God and that our afflictions proceed from his finall anger neuer to bee appeased but these his sugiestions are false let vs not beleeue them let vs beleeue that whom God doth chasten he loueth and therefore we may assure our selues so much the more that we are the children of God by how much we finde these tentations in vs for if we were his as he would sugiest vnto vs that God is angry with vs and wee not his he needed not to trouble vs but he knowing that wee are the Lords hee worketh by all meanes to drawe vs to distrust in God and that the merits of Christ cannot auaile vs. But let vs be strong in the Lord let vs trust constantly and confidently in the merits of his sonne armed with the shield of faith and buckle vnto our selues the sword of the spirit which is the word of God which doth containe most sure promises that he will neuer leaue vs nor forsake vs let vs pray alwayes with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto in a holy patience with all perseuerance So shall wee see the saluation of God his power and prouidence in deliuering vs out of all our troubles of whatsoeuer kinde or such inward comforte as shall make our most bitter and sharpest afflictions sweet and easie And for asmuch as sinne is the greatest and most heauy burthen of misery that any poore childe of God can be afflicted with It is the principall part of a Christian to seeke to be vnburthened of the same not as to bee carelesse in the search of his sinnes and so to feele no burthen for he is like a man sicke vnto death and yet will acknowledge he feeleth no sickenesse at all but he that findeth his sinnes most grieuous vnto him and most deiected for them is nearest vnto pardon so he acknowledge them and in a liuely faith in Christ repent them Comforte for a man afflicted in conscience by reason of his sinnes COnsider first whosoeuer thou art that art troubled in minde 〈◊〉 thy conscience afflicted by 〈◊〉 â—f thy great sins 〈…〉 not thy case alone to be a sinner it is a common disease and sickenesse of the soule originally deriued from the transgression of Adam and remaining in the nature of all his posteritie outwardly shewing it selfe in vngodly wordes and deeds spoken or done against the Law and honor of God and inwardly by the thoughts desires of the heart conceiued against the Law of the spirit And happie is hee that can consider his owne wayes and that can and doth examine and finde out the sinnes which are hidden in his owne heart which to all other men are concealed but not from God The heart is an vnfadomable depth of sinne and rebellion against God and the best man by nature is guiltie of many secret and hidden as well as open and known sinnes for The imaginations of mans heart are onely euill from his youth And many odious sinnes proceede from that corrupte fountaine Such as men are ashamed to reueale and were it possible they would conceile them from God him selfe and therefore they often striue to keepe them in their priuate bosomes vntill they become so heauy burthensome as they can no longer beare them without vnspeakable horror and vnquietuesse of minde vntill they become as a worme so venemous in the Conscience as eateth and deuoureth all peace and comfort of the heart which the Deuill seeketh continually to feed and agrauates the sinnes grieuously in the minde of a poore sinner that he begins to fainte and as it were to sincke vnder the burthen of his afflicted conscience which is the most heauy crosse of all crosses a burrhen importable where it lighteth and it seemeth to bee in some measure thine owne case and is indeed dangerous for that soule that sinneth and perseuereth therein shall dye and it seemeth thou feelest the weight of grieuous sins which makes thee sad melancholicke and heauy which is yet a token that thou art not so dead in sin as that there is no feeling of sinne in thee which may be an argument that there is some life of grace yet in thee and that the spirit of God is not altogether dead in thee for if thy conscience were so feared vp and hardned that there were no sinne felt of thee thy case were farre more dangerous and though thou groanest and grieuest vnder the burthen of thy sinnes it may be onely for feare of the Iudgement of God and his punishments due for thy sinnes which is in it selfe but a seruile and slauish feare But if thou grieue that thou hast offended God by thy sinnes and dishonoured him by thy transgressions this proceedeth of a godly sorrow and so a signe that there is yet place and time for thee to repent turne vnto God therfore despaire not of the mercies of God in Christ who through thy faith if it be liuely and stedfast will be thine Aduocate by whom and by none other or other meanes thou shalt be reconciled to God and not dye in thy sinnes Thy sins are great great and fearefull the iudgements of God for sinne yet greater then both is the mercy of God towards a truly penitent sinner he is much displeased for sinne