That the greatest task that I have to finish in this world it is to die well and to make a happy departure out of this life for they which die well die not to die but to live for ever 2. When I would do any good or receive any good I will offer up mine endeavours in a sacrifice to thee O Lord in Christ beseeching thee to give thine holy Spirit to sanctifie this thine own sacrifice 3. In all mine actions I will seek to redeem the time of my life that is past with sad and serious repentance I will regard and consider the time present with care and diligence and be watchful for the time to come with providence 4. Among other my daily business I wil be sure to exercise my self in reading of something out of the Word of God and also to be careful not only to serve God my self but to see that all under my charge shall do the same 5. I will account of every day as of the day of my death and will endeavour to live now as though I were even now to die I will do those duties every day which I would be doing if it were my last day 6. Whatsoever I shall undertake in this life I will enjoy that and all things in God and so God in all things nothing in it self so shall my joyes neither change nor perish for howsoever the things themselves may alter or fade yet he in whom they are mine is not alterable but ever like himself faithful permanent and everlasting 7. Passions are said to be either irascible as sorrow hatred anger or else concupiscible as love desire joy hope In both of them I will be careful to use a great deal of moderation I may love the creature but I will not adore it I will not love the creature more then the Creator I may desire but not all things equally not earth in comparison of Heaven I may rejoyce but that joy shall be sober and spiritual I may hope but not for impossibilities I may be angry but not to sin I may weep but chiefly for sin 8. In pleasures and recreations I will not be so much given up to jocundum as to forget utile honestum pleasures may blaze for a while like crackling thorns but they presently vanish and quickly come to nothing O Lord let these resolutions turn to prayers and let those prayers obtain a blessing through thine infinite mercy in Jesus Christ Amen VII Meditations concerning sickness 1. SIckness is sent either 1. To try our patience for the confirming of others or 2. That our faith may be found in the day of the Lord glorious and laudable to the honour of God or 3. To correct or amend whatsoever is amiss in us or any way offensive to our heavenly Father 2. Sickness shall turn to our profit and help us forward in the way that leads to everlasting life 1. If we can truly repent us of our sins 2. If we can bear our sickness patiently 3. If we can trust in Gods mercies assuredly 4. If we can render him humble thanks for his fatherly visitation 5. If we can and do submit our selves wholly to his good will and pleasure 3. There is no greater comfort to tender Christians then to be made like to Christ by patient suffering sickness trouble or death it self for even he went not up to endless joy but he endudured first extremity of pain he entred not into glory before he suffered and was crucified so our way to eternal happiness is to suffer with Christ and our door to everlasting life is chearfully to die with and for Christ that we may rise again from death and dwell with him to all eternity 4. Sickness or other afflictions are not signes either of Gods hatred or of mans reprobation but rather tokens and pledges of his fatherly love therefore Christians in the primitive Church were wont to praise and bless the Lord for afflicting them in this life so did the Apostles rejoyce that they were accounted worthy to suffer for the name and for the sake of Christ 5. In the beginning of sickness and indeed at all times we are to search deeply into our own hearts as for all so chiefly for some secret bosom-sin 2. To confess our offences to God and acknowledge our selves guilty even of hell and of eternal death 3. We are to remember that the God of Israel is a merciful God and to cry to him from a faithful and a penitent heart even as a condemned person would do for pardon vowing amendment of life in case that health be restored 6. In our strongest health and before any approach or appearance of death or sickness we should manifest our real and sincere conversion 1. In a strict examination what our hearts are and so what our wayes and courses are 2. In confessing of all our sins and offences both open and secret of older time and of later years then what duties we have omitted 3. In seeking and begging with sighs unfeigned and groans of the Spirit that God will pardon them all and be reconciled unto us in the face of Jesus Christ Then will sickness and death it self be most welcome to us If sickness have seized upon us it is high time to consider That a man cannot presently carry his lusts his corruptions his hardned heart his unbelief with him into Heaven no it cannot be hoped for let us repent ere it be too late let us turn wholly to the Lord and believe in him with all our hearts Amen VIII Remedies against Sin 1. LEt us not forget That our particular sins and corruptions are to be thought upon with grief and to be inquired into whether they be weakned in us or still remaining in their full strength and whether we do now resist them every day with more and more force faithfulness and constancy 2. Whensoever we be about the committing of sin and finde the grace of God forbidding us and calling us from it and yet do run on headlong into it take heed for this is no better then crucifying of Christ afresh and we do no other then as the Jews refuse a gracious Saviour and take Barabbas 3. With our eyes let us alwayes behold God present with our ears let us be ever hearing the sound of that memorable voice Arise and come to Judgement with our hands let us be ever working and exercising that which is good in our hearts let us ever lodge the Word of God and with our feet let us be constantly standing in the courts of the Lords house whensoever his Word is there preached 4. The vows which in Baptism I did make by others that is To forsake the devil the world and the flesh so as not to follow them nor be led by them the same for the everlasting peace of our precious souls we must be careful dayly and hourly to renew in our selves 5. We must with diligence avoid all kinde of enticements to that
ever been warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin O who shall now deliver me from the body of this death Thou O Lord hast redeemed me with thy most precious blood all praise therefore and thanks be unto thee who hast given me the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ My sins O Lord have been such as to deserve eternal death and destruction though I have heretofore too much doted on them I do now desire to abhor and to loath the remembrance of them all and to delight and to depend wholly on thy mercy O blessed Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon me O sweet Saviour of the world receive my spirit thou hast redeemed it O Lord thou God of truth O Lord the devil is ever busie in taking advantage against our poor souls but most of all when we are most weak and most unable to encounter with him Be pleased good Lord in this my weakness to rebuke Satan and let thy holy Spirit comfort my distressed soul with assurance of thy love in Christ Jesus asswage my pain O Lord increase my faith and my patience and in thine own good time give a happy end to these my troubles O Lord for thy mercies sake give me full assurance that whatsoever in this my weakness and sickness thou shalt please to lay upon me it shall come from a blessed Father a faithful Creator and a blessed Redeemer II. A Prayer to be used by my Friends OH most blessed Lord God we are prostrating our selves before thy heavenly Majesty in the Name of Jesus Christ on the behalf of this thy sick servant thou only knowest what is fittest for him health or sickness life or death Good Lord sanctifie this thy visitation to him that by it he may be more more humble in the sight of his sins so be longing after Christ Oh enlighten his minde that he may know the hope of his calling and what is the exceeding riches of thy mercy in Christ Jesus toward all that believe in thee and so strengthen his faith that he may lay fast hold on the merits of our blessed Saviour Lord protect him from the malice of Satan allay the edge of his assaults that they may never make him to despair of thy compassion to him in this his low estate Remove from him a dull spirit with all manner of secure and hardned thoughts and all wordly desires and creature-comforts Lord give him patience with Christian courage and constancy to bear whatsoever thou shalt please to lay upon him Oh vouchsafe unto him comfort in his conscience joy in the Spirit and peace in believing together with a setled and a well-grounded expectation of eternal life and salvation through thine infinite love in Christ Jesus Impute not unto him his own unrighteousness but the righteousness of thy dear Son so as thy poor weak servant may appear righteous in thy sight Lord raise him up unto thy self with those heavenly sighs and groans which are not to be expressed Oh keep and save his soul command thy holy Angels to be about him for his everlasting comfort and chase far away from him all evil and malignant spirits that they annoy him not in this time of his distress let him more and more abandon the world and even long to be loosed so as to be with Christ Oh cause his last hour to be his joyfullest hour his last words to be his best words and his last thoughts to be his heavenliest thoughts And good Lord we beseech thee put thy word of Grace and godly Wisdom into our hearts and tongues so as upon all occasions to deliver thy minde holily soundly and cheerfully to the comfort and to the refreshing of his precious and immortal soul And now thou good and gracious God be pleased to teach us in him and in this house of mourning to consider our own end and so to lay it to heart that we being now in health may yet be labouring and preparing for our dissolution and for a holy a joyful and a comfortable leaving of this life this valley of tears Lord hear us for this thy poor sick servant and hear us for our selves but above all hear us for the sake of thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ to whom with thy heavenly and blessed Spirit be given all honour and praise power and glory now and for ever Amen III. Questions with Answers upon any signe of Dying DOst thou believe That Almighty God the Trinity of persons in unity of Essence hath by his power made Heaven and Earth and all that is therein and that by his divine Providence he doth still govern the same so that nothing comes in the world nor to thy self but what his holy arm and counsel had fore-ordained to be done All this I do believe Lord help my unbelief Dost thou really confess That thou hast transgressed and broken the holy Commandments of God in thought word and deed and that for the same thou hast deserved the wrath of God even all the miseries of this life and hereafter even everlasting torments in Hell if God should deal with thee according to thy deserts All this I do acknowledge Lord Jesu pardon my transgressions Art thou not sorry in thine heart that thou hast so broken his Laws and so much neglected his service and so hotly pursued the world and so eagerly doated upon thy vain pleasures and wouldst thou not now lead a holier life if thou wert to begin thy dayes again Lord thou knowest I am heartily sorry for my misdoings and fain I would with more constancy have served thee Dost thou not from thy heart desire to be reconciled to God in Jesus Christ thy only Mediator who is at the right hand of God and now appearing for thee and making intercession at the throne of grace for thy sorrowful soul Oh it is reconciliation to God in Christ that I above all things do most humbly desire Dost thou renounce all confidence in all other Mediators Saints or Angels believing that Jesus Christ alone is the Mediator of the New Testament perfectly able to save all such as come to God by him And canst thou with holy David say to Christ Whom have I in Heaven but thee there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee There is none but Christ my soul shall ever sing there is none but Christ that can intercede for the sins of the world IV. Portions of Scripture to be read PSal 103. or some part of them John 3. or some part of them Isa 53. or some part of them 1 Cor. 13. or some part of them V. More Questions with Answers upon any signe of Dying DOst thou confidenly believe and assuredly hope to be saved by the only merit of the bitter death and Passion of Jesus Christ not placing the thought of salvation in thine own doings nor in any other means or creature whatsoever being
