For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways Ps. 91. 9 10 11. Behold the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his Mercy To deliver their Soul from Death and to keep them alive in Famine Ps. 33. 18 19. And the Lord is a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Nah. 1. 7. He Redeemeth the Soul of his Servants and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate Ps. 34. 22. And they who know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee Psal. 9 10. And Trust him 1. To Temper the Sickness and Sorrows to our Infirmities I will not leave thee altogether unpunish'd but I will correct thee in measure and will not make a full end of thee Jer. 30. 11. and c. 46. 28. And when Epaphroditus was sick nigh unto Death God had mercy on him and not on him only but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow Phil. 2. 27. In his wrath he will remember mercy Habak 3. 2. And to the Vpright there ariseth light in the darkness Ps. 112. 4. For he will not always chide neither will he keep his anger for ever Psal. 103. 9. His Anger endureth but a moment and in his favour is life Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Ps. 30. 5. He knows our frame and remembreth that we are dust and pitieth us like as a Father pityeth his Children Ps. 103. 13 14. He remembreth that we are but flesh a wind that passeth away and cometh not again and doth not stir up all his wrath Ps. 78. 38 39. And he is faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2. To support us under them and help us to bear them The Salvation of the Righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in time of trouble And the Lord shall help them because they trust in him Ps. 37. 39 40. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing he will make all his bed in his sickness Ps. 41. 3. And we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. 15 16. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. And my Grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weakness 2 Cor. 12. 9. I said indeed in mine haste I am cut off from before thine Eyes nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee Psal. 31. 22. Even when my Soul fainted within me I remembred thee and my Prayer came in unto thee Jon. 2. 7. Wait thou on the Lord then be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart Ps 27. 14. For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say I will not fear for the Lord is my helper Heb. 13. 5 6. Yea tho I walk thro the valley of the shadow of Death I will fear no evil For thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Ps. 23. 4. 3. To Deliver us from them or make us Gainers by them Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Ps. 50. 15. Behold the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy To deliver their soul from Death Ps. 33. 18 19. He is their strength in the time of trouble And he shall help them and deliver them He shall deliver them because they trust in him Ps. 37. 39 40. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. And tho' many are the afflictions of the Righteous yet the Lord delivereth him out of them all Ps. 34. 19. For the Lord he kills and he makes alive he wounds and he heals Deut. 32. 39. He bringeth down to the Grave and bringeth up 1 Sam. 2. 6. And that when we have the Sentence of Death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God who raiseth the Dead 2 Cor. 1. 9. Glory be to the Father c. III. They are to be received with Faith in Gods Precious Promises THIS is a Faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. If any man Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins 1 Jo. 2. 1 2. O! Death where is thy Sting O! Grave where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory thro our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. Who shall lay any thing then to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that Justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that Dyed yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8. 33 34. And he hath promised I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. He will give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him Luk. 11. 13. He will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10. 13. And this is the Promise that he hath promised us even Eternal life 1 Joh. 2. 25. He hath said Repent and
make me watch for all opportunityes of exerciseing the same and Doe them diligently as my last Labors for immortality and for secureing thy everlasting Mercy thro Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen II. Prayers for Willingness to Dye I. O! Most Gracious and Mercyfull Father Give me Grace to be allways fit for thy Mercy that I may not be slow or unwilling to Come to thee now thou callest for me Forgive me all my Sins O! God which are the Sting of Death that I may look on it as an harmless thing which cannot hurt me And make me sensible how I am thereby eased of all those weaknesses and Sorrows which render my Life a burden to me Help me to consider it O! Lord as what comes to give me rest from all my Labours And to take up therewith as with a Shelter against all Injuries and ill usage To look upon it as a Cure of all my Bodily Pains and Sicknesses and as a Remedy of all my Sins and Temptations Sorrows and misfortunes For after once I shall have got to thee O! Blessed Father I shall be out of their Reach and never Come under their Power any more I know O! Gracious God that Heaven is my Country and that I have still more cause to rejoyce and less to repine the nearer I am drawing home That this Death is but the begining of a better Life and a most Desirable exchange of Travail and Misery for Rest and Joy and of a few Days for Eternity And let me not be afraid of that O! my God which is to set me safe in thy Kingdom and to bring me to injoy thee in Everlasting Bliss and Glory thro Jesus Christ my Blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen 