all things therein contained as Angels Archangels Men Women Children the beasts of the field the fishes in the Sea the Fowles of the Ayre and the Fruits of the Earth which all were made at thy Word and are subiect to thy power to vse at thy good will pleasure as seemeth best to thy Maiesty whether it bee to honour or dishonour saluation or condemnation We entirely beseech thee of thy goodnes O Lord and that with sorrowfull hearts trickling teares watery cheekes and groning spirits to be mercifull vnto vs all here assembled and to all thy people vexed with woe throughout the wide world but especially at this present we heartily desire thee to looke downe from heauen with the eyes of compassion and pitie vpon this thy creature and workmanship of thy hands who is now grieuously vexed and tormented in mind O Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruants for then no flesh can be saued in thy sight We acknowledge O Lord that wee are miserable sinners vnworthy to lift vp our eyes to heauen or to gather vp the crums which fall from thy table Yet notwithstanding wee humbly beseech thee O deare Father not to deale with vs according to our deserts which is euerlasting death vtter shame and confusion hell fire perpetuall paine and damnation But according to thy accustomed clemency take from vs all ignorance hardnes of heart desperation and all the wyly suggestions and grieuous temptations of Satan our old enemy Let not the Diuell O Lord nor any hellish hound spoile thine inheritance which thou hast bought with the price of the precious bloud of thy deare Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ Thou onely O Lord reignest in heauen in glory in earth in mercy and in hell in iudgement Thou onely art the author of life death sicknes and health ioy and paine It is thou which castest downe to hell and raisest vp againe to heauen yea it is thou and none other which giuest thy holy Spirit to bee a comfort to thine elect people and sometimes troublest their minds with illusions and vanities suffering Satan the roring Lyon and his Ministers to haue dominion for a time ouer them as appeareth at this present by thy iust iudgement declared and inflicted vpon this comfortlesse cayâ—ife thy poore prisoner and afflicted creature vnto the great anguish and torment of his soule and body to the discomfort of his wife friends and kinsfolke and to the terrour and feare of all that euer heare or see him in this wofull case O Lord thy iudgements are deepe and thy counsell vnsearchable and vnworthy are wee to know the counsels and secrets of the Highest much lesse ought wee curiously to search to vnderstand the causes of this woe and the occasion of this thy plague and grieuous crosse laid vpon this miserable man Notwithstanding whether thou hast thus visited him for his former sinnes and by that meanes to call him to repentance and amendment of life or to exercise his faith by the tryall of thy iustice or for the terrour and warning of all those that see or heare of him that they may therby feare thy name acknowledge thy power auoid thy heauy displeasure repent their sinfull liuing and call to thee betimes for mercie and grace or else to the end to shew thy great might glory vpon him and so to signifie vnto all people that thou art God alone that rulest both heauen and earth that stayest the madnes of the people and the furiousnes of the Fiend or for what cause so euer it bee that thou hast laid thy heauy hand of iudgement vpon him Yet wee humbly beseech thee O Lord God not of our selues or for our selues but in the bowels of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ whom thou hast made the Redemption of the world to mitigate thy sury by tender mercy asswage thy wrath and stay thy heauy hand already begunne and continued in fraile flesh Let not the Diuell nor all the powers in hell tempt him aboue that which hee shall be able through Christ his Sauiour to beare O Lord restore in him of thy goodnes whatsoeuer hath been decayed by the malice or suggestion of Satan or by his owne frailtie and wicked disposition or by any his enemies the flesh world Diuell or sinne We confesse vnto thee O Lord that sinne is rife in vs the flesh is fraile the world is wicked and the Diuell is most malicious O Lord God among these so many and mischieuous enemies what shall we deuise to do Whithershal we fly There is no way with vs but one wee must lift vp our eyes our hands and our hearts vnto thee O Lord Our help is from aboue our victory proceedeth from thy grace and Throne of thy Maiestie To heauen therefore wee lift vp both heart hands eyes and all our powers and vnto thee O gracious Lord we call and cry for helpe Breake the heauens come down O Lord let our prayers pierce thine eares Arise O God