him a joyful resurrection at the great and last day O holy Father in Jesus Christ hear us for him who cannot now speak for himself and hear thy dearly beloved Son our only Mediator both for him and for us all It is in his Name and for his sake that we seek unto thee in the behalf of the precious soul of this thy weak servant to him with thy blessed self and holy Spirit we do render all service honour and praise now and for ever Amen X. Another Prayer at yielding up the Ghost O Most gracious and most merciful Father in Jesus Christ be pleased to cast a compassionate eye upon the immortal soul of this thy languishing creature Lord hear our prayers for him and thy Christ our blessed Mediator for us all the snares of death do encompass him he is sore bruised and broken and brought very low the pangs that are upon him are unspeakable O Lord pour the oyl of gladness into his fainting soul assure him that thou hast cast all his sins behinde thy back and that there is a sweet peace wrought between him and thee by him who is the Prince of peace Oh give him that inward joy and such comfortable taste of eternal happiness that he may rejoyce in thee and forget his present anguish and patiently undergo the same for that endless joy that is set before him and though these faint and these consuming fits have now deprived him of speech yet good Lord let the Comforter that is the blessed Spirit within him make requests for him with prevailing sighs and groans that cannot be expressed ever crying out Lord Jesu receive my soul Lord Jesu receive my spirit so let death be to him none other then a joyful messenger sent from thee the father of all consolation to call and convey him from this valley of tears to everlasting bliss And let the blessed and glorious Name of JESUS be still the chief and the only anchor of his precious soul the sole foundation of his faith and the sacred staff and sure supporter even to the last gasp Hear us O Lord O thou that art the preserver of men hear us for this thy poor servant and have mercy upon him and embrace him in thine own most gracious arms and all for thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ his sake that he may now come and be with thee for ever to sing with thy holy Saints and blessed Angels Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Hallelujah Amen PART V. Being ten blessed Examples of holy Persons relating to a happy passage out of this Life to a better I. Philippus Lodovicus Earle of Hanaw Reinek c. a German Prince He stickned July 29. 1612. and departed this life upon Sunday the 9th of August being not long after his return as Ambassador out of England JUly 29. 1612. His Excellency as his custom was went in his Coach to the Woods with some of his Council and Court-servants feeling himself somewhat ill in the heat he did take some rest in the fields The next day he went to the weekly Sermon and the publick Prayers at the Church in the old City but at his return he found himself worse and went to take some rest upon his bed Aug. 2. Sunday he was let blood and did take some Physick and was so well upon it as to rise and visit his Lady who was then in childe-bed After that he called to one of his Counsellors to confer with him about serious matters and chiefly concerning the Church of Hanaw 3. He was ill again so as he began to prepare for a Christianly departure out of this life he called for his Lady and children in their presence and hearing he gave an account of his faith and that with singular zeal and holy courage His Lady and children being retired he conferred with his Council upon what did concern the Church the School the Country and the Subjects and then took his leave of them in a most friendly and Christianly manner 4. Came divers Courtiers upon his request and after some discourse with tears he parted with them they taking their dear Lord by the hand Then divers of the Citizens came and had very comfortable words from him after which they with much sadness took their leaves of him Lastly the Preachers both of the old and of the new City being called for he told them that his desire was once more before his end with his Houshold to receive the holy Supper of the Lord Jesus Christ declaring withal that this was not grounded upon any superstition or that Ex opere operato it is meritorious but that it is chiefly for the strengthening of his weak faith and for the testifying of his profession yet once again before God and the world and this did the Ministers accordingly perform This night he could not sleep almost at all so he caused several Psalms to be sung and sometimes he sang himself Aug. 5. He called for his Will and after some alteration he did deliver it to his Chamberlain with charge to deliver it in due time to his Council 6. Came to him his Lady-sister the Lady Emilia of Orange from Heydelberg whom he cheerfully received with these words Madam many of my friends have stood weeping about my bed but none could break my heart and provoke my tears but your Ladiship Divers of his servants coming from the monthly Sermon he did call to hear from every one of them some good Doctrine that they had heard He had a very ill night and was earnest to have some of the penitential Psalms to be sung he sometimes bearing a part After that some of the Divines did mention to him those places of Scripture as Mat. 11.28 Joh. 6.37 to which he gave sweet and spiritual replies and said Oh now do I finde and feel the free remission of all my sins that I am a childe of God and an heir of eternal life yea I do feel the vertue of my Saviour Christs blood refreshing of my soul The Lady Emilia being now come again to him he said Ah my loving and vertuous Lady I am a sick man rehearse to me I pray some comfortable sentence out of the Scripture She said She was a poor weak creature but she did see that the Spirit of God blessed be his Name did greatly comfort him He still urging it she did recite that place Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world c. At which he cheerfully uttered these words Well said my noble Sister This is the greatest and the surest comfort of all Gods faithful people with this comfort will I die happily I beseech and pray from my heart to my gracious God for such a blessed departure through the vertue of the satisfaction of my Lord Jesus Christ O my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into thy hands I commit my soul both now and for ever After this his Excellency
indeed And a while after I go to him with confidence for he hath arrayed me with his robe Being raised to a rapture not to be expressed he said I see him and with an acclamation of joy Oh how beautiful he is And then putting some by with his hand I renounce all worldly all earthly affections I will no more love any thing but thee O God who dost alone possess me In this rapture his eyes were clear and sparkling his mouth open and panting after the living God his arms were stretched out toward Heaven and his body striving wonderfully to rise as it were to meet and embrace that beautiful object of his love so as all his friends did wish and pray that God would receive him in that happy instant but his time was not yet come The next day toward evening the assistants perceiving certain signes of approaching death did double their endeavours to comfort and strengthen him he understood every thing that was said to him and shewed most holy elevations in his prayers and in these words did give them thanks that prayed with him The Lord hear you the Lord bless you for all your labour of love to my poor soul When he did hear the glory at hand extolled in some emphatical sentences of Scripture he returned into his former raptures and once more pronounced those words of the Psalmist Psal 17. l. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness And twice or thrice had these words Come Lord Jesus come And as the last time that Text which he loved so much Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world c. and then concluded thus Lord Jesu receive my spirit To him that comforted him with these words Sir you shall soon see your Redeemer with those eyes of yours he said with an effort laying his hand over his heart I do stedfastly believe it This was the last intelligible saying that he did pronounce yet did he make several offers and great indeavours to be understood and was a quarter of an hour with much fervent affection speaking but the flegme that filled his throat and palate hindred him His friends making their last prayer with him he did perpetually lift up his eyes and his hands towards Heaven though he was not able to utter a word Some moments after he did quietly give up the Ghost dying with peace and joy and comfort which was very visible in his face And this was half an hour after midnight even Sunday morning when he was going to keep an everlasting Sabbath in the highest Heavens So all did bless the Name of the Lord. X. Mr. Crook's Life and Death HE was born at Waldingfield in Suff. in the year 1574. son to Dr. Thomas Crook sometimes Preacher at Grays-Inn in London and dyed in 1649. From Merchant-Taylors School in London he went to Cambridge being in Pembrook-Hall a while he was admitted Fellow in Emanuel-Colledge and grew to be well skilled in the Greek Hebrew and Arabick tongues as also in Italian French and Spanish He gave several Books to the University-Library as also to the Libraries of Pembrook-Hall and Emanuel-Colledge He did usually preach three times a week and though by his profound judgement and faithful memory he could dexterously dispatch that with little labour which cost others much yet he often professed with rejoycing that he never durst serve God with that which cost him but little He did practise what he preached and his Motto was Impendam Expendam I will spend and be spent for the glory of God accordingly he never gave over studying and preaching till all his strength of body failed him And expecting death he oftentimes did Preach as it were his own Funeral-Sermon It was his care to discover to his People the divine authority the purity and the sufficiency of the Scriptures the Decalogue the Articles of Faith the Lord's Prayer the Sacraments God in Trinity his Decrees the Creation and Providence the Fall Sin Christ the New-Covenant the Mediator Gospel-faith Vocation Regeneration Justification Adoption Sanctification and Glorification the Church the last Judgement the Christian warfare c. When his Preaching-day Jan. 17. happened being his birth-day he alwayes noted his years with this penitential close God be merciful to me a sinner His divine spirit of Prayer seemed to excel all other his excellencies therein he was full of penitent unbowelling confessions of earnest deprecations petitions pantings and sighings after God and his grace of mighty Arguments by which he used to set all home of feeling thanksgivings and divine raptures carrying up his soul to Heaven If any Christians came to him for resolutions in cases of conscience for counsel in straits for comfort in spiritual desertions for healing of a wounded spirit he wisely and compassionately administred to their several occasions so as they went from him both satisfied and comforted He was never weary of his Lords work his behaviour was pious he was grave without austerity pleasant without levity courteous without dissembling he did love useful discourses but abhorred froth and babling he was a great Master of his own passions and affections a great admirer of learning and piety in others though far beneath himself he conversed more with heaven then with earth Sickness at last seized upon him and it was full of biting pains which he bare with much patience his only grief was that God had taken him off from his labour which was his life and his joy if he were weary in work yet was he never weary of work his spirit was still willing though the flesh was weak And now when he saw no more ability for labour he did account it superfluous to live so did not only cheerfully yield but patiently desire to die After that he had in himself received the sentence of approaching death he desired his friends not to pray for life but for faith for patience for repentance and for joy in the holy Ghost His godly friends continuing with him and blessing God for him he would often say Alas I am nothing but a voice as being troubled at the increasing decayes of nature whereby he was disabled to do any more work for his Lord and Master Some of his last words were these Lord cast me down as low as Hell in repentance but then by a lively faith raise me up to the highest Heavens in an humble holy confidence of thy salvation This day seven night said he will be the day on which we have remembred Christs nativity I shall scarce live to see it but for me also was that Childe born unto me also was that Son given who is Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace He is now come to the end of his labours and to the beginning of his rest his work was with God his reward shall be from his God And thus did set this bright occidental Star upon the day of the Lords Nativity being the 75 year of his age He had been a Preacher 47 years even to above 7000 Sermons As he was full of dayes so was he full of grace and full of peace and full of assurance yea he was full of the truest honour for his worth and works sake in the hearts of all that feared God His memory shall be blessed and his name shall be a sweet perfume to posterity So let us leave this happy Brother of ours in the bed of Honour until the joyful morning of the blessed Resurrection of the just Blessed be the Name of the Lord. FINIS This was finished about the first of May which was the day of my Nativity and now the seventieth year of my age and of our Redemption 1664.
