yet I may with humility and I hope not without some truth impute the amendment of many of them to mine own sufferings The ground hath been tilled and the tree hath been pruned And why should not this tilling and pruning yield the peaceâ—…le fruit of righteousness unto me that have been exercised thereby I have been â—…ng and often ploughed as it were â—…nd broken up and harrowed by the hand of God and why should I not be somewhat amended and improved by his good husbandry I have been long and often â—…ned as it were in my flesh by his â—…harp knife cutting off my superfluities 〈◊〉 make me the less sinful and the more â—…ruitful And why should I not bring â—…rth good fruits in due season even tâ—… peaceable fruits of righteousness or the fruits of righteousness which bring forth peace the peace of a good conscience here and of a blessed Eternity hereafter Therefore earnestly desiring to walk in this righteousness I will hope to lay me down in this peace And at the end of my wearisom Pilgrimage to take my rest in the arms of Gods Eternal mercy though now I groan under the hand of his Justice For so laying me down to sleep none shall ever be able to take either me from his arms or my rest from me Amen The sick mans Ejaculations To the Reader THese Ejaculations are Eighty in number and they are like mans years in Moses time when they come to that same number full of labour and sorrow though this latter age of the world will not let it self tarry so long for labour nor others tarry so long for sorrow And they are therefore called Ejaculations because they are as it were so many dartings of the soul upon some reflexion or thought either of mans misery or of Gods mercy sent up towards Heaven All aiming at one mark though from several occasions and after several waies That is at the rest of the soul in God Nor may you here look for curious method but for Religious matter sometimes you will find the sick mans soul troubled for fear of death sometimes almost inflamed with the desire of it sometimes bemoaning the disturbance of his body sometimes fearing the distemper of his soul sometimes affrighted with the thought of Judgement sometimes rejoycing against it If you find any thing to comfort you in your extremity thank not me for speaking to my self but thank God for speaking to your soul And be not troubled that your Passions like these Ejaculations are not orderly so as they be Religious Trouble and sorrow cannot look after Order but they must look after Religion And a sick mans expressions are not so much beholding to his head to make them Methodical and Eloquent as to his 〈◊〉 to make them affectionate and devout And God grant your sickness may make yours so Ejaculations 1. GRant Lord that I may be dead unto sin before I am dead unto the world that being planted together in the likeness of thy Sons death I may be also in the likeness of his Resurrection That like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so I walking in newness of life may have a comfortable death here and a glorious Resurrection hereafter 2. Destroy in me O God the body of sin before thou destroy in me the body of flesh that I may be justified from my sins whiles I live and freed from my sins when I shall be dead Make me to lie down in comfort because by my death I shall wholly die unto my sins Make me to rest in hope because by my Resurrection I shall wholly live unto my God 3. Make me to look upon my sickness my tedious and terrible sickness as upon thy Visitation that I may bear it patiently Make me look upon my death as upon my Release that I may take it comfortably 4. O thou who wouldst be crucified before thou wouldst be glorified and didst suffer pain to enter into Joy make me submit to thy Cross that thou mayest prepare me for thy Crown Make me contentedly to suffer with thee in this world that I may triumphantly reign with thee in the world to come 5. O Lord I have Judged my self let me not be Judged of thee so as to be condemned for it is agreeable with thy Mercy to save the sinner though thou destroy the sin And it is agreeable with thy Justice not to punish that sin in me which thou hast already punished in my blessed Redeemer 6. O Lord thou didst make thy beloved Son perfect with sufferings and I cannot hope thou wilt let thy unworthy servant be perfected without them O then let not my sufferings betray the imperfections of my flesh but conduce to the perfections of my spirit and make me ever willing to suffer since thou canst and wilt make me perfect by suffering 7. O thou God of peace that broughtest again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant Make me perfect in every good work to do and suffer thy will working in me that which is well-pleasing in thy sight and working for me that which is profitable for my salvation through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Heb. 13. 20 21. 8. O blessed Jesu the chief Corner-stone on which alone is laid for us the foundation of a blessed Eternity the Rock upon which thy Church is built and all our souls relie Be merciful unto me and give ear unto my prayers and to my sighs and groans when I cannot pray Be unto me a fountain of comfort whensoever my heart is in heaviness and my body is in pain that my soul may have continual health and joy and rest in Thee and in thy Merits and Mercies for evermore 9. Lord make me desire the dissolution of my earthly house of this Tabernacle that I may have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens for I know that whiles I am at home in the body I am absent from the Lord Make me therefore willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with thee my God for in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore And make me labour that whether absent or present I may be accepted of thee through the righteousness of thy dearest Son my only Lord and Saviour Amen 10. Give unto me true sorrow for my sins that thou mayest give me true comfort in my sorrows Grant I may have peace in thee whiles I have tribulation in the world and make me be of good chear in all my tribulations for thou hast overcome the world and wilt not let the world overcome me 11. O Lord Jesus Christ who hast overcome the sharpness of death opened the Kingdom of heaven to all Believers Make me â—…ot to fear death since thou hast made that â—…n Inlet into thy
for he tasted it at his own pleasure Death feeds on us for we must tast it against our wills and not only tast it but also eat it down Corruption first seized upon our souls and from thence passed to our bodies It was to our greatest disadvantage that it seized upon our souls But it is to our greatest advantage that it seizeth upon our bodies For unless they should be quite destroyed sin which first caused mortality would in the corrupt remainders and Reliques of our bodies it self have a kind of immortality whereas Righteousness alone is and ought to be immortal And therefore it is very probable that those who shall be found alive at the last day of whom the Apostle hath said We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15. 51. shall have a change not only Equivalent to a Death but also to a Total Destruction For sin must totally be destroyed And therefore also our bodies that have lodged it and have been defiled by it That there may not be left the least monument of sin in the New World wherein shall dwell nothing but Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. And now me thinks I can find a Paradise in Golgotha ever since my Saviour hath been there and bid hearty welcom to those worms which shall destroy that flesh which would have destroyed me For I can now safely conclude that neither in regard of my soul nor of my body ought I to fear Death which certainly is not so formidable in it self as it is generally in the worlds opinion For if the Rule be true Nomen quasi Novimen The name of every thing is that whereby it is best known and discerned then by the name of death we may best know and discern the nature of it And these are the chief Names whereby the Scripture expresseth it A Sleep A Change A Departure A Dissolution and none of all these Names is terrible and why then should the thing it self be so But if there be any terrour in the thing yet we are sure that in the Text there is a comfort greater then the terrour First Death is called a Sleep Mat. 9. 24. The maid is not dead but sleepeth And though wicked miscreants who believed not the Resurrection laughed at our blessed Saviour for calling death A sleep yet let all good Christians rejoyce that it is so and give him thanks for making it so It is a comfortable Gloss which the third Toletan Council cap. 22. gives upon those words of John 11. 35. Jesus wept For they say Dominus non flevit Lazarum sed ad vitae hujus ploravit Aerumnas resuscitandum Jesus did not weep that Lazarus slept but that he was again to be awakened to see the miseries and feel the mischiefs of this wicked world T was said before verse 11. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth And he that said it having made his death a sleep was troubled that he should awaken him so soon from his sleep In vita vigilant Justi ideo in morte dicuntur Dormire saith St. Augustine The good man when he dieth is said to sleep because he watcheth and waketh all his life but a wicked man sleeps all his life and awakens only at his death Soul take thy rest saith the rich worldling He lulls his soul asleep but what follows Thou fool this night is thy soul taken from thee Thy sleep shall soon be over together with thy life and Vengeance and Death they shall awaken thee For hast thou slept all thy life and wouldest thou also sleep at thy death Hast thou slept all the while thou wert here and wouldest thou also sleep now thou art going hence Hast thou slept when God bad thee awake and wouldest thou also sleep now that he bids thee die No Thou mayest not any longer expect rest ease and tranquillity For thou shalt certainly have disconsolation at thy departure grief in thy passage and shame at thy journeys end when thou shalt appear before Gods Judgement-seat and shalt not be able to give any account at all of thy life no more then the Souldiers could of Christ Mat. 28. for thou wert asleep Thy Death would have been a sleep if thy life had not been so Secondly Death is called A Change Job 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointiâ—… time will I wait till my Change come Thâ—… Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wiâ—… wait till I be made again If death be thy making Tell me what can be thy marring A happy change doubtless which is nothing but a new making of that which is quite out of Order And thus saith St. Chrysostome did Symmachus expound thâ—… words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my holy Nativity or my holy Naturâ—… come The nature which I now have iâ—… full of corruption full of unholiness so that my own flesh is not so neer me as iâ—… my sinfulness O for a regeneration of my body as well as of my soul that I may be born again in my flesh as I am in my spirit Nor is there any thing that can morâ—… truly sweeten the thought of death theâ—… this consideration that it is a change For we are already in so bad a condition that we cannot well fear our Change should be for the worse And if we be truly sensible of our own condition it is most sure thaâ—… our change will be infinitely for the better For so saith the Apostle Phil. 3. 20â—… 21. For our conversation is in Heaven froâ—… whence we also look for the Saviour thâ—… Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body as if he had said we find nothing on Earth worth conversing withall therefore our conversation is in Heaven we know that our body is now vile and loathsom and therefore we look for the Lord Jesus Christ to Change and Fashion it like unto his Glorious Body Here are two great changes which the men of this world that are most given to change least care for A change of the soul from being on Earth to be in Heaven for our conversation is in Heaven A change of the body from Vileness to Glory who shall change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body Thirdly Death is called A Departure and so doth Abenezra expound the forenamed word in Job 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaliphathi my change that is saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Halicathi my departure For the Jews express mans Birth as a Coming and his Death as a Going So Eccles. 1. 4. One generation goeth or Passeth away and another cometh Generatio vadens and Generatio Veniens The first is put for the Dying the latter for the living Generation of mankind And the first Council of Nice can 13. speaking of Dying men useth a word that only signifieth going forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De iis qâ—… exeunt And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man be ready to Depart
no other wâ—… understanding then he hath givenâ—… Angels they not being able to underâ—… distinctly by such universal forms aâ—… Angels could not have had a partâ—… and distinct knowledge of any thing only a general and confused knowleâ—… so it is clearly for the better that Huâ—… Souls be united unto Bodies because iâ—…duceth to the bettering of their uâ—…standing But this reason conceâ—… the soul of man no longer then whiles it is here on earth whereas it is evident that the desire of Re-union with the body accompanieth the soul also in heaven for though she there understand by a far more excellent and noble way without the Body then she doth here in the Body yet doth she still desire Re-union with the Body and not think her own bliss so compleat till she may have it in and with her old companion her first friend and acquaintance Excellently the same Aquinas 12 ae qu. 4. ar 5. Desiderium Animae separatae totaliter quiescit ex parte Appetibilis quia habet id quod suo appetitui sufficit sed non totaliter requiescit ex parte Appetentis quia illud bonum non possidet secundum omnem modum quo possidere vellet ideo corpore resumpto beatitudo crescit non intensive sed extensive The desire of the separated souls that are in Heaven is fully satisfied as to the object or the thing that they desire for they have all the blessedness that they can wish But not as to the subject or their manner of desireing for they have not their blessedness so as they do wish it because it is not yet communicated to their bodies wherefore after the Resurrection of the Body the blessedness of Glorified Souls is said tâ—… increase though not intensively as if tâ—… bliss should be greater in it self for thâ—… are already admitted to the vision and frâ—…ition of God yet surely extensively bâ—…cause it shall be greater in respect of theâ—… that enjoy it when it shall be communâ—…cated from their Souls unto their Bodies And therefore the Glorified Souls of meâ—… do exceedingly desire that their Blessedness should be so communicated becausâ—… their supernatural Bliss doth not extinguish cannot exclude their natural Desire which is to be united to their Bodies Accordingly Aquinas tells us that to thâ—… perfect consummation of mans Bliss is required not only a perfect Disposition oâ—… his Soul but also of his Body and thaâ—… both antecedently and consequently to hiâ—… Blessedness Antecedently or before he iâ—… Blessed for else his Body would clogg hiâ—… Soul and divert it from the Beatifical vision And Consequently or after he iâ—… Blessed for the Soul cannot but communicate her Bliss and Glory to the Body 12 ae q. 4. ar 6. Therefore that which was a Natural Body at the separation shall be made a Spiritual Body at the Re-union and being once made a Spiritual body the Soul shall have Power to keep 〈◊〉 â—…o for ever according to that of Saint Aug. â—…am potenti naturâ Deus fecit Animam ut â—…x ejus plenissimâ Beatitudine redundit in â—…nferiorem Naturam Incorruption is vigor With so powerful a Nature hath God endued the soul of man that when her self â—…hall come to be perfectly Blessed she will be able to Transmit her Bliss and Incorruption to the body Wherefore let â—…y soul be separated from this natural body by which it is corrupted that it may â—…e united to that Spiritual body by which â—…t shall be perfected The Second PART OR The Consolation against Death Preface HE that will fully comfâ—… the Soul of man agaiâ—… Death must comfort against sickness that coâ—…monly goes before it 〈◊〉 against Judgement tâ—… alwaies follows after it So that thisâ—… consolation must branch it self into these tâ—… Chapters The Comforts of the Soul against Sicknâ—… The Comforts of the Soul against Deathâ—… The Comforts of the Soul against Judgment It is as easie for those in health to gâ—… advice to the sick as it is hard for the 〈◊〉 to follow it But every one that can gâ—… Advice to the sick cannot give them câ—… for t in their sickness The best that any of us can say in this kind is The Lord comort you And yet surely there are some men who are obliged if not enabled by their Calling to speak more comfortably then others no less to body-sick then to sin-sick Persons Those men whose peculiar Duty it is to visit the sick and consequently to comfort them For they may not do as Jobs Friends did come to Grieve with him and then help not to Asswage but to Encrease his Grief For they by so doing are lookt upon not as Gods but as the Devils Instruments though they were of the Posterity of Abraham and therefore undoubtedly instructed in the true Relion according to that Testimony given of Abraham by God himself Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Yet these men were so faulty in their conferences with holy Job that God himself saith of them they had not spoken right concerning him and that his wrath was kindled against them Job 42. 