I would not escape because it gives entrance to my chiefest happiness and I cannot have it unless I go to it Every man would be willing to pass thorow Hell to Heaven but if I march only thorow death I suffer less then I would suffer for God my pains do not dismay me because I travel to bring forth life even eternal life my sins do not afright me because I have Christ the Captain of our salvation for my Redeemer The Judge doth not astonish me because the Son of the Judge is my prevailing advocate the Devil doth not amaze me because the holy Angels do pitch their tents round about me the grave doth not grieve me because it was my Lords bed the Prophets and the Apostles are my forerunners every man is gone before me or else he must come after me if it please the Lord to receive me into his heavenly mansions before others which have served him better the more humble thankfulness do I owe unto him And lest by putting off my repentance till this hour I should be cut off if I should die suddenly Behold how my gracious God in his merciful providence to prevent my ruine and destruction doth call me to himself by a lingring sickness which stayeth me till I be ready and prepareth me for my departure and makes me by these wholsome pains weary of this too-much-beloved world lest I should too unwillingly part with it and so be like them whose death is their damnation Thus the Lord loveth me while he smiteth me so that his stripes become plaisters to me therefore who shall love him if I should despise him who shall praise him if I should dishonour him This is my whole duty now to strengthen my weak body with my believing heart to be contented with whatsoever God hath appointed for me until I can glorifie him or he shall glorifie me If I live I live to sacrifice if I die I shall then die a sacrifice for his mercy is above mine iniquity And now if I should fear death it would be a signe that I had neither faith nor hope as I have professed but that I doubted of Gods truth in his promises whether or no he will forgive his poor dejected penitent but it is my Father let him do with me whatsoever seemeth good in his sight Then come Lord Jesus for thy servant cometh I am willing Lord help my unwillingness I believe Lord help my unbelief make me ready to receive thee Then come then come Lord Jesus come quickly III. Against impatience in sickness LEt us consider 1. That our sins have deserved far greater pains then we do suffer even the pains of Hell 2. That God hath in mercy determined the day of our deliverance The number of our tears shed for the dishonouring of God are registred in his book 3. Let us think on the blessed Apostle St. Stephen who as soon as he saw Christ forgot his wounds and the terror of the grave and sweetly yielded up his soul into the arms of his blessed Saviour so let us do let us forget our pain and meditate on the wounds of Christ Jesus let us be faithful to the death and so receive a crown of life 4. As we have alwayes prayed Our Father thy will be done so now let us yield willingly to whatsoever his holy will is else we dissemble with God and deceive our own souls 5. Remember that the rod be it of sickness or any other affliction is in the hands of a merciful Father 6. Believe that all things though seemingly most sharp shall work together for the best if we love and fear him and that nothing neither life nor death nor any creature shall ever be able to separate between us and our Lord Jesus Christ 7. That God doth use this chastisement of the body but as a Medicine for the curing of our sin-sick souls by drawing us to our great Physician by true repentance godly patience and holy believing 8. The greatest pains that we can feel in our greatest extremity are not to be compared with those grievous dolours which our blessed Saviour did undergo for us how then can we be impatient at any smart that he shall lay upon us 9. Nothing in this our suffering doth befal us but what the holy men of God have felt and most patiently undergone before us and are now in possession of everlasting joys in the highest Heavens 10. God hath not given us over to implacable enemies but as a loving and tender-hearted Father doth please to keep us in his own most gracious hands laying upon us no more then what he shall see and know to be most needful and profitable for us 11. Lastly consider and consider it with comfort How death if it shall follow sickness will deliver us from a weak frail corruptible body which is but a living prison of the soul and a lively instrument of sin and how death doth set us free to enjoy the liberty of the Saints in glory To conclude If we love holiness when it is compassed about with many sufferings and persecutions God will take notice of our patience and other our graces though compassed about with many infirmities the Lord will take notice of a little of his good in a great deal of our evil let us then look unto and long for Christ as our Saviour as our Advocate as our Head as our Surety as our great Physician and as the Bishop of our souls and let us run with patience the race that is set before us and being in likelihood near the end of the race IV. Consolations in the Lord Christ c. HE that hath once seen God in the face of Jesus Christ dares undoubtedly look the grimmest creature in the face even death it self under any shape all kinde of fear doth flee before such a soul it is only a Christian that is fear-free The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ for though the wages of sin be death yet the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord c. Therefore I say Thanks be to God who alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing of many sons to glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering We see Jesus who himself also took part of the same flesh and blood with us that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage We see Jesus Christ who was made like unto his brethren that he might be made