yet retayneth not he his anger long against a sinner if he returne vnto him for mercy is more pleasing vnto him then Iustice And though he seeme to turne away his louing fauour from thee being a notorious sinner and suffer thee to lye plunged and as it were wallowing in the bloud of thy sinnes and leaue thee destitute of all inward feeling of comfort yet if thou were the most haynous sinner and haue but an inclination an inward true desire to regaine his fauor and be truly sorie that thou hast offended him hee will turne againe and haue compassion vpon thee he will put away thine iniquities and cast thy sinnes into the botome of the Sea for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towards them that truly feare him God is iust in deede But if it may be so said he is more mercifull then iust but to none but to such as doe not onely feare and grieue for their sinnes as did Iudas and Esau But to such alone as in a liuely Faith take hold of the merites of Christ who in deede died for sinners but not for such as die in their sinnes as they did There must a reconciliation be made betweene God a sinner before he can assure himselfe of pardon and remission of his sinnes and that must not be delayed it must be to day before to morrow for as life is short and vncertaine and repentance requireth some time to be perfected though there be one example as of the Thiefe vpon the Crosse of suddaine repentance it is not so easie or speedy a worke to be well done there be many
a blessing Beware thou seeke not to the reputed cunning men and women who are supposed to heale by their Charmes and Spels who if they preuaile in any cure it is by the permission of God by the deuill The surest remedie is to haue thy recourse to God and not to Baalzâ—bâ—b as Ahaziah who dyed the death for running to Witches and Wizards the limbs of the deuill but put thy trust in the all-sufficient God alone vsing such lawfull meanes as hee hath appointed both for the ease of thy soule and health of thy body and then recommend the issue to him with godly patience committing thy will to his will If he restore thee to thy former health be thou thankfull to him and let thy thankfulnes appeare by a new and godly course of life and true obedience If he haue otherwise determined of thee namely to call thee out of this miserable mortall life reioyce and be glad for thy soule now sicke in sin shall suddainly receiue a new and glorious life thy body now oppressed with griefe shall be at rest though it perish and rot in the graue it shall rise againe and meete the soule and be thereunto again vnited with farre greater glory then thy hart can thinke In the meane time seeke or thinke of nothing but of the things that are aboue and endeuour to haue thy heart thine vnderstanding thoughts and affections so qualified and the Lampe of faith in the merits of Christ so liuely enlightned that thou mayest ioyfully meet the Bridegrome Christ in soule and body when hee shall appeare in the cloudes in glory and maiestie to giue euery man according to his works Be not afraide therefore of Death it is but the seperation of the soule now as in a prison from the body which is but a carkasse full of naturall infirmities which the soule possesseth for a little time fraught onely with miseries with griefe and feare which being dissolued shall bring end to all thy cares dangers feares miseries and afflictions and bring thee to the Paradise of God where thou shalt feele no more of these vnsauourie things of the flesh for the Lord will transforme this thy vile base and corrupt body and make it like vnto his most glorious body Then shalt thou be no more subiect to sinne or sicknesse no aduersity nor anguish shall afflict thee no enemies shall trouble thee no slanders disgrace thee And where thou art here mortall subiect to all the former euils thou shalt be there immortall The face of God which is the fountaine of light shall there shine vpon thee and no darknesse shall ouershadow thee all perfection of ioy glory and gladnesse thou shalt finde there and be so plentifully filled with the contemplation of the aboundance of those heauenly pleasures that you will or can delight in nothing but in the beholding of the most glorious face of Iesus Christ and onely delight in the association of that heauenly company which ioyes if thou truly knewest here as thou shalt enioy them there Thou wouldest be content rather to endure a thousand deaths then to be depriued of them Prepare thy selfe therefore with all diuine furniture with faith hope loue and all other holy and heauenly affections to goe the way of all flesh Lay willingly downe thy carnall part in the graue to become dust whereof it was made and commend thy soule into the hands of God that gaue it and of Iesus Christ who redeemed it And according to the counsell that God gaue to Hezekiah set thy house in order And aboue this thy corporaâ—l habitation set thy soule in order and as much as