2. LOrd now thy messengers are come to Summon me make me reckon that thy Time is best for my Departure and let me not seek about for Excuses and Pretences of Staying longer here Since this Summons is of thy Sending let not me receive it with reluctancy Since thou sendest it for my Good let me not be afraid of it as if it would doe me hurt Since thou Callest me thereby to come to thee let me not come unwillingly or seem forced away Let not my Heart O! God be tyed fast to any Earthly Things and then it will be easy to me to be taken from them Raise it above this world and make it fit and free to trust thee for the next And then O! Jesu Come when thou pleasest and I shall receive thy Call with joy And Grant O! Lord that I may take noe Pretence for my unwillingness because I shall thereby leave some Good Things unfinish'd which I have in hand for my Brethrens needs or for thy Service But remember and Consider with my Self that soe must all they who make it their Care at all times to be Designing and Doing Good And that 't is fittest for thee to Determine wherein or how long thou wilt be served by me in any things which my poor Soul is any ways Capable thro thy Grace to design or Doe for thee That if it seem Good in thy Eyes thy Providence will raise up instruments and supply what I am Designing by other and it may be far better ways And that I have noe Reason to be slow but much infinitely much to be hasty in Coming to thee if from bearing the Heat of the Day and a task of Labor and toyl in thy Service thou shalt be Graciously pleased to call me to Everlasting Rest and Joy in thy Presence thro Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen 3. LOrd in this State I am sore Burdened and Groan Earnestly Desiring rather if thou pleasest to Depart and be with Christ which is far better for me But let me not be weary of my work and station O! my God before thy Time nor hasty in Desires of Death whilst thou seest fit to trye me in the Labors and Patience of Life Keep me Contented to bear my Sorrows whilst thou pleasest and to leave it to thee to Order when 't is fittest for me to lay them Down and to exchange them for Eâ—se and Pleasures in thy Heavenly Kingdom where Death at last shall be swallowed up in Victory and this Mortal shall put on immortality thro the merits of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen III. Prayers against Fear of Death 1. CLeanse me O! Gracious God from Guilt and Sin which are the Sting of Death and then let nothing else make me afraid of it Let me not Dread the stroak thereof as a thing that is hard for me to bear But Consider that it is an hardship Common to me with every mortal Nature That if it is hard it Cures all other Sores and hardships and is it self soon over And that hard and painfull as it is the weakest have born it and can pass thro it Yea and that very frequently the pains of Sickness are much worse than the pains of Death and men ordinarily endure more sorrow before they come to Dye than they feel or show at last in Death it self Nay that as they fall asleep insensibly soe they often seem to dye soe too And whatever pains it would otherwise make to me O! Lord it will be made easy by a clear Conscience and a Comfortable Hope of thy Mercy And let it arm my Spirit against Fear to think that I am coming thereby to a good Master whom as I have ever found most Gracious and Mercyfull all my Life I shall now much more finde soe at my Death thro the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ my Lord Amen 2. NOr let my Spirit O! God be broken with Fear out of an apprehension of Dying under the load of thy Heavy Displeasure For thou takest Delight in Pardoning those whose sincere Desire and Care has been to please thee and in makeing all fair abatements and reasonable allowances to their forgetfullness and infirmityes I am very sensible alass that I am too Defective in my Duty and Service But make me remember O! Blessed Lord that thou canst and doest bear with some Defects For the best are not free from Faults and Defects enow to humble them and yet they are surely within the terms of thy Pardon Yea thou will bear with many Defects in truely Loveing and Dutyfull mindes and hast not limited thy Forbearance to narrow and scanty Bounds For among those whom thou savest there are many and very Distant Degrees of Virtue and Obedience and the greater measures thereof which are attained by some are still wanting in others of them And these Defects of mine O! God great and many as they are are to be judged of by a mercyfull Saviour who knows our Natural Frailtyes and infirmityes and is ready to allow all that Pity and Favor to them which can be Desired in Reason For he doth not require such exactness of us as is a task fit not for men but for Angells But takes up with such as the Natural and Pityable Weakness
Eccl. 12. 7. But there the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at Rest and they hear not the voice of the Oppressor Job 3. 17 18. Yea I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave saith the Lord I will redeem them from Death O! Death I will be thy Plague O! Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos. 13. 14. For he shall change this Vile Body and fashion it like unto his own Glorious Body Phil. 3. 21. And this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortal shall put on immortality 1 Cor. 15. 53. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all Faces and there shall be noe more Sorrow nor Crying nor Pain but Death shall be swallowed up in Victory Is. 25. 8. Rev. 21. 4. 1 Cor. 15. 54. 3. Against Fear of Death FEar not the sentence of Death remember them that have been before thee and that come after for this is the Sentence of the Lord over all Flesh Ecclus. 41. 3. It is but a going to Rest Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth Jo. 11. 11. And tho therein I leave Dear Friends yet I go to my Fathers Gen. 15. 15. And am gather'd to my People Gen. 49. 