and scatter thine enemies and ours stay the race of Satan thon that art the glory of Sion and strength of Israel take from him his weapons and harnesse wherewith he goeth about to spoile thine Inheritance Bruze and breake the head of Leuiathan that subtill Serpent which seeketh nothing but our destruction Weaken his force disperse and confound all his politique practices whereby hee dayly goeth about to ouerthrow thy seeble flocke Let not this ramping and roring Lyon deuoure vs but chain him vp and tye him short halter and bridle his cruell deuices wherewithall hee worketh woe vnto thy seruants and Saints for he can doe nothing without thy permission thou which rulest the raging of the Sea that it cannot passe her bounds and hast Satan fettered and fast bound in chaines so that he cannot doe what hee would but what pleaseth thee for thy mercy hath conquered his cruelty to our great comfort Thou hast commanded vs to call vpon thee in the day of our trouble and thou wilt deliuer vs and we shall glorifie thee Thou hast also promised in thy holy Word to grant our godly Petitions saying vnto vs like a most louing Father Aske and you shall haue Seeke and you shall finde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you We aske of thee with pensiue soules and would gladly obtaine mercy and forgiuenes of all our offences We seeke and would gladly finde that which wee haue lost by our vnthankefulnes and sinne we knock at the gate of Grace and will neuer cease knocking vntill thou open vnto vs the bowels of compassion and pitie and grant vs the feeling of thy good graces to the full satisfaction and quieting of our troubled spirits carefull consciences Therefore O God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost heare our prayers and grant our humble requests which with sobbing sighs contrite hearts cry vnto thee for succour O Lord haue mercy vpon vs haue mercy vpon vs most mercifull Father and for thy Sonne Iesus Christs
it out But these words euerlasting perpetuall and neuer these and such like pierce the heart dismay the mind and cut the throat of a sinner they crucifie the guiltie Conscience and at one blow they kill downe right where they hit How thinke you are not you of the same minde Answ Indeede I must needs confesse they bee words of great weight intolerable and heauie to beare especially to a Conscience clogged with sin and words not once but often to bee deepely considered of euen of the best of vs all for the best are too bad and of our selues wee are all sinners and deserue such reward for our hyre as these words doe threaten but they take effect onely in the Reprobate desperate and impenitent sinners such as neither feare Gods Iustice nor feele his Mercie neither any operation of his Holy Spirit But are for their contempt obstinacie and impenitent hearts giuen ouer of God into a Reprobate sense whose eyes are blinded whose eares are stopped and whose hearts are hardened that they disdaine and reiect the Word of God and all motions of his Spirit wherby they should attaine to a full measure of faith in Christ Iesus who came into 1. Tim. 1. 15. the world to saue sinners For we are sure That whosoeuer Ioh 3. 15. beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euer lasting For the soules of the righteous Wisd 3. 1. are in the hand of GOD and no torment shall touch them but they Ioh. 5. 24. shall passe from death to life and their spirits shall returne to the Lord which gaue them Whose hands of mercie are wide open to receiue them For although it bee said It is a Heb. 10. 31 fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Yet that is to bee vnderstood before repentance not after for God reiecteth not penitent sinners but if we repent and turne to God he will turne to vs As hee hath promised Turne vnto Esa 45. 22. me and ye shall be saued So that there is now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus but wee may boldly triumph and say Death is swallowed vp 1. Cor. 15. 54 55 into victory O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory Quest 13. You haue well answered and like a Diuine you said euen now you were not Booke-learned but you may be God be thanked for your direct answering by the Word I cannot but maruell how you can recite so many places of Scripture and to so good purpose being not learned Surely it seemeth you carry not your Bible vnder your arme for fashion sake or to please men as many doe in these dayes but to please God and pleasure both your selfe others Therefore you haue taken a good course in this life for the life to come And you haue chosen the better part with Mary and that which shall neuer be taken away Luk. 10. 