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
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
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
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
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
THE King of Terrors SILENCED BY Meditations Examples OF HOLY LIVING AND HEAVENLY DYING As the same was Recollected and Recommended By Sir John Thorowgood of Kensington Knight To be distributed among his Kindred and his Friends at his Funeral Contra vim mortis Non est medicamen in hortis LONDON Printed in the Year MDCLXV To such Friends as shall be invited to accompany my CORPSE to the Earth THere be many useful Treatises set forth upon this subject the Lord be blessed concerning Mans mortality and for the Preparation and the Consolation of all such as do minde their frail condition and their souls salvation This that I do here offer to you as it hath been for many years in my thoughts and for the most part prepared so now upon daily expectation of leaving this evil world do I intend it only for the use of some particular Friends who I presume will prize it before the best Marchpane and prefer it before those frequent entertainments by Gloves or Rings or Ribbons In our Health we have profitable Sermons and godly Ministers and Christian Company and holy mens Books to repair unto for soul-refreshment but in a retired languishing painful sickness we may perhaps be deprived of most of these For this cause I have here gathered into as small a Volume as may be much of it from other mens heavenly Meditations that which takes in the four several seasons of decaying man relating 1. To the time of his present health 2. To his first sickning 3. To the keeping his Chamber 4. To certain signes of approaching Death 5. To these is added for the welcoming of it some remarkable Examples of holy mens cheerful deportment in their Christianly departing out of this mortal Life To hold you too long in an Epistle is not proper for such an occasion as this and therefore I shall draw to a conclusion and only recommend it and all you my good Friends to the great Lord and Master of us all the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Propitiation for our sins and by whom we are reconciled to the Father in humble assurance whereof I remain Your supported Friend JOHN THOROWGOOD Kensington May 1. 1664. A Friendly CAUTION TO you my Friends that I shall leave behinde Do I bequeath this Gift where you may finde Some helps to use when you most helpless are So to make it hath been my earnest care Peruse it then in Health that so ye may Be ready and preparing every day To welcome him that 's call'd the King of Fears That with him endless pain or comfort bears Then take it in good part and read and pray That it may profit till your dying day Take heed betimes of customary sin If ever ye intend Heavens joys to win Let not your bosome-sin have any rest Let it not lodge one night within your brest Take heed I say no evil do prevail If 't do be sure that it you do bewail With sighs and tears with sorrow and with care Of thoughts and words and actions to beware Here pray again with faith and godly fear That God your suit most graciously will hear That you may conquer self and live and die And fix the safety of your soul on high Thus do I pray thus will I pray so long So long as I have breath or life or tongue Now farewel Friends good Lord I come to thee Who ever wert a Saviour unto me Receive me to thy self and let me bring A soul full ser Halleluja's to sing In that blest Quire and with that heavenly Host Glory to Father Son and holy Ghost Amen Your revived Friend J. T. The CONTENTS PART I. Meditations in time of Health I. SHort Sentences to minde us of our Mortality Page 1 II. A Prayer in Health preparing for Death Page 2 III. Meditations of Gods mercies Page 5 IV. Of the danger and evil of Sin Page 8 V. Health the fittest time for Repentance Page 11 VI. Holy resolutions in time of Health Page 14 VII Meditations concerning Sickness Page 16 VIII Remedies against Sin Page 20 IX Meditations of Death Page 21 X. Resolutions against the vexations and the vanities of the World Page 25 PART II. Meditations at first Sickning I. A Prayer in time of Sickness Page 28 II. Concerning Prayer Page 33 III. Meditations at first sickning Page 36 IV. Directions and consolations in time of Sickness and Death Page 39 V. A Prayer before taking of Physick Page 42 VI. A Prayer before Physick is working Page 44 VII Six Meditations to cure the fear of Death Page 45 VIII Rules to make our Calling and Election sure Page 50 IX Against doubtings of Gods mercy Page 52 X. Reading of Chapters or portions of Scripture Page 55 PART III. Meditations at growing Weak I. A Prayer upon danger of Death Page 56 II. Consolations concerning death Page 60 III. Against impatience in Sickness Page 63 IV. Consolations in the Lord Christ c. Page 67 V. Reading of Scripture or part of Chap. Page 69 VI. A Prayer where friends are to joyn ibid. VII Meditations upon the dayes of Death and of Doom Page 72 VIII Short Prayers upon any release of pain Page 75 IX Consolations against pain and fear of dying Page 77 X. Ejaculations to Father Son and holy Ghost Page 79 PART IV. Meditations upon certain signes of Death I. SHort Prayers upon any intermission of Pain Page 81 II. A Prayer to be used by Friends Page 82 III. Questions with Answers upon any signe of Dying Page 85 IV. Portions of Scripture to be read Page 87 V. More Questions and Answers ibid. VI. Short Prayers upon any abating of pain Page 90 VII Friends to help with short Ejaculations Page 91 VIII More of these short Ejaculations Page 92 IX A Prayer by Friends at leaving this Life Page 93 X. Another by Friends at yielding up the Ghost Page 95 PART V. Being ten blessed Examples of holy Persons relating to a happy passage out of this Life to a better I. THe Sickness and Death of the Earle of Hanaw Page 97 II. The last words of Mr. John Meautys Page 113 III. Mrs. Juxons Life and Death Page 114 IV. Archbishop of Armagh's Life and Death Page 118 V. Mr. Rhodes his Life and Death Page 123 VI. Mrs. Rhodes her Life and Death Page 128 VII Dr. Harris his Life and Death Page 133 VIII Mrs. Scot's Life and Death Page 141 IX Monsieur du Moulins Life and Death Page 149 X. Mr. Crook's Life and Death Page 156 PART I. Meditations in time of Health I. Short sentences to minde us of our Mortality NUllum momentum sine motu ad mortem Quotidie morimur quotidie enim demitur pars vitae tunc quoque cum crescimus vita decrescit Mille modis morimur mortales nascimur uno Sunt hominum morbi mille sed una salus Non est malum in morte nisi post mortem Ossa arida sepulchra sunt praeceprores nostri Qui moritur vitiis antequam
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