Assurance We should be diligent to get assurance both of Gods favour and of our own calling and election for hereby will an entrance be given into the heavenly Kingdom Simeon could willingly die when his eyes had seen his salvation the full assurance of faith doth wonderfully establish the heart and guard it from the fear of death and also doth breed a longing desire to come to Christ St. Paul can be confident when he is able to say I know whom I have believed and I am assured that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him 4. The fourth Medicine is setting our house in Order A great part of the fear and trouble of mens mindes on their sick beds is over when with good deliberation and advice they have settled their Estates and disposed of their worldly affairs This is a matter not to be put off to a time of languishing sickness when the trouble of it breeds disquiet to their mindes when their memory and understanding is disabled when this necessary duty of preparing for death is thereby hindered if not wholly neglected 5. The fifth Medicine is 1. A frequent meditation of Death We must learn to die daily for this will lessen yea it will remove the fear of dying Oh this remembrance of our latter end and learning to number our days is an admirable rule for to practise 2. We should begin this exercise betimes In this lay the commendation of those wise Virgins and so of Job who resolved to be alwayes waiting till his change should come 6. The sixth Medicine against the fear of death is holy and hearty Prayer Because our natures are extreamly deceitful there is a necessity of frequent and faithful prayer to be used which will never fail us in whatsoever is fit for us It is that which God will not deny to those that ask it in sincerity in the Name of the Lord Jesus and that because it is a thing which Christ our blessed Saviour did especially aim at in his own death namely to deliver us from the power yea from the fear of death VIII Rules to make our Calling and Election sure 1. WE must be diligent hearers of Gods holy Word for faith cometh by hearing what is the reason that so many do waver and wander out of the way that is called Holy Is it not because they are idle hearers is it not because they will not be at the pains to hear so carefully as to finde what their case and condition is and what it doth require 2. Rule We must frequently receive the Lords Supper even every experienced Christian is able to tell us That this holy Ordinance hath by the mercy and blessing of God a very notable confirming and establishing power in it 3. Rule If we would have our Calling and our Election to be made sure then must we sue to God as the Apostles did that the Lord would increase our faith for unless Gods Spirit do testifie together with our spirit we can never come to any assurance of faith nor to any certainty of salvation Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God alone that must give the increase 4. Rule If we desire to make our Calling and Election sure we must be frequent in meditating of Gods promises as they are set forth in his holy Word and accordingly we must try our estate by the particular marks which are peculiar to Gods elect 5. Rule If we would make our Calling and Election sure we must be plentiful in good works for who are they which lay up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come and so laying hold upon eternal life but such as are rich in good works We are not only to repent and to turn to God but to do works meet for repentance 6. Rule That we may make our Calling and our Election sure Let us always be making our desires known to the Lord in our humble supplications that he will establish us in the most holy faith that believing in him we may remain immoveable neither in prosperity to forget him or in adversity to despair of him And thus we see the way to a comfortable departure out of this life The Lord give us grace to chufe this way that so by our death we may both glorifie God bring comfort and good example to our friends and everlasting benefit to our own souls Amen IX Against doubtings of Gods mercy 1. LEt us confess even all our sins to God 2. Let us be careful to make satisfaction to whomsoever in this life we have wronged be it in goods or in good name without which there can be no true repentance and so no salvation 3. Call upon God for mercy and pardon in the Lord Jesus and labour for faith in him and then in the midst of pain and doubting remember that the way to Heaven is by the gates of Hell 4. Get a lively faith in Christ Jesus and so tarry the Lords leisure be strong and he shall comfort our hearts 5. In the sence of our greatest sins let us remember that Gods mercies do shine more in pardoning great offenders then small transgressors for where sin aboundeth there doth grace rejoyce to abound much more 6. God did never forsake any till they did first forsake him 7. God calleth all even sinners that are heavy laden to be refreshed the least drop of Christs blood is of more merit to procure Gods mercy for our salvation then all our sins whatsoever can be of force to procure his wrath to our condemnation 8. Let our sins be of never so long continuance or of never so heavy a weight let us but repent and believe and then the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all sins 9. Though our vows and promises of new obedience have not been exactly performed yet upon our tears of true repentance through faith in the Lord Jesus we shall be recovered as oft as we are wounded to death by sin for our salvation is grounded not upon the constancy of our obedience but upon the firmness of Gods gracious Covenant with us in Christ Jesus 10. No sin though never so great ought to drive any Christian into despair seeing if he believe and repent he hath the pardon of all his sins confirmed to him and that 1. By the Word of God At what time soever a sinner repenteth and turneth to the Lord he will blot out all his offences c. 2. By the Oath of God As I live saith he I desire not the death of the wicked No sin doth debar a man from God but only incredulity and impenitency Believe it O thou drooping soul our unfeigned desire to repent is as pleasing and as acceptable to God as our perfectest repentance can be X. Reading of Chapters or portions of Scripture REad carefully and considerately these Chapters following or part of them Mat. 26 27 and 28 Chapters being he History of our Saviours Passion