in thee lyeth haue peace with all men Depart in the loue of and to thine enemies And as farre as the possibilitie of thy earthlie substance will extend owe nothing to any man when thou departest hence but loue and thinke not much neither let it grieue or trouble thy minde to leaue thy worldly wealth which was but lent thee thy father mother wife children lands possessions siluer gold and the things that haue beene or are most deare vnto thee to hasten to this heauenlie habitation where eternall glorie shall bee thy wealth the eternall God thy Father Iesus Christ thy brother all the Saints and Angels and all the holie and most glorious heauenlie companie shall bee far more comfortable vnto thee then all the former who were both mortall and inconstant And in steede of the base and vncertaine possessions in the earth thou shalt possesse a Kingdome for euer In steede of thy gold and siluer and thy most precious Iewels thou here for a moment enioyest thou shalt enhabite a Citie whose walls are gold garnished with all maner of precious stones farre excelling the rarest and richest that euer the earth yeilded whose beauty and excellencie the tongue of man no not of an Angell can truly expresse to our apprehension But shadowed out vnto vs vnder these most precious ornaments incomprehensible Should any carnall consideration therfore hinder thee from a willing minde to change this thy mortall and miserable life as short as euill for a life so glorious and permanent The longer thou continuest here the more cause thou hast to desire to be dissolued for that thou here doest augment daily thy sinnes and euery day brings new griefe Prepare thy selfe therefore without delay make thee readie that when GOD shall call thee thou mayest be willing to goe And for thy better preparation vse prayer often in a liuely faith and if thine infirmitie will permit thee vse this prayer following or any other godly prayer with holy meditation to season thy soule through the holy Ghost commending thy spirit vnto God in Iesus Christ. A Prayer to be often said of a sicke man or woman O Lord my GOD and my most louing and mercifull Father in thy beloued Sonne Iesus Christ I thy most vnworthy creature heauie laden with the burthen of my manifold and grieuous sinnes much oppressed with the infirmity and sicknesse which thou hast iustly inflicted vpon my corrupt and weake body doe humbly pray thee to pardon my sinnes and giue me patience to beare this thy gentle correction in which I doe heartily submit my selfe vnto thy heauenly will whether it be thy pleasure to permit me yet a little while to enioy the health of my body to serue thee or to take my soule out of the lothsome prison of my sinfull carkasse into thine owne hands where I know it shall be safe and not perish And therefore Lord giue me a godly contented minde to suffer my body to returne vnto the earth from whence it was taken there to rest vntill it shall please thee to raise it againe at the last resurrection and to make it of a mortall an immortall and of a corruptible to make it a perfectly glorious body In the meane time O Lord I doe beseech thee to fortifie and strengthen my soule against all
tentations that I may be able to resist whatsoeuer assaults of the deuill and his Ministers As for mine owne power alas it is euen weakenes it selfe but my hope and strength is of thee I can alledge nothing neither canst thou finde any thing in mee either woorthie or acceptable whereby I might haue hope either to haue my sinnes forgiuen me or to be released or eased of my sicknesse or to be restored to my former health or strength yet I haue hope O Lord that thou in mercie wilt pardon my sinnes in the merites of my Redeemer and that for his sake thou wilt either restore me to health or speedily to end this my grieuous infirmity which if for the grieuousnesse of my sinnes thou thinke sit to lay yet more heauily vpon me strengthen me so much the more with perfect faith and godly patience that I may beare it that the apprehension of death which is something terrible to flesh and bloud daunt me not But that I may rest assured that thou thus rebukest mee not in thine anger nor that thou chastisest me in thy heauie displeasure but rather of thy loue which is better vnto me then life O Father what shall I render vnto thee for all thy benefits for they haue bin infinite towards me And euen this thy fatherly correction I acknowledge not the least for hereby Lord I finde thy gracious purpose to be to reclayme me from my wonted sinnes which without thy mercy cannot but procure not the death of my body only but of my soule also so dearely redeemed by the bloud of thy dearest Son O strengthen Lord strengthen my faith that I may now at the last take such firme assured holde of the merites of Iesus Christ that all my sinnes and vngodly deseruings may be couered and that his righteousnesse may be imputed vnto me I doe confesse O Lord to my shame and griefe that