42 from you the most part in these dayes take part with Martha and are too carefull for the things of this world but seldome or neuer looke for the life to come and therefore it is to bee doubted they will come short of the reward and crowne of glorie But I will leaue them to themselues and to the equity of Gods Iustice and with your good liking proceed forward with you in a question or two Quest 14 Do you beleeue and acknowledge Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing God to haue dyed and suffered his Passion for your sinnes and that he did rise againe for your iustification and ascended into heauen to prepare the way for you and all true beleeuers Answ I doe assuredly beleeue all that to be true or else I must thinke my selfe accursed and in most miserable case calling to minde my rude race and my sinfull life led euen from my Cradle Quest 15. Doe you also beleeue that you can be saued by no other meanes but by the merit of Christ his Passion by the sheading of his innocent bloud who suffered once for all and that the oblation of himselfe vpon the Crosse is a sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world Answ I doe beleeue that Christ his Passion is a full satisfaction for my transgression and his precious bloud a perfect purgation for my sinnes Neither is Act. 4. 12. there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued But onely the sweet name of Iesus my Sauiour Quest 16. And doe you for this his inestimable benefit and all other his manifold graces giue him hearty thankes And will you daily most dutifully endeuour your selfe so to doe so long as the breath shal remaine in your body Answ I doe and by Gods grace I will frō time to time so long as life lasteth doe my best to shew my selfe thankefull as I am indeed most bounden For I am fully perswaded his Fatherly goodnes towards me is so great being a sinfull wretch and vnworthy to gather vp the crummes vnder his table that I can neuer giue him condigne thankes for the multitude of his mercies and diuine graces bestowed vpon me both touching my bodie and soule but God of his infinite goodnes pardon that which is lacking in my selfe and fulfill it in his deare Sonne Iesus Christ my Redeemer Quest 17. You must therfore desire at the hands of God of whom we receiue the bread wee eate the ground we tread vpon and the light we behold that he would with the eyes of his mercie and compassion looke vpon you increase your faith lighten your vnderstanding strengthen your bodie grant you patience in this your sicknes and mooue your minde to all thankfulnes and dutifull obedience towards his Maiestie so that come life come death you may bee perswaded in your minde and beleeue stedfastly in your heart that you are the Lords Answ My earnest request vnto my heauenly Father is to grant all such good gifts as you haue named And I pray God euen with all my heart giue me grace so to beleeue and so to do all the daies and houres of my life And that I may the better doe according to your friendly counsell and performe some part of my dutie towards God and the world I pray you good Sir both priuately when you are absent pray to God for me and ioyne with mee in prayer now before your departing that it may please God my heauenly Father whose rod of castigation I willingly suffer to dispose of mee in this his visitation as may make most for his glorie and mine owne saluation in Christ Iesus my Sauiour These and such like questions may the carefull Pastor propound to the Sicke person according as occasion shall bee offered alwayes helping his infirmitie if hee faile in answering but he must beware that he doe not reason further then the capacitie of the sicke will admit that so hee may rather winne by fauour then
sake destroy not this afflicted creature in thy fury suffer not this troubled and tormented person to perish euerlastingly Take away from him good Lord this euill spirit and vilde affection wherewithall he is grieued and turmoiled and indue him with thy holy Spirit which may comfort his afflicted Spirit and frame his disposition heereafter to leade a godly conuersation and a quiet life So that after the tryall and sharpe taste of this thy fearefull iudgement he may make a godly and quiet end and be deliuered from euerlasting damnation and destruction O Lord the mo and the greater his sinnes be so much the more shall thy might and mercy appeare in his deliuerance and restauration Thy mercy O Lord is aboue all thy workes and thy power is wonderfull and inuincible Thou diddest command Mat. 3. 28. the Diuels which were very fierce in two persons yea and so terrible that no man might goe by that way where they were to goe out of them into the Herd of Swine insomuch that they were quiet at thy commandement where before they were bound with chaines and fetters and no man could tame them but night and day they cryed in the Mountaines and in the Graues and strooke themselues with stones Thou diddest also deliuer Mat. 9. 