And to receiue and enioy this glory there is no other way but by death Death onely fetches vs and brings vs thither Now as a young Prince liuing some-where in banishment would exceedingly reioyce to see a messenger sent by the King his father to fetch him home and to set him on his Throne Euen so ought a childe of God to reioyce when God sends vnto him his Messenger Death to fetch him vnto his eternall kingdome Yea so much the more then such a Prince by how much the more the Kingdome of heauen doth excell all the Kingdomes of the world For it is better to be one day in the Palace of heauen sayes Dauid then else-where a thousand Psal 84.11 Priuiledge of the life to come For what haue we on the face of the earth that should make vs desire to stay here If we giue ouer this life which is but temporall and full of miserie and trouble wee obtaine a life on high where there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying Reu. 21.4 neither shall there be any more paine If heere wee depart from our earthly parents we are entertained there of our heauenly Father Math. 5.45 If heere wee leaue our chiefest friends and kindred wee meete there with our brethren in Christ cloathed in long white garments Reu. 7.9 If heere wee loose our Gardens and faire Pallaces wee finde our selues there in Paradise where the tree of life is continually growing If heere we remoue out of a famous Citie wee become there Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Heb. 12.22 Or if here we forgoe our Princely honours there we are named children of the most high Luk. 6.35 Yea if here we forsake euen an earthly Kingdome we possesse there a heauenly Kingdome Luk. 1.33 whereof there shall be no end The seeing of God When further wee proceede and consider that we are promised there to see God and that we shall see him as he is Math. 5.8 how can wee but hope to see the holy Trinity with full satisfaction 1 Ioh. 3 2. Wee shall see him in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and who shall say then vnto vs Enter into thy masters ioy Math. 25.21 O what an vnexpressable ioy will this bee What can our mindes imagine or hearts wish more If the Queene of Seba cryed out that those men were happy which stoode before Salomon to heare his wisedome 1 Reg. 10.8 how happy will those be that shall stand before Iesus who is the wisedome of his heauenly Father And if Iohn the Baptist leaped for very ioy at the presence of Christ Luk. 1.44 while he was yet in his mothers wombe And Simeon was satisfied when hee had but seene the childe in the Temple Luk. 2.30 what ioy and satiety will those receiue that shall see him sit at the right hand of his Father in eternall glory The three Apostles of our Lord when they had but a very small resemblance therof in that short transfiguration of Christ how soone did they forget set light by the world with all her appurtenances cried out Master it is good for vs to be here Luk. 9.33 and let vs heere build vs tabernacles What doe those Apostles now feele Or what doe they say now with all those that perfectly behold his glory and dwell in it The honour of our soules When we farther yet consider that we our selues shall obtaine there the Crowne of glory 1 Pet. 5.4 that fadeth not away as Peter speakes And that Gods children being by Christ iustified shall shine forth as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father Math. â—3 43 and be as the Angels of God in heauen Math. 22. â—0 yea are there to raigne for euer and euer Reu. 22.5 What heart what soule can chuse but long exceedingly to forgoe this world and to attaine to the presence of God Dauid cries out As the Hart panteth after the water brookes Psal 42.1 so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God for the liuing God when shall I come and appeare before God Now that which he longed for euery true beleeuer after this life once ended shall for euer enjoy The meeting of the body and sâ—ule together But whosoeuer farther will cast his eyes on the generall resurrection of the dead may finde yet farther matter of ioy and comfort Euery one may in some sort conceiue how vnspeakeably these two old friends soule and body will reioyce when after many ages they shall meete againe and perceiue that each of them is in a happy estate 1 Cor. 15.45 But chiefly when this corruptible shall haue put on incorruption and this mortall shall haue put on immortality and bee partaker with the soule of heauenly delight Yea the Lord Iesus shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body Phil. 3.21 What is there in heauen or in earth more excellent or what can bee imagined that deserues rather to be desired Yea