moritur corpore non moritur morte aeterna quando moritur morte corporis Summum hominis bonum bonus ex hac vita exitus Nasci mori commune est Regi populo diviti paupero fortunato misero Fleres si scires unum tua tempora mensem Rides quum non sit forsitan una dies Ante senectutem curavi 〈◊〉 bene viverem in senectute ut bene moriar In mundo spes nulla boni spes nulla salutis Una salus servire Deo sunt caetera fraudes Pulvis umbra sumus pulvis nihil est nisi fumus Sed nihil est fumus nos nihil ergo sumus Dic homo quid speres qui mundo totus adhaeres Tecum nulla feres licet omnia solus haberes Heu fugiunt fraeno non remorante dies Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor inferni sint meditanda tibi II. A Prayer in health preparing for death Qui orat peccat non orat sed deludit O Most gracious Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh thou which hast the keyes of death and of Hell thou which hast prepared and rulest them both at thy good pleasure I humbly beseech thee be merciful to thy poor creature and preserve me from the terrors which are ready to seize upon me O Lord when I do seriously consider how I dwell in a house of clay the foundation being in the dust and how I must ere long make my bed in the dark my spirit doth seem to fail and my heart to faint especially being told out of thy blessed Word That the sting of death is sin and so mine own sin O raise me up from sad and unquiet thoughts teach me how to overcome all discouragements and help me to call to minde those truths As that the nature of death is to thy servants quite altered that the sting is plucked out and it self swallowed up in victory O help me to consider how by death thy poor servant shall be freed from sickness of body and anguish of minde from sinning against thy heavenly Majesty and from the society of the wicked Teach me truly to confess and humbly to bewail my manifold offences and then effectually to apply thy gracious promises to my everlasting comfort that so all fainting fears proceeding from the sence of my sins may turn to holy rejoycing with a cheerful expecting and even to an earnest longing for the time of my dissolution And yet that I may not beguile mine own soul in laying claim to that spiritual refreshing which belongs not to me make me to labour diligently for those assured evidences and undeceiving fore-runners of a happy departure I have been taught O Lord that if I live here without conscience I shall assuredly die without comfort that holiness here is the safe and certain way to happiness hereafter that I must seek to glorifie thee if I mean to be glorified with thee that I must fight the good fight of faith both against Satan against the world and against mine own corruptions that I must faithfully finish my course and conscionably perform the service to which thou hast appointed me that I must know thy Law and keep the faith in soundness and sincerity to the end otherwise it will be in vain to expect a crown of righteousness that I must come to the first resurrection that is from sin or else I shall never escape the second death O Lord grant me therefore of thy heavenly grace that henceforth I may more carefully serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of my life endeavouring alwayes and in all things to have and to keep a clear conscience towards thee and towards all men Lord kill my corruptions in me that I may be even dead to sin but alive to thee in Jesus Christ affect my soul with a sence and an assurance of those heavenly joyes which may work in my heart both fear and love also to thee the God of all consolation And because if I live after the flesh taking though for it to fulfil it I shall die therefore I beseech thee to mortifie in me the deeds of the body by thy Spirit that so I may have my fruit in holiness and that my end may be everlasting life Teach me and enable me to be alwayes numbring my dayes and to consider the uncertain certainty of my latter end that I may be dying every day still looking and still preparing for my change and making account that each day by one means or other may be the day of my dissolution Strengthen also good Lord my weak and fainting faith make me strong in thee and in the power of thy might seal me with the holy spirit of promise as with the earnest of my heavenly inheritance that so no tribulation in this world may disquiet me no anguish in sickness discourage me no assault of Satan over come me but that come life so long as thou pleasest or come death when or how it shall seem good unto thee I may cheerfully and through Christ commit my soul to thee as to a faithful Creator Grant me O Lord these fatherly blessings and what else thou in thine infinite wisdom knowest better what is needful for me and that for his sake who died to free me from death even Jesus Christ the righteous to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be given all honour praise and glory now and ever Amen III. Meditations of Gods mercies AMong all the infinite treasures wherewith the largeness of the Godhead aboundeth there is nothing that refresheth relieveth us miserable sinners worms of the earth that lye low at his footstool but the consideration of Gods mercy His Majesty astonisheth us his glory beateth us down his greatness striketh us dead we adore his omnipotence admire his wisdom stand in aw of his justice flie from his vengeance In mercy in mercy alone it is that we taste how gracious and how amiable the Lord is of all Gods attributes none is more eminent then his mercy Blessed be her womb that bare us and her paps that gave us suck we live and move and have our being by her she grew up with us from our youth and forsaketh us not when we be grey-headed she giveth us our daily bread and hourly breath she continueth us in life comforteth us in death and crowneth us with salvation O mercy the Lady and Empress of all the attributes of God! what shall we say of thee Heaven and earth are full of thy glory The glorious company of the Prophets praise thee the goodly fellowship of the Apostles praise thee the noble army of the Martyrs praise thee the holy Church throughout the world doth knowledge thee Thy mercy O Lord doth shine upon us every way There is 1. Thy preventing mercy from whence I may say that unless the Lord had preserved me by his grace and power my soul had launched out into the foulest sins 2.