before thou diddest correct me I went awry I followed too much the desires of my corrupt hart But now Lord I doe heartily repent me that euer I offended thee but if it be thy gracious good wil and pleasure and if in thy wisdome thou thinke it fit to restore mee to my former health which I humbly leaue vnto thee I shall endeuour by thy grace to walke more warily and shunne the enticements that haue seduced me and the allurements of Sathan that haue deceiued mee But if thou haue determined this my sicknesse to be my last and finall trouble I shall most heartily embrace it with a longing expectation for the time of my dissolution And when the time commeth accept it with a ioyfull and glad heart and that I may be the more truly and readily prepared at the instant of the departure of my soule from my body wash me throughly and make me cleane that I may appeare before thee in the immaculate roabes of Christs righteousnes and not in mine owne polluted garments of corruption That I may heare that most sweet and comfortable voyce of my Redeemer Come thou blessed of my Father enter into and possesse the ioyes prepared for thee from the beginning of the world which grant gracious Lord God for Iesus Christes sake to whom with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor praise and glory for euer O Lord encrease and euermore and more strengthen my faith and fill my heart with vnfained godly desire to be speedily dissolued that I may liue with thee in heauen Amen A Prayer to be said for a sicke man or woman of faithfull friends that come to visite him or her LOrd God Almighty and Father of incomprehensible mercy we here assembled before thy Maiestie in the name of thy most beloued Son Iesus Christ are bold to present our humble petitions vnto thee in the behalfe of this sicke person lying heere visited with sicknes which thou mightest iustly haue laide and inflicted vpon any of vs as great sinners and haue spared him or her but such hath been thy mercy hetherunto towards vs as to afford vs health expecting the time wherein we cannot auoyde but must taste of the same cup. We acknowledge Lord that thou neuer sendest this or any other crosse or affliction to any no not to such as thou louest best but the end therof though bitter for the time to flesh and bloud is happinesse yet doest thou iustly whatsoeuer thou doest and we acknowledge that sinne is the cause of all thy fatherly visitations And forasmuch as it cannot bee but that this sicke party is oppressed in the weakenes of his body by the strong tentations of that common enemie Sathan who endeuoureth so to lay his sinnes to his charge whereof no man is free that if it were possible he might so farre feare him with thy seuere Iustice for the same as that he might despaire of thy mercies and consequently of his owne saluation Wherefore wee thy weake seruants here assembled doe humbly and hartily pray thee to abandon and abolish that infernall Serpent that his false suggestions creepe not into the heart of this sicke party but arme him or her so with a liuely faith that thy holy Spirit may so possesse his soule that the enemie may finde no place for his tentations Besprinkle his heart so with the meritorious bloud of thy Sonne that the deuill seeing and obseruing a stronger then himselfe to possesse the house of his soule he may be enforced to flie and no further to pursue him Cause Lord that some tokens may appeare in this sick person that his soule and conscience are quieted by the presence of the holy Ghost in him whereby we thy most humble suppliants may receiue some comfort in the fruit of our prayers for him And as touching his sicknes we submit our desires to thine owne will yet if thy good pleasure be so as to restore him to the former health which wee in his behalfe entreate thee to the end that hee and we may glorifie thee for thy great mercie in healing him and that he by this thy fatherly correction may learne to liue the residue of the time that he shall here enioy in new and more perfect obedience But if otherwise thou be pleased to dispose of him namely to take him out of this mortall-life giue him wee humbly pray thee an vnderstanding heart to know and to consider his mortality and the glory to come a sound minde perfect memory with a feeling faith patience and obedience that without feare with cheerefull alacrity hee may surrender his soule vnto thee Receiue it good Father as the soule of an Elect Saint and send his body which must rest and remaine in the earth vntill the generall rising againe of the dead a most ioyfull resurrection that he may then enioy the full perfection of glory with thee both in soule and body which we humbly pray thee in the name of Iesus Christ graciously to graunt and that it would please thee to come quickly and finish the worke which thou hast begun