moritur corpore non moritur morte aeterna quando moritur morte corporis Summum hominis bonum bonus ex hac vita exitus Nasci mori commune est Regi populo diviti paupero fortunato misero Fleres si scires unum tua tempora mensem Rides quum non sit forsitan una dies Ante senectutem curavi 〈◊〉 bene viverem in senectute ut bene moriar In mundo spes nulla boni spes nulla salutis Una salus servire Deo sunt caetera fraudes Pulvis umbra sumus pulvis nihil est nisi fumus Sed nihil est fumus nos nihil ergo sumus Dic homo quid speres qui mundo totus adhaeres Tecum nulla feres licet omnia solus haberes Heu fugiunt fraeno non remorante dies Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor inferni sint meditanda tibi II. A Prayer in health preparing for death Qui orat peccat non orat sed deludit O Most gracious Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh thou which hast the keyes of death and of Hell thou which hast prepared and rulest them both at thy good pleasure I humbly beseech thee be merciful to thy poor creature and preserve me from the terrors which are ready to seize upon me O Lord when I do seriously consider how I dwell in a house of clay the foundation being in the dust and how I must ere long make my bed in the dark my spirit doth seem to fail and my heart to faint especially being told out of thy blessed Word That the sting of death is sin and so mine own sin O raise me up from sad and unquiet thoughts teach me how to overcome all discouragements and help me to call to minde those truths As that the nature of death is to thy servants quite altered that the sting is plucked out and it self swallowed up in victory O help me to consider how by death thy poor servant shall be freed from sickness of body and anguish of minde from sinning against thy heavenly Majesty and from the society of the wicked Teach me truly to confess and humbly to bewail my manifold offences and then effectually to apply thy gracious promises to my everlasting comfort that so all fainting fears proceeding from the sence of my sins may turn to holy rejoycing with a cheerful expecting and even to an earnest longing for the time of my dissolution And yet that I may not beguile mine own soul in laying claim to that spiritual refreshing which belongs not to me make me to labour diligently for those assured evidences and undeceiving fore-runners of a happy departure I have been taught O Lord that if I live here without conscience I shall assuredly die without comfort that holiness here is the safe and certain way to happiness hereafter that I must seek to glorifie thee if I mean to be glorified with thee that I must fight the good fight of faith both against Satan against the world and against mine own corruptions that I must faithfully finish my course and conscionably perform the service to which thou hast appointed me that I must know thy Law and keep the faith in soundness and sincerity to the end otherwise it will be in vain to expect a crown of righteousness that I must come to the first resurrection that is from sin or else I shall never escape the second death O Lord grant me therefore of thy heavenly grace that henceforth I may more carefully serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of my life endeavouring alwayes and in all things to have and to keep a clear conscience towards thee and towards all men Lord kill my corruptions in me that I may be even dead to sin but alive to thee in Jesus Christ affect my soul with a sence and an assurance of those heavenly joyes which may work in my heart both fear and love also to thee the God of all consolation And because if I live after the flesh taking though for it to fulfil it I shall die therefore I beseech thee to mortifie in me the deeds of the body by thy Spirit that so I may have my fruit in holiness and that my end may be everlasting life Teach me and enable me to be alwayes numbring my dayes and to consider the uncertain certainty of my latter end that I may be dying every day still looking and still preparing for my change and making account that each day by one means or other may be the day of my dissolution Strengthen also good Lord my weak and fainting faith make me strong in thee and in the power of thy might seal me with the holy spirit of promise as with the earnest of my heavenly inheritance that so no tribulation in this world may disquiet me no anguish in sickness discourage me no assault of Satan over come me but that come life so long as thou pleasest or come death when or how it shall seem good unto thee I may cheerfully and through Christ commit my soul to thee as to a faithful Creator Grant me O Lord these fatherly blessings and what else thou in thine infinite wisdom knowest better what is needful for me and that for his sake who died to free me from death even Jesus Christ the righteous to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be given all honour praise and glory now and ever Amen III. Meditations of Gods mercies AMong all the infinite treasures wherewith the largeness of the Godhead aboundeth there is nothing that refresheth relieveth us miserable sinners worms of the earth that lye low at his footstool but the consideration of Gods mercy His Majesty astonisheth us his glory beateth us down his greatness striketh us dead we adore his omnipotence admire his wisdom stand in aw of his justice flie from his vengeance In mercy in mercy alone it is that we taste how gracious and how amiable the Lord is of all Gods attributes none is more eminent then his mercy Blessed be her womb that bare us and her paps that gave us suck we live and move and have our being by her she grew up with us from our youth and forsaketh us not when we be grey-headed she giveth us our daily bread and hourly breath she continueth us in life comforteth us in death and crowneth us with salvation O mercy the Lady and Empress of all the attributes of God! what shall we say of thee Heaven and earth are full of thy glory The glorious company of the Prophets praise thee the goodly fellowship of the Apostles praise thee the noble army of the Martyrs praise thee the holy Church throughout the world doth knowledge thee Thy mercy O Lord doth shine upon us every way There is 1. Thy preventing mercy from whence I may say that unless the Lord had preserved me by his grace and power my soul had launched out into the foulest sins 2.
There is thy forbearing mercy whereby thou dost wait for the conversion of foul offenders 3. There is thy altering mercy which from vanity and vice doth settle us in wayes of holiness 4. There is thy imbracing mercy whereby thou assurest us being now converted of thy favour in Christ Jesus 5. There is thy confirming mercy which strengthens us in the course of godliness 6. There is thy comforting mercy which sets us in the hope and expectation of future glory 7. There is thy crowning mercy which gives us assurance and full possession of eternal happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven Yea Lord thy boundless mercies do every where and every way and every day most graciously inlarge themselves towards us both in giving us all good things and in forgiving us all our offendings but yet it must be our care that we take heed never to presume upon this mercy but to have this sentence alwayes in our mindes and memories The Lord is merciful that he may be feared Amen So be it IV. Of the danger and evil of Sin 1. WHo would be so hardy as to commit any one sin if he did at all consider the examples of Gods judgements for sin and that first Upon the whole world which he had made 2. Upon his Church the quintessence of the world when they sinned in the wilderness 3. Upon his Saints the quintessence of his Church as David his beloved 4. On the Angels in Heaven offending 5. On his dear Son himself when he took our sins upon him and so felt the bitterness of Gods justice upon which one sayes well Magna taâ—â—â—â— amaritudo peccati quae tantam amaritudinem peperit Great was the sowrness in our sinning that produced so great sharpness in 〈◊〉 suffering 2. Alas what avails it for an impenitent sinner to seek for outward relief when our Executioner is within us If we could shift from our selves we might have some hope of ease but what if we could run from our selves Alas that 's nothing Our souls may flie from our bodies but our conscience will not flie from our souls nor our sins from our conscience Some indeed in the sharpness of these pangs of sins have leapt out of this private hell that is in themselves into that common pit of hell chusing rather to adventure on the future pains that they have feared then to endure the present horrors that they have felt gaining hereby nothing but to that hell which was within them a second hell to be without them The conscience leaves not where the fiends begin but both together joyn in torturing 3. What can we think of sin let the pleasure or the profit or the pretence thereof be what it may be yet before the execution of the least sin let us consider That either we must repent that sin and that with a sorrow equal to the pleasure that we had in it or else we shall for that one sin be condemned to everlasting torments Let this then O let this only one consideration sink deep and dwell upon our hearts and then it will prove a help to us during our life 4. Some obdurate foreheads there be that would seem to laugh their sins out of countenance but certainly their hearts must needs bleed when their faces do countenance a smile they do wear out many waking hours when they think they rest yea as their thoughts afford them no sleep no more does their sleep afford them rest but while their sences are tyed up their sin is let loose frighting them with horrible dreams Therefore sin no more lest a worse thing come unto you 5. See the tongue of a sinner begins first to dissemble next to lye next to swear next to blaspheme and the next thing that the sinner takes in hand is the practise of evil actions And here as in other cases the devil useth his old method he first teaches the man the art of fraud and cosening after that the practise of extortion and oppression then the trade of open theft and violence so as by this time the man is grown a perfect artist and proficient being shewn the way to swallow any bait and to scruple at nothing at all V. Health the fittest time for Repentance 1. LEt us not delay our Repentance from day to day but even in our youth begin so necessary so profitable a work Can we think it fit to undertake by the serious exercises of Repentance which is the work of works to turn our sinful souls towards God when sickness has seized upon us and when we are not able to turn our tyred limbs upon our softest bed If we finde it so hard a matter to turn to heavenward now we shall finde it far harder then for our sin will wax stronger every day but our strength for resistance will become weaker our conscience will frighten us pain will distract us fear of death will amaze us visiting of friends will disturb us so as if we be not before-hand furnished with a competency of faith and patience and holy consolation we shall not on our sick beds be able to meditate our selves nor to observe the words of counsel or of comfort from others we shall not be able to pray alone nor to joyn with others that would pray with us therefore let us beware and begin Repentance betimes He shall be sure to forget God at his death that did not daily remember him in his life let us then prepare our selves betimes for sickness and death let us pull out the sting of death by early bewailing of sins past by timely cleaving to God for the future with purposing and practising sincerity of life and conversation 2. We are the Israel of God our sins are the Egyptians that keep us in bondage let us pray that these Egyptians may be drowned in that red Sea and washed away by that precious blood of Jesus Christ 3. In our health let us take heed of all sins for sins are the only enemies to Christ they be those souldiers that apprehended him those tormentors that scourged him those thorns that gored his head those nails that pierced his feet that spear that spilt his blood that Cross that took away his life 4. Take heed for he that doth not repent to day hath a day more to repent of and yet a day less to repent in It was the saying of a holy man when he heard a clock to strike Hark here is one hour more that I have to answer for 5. Defer not repentance till sickness come it may presently be violent and then if our reason continue which is oftentimes otherwise it will be most necessary to imploy that reason and our best thoughts on the highest concernments on the world that we are going to and not on the world that we are about to leave let terrene things always give place to celestial things that so we may be in Heaven here VI. Holy resolutions in time of Health 1. I Will alwayes remember