7. Whereby it Appears that Jobs former exclamations against them proceeded not from the impotency of his Passion but from the justness of his cause when he said ye are forgers of lies ye are all Physitians of no value Job 13. 4. Medici Idoli so Jarchi expounds the word and parallels it with that of Zach. 11. 17. where we tanslate it the Idol shepheard and may here so too The idol Comforters Men that made a shew of Comfort but afforded none at all no more then if they had been but meer Idols Nay that 's not all they afforded him dicomforts instead of comforts wherefore he calls them also miserable comforters Job 16. 2. Hebrew consolatores molestiae troublesome comforters are you all And sick men may in this Brain-sick age of ours quickly have enough if not too much of such comforters Men that scarce can settle others consciences having so much unsettled their own Which made Saint Paul come with a Benedictus in his mouth and surely it was in his heart before it was in his mouth when he considered what a great mercy it was in God towards those in distress to give either true comforts or true comforters saying Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ The Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our Tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort where with we our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. The Apostle begins here with thanksgiving according to his accustomed manner in all his Epistles but contrary to his custome doth he apply this thanksgiving wholy to himself The reason was saith Beza Because the Corinthians did begin to despise him for his Afflictions the common course of the world to
the Lord is good Psal. 34. 8. You will taste his goodness in the most bitter Potion you will see his goodness in the most bloody scourge if you do but seriously consider that Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and consequently whom he most chasteneth he most loveth Wherefore since thy loving kindness is better then life Psal. 63. 3. though thy chastisement take away my life yet I desire not thou shouldst take away thy chastisement as long as that giveth me the true sense and feeling of thy loving kindness Gods Rod â—…s it self a very good Lesson and doth here accordingly set down a Two fold Document Documentum Amoris Documentum Salutis A Document of his Love for loving and chastening go together And to be without Correction is to be without Filiation v. 8. But if ye be without chastisement then are ye Bastards not Sons And a Document of our Salvation For his chastisement is as it were a Plowing and Tilling of our Souls to make us bring forth more fruit even the fruit of unfeigned Righteousness and the fruit of everlasting Peace ver 11. It yeildeth thâ—… Peacecable fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby The peaceablâ—… fruit of Righteousness These words may be called Eshcol For they are a whole clustster of grapes Num. 13. 24. yet not to be carried between two upon a staff being no less in effect then That Eternâ—… weight of Glory or indeed the whoâ—…e Kingdom of Heaven for if you Press these Grapes and squeeze out the wine thaâ—… is in them you will find Righteousness an unfeigned Righteousness which is thâ—… Kingdom of Grace And you will finâ—… Peace an Everlasting Peace which is thâ—… Kingdom of Glory And this is the whoâ—… Kingdom of Heaven the Kingdom 〈◊〉 Grace and the Kingdom of Glory Anâ—… as unfeigned Righteousness is the way tâ—… bring us to Everlasting Peace So is correction and chastisement the way to brinâ—… us to unfeigned Righteousness Where in we shall see very much to exercise oâ—… Piety but nothing at all to disturb ouâ—… Patience For all chastening is but for a few â—…yes ver 10. whether it be by our â—…thers on earth or by our Father in â—…aven For neither takes the Rod out 〈◊〉 delight but only out of necessity and â—…erefore is soon ready to throw it away â—…ter a little chastening And a chastening â—…at is but for a few dayes cannot call â—…r many groans A chastening that is â—…t for a little time cannot require any â—…eat patience And though our Fathers 〈◊〉 earth chastening us after their own pleaâ—…re may chastise us both unjustly and â—…measurably unjustly as to the end unâ—…easurably as to the manner of their â—…astening yet surely our Father in heaâ—…n doth not so He chastens not unmeaâ—…rably because much less then we deserve â—…even the Damned souls in hell are puâ—…shed citra condignum saith Aquinas with â—…uch less then condign Punishment â—…d he chastens not unjustly because for â—…r Profit That we might be partakers of â—…s holiness And therefore if we owe subâ—…ction and reverence to the Fathers of our â—…esh much more to the Father of spirits â—…nd the rather because the Reward of our â—…tifulness to them is but the prolonging 〈◊〉 a momentary and a miserable life But the Reward of our dutifulness to the â—…ther of spirits is to live blessedly and live eternally ver 9. 10. Therefoâ—… we must be sure in this case to follow oâ—… Saviours advice John 7. 24. Judge 〈◊〉 according to the Appearance but judge rigâ—…teous judgement For what though no chaâ—…ning for the present seemeth to be joyous bâ—…grievous ver 11. yet doth it not follâ—… because it seems not so therefore it is nâ—… so Ab eo quod videtur ad id quod est nâ—… valet consequentia To argue from thâ—… which seems to be to that which really 〈◊〉 were a most absurd way of argumeâ—… For this would prove the greatest Hypâ—…crite to be the most Religious man becaâ—… he most seems to be zealous of Religioâ—… So neither may we think that chastening not joyous because it seems not so 〈◊〉 though it bring grief to the body yet 〈◊〉 suredly being rightly taken it bring joy unto the soul. And this is a very suâ—…stantial Reason why we should not repiâ—… that God hath annexed Affliction asâ—… necessary condition of our Salvation yâ—… may we farther to this add these othâ—… Reasons First because though our present afflâ—…ction be never so great yet it is nothing iâ—… respect of our future Glory so saith Saint â—…ul Rom. 8. 18. For Ireckon that the â—…fferings of this present time are not worthy be compared with the Glory which shall be â—…vealed in us If you will compare them in â—…eir Continuance The one is momentaâ—… the other is eternal If in their Quantity â—…e one is little or nothing the other so â—…eat that it may be reputed All in All If 〈◊〉 Quality the one scarce deserves our noâ—…ce the other challenges both our attenâ—…ons and affections So that in all three â—…spects The Comparison is very unworâ—…y the one are not worthy to be compared â—…ith the other Secondly because our present Affliction â—…nduceth to the assurance of our future â—…lory Therefore Saint Peter exhorteth us 〈◊〉 rejoyce in the fiery Tryal and gives this â—…eason for our rejoicing In as much as we â—…e Partakers of Christs sufferings That â—…hen his Glory shall be revealed we may be â—…ad also with exceeding joy 1 Pet. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 is a siery tryal but that Fire will both â—…rge your soul and Prove your Faith â—…our soul being purged will let heaven it 〈◊〉 you your faith being proved will let â—…ou into Heaven For it will testifie unto â—…ou That Christ would not have made you partaker of his sufferings if he had intended to make you partaker of his glâ—… Let him then punish temporally thaâ—… may spare Eternally Let him chastise body that he may save my soul and unto me the Joy of his Salvation Thirdly and lastly because our Preâ—… Affliction conduceth to the increase of Future Glory Justine Martyr in 79. Quest. ad Orthodoxos Asks the Reâ—… why when Josiah is commended in Scripture above all the Kings of Isâ—… and Judah for his zeal to Religion 2 Reg. 25. yet himself was slain by the swâ—… and his sons after him carryed into Caâ—…vity which was a greater misery then fell any of the worser Kings and he gâ—… this Answer to his Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time of recompence and reward for thâ—… who do the works of Righteousness is in this but in the next World And indâ—… they may here expect to suffer for tâ—… Righteousness but not till hereafter to Rewarded for it And they must with greater comfort expect this because thâ—… present sufferings are for the increase their future reward according to tâ—… â—…f 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which 〈◊〉 but for a moment worketh for us a far â—…ore exceeding and