of my corrupt heart that though they may begin to worke sin in me Lord suppresse them before they come to execution Disperse Lord and dispell all the clouds of ignorance and errors that darken mine vnderstanding and giue me wisedome rightly to know thee and thy Sonne Christ and what he hath done for my soule and through thy grace restraine me this day from that thou hast commanded me to shun and let me doe nothing but what may please thee then whatsoeuer I shall thinke speake or determine shall be to thine owne glorie profitable to my selfe and others Preserue me from the secret and hidden snares of Satan who is restles to allure me to sinne inticing me to imbrace the vanities of the world and to yeeld to the lusts of mine owne corrupt nature But Lord as I haue by thy prouidence past the darkenesse of this night doe now enioy the joyfull benefit of the light of this day so let me this day auoide all the workes of darkenesse and as the day doth administer light vnto my corporall eyes the better to doe the works offices of my calling so let the light of thy Spirit O Lord shine in my soule that I may walke in the light of thy truth in true obedience to the good example of others Thou hast allotted me a calling in this life giue me power wisedome rightly to performe it my best endeuours can little preuaile without thy blessing and direction and therefore I humbly pray thee to prosper whatsoeuer I take in hand this day Blesse mine vnderstanding O Lord that I may rightly know and be able truely faithfully to performe what belongeth vnto my place and calling Blesse the health of my body the strength and continuall vse of my limbes senses which of them selues are weake and may soone decay without thy blessing Increase O Lord and confirme my faith grace wisedome and obedience euerie day more and more that I may euerie day more and more dye vnto sinne and be made stronger and more perfect in righteousnesse Heale O Lord all my corporall and spirituall infirmities and dispose my heart that I may be euerie day more and more mindfull that this my life is short and that this day may be my last day and let me so walke this day as if it should be the last day of this my mortall life that I may be assured of the immediate entrance into that life which is eternall with Christ my Redeemer And vntill that last day shall come O Lord I intreate thee in the name of Iesus Christ that this day and all the rest of my daies and nights may be prosperous and blessed vnto me the day for the performance of my calling the night for my rest vntill I come to my finall and perpetuall rest with thee and thy Sonne to whom with thy blessed Spirit I ascribe all honour praise and glory Amen Lord◠euermore increase my faith A Prayer to be said before a man goes to his nightly rest O Gracious Lord God heauenly Father the keeper and preseruer of all that come vnto thee for succour I haue been through thy great mercie and prouidence kept preserued defended fed sustained and relieued this day now come to an end and now as the night succeedeth the day and the darkenes the light so I knowe O Lord that death will succeede my life and the graue my bed Lord thou madest in the beginning light and darknes night day morning euening and all to thine own glorie to the vse of wretched man who in the beginning turned his light into darkenesse that darkenesse hath ouershadowed al that haue proceeded of his corrupt seed among whom O Lord I am so bemisted and blinded with that originall darkenes as I cannot see nor truely conceiue the light of thy most sacred word without that spirituall light shining from thine illuminating Spirit Thou madest two lights O Lord to endure for euer the Sun to gouerne the day and the Moone to giue light in the night yet doe not these lights O Lord direct our feete in the wayes of righteousnesse nor our pathes in obedience but rather lead vs to the occasions to sin but it is the supernaturall light O Lord that proceedeth from the brightnesse of thy louing countenance that directeth aright those that are thy children of the light By this light O Lord guide me that the night of ignorance ouer shadowe me not from beholding thy louing countenance which is more pretious more sweete vnto me then all earthly delights The day-light wherein I should onely followe with godly diligence in my calling to serue thee turneth into the darkenes of my minde without thy spirituall light how much more will the darkenesse of the night miscarrie my corrupt hart into idle and vngodly thoughts especially by the temptations of the Prince of darkenes when thy light faileth me For such O Lord is the nature of my polluted heart that it neuer resteth to infuse euill imaginations into my mind especially in my night wakings and in my sleepe to trouble me with sundrie euil vngodly dreames wicked phantasies showing thereby the fruites of my sinfull nature Therefore gracious Father I finding in my selfe thou knowing mine imperfections better then my selfe I come in all humblenesse praying thee to assist me with thy grace that I may conuert my heart