my sins but thou O Lord besides the dictates of thy heavenly Word and boly Spirit dost now visit me in mercy giving me by this sickness not only warning to consider and time to repent me of all my manifold transgressions but also opportunity to sue to the throne of grace for pardon so as I do not apprehend this visitation as a sign of thy heavy displeasure against me but rather as an assured pledge and token of thy fatherly kindness by this temporal chastisement to draw me to the judging of my self to be humbled for all my offendings to abhor my self in dust and ashes so as not to be condemned with the world for thy holy Word hath taught us That thou scourgest every son that thou receivest and that if I do patiently and believingly endure thy chastising hand thou dost offer thy self as a tender father to relieve me O Lord how full of mercy and compassion is thy nature that hast dealt so graciously with me in affording to me a long time of health and prosperity such as few have received more I do confess O Lord that thou most justly dost afflict my body with sickness for my soul before was sick of long prosperity and even surfeited with health ease peace and plenty and fulness of bread A wretched sinner I have been void of all goodness by nature and full of evil works by custom but seeing thy mercy is above all I beseech thee heavenly father in Jesus Christ for his sake and for his meritorious suffering and according to the multitude of thy mercies cast me not out of thy gracious presence neither reward me after my iniquities As thou art the helper of the helpless and the God of all consolation to such as trust in thee as thou art pleased to lay this sickness upon me so let it work that good effect which thou in thy great mercy dost intend And good Lord send thy holy Spirit into my heart by which this and all other thy dispensations may be sanctified to me that I may use the same as a lesson in thy School whereby to be taught both the greatness of my misery and wants and also the fulness of thy riches and mercy in the Lord Christ to be so humbled at the one as not to despair of the other Grant that I may renounce all confidence in my self and in every other creature or means so as only to put the whole trust of my preservation and salvation in thy boundless mercy And for as much O Lord as thou knowest how weak a vessel I am full of frailty impotence and imperfection and how by nature I am froward and impatient under the least cross and under the lightest affliction Do thou O Lord who art the giver of all good gifts indue me with heavenly grace with holy patience and with godly fortitude so as quietly to resign up my self even body and soul to what thou shalt appoint for me And of thy tender mercy lay no more upon me then thou shalt please to enable me comfortably to bear Strengthen me by thy healy grace that during this sickness and in all other times of affliction I may behave my self in all humility and meekness and faith and quiet repose in the sight and presence of those friends or assistants that shall come or be about me and also that I may both thankfully receive and readily improve all such seasonable counsel and heavenly consolation and holy direction as shall proceed from them And likewise that I may shew such Christianly example of childe-like patience and withal may give forth such godly lessons of heavenly comfort as may be both apparent arguments and sure testimonies of my holy profession and also of use and instruction to them how they are to behave themselves in the day of their visitation I do confess O Lord that in regard of my great provocations I have deserved both sickness and death it self and I do now desire no longer to live then to reform my evil life and in some better measure to set forth thy glory but if thou hast according to thy eternal decree appointed by this sickness to call for me out of this transitory life Lord help me willingly to resign my self into thy hands saying Thy blessed will be done only I do most humbly beseech thee even for Jesus Christ his sake who is the Son of thy love to pardon all my sins and in him to be reconciled to me and so to prepare my poor soul that by a lively faith and unfeigned repentance she may be ready to yield up her self when thou shalt be pleased to call for her O holy Father thou art the hearer of prayers hear thou in heaven these my weak supplications and in this my sickness which is like to increase upon me be pleased to shew thy Almighty power and goodness Teach my heart in holy believing to say Whether I live or whether I die I am Christs and Christ is mine and he shall be advantage to me both here and hereafter and for ever To him with the Father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour and glory and power and dominion for ever and ever Amen The Lord will be a refuge Psa 9.9 in time of trouble Hear me O Lord my God Psal 13.3 5. that I sleep not in death for my trust is in thy mercy and my heart is joyful in thy salvation II. Concerning Prayer CHrist and God and all is laid out for the good of the godly they may go to God with holy boldness and tell him wherein they are troubled pained afflicted oppressed If we ask great things from God he is well pleased with it but if we ask riches and honour and worldly preferment these are the low things of the footstool and they are often in mercy denyed let us therefore of God ask peace of conscience pardon of sin let us crave power to overcome our lusts strength to withstand temptations joy in the holy Ghost and grace to glorifie our dear Redeemer both in doing and in suffering God hath most assuredly all good things lying ready by him only he looks that Prayer should fetch them from him Now observe When our great Master Christ would give us a perfect pattern of Prayer both for matter and for manner he there windes up and wraps up all with a conclusion which consists of certain reasons to perswade our heavenly Father to hear our prayers or at least to assure our souls that he doth and that he will hear them and these reasons have a certain influence into all and every one of the petitions Thine is the Kingdom for this reason we do expect that as a good King thou wilt receive us and answer our petitions It is thy concernment as a King to have thine honour advanced for this reason Hallow thine own Name glorifie it in the Church advance thy Will in it sustain us thy Subjects pardon our Offences keep and defend us from
favour to minde our own duty and to live by faith V. A Prayer before taking of Physick O Lord give me perfect love to thy heavenly Majesty that I may not delight in any thing at all but thee nor look for any other safety at all but in thee nor seek for any other help but from thee O most holy and most merciful Father in Jesus Christ who art the Lord both of health and of sickness who killest and makest alive who bringest down to the grave and raisest up again I do humbly come unto thee unto thee as to the only Physician of Physicians who canst as easily cure my soul from sin as my body from sickness I do not at this time desire either life or death but do wholly yield up my self to thy blessed will death indeed is the reward of sin for sin when it is finished bringeth forth death yet seeing thy gracious providence while life remaineth hath appointed means for thy distressed children to use and by the lawful and thankful use of it and humble seeking to thee for it to expect thy fatherly blessing for healing of their distempers and restoring them to their health In this my necessity I do apply my self to the Physitian and am entring upon the course which he shall prescribe O Lord help me that I may cast my self wholly upon thee Teach me to call faithfully upon thy great and glorious Name for a blessing upon it It is thou O Lord that didst recover Hezekiah that didst cleanse the Lepers that didst restore the woman with the bloody Issue and it is from thy great mercy Almighty power and gracious providence alone that I expect deliverance out of this malady Oh be pleased of thine infinite goodness to sanctifie to me this Physick that I shall now take and so to prosper the same that if it be thy blessed will and pleasure it may remove this sickness and take away this pain and restore me to my former health and strength but if thou hast appointed this sickness to draw me nearer to thy self in constant obedience and holy dependance upon thy heavenly Majesty or if thou hast sent this sickness as thy messenger to call me out of this mortal life then help me to say with integrity sincerity Thy will be done enable me with cheerfulness to submit to thy divine pleasure And this I do humbly most earnestly beg of thee to assist me with thy holy Spirit for the increase of faith and patience in this my day of trouble O Lord let thy tender and fatherly compassion be never wanting to me but in the midst of all extremities be pleased to support me with thy continual help that I may both willingly and christianly resigne up my soul as the price of thine own blood into thy gracious hands and blessed protection Grant this O Lord to thy poor servant and whatever else in thine infinite wisdom and goodness thou knowest to be necessary for my present weak condition such as may tend to my everlasting comfort and thine eternal glory All this I beg for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be ascribed all Majesty power and glory now and for ever Amen VI. A Prayer before Physick is on working O Holy Father in Jesus Christ when in my weakness the time shall come that Satan shall maliciously accuse me when my unquiet conscience shall bear witness against me when worldly advantages shall forsake me and when every creature and every thing shall seem to set themselves against me and that for my manifold and my reiterated sins against thy heavenly Majesty then do thou who art the God of all consolation do thou strengthen me in my most holy faith so that If all not at all from thee though every thing doth seem to flee from me But Lord I beseech thee let thy fulness supply my wants let thy mercy do away my offendings let thy holy Spirit prepare my soul for thy heavenly appointment let thy merits O most blessed Saviour enrich my poverty Oh let thy dear and precious blood wash away all the spots and stains of my poor polluted soul And Lord be pleased at this time to vouchsafe a blessing upon the Physick which I have now taken for removing of my pain and recovery of my health and if thou shalt afford this mercy to thy poor creature then Lord I beseech thee grant grace that the same health and ease may be imployed and improved for the glory of thy great Name and for the present comfort and final salvation of my poor soul And all this I beg in and by and through the merits of thee my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ to whom with the heavenly Father and the holy Spirit be given as is most due blessing and honour and glory and power both now and for ever Amen VII Six Medicines to cure the fear of Death 1. THe first Medicine is contempt of the world For 1. It will be an easie thing to die when our hearts are once freed from the love of earthly things therefore should we shun the overmuch care and business of the world and study to be quiet to meddle only with our own matters and to draw them into as narrow a scantling as our calling will permit 2. We should avoid as much as may be the society of the worlds favourites that admire nothing but what this world affords that know no other happiness but that of this life whereby our hearts are too much intangled 3. We should sort our selves with such Christians as do practise as well as praise the contempt of the world and by whose example discourse we may be brought to be in love with Heaven 4. We should daily observe to what things in the world our hearts are most carried out and by fervent supplications to strive with the Lord to suppress them 5. We should be alwayes pondering in our thoughts those things which may shew us the vanity of the world and the vileness and transitoriness of the best things which the world affords 2. The second Medicine or cure of the fear of death is Mortification 1. We must throughly mortifie all our bosom and beloved sins our sins must die before we die otherwise our dying will be dangerous to us it is the love and the delight that men take in sin which makes them so much afraid to die or else it may be the remembrance of some filthy sin committed which doth terrifie the conscience therefore we must make sure of our repentance Now he may be said truly to repent himself of all sin that allows not in himself any sin 2. We must here add the care of an upright and of an unreproveable conversation A marvellous help and encouragement it is to die in peace when a man doth live without offence and upon just ground can plead the integrity of a holy conversation 3. The third Medicine or cure against the fear of death is
Assurance We should be diligent to get assurance both of Gods favour and of our own calling and election for hereby will an entrance be given into the heavenly Kingdom Simeon could willingly die when his eyes had seen his salvation the full assurance of faith doth wonderfully establish the heart and guard it from the fear of death and also doth breed a longing desire to come to Christ St. Paul can be confident when he is able to say I know whom I have believed and I am assured that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him 4. The fourth Medicine is setting our house in Order A great part of the fear and trouble of mens mindes on their sick beds is over when with good deliberation and advice they have settled their Estates and disposed of their worldly affairs This is a matter not to be put off to a time of languishing sickness when the trouble of it breeds disquiet to their mindes when their memory and understanding is disabled when this necessary duty of preparing for death is thereby hindered if not wholly neglected 5. The fifth Medicine is 1. A frequent meditation of Death We must learn to die daily for this will lessen yea it will remove the fear of dying Oh this remembrance of our latter end and learning to number our days is an admirable rule for to practise 2. We should begin this exercise betimes In this lay the commendation of those wise Virgins and so of Job who resolved to be alwayes waiting till his change should come 6. The sixth Medicine against the fear of death is holy and hearty Prayer Because our natures are extreamly deceitful there is a necessity of frequent and faithful prayer to be used which will never fail us in whatsoever is fit for us It is that which God will not deny to those that ask it in sincerity in the Name of the Lord Jesus and that because it is a thing which Christ our blessed Saviour did especially aim at in his own death namely to deliver us from the power yea from the fear of death VIII Rules to make our Calling and Election sure 1. WE must be diligent hearers of Gods holy Word for faith cometh by hearing what is the reason that so many do waver and wander out of the way that is called Holy Is it not because they are idle hearers is it not because they will not be at the pains to hear so carefully as to finde what their case and condition is and what it doth require 2. Rule We must frequently receive the Lords Supper even every experienced Christian is able to tell us That this holy Ordinance hath by the mercy and blessing of God a very notable confirming and establishing power in it 3. Rule If we would have our Calling and our Election to be made sure then must we sue to God as the Apostles did that the Lord would increase our faith for unless Gods Spirit do testifie together with our spirit we can never come to any assurance of faith nor to any certainty of salvation Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God alone that must give the increase 4. Rule If we desire to make our Calling and Election sure we must be frequent in meditating of Gods promises as they are set forth in his holy Word and accordingly we must try our estate by the particular marks which are peculiar to Gods elect 5. Rule If we would make our Calling and Election sure we must be plentiful in good works for who are they which lay up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come and so laying hold upon eternal life but such as are rich in good works We are not only to repent and to turn to God but to do works meet for repentance 6. Rule That we may make our Calling and our Election sure Let us always be making our desires known to the Lord in our humble supplications that he will establish us in the most holy faith that believing in him we may remain immoveable neither in prosperity to forget him or in adversity to despair of him And thus we see the way to a comfortable departure out of this life The Lord give us grace to chufe this way that so by our death we may both glorifie God bring comfort and good example to our friends and everlasting benefit to our own souls Amen IX Against doubtings of Gods mercy 1. LEt us confess even all our sins to God 2. Let us be careful to make satisfaction to whomsoever in this life we have wronged be it in goods or in good name without which there can be no true repentance and so no salvation 3. Call upon God for mercy and pardon in the Lord Jesus and labour for faith in him and then in the midst of pain and doubting remember that the way to Heaven is by the gates of Hell 4. Get a lively faith in Christ Jesus and so tarry the Lords leisure be strong and he shall comfort our hearts 5. In the sence of our greatest sins let us remember that Gods mercies do shine more in pardoning great offenders then small transgressors for where sin aboundeth there doth grace rejoyce to abound much more 6. God did never forsake any till they did first forsake him 7. God calleth all even sinners that are heavy laden to be refreshed the least drop of Christs blood is of more merit to procure Gods mercy for our salvation then all our sins whatsoever can be of force to procure his wrath to our condemnation 8. Let our sins be of never so long continuance or of never so heavy a weight let us but repent and believe and then the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all sins 9. Though our vows and promises of new obedience have not been exactly performed yet upon our tears of true repentance through faith in the Lord Jesus we shall be recovered as oft as we are wounded to death by sin for our salvation is grounded not upon the constancy of our obedience but upon the firmness of Gods gracious Covenant with us in Christ Jesus 10. No sin though never so great ought to drive any Christian into despair seeing if he believe and repent he hath the pardon of all his sins confirmed to him and that 1. By the Word of God At what time soever a sinner repenteth and turneth to the Lord he will blot out all his offences c. 2. By the Oath of God As I live saith he I desire not the death of the wicked No sin doth debar a man from God but only incredulity and impenitency Believe it O thou drooping soul our unfeigned desire to repent is as pleasing and as acceptable to God as our perfectest repentance can be X. Reading of Chapters or portions of Scripture REad carefully and considerately these Chapters following or part of them Mat. 26 27 and 28 Chapters being he History of our Saviours Passion