throws him into prison to keep him from starving Jer. 37. 21. for by thaâ—… means he had a piece of Bread when many others had not even till all the bread iâ—… the City was spent He keeps him in prison to keep him from being butchered by the sword of the Chaldeans Jer. 38. 28. Finds out an Ethiopian to be his preserver when the Princes of Judah were his persecutors ver 7. more charity in one Prâ—…selite then in many Apostates yet woulâ—… not let Ebedmelech prevail for his enlargement lest the Prophet should have loâ—… his life as the rest did when the City waâ—… taken by gaining his liberty Carcer 〈◊〉 obsonio pro Asylo quid ni mors 〈◊〉 lucro When his prison was his Granaâ—… and his Dungeon his security tell me whâ—… could be his loss for sure Death woâ—… have been his gain Do your worst theâ—… O ye ravenous Wolves that seek to dâ—…vour the flock of Christ Well you 〈◊〉 deny them a place to live but sure yoâ—… cannot deny them a place to die And thâ—… look upon the troubles and afflictions 〈◊〉 their life as so many Calls or Summons 〈◊〉 Death For God saith unto them moâ—… particularly as he did to his Propheâ—… Jer. 18. 2. Arise and go to the Potters House and there I will cause thee to hear my words They are sent to the Potters House that â—…s they are bid to consider their own frailâ—…ty and mortality that so they may the more attentively hear Gods Word The Word of Piety and Patience that he is preaching unto them and the more benefit by hearing it For many a man that will not hear Gods Word in Gods own House will hear it in the Potters House when he shall consider that his body is no other but a polished Potsheard to day a very weak and brittle and to morrow perhaps a broken Vessel For Theophilus lib. 2. ad Antol. gives us this very similitude As a Vessel in the hand of a Potter when it is faulty in the making is therefore broken that it may be fashioned and formed again till he make it perfect and compleat So is the Vessel of mans body broken in pieces by the hand of God because it is now quite out of order that it may be formed and fashioned again and by that means become a glorious and an incorruptible and an immortal body wherefore it is not amiss going to the Potters House not only for Gods sake but also for our own For we need not fear being broken by that hand which alwayeâ—… mends in the marring Mans hand often mars in the mending brings a Deformation instead of a Reformation but Gods hand alwayes mends in the marring What then have you else to do in this world but to live innocently and to die comfortably that so you may live in the Faith and die in the hope of a better world The day will come when a little innocency will go further with you then the greatest Patrimony therefore keep your Innocency though you lose your Patrimony Facile contemnit omnia qui credit jam se esse moriturum saith St. Hierom He that thinks himself a dying man will be sure to keep himself an Innocent man and will rather forsake all here then carry guiltiness away from hence He can easily contemn the smiles of this world and therefore cannot fear the frowns of it For he believes that Rule of the Casuist to be true though not pleasing Divinity Mortem potius ferre debet quam consentire mortali peccato That he is bound rather to suffer death then to consent to any deadly sin The reason is plain for that the death of the body is as nothing to the death of the soul All death is the privation of some life The corporal death is the privation of the life of nature the spiritual death is the privation of the life of Grace the eternal death is the privation of the life of Glory yet is the Eternal Death not called the third but only the second Death because the spiritual Death is indeed no other then the Inchoation of the Eternal and awaits onely the corporal Death to be its completion Apoc. 20. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power But it hath a power on the rest though it hath not yet the exercise of that power The second death hath power on a wicked man whiles he lives though not the exercise of that power till he dies Therefore the wicked and ungodly man hath great reason to fear the first because he cannot but expect the second Death But whosoever hath his part in the first Resurrection and it is our shame if we have not a part in it for let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19. is blessed and holy and blessed in that he is holy His holiness being to him the Inchoation of blessedness and the life of Grace the beginning of the life of Glory such a man hath little reason to fear the first death because on him the second death hath no power and not having power on him while he lives shall much less have power on him when he dies yet do not Divines think it necessary to exempt the most righteous man that is from the fear of death They onely think it necessary that he be furnished with comforts greater then his fears Comforts enough to conquer his fear though not enough to expell it Suarez is of opinion that the blessed Virgin her self received extream Unction and Fillieucius saith positively that if you will suppose a man by special priviledge preserved from all sin yet it will not follow that he should not need extream Unction because he is capable of the principal effect of it which is Confortatio contrâ—… mortem a comforting and strengthening against Death And though many Divines do much doubt whether there be any sucâ—… aertue in extream Unction as to comfort â—…gainst Death yet none do doubt but even â—…he most righteous may need such comâ—…orts Our Saviour himself had an Angel strengthening him Thou hast need of more and blessed be his goodness he hath given thee more Thou hast his Spirit God the Holy Ghost to strengthen thee Nay thou hast his death to comfort thee in thine and that 's the onely reason why when Christ himself so much feared death yet many Christians have willingly embraced it because death was not conquered to him but it is now conquered by him to us yet Not my will but thy will be done is the greatest degree of perfection we can rationally expect when this bitter cup shall come to be tasted For certainly that could not but relish very ill to any mortal palate had not the Saviour of the world himself tasted it and by tasting the bitter Potion therein sweetned the Cup to those that should tast it after him Solus Christus sensit amaritudinem
hence not to deprive him of that necessary Provision which God hath appointed as hiâ—… food for his last journey meaning the Holy Eucharist for though many meâ—… now account it as nothing worth yet the Primitive Church thought there was great danger to that Christian soul that went hence without Receiving it and much more without Desiring it or they would not have dispenced with all their Ecclesiastical Discipline to restore a sidâ—… person to the Communion which they did again deny him upon his recovery till he should give the Church full satisfaction But thus we see they looked upon a Christians Dying only as upon a Going out of his body exit è corpore saith Saint Hierom of devout Lea she is gone out of the body when indeed she was dead And what then though I go out of my self and yet 't is but the worst part of my self as long as I go to my Saviour why should I not joyfully sing with good old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace since I have the very same Ground and Reason of my â—…ong that he had even this For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have seen thy salvation Luk 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do as clearly see thy salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eye of Faith as he did with the Eye of Flesh and so far I have the advantage of him he saw himself embracing his Saviour I can more oversee my Saviour embracing me Fourthly and lastly Death is called A Dissolution Phil. 1. 23. Desiderium habens dissolvi Having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Two very great comforts at once the first That I shall be dissolved the second That I shall be with Christ Which two being joyned â—…ogether in All true Christians haply made Saint Cyprian take Saint Pauls Disâ—…olution for an Assumption for whereas â—…he Apostle saith 2 Tim. 4. 6. The time â—…f my Dissolution is at hand The good Faâ—…her recites him saying The time of my Assumption is at hand not to furnish â—…ur Criticks with a various Lection for â—…aint Cyprian was not Pur-blind to read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor hath the â—…hurch been so false as to change the reading but to furnish our Divines with various Exposition For Death as it is Dissolution in regard of the body theâ—… is the first Comfort To be dissolved Soâ—… is an Assumption in regard of the soul there is the second comfort To be witâ—… Christ. For the first let Themistius speaâ—… a Heathen Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we say Thâ—… Death is a Dissolution for the same reason that we call the body a Bond becauâ—… it binds and manacles and fetters thâ—… soul and who would not be Dissolveâ—… or Loosened that is in Fetters and Bonds The wanton desire of imaginarie Liberty hath brought many into Thraldom Aâ—… 't is a wonder if the serious sense of reâ—… Thraldom should not in an ingenuoâ—… soul increase the desire of true Liberty Bring my soul out of prison that I mâ—… praise thy Name Psal. 14. 