which is evil as wanton discourse wandring thoughts and wicked company and indeed all the vanities of the world 6. We must be frequent in humble faithful and devout prayer for none is overcome by a temptation till he give over holy constant and zealous praying 7. From the bottom of our hearts let us resolve constantly to embrace and to observe whatsoever is found to be the will of God yea though all the world should repine and persecute us for it so shall our duties and our services be regulated by precept and winged by promises 8. A soveraign remedy it will prove to be meditating at all hours on the hour of death Observe carefully and do what hath been said diligently Et in aeternum non peccabis IX Meditations of death THe highest delights and the greatest confidence that is in man cannot shift off the importunate and the violent troubles of this adversary That example in Dan. 5. may serve for all That Chaldean Tyrant was carousing with his Concubines singing triumphant Carols to the praise of his carved gods yet how was his courage abated when death writ him a letter of summons Now no musick no pleasant moving jest could remove his deep-struck melancholy O death how imperious art thou to carnal mindes Some do fear not so much to be dead as to die and some do fear not so much to die as to be dead whereas the true Christian armed only with humble confidence and holy believing in his future happiness can comfortably encounter him and in triumph can sing as 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting c. Looking chearfully towards Heaven he can unfeignedly say I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ That dissolution is happy which parting the soul from the body doth unite both body and soul to God He that sees the glory of the end cannot but contemn the hardness of the way Of all sleeps death may be said to be the sweetest children begin it to us strong men seek it and Kings themselves fall to this centre The pace of death may be soft but iâ— is sure and every man live he never so long is a dying man till he be dead We should labour to get a particular knowledge and assurance both of our happiness in death and of our salvation after death And here remember that it is of excellent use and comfort to be frequent in receiving of the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper On purpose and in mercy hath the Lord left both our last day and the last day uncertain to us that we might alwayes meditate on them and be every day preparing for them It is the negligent forgetfulness of death that makes our life sinful and our death terrible He that lives holily cannot die unhappily He is most certainly blessed that dyeth in the Lord what kind of death soever it be He only is fearless of death that can say upon good ground Whether I live or die I am the Lords He that is the true child of God will never repine or murmur at his rod though it be accompanied with death We may well fear a storm is coming when the father doth call his children so hastily home Let us then say with Jobs heart Job 14.14 All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come So be it X. Resolutions against the vexations and vanities of the world THe danger of this world is seen in the paucity of such as do pass well thorow it and also in the multitude of them that perish in it All things therein are but extream vanity purchasing to the owner nothing but anguish and vexation of spirit therefore will I bid this vain world adieu and that I may loath it and love God the better I will be continually meditating on what he hath prepared for me in Heaven and especially on the means of attaining it which is 1. The mercy of God who giveth it 2. The merit of Christ that bought it 3. The holy Gospel that offereth it 4. On faith that receiveth it 5. On the blessed Spirit that sealeth it to my poor soul I will with Christ and by his gracious assistance resolve to endure all for him all the contempts and persecutions of the world all the troubles of the body all the tortures of death all the torments of Satan so as I may enjoy my Lord Jesus Christ and his Kingdom I will renounce and contemn all sorts of vanities here below that I may enjoy the presence of the Lamb and with him be singing Hallelujahs everlastingly in the highest Heavens I am weak but this do I resolve in the strength of him who is the Almighty Lord God I will be neither a fool nor a rebel not ignorant from whence my crosses come neither will I be impatient in them knowing that they come from my most gracious God that he hath stinted all my miseries he hath weighed out every dram of my sorrows so as all the powers of hell shall not be able to cast in one scruple more then God hath allotted for me We know that even savage creatures will endure to be smitten by their Masters and yet be ready to tear strangers in pieces shall I then struggle with him that made me and framed and moderated the whole world when he is pleased to smite me No we should learn and remember that our extremities in misery are Gods best oportunities to shew mercy I will have no plot but against hells policy I will have no designe but against sins stratagems I will learn how I am to act in this life to my God fidelity to my Prince loyalty to my friends amity to my self humility so shall I be kept from future falls and also be guarded from present fears for this we are assured of that God hath either the Castle of a providence or the Ark of a promise or the faithfulness of his power or the all-sufficiency of his own grace for a retirement to his people in times of greatest storms and tempests PART II. Meditations at the first Sickning I. A Prayer in time of Sickness In their affliction saith the Lord Hos 54 6. they will seek me early So Egypt's burden made Israel cry to God so David's troubles made him to pray so Hezekiah's sickness caused him to weep so misery drove the Prodigal home and so let me in this my trouble sincerely and believingly hasten to my God in humble supplication OH most righteous Judge and yet in Jesus Christ my gracious Father I a poor wretched sinner do here return unto thee with the Prodigal that was annoyed with want and hunger and do humbly acknowledge that this pain and sickness is none other then the just stroke of thine own hand but though my sins have been many and great yet in wrath thou dost remember mercy for thy corrections have been easie and few I have deserved to be smitten with some fearful death so as to have perished in