32. a man which was dumbe and possessed with a Diuel so that the people maruelled thereat Thou O Lord with the eyes of compassion and pitie diddest looke vpon the Woman of Canaan who cryed saying Haue mercy on mee O Mat. 15. 22 Lord the sonne of Dauid my Daughter is miserably vexed with a Diuell and her Daughter was made whole the same houre Thou also haddest mercie on the man that kneeled Mat. 17. 14 downe to thee and said Master haue on pitie my Mar. 9. 18. Sonne for hee is Lunatike and sore vexed for oftentimes hee falleth into the water and oftentimes into the fire and wheresoeuer the dumbe spirit taketh him hee teareth him and hee fometh and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away and as soone as the spirit saw thee O Lord he tare him and he fell down to the ground wallowing and foming But thou incontinently diddest rebuke the vnclean spirit and saidst vnto him thou dumb and deafe spirit I charge thee come out of him and enter no more into him and presently he departed and tooke his vltimum vale of him And many other times O Lord thou hast shewed as well thy might as mercie in deliuering the halt the maymed the dumbe the blinde the furious the sicke the Lepers and the lunatike and those which were possessed with Diuels by the ministery of thy Apostles and true Disciples And thou hast moreouer commanded vs saying Go into al the world preach the Gospell heale the Sicke comfort the Weake raise the Dead clense the Lepers and cast out Diuels Grant vnto vs thy deare children and faithfull seruants who are most earnest suters vnto thee at this present that we may in like maner finde fauour in thy sight so farre forth as we may obtain our request at thy gracious hands and haue our Petitions heard and that by the power of thy Word hearty Prayer and a true Faith in Christ Iesus thou wilt put Satan to flight destroy his Kingdome and vtterly extinguish all his suggestions and dangerous temptations and so restore vnto this afflicted person heere present his former health senses and vnderstanding for thy deare Son Iesus Christ his sake Create O Lord a new heart and reuiue thy holy Spirit in him that he do not blaspheme thy holy name but rather take thy visitation patiently and bee content to submit himselfe to thy good will and pleasure So that come life come death come sicknes come health come ioy come pain both he and wee and the whole world may magnifie and extoll thy blessed Name in all actions and as our bounden duty is dayly and hourely giue thee honour and praise for thy great goodnes and mercies towards vs through our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen A fruit full Prayer in time of any common sicknes or Plague O Lord God of Hosts most mighty and terrible our guide and gracious Gouernour whose iudgements and mercy are dayly and diuersly shewed vnto vs heere on earth whose praise the Angels and Saints aboue extol and magnifie whose power the Diuels themselues are forced to acknowledge and feare whose voice both windes and raging Seas do obey Thou most mighty and eternall God from whom proceedeth blessing and cursing mercy and iudgement health and sicknes Mercy to the penitent and godly iudgement without mercy to the Reprobate and wicked Thou it is which renuest thy plagues against man when hee offendeth whose vengeance from heauen is so sodaine and fearefull towards the rebellious and disobedient that for one sinne in Dauid thou diddest destroy with the lothsome disease of the Pestilence many thousands of his people Cast thine eyes of mercy vpon vs O thou preseruer of men which languish in this Land with the same diseases and sicknes Where not Dauid onely hath offended in trusting to his strength but euery Congregation and euery houshold hath not one way but many wayes prouoked thee to plague so vngodly and vngracious a people and now that the doore of thy store-house is open and thy plagues appeare wee see we haue offended and wee sorrow at the sight of our sinnes Now wee consider wee haue offended grieuously we haue done amisse wee haue dealt wickedly wee haue liued vngodly wee haue swarued from the way of Truth without any godly feare or remorse of conscience Thy benefits of peace health and wealth haue brought too too many of vs to such securitie and contempt of Religion that we abuse thy blessings as fast as thou powrest them vpon vs Our thoughts words and workes are vaine carnall and diuelish The fruits of the flesh haue ouergrowne the force of the Spirit Faith faileth sinne hath gotten the vpper hand and our reason is so ouer-ruled with affections that few are found settled in a dutifull forme of vpright and spirituall obedience Wherefore we confesse thou mightest iustly forsake vs as wee forsake thee and not only proceed to sting the whole body of this Land with sundry Plagues and Diseases but also for our sins condemne vs most iustly to eternall death whose consciences are so guilty that they condemne our selues And yet for all this thy mercy is vnmeasurable towards the humble and penitent though once thou spakest to Ieremy against thine owne people being disobedient to thee saying Though Moses and Samuel Ier. 15. 