of but the sorrow of the world worketh death For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge In all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter Tenthly If the sick person needs or desires instruction how to demean himself in his sickness such Scriptures will be useful as direct us to 1. Contrition for sin Job 42.2 5 6. I know that thou canst do any thing and that no thought can be withheld from thee I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Psal 19.12 Who can tell how oft he offends O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal 32.1 c. Blessed is the man whose unrighteousness is forgiven and whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose spirit there is no guile I will acknowledg my sin unto thee and mine unrighteousnes have I not hid Psal 34.17 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit Psal 38.1 c. Put me not to rebuke O Lord in thine anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure For thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin For my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a sore burden too heavy for me to bear I truly am set in the plague and my heaviness is ever in my sight For I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sin Hos 7.2 They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all 2. Humility and Patience in affliction 2 Sam. 15.25 26. And the King David said unto Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the City if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Job 2.10 What shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil In all this did not Job sin with his lips Chap. 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me If I have done iniquity I will do no more Psal 27.16 O tarry thou the Lords leasure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Mic. 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Luke 21.19 In your patience possess your souls Heb. 12.7 If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons Jam. 1.2 3 4. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 3. Reliance upon God Deut. 33.26 There is none like unto the God of Jesurun Vers 27. The Eternal God is thy refuge Vers 29. Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his People for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Psal 5.13 Thou Lord wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee Psal 22.10 I have been left unto thee ever since I was born thou art my God even from my mothers womb Psal 23.4 Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal 33.17 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and upon them that put their trust in his mercy Psal 37.40 The salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord which is also their strength in the time of trouble Psal 62.1 My soul truly waiteth still upon God for of him cometh my salvation Isa 30.15 Thus saith the Lord God the Holy One of Israel In returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and confidence shall be your strength Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 4. The Benefit and Comfort of Prayer Isa 26.8 9. In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Job 42.10 The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble So will I hear thee and thou shalt praise me Psal 55.17 18. As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me In the evening and morning and at noon day I will pray and that instantly and he shall hear my voice Psal 65.2 3. Thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto our sins Psal 69.13 c. Lord I make my prayer to thee in an acceptable time Hear me O God in the multitude of thy mercy even in the truth of thy salvation Take me out of the mire that I sink not Oh let me be delivered from them that hate me and out of the deep waters Let not the deep flood drown me neither let the deep swallow me up and let not the Pit shut her mouth upon me Hear me O Lord for thy loving kindness is comfortable turn thee unto me according to
and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof 1 Thes 4.3 6. This is the will of God That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such 2. Remission of injuries suffered by him and hearty reconciliation Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Chap. 18.33 Shouldst thou not also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on thee Mark 11. When ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses But if you do not forgive neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses Joh. 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples that ye love one another Acts 4.32 The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the body of Christ and members in particular Col. 3.12 13. Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness longsuffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any Even as Christ forgave you so also do ye 3 Almesgiving if of ability Deut. 15.7 8 10 11. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy Brethren thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother But thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth Thou shalt surely give him and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto For the poor shall never cease out of the land therefore I command thee saying thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy Brother to thy poor and to thy needy in the land Psal 41. Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble The Lord preserve him and keep him alive that he may be blessed upon earth and deliver thou not him into the will of his enemies The Lord comfort him when he lyeth sick upon his bed make thou all his bed in his sickness Prov. 3.27 Withold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it Chap. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth and there is that withholdeth more then is meet and it tendeth to poverty Eccl. 11.1 Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many days Mat. 25.37 to 41. Then shall the righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee And the King shall answer and say unto them verily I say unto you in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me Acts 10.4 Thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memorial before God 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to stribute willing to communicate Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life 4. Vnfeigned Repentance for the Errours of his life past Psal 51.1 c. Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledg my faults and my sin is ever before me Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Fourthly If the sick person be troubled from the occasion or by reason of some circumstances relating to his sickness the Scriptures proper for that condition are such as set forth 1. The duty of reflecting on his former course of life 2 Chron. 