with our corporall eyes we shall behold Christ This it was euen this I say was it wherewith Iob comforted himselfe in his long continued miserie and which did releeue him in his greatest agony I know sayes he that my Redeemer liueth and that hee shall stand at the latter day vpon earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Iob 19.26 whoâ— I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another Stephen the Martyr had assurance hereof in this life for hee being full of the holy Ghost sayes the Scripture looked vp stedfastly into heauen Acts 7.55 and sawe the glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God With this firâ—t Martyr of Christ let vs then coÌ„tinually cast our harts eies of faith towards heauen and fixe them wholly on Christ crying out with him Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Yea when wee can neither crie nor speake any more Let vs all with Hanna 1 Sam. 1.15 powre out our soules before him And the Spirit will make intercession for vs Rom. 8.26 with groaning which cannot be vttered and wee doubtlesse with the afore-said Stephen shall see heauen open and when our time comes with him dye in the Lord. Yet if it shall please God after all our good preparation An appendix to lift vs as he did the fore-mentioned Ezechias from our bâ—d againe and to restore vs to health let vs take good heede that we doe not neglect likewise with the same King Es 38.20 to sing songs in the house of the Lord all the dayes of our life that is euermore to be thankfull vnto him to serue him and to praise him So the diseased person whom Iesus had healed at Ierusalem was presently found in the Temple Ioh. 5.14 The Prophet Dauid teacheth vs
OF DEATH A TRVE DESCRIPTION And against it A good Preparation Together with A sweet Consolation for the suruiuing Mourners By IAMES COLE Merchant Printed at London by A. M. 1629. TO THE RIGHT Worthy his much respected friends Mr. Iohn Milleward Esquire one of the Captaines of this famous Cittie Mr. Iohn Awbrey Mr. Edmond Page Mâ— William Gillie Mr William Middelton and Mr Iohn Bludworth D. H. Merchant wisheth all happinesse in soule and body in this worâ—d and eteâ—nâ—ll glory and blisse in the world to come EXcuse mee I pray which am now the hand of my deceased friend that I commend these his Religious Instructions vnto your Patronages and Embracements The long time of your acquaintance honest mutuall traffique and former pious conuersation may iustly challenge it both of the Author and my selfe Yee often haue taken and built your credit on his word in your bought Wares which the effect hath confirmed to your profit Once more beleeue him and buy these his MeditatioÌ„s on his word the price is but your acceptance reading and application And if thus you will vse and trie these his last Marchandizes they will prooue vnto you of infinite worth and price for by them you shall obtaine that precious Pearle and hidden treasure of which the Gospell mentions It was your charitable Christian loue that accompanied his mortall body to his last home and it was his louing care here to direct those that followed him and others to the graue lest they should too long make their aboade with the Gaderenian among the tombes The graue is but a passage not a dwelling place It doth but preserue the pledge of our bodies vntill the day of resurrection Therefore those that truly follow deceased Christians follow them not onely vnto the dore of death and entrance of the graue but through death vnto life through the graue vnto heauen And lest death the way to life should seeme too terrible and rather affright from the way then inuite vnto it This our friend and charitable Author shewes and proues here that in respect of the body the soule the world the last Iudgement it properly is not to be feared And further to embolden the weake faith of a trembling Christian hee vnmaskes and vnarmes death hee so describes her and prepares our bodies to embrace her that death is no more death but victory no more the obiect of feare but desire Wherefore hauing thus farre set in a word the description of her description before you I dare no longer detaine you from the victory of her If you please but to follow either the prescription or example of this our louing friend through death vnto life through the graue vnto heauen J dare promise that you will attaine my wish all happinesse here and eternall glory hereafter Jn confidence whereof I rest London this 10. of Iune 1629. Your well-wishing friend DIERICK HOSTE In commendation of the Author and his Booke NOthing more sure to vs then once pale death to see Why then are we so blinde not once to thinke thereon What