33. And the Righteous hath Hope in his Death Prov. 14. 32. For God hath begotten us again to a lively Hope thro the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead 1 Pet. 1. 3. And by his Death he hath destroyed him who had the Power of Death and Deliver'd them who all their Life Time were in Bondage to the Fear of Death Heb. 2. 14 15. Sâ—e that now whether we Live or Dye we are the Lords Rom. 14. 8. For he died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him 1. Thes. 5. 10. The Sting of Death is Sin 1 Cor 15. 56. But he is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins Act. 5. 31. And we have such an High Priest as will have Compassion on our infirmities He can mercifully Consider and be touched with them in us having in all points Sin only excepted been tempted like as we are himself Heb. 4. 15. c. 2. 17 18. And therefore Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory of Death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15. 57. And Blessed are the Dead from henceforth which Dye in the Lord Yea saith the Spirit for they rest from their Labours and their Works follow them Rev. 14. 13. 4. Against Presumption LEt him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. Thou standest by Faith be not high-minded but Fear Rom 11. 20. Happy is the man that feareth always but he that hardneth his Heart against Fear shall fall into mischeif Prov. 28. 14. Work out therefore your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling For it is God that worketh in you of his Good Pleasure Phil. 2. 12 13. Likewise since you must stand before him who without Respect of Persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your Sojourning here in Fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. Tho I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justifyed 1 Cor. 4. 4. The Heavens are not clean in his sight Job 15. 15. He put noe trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with folly Job 4. 18. When I consider I am afraid of him Job 23. 15. I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal. 52. 8. But will keep withall an humble Spirit that trembleth at his word Is. 66. 2. And serve him with Reverence and Godly Fear Heb. 12. 28. 5. In the last Agonies LOrd now let thy Servant Depart inâ— Peace Luc. 2. 29. Say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation Psal. 35. 3. This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Luc. 23. 43. Lord Jesu receive my Spirit Act 7. 59. Into thine Hand I commit it for thou hast redeemed me O! Lord God of Truth Psal. 31. 5. Be with me and Conduct me thro the Valley of the shadow of Death Psal. 23. 4. Send thy Holy Angels to Carry me into Abrahams Bosom Luk. 16. 22. And into the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. I have fought a good Fight I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that Day 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. For if we beleive that Jesus Dyed and rose again even soe them allsoe which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thess. 4. 14. And I know whom I have Believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have Committed to him against that Day 2 Tim. 1. 12. Prayers 1. Prayers on the Prospect of ones own Death Drawing near 1. GRaunt O! Lord that I may end my Life in thy Fear and Favor and that I may Receive my Death which now threatens me not as my Curse but as my Deliverance Let me find it a Rest from my Labors and an Entrance upon a Life without Trouble and without Sin And Blessed be thy Mercy which tho it has seen fit and needfull to Discipline me with Sorrows yet has not made my Sorrows Endless but all to be laid down with this mortal Life and even in my Death has given me hopes of joys without end in a better Life through my Dearest Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 2. O! Blessed Lord now I am hasting on to the End of my Life Remember not against me the Great and manifold errors thereof but let them all be wholly done away by thy Mercyes and my Blessed Saviours merits and my own true Repentance Let me come to my Change without Guilt and foresee its near approach without Fear or impatience And Oh! that I may allways stand ready to give a Good account of my Life unto thee And that I may fight out the Good Fight of Faith with Constancy and Perseverance and finish my Course with joy and never Sleep in Sin nor lye Down in misery and Sorrow And since my Soul is now summon'd to meet the Bridegroom Dress it O! Lord in a Wedding Garment fit to appear in his train Give me Oyl in my Lamp and Grace to trim and light it and keep it allways burning sending up a pure and holy Flame that when the Door opens I may be ready to Enter in with him And enable it to strip it self of all Fleshly affections before it leaves my Body and to be of like mind and Disposition with the Holy Angels and Beatifyed Spirits before it goes to keep them Company And O! my God let me never forgeâ— that this is like to be the last Tryal which thou wilt afford me of renouncing mine own will and resigning my self up to thine and of shewing forth Devotion of Spirit and all Holy Obedience and Patience and Faith and humble Confidence in thee And therefore