21.12 to the 16. And there came a writing to Jehoram from Elijah the Prophet saying thus saith the Lord God of David thy Father Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy Father nor in the ways of Asa King of Judah But hast walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel and hast made Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab and also hast slain thy brethren of thy fathers house which were better than thy self Behold with a great plague will the Lord smite thy People and thy Children and thy Wives and all thy Goods And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy Bowels until thy Bowels fall out by reason of thy sickness day by day And it came to pass that in process of time after the end of two years his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness so he died of sore diseases Chap. 26.19 And whil'st Vzziah was wroth with the Priests the Leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from besides the incense-Altar Psal 25.6 O remember not the sins and offences of my youth But according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Psal 25.6 O remember not our old sins but have mercy upon us and that soon for we are come to great misery Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver us and be merciful to our sins for thy Names sake Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth 2. The promiscuous dispensing out these things both to good and bad in this life Gen. 35.16 18 19. And Rachel travelled and she had hard labour And the midwife said unto her fear not thou shalt have thy son also And as her soul was in departing she called his name Benoni and Rachel died Lev. 10.1 2. And Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded not And there went out a fire from the Lord and devoured them Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel
that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2. The complaints of holy men Job 3.25 26. The thing which I greatly feared is fallen upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me I was not in safety neither had I rest neither was I quiet yet trouble came Chap. 6.4 The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God do set themselves in array against me Psal 77.7 8 9. Will the Lord absent himself for ever and will he be no more entreated Is his mercy clean gone for ever and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure Psal 88.6 Thine indignation lieth hard upon me and thou hast vexed me with thy stormes Vers 15. I am in misery and like unto him that is at the point to dye even from my youth up thy terrours have I suffered with a troubled mind Jer. 15.17 18. I sate alone because of thy hand for thou hast filled me with indignation Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed 2 Cor. 12.7 c. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to busset me lest I should be exalted above measure For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness 3. The return of the light of Gods countennance Psal 30.5 His wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye in his pleasure is life heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Vers 12. Thou hast turned my heaviness into joy thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness Psal 71 18. O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turn and refresh me yea and broughtest me from the depth of the earth again Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Micah 7.8 Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Job 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid 4. The practice of Holy men in like Cases Psal 42.6 7. Why art thou so full of heaviness O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Put thy trust in God for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance Psal 119.52 I remembred thine everlasting judgments O Lord and received comfort Psal 14.3 Hear my Prayer O Lord c. Acts. 12.5 Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him Jam. 5.13 Is any among you afflicted let him pray 5. Promises of deliverance Job 5.17 18 19. Happy is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastning of the Almighty For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee Psal 34.18 Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all Jer. 15.11 Verily I will cause the enemy to treat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction Chap. 39.16 18. Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian saying I will surely deliver thee and thou shalt not fall by the sword but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. Joel 2.32 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call Zeph. 3.14 17. Sing O daughter of Zion shout O Israel be glad and daughter of Jerusalem The Lord thy God in the middest of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing Vers 19. Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations 5. Endeavours of strengthning our Faith I Sam. 30.6 And David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved every man for his sons and for his daughters but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Psal 56.2 3. Mine enemies are dayly in hand to swallow me up for they be many that fight against me O thou most high Nevertheless though I am sometimes afraid yet put I my trust in thee Psal 146.2 to the end O put not your trust in Princes c. Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy path Isa 12.2 Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Mic. 2.7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the spirit of the Lord straitned are these his doings do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by faith Chap. 3.17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vine the labour of the Olive shall fail and the field shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Mark 5.25 27 28 29. A certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years when she heard of Jesus came in the press behind and touched his garment For she said if I may but touch his clothes I shall be whole And straitway the fountain of her blood was dryed up and she felt in her body that she was healed of