all evil especially our spiritual enemies for thine is the Power such power as Kings do want but thou art fully able 1. To exalt thine own Name 2. To extend thy Kingdom over all 3. To fit us to do thy Will 4. To minister to our Necessities 5. To pardon our Sins 6. To preserve us from and to deliver us out of all evil and then thine is the Glory the hallowing of thy Name is the chief part of thy glory thy Kingdom is the prime place of thy glory And herein art thou glorified that is when we set forth thy praise when we obey thy will when thou providest for thy people when thou forgivest their sins when thou comfortest them in their calamities So do we trust and hope that thou wilt do all these things for us Take heed for if in our prayers we come to God with a guilty defiled conscience with cold affections with dead spirits not departing from iniquity and without a pure heart This is howling and not praying Prayer by good Christians hath been stiled and esteemed the key of Heaven and the confusion of hell the standard of our spiritual warfare the conservation of our peace the bridle of our impatience the guardian of our temperance the seal of chastity the advocate of offenders the consolation of the afflicted and the Pasport of the dying Thus the just do live and die in prayer A Christian without prayer may be compared to a Bee without a sting which can make neither wax nor honey A true Christian makes prayer not only his lock and key of the day but his bolt at night yea his very meals and recreations for this it was that the primitive Christians were called the crickets of the night because when sleep did fail their hearts were lifted up in constant ejaculatory prayer III. Meditations at first sickning WIth one cross be it of sickness or other affliction God doth usually work two cures 1. By chastisement for sins past 2. By preventing of sins to come so as we may say with the Prophet Before I was afflicted I went astray but now thy grace assisting I will keep thy statutes 2. God sends sickness and other afflictions to seal to us our adoption For every childe whom God loveth he chastiseth and suffereth the wicked still to continue in their sins without correction 3. God sends sickness to wean our hearts from the love of the world and of worldly vanities and to cause us more early to desire and more earnestly to long for Heaven 4. Of all afflictions and crosses sickness may be held to come most immediately from the hand of God and that because of sin 5. By sickness and affliction God doth exercise his children the graces which he bestows upon them he thereby tryeth and refineth our faith to make it to shine more clear he thereby stirreth us up to pray more frequently and more zealously He sees what patience we have learned all this while in his School and so concerning our hope in Christ our love to the glorious Trinity our charity to our Christian brethren and the like 6. Sanctified sickness and affliction is a singular help to further us in our conversion and by unfeigned sorrow and true repentance to drive us home to our heavenly Father in holy believing 7. Sickness and affliction do work in us not only Christianly love and charity but pity and compassion also towards our brethren so as to have a fellow-feeling with them in all their sufferings 8. God doth many times make use of our sickness and other afflictions not only as means and as examples whereby to manifest to others the faith patience and other graces that he hath bestowed upon us but also by the same to strengthen and to encourage others that have not yet received so great a measure of faith and of assurance as we have done 9. By sickness and afflictions God worketh us to a conformity of the image of his Son Jesus Christ who being the Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering 10. God sendeth sickness that the godly may thereby be humbled in respect of their own condition and misery and that God may be glorified by a gracious delivering them out of all their troubles when in sincerity they call upon him for his help and succour IV. Directions and Consolations in time of Sickness and Death LEt every Christian upon his sick bed not only with patience look for death but with comfort also and that for these reasons 1. Because the death of every member of Christ as well as of others is foreseen and ordained by the special decree and providence of God 2. Reason is taken from the promise of God Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they shall rest from their labours and their works follow them 3. He that dyeth in Christ his soul and his body are really united to Christ according to the Covenant of grace 4. God hath also promised his gracious special presence to such sick and dying persons as do belong to him so he saith Isa 43.1 Fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine when thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee A little blast of sickness doth oftentimes become mortal and we are many a time carried away in that blast and if we should hold out a while longer we do but daily consume and moulder away with old age till we return to our dust and at last do become but a coffin for the worms Let not a dying man think on the pangs of death which may perhaps be light and short but let him wholly fix his thoughts and the eye of his faith upon that blessed estate of eternal life which Jesus Christ hath purchased for him In the business of sickness and especially of death lay aside all curious speculations of Gods unsearchable counsels all cogitations and considerations of works of traditions of Philosophy yea and of the Law of God too and run strait to the manger embrace the babe Christ in thine arms yea in thy soul behold him as he was born growing up conversant amongst men as teaching dying rising again ascending above the heavens and having power above all things This thought this sight will make thee to shake off all troubles and terrors as the Sun driveth away the clouds We must live in the world as in a strange Country where we are every day taking our farewel being as in sickness alwayes ready to depart and because the instant of our departing is uncertain we should wait for it every hour The wise Christian that hearkneth to the minutes of his breathing can never be surprised when the hour of his last sigh doth strike Our duty in sickness or any other affliction is to inquire and finde out the cause if it be for sin to humble our selves to justifie God to turn to him to submit to his will to seek his
riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing both now and for ever and ever Amen VIII Short Prayers upon any release of Pain BLessed and praised be thy great and glorious Name O holy Father in Jesus Christ for that thou dost lay no more upon me nor punishest me to my confusion O grant me still a believing heart and a patient minde that I may still love thee and wholly depend upon thee and comfortably bear all thy fatherly corrections as it becometh thy faithful servant and a true souldier of Jesus Christ All is thine and thou art all to thee only do I flie for relief and succour knowing that there is no strength nor support but only in thee Thou wilt not break a bruised reed thou wilt not quench the smoaking flax O thou that delightest not in the death of a sinner receive me release my soul out of trouble for thy great Name sake let the shadow of thy wings be my cover let the holy Ghost be my company let thy power be my portion my rock and my defence against all fear and danger whatsoever and do thou in thine infinite goodness and mercy say at this time to my poor weak soul Be of good cheer I am thy salvation O Lord it is thou alone that hast sent me this sickness be thou pleased to come thy self with it and teach me and enable me to make that sanctified use thereof as becometh thy faithful servant O Lord let thy Word be my rule thy Glory my aim thy Spirit my guide thy Angels my guard thy Promises my support thy People my society thy Ordinances my delight then shall I be happy both now and for ever Grant O Lord God of Heaven and earth that thy holy Angels may pitch their tents round about me in this my low estate to defend me against that evil one and in thine own appointed time to convey my soul to everlasting glory When thou O Lord shalt be finishing my weak and evil dayes of sin be pleased to quiet my tender conscience to pardon my many manifold offences to save my precious soul to receive both my body and my soul into thy heavenly Kingdom so that I may follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth Oh thou that art the Captain of my salvation Oh sweet Jesus that wert made perfect by sufferings look graciously upon thy poor creature and sanctifie unto me all the pains of body and all the troubles of mind which thou shalt permit to fall upon me that I may pass thorow them to everlasting happiness IX Consolations against Pain and fear in Dying THere is pain in the curing of a wound do we therefore suffer it to gangrene and let it alone to the danger of a limb perhaps of life No we are willing to launce and to heal so let us here submit the body that the soul may be safe There be few persons but have indured as great perhaps greater and for a longer time in their life then they have at their death We do make the passage much the more tedious and difficult by our bringing to the thought of death a troubled and an unprepared minde and in the mean time forget that Christ by his death hath taken away the sting of death Be not dismayed death indeed is terrible when it is inflicted by the Law but it is easie being imposed by the Gospel The curse is now taken off we are not now under the Law but under Grace God who blessed us in life will not forsake us he will not neglect us in death for precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints Against all the apprehensions and thoughts of death let this of the holy Spirit be our sure consolation Thanks be to God that as death is swallowed up in victory so he hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ blessed for ever We have the Spirit of Christ within us which will secure us search us and refresh us even all the time of the combate yea it will abide with us for the assured comfort of our souls We do see many men and women to depart out of this life without any extremity of pain or trouble at all nay it is sometimes with much tranquillity extraordinary cheerfulness and spiritual joy let not us then create fear to our selves and expect pain but with patience and Christian faith and fortitude wait upon the Lord for a happy issue The body may and sometimes doth seem to be in grievous pangs when as the party feels no pain almost at all unless it be the Cramp or the like while the soul in the mean time is in a sweet repose and preparing it self to come immediately to the presence and blessed enjoyment of his dear Lord and gracious Redeemer praying still with servency of spirit Come Lord Jesus come and receive my soul X. Ejaculations to Father Son and holy Ghost O Heavenly Father who scourgest every son whom thou dost receive help me thy poor creature that I may not be weary of thy corrections but be pleased to give me such a perfect submitting my self to thee who art the Father of spirits that this chastisement of thine may be so much for my present and future profit and advantage that I may be made partaker of thy holiness Oh holy Jesus Son of the everliving God I have I do most humbly confess it by my many and grievous offences crucified thee afresh but thou O blessed Lord who didst pray for thy persecutors Oh be pleased to intercede also for me and suffer not Oh blessed Redeemer suffer not my poor soul the price of thy most precious blood to perish Oh blessed Spirit of Grace I have by my manifold impieties done despight unto thee yet Oh holy Comforter though I have often grieved thee be thou pleased to relieve and succour and sanctifie me and in this my weakness say to my poor soul I am thy salvation We may pray unto the whole Trinity but more properly unto the first person God the Father in the name of God the Son and by the assistance of God the holy Ghost Amen PART IV. Meditations upon certain signes of Death I. Several short Prayers upon any intermission of Pain O Lord thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul doth thirst for thee my flesh also longeth after thee I have looked for thee in holiness that I might behold thee in power and glory for thy loving kindness is better then life it self because thou hast been my helper therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce Or thus O Lord I finde this life to be but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in days but full of evil I am weary of it by reason of my sins It is enough O Lord that I have lived so long in this vale of misery take my soul O Lord into thy gracious hands for I am no better then my Fathers The Law in my members hath