let it not be by reading Plays or Romances or foolish and undue Ideas of Love and Honour which feed or revive vain thoughts nor by Play or other things fit to excite Passion or exercise Covetousness but in pastimes of least lightness and fewest temptations and used with moderation remembring that on a sick-bed when a mans time is almost spent 't is not for him to cast about how to pass away his time but how to redeem and improve it Let the reading which is read to him and the conversation which is held with him be suitable to one in his condition Not light to lessen his seriousness nor in any thing vicious uttering things either against Modesty or against Piety or against Justice or against Charity All which may either leave ill impressions upon him by giving his spirit a tincture of the same or bring him into a snare by thinking that he has been wanting in reproof thereof out of too little respect to God and too much to the speakers by either of which he is the worse for them But let all that passes be fit to suit the seriousness and preserve the innocence and help on some virtues but hinder none that are befitting a Person in his condition Whereof I shall say more in the ensuing directions CHAP. II. Of settling his Accounts and securing his Peace with God by Repentance Faith and Continuance in the Vnity of the Church BUT whilst this care is taken for the Body the chief thing which he has to employ himself in on his Sick-bed after the settlement of his Worldly Estate is to take care of his Soul This must exercise his own thoughts when he is by himself And for this he must call in the assistance of the guides of Souls Sending for the Elders of the Church that they may Pray over him and assist and Comfort him by words spoken in their due Season and Administer to him the Word and the benefit of Absolution and the Holy Communion resolving and assisting him in all things that may be needful for the finishing of his Repentance the support of his Spirit or the Peace of his Conscience And in this Care of his Soul these things are chiefly to employ his own thoughts or his Guides assistance 1. To settle his Account and secure his Peace with Almighty God And in care of this let his work be 1. To finish his Repentance And in order thereto let him carefully review all his past life and the present frame and habit of his Mind And let him diligently observe what is good in either and with all Humility thank God for it and take comfort in it and what is amiss in both and work himself up into true contrition for the same affectionately bewailing his extream folly and unworthiness therein And let him fix holy deliberate and unreserved purposes against all his former Offences And make all due and reasonable satisfaction for all Wrongs done by him to any Persons by any ways And take care of the payment of all his just Debts And seek Reconciliation where he has given any just Offence And forgive those who have injured or disobliged him And break off his Iniquity by Righteousness or by being more abundant in Alms-Deeds and consummate and finish any good designs which he had piously laid in his Health and would not lose the reward thereof by having them dropt at his Death And in these ways of expiating Sins let him earnestly begg God's Pardon and comfortably hope for the same through the Merits of Jesus Christ. And in the care of paying his Debts and making Restitution or giving Charitable or Pious Gifts if he can let him settle and finish them himself before his own Death and not refer all to a Will and leave the accomplishment and recompence of so rewardable purposes to the contingencies of time and the Fidelity Kindness or care of Executors Sometimes indeed the Surprize of Dying Persons is so great that they must leave these things to others And sometimes the Persons intrusted are fit to serve the Dying Persons ends and really do serve them to advantage But this is not ordinarily to be trusted to if he can help it For why should he think they will make more dispatch or find fewer delays and put offs in doing these things for him than he did in doing them for himself He has a quicker sense of his own burdens and of his own desires and longings than another ordinarily can or will have and if for all that he shall delay to disburden his own Soul and consummate his own desires and purposes when he may why may not they do so too And on this point let him often say A broken and a contrite Heart Lord thou wilt not despise I acknowledge my transgressions and my Sins are ever before me Wash me throughly from mine iniquities and cleanse me from my Sins Amen Lord be merciful to me a Sinner Amen Oh let the Blood of Iesus cleanse me from all my Sins Amen Lord I have Sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants Amen Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that Trespass against us Amen 2. To shew forth his Faith which he may do by often repeating his Creed I believe in thee O God! the Father Almighty and that thou art the maker of Heaven and Earth And I believe in thee O Jesu Christ that thou art Gods only Son and our Lord. I believe that thou wast conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin mary That thou didst Suffer under Pontius Pilate wa st Crucified Dead and Buryed and descendest into Hell That thou dist rise again the third day from the Dead That thou didst ascend into Heaven and there now sittest at the Right Hand of God And that from thence thou shalt come again to Judge both the Quick and the Dead I believe in thee also O! Holy Ghost I likewise believe that my Blessed Saviour had and hath and whilst the World lasts ever will have on Earth an Holy Catholick Church And that in this Church there is to be a Communion of Saints I believe also that therein is to be had Remission of Sins And after Death I believe there shall be a Resurrection of the Body both for good and bad and a Life Everlasting for the Righteous Amen And let him often say Lord I Believe Help thou mine unbelief Amen Lord increase my Faith Amen All this O! Lord I stedfasty believe Oh! keep me from having my Portion among unbelievers Amen Lord I thank thee that I have been instructed in this Belief and Professed it in my Life Amen Lord keep me from wavering or any ways doubting of the same in my weakness Amen Lord give me the comfort of this belief at my death and make me find the Blessing of it after death Amen And if the
