therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given you Judg. 20.21 25. And the Children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibzah and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men And the second day they destroyed down to the ground eighteen thousand men I Sam. 4.18 And when he the Messenger made mention of the Ark of God Eli fell from off the seat backward by the side of the Gate and his neck brake for he was an old man and heavy and he had judged Israel fourty years 2 Kings 23.29 And King Josiah went against him Pharaoh Necho and he slew him at Megiddo Job 2.7 Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with sore biles from the sole of his foot unto his crown Chap. 9.21 22. Though I were perfect yet would I not know my soul I would despise my life This is one thing therefore I said it he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked Eccl. 8.14 There be just men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked again there be wicked men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous Chap. 9.2 All things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and unto the wicked to the good and to the clean and to the unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Jer. 24.5 Like these good figs so will I acknowledg them that are carried away captive of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Caldoeans for their good Acts 20.9 And there sate in a window a certain young man named Eutychus being fallen into a deep sleep and as Paul was long preaching he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead 2 Tim. 4.20 Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick 3. The Divine Clemency in preventing by such chastisements our eternal destruction Joh. 5.14 Jesus said unto him Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee I Cor. 11.32 When we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemed with the world 4. The Discrimination that shall one day be made betwixt such as may suffer alike in this world Mal. 3.14 to the end Ye have said it is vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts And now we call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth the Lord and him that serveth him not 5. The Duty of searching after that which doth provoke God to anger Gen. 42.22 And they the Brethren of Joseph said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the Anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Jos 7.13 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel there is an accursed thing in the middest of thee O Israel thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you Jon. 1.7 And the Mariners said every one to his fellow come and let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is come upon us 1 Cor. 11.30 31. For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many are fallen asleep For if we would judg our selves we should not be judged Rev. 9.20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands Fifthly When the sick Person is oppressed with the fear of death such Scriptures are useful as set forth 1. The like fear in holy men Psal 18.3 4. The sorrows of death compassed me and the overflowings of ungodliness made me afraid The pains of Hell came about me the snares of death overtook me Psal 55.4 5. My heart is disquieted within me and the fear of death is fallen upon me Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me and an horrible dread hath overwhelmed me Psal 102.23 24. He brought down my strength in my journey and shortned my days But I said O my God take me not away in the middest of mine age as for thy years they endure throughout all generations Isa 38.1 2 3. Isaiah the Prophet the son of Amos came unto him Hezekiah and said unto him Thus saith the Lord set thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not live Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and prayed unto the Lord And said remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walkt before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore 2. Comforts against fear of death from 1. The necessity of dying 1 Sam. 12.23 Now he is dead wherefore should I fast can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not come to me Chap. 14.14 We must needs dye and are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again Job 7.1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth are not his days also like the days of an hireling Isa 40.6 7. The voice said cry And I said what shall I cry All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as a flower of the field The grass withereth the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it surely the People is grass Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye 2. Victory over death by Christ. Isa 25.8 He will swallow up death in victory Hos 13.14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction 1 Cor. 15.25 26. He must reign till he have put all enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death Vers 54.55 When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 3. Blessed death of the righteous 2 Chron. 34.28 I will gather thee to thy Fathers and thou shalt be gathered unto thy