1. stood before mee yet haue I no heart or affection vnto this people Cast them out of my sight and let them depart some vnto Death some to the Sword some to Famine and some to Captiuitie This people was in a pitiful case and we are more miserable and sinfull and haue deferued a more heauy hand of thy iudgement to bee laid vpon vs. Notwithstanding O Lord wee
humbly beseech thee to deale with vs in mercy stay thy hand and bid thine Angell cease from punishing Looke with a cheerefull countenance vpon thy people Blesse vs O heauenly Father within and without Be thou our guard thy Word our guide thy Spirit our comfort and thy Sonne our Sauiour Stay by vs continually hold vs vp by thy right hand strongly and direct vs by thy counsell wisely So shall we be inwardly comforted though the world conspire Satan rore the wicked rise vp against vs yea though the earth bee moued the pillars of heauen shake the Sea rage plagues fall all creatures frowne Yet shall not wee eyther feare tremble or bee dismayed with any boisterous blast of aduersitie so long as we trust in thee leane to thee serue thee and rest vpon thee as our strong Rocke for thou art mighty in the heate of iudgement and yet mercifull in the middest of miseries Haue pitie therefore vpon vs most miserable sinners mitigate thy fury asswage our pain release our smart and pardon our passed faults Wee confesse O deare Father that wee of our selues are the cause of our owne woe and prouokers of this thy plague and grieuous punishmēt which is fallen vpon vs most worthily Yea our owne detestable deeds committed against thy sacred will our obstinate pride in time of plenty our securitie in time of health our vnthankefulnes towards thy goodnes in time of prosperitie our contempt of thy Word dayly read and preached vnto vs did threaten long before this thy rodde and scourge of sicknes or some greater iudgement Our continuall transgressions as our Idlenes Wantonnesse Whoredome Drunkennesse Gaming Swearing Swilling Slandering Stealing Fighting Quarrelling Polling Pilling Vsurie Extortion and Oppression of the poore our Bribery Couetousnes Defrauding of the Widdow and Fatherlesse with a huge heape moe of such like vices haue beene the causes of this our miserie and smart which now wee feele to our torment and griefe and haue mooued thee the holy One of Israel to powre out the fearefull cup of thy wrath and vengeance vpon vs which thy iustice doth craue and wee dayly deserue Neuerthelesse deare Father of mercie though wee haue through our sinnes shewed our selues enemies vnto thee and vessels of thy wrath and vnworthy to pray vnto thee with our lying lips and polluted mouthes much lesse to obtain our suites at thy hands Yet most mercifull Father we beseech thee be fauourable vnto vs in shewing thy mercy vnto vs that are miserable For if thou O Lord doest strictly marke what is done amisse among men and wilt retaine our iniquitie O Lord who shall then be able to abide it or to stand in thy sight Verily no flesh no not the iustest man that liueth this day vpon the face of the earth Therefore O Lord wee returne to thee with our hearts and come home with the Prodigall Sonne although late at night repenting the rude race wee haue runned and being heartily sorrie for the lewd life we haue led we prostrate our selues and fall downe flat to the ground before the Throne of thy Grace beseeching thee as our tender and pitifull Father to embrace vs with the armes of mercy and compassion to turne away thy face from our lothsome sinnes and blot out of thy remembrance our former offences Reuiue O Lord our sorrowfull penitent spirits after the time of our try all comfort our carefull and contrite hearts for giue vs our trespasses Turne to vs in thy mercy which returne to thee from sinne direct our wayes hereafter in the workes of thy commandements increase our Faith and make these thy iudgements and grieuous plagues which thou hast worthily inflicted vpon vs for our wickednes be a caueat and warning blow vnto vs hereafter that wee neuer fall againe to our former folly nor heape vpon our owne heads thy wrath and vengeance lest a worse thing happen vnto vs but that this our chasticement may worke in our mindes true and vnfained repentance So that when thy heauenly hand