them not refrain going to Church for such a certain space of Time or number of Weeks after a Dear Wife or Husbands Death as the manner of some is which I think is a very ill chosen expression of Grief or Ceremony of Mourning For this looks as if we were out of Humour with God because he has taken our Friend from us and is very unsuitable to that Patience and Thankfulness which we ought to express and to that Devotion which we not only ought but need to use on such occasions For these Changes should not make us less Religious but more and call us to God and his House and Service instead of Driving us from them The House of God is the House of comfort and in our affliction we have the more need to run to it to be eased of our Sorrows as well as to show our intire Submission and Service to that most Wise and good Hand which has now Disposed of our Friend and in his Due time will Dispose of us too to his own mercy And as for the Mourning of the Surviver when God has this way parted dear Pairs the Memory of the Deceased should not easily wear off but stick fast and long with the Living as is very fit both in Respect to the Dead and in Decency and due Regard to the censure of the Wise and Sober part of the World And unless the Circumstances or needs of Families are very extraordinary and Pressing for them to change their condition sooner they should at least wait the Time which Custom and good Report have fixed in mourning for the Dead before they forget their Sorrows or hearken to any motions of exchanging them for new Joys Lastly the Executors and nearest Relations may still further shew their kindness and careful Respect and Deserve well of their Deceased Friends by being very studious to keep Peace among themselves and if any Clauses of the will are not clearly worded or any matters about the Estate are left lyable to Dispute by Composing them amicably among themselves without fuits that the contentions of the Living may not spoil or disparage the Kindness nor ever be laid by God or men to the Neglect or carelessness of the Dead By fulfilling their Wills punctually and giving to every one at their Time with Good-will and without unnecessary trouble or Delays what is really intended for them and Due to them thereby Yea by having Regard to what was fit for them to Order tho' they forgot to Order it Or what they needed to Order but could not as Payment of Debts which they left not Estate enough to pay The Law indeed will not compel them to pay beyond Assets or what the Deceased has left them to pay out of But Natural Affection and the Virtue of Gratitude in near and dear Kindred especially in Children towards their Parents may call for more than any humane Law doth For Children have received abundance from their Parents and if ever they see them brought to want they ought to look upon themselves as much in their Debt and greatly obliged in Gratitude to requite them if they are able which St. Paul calls shewing Piety at home Especially to shew this Piety in doing such things for them as they would most Desire to be done for themselves And if these Deceased Relations had Liberty to speak their own mindes to us I belive we should hear that nothing lyes nearer to their Hearts or would be more for their Ease or Comfort than doing Justice for them where they owe it or paying their just Debts is And therefore to take these up according to our Ability and Circumstances and reasonably to content and satisfie their Creditors is a Great and Noble part of Religious Piety towards them and a most Rewardable instance of Gratitude and Natâ—ral kindness Which is of the more account as being shown towards those who tho' heretofore they have done much more for us yet now can doe nothing either for us or for themselves and as being thereby an Office full of Humanity and Generosity as well as of Gratitude and Piety Thus much I thought fit to premise for a Brief Direction to Sick or Dying Persons how to manage and employ themselves when call'd by God to these Conditions and also to the surviving Relations how to discharge their Parts well upon the Death of Friends But for a more full Assistance and Direction of their Practice or Devotions I have laid together some choice Scriptures and Composed particular Prayers fit to Guide their Practice and express their Devotion on the several Duties and Exigencies of the State of Sick or Dying men or of the surviving Kindred when their Friends are taking from them And these are contained in the Pages following Prayers and Devotions FOR The State of Sickness Scriptures for the Duties and Needs of Sick Persons Psal. 39. and 130. Job 7. Matt 25. to v. 14. 2 Cor. 5. to v. 12. Psal. 77. and Psal. 6. Isa. 38. Heb. 12. I. Sickness and Afflictions are sent and ordered by Almighty God and come on Errands of Mercy AFfliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground For God maketh sorâ— and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole Job 5. 6. 18. I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand Deut 32. 39. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Rev. 3. 19. Even as the Father doth the Son in whom he delighteth Prov. 3. 12. For what Son is he whom the Father Chastneth not So that if ye endure chastning God dealeth with you as with Sons But if ye be without chastizement whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons Hebr. 12. 7 8. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for all your Iniquities Amos 3. 2. Behold then happy is the Man whom God correcteth Job 5. 17. For when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11. 32. And 't is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes Psal. 119. 71. Our Earthly Fathers indeed chastned us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness Heb. 12. 10. So that I know O! Lord thy Iudgments are Right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me Psal. 119. 75. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be World without end Amen And this Glory be to the Father c. may be added at the end of all the following Collections of Scripture when they are used Devotionally II. How they are to be received I. With Repentance of their Sins BY sin came death and death hath passed upon all men because all have sinned Rom.