2. v. 7. 'T is Vassalage a meer Bondage not to praiâ—… Gods Name If others hinder me froâ—… praising it they make me a Bondmaâ—… though they may pretend to have stretchâ—… not only their Purse-strings but also thâ—… Heart-strings and to have expended 〈◊〉 only their money but also their blood the Purchase of my Liberty If I hinder my self whether by my sins or for my pleasures it is I that imprison my self And because my flesh cannot but hinder me it cannot but imprison me for the service of God is perfect freedom and therefore the soul cannot be truly free till she come thither where she shall do nothing else but serve him A privative liberty not to be enthralled in bondage a Heathen could see in Death But a good Christian may farther see also a positive liberty To have his soul and his spirit enlarged according to that of Psalm 119. v. 32. I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart when the heart is most enlarged it is most at liberty and the heart is most enlarged when it most runs the waies of Gods Commandments most readily because without the sluggishness of the flesh most speedily because without the â—…og and weakness of the flesh most incessantly because without the weariness of the flesh This is my first comfort in Death that I shall be Dissolved or Loosened from all my Bonds and Impediments and yet this second is far greater then this That I shall be with Christ For Saint Paul spake not these words Personally lest I should think that this Personal priviledge was to pass away with himself according to the rule of the Law Privilegium personale transit cum persona But 〈◊〉 spake them Doctrinally that I should believe what was at that time true Doctrine for his Instruction and comfortable Doctrine for his Consolation was for ever to be so to all true Believers both for their Instruction and for their Consolation For it is evident That the Convert-Thief upon the Cross cannot be looked upon as a priviledged person and yet it was also pronounced concerning him Dying in the true Faith of Christ though he had not lived in it This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise He was so to depart from himself as without doubt to be with his Saviour in Paradise not in Purgatory Bellarmine himself confesseth de Purgatorio incertum est And none ever durst say That the humane soul of Christ was at all in Purgatory But sure we are That he is not now there and as sure that they that are dissolved to be with him cannot be where he is not I am unwilling to go from this Argument because I am willing to come to my Death as to my sleep for rest As to my Change for Advantage As to my Departure from all Inconveniences for relief As to my Dissolution from all Impediments for redress The Eyes of my body are content to be closed so as the Eyes of my soul may be the more opened There are two Eyes of my soul as of my body the one of Contemplation which is as the left Eye the other of Affection which is as the right Eye When the Eyes of my body are nearest shutting the Eyes of my soul will be nearest opening and from seeing the light of Nature I shall go to see the light of Glory As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness saith holy David Psal. 17. 15. teaching me to lie down in this faith and again I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness comforting me That I shall rise again in this Vision For if the former part be my faith the latter will surely be my Vision I know that I shall part with my dearest Relations but I also know that I received them upon this condition to part with them And besides there is none of these but will be infinitely bettered to me by losing these for
correct me good Lord as a Father in thy Pitty to amend me not as a Judge in thy Fury to confound me Thou didst redeem me with thine own most precious blood that thou mightest convert me And how then wilt thou Judge me being redeemed with that blood that thou maist condemn me Well may my sins be condemned of thee who art the Righteous Judge for I who have been the sinner and who still am an unrighteous man cannot but condemn them and my self for them But surely thy precious blood can never come under condemnation nor my soul whiles thou lookest upon it as washed with that blood Thus thou hast given me a pledge of delivering my soul from the terrours of my death by conquering them and from the severity of Gods Justice by satisfying it And thou hast also prepared a deliverance for my body for in that thou madest thy grave with the wicked in thy death thou hast sanctified the grave as a Repository for my dead body till my flesh shall be totally wasted therein and with my flesh all the sin and wickedness which hath so long dwelt in it and cannot be destroyed before it And thou wilt at last raise me from thence after thine own likeness that I may come from the grave as thou didst go to it not having violence in mine hand nor deceipt in my mouth nor wickedness in mine heart Lord let it be thy pleasure thus to deliver me Make hast O Lord to help me Take away all my sin from my soul and then as soon as thou pleasest take away my soul from my body That having no unrepented sin in my life I may have no unsufferable sorrow in my death but may find comfort in it deliverance by it and glory after it Amen Contemplations on Heb. 12. Verse 1 2. IN my troubles and distresses either of my body or of my soul I cannot bestow my time better then in looking about me for help And in looking about me for help I cannot bestow mine eyes better then in looking up to heaven For my help cometh from the Lord who hath made heaven and earth Psal. 121. 2. And if I look up to heaven I shall soon spie there a bright cloud even a cloud of witnesses to enlighten me that I stumble not in my waies for any darkness of my understanding And if I look up yet higher through that cloud I shall behold a far greater light even the Sun of righteousness to enflame me and to quicken me lest I should sit still when I am bound to be walking for the dulness of my will and the deadness of my affections for above that cloud dwelleth he who is the brightness of Gods glory and the express Image of his person Heb. 1. 3. Wherefore my sight may not be terminated or bounded by this cloud of witnesses But through it I must be looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of my Faith if I desire the comfort of my faith when I most want it even in the day of my visitation and at the hour of my dissolution And indeed where should a good Christian fix either his eye or his heart but only on Christ And I may here see Christ in his Mystical body that is in his Church the cloud of witnesses And Christ in his natural body that is in himself Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith And the same Christ in either body destitute afflicted tormented O Lord how many arguments are here alledged to perswade me to behave my self with great constancy humility and patience in those conflicts and agonies which I must expect as a Christian unless I will renounce communion with Christ and embrace an unwarrantable and an unprofitable Christianity I think there is a Lyon in the way as said Solomons sluggard ready to devour me and I see nothing but briers and thorns in it ready to intangle my feet and to tear my flesh But God telleth me it is the ready way to heaven and the Race that I must run if ever I hope to get thither Let us run with patience the race that is set before us If it be my race then I must run it if it be set then I cannot remove it if it be set before me then I cannot decline it And truly I cannot deny but it is set before me by the dispensation of Gods Providence and the indispensable Duty of my Christian vocation And therefore I give him hearty thanks that he hath so plainly shewed unto me the manner of running this race and the reasons that I have to run it The manner of running this race is twofold First I must forsake my self and all my selfishness that is all those things to which I have naturally an immoderate desire and in which I have naturally an immoderate delight let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us For what am I or what is my flesh but a weight that doth beset me rather then befriend me even an unprofitable and an unsufferable burthen And what else cometh from me or cleaveth to me but only sin Which living in me cannot but work with me Operari sequitur esse and working with me cannot but defile my purest and my best works Secondly I must fix mine eyes and mine heart only upon my blessed Saviour looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith Looking to and on nothing else either within me or without me but only Christ whether in the way of my