from the euils whereunto it is enclined and onely incline and frame it to the sincere seruice of obedience to thee and to dedicate my mind will and affections in my night wakings either to meditate of thy word or in making my faithfull prayers vnto thee I cannot O Lord through the weakenesse of my corrupte nature subsist without cōpetent rest sleep yet I know thou slumbrest not nor sleepest but with thee the day and night are alike light and in thy prouidence and loue hast an eye ouer all that are thine whether they sleep or wake Giue therefore command O Lord vnto thy heauenly watchmen to keepe me and all that I haue from danger this night so will I lay mee downe vnder the shadowe of thy protecting winges to take my rest this night faithfully cōmending my soule and body and all that belong vnto me into thy most powerfull and fatherly tuition so shall I not feare what Satan or any malicious instrument of his shall practise or plot against me And in this assurance O Lord confirme my faith from night to day and from day to night that all the dayes and nights of my life may be rightly spent in a holy and sanctified conuersation to thy glorie and mine own comfort vnto the end of all my nights and dayes through Iesus Christ my Sauiour and Redeemer Amen Lord encrease and confirme my faith this night and euermore A PATH-VVAY TO GODLY PATIENCE IN all manner of Afflictions AFliction heere in this life is vnto the Godly as it were a Schoole to learne them Patience A most
if thou were one whom Sathan had in his owne power hee would permit thee to rest quietly he would not disturbe thee but finding thee to be inwardly enclined to seeke the Lord praying for pardon in his Sonnes merites which hee cannot endure without roaring and raging against thee suspecting that he hath lost thee now altogether though thou were somtimes something seruiceable or rather according to naturall corruption slauâ—shly enclined to his workes of darknesse before the Lord in fauour visited thee with his fatherly corrections to reclayme thee from Sathan and sinne to make thee his obedient Sonne and the more thou declinest from him and his tentations and the more thou louest and enclinest to serue God with a pure heart the more will hee euer seeke to molest thee and if it were possible to driue thee to dispaire But feare not whatsoeuer he shall obiect against thee or lay vnto thy charge though when he seeth thee weakest hee will trie his strength against thee most Beleeue that when thou art weakest God is strongest for thee and Sathan though hee dare to tempt the dearest children of God as he did Christ himselfe yet he trembleth when he seeth Christ with his holy Spirit assisting thee and by his merites layd hold on by a liuely faith comforting thee feare him not therefore but encline thine heart vnto God and know that this thy sicknesse hath not fallen vpon thee by chance or by Sathans malice It came euen by Gods meere prouidence in loue to correct thee here in the flesh to call thee home vnto him that thou perish not with them whom Sathan hath subdued that haue not walked in the feare of the Lord whome Gods louing corrections could not reforme A greater mercy of God can not be obserued then to draw a sinner out of the power and slauery of sinne and Sathan by a gentle hand to make him hiâ— owne Coheire with Iesus Christ his Sonne and it is the end of this his correcting thee Repent thee therefore of thy former sinnes and beleeue sted fastly that in and through the bloud and merits of Christ thou shalt assuredly be saued and so shalt thou finde that this enemie of thine will giue ouer further to pursue thee As touching the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes how haynous so euer they be in quality or how many so euer in number they shall not be imputed vnto thee Thou hast beene already taught that all afflictions of whatsoeuer kinde doe proceed and are inflicted vpon vs for sinne and especially for the neglect of hearing the word of God and practising what it teacheth And yet not alwayes simply for sinne but sometimes that the glory of God may the more appeare especially in healing the sicke Lazarus dyed and yet Christ said that his sicknesse was not vnto death not so vnto death but that hee knew hee could and would raise him againe though hee were foure dayes dead and buried And therefore was his sicknesse and death onely that the glory of God might be seene by raising of him and the faith of his Disciples be the more confirmed but we must impute our sicknesses and all other crosses as layde vpon vs for our sinnes and learne by the example of good Hezekias to turne our selues vnto God and to mourn not so much for our sicknesse as for our sinnes Thou therefore that art thus afflicted in body and no doubt in minde also repayre vnto God in liuely faithfull and earnest prayer aboue all things for the pardon of thy sinnes for prayer if it be feruent is the most euident argument that thou art