certainly perswaded that there is no salvation in any other nor any other name under Heaven by which thou canst be saved Jesus is the only Saviour of the world therefore let all creatures bow down before him and bless his holy Name Dost thou from thy heart forgive all injuries and offences done unto thee by any person whatsoever And dost thou as freely from thy heart ask forgiveness of all whom thou hast any way wronged in thought word or deed Dost thou cast out of thy heart all rancour and malice against any person so as to appear before the face of Jesus Christ the Prince of peace in perfect love and charity I do humbly pray for such true charity as to forgive all and I do from my heart ask forgiveness of all Doth thy conscience accuse thee of any thing that thou hast unjustly taken still with-holding the same for which without restitution there can be no true repentance and without such repentance there can be no salvation nor shalt thou be able to look Christ in the face when thou shalt appear before his judgement-seat I have been willing to satisfie all whom I have wronged but alas who is able to number all his errors Dost thou firmly believe That thy body shall be raised out of the grave at the sound of the last trumpet and that both thy body and thy soul shall be united together again in the Resurrection-day to appear before the Lord Jesus Christ and thence to go with him into the Kingdom of Heaven there to live in everlasting bliss and glory My faith alas is weak but thy grace O Lord is sufficient for me O Lord let thy holy Spirit assist me and lead me into the way of everlasting glory Amen VI. Short Prayers upon any lessening of Pain O Most blessed Saviour be pleased to place thy precious Passion thy Cross and thy Death between my soul thy displeasure and let the merits of thy obedience stand between thy heavenly Fathers justice and my disobedience and from these bodily pains receive my soul into thine everlasting peace and good Lord give ear unto this my cry O Jesu receive my spirit Or thus O Lord Jesus Christ forsake not him that in great distress doth flie to thee for succour and relief O sound that sweet and comfortable voice into my fainting soul which thou wert pleased to utter to the penitent Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Or thus O Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I know and do believe that whosoever liveth and trusteth in thee who art the resurrection and the life shall never die Oh then vouchsafe favour to thy poor creature that I may hear that blessed voice of thine Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Or thus O most gracious God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive my humble supplications and though I be so much bound with the chains of my sins yet Lord let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose me and set me at liberty for Jesus Christ his sake my only Saviour and Redeemer Or thus O holy Lord fit and prepare me for my last conflict and by the support of thy blessed Spirit and the assistance of thy heavenly Angels vouchsafe to assist and strengthen me against the assaults of Satan that notwithstanding his mortal malice I may still hold me fast and keep my self close to thee in all holy believing so as humbly and stedfastly to resolve that though thou shouldst slay me yet to put my trust in thee and to place my whole confidence in thine everlasting mercies in Christ Jesus VII When weakness and faintness increase let friends help with these short ejaculations O Lord bear me thy poor sick servant in thy gracious arms to the land of the living Or thus Lord bring me I beseech thee by thy power and goodness to thy holy habitation Or thus Plant me O Lord in the mountain of thine inheritance the place which thou hast prepared to dwell in Or thus Lord make me to be one of the joyful Citizens of thy holy Jerusalem which is above Or thus Oh Lord as my weakness shall encrease so let my patience the hope of thy favour and assurance of thy mercy in Christ Jesus still increase more and more Or thus Oh Lord let thy grace and blessing be upon me that I may safely pass thorow this vale of misery and finish my course with joy Or thus O Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and grant me peace in the Lord Jesus Or thus Oh holy Father if it be thy blessed will give an end to my labours and release me of my pains VIII More of Ejaculations when faintness increaseth SWeet Jesu receive my soul sweet Jesu receive my spirit Or thus Come Lord Jesu come for thy servant cometh I am willing Lord help my weakness Or thus O Lord let thy holy Angels stand round about my bed and guard me from that evil one Or thus O Lord lay not my sins to my charge but look upon him that maketh the atonement Thy Christ my Jesus Or thus O Lord to thee belongeth mercy and forgiveness have pity on my soul and pardon my sins Or thus O Lord say to my souls everlasting joy and comfort I am thy salvation Or thus O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon me Or thus O Lord make clean my heart within me and take not thy holy Spirit from me Or thus O Lord Jesus Christ I do commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redeemed me O God thou God of mercy of truth IX A Prayer by friends at leaving this Life OH most gracious Lord God and loving Father in Jesus Christ who art our portion our strong refuge a sure defence and a very present help in time of trouble Oh lift up thy merciful countenance at this instant upon thy weak servant who now is coming to appear in thy presence Oh thou which art the great preserver of men take pity and compassion upon him wash away all his natural and sinful pollutions by the all-sufficient merits of Christ Jesus his most precious blood that they may never be laid to his charge nor hinder his happy passage to everlasting blessedness O Lord increase his faith preserve his soul from the malice and danger of the devil and all his evil angels comfort him with thy holy Spirit cause him now to feel and finde that thou art his gracious Father and thou art reconciled unto him in thy dearly beloved save him O Lord O Lord Jesus Christ save the price of thine own blood and suffer not him to be lost whom thou hast so dearly purchased Oh receive his poor soul as thou didst the penitent thief into thy heavenly Paradise let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soul of thy beloved Lazarus and vouchsafe unto