15. 8. Ready and cheerful submission to the will and wisdom of God Job 1.21 And Job said Naked came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Chap. 33.13 Why doest thou strive against him for he giveth not account of any of his matters Isa 39.8 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken he said moreover for there shall be peace and truth in my days Jer. 18.6 O House of Israel cannot I do with you as this Potter saith the Lord behold as the Clay is in the Potters hand so are ye in mine hand O House of Israel Luke 1.38 And Mary said Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word Phil. 1.20 As always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death Heb. 12.1 2. Wherefore seeing we are also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God 9. Thankfulness for chastisement Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him in thy Law Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy word Heb. 12.8 If ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Eleventhly The exercise of the duty of prayer as a special means to procure for him what is necessary for his present condition As 1. Help against temptations Psal 22.11 14 16. O go not from me for trouble is hard at hand and there is none to help me I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joynt my heart also in the middest of my body is even like melting wax For many dogs are come about me and the counsel of the wicked layeth siege against me Mat. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak Luke 22.31 32. Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Joh. 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make 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 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith Rev. 12.12 Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time 2. Ease and comfort under bodily pains and anguish of mind Job 7.20 I have sinned what shall I do unto thee O thou Preserver of men why hast thou set me as a mark against thee so that I am a burden to my self Psal 72.1 In thee O Lord have I put my trust let me never be put to confusion but rid me and deliver me in thy righteousness encline thine ear unto me and save me Vers 2. Be thou my stronghold whereunto I may always ways resort thou hast promised to help me for thou art my house of defence and my castle Vers 5. Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born thou art he that took me out of my mothers womb my praise shall be always of thee Vers 8. Cast me not away in the time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth me Vers 10. Go not far from me O God my God haste thee to help me Psal 109.20 Deal thou with me O Lord God according to thy Name for sweet is thy mercy Vers 21. O Deliver me for I am helpless and poor and my heart is wounded within me Vers 22. I go hence like the shadow that departeth and an driven away like the Grashopper Vers 23. My knees are weak through fasting my flesh is dryed up for want of fatness Psal 141. 1. Lord I call upon thee haste thee unto me and consider my voice when I cry unto thee Vers 2. Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice Vers 9. Mine eyes look unto thee O Lord God in thee is my trust O cast not out my soul 3. Perseverance Psal 40.14 Withdraw not thou thy mercy from me O Lord let thy loving kindness and thy truth alway preserve me Vers 15. For innumerable troubles are come about me my sins have taken such hold upon me that I am not able to look up yea they are more in number than the hairs of my head and my heart hath failed me Psal 145.14 The Lord upholdeth all such as fall and lifteth up all such as be down Vers 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Vers 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him yea all such as call upon him faithfully Vers 19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will help them Vers 20. The Lord preserveth all them that love him but scattereth abroad all the ungodly Mat. 24.13 He that endureth unto the end the same shall be saved Rom. 11.20 Thou standest by faith Be not high-minded but fear 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Phil. 1.3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you Vers 4. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy Vers 5. For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now Vers 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus Vers 7. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all Ezek. 36.37 Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them 4. A quiet departure out of this life Gen. 49.33 When Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons he gathered up his feet into the bed and yielded up the Ghost and was
it came to pass on the third day in the Morning that there were Thunderings and Lightnings and a thick Cloud upon the Mount and the voice of the Trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the Camp trembled Vers 18. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak because the Lord descended upon it in fire And the smoak thereof ascended as the smoak of a furnace and the whole Mount quaked greatly Chapt 20.18 And all the People saw the Thunderings and the Lightnings and the noise of the Trumpet and the Mountain smoaking And when the peope saw it they remov'd and stood afar off And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12.21 Chap. 33.20 Thou Moses canst not see my face for there shall no Man see me and live Vers 21. Behold there is a place by me and thou shalt stand upon a Rock Vers 22. And it shall come to pass whil'st my glory passeth by that I will put thee in a clift of the Rock and will cover thee with my hand whil'st I pass by Vers 23. And I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my back parts but my face shall not be seen Isa 40.22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers That stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in Vers 23. That bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Judges of the Earth as vanity Heb. 12.28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly ear Vers 29. For our God is a consuming fire Secondly The Divine Attributes especially of his 1. Holiness 2. Justice 3. Power Holiness Gen. 28.16 17. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep and he said surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not And he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place This is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven Exod. 3.5 Draw not nigh hither put off thy Shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Chap. 19.12 Take heed to your solves that ye go not up into the Mount or touch the border of it Whosoever toucheth the Mount shall be surely put to death 13. There shall not a hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast or man it shall not live 1 Sam. 6.19 And he the Lord smote the men of Bethshemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord even he smote of the People Fifty thousand and threescore and ten men vers 20. And the men of Bethshemesh said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 2 Sam. 6.6 Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it Vers 7. And God smote him there for his errour and there he dyed by the Ark of God vers 9. And David was afraid of the Lord that day and said how shall the Ark of the Lord come to me 1 Pet. 1.15 As he who hath called you is Holy so be ye Holy in all manner of conversation 16. Because it is written be ye holy for I am holy Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 2. Justice Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judg of all the Earth do right Exod. 20.5 I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me vers 26. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments Psal 89.15 Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat And 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and true are thy judgments Rom. 2.2 We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things vers 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds vers 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life vers 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath vers 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil vers 10. But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be 3. Power Gen. 18.14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord Jer. 5.22 Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for a bound of the sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass and though the waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail though they roar yet can they not pass over it And Chap. 10.7 Who would not fear thee O King of Nations For to thee doth it appertain Dan. 2.20 Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever for wisdom and might are his vers 21. He changeth the times and the seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Rev. 15.4 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorisie thy Name for thou only art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Acknowledged and fear'd by the enemies of Religion themselves Exod. 9.27 The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Dan. 3.29 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his Servants that trusted in him and have chang'd the Kings word and yielded their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any God except their own God vers 29. Therefore I make a Decree that every People Nation and Language which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghil because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Chap. 6.25 Then Darius wrote unto all People Nations and Languages that dwelt in all the earth vers 26. I make a decree that in every Dominion of my Kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel for he is the living God and stedfast for ever and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his Dominion shall be even unto the end Vers 27. He delivereth and rescueth and he worketh signs and wonders in Heaven and in Earth Who hath delivered Daniel from the Power of the Lions Acts 24.25 And as Paul reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled Rev. 6.15 And the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the Rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the
Mountains Verse 16. And said to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Verse 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Thirdly The State of an Impenitent Sinner 1. In respect of original corruption Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Chap. 15.14 What is man that he should be clean and he that is born of a Woman that he should be righteous Verse 15. The Heavens are not clean in his sight verse 16. How much more abominable and filthy is Man that drinketh iniquity like water Chap. 25.4 How then can Man be justified with God Or how can he be clean that is born of a Woman Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me John 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Verse 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Rom. 5.18 By the offence of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation 2. In respect of actual sin Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinn'd against me him will I blot out of my Book 2 Kings 17.18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight there was none left but the Tribe of Judah only Verse 19 Also Judah kept not the Commandments of the Lord their God but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made Verse 20. And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers till he had cast them out of his sight Job 4.8 They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same Verse 9. By the blast of God they perish and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed Chap. 8.11 Can the Rush grow up without mire can the Flag grow without water Verse 12. Whilst it is yet in its greenness and not cut down it withereth before any other herb Verse 13. So are the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish Jer. 22.24 As I live saith the Lord though Coniah the Son of Jehoiakim King of Judah were the signet upon my right hand yet would I pluck thee thence Verse 25. And I will give thee into the hand of them who seek thy life Verse 26. And I will cast thee out and thy Mother that bare thee into another Country where ye were not born and there shall ye dye Mat. 7.26 Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish Man which built his house upon the sand Verse 27. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it Gal. 5.19 The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witcheraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 2 Thes 1.7 The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Rev. 14.9 10 11. If any man worship the Beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoak of their torment ascended up for ever and ever Secondly When the Minister finds not in the sick person a total hardness and impenitency he must wisely mingle Threatnings and Comforts together To which purpose such-like passages of Scripture will be useful Deut. 7.9 10. Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements to a Thousand generations And repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them He will not be slack to him that hateth him he will repay him to his face Jer. 32.18 19. Thou shewest loving kindness unto thousands and recompensest the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosom of their Children after them the great the mighty God the Lord of Hosts is his Name Great in Counsel and mighty in works for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Psal 89.31 32 33. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandements I will visit their offence with rods and their sin with scourges Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my truth to fail Rev. 2.4 5. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come against thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Thirdly When the Sick Person is fallen into the other extream and is sensible of little or no comfort the passages of Scripture relating to such a condition are those which set forth 1. The excellency and goodness of the Divine Nature Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed The LORD the LORD GOD merciful and gracious longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Psalm 86.15 16. Thou O Lord God art full of compassion and mercy longsuffering plenteous in goodness and truth O turn thee then unto me and have mercy upon me Give thy strength unto thy servant and help the son of thine handmaid Psalm 103.8 9 c. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy Longsuffering and of great goodness He will not alway be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our wickedness For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth So great is his mercy also toward them that fear him Look how wide also the East is from the West So far hath he set our sins from us Yea like as a Father pittieth his own Children Even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him For he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust Hos 11.3 4. I taught
Ephraim to go taking them by the Arms but they knew not that I heal'd them I drew them with cords of a man with bands of love Jonah 4. Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish for I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repentest thee of the evil Mic. 7.18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea Malac. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed Eph. 2.4 5. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins and trespasses hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Secondly His incomprehensible love declared in giving his Son to dye for the sin of the World Isa 52.9 10. Break forth into joy sing together ye wast places of Jerusalem for the Lord hath comforted his People he hath redeemed Jerusalem The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all Nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God Chap. 53.4 5 6. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Chap. 55.1 3. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Chap. 61.1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Ezek. 34.22 23 24 25. I will save my flock and they shall be no more a prey And I will set up one shepherd over them and he shall feed them even my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their shepherd And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a Prince amongst them I the Lord have spoken it And I will make with them a covenant of peace Malac. 4.2 Unto you that fear my Name shall the Son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall Luke 1.76 77 78 79. Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways To give knowledg of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace Chap. 4.17 18 19 21 And when he Jesus had opened the Book he found the place where i◠was written The Spirit of the Lord 〈◊〉 upon me And he began to sa◠unto them this day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Joh 1.29 John seeth Jesus comin◠unto him and saith Behold th◠Lamb of God which taketh awa◠the sin of the World Chap. 3.16 17. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Chap. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his Friends Act 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Rom. 3.23 24 25. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 5.8 9. God commendeth his love towards us in that whilest we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 1 Joh. 2.1 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sins Rev. 5.9 And the Elders sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and people and tongue and Nation Thirdly His faithfulness in keeping his promise Isa 49.15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands thy walls are before me continually Jer. 33.20 21. Thus saith the Lord if you can break my covenant of the day and my covenant of the night and that there should not be day and night in their season Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne Joh. 10.28 29. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all And no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Cor. 1.21 22. He which stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed is God Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Heb. 6.17 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an Oath That by
two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us 1 Joh 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Fourthly His encouragements and promises to the penitent 1. In the Law Levit. 26.40 41 42. If they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their Fathers with their trespass which they trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary to me And that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob and also my covenant with Isaac and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember and will remember the land Deut. 4.27 29 30 31. The Lord thy God shall scatter you among the Nations But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul When thou art in Tribulation and all these things are come upon thee even in the latter days if thou come to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice for the Lord thy God is a merciful God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the Covenant of thy Fathers which he sware unto them Chap. 30.3 The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity and have compassion upon thee and will return and gather thee from all the Nations whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee In 2. The Prophets 1 Sam. 12.20 22. Samuel said unto the People fear not ye have done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your heart For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People Isa 1.18 19. Though your sins be as red as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red as crimson they shall be as wooll If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land Cha. 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee Chap. 57.16 17 18. I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his ways and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners Jer. 3.1 13 14. Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return again unto me saith the Lord. Only acknowledg thine iniquity that thou hast transgrest against the Lord thy God Turn O backsliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you Chap. 31.19 20. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even consounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my dear Son Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Chap. 33.8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon aâ—l their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel In 3. The Gospel Mat. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Chap. 18.11 The son of man is come to save that which was lost Luke 15.10 There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth John 6.37 Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Heb. 4.15 16. 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 yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Chap. 7.24 25. This man Christ Jesus because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Wherefore he is also able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Chap. 8.12 I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Fifthly The performance of those promises in several Instances of mercy Judg. 2.18 When the Lord raised them up Judges then the Lord was with the Judg and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the Judg for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them Chap. 10.15 16. The children of Israel said unto the Lord we have sinned do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee deliver us only we pray thee this day And they put away the strange Gods from among them and served the Lord and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel 2 Sam. 12.13 David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David the Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye 1 King 21.29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me because he humbleth himself before me I will not bring the evil in his days but in his sons days will I bring the evil upon his house 2 Chron. 33.12 13. And when he Manasseh was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers And prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom Nehem. 9.31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume them nor forsake them for thou art a gracious and merciful God Jonah 3.10 And God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them and he did it not Mat. 18.26 27. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him saying Lord have patience with me and I will pay thee all Then the Lord of that servant came moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt Luke 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven for
the multitude of thy mercies And hide not thy face from thy servant for I am in trouble Oh haste thee and hear me Draw nigh unto my soul and save it Oh deliver me because of mine enemies Psal 86.1 to 8. Bow down thine ear O Lord and hear me for I am poor and in misery Preserve thou my soul for I am holy save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee Be merciful to me O Lord for I will call dayly upon thee Comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul For thou Lord art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee Give ear Lord unto my prayer and ponder the voice of my humble desires In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou hearest me Jer. 17.13 14. O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth because they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed save me and I shall be saved for thou art my praise Luke 18.1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Joh. 16.24 Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full 1 Thes 5.17 Pray without ceasing 5. Meditation upon spiritual and heavenly things Deut. 22.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Psal 15.1 2 c. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle or who shall rest upon thy holy Hill Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life and doth the thing which is right and speaketh the truth from his heart He that hath used c. Whoso doth these things shall never fall So Psal 24.3 4 5 6. Psal 90.12 So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Psal 143.4 5. My spirit is vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate Yet do I remember the time past I muse upon all thy works yea I exercise my self in the works of thy hands 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things that are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Col. 3.1 2 3 4. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Rev. 20.11 12. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works 6. Choice of company fit for that time 1 Sam. 21.14 15. Achish said unto his servants Lo you see the man is mad wherefore then have you brought him to me Have I need of madmen that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence shall this fellow come into my house Job 13.4 5. Ye are all Physicians of no value O that you would altogether hold your peace and it should be your wisdom Chap. 15.2 Should he a wise man reason with unprofitable talk or with speeches where with he can do no good Chap. 16.5 I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief Chap. 33.23 24. If there be a messenger with him one of a thousand to shew unto men his uprightness Then he is gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a Ransome Psal 26.4 5. I have not dwelt with vain persons neither have I had fellowship with the deceitful I have hated the Congregation of the wicked neither will I sit amongst the ungodly Psal 101.8 c. Mine eyes look unto such as be faithful in the Land that they may dwell with me Whoso leadeth a godly life he shall be my servant There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the Living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you And will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and my daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers Jam. 5.14 Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church Vers 16. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much 7. Hearing and Reading the Scriptures Psal 119.92 93. If my delight had not been in thy Law I should have perished in my trouble I will never forget thy commandements for with them hast thou quickned me Trouble and heaviness have taken hold upon me yet is my delight in thy Commandements Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life Acts 8.28 Who the Eunuch returning and sitting in his Chariot read Esaias the Prophet Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 2 Tim. 3.15 From a Child thou hast known the Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie and keep those things that are written therein The Portion of Holy Scripture that may be seasonably read to the sick are the penitential Psalms as they have been commonly called that is to say the 6th 32 38 51 102 130 143. The 15 39 90 103. Job 14. Mit. 26 and 27. Mark 14 and 15. Luke 22 and 23. Joh. from chap. 13 to 20.1 Cor.