gathered unto his People Job 5.26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Chap. 23.46 When Jesus had cried with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And having thus said he gave up the ghost Acts 7.59 They stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Vers 60. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge And when he had said this he fell asleep Rev. 22.20 He that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus THe Minister must not fail to press the sick person to receive the Holy Eucharist and to open to him the comfortable Doctrine the Scripture holds forth in that blessed Ordinance this being the fittest close for the life of him whose constant business it hath been as of all good Christians to labour for pardon and grace the Benefits sealed to Believers in that Sacrament by Him who purchased them for us with his most precious blood as in that Commemorative Sacrifice is most lively represented to us The Institution whereof so nearly preceding the Passion of our Blessed Redeemer doth recommend the use of these Holy Mysteries unto Christians as very seasonable at that time when they are upon putting off their earthly Tabernacles their corruptible Bodies in expectation of a joyful Resurection and Exaltation unto life Eternal whereof this Holy Sacrament was by the Primitive Fathers of the Church esteemed a sure and sacred Pledg A most comfortable Preparative whereunto if heartily desired and cantiously and reverently administred is the Benefit of Absolution Which deserves not to be the less esteemed or the more neglected for whatsoever abuses it hath heretofore been liable unto when both Priest and People believed more of the Sacerdotal Power than was consistent with so great a Trust committed to the one and so strict a disquisition required from the other lest the Minister might be Partaker of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 and the People delude themselves with unsincere and fruitless Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 11. A Prayer to be used in a state of Health O Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift Thou art he who tookest me out of my Mothers womb and by thee have I been holden up ever since I was born The blessings of health and strength that I enjoy are from thy goodness and bounty And for them and all thy other mercies I bless and praise thy ever-great and glorious Name Most humbly beseeching thee to add to these that blessing of blessings the right use of all thy blessings That through the comfort and assistance of that health and strength thou hast given me I may become the more diligent and faithful in the practice of those several duties of piety justice and charity which thou requirest at my hands And suffer me not O Lord to deceive my self by a false account of the time of my Pilgrimage but so teach me to number my days that I may apply my heart unto wisdom that I may readily discern the vast difference between this span of life and the infinite spaces of eternity between the pleasures of sin for a season and the everlasting fulness of joy in thy presence And for this end remove far away from me all those vices to which health and ease are apt to betray me especially all carnal security lust pride anger want of compassion misspending my time forgetfulness of thee and of thy ways and works And implant in my mind the daily remembrance of death and judgment the necessity of working out my salvation with fear and trembling and the misery of being surpriz'd by the coming of our Lord in my sins or fruitless repentance So that the health of my body may through thy blessing promote the health of my Soul and thy augmenting the number of my Talents increase both my labour and reward That passing the time of my sojourning here in fear I may treasure up for my self such spiritual strength and consolation as may stand me in stead when I shall lye down on my bed of sickness and death administring comfort to my soul in the conscience of well doing which thou hast promised us to accept and reward through thy mercies in Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer when one perceives himself to be sick O Lord my God I have learn'd from thy Holy Word and by daily experience in this vale of misery that dust I am and unto dust I shall return that I must put off this earthly Tabernacle and that thou wilt bring me to death and the house appointed for all living And now Lord I feel in my self the usual summons thy good providence doth give us to review our accounts and to sit our selves for death and judgment Blessed be thy Name for this thy mercy that thou hast not taken advantage of me whil'st I was thine enemy to cut me off suddenly in my sins and hurry me hence in mine iniquity but hast given me the time means and I trust grace for repentance and amendment of life And though I have not improved such hath been my negligence and sloth these rich favours to that great advantage I might and should have done yet I beseech thee O Lord for thine infinite mercies in thy son Christ Jesus that thou wilt not be extream to mark what I have done amiss and to lay my sins to my charge but that thou wilt deal mercifully with me thy most unworthy servant blotting out all my sins and transgressions that none of mine iniquities may be mentioned unto me in that great and terrible day of Recompences And forasmuch as thou alone in whose hands our times are dost know what will be the issue of this my present distemper and sickness cause me to reflect on it as proceeding from thy Will and Wisdom and cheerfully and thankfully to submit to this chastisement as a means appointed by thee for the benefit and comfort of my Soul and vouchsafe unto me that grace which may enable me to receive profit thereby and from experience of thy goodness towards me to gain hope and confidence of thy love And if thou hast reserv'd for me the blessing of restoring me to my former health which I beseech thee to do direct me to the use of such means as thou wilt make effectual for that end But if the days of my warfare are accomplished prepare me O Lord for a safe quiet and comfortable departure out of this life and fit me for thy prefence and glory O Lord strengthen me against all the malicious practices and devices of my subtil and implacable enemy against all errours and delusions of my understanding the allurements of this World inordinate love of this miserable Life and