more vncertaine then when this our chance may be Why then goe we on still as if shee should touch none In seasonable time this Bookâ— is come to light To driue out of our hearts deaths feare and anguish still It is a Christian part t' instruct vs in the right How we may arme our selues against that feared ill For though at euery one grim death ne're leaues to ayme Yet in this Treatise small from her quite taken is Her sting Which iustly makes to tremble without blame But to vs that are Christs she brings eternall bliss O worthy Israelite thou hast spied out full well That this great Anakim cannot hinder at all To winne that Canaan of heau'n and there to dwell For IESVS CHRIST hath wrought that Giants great downefall How can we now reward thy loue O Author kinde Who in thy life time shun'dst mens praise from laud didst flie Thy pious vertuous life wee 'll euer beare in minde Which now the Lord hath crown'd with blisse eternally D. H. Of the zealous Author his much respected Vnkle and his comfortable Description SHall I reioyce because his Penne doth teach Vs how die and heauenly blisse to reach Or shall I mourne because to be our guide His worthy selfe he hath to vs denâ—â—d Longer on earth His words perswade beliefe Farther confirmance but augments our griefe His Booke suffu'd that pointing Mercurie He needed not to guid vs and to die His life wee wanted more that could vs tell That hee that liued godly should die well Yet what it was I dare not well set downe For feare his ashes modesty shâ—uld frowne But let them speake that comment on his name A man of pious learned vpright fame Whose words and deedes did so concurre in one That what he said t' was true t' was sure t was done Whose vertuous presence was so pretious deere That most did wish he still might haue beene heere But loe his liberall charity If thus His company was gratefull vnto vs He shewes vs how we may enioy it still And striues our wishes happier to fulfill Then we conceiue He cann't descend againe We must ascend and there by him remaine Thus while we enter his societie Ours will be Saints and Angels companie But lest wee should vnskilfull Pilgrims stray Not knowing how to goe which is the way Lest that our eyes waxe dim'd by sinfull slime That we perceiu'd not which way he did clime Behold in this good legacie of his He shewes vs the true way through death to blisse Lest we should feare th'aff ighting face of death And quake to heare the fare-well of our breath To his olde Mate he doth vnmaske the fiend Shewes her sting forcelesse prooues our foe our friend So that we bold mâ—y gaze her in the face And that we fear'd so much with ioy embrace She is no euill thing but naturall According to Gods will common to all The bodie 's but a sleepe it feeles no paine The soule dies not but mounts vnto the traine Of heauenly Saints Why should earths vanities Detaine vs from these happy glorious skies Or feare of iudgement by it we receiue A ioy which mortall minde cannot conceiue Therefore when sicknesse pale doth enter in By Gods command vsherd by in-bred sinne That messenger of death thy house befit Thy body soule and all to welcome it Thy selfe striue well to arme death to vnarme By shunning sinne with faith and feare no harme Repent and pray and to thy heauenly peace And certaine comfort will thy faith encrease So that death shall thy soule not terrifie But be to thee a wished victorie Which brings thee to a ioyfull Paradise Before the Lambe aboue the starrie skies There is our Author now and there doth shine Like a cleare starre our once Marchant-diuine There he 's in his reward If we desire To beare a pâ—rt in that celestiall quire Let vs these his directions embrace
Which liuing soule keepes by force as it were these elements together But when the same by mâ—anes of the departure of the soule haue reobteined their former freedome then our body returnes to dust whence it was taken Gen. 3.19 according to Gods word and ordinance So that whatsoeuer in our composition we likewise had borrowed from the water ayre and fire returnes each to his owne element where it is well at rest and at home The Resurrection of the body But at the last day shall God cause the elements to surrender again the maâ—ter of our bodies and then as many as lye in the earth and sleepe Dan. 12.6 shall awake saith the Prophet not onely those that bâ—o predestinated to eternall life but euen those also which are ordained to eternall shame And although wee cannot comprehend how God shall finde distinguish and reforme our bodies yet neede wee not to doubt of his word Wee see dayly before our eyes many things come to passe incredible before they are