submit to thee but will still thankfully adore and praise thy Name thro' Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen 2. AND I will consider O! Gracious Lord that if my Blindness makes my Soul to have less pleasure in this World it makes it also to have less danger from it For in this World I should see more that is fit to insnare than to benefit my Mind and my Eyes would let in more Tryals than true Injoyments and meet with more to afflict than to delight me And I will thankfully remember O! Father that by thy Mercy I was not born Blind but had long injoyed the use of my Eyes before I lost them yea and after I had most justly deserved to lose them Thou wast graciously pleased to lend them to me till I had been conversant in thy Holy Word to direct and comfort me And till I had seen much of what was to be seen in this World and till more Days would have brought little but the same Sights over again And by thy Grace I had first dispatch'd such Business and Affairs as are of most importance and concern to me in this Life and was come to have much less need of my Eyes before they were taken from me and I was call'd from beholding Vanity to mind thee and make sure the one thing necessary thro my Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 3. YEA and still thro' thy Mercy O! Dear God I have my Hearing perfect to supply the want of my Eye-sight And altho' I have now no use of my own Eyes yet I have of others and can still see any thing with theirs And what I once learn from them I now remember much better by thy help than I used to do whilst I had my own Eyes to trust to and am in less need of any Eyes to see it for me over again And therefore instead of repining that I have lost my Eyes I will adore and thank thy Goodness O! Blessed Lord which has so well provided me for this loss and doth now so comfortably make it up to me otherways But above all which gives me an Heart that can still look up to thee and take comfort in thy Promises when my Eyes can no longer look upon this World or delight in its Gayeties And which supports me in my dark estate with the Blessed Hope of receiving Eyes at the Resurrection of the Just which always see clear and never grow dim and which can bear the brightness of thy Presence and shall always Feast themselves in beholding thee and all Heavenly Glories thro' Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen 3. For Good use of their Blindness and proper Helps under it AND whilst thou takest from me the use of my Eyes O! Merciful Lord take from me also the Lust of my Eyes And let me by no means doat any more on Riches or on Beauty or on the Pomp and Gayety of any Earthly things since now I can no longer Feast my Eyes therewith But instead of coveting and greedily hearkning after the same make me as a Dead Man to them For Death has already invaded my Earthly Tabernacle and is come up at the Windows And I have out-lived my Eyes which as they had commonly been the first inlets of sin so now thy justice has made them the first inlets of Death too And since my Eyes are kept from looking abroad keep my mind from looking abroad too Let my thoughts busie themselves at home in searching out and setting straight mine own ways and in meditating on thy Laws and Promises I cannot say as others may that I am still called off from this good Employment of them by the sight of outward Objects or by the Cares of men of Business Oh! then that I may be more intent therein as wanting much of other Persons hindrances and excuses And make me remember O! my God that thus to know and behold thee is to see with Angels eyes And that altho' Flesh and Blood cannot see God yet Faith doth And that whilst thou art pleased to clear up my Faith which is the eye of my Soul and to make it strong and lively to discern what will please thee and what will save and comfort me in the next World it matters less tho' I remain dark to what is apt to insnare and afflict me in this World And whilst I want my Eyes to inform me at every turn what passes Lord quicken my Attention that I may give the more heed when I am told of the same and strengthen my Memory that I may not need still to be told of it again And now my own Eyes are no longer serviceable to me give me faithful Friends and Servants about me that I may safely trust to theirs And let thy Care and good Providence be to me instead of my Eyes and of all other Comforts and Conveniences which my Blindness deprives me of thro' Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen Our Father c. III. Devotions on the loss of Hearing Scriptures WHO hath made mans mouth or who maketh the Dumb or Deaf have not I the Lord Exod. 4. 11. The hearing Ear and the seeing Eye the Lord hath made even both of them Prov. 20. 12. In that day the Ears of the deaf shall be unstopped Isa. 35. 5. And the deaf shall hear the words of the Book Isa. 29. 18. He said be opened and straightway his Ears were opened Mark 7. 34 35. But above all O! Lord give thy 〈…〉 Heart 1 King 3. 9. And that is better whilst the Ears of my Body are shut than to have Ears and not to Hear Ezek. 12. 2. Or Hearing to hear but not to understand Act. 28. 26. And when the Ears of the Body are open the Ear is not fill'd wâ—th hearing nor the Eye satisfied with seeing And the thing which has been heard or seen it is that which shall be heard or seen again and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun Eccl. 1. 8 9. Yea and in hearing much evil is much trouble and just Lot in hearing vexed his righteous Soul from day to day with the unlâ—wful Deeds and filthy Conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. Thou shalt not curse the Deaf nor put a stumbling-block before the Blind but fear the Lord Lev. 19. 14. Glory be to the Father c. Prayers I. For Recovery of Hearing O! Righteous Lord mine Ears have been too much inclined and delighted to hear things which dishonour thee and corrupt me And where they were less bent upon evil yet however they were tâ—o easie and complying with it And therefore thou art just in stopping them because I have misused them and I must clear and glorifie thee in taking away my Hearing from me both in deserved Punishment of my having provoked thee and in careful Prevention of my further corruption of my self thereby But Lord in thy just Displeasure remember