shall slake from the execution of thy iust iudgement when thy wrath is appeased and wee safely deliuered acquitted and discharged of this misery wherein we are now wrapped we may indeed amend that which is amisse in vs tread Satan vnder our feet contemne the world mortifie the lusts of the flesh crucifie the whole body of sinne and as new-borne Babes shew our selues hereafter more thankefull for thy benefits powred vpon vs in most plentifull manner as for our health wealth tranquillitie and libertie the preaching of thy Gospell the true knowledge of thy will reuealed in thy Word the outward peace of our bodies and the inward comfort of our soules All which graces with many moe wee haue enioyed a long time in more ample manner then any other People or Nation vnder heauen O Lord wee humbly beseech thee continue thy good blessings towards vs thine vnworthy vnthankefull seruants grant that thy holy Name may be so glorified hereafter in all our thoughts words and workes during this transitorie life that in the end when thou hast wrought thy will with vs we may raigne with thee and al the holy company of heauen in the life euerlasting Grant also deare Father relaxation and release of thy plagues and punishments vnto this thine afflicted towne of and to all other countries townes houses and people which be in the like calamity and distresse for the loue and precious Passion of Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour in whose blessed name wee bow the knees both of our soules and bodies and humbly prostrate our selues heere before the Throne of thy glorious Maiesty praying vnto thee as he hath taught vs and saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. The third Dutie of the Pastor THe third thing pertaining to a good Pastor is his godly counsell or admonition as for example Good Brother you must now in this time of Gods visitation call to minde your former life The more vicious and faultie you haue beene the deeper you ought to sigh and grone in spirit for your offences and whereinsoeuer you haue displeased God consider that amendment of life to come and repentance for your sinnes past is the way and meanes to become friends with him and to be at peace in your owne conscience But this repentance may not bee in mouth outwardly but inwardly in simplicitie of heart continually detesting that which is euill and ardently louing that which is good and acceptable to God And so though vnworthy of your selfe you may be accepted of God by faith in his beloued Sonne with whom the Father is well pleased but with vs and our vnrighteousnes he cannot bee but highly displeased it is good therefore to acknowledge and confesse your sinne to God and to submit your selfe to his Maiestie by true conuersion and sorrow of heart with an inward griefe and lothing of those sinnes which before you tooke pleasure in and crauing of mercy and pardon at his hands whom you haue
shall melt with heate when the vngodly shall bee at their wits end when mens hearts shall faile them when the Sea and waters shal rore when heauen and earth shall perish when all thy goods and gold shal be turned to drosse and Copper when all thy Lands and riches forsake thee yea when all thy friends and kinsfolke faile thee as they did Iob in his greatest extremitie Therefore let this present Preparatiue be a sufficient caueat for thee to be carefull and circumspect for the comfort of thy Conscience and safety of thy soule And so I will proceede to the visitation of the Sicke Wherein First we must note that commonly God doth visit before man and so by Gods Visitation occasion is giuen to man brotherly and charitably o visit one another for their comfort God doth visit vs diuers waies 1. Sometime by losse of worldly wealth Goods Lands Offices Dignities c. especially when we are too proud of them or abuse them then he pulleth downe one and setteth vp another 2. Sometime by persecutions or manifold troubles of our deadly foes as priuate Grudges open Warres Slanders Suites in Law c. 3. Sometime God doth visit vs by punishing our bodies with sicknes lamenes blindnes ach penury famine or other calamities whereby wee feele intolerable paine and torment all this is not vnworthily but deseruedly 4. Sometime in Minde by taking away our senses wit reason memory and vnderstanding or by taking from vs our dearest and neerest friends as our Parents Husband Wife Children Brethren Sisters c. which vnder God are our greatest comfort in this world and by this meanes wee are vexed in Minde our soules are sad and we wonderfully troubled and so had neede of some comfortable counsell to cure vs in this case In Gods Visitation consider three things In body 1. The Sicknes 2. The Physician 3. The Medicine In minde 1. Our Sicknes is sinne 2. Our