expounded vnto vs. Would it not seeme vnpossible to any of vs to finde a man in a wood or way where no body euer had seene him walking Yet put but on a Beagle or Blood-hound and he by the sent onely will follow and finde his Master Againe shew the Copies of a hundred schoole boyes vnto al the wisest Philosophers in the world it will bee vnpossible for them to distinguish them Shewe them but vnto their Schoole-Master hee at the first sight will know euery ones proper hand In like manner let a golden bowle be cast amongst a hundred pound of melting brasse and as it will be equally disperced and mingled with the same will it not seeme vn o vs that haue no insight in that Art vnpossible to recouer the Cup againe out of the whole masse Giue it but an Alchymist he will soone extract your gold giue that then to the Goldsmith and you shall haue your Cup new cast as it was before If so be then that a skilfull man yea a beast can bring things o passe in this world which seeme vnpossible to the greater and wiser sort of men yea if wee our selues can transforme the dust of the earth sand and ashes into a goodly transparent glassie body Wee must needes expect more from God with whom all things are possible Math. 19.26 Hee that hath created the earth of nothing and vs of the earth who meeteth out heauen as Esay speaketh with his spanne Esay 40.12 within which our bodies remaine whether they be in the earth in the water or in the entrayles of beasts will easily finde know and re-establish all that which he once made and yet containes in the palme of his hand Let vs then freely be confident that the houre shall come Iob 5.29 in the which all that are in the graues shall come forth vnto the resurrection And as death is termed a sleepe so is the resurrection by the forenamed Prophet Dan. 12.2 fitly called an awaking Yet this resurrection will farre surpasse our dayly awaking out of sleepe for now we awake with a body that falls a sleepe againe but hereafter we shall rise with a body that neuer can dye any more for then sayes St. Paul the dead shall bee raised incorruptible 1 Cor. 15.51 So that wee may obserue that our bodies doe profit by death For first wee obtaine a long lasting ease and secondly an euerlasting life Whence it followeth that in regard of our bodies wee haue no cause at all to shunne death 2. Obseruation concerning the soule Secondly some feare that some damage may befall their soule by death which is altogether against reason The soule is not composed of such matter that is subiect vnto the power of death She is as a liuing spirit by God breathed into vs. And as the breaâ—h which men blowe out though it be no essentiall part of their lungs or members yet notwithstanding it retaineth a sauour of that breast that it came fâ—om Euen so doth our soule retaine that from the image of him who infused it in the body that it is thereby become an immortall spirit For of the immortality of it neuer was there doubt made by any liuing vnlesse by fooles By them sayes the booke of Wisedome the soules seeme to dye Wisd 3 2 4. and their departure is taken for miserie but their hope it full of immoâ—tality Yea the very soules of the vn beleeuers are not subiect to mortality as is manifested vnto vs by the soule of the rich man in the Gospell Luke 16.23 Eccl 12.7 This body sayes Salomon shall returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne to God who gaue it to receiue his sentence either of reward or of punishment For otherwise if the reasonable soule perished with the body then should the most godly men who commonly must refraine the pleasures of this world and suffer for Gods cause contempt at the hand of Reprobates of all men become the most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 Which could neither agree with Gods Mercy toward the good nor with his Iustice to the bad The soule therefore is to expect hereafter a day of account wherin oppressors shal be recoÌ„penced with tribulation 2 Thes 1.6 and to them that are troubled shall be a refreshing and rest For indeede the soule is the principall part of man Deut. 10.12 and therefore as well by Moses in the old Testament 1 Pet. 3.20 as by Peter in the new it is taken for the whole man But being seperated from this body will it be able to doe any thing This wee may in some sort conceiue in this life The soules selfe-consisting For when a mans spirit is busâ—ed in its owne worke that is in some kinde of meditation wee may presently perceiue that the lesse the bodily members yea his fiue senses are occupied the more earnester hee withdrawes himselfe to his cogitations Yea oft he will shut his very eyes that the receiuing of