Hands as into the Hands of a faithful Creator and most merciful Saviour most humbly beseeching thee that it may be precious in thy sight Wash it we pray thee in the Blood of that immaculate Lamb that was slain to take away the sins of the World that whatsoever defilements it may have contracted in the midst of this miserable and naughty world through the lusts of the flesh or the wiles of Satan being purged and done away it may be presented pure and without spot before thee And teach us who survive in this and other like daâ—ly Spectacles of mortality to see how frail and uncertain our own condition is and so to number our days that we may seriously apply our Hearts to that holy and heavenly wisdom whilst we live here which may in the end bring us to life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ thine only Son our Lord. Amen 6. A Prayer against sudden death LOrd they who have lead the best lives are Desirous of some time to prepare for their Death But my Life has abounded in Sins and Frailtyes which make me stand in much greater need thereof Snatch me not away therefore to give up my accounts by the surprize of a sudden Death but Deliver me from an unprepared Heart and an unexpected End As I Sin Dayly O! God let me repent Dayly and stand allways upon my watch that I may be ready for thee whensoever thou callest me But give me time and leasure if it may please thee to put my Spirit in the best order I can for leaving this world and appearing before thee and taking my Leave of all decently that soe with more satisfaction to my Friends and with more settlement of minde and comfort to my self I may yeild it up into the Hands of thy mercy thro Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen Prayers and Devotions upon the Death of Friends Scriptures 1. When a Friend dyes IT is better to goe to the House of mourning than to go to the House of â—easting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his Heart Sorrow is better than Laughter for by the Sadness of the Countenance the Heart is made better Eccl. 7. 2 3. But sorrow not Brethren for them which are asleep even as others which have no hope For if we Believe that Jesus Dyed and Rose again even soe them alsoe which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1. Thess. 4. 13 14. Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints Ps. 116. 13. And Blessed are the Dead which Dye in the Lord for they rest from their Labors and their works follow them Rev. 14 13. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to Dye and their Departure is taken for misery But they are in Peace and their Hope is full of immortality Wisd. 3. 2 3 4. And here the Righteous shall be had in everlastiâ—g Remembrance and the memory of the just is Blessed Ps. 112. 6. and Prov. 10. 7. Besides when the Righteous Dyes iâ— is often to take him from the evil to come Is. 57. 1. And now he is Dead wherefore should I fast and weep Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me 2 Sam. 12. 23. Forget it not for there is no turning again thou shalt not do him good but hurt thy self And think thou hearest him say Remember my judgement or the sentence upon me for thine also shall be so Yesterday for me and to day for thee Therefore take no Heaviness to heart but Drive it away and remember the last end And when the Dead is at Rest let his remembrance Rest and be Comforted for him when his Spirit is Departed from him Ecclus. 38. 20 21 22 23. 2. When a Friend is taken away early THo the Righteous be prevented with Death yet shall he be in Rest. He was taken away speedily lest that wickedness should alter his understanding or Deceit beguile his Soul He pleased God and was beloved of him soe that living among sinners he was translated Yea therefore the Lord hasted to take him away from the wicked Moreover he being made Perfect in a short time fullfill'd a long Time For Honourable Age is not that which Standeth in Length of time nor that is measured by number of years But wisdom is the Gray hair unto men and an unspotted Life is old Age. Wisd. 4. 7 8 9 10 11 13 14. And why art thou against the Pleasure of the most High there is noe inquisition in the Grave whether thou have lived ten or an hundred or a thousand years Ecclus. 41. 4. 3. When one is Childless Trust not thou in the Life of Children neither Respect their multitude For one that is just is better than a thousand and better it is to Dye without Children than to have them that are ungodly Ecclus. 16. 3. Better it is to have noe Children and to have Virtue For the Memorial thereof is immortal because it is known with God and with Men. When it is present men take example at it and when it is gone they desire it it weareth a Crown and Triumpheth for ever haveing got the Victory striveing for undefiled Rewards Wisd. 4. 1 2. Prayers I. Prayers when a Friend Dyes 1. O! Allmighty Lord who hast now taken from us our Dear Brother here Departed at thy word we are sent into the Labor of Life and at the same word we return again into the Rest and Sleep of Death And thy Counsells O! God are Secret and farr above out of our sight But they are allways just and leave noe Ground for our Complaints Yea they are allways wise and Good and will appear to have been most Honourable for thee and most fit and Proper for us in the end Oh! then that I may humbly and dutifully Reverence thy Orderings when I can not Comprehend them and bring my will into a quiet submission unto thine and receive my Loss meekly and without murmuring because it is of thy sending Teach me thereby O! Lord to stand in awe of thy justice and to shew a devout Sense of the desert of Sin whose wages is Death and a Decent Sorrow for my own Loss But let my Sorrow be without fixing Faults on what thou hast orderd and without refusing to be Comforted as others who have noe Hope or growing Rebellious or unthankfull unto thee and troublesome to those about me because thou hast call'd my dear Friend away and deprived me of his Company Yea Lord instead hereof keep me thankfull unto thee that I was allow'd to have and injoy this Comfort before I am call'd now to part with it For I have great cause to Bless thee that I injoy'd him at all especially soe long as I did and have noe Cause now to be angry that I can injoy him no longer Nay I should render my self utterly unworthy of any Gift from thee