the childe of God and preuaileth much for where true saith is there necessarily followeth true repentance faith and repentance for sinne and offending God are inseperable And if thy repentance be serious it will either produce outward teares or inward griefe for your sinnes though teares be not alwayes ready not verball prayers powerfull especially in a sick man whose powres are commonly so shaken with the force of the disease as griefe of the heart can hardly wrest teares from the eyes or words from the lips yet with God it shall be accepted both sufficient prayers and preuailing teares if thou finde such griefe in thy heart for thy sinnes and such a desire to be reconciled vnto God in Christ as may but moue inward and silent sighes vnto God who respecteth more the holy disposition of the heart then any outward action or gesture of the body it shall bee sufficient though some outward showe of faith and repentance be necessary for the satisfaction of such as visite a sicke person if he can but showe it by the tongue in speaking though weakely confessing his sinnes lifting vp his hands or eyes it may argue the inward heart wel prepared and that hee wanteth not the spirit of God And therefore if your sicknesse be so violent as that you cannot showe verball tokens of the working of Gods spirit in you whereby they that come to visite you cannot witnesse for you your sorrow by your outward coÌ„fession It is enough that God knoweth it by your inward true sorrow of heart It was enough that God saw that good King Hezekiah in his sicknesse inwardly bewayling his sinnes though hee could not with plaine termes vocally and with fluent words as hee was wont but inwardly to mourne like a Doue and to chatter like a Crane very weakely and obscurely yet God vnderstoode him and accepted his weake vtterance as a most earnest and effectuall prayer So that if it come to passe that thy weakenesse become such as thou canst not vocally and verbally pray as by thy sicknesse it may come to passe though thou be in present perfect memory thy heart though neuer so faint may yet haue a feeling of Gods mercies and may shew it selfe powerfull to God though it seeme weake vnto men for God is absolute in vnderstanding can and doth conceiue the meaning of thy heart farre better then in thy best strength thou canst thy selfe vnderstand it As for thy present sick estate thou must not be carelesse of it but after prayer for pardoÌ„ of thy sinnes thou mayest craue restitution of thy bodily health if God who can restore it thinke it fitter for thee then death and thou art not only not forbidden but commaunded to seeke the lawfull helpe of the Physician prouided that thou depend not so vpon the Art of the Phisician as to exempt and neglect thy prayer to God for a blessing vpon it for if God giue not a Diuine working vnto the physick howsoeuer it may seeme to worke it may helpe one part and hurt another A cluster of Figges healed Hezekiah and the washing in Iordan the Leaper yet neither the Figges nor the water of their owne nature cured their diseases it was God gaue the vertue to both and therefore whether thine infirmitie be inward or outward with the meanes vse prayer that God may giue
Sauiour Christ and enioy the most amiable sight of him and the societie of the whole company of heauenly Angâ—ls and of thy fellow Martyrs gone before thee and be pertaker with him and them of that glorie that so farre passeth all humane apprehention here as cannot be conceiued or vttered O loose not this most blessed recompence for a little suffering but stand fast and Christ that before thee and for thee suffered infinite greater torments then thou canst suffer or that man can inflict vpon thee shall sende that comforter the holy Ghost to strengthen thee in thy greatest agonies and spirituall distractions he will stand by thee and will show thee his louing and amiable countenance as he did at the death of his faithfull Martyr St. Stephen Wherefore faint not flie not vnlesse thou without breach of thy faith maist auoide the daunger by the prouidence of God by flying from one place or Citie vnto another alwayes commending thy spirit vnto him that gaue it so where soeuer thou bee persecuted hee will receiue it and glorifie it and both thy soule and thy bodie shall be made eternally glorious when all men shall bee iudged according to their faith in Christ. This exhortation I doe confesse may be thought superfluous in this blessed time of peace and freedome of the Gospell for that Gods name be glorified there is neither seene felt or heard of any persecution among vs for the profession of the Gospell of Christ and let all men pray for the continuance of it and for the long life and preseruation of him a succeeding religious Dauid vnder whome by the mercy of God we at this day doe so freely enioy it They are the greatest blessings that God in earth can bestowe vpon vs the free vse of his word and a King so religiously