sanctification for he is the Author of my faith whereby alone my heart is purified and sanctified Or in the way of my salvation for he is the Finisher of my Faith whereby alone my soul is saved It is he that hath brought my soul from Infidelity to Faith whereby I now see through a glass darkly It is he that will bring my faith to a clear vision whereby I shall see him face to face The Reasons I have to run this race are drawn from that grand Topick which works so much upon all the world that Pelagius thought thereby to shift off Original sin from mans nature and to put it only on his imitation This Topick is the Common-place of example And first I have the examples of all those holy men that were before Christ who through their faith in Gods promises and constancy in their faith possessed their souls in great patience whiles they lived and resigned their souls in great comfort and contentment when they dyed This innumerable company of Saints is here called a cloud of witnesses and it is such a cloud as must needs at some time or other drop down many cool showers able to allay if not to extinguish the flames of my greatest fiery tryals Secondly I have the example of Christ himself he is the Author of my faith he is the Captain of my salvation that marcheth before me to this battle instructing me by his Word encouraging me by his Promises supporting me by his
heavenly Kingdom My-sins had shut the gate of Paradise against my soul but thy Merits have opened it again O let me earnestly desire to enter in for thou art gone thither before â—…e that thou mightest be there ready to receive me and retain me with thy self for evermore Amen 12. Lord when shall this corruptible put on incorruption and this mortal put on immortality that in me may be brought to pass that saying Death is swallowed up in Victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death was sin till sin was expiated The strength of sin was the Law till the Law was fulfilled But thanks be unto God which hath given me the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ both over my sins and over his Law in this great contestation Having imputed my transgressions unto my Saviour that my sin might be expiated and having imputed my Saviours righteousness and obedience unto me that his Law might be fulfilled Therefore being justified by faith I have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also I have access by faith into his grace and rejoyce in hope that I shall at last have access into his glory 13. O Lord Jesus Christ who art the Resurrection and the Life be unto me Life in Death be unto me Resurrection from the Dead and so guide me through Death that it may be my passage into everlasting Life there to see and to bless and to enjoy thee who art the Redeemer and lover of souls and livest and reignest the King of Saints with the Co-eternal Spirit in the glory of God the Father 14. My soul truly waiteth still upon God and still shall wait upon him for of him cometh my help He verily is my strength and my salvation even in weakness and in destruction He is my defence so that I shall not greatly fall And if through mine infirmity I do fall by his power I shall rise again and be able to stand fast being supported through the Merits and Mercies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 15. O Lord see the blood of thine immaculate Lamb which taketh away the sin of the world sprinkled on my soul that thou mayest see no sin in it And when thou seest that blood let the destroying Angel pass over me never to return again and let the Comforter come unto me and remain with me for ever 16. O dearest Advocate be pleased to intercede and plead for me and to answer all the accusations which the Devils will alledge and mine own conscience will witness against me in the day of Judgement That I being made the monument of thy Mercy who am the purchase of thy Blood may bless and praise thee among thy Redeemed in the Land of the living for ever and ever 17. O thou Eternal Son of Righteousness who risest with healing in thy wings heal thou me and I shall be perfectly healed Shew me the light of thy countenance to dispell all the mists and clouds which now threaten to bring darkness upon my soul Turn thy merciful eyes towards me that I may see thy glorious face in thy heavenly Kingdom where no tears shall dim my sight no sighing shall interrupt my speech no fears shall disquiet my heart and no sadness nor amazement shall disturb or discompose the blessed rest of my soul with thee the longing desires of my soul to thee and the infinite delights of my soul in thee and in thine All-sufficient Merits and All-saving Mercies for evermore 18. O Saviour of the world save me who by thy Cross and precious blood hast Redeemed me Help me O my God at all times but most especially at this time now I am least able to help my self or my friends to help me Intercede for me by thy precious death and passion in all my distresses but then most when I shall least be able to speak for my self at the hour of Death and in the day of Judgement Be now and then and ever my defence and make me know and feel that there is no other name under heaven given unto men in whom and through whom I may expect health and salvation but only thy Name O my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 19. O Lord God which art the giver of all good things and never repentest of the good gifts which thou hast given give unto me health and ease as long as they shall be blessings from thee and give me thy grace to desire them no longer And when thou most takest from me these or any other comforts of this mortal life then Lord most increase and multiply upon me the joyes and comforts of a blessed Immortality 20. Lord I am desirous to go out of my self and out of this vale of misery that I may come unto Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the New-Covenant O thou who hast prepared these immortal joyes for my soul prepare my soul for these joyes that being made a Citizen of thy heavenly Jerusalem I may be able to joyn in consort with the Angels thy first-born there and with the spirits of just men made perfect since them who now both together make but one Quire and are alwaies singing Hallelujah and worshiping him that liveth for ever and ever 21. O blessed Jesus thou only comfort of miserable and distressed sinners consider my distress Look upon mine adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin O thou blessed Mediator betwixt God and man intermediate for me Let the unspotted righteousness of thy life be an acceptable sacrifice for the multiplyed unrighteousness of mine And let the bitter pangs of thy death keep from me all the bitterness of the temporal and much more the pangs and horrours of the eternal Death Thou didst taste the gall and vinegar when thou gavest up the Ghost therefore I beseech thee keep me from tasting it Thou didst seem to be forsaken of thy God O let not me bâ—… forsaken of thee But grant that I putting my whole trust and confidence in thy Merits and in thy Mercies â—…ay from henceforth most chearfully serve thee in all holiness and pureness of living and most faithfully persist in thy service by a resolved constancy contentedness and patience of dying That I may yet more and more know thee and the power of thy Resurrection and the fellowship of thy sufferings being made conformable to thy death that so I may attain to a joyful Resurrection of the dead to give praise and thanks unto thy holy Name world without end 22. O thou Eternal Son of God who didst take upon thee the nature of man that thou mightest lead a miserable life and undergo a shameful death I beseech thee sweeten unto me