should I fall to claim thy Free Favours as my due because thou hast long continued them to me and to thinke thou doest me wrong if at any time thou holdest back thine own and for wise and Good Ends stoppest some stream of thy Free Bounty towards me And let this uncertainty O! God of the dearest Worldly Comforts teach me to fix my Heart on joys which will never fade or perish To take more Comfort in thy self and to look for less in all Earthly things Oh! be thou my Desire and my Hearts Delight and let a Good Conscience be my Treasure and integrity my joy And these will stick to me till Death and follow me beyond it and Give me Rest in thy Presence and Pleasures for evermore thro my Dearest Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 2. LEt not my Grief excede O! Lord or be obstinate against Thoughts or Words of Comfort because I cannot bring him back again and because it can not benefit him but will much hurt me And make me Consider which alass I ought thoroly to have Consider'd sooner that altho he was a very Dear and Great yet he was only a mortal Comfort whose Life would be sure to fail tho his Friendship should not I know my Tenure was only to hold him as thy Giâ—t and to part with him again at thy Pleasure And that as we have the Comfort of injoying Dear Friends or Relations here soe we must be content too to have the trouble and sorrow of parting with them And now Lord when thou hast taken him I know that he is more thine than he is mine and that thou hast the best Claim to him And when thou tookest him from me thou tookest him to thy self And I trust thy taking him is to his unspeakable joy tho it be to my sorrow and that with thee he is now infinitely better than he was or could be here Yea that thou hast taken him to that Place where by thy Mercy I also hope to come and whither in my Order thou wilt likewise take me in thy Due time Soe that thy Grace O! Dear God and a little Patience will bring us together again And Oh! that thou wouldest be pleased to put an End to all our Sins and Sorrows and to hasten thy Kingdom and to accomplish the Number of thine Elect. And mercifuilly to Graunt that all we and all others who either have Departed or shall Depart this Life in thy true Faith and Fear may have our Perfect Consummation and Bliss in thy Heavenly and Eternal Kingdom thro Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen 3. LEt not my Grief for my Deceased Friend excede O! most Gracious God for I hope thou hast taken him for his own Good And that thou hast Comforted his Soul by his exchange and hast only smitten ours leaving us to mourn for our Sins and for our Loss whilst he by thy Mercy is hereby set out of the Reach of Sin and Misery For as he is now removed O! Father from all worldly satisfactions soe is he allsoe from all worldly Temptations And our Comfort is to Hope that he is now at Rest from Labour and has Ceased from Sin and Shame That He is now eased of Pains and is above Misfortunes and has found a Cure for all his Sorrows having Grief and Care for ever banishd from his Heart and all Tears wiped away from his Eyes And that he is gone from the Vale of Misery to the Regions of joy and from Conversing with us to live with thee and the Blessed Jesus and to be a Companion of Saints and Angels Let not self Love then O! Lord and the sense of my own Loss make me repine at that change which I take to be his Happiness Let not that which I hope doth highly please him displease me nor let me refuse Comfort because I trust he is taken for ever to be fill'd with it His Death I humbly hope is the joy of Saints and Angels and the Envy and Grief of Evil Spirits who see him taken up to a State where they can not tempt and to an Happiness which is for ever Denyed to themselves Oh! then that I may not joyn with his utter Enemyes and mine in their Envy but with those Blessed Spirits in their Charity and instead of greiving immoderately or being angry with thee that I may heartily Bless thy Name for turning Death thus into a Blessing and as I trust for accomplishing his Hopes thereby and makeing of him happy And let thy Providence O! Father be a Store-House of Supplyes to make up to me and to all his Friends and Dependants all those Supports and Blessings which we receive from thee by his means Especially let his change put us all upon prepareing Diligently and Carefully for our own Make it raise us up from the Death of Sin to a Life of Righteousness and take us off from all undue esire or Care of Earthly things to minde the one thing necessary which is the Great and most Comfortable Business of Life and which alone will stand us in stead and make us Happy after Death thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 4. A Prayer when any Persons Feed impatience and fix themselves in Greif by Surmizing that God is angry at them when he takes away their Friends O! Blessed Lord let not me make it a Pretence for my impatience that this Loss comes as thy Visitation for my Sins or greive obstinately as fancying that thou takest away my Friend here Departed out of Anger and displeasure against me For thou O! God hast many other Ends to look at besides what Concerns me in these matters And these Providences touch our Friends themselves Directly and Principally and reach us only by the by And when in meer Love and Kindness unto them thou wouldest call them to thy self that must unavoidably take them away from us But if in this change thou dost shew Displeasure against me for my Sins Lord teach me that it is my Part humbly to submit my self to thee and not to be angry or impatient under thy Correction of me but to accept my Loss with quietness as the punishment of mine iniquities And that whilst thou art removeing my Blessings because of my Great Ununworthyness and unthankfullness under them I have the more need to shew my self Thankful for any that are still continued to me and to give up my will in all things to thine to serve and please thee thro our Dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen 5. A Prayer when these Losses come close one upon another ANd altho these affecting Losses come thick upon me O! Father yet I know all this is for a Greater Tryal of my Patience And I am sensible that I have enough and abundantly too much in me that needs to be punished thereby And that thou hast wise and kinde Reasons â—now thus to Heap upon me these Sorrows tho it were not to punish but only to