gathered unto his People Job 5.26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Chap. 23.46 When Jesus had cried with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And having thus said he gave up the ghost Acts 7.59 They stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Vers 60. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge And when he had said this he fell asleep Rev. 22.20 He that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus THe Minister must not fail to press the sick person to receive the Holy Eucharist and to open to him the comfortable Doctrine the Scripture holds forth in that blessed Ordinance this being the fittest close for the life of him whose constant business it hath been as of all good Christians to labour for pardon and grace the Benefits sealed to Believers in that Sacrament by Him who purchased them for us with his most precious blood as in that Commemorative Sacrifice is most lively represented to us The Institution whereof so nearly preceding the Passion of our Blessed Redeemer doth recommend the use of these Holy Mysteries unto Christians as very seasonable at that time when they are upon putting off their earthly Tabernacles their corruptible Bodies in expectation of a joyful Resurection and Exaltation unto life Eternal whereof this Holy Sacrament was by the Primitive Fathers of the Church esteemed a sure and sacred Pledg A most comfortable Preparative whereunto if heartily desired and cantiously and reverently administred is the Benefit of Absolution Which deserves not to be the less esteemed or the more neglected for whatsoever abuses it hath heretofore been liable unto when both Priest and People believed more of the Sacerdotal Power than was consistent with so great a Trust committed to the one and so strict a disquisition required from the other lest the Minister might be Partaker of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 and the People delude themselves with unsincere and fruitless Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 11. A Prayer to be used in a state of Health O Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift Thou art he who tookest me out of my Mothers womb and by thee have I been holden up ever since I was born The blessings of health and strength that I enjoy are from thy goodness and bounty And for them and all thy other mercies I bless and praise thy ever-great and glorious Name Most humbly beseeching thee to add to these that blessing of blessings the right use of all thy blessings That through the comfort and assistance of that health and strength thou hast given me I may become the more diligent and faithful in the practice of those several duties of piety justice and charity which thou requirest at my hands And suffer me not O Lord to deceive my self by a false account of the time of my Pilgrimage but so teach me to number my days that I may apply my heart unto wisdom that I may readily discern the vast difference between this span of life and the infinite spaces of eternity between the pleasures of sin for a season and the everlasting fulness of joy in thy presence And for this end remove far away from me all those vices to which health and ease are apt to betray me especially all carnal security lust pride anger want of compassion misspending my time forgetfulness of thee and of thy ways and works And implant in my mind the daily remembrance of death and judgment the necessity of working out my salvation with fear and trembling and the misery of being surpriz'd by the coming of our Lord in my sins or fruitless repentance So that the health of my body may through thy blessing promote the health of my Soul and thy augmenting the number of my Talents increase both my labour and reward That passing the time of my sojourning here in fear I may treasure up for my self such spiritual strength and consolation as may stand me in stead when I shall lye down on my bed of sickness and death administring comfort to my soul in the conscience of well doing which thou hast promised us to accept and reward through thy mercies in Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer when one perceives himself to be sick O Lord my God I have learn'd from thy Holy Word and by daily experience in this vale of misery that dust I am and unto dust I shall return that I must put off this earthly Tabernacle and that thou wilt bring me to death and the house appointed for all living And now Lord I feel in my self the usual summons thy good providence doth give us to review our accounts and to sit our selves for death and judgment Blessed be thy Name for this thy mercy that thou hast not taken advantage of me whil'st I was thine enemy to cut me off suddenly in my sins and hurry me hence in mine iniquity but hast given me the time means and I trust grace for repentance and amendment of life And though I have not improved such hath been my negligence and sloth these rich favours to that great advantage I might and should have done yet I beseech thee O Lord for thine infinite mercies in thy son Christ Jesus that thou wilt not be extream to mark what I have done amiss and to lay my sins to my charge but that thou wilt deal mercifully with me thy most unworthy servant blotting out all my sins and transgressions that none of mine iniquities may be mentioned unto me in that great and terrible day