distress say effatha to my heart that it may be opened to receive thee say effatha to the heavens that they may be opened to receive my soul yea say unto my soul thou art my salvation for thou only who art All-sufficient canst speak unto my soul and thou only who art All-merciful wilt speak comfort to it And though for my sins thou art justly displeased yet for thine own Mercies thou wilt not long continue in that displeasure for thou hast proclaimed thy self to be the Lord The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Lord say unto me thy unworthy servant that my sins are forgiven me and that I may go hence in peace for my faith hath saved me even that faith whereby I wholly trust in the Merits and Mercies of thy eternal Son Jesus Christ. 66. Hear my prayer O Lord and consider my desire hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness sake and enter not into Judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And let not mine enemy persecute my soul and if it be thy will let not my disease smite my life down to the ground nor lay me in the darkness as men that have been long dead But if it be thy pleasure to torment and to destroy my body yet let not my spirit be vexed within me nor my heart within me be desolate But make me so remember the time and thy works past that I may be comforted in the time and thy works to come that stretching forth my hands and lifting up my heart unto thee I may lay hold on thee by a lively Faith Hope and Love and at last come to enjoy thee by a blessed vision comprehension and fruition And my soul gasping â—…nto thee as a thirsty Land may be satisfied with the dew of thy heavenly blessings for evermore 67. O Lord remember that I am the work of thy hands the image of thy counteâ—…ance the price of thy blood And have mercy on me as thy work as thy image and as thy purchase for the paternal bowels of God the Father that created me for the bleeding wounds of God the Son that redeemed me and for the unutterâ—…ble groans of God the Holy-Ghost that sanctifieth me O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord strengthen me in my sickness receive me at my death and acquit me in the Judgement Amen 68. Hear me O Lord and that soon for my spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit O let me hear thy loving-kindness late in the evening of this life and betimes in the morning of Eternity for in thee is my trust shew thou me the way that leadeth in the truth and unto the life for I lift up my soul unto thee Deliver me O Lord from mine enemies both corporal and spiritual for I flie unto thee to hide me Let thy loving Spirit lead me forth out of this Land of unrighteousness and lead me into the Land of righteousness Quicken me O Lord for thy Name sake and then most when I shall be nearest death and for thy righteousness sake bring my soul out of all her troubles that I may give thanks unto thee with those blessed spirits which lived here in thy fear departed hence in thy favour and now are with thee in eternal joy and glory Psal. 143. v. 7 c. 69. Deal thou so with me O Lord God according to thy Name that in the greatest bitterness of my soul I may both see and confess that sweet is thy Mercy O deliver me for I am helpless and poor and my body is tormented without me and my heart is wounded within me Psal. 109. ver 22 23. but be thou ease to my body and joy to my heart in Jesus Christ. 70. O Lord I confess to thy glory and minâ—… own shame that when I call to mind the â—…oulness of mine own transgressions I am â—…shamed when I call to mind the exactâ—…ess and severity of thy Justice I am afraid â—…o lift up mine eyes to heaven or to look â—…owards the place where thine honour â—…welleth But O look thou down upon â—…e with the eye of pity and compassion â—…ho am altogether unworthy to look up â—…nto thee with the eye of hope and confiâ—…ence and relieve me in my sickness and â—…eceive me at my death for thine infinite mercies in Jesus Christ. 71. I will alway give thanks unto the Lord â—…is praise shall ever be in my mouth yea my soul shall make her boast of the Lord â—…or I sought him and he heard me yea â—…e delivered me out of all my fear I had 〈◊〉 eye unto him and I was enlightened I â—…ave tasted and seen how gracious the â—…ord is blessed be my soul for trusting 〈◊〉 him and blessed be his grace for working 〈◊〉 my soul that trust to rely and depend â—…pon his Mercy for evermore Psal. â—…34 72. Lord touch my tongue with a coal from â—…hine Altar to take away the pollution of my lips and touch my heart with the immortal flames of thy love to take away the deadness and dulness of my thoughts that both tongue and heart being purged from the filthy dregs of flesh and sin I may in my greatest infirmities labour to praise thee according to the greatness of thy glories And because I cannot sufficiently praise thee whiles I am in this corrupted and corruptible body take my soul in thy due time away from hence that I may in thy heavenly Jerusalem sing unto thee acceptable and immortal praises for ever and ever Amen 73. Righteousness and equity O Lord are the habitation of thy seat O let righteousness and equity be fixed in my heart that thou mayest therein fix thy habitation Mercy and Truth shall go before thy face O let Mercy and Truth be alwaies in my soul Mercy to forgive Truth to be for given that when my soul shall go out of my body it may joyfully go before thy face and rejoyce in thy presence for ever more for blessed are the people O Lord that can rejoyce in thee they shall walk in the light of thy countenance Lord thou hast given me the first part of this blessing to rejoyce in thee here on earth O give me also the second part of it that when I shall go hence I may walk in the light of thy countenance hereafter in heaven Amen 74. Who am I O Lord God and what is this my house of clay that thou hast brought me hitherto And this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servant for a great while to come even for the daies of Eternity that thou wilt at last bring me to thy self For thy words sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things to make thy servant know them and
and magnifie thy glorious Name because thou hast given me an assured hope that I shall with them hereafter evermore praise thee and say Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high The sick mans second lesson John 5. 24. VErily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life His second Canticle Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for calling me to the knowledge of himself and to faith in his Son and to Communion with his holy Spirit Lord I believe help thou my unbelief And grant me so perfectly and without all doubt to believe in thy Son Jesus Christ that my faith may never be reproved and my person and my prayers may alwaies be accepted in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Or this In thee O Lord have I put my trust let me never be put to confusion but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness incline thine ear unto me and save me Be thou my strong hold whereunto I may alway resort Thou hast promised to help me for thou art my house of defence and my Castle As for me I will patiently abide alway and will praise thee more and more My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation for I know no end thereof O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turn and refresh me yea and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness O God playing upon an instrument of Musick Unto thee will I sing upon the Harp O thou holy one of Israel My lips will be fain when I sing unto thee and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered and ever wilt deliver according to thine infinite Mercies in Jesus Christ. The sick mans Creed or the Confession of his Faith by way of prayer I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of heaven and earth Grant me Lord so to believe in thee my Father that as a Father pittieth his own child so I may find and feel that thou art pittiful and merciful towards me Grant me so to believe in thee as my Lord and my God that I may find the eternal comfort of being thy servant and that as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters even so my eyes may wait upon the Lord my God until he have Mercy upon me Grant me so to believe in thee as my Father God and Maker that I may alwaies rely on thy Fatherly Goodness that I may alwaies submit my self body and foul to thy Almighty power and that I may commit my soul unto thee not only in well-doing but also in well-suffering as to my saithful Creator Grant me so to believe in Jesus Christ thy only Son my Redeemer that from this Jesus I may have salvation from this Christ I may have the holy Unction from this thy Son I may have spiritual adoption Grant me so to believe in God the Holy-Ghost that from this God I may be inspired with true godliness from this Holy-Spirit I may be sanctified and made a member of the Catholike Church and both live and die in the Communion of Saints And that from this spiritual Comforter I may be filled with spiritual comforts and consolations for evermore even with the immortal comfort of the Forgiveness of my sins of the Resurrection of my body and of the translation of my soul to the life everlasting Amen Or this O blessed Lord God who fillest heaven and earth with the Majesty of thy Glory and with the Riches of thy Mercy Let not my sinful soul be empty but let me evermore be filled with dreadful apprehensions of that great and glorious Majesty wherewith thou wilt hereafter come to Judge me And with comfortable apprehensions of that great and gracious Mercy whereby thou hast already come to save me that I may never want grace to prevent and keep me from sinning nor Mercy to pardon and forgive me all my sins nor the testimony of thy holy-Spirit to assure me of that pardon and forgiveness That though thou kill me yet I may put my trust in thee and even at the hour of death may be able to say with a strong heart though with a weak voice I believe in God the Father my Creator in God the Son my Redeemer in God the Holy-Ghost my Comforter That this my Father will provide for me health and ease and all other comforts of this world as far as they shall conduâ—…e to his glory and to my salvation And hath provided for me a Portion and Inheritance in the world to come That this Redeemer hath redeemed my soul from the bondage of Sin and Satan and will also at the last day redeem my body from the bondage of death and corruption That this Comforter will not leave me comfortless when I most want and most ask his comforts but that he will be with me according to his Promise and will keep me in all places whither I go of sickness of life of death and will bring me at last to the Land of Eternal rest for he will not leave me till he hath done that which he hath spoken to me of Gen. 28. 