the terrours of Death by filling my heart with Divine comforts by strengthening my Faith in thy mercies through Christ Jesus by representing to my thoughts his victory over Death and those unconceiveable and endless joys which thou hast prepared for them that love thee That neither life nor death hight nor depth things present nor things to come may be able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and only Blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen Prayers to be used in a Family A Morning Prayer O Lord and heavenly Father who renewest thy loving kindness unto us from day to day making the outgoings of the Morning and Evening to praise thee We give thee humble thanks for the dispensation of thy loving providence over us vouchsafed unto us in our preservation this night and the comfortable rest wherewith thou hast refreshed our frail bodies Humbly beseeching thee to pardon unto us whatsoever sins the subtilty and malice of Satan or our own corrupt nature and vain imagination have made us guilty of this night and all the times and days and nights of our lives until this present hour And we most humbly beseech thee to make this and all other thy good mercies bestowed upon us serviceable to the advancement of thy glory and the good of thy Church That we may not by wasting any of thy precious Talents vouchsafed unto us or by abusing and misapplying the comforts thou givest us render our selves accountable to thy dreadful Majesty as well for the good we have received as for the evil we have committed But let all the good things thou hast done unto us vile and miserable sinners increase a love of thy Divine Majesty in our hearts and perfect the practice of true holiness and righteousness in our conversation through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen Almighty God by whose Spirit the whole body of thy Church is governed and sanctified receive the Supplications and Prayers which we humbly offer to thy Divine Majesty for all estates and conditions of Men in thy Holy Congregation Particularly for all Christian Kings Princes and Governours more especially for thy Servant Charles our King That they may be preserved from all Treachery and Violence and that they may use their Power for the encouragement of them that do well and for a terrour unto evil doers For Subjects that they may submit unto the higher Powers for conscience sake as being ordained of God For the Nobility and Gentry that they may give good examples as they are great in Place For the Clergy that their holiness may be according to the Shekel of the Sanctuary and that they may be able to divide the Word of truth aright giving unto every one his portion in due season For the Rich that they may be ready to give and glad to distribute laying up for themselves treasures in Heaven For the Poor that they may be diligent honest and contented and that there be never wanting those who will strengthen the hands of the Poor and Needy For the Fatherless and Widows that thou wouldest be a Father to the one and an Husband to the other For the Labouring-Man that thou wouldest give him an healthful body a patient mind and that thou wouldst prosper unto him the work of his hands For those who are at ease that they may beware of the sins of Sodom Pride abundance of Idleness and fulness of Bread For the Prisoners and Captives that their bread may not fail and that the hearts of their Brethren may not be hardened against them For the sick in Body that they may cheerfully submit to Gods afflicting hand and that their patience may have its perfect work For those who are in health that they may not remove far from them the evil day but may shew themselves wise in considering their latter end For those who are afflicted in mind that thou wouldst help them to put on the Breast-plate of Faith and for an Helmet the hope of Salvation and that thou wouldst make them to see thy faithfulness in not permitting them to be tempted above what they are able to bear For Parents that they may be careful to provide for the welfare of their Childrens Souls and Bodies bringing them up in the nurture of the Lord. For Children that they may love honour and reverence their Parents obeying them in all things For Husbands that they may love their Wives as their own bodies not being bitter against them but giving them honour as to the weaker vessels and being heirs together of the grace of life For Wives that they may reverence and be in subjection to their Husbands labouring to be adorned with a meek and quiet spirit For the Unmarried that they may not spend their precious Talents in the pleasures of sin and vanity of life but that they may be pure and spotless attending upon the Lord without distraction For the Antient that they may be sober grave temperate sound in Faith in Charity in Patience For the Young that they may be sober-minded reverencing the Aged as Fathers being ready to be taught by their wisdom and experience and to follow good counsels and examples For Masters that they may behave themselves prudently justly and gently towards their Servants as considering that they also have a Master in Heaven For Servants that they may be subject to their Masters with all fear not with eye-service as men-pleasers but willingly and from the heart shewing all good fidelity For Teachers that they may watch over the Souls of them who are committed to their charge as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief For Learners that they may esteem highly of their Teachers for their works sake improving all opportunities of being benefited by them For true Converts that they may daily grow in grace being strengthned with might by the spirit in the inner man For bare Professors of Religion that they may leave off to deny him in their works whom they profess with their mouths and that they may have the power as well as the form of godliness For our Friends and Kinsfolks according to the flesh that being graffed together in the same common faith we may together attain unto the perfection of Charity in the World to come For our Enemies that they may not be rewarded themselves as they have dealt with us but that we may melt them into an affection of us by returning to them good for evil For all that have done good unto us that thou wouldest remember them O our God for their good recompensing them with thy Blessings in this life and eternal glory in the world to come And we most humbly beseech thee the infinitely wise and all-seeing God that thou wilt of thy great mercy grant all those things that we have now prayed for and all other things which thou knowest to be needful both for our selves