and Resurrection John the 2 Chapter Rom. the 7 and 8 Chapt. Heb. the 11 and 12 Chapt. PART III. Meditations at growing Weak I. A Prayer upon danger of Death OH most glorious and most gracious Lord God thy providence doth extend to the uttermost parts of the earth and thy favourable beams do shine upon the chief of sinners be pleased to cast thy compassionate eye upon me whom thou hast brought to the bed of sickness just it is with thee thus to correct me yea to destroy me body and soul seeing I have so grievously offended thee I will not I dare not I cannot plead against thee it is my duty rather to magnifie thy mercy that hast spared me so long and art now pleased so graciously and so fatherly to chastise me it being free to thy justice to cut me off and to deliver me over to the Prince of darkness Vnworthy I am I do confess of this access to thy gracious presence in that I have formerly been so careless thereof yet seeing thou art ever wont more to respect the truth of thine own promise then the desert of those that pray unto thee seeing thou vouchsafest to stile thy self The hearer of Prayer I beseech thee hearken to the humble suit of thy poor supplicant Lord sanctifie to me this present sickness let it be as thy School in which I may learn more sincerely to honour thee and truly to know my self Make me seriously sensible that all this and whatever else thou shalt now lay upon me are but the fruits of sin and that as sickness makes way for death so death is the fore-runner either of eternal salvation or condemnation Lord bless this meditation so to me that I may make it my chief business to seek assurance of my being reconciled to thy heavenly Majesty To this end Lord give me a deep apprehension and a sensible understanding of my fore-passed transgressions Lord take from me all blindness of mind all deceitfulness of spirit all inclination to flatter or to sooth up my self so as to lessen either the number or the quality of my offences Cause me to break and even to plough up my heart to search and to try my wayes that so out of the truth and the abundance of the sence and feeling of my sins I may pour out a most plentiful and a most sincere confession before thee Help me to consider that it is a vain thing to seek to cover mine iniquities from thine all-seeing eye therefore let me rather lay open my most secret sins before thee with holy and true contrition this being a safe way to finde mercy and pardon at thy gracious hands O then be pleased to strengthen my weak faith that I may from the sight of my sinful condition lay hold upon the infinite merits of my blessed Saviour and with all humility cast all my burden upon him who by his most precious blood hath purged away all sin and all uncleanness And because O Lord I am full of imperfections there being in my nature much weakness to distrust much frowardness to repine and great readiness to rebel against thy holy Ordinances be graciously pleased to furnish me with necessary graces and with such heavenly gifts as thou in thine infinite wisdom and goodness dost know to be fit for my present estate endue me with patience cheerfully to bear whatsoever thou shalt please to lay upon me meekly submitting to thy most holy appointment Assure me that thou who knowest whereof I am made and that I am but poor dust wilt not press me with more then thou wilt enable me to bear Grant good Lord that the hope of the glory which shall be revealed may be more strong in me and more powerful upon me that all things in this world may be vile and worthless in comparison of it make me to be comfortably capable of the counsel and caution which my Christian friends shall in tender affection indeavour to administer to my fainting soul and so likewise make me able willing and ready to speak and deliver something of piety and of profit to such persons as in my sickness shall be about me Lord put into me charitable thoughts and holy affections towards all people and that I may be both willing to satisfie wheresoever I have failed in my duty and also ready to remit wheresoever I have received greatest injury or indignity Oh holy Father in Jesus Christ prepare me I humbly beseech thee and enable me towards my last conflict Oh help and defend me and by thy Almighty power preserve me from and against the assaults and the deceits of Satan who at such a time as this is most busie to destroy thy poor creatures grant that notwithstanding his mortal malice I may keep my self close to thee and constantly and faithfully to resolve that though thou slay me yet to put my whole trust in thee And seeing that sickness so great is thy compassion to poor creatures doth not always exercise its full power upon our weak frail bodies Oh Lord vouchsafe unto me that understanding and spiritual prudence as to make a holy use of every small breathing and of every little time of ease which in mercy thou shalt be pleased to afford unto me so as to gather strength and resolution against the time of greater pain and anguish I beseech thee be still bringing to my remembrance those evidences of thy former favours and those comfortable examples and instructions which I have from time to time found in thy holy Word so as to be thereby quickned and refreshed and so as to know and apprehend the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and so finde spiritual comfort in my greatest need And as the danger of death shall increase upon me so let heavenly rejoycing and holy desires increase in me Oh let me groan earnestly and desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ upon good ground believing that thou hast made him to be sin that knew no sin for me that I might be made the righteousness of God in him Now Lord hear and help and do for me thy poor creature according to thine everlasting love and mercy and compassion in the same my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen II. Consolations concerning Death I Owe to God a death even as his dear Son did die for me Ever since I was born I have been sailing to this Haven and have or should have been gathering resolution strength and patience to sweeten and to comfort this hour therefore I shall not I will not the Lord assisting me now be one of those guests that would not come to the banquet when they were invited What hurt is there in going to Paradise I shall lose nothing but the sence of evil and I shall presently reap greater joys then I now feel pain for my head is in Heaven already to assure me that my body and soul shall follow after O death where is thy sting why should I fear that which
a merciful high-Priest in things pertaining to God to work reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Seeing that we have a great high Priest Jesus the Son of God who is passed into the Heavens let us hold fast our profession for we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are sin only excepted let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and finde grace in time of need Seeing we are taught by faith That whatsoever we have need of and is wanting in us the same is laid up with God for us in Christ it remaineth then that we do seek it of him and be it in sickness or in health by daily prayer beg it of him V. Reading of Scripture or part of Chapters PSalms 62 77 96. Isa 55. 1 Cor. 15. from v. 1. to v. 29. 2 Cor. 5. Rev. 1 5. and the last or part of them VI. A Prayer where friends are to joyn O Most gracious most glorious Lord God we thy poor unworthy servants are here prostrate before thy heavenly Majesty begging pardon at thy compassionate hands for all the evils that we stand guilty of Oh look upon us not as we are miserable sinners but as we are by the precious blood of thy dear Son reconciled unto thee for his sake we beseech thee to hear us and to accept of our prayers not only for our selves but on the behalf of this thy distressed servant our Christian brother whom thou hast here brought low upon the bed of sickness we are taught O Lord that sickness is brought upon the world for sin and that it is inflicted upon thine own people for a tryal and for a blessing that being by thee so fatherly chastised they may return unto thee like obedient children by unfeigned repentance holy believing and humble supplication and not as with the wicked for hardning of their hearts O Lord we beseech thee in the Name of the Lord Jesus give to this thy sick servant grace and spiritual strength to search into his own heart so as to finde out to bewail and to detest all his former sinful actions freely to forgive every injury done unto him duly to make restitution wheresoever there is cause so as to be in charity with all men and to have a clear conscience void of all offence Give him of thy grace O Lord that he may not take this sickness or any other thy visitation either insensibly or impatiently let him be truly humbled under thy mighty hand and yet confidently trust and constantly depend upon thy rich mercy in Christ Jesus so that nothing may be able to separate him from thee who art his only stay and portion yea the only comfort of his precious soul And then good Lord send thy holy Spirit into his heart to support and sanctifie him against all his natural weaknesses passions and infirmities let thy Almighty power and goodness preserve him against all outward cares and troubles let thy heavenly Grace O most blessed Saviour by thy all-sufficient merits purchase for him his needful pardon and let thy most precious blood be to him a happy Medicine to all his maladies and a soveraign help against all his spiritual enemies O grant unto him this blessing that he may quietly repose himself at this time under the shadow of thy wings void of all fear and free from all spiritual darkness dangers and despair Lord give him a watchful heart willingly disposed and thorowly enabled to abandon all transitory things here below and to depart hence with joy and in the peace of a good conscience Good Lord teach him enable him upon this his sick bed openly earnestly faithfully unfeignedly and incessantly to be confessing his sins and craving pardon of all his iniquities O be graciously pleased to keep under Satan that he may have no power to draw him from submitting to thy divine will and pleasure restore in him the image of thy dear Son Jesus Christ that so long as thou shalt afford him any breath he may live in thy fear trust in thy mercy rely on thy promises believe in thy Word die in thy favour rest in thy peace rise in thy power and remain in thy glory These blessings and what other mercies this thy sick creature or we thy poor servants do stand in need of we do humbly and faithfully implore at thy gracious hands and in the Name and for the sake of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and do conclude all our petitions as he hath taught us to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be all glory power and dominion world without end Amen VII Meditations on the dayes of Death and of Doom DEath was to us by reason of sin a dungeon for reserving the guilty body against the day of Judgement but now by and through the merits of Christ our blessed Saviour death is become as it were a persumed bed for the Elect against the day of the Resurrection Then O my Lord and Saviour why should it molest or trouble me at all to tread in thy steps towards glory The worst piece of the horror of death is the grave that part which is corrupted feels it not the other which is free from corruption feels an abundant recompence foresees a joyful reparation The day of Death and the day of Doom are the two Pole-Stars in which we that are Pilgrims and strangers on earth must at all times be fixing of our eyes Joseph of Arimathea did make his sepulchre in his garden Egyptians had the picture of death alwayes in their Banquetting-houses even so should we in the midst of our worldly pleasures be continually preparing our selves and casting up our accounts and daily numbring our dayes Death to the righteous is ever welcome and for the day of Doom the very name of it to the godly is as honey the mentioning of it is as the sweetest melody and the thoughts of it to every good Christian is as a year of Jubile Be pleased then Oh heavenly Father to lift up my head and my heart in that great and glorious day Lord turn from me those judgements that attend the wicked and crown me with those myriades of blessings which do alwayes accompany thine Elect and so in mercy come Lord Jesus come quickly In that great day we shall see and meet the ancient Patriarks Moses and Aaron Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the old Prophets Elias Jeremiah Daniel Hosea we shall also behold the four and twenty Elders the holy Apostles Matthew Mark James and John and all the holy Martyrs John the Baptist Stephen c. likewise all those harmless Infants that were slain by Herod who with their Olive-branches in their hands do continually sing Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and
riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing both now and for ever and ever Amen VIII Short Prayers upon any release of Pain BLessed and praised be thy great and glorious Name O holy Father in Jesus Christ for that thou dost lay no more upon me nor punishest me to my confusion O grant me still a believing heart and a patient minde that I may still love thee and wholly depend upon thee and comfortably bear all thy fatherly corrections as it becometh thy faithful servant and a true souldier of Jesus Christ All is thine and thou art all to thee only do I flie for relief and succour knowing that there is no strength nor support but only in thee Thou wilt not break a bruised reed thou wilt not quench the smoaking flax O thou that delightest not in the death of a sinner receive me release my soul out of trouble for thy great Name sake let the shadow of thy wings be my cover let the holy Ghost be my company let thy power be my portion my rock and my defence against all fear and danger whatsoever and do thou in thine infinite goodness and mercy say at this time to my poor weak soul Be of good cheer I am thy salvation O Lord it is thou alone that hast sent me this sickness be thou pleased to come thy self with it and teach me and enable me to make that sanctified use thereof as becometh thy faithful servant O Lord let thy Word be my rule thy Glory my aim thy Spirit my guide thy Angels my guard thy Promises my support thy People my society thy Ordinances my delight then shall I be happy both now and for ever Grant O Lord God of Heaven and earth that thy holy Angels may pitch their tents round about me in this my low estate to defend me against that evil one and in thine own appointed time to convey my soul to everlasting glory When thou O Lord shalt be finishing my weak and evil dayes of sin be pleased to quiet my tender conscience to pardon my many manifold offences to save my precious soul to receive both my body and my soul into thy heavenly Kingdom so that I may follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth Oh thou that art the Captain of my salvation Oh sweet Jesus that wert made perfect by sufferings look graciously upon thy poor creature and sanctifie unto me all the pains of body and all the troubles of mind which thou shalt permit to fall upon me that I may pass thorow them to everlasting happiness IX Consolations against Pain and fear in Dying THere is pain in the curing of a wound do we therefore suffer it to gangrene and let it alone to the danger of a limb perhaps of life No we are willing to launce and to heal so let us here submit the body that the soul may be safe There be few persons but have indured as great perhaps greater and for a longer time in their life then they have at their death We do make the passage much the more tedious and difficult by our bringing to the thought of death a troubled and an unprepared minde and in the mean time forget that Christ by his death hath taken away the sting of death Be not dismayed death indeed is terrible when it is inflicted by the Law but it is easie being imposed by the Gospel The curse is now taken off we are not now under the Law but under Grace God who blessed us in life will not forsake us he will not neglect us in death for precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints Against all the apprehensions and thoughts of death let this of the holy Spirit be our sure consolation Thanks be to God that as death is swallowed up in victory so he hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ blessed for ever We have the Spirit of Christ within us which will secure us search us and refresh us even all the time of the combate yea it will abide with us for the assured comfort of our souls We do see many men and women to depart out of this life without any extremity of pain or trouble at all nay it is sometimes with much tranquillity extraordinary cheerfulness and spiritual joy let not us then create fear to our selves and expect pain but with patience and Christian faith and fortitude wait upon the Lord for a happy issue The body may and sometimes doth seem to be in grievous pangs when as the party feels no pain almost at all unless it be the Cramp or the like while the soul in the mean time is in a sweet repose and preparing it self to come immediately to the presence and blessed enjoyment of his dear Lord and gracious Redeemer praying still with servency of spirit Come Lord Jesus come and receive my soul X. Ejaculations to Father Son and holy Ghost O Heavenly Father who scourgest every son whom thou dost receive help me thy poor creature that I may not be weary of thy corrections but be pleased to give me such a perfect submitting my self to thee who art the Father of spirits that this chastisement of thine may be so much for my present and future profit and advantage that I may be made partaker of thy holiness Oh holy Jesus Son of the everliving God I have I do most humbly confess it by my many and grievous offences crucified thee afresh but thou O blessed Lord who didst pray for thy persecutors Oh be pleased to intercede also for me and suffer not Oh blessed Redeemer suffer not my poor soul the price of thy most precious blood to perish Oh blessed Spirit of Grace I have by my manifold impieties done despight unto thee yet Oh holy Comforter though I have often grieved thee be thou pleased to relieve and succour and sanctifie me and in this my weakness say to my poor soul I am thy salvation We may pray unto the whole Trinity but more properly unto the first person God the Father in the name of God the Son and by the assistance of God the holy Ghost Amen PART IV. Meditations upon certain signes of Death I. Several short Prayers upon any intermission of Pain O Lord thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul doth thirst for thee my flesh also longeth after thee I have looked for thee in holiness that I might behold thee in power and glory for thy loving kindness is better then life it self because thou hast been my helper therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce Or thus O Lord I finde this life to be but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in days but full of evil I am weary of it by reason of my sins It is enough O Lord that I have lived so long in this vale of misery take my soul O Lord into thy gracious hands for I am no better then my Fathers The Law in my members hath
certainly perswaded that there is no salvation in any other nor any other name under Heaven by which thou canst be saved Jesus is the only Saviour of the world therefore let all creatures bow down before him and bless his holy Name Dost thou from thy heart forgive all injuries and offences done unto thee by any person whatsoever And dost thou as freely from thy heart ask forgiveness of all whom thou hast any way wronged in thought word or deed Dost thou cast out of thy heart all rancour and malice against any person so as to appear before the face of Jesus Christ the Prince of peace in perfect love and charity I do humbly pray for such true charity as to forgive all and I do from my heart ask forgiveness of all Doth thy conscience accuse thee of any thing that thou hast unjustly taken still with-holding the same for which without restitution there can be no true repentance and without such repentance there can be no salvation nor shalt thou be able to look Christ in the face when thou shalt appear before his judgement-seat I have been willing to satisfie all whom I have wronged but alas who is able to number all his errors Dost thou firmly believe That thy body shall be raised out of the grave at the sound of the last trumpet and that both thy body and thy soul shall be united together again in the Resurrection-day to appear before the Lord Jesus Christ and thence to go with him into the Kingdom of Heaven there to live in everlasting bliss and glory My faith alas is weak but thy grace O Lord is sufficient for me O Lord let thy holy Spirit assist me and lead me into the way of everlasting glory Amen VI. Short Prayers upon any lessening of Pain O Most blessed Saviour be pleased to place thy precious Passion thy Cross and thy Death between my soul thy displeasure and let the merits of thy obedience stand between thy heavenly Fathers justice and my disobedience and from these bodily pains receive my soul into thine everlasting peace and good Lord give ear unto this my cry O Jesu receive my spirit Or thus O Lord Jesus Christ forsake not him that in great distress doth flie to thee for succour and relief O sound that sweet and comfortable voice into my fainting soul which thou wert pleased to utter to the penitent Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Or thus O Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I know and do believe that whosoever liveth and trusteth in thee who art the resurrection and the life shall never die Oh then vouchsafe favour to thy poor creature that I may hear that blessed voice of thine Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Or thus O most gracious God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive my humble supplications and though I be so much bound with the chains of my sins yet Lord let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose me and set me at liberty for Jesus Christ his sake my only Saviour and Redeemer Or thus O holy Lord fit and prepare me for my last conflict and by the support of thy blessed Spirit and the assistance of thy heavenly Angels vouchsafe to assist and strengthen me against the assaults of Satan that notwithstanding his mortal malice I may still hold me fast and keep my self close to thee in all holy believing so as humbly and stedfastly to resolve that though thou shouldst slay me yet to put my trust in thee and to place my whole confidence in thine everlasting mercies in Christ Jesus VII When weakness and faintness increase let friends help with these short ejaculations O Lord bear me thy poor sick servant in thy gracious arms to the land of the living Or thus Lord bring me I beseech thee by thy power and goodness to thy holy habitation Or thus Plant me O Lord in the mountain of thine inheritance the place which thou hast prepared to dwell in Or thus Lord make me to be one of the joyful Citizens of thy holy Jerusalem which is above Or thus Oh Lord as my weakness shall encrease so let my patience the hope of thy favour and assurance of thy mercy in Christ Jesus still increase more and more Or thus Oh Lord let thy grace and blessing be upon me that I may safely pass thorow this vale of misery and finish my course with joy Or thus O Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and grant me peace in the Lord Jesus Or thus Oh holy Father if it be thy blessed will give an end to my labours and release me of my pains VIII More of Ejaculations when faintness increaseth SWeet Jesu receive my soul sweet Jesu receive my spirit Or thus Come Lord Jesu come for thy servant cometh I am willing Lord help my weakness Or thus O Lord let thy holy Angels stand round about my bed and guard me from that evil one Or thus O Lord lay not my sins to my charge but look upon him that maketh the atonement Thy Christ my Jesus Or thus O Lord to thee belongeth mercy and forgiveness have pity on my soul and pardon my sins Or thus O Lord say to my souls everlasting joy and comfort I am thy salvation Or thus O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon me Or thus O Lord make clean my heart within me and take not thy holy Spirit from me Or thus O Lord Jesus Christ I do commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redeemed me O God thou God of mercy of truth IX A Prayer by friends at leaving this Life OH most gracious Lord God and loving Father in Jesus Christ who art our portion our strong refuge a sure defence and a very present help in time of trouble Oh lift up thy merciful countenance at this instant upon thy weak servant who now is coming to appear in thy presence Oh thou which art the great preserver of men take pity and compassion upon him wash away all his natural and sinful pollutions by the all-sufficient merits of Christ Jesus his most precious blood that they may never be laid to his charge nor hinder his happy passage to everlasting blessedness O Lord increase his faith preserve his soul from the malice and danger of the devil and all his evil angels comfort him with thy holy Spirit cause him now to feel and finde that thou art his gracious Father and thou art reconciled unto him in thy dearly beloved save him O Lord O Lord Jesus Christ save the price of thine own blood and suffer not him to be lost whom thou hast so dearly purchased Oh receive his poor soul as thou didst the penitent thief into thy heavenly Paradise let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soul of thy beloved Lazarus and vouchsafe unto