15. till he hath translated me from his holy Church-Militant to his holy Church-Triumphant And to that Communion of Saints whereof he is the only head who is the King of Saints And to that blessed company of sanctified spirits which have mercifully received the forgiveness of their sins do earnestly expect the resurrection of their bodies and do incessantly enjoy the life everlasting Amen The sick mans Collect for the Day O Sweet Jesus who comest from the bosom of thy heavenly Father to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovery of sight to the blind and to set at liberty them that are bruised shew also these thy Mercies at once and together in shewing Mercy on me who am now broken and bruised and under great blindness and captivity The eye of my soul is so dim by reason of my sins and of my sufferings that I cannot clearly see thy Merits The hand of my soul is so weak that I cannot eagerly reach after them nor strongly take hold of them Thus am I a captive under miserable blindness and weakness But shew thou me the light of thy countenance and that will recover my sight and release my captivity For in thy light I shall see the true light everlasting and in thy countenance I shall enjoy it O thou Son of righteousness which knowest not any going down and givesâ—…â—…fe food and gladness unto all things vouchsase to shine into my mind that I may not either through the weakness of the flesh or the assaults of the Devil any where stumble to fall into impatience
or infidelity or any other grievous sin but may be able to stand stedfastly through thy supporting and to walk on constantly in the way of Piety and of Patience till by thy good guiding and conducting I may at last come to the life everlasting As thou still holdest open the eyes of my weak body to behold the light of nature so be pleased daily more and more to open the eyes of my sinful soul to behold the light of grace till thou bring me to enjoy the light of glory there to glorifie and praise thee for ever Amen The sick mans Collect for Peace O God which art the Author of our peace for thine own Mercies sake but the Author of our troubles only for our sins Give unto me thy unworthy servant that peace which this wicked world cannot give and which this tumultuous and troublesom world cannot take away and defend me in all the assaults of my afflictions both corporal and spiritual that I surely trusting in thy defence and wholly submitting to thy providence may not fear the power of any adversity whatsoever through the might and for the mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The sick mans Collect for Grace O Lord our heavenly Father Almighty and everlasting God which hast safely brought me through many dangers and troubles and diseases to the beginning of this dangerous and desperate sickness defend me in the whole continuance of the same with thy mighty power and grant that herein I may fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger whereby I may become either impenitently sinful or uncomfortably miserable But that all my doings and all my sufferings being ordered by thy Governance I may alwaies do that which is righteous in thy sight and suffer that which may be profitable for mine own salvtion through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The sick mans Letany O God the Father of heaven and of all Mercies have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner And grant that in the greatest extremities and anguishes of my body I may find the greatest comforts and refreshments of my soul Grant that when I am most tormented in my flesh I may be most relieved in my spirit That though my loins are filled with a sore disease and there is no whole part in my body yet my soul may magnifie the Lord and my spirit may rejoyce in God my Saviour for he hath regarded my low and miserable estate and he will relieve it O God the Son Redeemer of the world and of my sin-sick and sinful soul have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner and take away all my sins that thou mayest take away all my miseries As thou hast made me a happy Believer so also make me a joyful partaker of thy Redemption and then most especially when I shall most feel my self as it were swallowed up of grief and destruction through the pains and torments of my increasing sickness or the pangs and horrours of my approaching death Be thou my comfort in distress my strength in weakness my health in sickness my joy in sadness Be thou my life whiles I am living and my Resurrection from the dead that though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I may fear no evil for thou art with me to conduct me through the dangerous downfalls of that valley to direct me through the dismal darknesses of that shadow and to sustain me in the dreadful dissolution of that death O thou who now sittest on the right hand of God making intercession for me reject me not when I am making intercession for my self for through thy death I hope for life through thy life I hope for glory through thy glory I hope for eternal glory And in that hope do I now commend my spirit into thy hands for thou hast redeemed me O God thou God of truth And thou wilt save me O God thou God of Mercy because I have believed thy truth and do rely upon thy Mercy Therefore do I wholly resign my self body and soul unto thee submitting them both to thy good will and pleasure either for life or death beseeching thee to Receive my soul and to Restore my body and to grant that I may be able to stand upright in the dreadful Judgement being supported by the arm of thy All-sufficient Merits and All-saving Mercies to bless and praise thee O my blessed Redeemer world without end O God the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have Mercy upon me a miserable sinner and give unto mean assurance of thy Mercy that thou mayest give unto me an abatement of my misery O thou which art the Comforter of thine Elect give unto me daily more and more the heavenly comforts of mine Election and in the greatest agonies and distresses of my body transfix my soul with the most joyful apprehensions and the most firm perswasions of thine everlasting Love and undeserved Mercies towards me in Jesus Christ That neither the apprehensions of a sad and miserable life nor the fears and terrours of an uncomfortable death may ever be able to affright my soul nor to disturb that sweet peace resâ—… and repose which my spirit now hath and desireth to have in thee the God of spirits who givest unto those souls that are oâ—… thy Communion the antepast of eternity the blessed anticipation of immortal joy 〈◊〉 O my God my Stay my Comforter unto thee do I flie for the comforts of immortality Like as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall 〈◊〉 come to appear before God when shall I drink my fill of the waters of life to quench my thirst O let my tears no longer be my meat day and night whiles mine own troubled thoughts say unto my soul Where is now thy God for surely my God is in heaven whatsoever pleaseth him that doth he in heaven and in earth 〈◊〉 and though for a while in the evening of this life I have sadness upon earth yet in the morning of eternity I shall for eveâ—… have joy in heaven Amen O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three persons and one God have Mercy upon me a most miserable and wretched sinner and therefore most miserable and wretched because a sinner because I have sinned against heaven and against thee the God of heaven But since thou hast given me grace through the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity I beseech thee that through the stedfastness of this faith I may be absolved from all my sins and also be defended from all adversity which livest and reignest one God world without end Amen Remember not Lord mine offences nor the offences of my fore-fathers neither take thou vengeance of my sins spare me good Lord spare me thy most afflicted but most unworthy servant whom thou hast