inclined as it alreadie appeareth all his studie and endeauour is to further and to maintarne the true profession and preaching of the heauenly word which his most worthie and religious father left inuiolate Yet it may offende none that this exhortation which may seeme out of date is inserted among other troubles requiring patience for though our generall libertie be such that euery man at his libertie may freely professe the word and vse the meanes for the increase of his knowledge faith and zeale yet may there bee among so great a people of diuers opinions and practises of Religion some priuately oppressed scoffed at and mocked and it may be violently constrained to renounce the truth which in it selfe is a persecution who meclitating on this exhortation may peraduenture bee comforted nothing fearing but by the helpe and prouidence of God any alteration or change of that most holesome and heauenly doctrine which is here amongst vs freely taught and plentifully preached but shall be maintained and defended which God graunt it may be as long as the Sunne and Moone endureth A Prayer for a man persecuted for his faith and profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. OEternall mercifull powerfull and euer-louing Lord God in Iesus Christ the onely keeper Protector and maintainer of thy children that suffer here in the world for the true profession of the Gospell of Christ looke downe I humbly beseech thee and behold what man doth vnto me for thy name sake for thou hast assured those that sincerely professe that truth which thou hast taught in thy word in their sharpest and seuerest persecutions to bee either preserued and defended from their tyranny or to be so strengthened by thy grace that they shall be able to beare what soeuer they shall be inforced to suffer In hope and assurance of this thy mercie I reioyce that thou accountest me worthie to bee one though the simplest of the witnesses of the truth of thy word though I acknowledge my selfe to be weake and by mine owne strength vnable to beare what is laid vpon mee for thy sake But as thou hast promised Lord so let me feele the effectuall working of thy holy Spirit in giuing me wisedome to answere the aduersary patience and power constantly to vndergoe whatsoeuer thou shalt admit to bee laid vpon me for thou hast promised that no more shall bee imposed vpon me but by the strength of the same Spirit I shall be able to beare it euen vnto death for thy Christs sake If therefore deare father thou haue so determined that death shall be the end of my tryalls here giue me a willing minde to imbrace it and leaue mee not vnto mine owne power for the flesh is weake but thy Spirit shall ouercome the weakenesse of my carnall parts then shall my spirit and inward faith with patience passe ouer whatsoeuer torments of my outward body Thy presence shall be so sweet as shall swallow vp the sense of my bodies sufferings or so mitigate the same as I shall indure it with patience in hope and assurance of that future glorie promised in Christ prepared with thee in heauen My flesh is dust whereof all the limbes and lineaments of my body are made and as they are dust so I know in thine appointed time they shall againe returne to dust and that by the course of Nature but if thou haue decreed it vntimely to perish by suffering for the profession of thy name it shall bee but for a season and then be restored and my soule redeemed by his blood for whose sake through thy grace I shall bee ready to lay downe my life shall not perish but passe euen from the fire to felicitie from the Crosse to a Crowne from sorrow to ioye from the hands of malicious mortall men to the custodie of louing and eternall Angels O fortifie and strengthen me in the assurance of his merites for whose sake I suffer here which I confesse is nothing worthie of the glorie prepared for them that constantly suffer for the testimonie of a conscience cleare of vaine glorie in suffering yet is this suffering glorious to him whom thou makest truely godly for I confesse Lord it is not the suffering but the cause and mannet of suffering that make the man that suffers a true Martyr indeed The cause thou knowest O Lord is for that I truely and faithfully professe thy name graunt that I may suffer what thou hast determined in perfect patience and true humilitie and that I faint not at whatsoeuer punishment or affliction shall be presented to my weake heart to terrifie me from suffering for I know that thou art then neerest when all worldly comfort seemeth farthest off Let mee not therefore in thy cause bee affraid of the faces of men that set themselues against thee in me for it is not mee they persecute but Christ my Sauiour in me for what aduantage can they haue in taking from me a worme this my wretched life which if they spare it cannot long endure and what is my death O Lord vnto thee if they take it from mee but the weakest witnesse of thy truth the defence whereof