caused some of his little Prayer-books to be brought to his bed and appointed to every one of his children one writing therein their several names and adding thereunto his Christianly and Fatherly admonition For his eldest Son Philippus Mauritius upon his German Bible he did write thus MY Son Philippus Mauritius Count of Hanaw Fear God and keep his holy Commandments I have been this night sore troubled and in great anguish I have thought on many things which I wish my Childe that you could know yet thus much I tell you Keep thy self even all thy life-time close unto thy God his gracious help and his blessed assistance will be evermore most necessary for thee I would to God that I could write the great riches of his infinite mercy goodness and faithfulness that have been experimented by me this long time I bless the Lord I have already the foretaste of everlasting glory Therefore will I sing unto the Lord as long as I live Psa 104.33 I will sing praise to my God while I have my being my Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. The Lord help thee unto me in due time Amen In these pangs of death I do desire to be delivered and to be with my Lord Jesus Christ O Lord Jesus Christ thou faithful Saviour how do I love thee Thy promises are true thy love is great thy heart is faithful towards me I do commend my spirit into thy hands thou dear and faithful God Thou hast most graciously delivered and sanctified me Lord I do wait on thy salvation Thy faithful Father Philippus Lodovicus The second Son Willielmus Reynhart received his Book with these words viz. MY dear Son serve thy God with thy whole heart in Sprit and in Truth I have destinated thee thereunto esteem it not to be any shame unto thee to serve God and his Church for God is the greatest God he is thy Creator keep in honour the true service of God Obey and serve thy dear Mother under whose heart thou hast lain honour and serve thy eldest Brother as thy Lord for such is the Ordinance and my will also bear with him if thou be in the right for thou art then more happy then he but if thou dost not walk uprightly in thy words then art not thou happy Love thy Brothers and Sisters from the heart love thy House do good to the Poor according to thy ability then shall the Lord bless thee Beware of drunkenness of dissoluteness and all unclean speeches as thou wouldst do of fire Honour thy State be industrious in all things read and practise and that continually the 119 Psalm let thine Astrologians be the 28 of Deuteronomy So I commit thee to God Thy faithful Father unto death Philippus Lodovicus The eldest Daughter Lady Charlette Loisa received her Book with these words viz. FEar honour and love thy God from thy heart have his Commandments continually before thine eyes take thy whole delight therein Honour with all filial obedience thy loving Mother keep thy mouth close with a lock esteem honesty and modesty above all the goods and treasures of this present world God bless thee my loving Childe Thy loving Father unto death Philippus Lodovicus The second Daughter Lady Emilia Elizabetha received her Book from him with these words viz. HAve God always before thine eyes Honour thy Mother with obedience and with love keep honesty and modesty for these will be thy best riches and thy chiefest jewel Thy faithful Father unto death Philippus Lodovicus The youngest Daughter Lady Catherina Juliana received her Book with these words viz. DEar Childe be vertuous Have thy Creator alwayes before thine eyes fear thy God even all the days of thy life love and honour thy blessed Saviour who did shed his most precious blood for thee break off from thine evil will betimes be humble and obedient Humility honesty and silence do more adorn a Lady then either pearls or other costly jewels Thy faithful Father unto death Philippus Lodovicus These Prayer-books being thus delivered his Excellency caused also the late-born Lord to be brought before the bed sighed sadly over him touched him with his hand and prayed that the Lord would also bless that tender Infant with his grace Lying down again his bed being new made he stretching out both his arms said to one of his Counsellors Ecce divinum miraculum hominem jam mortuum viribus tamen adhuc integrum That is Loe a divine miracle a man already dead and yet having his full strength After this his understanding remaining very good he caused divers things to be read out of a little Song-book and then took it to him and writ in it This Song have I used many years and then commanded it to be laid upon his heart as soon as he should be departed A while after he called before him all the Ministers both of the old and of the new City and also some of the Country-Ministers with whom he did discourse of the true saving faith and of a Christianly departure out of this life telling them That he would not willingly in this his weakness be without a Preacher by him He did often sigh and pray from his heart for a mitigation of his pains and for shortning the pangs of death and also so for an understanding end and did use many comfortable speeches to the joy and admiration of such as were his assistants 7. Aug. Friday his Excellency feeling the time of death approaching his heart was full of godly comfort and of heavenly consolation speaking with singular zeal of the misery of this life of the death of a Christian of eternal salvation Then saying Ah Sirs loving Sirs I have seen the glory of God what do I care for this world I have kissed the hem of the garment of my Lord Jesus Christ I am now climbing on the ladder of Jacob up to heaven toward my God and Saviour And while he was full of these expressions and cast his arms from him he said All things here below do now stink before me Tell this to my children chiefly to my Steward that he nor they seek too much after worldly things but to put their whole trust in God Ah my dear people said he how much trouble have you with me miserable creature Then he called Open all the doors let all my people come in that they may see how joyfully I do die and so be comforted by my example His Physicians warning him not to speak too much Ah said he Should not I speak of my loving and most gracious God He hath given me and he continueth to me a tongue to that end Again when the Physicians spake against opening the windows What said he should not I behold the fair Heavens whither I shall come anon He did oftentimes lift up his hands and his eyes to heaven using these words Oh thou great and strong God thou Almighty God thou holy God thou good and true
God To which he addeth the short Prayers which Dr. Luther used to call Stossgebete He did many times repeat these short sentences Psa 50.15 91.15 27.14 23.1 3.8 l and yet it did appear that soul and body flesh spirit were in conflict After several groanings he did keep himself quiet a while saying One combate is now passed Aug. 8. very early he sent for his Lady and the Lady Emilia from whom they heard many comfortable expressions and then with abundance of tears and sad complaints they took their leaves of him Though he complained much of pain he never was without comfort but was often times heard to say Mors mihi gloriosa erit In the night he was in a very great conflict and turning from the Minister said He could not receive his consolations he could not hold them fast whereupon the Minister went presently to the bed and fell about his neck and spake to him out of that place Psal 23.2 which had been his delight so he turned to the Minister again and put his hands into the Ministers hands then offering to sleep the Minister said these words In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I do lay my hand upon your head beseeching him to strengthen and refresh you So he slept and when he did awake he called for him again to do the like which he did and also prayed so he did sleep again Aug. 9. Sunday the Sermon-bell in the old City ringing he said Never did that Bell sound so sweet in my ears as now it doth Then he said Let us sing and laying down his head he began to sing the Song of the Angels out of Luke 2.14 the company joyning with him after that a part of the 118 Psal and then the first part of the 116 Psal After a while the Minister and he prepared for receiving of the blessed Sacrament but first he made his confession as he was able and being long it was not all at the same instant The Sacrament being over and the Minister and company preparing for Prayer he observed it and bad them kneel down and pray and he did zealously repeat every word especially the Lords Prayer and the Articles of the Christian Faith and as some good Christians did use any choice and holy sentence to comfort him he repeated the same after them so long as his tongue could do it The Minister concluded with the words before-mentioned of John 3.16 while his Excellency yielded up his spirit quietly and blessedly In the mean time the Minister cryed often aloud by him O Lord Jesus Christ I do commit my spirit into thy hands Thou hast delivered me O thou most true and faithful God The words of our Saviour John 3.16 wherewith the Minister as hath been said did comfort his Excellency at the last hour those words were by himself written as were many other particular remarkable sentences in his Germane Bible It is observable that his Excellency did depart this Life after the ending of the Sermon in the old Church and of the Prayer which was there conceived and used for the benefit of his soul Thus did this pious Protestant Prince end his dayes in much honour and peace Aug. 9. 1612. II. John Meautis Esq Secretary to the Lord-Keeper Finch departed this Life Dec. 22. 1635. whos 's sayings on his Death-bed were such as follow I Am going to Heaven and I will come no more to you as well as I love you which was very much for there were present his dear wife some of his children his beloved sister and others Again Come my glory Come come come Oh he is come he is come Again In your patience possess your souls Again Make your Election sure Being asked by his sister What comfort he found in his soul he said I have abundance of comfort and of assurance too in the sweet and tender mercies of my God After this the Minister demanding of him How he stood in charity towards his neighbour he cheerfully did answer I am at peace with all men I have done wrong to no man so neer as I could I â—â—ar no man any grudge nor any ill will at all And so he departed indeed in peace blessed be the Lord. III. Mrs. Elizabeth the Wife of Mr. John Juxon a Citizen of London BEfore her Conversion which was about the 22 year of her age and five years before her death she sometimes said She did wonder what people meant to run dagling to hear Sermons but afterwards if she were in London she was at nine or ten Sermons in a week besides catechising and so that the Word and the Spirit did work mightily upon her even voluntarily to confess to her Minister how vain her former life had been Then she never missed reading the Bible morning and evening so as she read it thorow oftentimes In her health she used to set down in writing much of her spiritual life which at her death was found lodged with those things that she esteemed of most value She made conscience of words as well as of deeds of the lust of the eye as well as of the act of uncleanness of thoughts as well as of deeds She was exact in keeping her times of Prayer in private wherein she complained of hardness of heart bewailed her failings and bemoaned the distractions that she oftentimes found in her self and hereupon she did many times perswade with her Husband not to encumber himself with too much worldly imployment She feared both the company and also the doctrine of such Ministers as seemed to afford her over-much liberty in her course of life In the time of her long sickness she was very sensible of the want of hearing Gods Word preached and resolved if God should give her so much strength to go to Church though carried in a chair In her health she did often wish to be dissolved and that she might not live to have her confidence weakned and rejoyced often that the Lord had freed her from hellish fears and that she found much peace in him and yet not so fully but that sometimes she pitifully groaned under the sence of unbelief though some Ministers did tell her that they did never believe aright that did never doubt She oftentimes gave good rewards in gold for preaching upon subjects that were chosen by her one was Of the cursed estate of man by nature and of the uttermost terrors of the Law against sin to break her stony heart She loved poor godly Christians yea and many times preferred them before her rich kindred It was thought by those that knew her well that she did affect holiness far above salvation and hath sometimes been so ravished with it as heartily to desire if it were the will of God never to go into the world again but to spend her dayes in fellowship with God Though she were subject to passion yet she was contented to sit down under any wrong that was done her as being perswaded that
God would clear her innocence She gave the Minister which she did apprehend to be the means under God of her conversion no less then 50 l. After she was converted she did put out her children no more but nursed them with her own breasts Being demanded by some friends if her conscience did not testifie with her that in the time of her health she had zealously sought after God and carefully walked in his wayes to which she gave this answer That her Chamber and her Closet her Orchard and her Garden her Turret and her Water-gate even every corner in the house could testifie that she had alwayes most earnestly sought after God There was nothing no not her own children that did move her to desire life When death after above a years sore sickness and extremity of pain seemed to draw near she called the more earnestly to God in prayer and as earnest she was for others to pray with her and for her and so in great assurance and faith and patience she expired when she was not full 27 years of age IV. Dr. Usher Archbishop of Armagh WHen he was but 14 years old he was preparing himself for the Sacrament and as alwayes afterward upon the Saturday before he went to a Brook-side where he did meditate and bewail his sins His Father's intention was to send him from Ireland to study the Law at the Inns of Court here which being his Fathers pleasure he assented unto but his Father dying in 1598. he was at liberty and devoted himself to the study of Divinity When he was 19 years old he disputed with Fitz Symonds the Jesuite De Antichristo who afterward knowing more of him would not call him Heretick but Acatholicorum doctissimus that is of such as are not Catholicks the most learned Before he was 21 years of age he was ordained Minister by his Uncle Henry Usher Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland The first Church-preferment he had was to be Chancellor of Dublin At 27 years of age he commenced Batchelor in Divinity and five years after Doctor of Divinity He was scandalized to King James under the title of a Puritan but this being upon the King's discourse with him cleared was the occasion of his preferment to the Bishoprick of Meath there The Motto of his Episcopal seal was Vae mihi si non Evangelizavero which he continued also in the Seal of his Primacy In 1624. when he was 44 years of age he was translated from Meath and made Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland Being come into England he was chosen by the Wife of the Lord Mordant afterward Earle of Peterborow to defend her Religion against that of her Lords which was Popish where he prevailed against the Popish Priest that was chosen by the Lord Mordant which drew his Lordship to the true Religion and for which he was ever after both loved and helped in those times of trouble by the said Lady there he lived 9 or 10 years and there he dyed He did use Prayer beside that in his Closet four times a day that is at six in the morning and eight in the evening with his Family and then before dinner and supper in the Chappel By the disturbances of those times he was brought very low and then by Cardinal Richlieu was invited to a large maintenance in France with liberty to live where he pleased with the Protestants so by the Hollanders he was offered the place of Honorius Professor at Leyden which had an ample stipend but he refused both The last Sermon he preached was in 1656. at Hammersmith March 20. 