their obiects may not disturbe him We read that Archimedes his minde was so busied about humane Art Val. Max. 8.7 that the very Citie of Siraciâ—sa where he then abode was taken and he himselfe by the Enemie surprised before hee perceiued the least rumour thereof And St. Paul when the heauenly visions were reuealed vnto him hee was so farre from needing his bodily members thereunto 2 Cor 12.2 that he himselfe knew not whether he was in the body or out of the body And long time before this when God would teach Iacob Gen. 18.10 Abimelech Salomon Gen. 20.2 Ioseph and others 1 Reg 3.5 some matters of great moment Math. 2.13 did he not first let their bodies fall a sleepe Hee knew well enough that thine best helpe would but haue beene a hinderance to spirituall matters Doth not this shew vnto vs that the body is but to the soule as a clogge
tied to the legge Seneca hath well obserued how tedious this flesh is to our soule Sen. Now saith he doth the belly ake then the stomacke then the throat Now to there too much blood anon too little And the soule is in this body not as at home in her owne house but as a trauailer in an Inne The soule then is created to a higher degree to wit to liue at ease on high in her owne proper dwelling place Wherefore Maximus Tyrius saith very well Serm. 23. That which men call death is the beginning of immortality and the birth of a future life To wit when their bodies at their appointed time fall away and the soules ascend to their proper place and to their proper life So that this body is to the soule as the egge-shell is to the bird it must breake through it before it can flye into the open ayre Yea Cyrus the great Monarch could say that he alwayes beleeued Cic. desen That the soule being freed from the body then became both purt and wise And although we seeme vnwilling to for sake this body yet that must not breed any ill suspition in vs. At our birth wee seemed likewise loath to reâ—â—one out of our mothers wombe where we were weld and warme Yet now being borne and vsing all our members in the spations world who of vs would be willing to creepe into his mothers wombe againe In like in â—nner the soule once being sâ—â—d out of the cumbersome prison of the body will not desire to returne to the same againe For God hath so appointed three dwelling places for euery one of vs that a man by the two first may in some sort conceiue the third For as while he is in his mothers wombe hee hath nothing neere so much strength comelinesse pleasure and time there to remaine as after his birth he enioyeth on the face of the earth so cannot he obtaine or enioy that here on earth that may in any wise be compared son glory blisse and continuance to that which hee shall enioy when borne againe out of his owne body his soule shall be fetled on high in the heauens That which the most ancient Philosopher Hermes Trismegistus well conceiued Fr. Patr. Trismeg who dying could speake thus As yet haue I liued here as a stranger and one banished now I returne againe in health to my owne Country And when I presently being released from these fleshie bonds shall depart from you take heede you doe not mourne as if I were dead for I returne to the best and happiest Citie whither all Citizens shall come by the meanes of death God is there alone the highest Prince who will fill his Citizens with an infinite delight In respect whereof this that most account life may rather be called death then life If a Heathen could speake thus all Christians certainly must needes be voide of vnderstanding and euen dead while they liue that call in question the future life of the soule Yea this happy estate of the soule did so immeasurably possesse and strangely transport Cleombrotus Cicer. Tuse 1. after that hee had read somewhat concerning the same in Plato that to enioy the same as soone as possible might be he cast himselfe headlong into the Sea But zeale here conquered wisedome and by misusing good things brought forth bad effects Howbeit by this example well may wee shame those that without reason feare exceedingly the day of death whereas the day of our birth is but the beginning of a temporall life but our dying day is the beginning of an euerlasting life so that in respect of the soule death ought not to seeme terrible vnto vs. 3. Obseruation concerning carthly pleasures Some also shunne death because shee bereaues vs of all our earthly pleasures They are vnwilling to part with their honours riches delights their faithfull wife and deare friends as fearing that the want of them will be greeuous vnto them But let vs weigh this also in the ballance of reason Whosoeuer doth so esteeme earthly pleasures