of Recompences And forasmuch as thou alone in whose hands our times are dost know what will be the issue of this my present distemper and sickness cause me to reflect on it as proceeding from thy Will and Wisdom and cheerfully and thankfully to submit to this chastisement as a means appointed by thee for the benefit and comfort of my Soul and vouchsafe unto me that grace which may enable me to receive profit thereby and from experience of thy goodness towards me to gain hope and confidence of thy love And if thou hast reserv'd for me the blessing of restoring me to my former health which I beseech thee to do direct me to the use of such means as thou wilt make effectual for that end But if the days of my warfare are accomplished prepare me O Lord for a safe quiet and comfortable departure out of this life and fit me for thy prefence and glory O Lord strengthen me against all the malicious practices and devices of my subtil and implacable enemy against all errours and delusions of my understanding the allurements of this World inordinate love of this miserable Life and
and for others and for thy whole Church for the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ our only Mediator and Redeemer Amen For a Family BLessed Lord God the Father of all the Families of the Earth who art no respecter of Persons but requirest every one to walk faithfully in that vocation wherein thou hast placed him we humbly beseech thee for thy blessing on every member of this Family that each of us may perform his duty in that integrity and uprightness of heart as becometh them who profess the same Gospel of thy son Christ Jesus O drive away and keep off from hence as all other so especially the sins of this corrupt Age. Let not Atheism Drunkenness Swearing Pride Idleness Hypocrisy Unclean Lusts Covetousness Lying or any other sin whatsoever become a fretting Leprosie in the walls of this House But as thou hast given us a Blessing above many other our Brethren so give us grace to express a more special performance of duty in acknowledgment thereof Let the hand of thy good providence be stretcht forth to defend us in all dangers of Soul and Body give us wisdom to discern and courage to withstand all assaults of the Flesh the World and the Devil Let thy Fatherly corrections of us be always an advantage to our Religious Conversation Give us thankful hearts for all thy Blessings And so guide us in all things with thy merciful hand that finally we may be brought to the land of everlasting Life there to reign with thee World without end through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen An Evening Prayer O Most Powerful God and Merciful Father to whom the light discovereth nothing and from whom the Night cannot conceal us but the darkness and the light to thee are both alike leave us not we pray thee to the dangers and discomforts of this Night but let thine eye which slumbereth and sleepeth not watch over us for the good both of our Souls and Bodies O let not the darkness of the night nor the privacy of our retirements betray us to do any thing unworthy of our Christian calling and that inaccessible light in the presence and by the power of which we live and move and have our being But sit and prepare each of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit to a constant and sincere obedience of thy Holy Will that both in publick and in private we may do as becometh an holy seed and a People zealous of good works endeavouring in all things to shew our selves mindful of that inestimable price which our Lord Jesus Christ hath paid for us vile and miserable sinners And we humbly pray thee O Lord to pardon as all other so the sins and imperfections of which we have been guilty this day That if any of us shall be summon'd from the bed of our rest to that of our death we may through thy mercy have a comfortable and cheerful passage from this life of misery and mortality unto a life of everlasting happiness and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen FINIS A Brief Catalogue of Books newly Printed and Reprinted for R. Royston Bookseller to his Most Sacred Majesty THE works of the Reverend and Learned Henry Hammond D. D. containing a Collection of Discourses chiefly Practical with many Additions and Corrections from the Author 's own hand together with the Life of the Author enlarg'd by the Reverend Dr. Fell Dean of Christ-Church in Oxford In large Folio Σ Υ'МВΟΛΟΠΘЕΟΛΟΓΙΚΟ'ΠOr a Collection of Polemical Discourses addressed against the Enemies of the Church of England both Papists and Fanaticks in large Folio by Jeremiah Taylor Chaplain in Ordinary to King Charles the First of Blessed Memory and late Lord Bishop of Down and Conner Animadversions upon a Book Intituled Fanaticism Fanatically imputed to the Catholick Church by Dr. Stillingfleet and the Imputation Refuted and Retorted by S. C. The Second Edition By a Person of Honour In Octavo A Serious and compassionate Inquiry into the Causes of the present Neglect and Contempt of the Protestant Religion and Church of England In Octavo Reflexions upon the Devotions of the Roman Church With the Prayers Hymns and Lessons themselves taken out of their Authentick Authors In Three Parts In Octavo New The Christian Sacrifice and the Devout Christian and Advice to a Friend these last three Books written by the Reverend S. P. D. D. in 12.