him a joyful resurrection at the great and last day O holy Father in Jesus Christ hear us for him who cannot now speak for himself and hear thy dearly beloved Son our only Mediator both for him and for us all It is in his Name and for his sake that we seek unto thee in the behalf of the precious soul of this thy weak servant to him with thy blessed self and holy Spirit we do render all service honour and praise now and for ever Amen X. Another Prayer at yielding up the Ghost O Most gracious and most merciful Father in Jesus Christ be pleased to cast a compassionate eye upon the immortal soul of this thy languishing creature Lord hear our prayers for him and thy Christ our blessed Mediator for us all the snares of death do encompass him he is sore bruised and broken and brought very low the pangs that are upon him are unspeakable O Lord pour the oyl of gladness into his fainting soul assure him that thou hast cast all his sins behinde thy back and that there is a sweet peace wrought between him and thee by him who is the Prince of peace Oh give him that inward joy and such comfortable taste of eternal happiness that he may rejoyce in thee and forget his present anguish and patiently undergo the same for that endless joy that is set before him and though these faint and these consuming fits have now deprived him of speech yet good Lord let the Comforter that is the blessed Spirit within him make requests for him with prevailing sighs and groans that cannot be expressed ever crying out Lord Jesu receive my soul Lord Jesu receive my spirit so let death be to him none other then a joyful messenger sent from thee the father of all consolation to call and convey him from this valley of tears to everlasting bliss And let the blessed and glorious Name of JESUS be still the chief and the only anchor of his precious soul the sole foundation of his faith and the sacred staff and sure supporter even to the last gasp Hear us O Lord O thou that art the preserver of men hear us for this thy poor servant and have mercy upon him and embrace him in thine own most gracious arms and all for thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ his sake that he may now come and be with thee for ever to sing with thy holy Saints and blessed Angels Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Hallelujah Amen PART V. Being ten blessed Examples of holy Persons relating to a happy passage out of this Life to a better I. Philippus Lodovicus Earle of Hanaw Reinek c. a German Prince He stickned July 29. 1612. and departed this life upon Sunday the 9th of August being not long after his return as Ambassador out of England JUly 29. 1612. His Excellency as his custom was went in his Coach to the Woods with some of his Council and Court-servants feeling himself somewhat ill in the heat he did take some rest in the fields The next day he went to the weekly Sermon and the publick Prayers at the Church in the old City but at his return he found himself worse and went to take some rest upon his bed Aug. 2. Sunday he was let blood and did take some Physick and was so well upon it as to rise and visit his Lady who was then in childe-bed After that he called to one of his Counsellors to confer with him about serious matters and chiefly concerning the Church of Hanaw 3. He was ill again so as he began to prepare for a Christianly departure out of this life he called for his Lady and children in their presence and hearing he gave an account of his faith and that with singular zeal and holy courage His Lady and children being retired he conferred with his Council upon what did concern the Church the School the Country and the Subjects and then took his leave of them in a most friendly and Christianly manner 4. Came divers Courtiers upon his request and after some discourse with tears he parted with them they taking their dear Lord by the hand Then divers of the Citizens came and had very comfortable words from him after which they with much sadness took their leaves of him Lastly the Preachers both of the old and of the new City being called for he told them that his desire was once more before his end with his Houshold to receive the holy Supper of the Lord Jesus Christ declaring withal that this was not grounded upon any superstition or that Ex opere operato it is meritorious but that it is chiefly for the strengthening of his weak faith and for the testifying of his profession yet once again before God and the world and this did the Ministers accordingly perform This night he could not sleep almost at all so he caused several Psalms to be sung and sometimes he sang himself Aug. 5. He called for his Will and after some alteration he did deliver it to his Chamberlain with charge to deliver it in due time to his Council 6. Came to him his Lady-sister the Lady Emilia of Orange from Heydelberg whom he cheerfully received with these words Madam many of my friends have stood weeping about my bed but none could break my heart and provoke my tears but your Ladiship Divers of his servants coming from the monthly Sermon he did call to hear from every one of them some good Doctrine that they had heard He had a very ill night and was earnest to have some of the penitential Psalms to be sung he sometimes bearing a part After that some of the Divines did mention to him those places of Scripture as Mat. 11.28 Joh. 6.37 to which he gave sweet and spiritual replies and said Oh now do I finde and feel the free remission of all my sins that I am a childe of God and an heir of eternal life yea I do feel the vertue of my Saviour Christs blood refreshing of my soul The Lady Emilia being now come again to him he said Ah my loving and vertuous Lady I am a sick man rehearse to me I pray some comfortable sentence out of the Scripture She said She was a poor weak creature but she did see that the Spirit of God blessed be his Name did greatly comfort him He still urging it she did recite that place Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world c. At which he cheerfully uttered these words Well said my noble Sister This is the greatest and the surest comfort of all Gods faithful people with this comfort will I die happily I beseech and pray from my heart to my gracious God for such a blessed departure through the vertue of the satisfaction of my Lord Jesus Christ O my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into thy hands I commit my soul both now and for ever After this his Excellency