1656. he sickned at the Countess of Peterborows house at London He first in the evening complained of a pain like the Sciatica in his Hip. The next morning the pain removed and was much in his side a Physician was sent for who did what he conceived was fit for him but it continuing and his spirits decaying he applied himself to Prayer Upon some abatement of the torture he did piously advise those that were about him to provide in their health to encounter death that so they might then have nothing else to do but to die of which after a short time for setling of his worldly estate he took great contentment to finde its approach In Prayer he had at first the assistance of a godly Minister there present but afterward he desired to be left to his own private The last words that he was heard to utter in praying for the forgiveness of sins which was not long before he died were these But Lord in special I beseech thee forgive me my sins of omission In the general he had his wish and desire which he was heard often to repeat and it was that he might die like Mr. Perkins who expired as he was crying to God for mercy and forgiveness So he went out of this world with much peace heavenly joy and spiritual consolation He was ever imployed in his Masters business either in preaching or reading or studying or writing or else of late when his eye-sight failed him in hearing others read to him He was always either resolving of doubts or exhorting or instructing or giving godly counsel and yet with this humble expression Lord forgive me my omissions did this holy man of God expire in the 75 year of his age in Anno 1657. He was a man of a most exemplary moderation humility meekness and ingenuity V. Mr. Benjamin Rhodes HE had been servant to the Countess of Oxford and afterward to her noble Husband the Earle of Elgyn as Steward of their house God did deal graciously with him in his youth for waiting on the Earle of Oxford in the Wars in Holland he was active and valiant till he was suddenly struck at the consideration that he might be the author of his brothers death and that but for a pecuniary stipend and thereupon he quitted that imployment and came to wait upon the Countess as her Steward Now the better to know him he is to be considered in a fivefold relation 1. As a Servant 2. As a Husband 3. As a Parent 4. As a Friend 5. As a dutiful Son of the Church 1. As a Servant he shewed 1. His skill in the imployment he undertook 2. His fidelity in not mispending his time nor misimploying the estate committed to his charge 3. His diligence in performing his trust to his uttermost endeavour 4. His cheerful obedience to all commands and that in love 2. As a Husband he was loving and tender both able and apt to teach and instruct his Wife he was free from all kinde of bitterness and passion 3. As a Parent his deportment toward his children was discreet and grave he loved them but not fondly he was careful in their education and especially toward the eldest who only of the two was yet capable of it as concerning the Sacrament 4. As a Friend and fellow-servant he was just and affable and so beloved of all
what excellent truths are these lay them up charily ye will have need of them Being asked where his comfort lay he said In Christ and in the free-grace of God and then added Work work apace dear friends assure your selves nothing will more trouble you when ye come to die then that ye have done no more for God who hath done so much for you Being again asked what they should do for him he said Do not only pray for me but praise God also for his unspeakable mercy to me especially that in this my weakness he hath kept Satan from me and that I see the worth of a Christ and do taste of the sweetness of Gods love more then ever Again O how good is God! entertain good thoughts of him So he concluded all prayers for him with a loud Amen Upon Saturday-evening he began to set himself to die forbad all Cordials gave his dying-blessing to his Son that was present and calling for the 8th to the Romans he entertained no more disdiscourse with the sons of men Herein God was exceeding good to him as a return of prayer his breathings were easie and even and his soul without the least motion or resistance of the body did enter into rest while we below were entring upon the day of rest for then did he begin a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven when we begin ours on earth that is before one a clock on Sunday morning 12 of Decem. 1658. In all the Wills that he made this Legacy was ever renewed Item I bequeath to all my children and my childrens children to each of them a Bible with this Inscription None but Christ VIII Mrs. Scots Life and Death SHe was Daughter and Heir to Sir Matthew Howland also Heir to her Uncle Sir John Howland She was first married to the Son and Heir of Sir Walter Roberts of Kent when she was not 17 years old and afterwards to Mr. Scot a worthy Justice of Peace in the same County She had Sir Howland Roberts and two other Sons with two Daughters she was one of a choice spirit of a marvellous sweet temper and disposition of an amiable and a winning carriage and of a religious and charitable conversation About 19 years of age as she was riding on Hunting she had a fall from her horse and put her leg out of joynt which was the happy occasion of her conversion after this time she never hunted scarce ever came on horse-back and she writ it down in a book among other experiences of Gods goodness especially to her soul resolving for the time to come to walk constantly in Gods ways which she made good Once going to the Sacrament she had grievous temptations as if she might live without Ordinances and as if there were no necessity of them but her faith fought against it and she found sweet comfort and strength in the Sacrament she received Christ and gave her self up to him She writ in the foresaid book the comforts she found in frequent Fasts and Sacraments concluding with such words as these My God doth give me sweet experiences of the growth of grace in my soul and all from the vertue of Christ's blood Again This day I was at a Fast and God came graciously in and melted my heart and made good his promise to me They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength Again she writ thus This day I did receive Jesus Christ in the Sacrament and so came home rejoycing and fully assured that all my sins are pardoned and that Christ may as well be pulled out of Heaven as I be pulled from Christ Again out of the same book I kept a Fast by my self to seek help from God in a great straight that I was in for no power but his could help me out and deliver me the Lord did in great mercy assist me Afterward I kept a Fast in private with others about the same thing my heart at first was out of frame very heavy and perplexed but God at length came in and melted it and made the duty very sweet to me Now she thought the Ordinances could not be too often enjoyed and when in Winter-time she could not use the Coach to her Country-Church she would usually walk on foot in all the rainy and tempestuous weather that long and tedious up-hill and down-hill way In London she would be often by seven of the clock in the morning at the Lecture at Christ-Church from High-Holborn and there stay till the second Sermon was ended She had the grace as well as the gift of Praying which was both to admiration and to satisfaction Every day she had constantly in the Family morning and evening Prayer with something also of the Word and part of a Psalm sung on the Lords day morning-duties after dinner singing and praying and at evening repeating singing and praying She was indeed a true sanctifier and a spiritual observer of the Lords day even to a thought and would often bewail the liberty which too many Professors did take on those dayes to talk of civil and sometimes of worldly things without any remorse She never went abroad but she first withdrew her self into her Closet for some time to prayer and the like when she returned home Such exceeding in-comes she had at the Table of the Lord the Lord so blessing that Ordinance to her that she would often say She could there fetch from the Lord any mercy that she wanted as direction in straights support in troubles power against sin conquest over self and grace to carry her on in the wayes of God Whilst her Father Sir Matthew Howland and her Uncle Sir John Howland lived she would often say foreseeing the same as being their only Heir She was afraid of too much of the world to come upon her and to be an incumbrance to her As her life so her death was full of grace and comfort The Lord did graciously strengthen her upon her bed of languishing though she was walking thorow the valley of death she feared no evil her God was with her the Lord sustained her Though her pains and tortures were very great there being applied to her Cupping-glasses with lancings yet did the Lord put gladness in her heart so as she would say God hath been very good to me Oh how good is God! there hath not the least cloud interposed between God and my soul all this sickness so as I shall go to my gracious God triumphing She would often say O friends how sweet and precious is Jesus Christ And again O friends get an interest in Christ and try your faith To the servants and keepers that helped to turn her in her bed for in a few dayes from Wednesday to Munday she was by much pain become helpless she said I am very weak but my God is very strong and there is my comfort he will lift me up Oh praise the Lord for his goodness Her eldest Daughter saying Mother I am going to Church and
to the Sacrament That is well said she but I cannot go Childe be sure to go in the strength of Christ and do all your duties in his strength and the Lord go with you She would often say That she did never put on her best attire but she had thoughts of cloathing her self with the rich robe of Christs righteousness and decking her self with the jewels of his heavenly graces When her Steward came to ask her any domestick question she would say Oh do not trouble me with these things on the Sabbath day Such was her happy mistake she thought all the time of her sickness was a Sabbath and indeed so it was the Law of the Sabbath was written upon her heart every day was more and more a Sabbath with her as she drew neerer her end as she drew neerer to that rest which remains for ever into which she expired and in which she now triumpheth with him whom her soul loved and with the spirits of just men made perfect and with the Angels of God to all eternity Dec. 1658. Thanks be to God for his mercy The Preacher at her Funeral from Prov. 31.29 speaking of her unparalleld goodness did number up 10 several excellencies that did shine in her 1. Was her knowledge as being eminently verst in the methods of grace and in the mysteries of godliness 2. Was her wisdom by which she brought down all her heavenly principles into practice 3. Was her humility her knowledge did not puff her up her head was not so high but her heart lay as low 4. Was her meekness she would not provoke any nor easily be provoked by any she was most fearful to give offence most free to forgive it 5. Was her mercy the love of Christ to her had melted her all into compassion compassion to the bodies of poor creatures and compassion to the souls of all 6. Was her conscientious attending on the Ordinances the Word the Sacraments Fasts Prayer c. 7. Was her stability in judgement being a well-bottomed Christian 8. She was not a censorious Christian 9. She was of a sweet and cheerful spirit among crosses and tryals 10. She was very good in her relations never Mother had a better childe never child had a better Mother never servants had a better governour never friends a better friend she did fill all her relations with wisdom and fidelity So with gladness and rejoycing was she carried to enter into the Kings Palace into the joy of her Lord where there is fulness of that joy and pleasures for evermore Amen IX Monsieur du Moulins Life and Death HE was Minister of Gods Word and Professor of Divinity at Sedan in France and being 90 years old died there March 10. 1658. During his whole life he was much given to devotion but about 3 years and an half since he had a fall from a horse after which he had no health and yet performed his charge constantly in the Church and in the Schools or else privately in Meditation or in Prayer Feb. 26. 1658. he awaked in the morning very ill but being helped into the Pulpit he from Psal 16.9 preached as it were his own Funeral Sermon and giving an account to his Hearers of his faith and hope he took his leave of them as if he knew that to be the last time as it was that he should preach to them 28. It being also a Sermon-day he desired his Colleagues to remember him in the Prayers of the Church After the Sermon much company came to him to bid him farewel and to receive his blessing some had encouragement from him and some had admonition Taking his leave of his Colleagues for he was thought to be near his end he said Fare ye well my Masters I do not doubt but ye will carefully look to the conduct of the Flock that is committed to you One of them said The Lord grant that we may imitate you you have done good service and your labours will live when you are gone He replied Ah Sir you know not how much you grieve me by saying so I am conscious to my self that I have neglected my duty in many things that I have many wayes offended my God yet I must say that I have loved his holy truth and do hope in his mercy he is my Father and my God and Jesus Christ is my Saviour whosoever believes on him shall not perish Then he added Thou hast led me and taught me from my youth O Lord forsake me not in the last period of my life have mercy upon me O God O my Father have mercy upon me O Lord hear me help me and save me O my God He said I have been grieved for the afflictions of the Church O Lord purge and purifie her from all kinde of scandal let her be blessed and let not the adversaries of the truth triumph over her for ever Once coming out of a strong and sore fit being a burning Feaver he said O my God how weary how tyred am I When shall I rest in thy bosome in thy everlasting arms when shall I be filled with thy hid treasures when shall I drink of the rivers of thy pleasures I am unworthy of it I confess O Lord but thou art glorified by doing good to the unworthy It is not for them that are whole but for them that are sick that thy beloved Son the great Physician of souls was sent into the world whosoever believe in him are passed from death to life Being asked by one of the many friends that were about him Whether he did not perfectly hope in the grace of God that was presented to him he said I do hope not perfectly yet as much as I am able The first four dayes of his sickness he was both day and night with little intermission either in good discourse or in praying but the six last dayes he was much in a deep slumber though he did strive earnestly against it and sometimes would say Stir me prick me for I should now watch it is not a time now to sleep but to die O great God abandon me not to my infirmities but so preserve and keep up my spirit that I may glorifie thee even when I am dying For a whole day he was ever and anon saying The Word was made flesh Being well awake a friend asked if he did lift up his heart to God O yes said he I do it incessantly and God is gracious to me Sometimes he feeling of his pulse would say O what a grief is this I cannot die O good God have mercy upon me set my soul free shorten the dayes of my combat if it be thy blessed will The two last dayes did add to his burning Feaver and to his deadly slumber contracting of the sinews and convulsions every hour was thought to be his last but about midnight he opened his eyes saying I shall soon be eased I am going to my Father and to my God he hath heard me