which Salomon proclaimed to be vanity of vanities that hee would rather chuse to stay here Eccl. 1.1 and liue in the same then remoue to enioy the heauenly may well be compared to one who because sometimes hee dreameth of pleasant things would rather sleepe continually then awake and enioy reall pleasures For it is certaine that as farre as the reall pleasures of this life excell those that appeare vnto vs in our dreames so much are the eternall future ioyes to bee preferred before the temporall and present The wisest Astronomers perswade vs Som. Scip. that if from the highest heauen wee should behold the Globe of the earth it would seeme no greater vnto vs then a starre now doth and we should esteeme it but as a point And shall we in this point yea in the very least corner of this point to wit that which wee inhabite take such pleasure and bee so fond of it that for the loue of it wee should forsake heauen and the pleasures thereof This world indeed was created for the vse of man but it is the proper habitation of beasts They haue no other home whether they liue or dye but it Whereas man is here with Iacob but as a Soiourner Gen. 47.9 Though hee possessed here with Dauid a whole Kingdome yet with him should he be termed but a stranger here Psal 119.19 Heauen is his Country that is prepared for him and the Angels to be their eternall dwelling place Phil. 3.10 There is his conuersation saith St. Paul Is it not then a direct beastlinesse so to be enamoured on these terrestriall things that for the loue of them we would rather remaine in the habitation of bruit beasts then remoue vnto the habitations of Angels Axiochus though he were an Heathen could before his death be instructed by Platoes reason Ar. Plat. that he did not depart out of this life vnto a death where he should be depriued of all things but toward that place where hee should enioy true goods and where hee should haue pleasures not mixed with this mortall body but pure and such as iustly deserue the name of Pleasures And is it not possible that this should be perswaded vnto vs who will beare the name of true beleeuers to the end that wee might long for it The forgetting of Pleasure But grant this earth to haue as many pleasures as is possible or as faithfull friends as wee could wish Yet shall wee not misse nor desire these things when we are dead Let vs not thinke that our bodies can dye and yet then liue Being dead we shall not haue any members nor eyes nor smell nor taste to vse these things nor any minde to desire them What discommodity then will it be to be without those things which we know not neede not nor wish not for Our wife and children will then moue vs no more then if wee
our comfort delight and refuge Let vs then no longer lye weltring in sorrow lest by ouerlong lamenting wee encrease Gods wrath and prouoke him to correct vs with a heauier crosse If a Father should send one of his children into a farre Country to see and learne fashions and the childes brother in the meane while should neuer linne complaining that hee had lost his play-fellow would not this continuall whining at the last out-weary the Father Surely when his words could not herein preuaile with him hee would at the last better instruct him with a rod and so make him to be quiet Therefore let vs also willingly yeeld our necks vnto the yoake of Gods will and in patience possesse our soules Luk 21.19 that our impatience draw not his wrath downe vpon vs. Wee must not like children still cry and whine nor thinke that our loue due to the dead requires it of vs. They themselues would chide vs if our of heauen they should behold our endlesse lamenting for them True loue should giue vs occasion of ioy If ye loued me Ioh. 14.28 ye would reioyce saith Wisdome it selfe because I said I goe vnto the Father We must then bannish our of our hearts by a manly or rather a Christian courage this discomfort and manifest our strength by our patience For as Salomon sayes Hee that ruleth his Spirit Pro. 16.32 is better then he that taketh a Citie The holy Scipture that sayes Let the dead bury the dead Math. 8.22 whose buriall yet notwithstanding was necessary with more reason ought to perswade vs that wee should let the dead bewaile the dead which is not necessary at al. But why doe we still let our thoughts dwell in the graue whither we haue willingly caused the bodies of our best friends to be caried and there to be left Let vs lift our heads higher Let vs erect our hearts toward heauen whither God hath directed their soules There the best part of them is yet liuing There their soules remaine by the operations whereof their bodies did here delight vs. There I say our friends yet liue This wee may learne of Iob to whom God afterwards as the holy Scripture witnesseth gaue twice as much as hee had before To wit for seauen thousand Iob 1.2 Iob 42.12 hee gaue him foureteene thousand sheepe and so forth But in stead of tenne children he gaue him but tenne againe How then were they doubled his liuelesse Cattell were stone dead His deceased children were aliue still in heauen and the ten more giuen him here made them vp twenty Let vs then obserue hence that although our louing parents husbands wiues and children or friends are departed out of this world yet for all that they be not therefore dead but aliue yea that they may still be called ours And what greater comfort or reason then can wee haue to stay or stop our mourning then this Or if we cannot haile our senses out of the graue let vs at least behold and consider their bodies there with the eyes of the true Apostolique faith and wee shall finde them there constantly expecting the resurrection of the body Sym. Apost and life euerlasting And this is that which the Apostle on good ground charges vs 2 Thes 4.18 to comfort one another withall Calling on God And to conclude though wee haue set downe much comfort and diuers remedies against sorrowes yet except the Lord build the house Psal 127.1 they labour in vaine that build it In vaine doe we take in hand to cure the body In vaine doe we instruct the spirit vnlesse God stretch forth his ayding hand All sorrowfull hearts must then fall downe before him in whom is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and call vpon him continually to release them of their sorrow Hee can soone scatter through the light of his spirit all those thick clouds of misery which often euen against our owne will doe compasse vs about Let vs take heed onely that with Martha wee be not too much troubled Luk. 10.39 and let vs with Mary rather set our selues at his feete and willingly embrace his comforts Or if we cannot wholy keepe our selues from sorrowing let vs not weepe ouer the dead but with the daughters of Ierusalem weepe for our selues that yet liue Luk. 23.28 Let vs freely mourne for our cōmon sins that brought death into the world and striue to diminish them daily more more by repentance so shall this religious sorrow be comfortable vnto vs and procure vs an eternall ioy Which we entreat that Comforter to grant vnto vs Ioh. 14.16 which our Sauiour promised to send his Disciples Amen A Prayer for the sicke written by Mr. I. KING Minister of Gods word in London ETernall and omnipotent God most kinde and mercifull Father I thy poore creature dust ashes appeare before thy high diuine Maiesty with a hearty confession of my vilenesse and manifold sinnes wherewith in soule and body I am defiled and so wounded that from the sole of my feere to the top of my head there is nothing sound in me For in my vnderstanding is nothing but blindnesse in my will nothing but obstinacie against thy commandements my heart is a root of all iniquity my externall members are weapons of vnrighteousnesse yea through my disobedience incredulity ingratitude I haue so farre turned aside from thee and strayed from thy wayes that I am become a slaue to sinne and a childe of wrath whereby I haue deserued not only temporall punishments but euen eternall death and damnation if so be thou shouldest enter into iust iudgement with me But seeing that thou O Father of all comfort doest not reiect those that come vnto thee with true repentance of their manifold sins but hast promised to heare those that call on thee with a broken heart and a deiected spirit I now come vnto thee in confidence of thy bottomlesse mercy which thou hast showne and offered vnto me in thy welbeloued Son my Sauiour Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent into to this world to bee a ransome for all my sinnes And entreate thee O faithfull God and Father that thou mercifully wilt heare my prayer which I offer vnto thee in his name being now visited with a heauy sicknesse Grant that I through this thy fatherly chastising may so feele the greatnesse of my sinnes and heauinesse of the same that yet thereby I may not fall into despaire But that rather through this thy fatherly correction I may be moued to flie vnto thee with whom is much forgiuenes that doest not desire the death of a finner but that he repent and liue Thou that strikest and woundest indeede as a seuere Iudge with the sword of thy law but againe as a spirituall Chirurgion bindest vp and healest with the wholesome oyle of thy holy Gospell that bringest indeede thy children to the vttermost extremity as if it were to the torments of hell