Physician is God 3. Our Medicine is repentance restitution almes-deeds prayer and patience The first Dutie of the Pastor THE first Office or Dutie of the Minister is fatherly and yet familiarly to conferre and reason with the Sick person For as the Physicion of the body most perfectly perceiueth the state of his Patient by questioning with him by seeing his state and feeling his Pulses euen so the Physicion of the soule if he vnderstand the mind and affection of the Sicke person hee may the better apply his exhortation to The Summe of this Booke The Medicine or curing of our Diseases pertaineth to two sorts of Persons 1. The one is the Minister or Pastor who ought willingly to visit The duty of the Minister when he visiteth consisteth chiefely in foure things First in questioning with the Sick person whereby he may feele how hee is inclined and affectioned toward God and so apply a fit plaister to his sore Secondly in faithful and zealous Prayer for the partie visited both publike and priuate Thirdly in godly counsell in admonishing the Sicke by his wise discretion according as he seeth occasion Fourthly in comforting the pensiue person or sobbing soule whose Conscience is loden with the remembrance of sinne and whose body is tormented with griefe of sicknes 2. The other is the Person visited who ought to giue diligent eare vnto the Minister The dutie of the sicke Person consisteth in three things First in the confession of his Faith and protestation of the same before the Minister and others standing by that they may be witnesses with him of his Christian and godly end Secondly in faithfull and hearty Prayer vnto God either to recouer his health or else a happy deliuerance out of his paine Thirdly in bearing his sicknes patiently without grudging or murmuring against God who sendeth it for our amendment 1. In the first part of this Booke I will speake of the Pastor and his Office in visiting 2. In the second the dutie of the People visited the comfort of his Conscience and amendment of life Questions be of two sorts 1. Some be temporall 2. Others spirituall Examples of Temporall Questions Quest 1. NOW good Brother God blesse you How is it with you How doe you c. Answ Well Sir I thank God but I take no rest by reason of the extremitie of my paine in this my sicknes and lacke of sleepe my memory and vnderstanding I praise God for it is yet perfect and good but my body is sore visited and tormented God of his mercy in time when it shal please him asswage it and in the meane season grant mee patience to beare it Quest 2. You say well truely and as becommeth a good Christian and I am glad to heare such godly words proceed from you as taste so sweetly of the Spirit of God for they signifie how well you are affectioned minded to Godward And therefore assure your selfe that with the Omnipotent Physician there is no disease or pain incurable As God doth send it for your good no doubt So hee can asswage or take it quite away at his pleasure wee are in the Lords hand as the clay in the Potters to doe with vs whatsoeuer his pleasure is for sicknes is the louing rod of our heauenly Father wherewithall he doth chastice our sinnes that we may the better know our owne frailety and our dutie towards his Maiestie therefore you are to thinke that this bodily griefe of Sicknes after a time of tryall shall turne to your greater ioy and comfort Tell me truely are you not thus perswaded Answ Yes verily I haue alwayes beene of that minde I thanke my heauenly Father for it and I pray God continue mee in the same to my liues end for I wish not to liue longer then I may acknowledge my Maker to bee both an omnipotent Lord and my mercifull God Quest 3. I pray God preserue you and keep you in that mind to your liues end Sir I vnderstand and partly I know of my selfe that you are a man whom God hath blessed with aboundance of worldly substance But because lands and goods are oftentimes the cause of much strife and vnquietnes by reason of the inordinate couetousnes and greedy desire of man it were good to set your house in order now before your departure like a good housholder which when he goeth from home any whither he setteth all his things in order among his Family and people telleth them his will what is to bee done and so commending them to God taketh his leaue and biddeth them farewell vntill his returne So you beeing now taking your iourney towards Heauen a farre Country bid adew to the world and take your leaue thereat willingly and orderly as a good Christian ought to doe That is dispose your Temporall goods as may be most to Gods glorie the commoditie and comfort of your Wife and Children and others your friends to whom you wish well and to your own saluation and discharge before God at whose hands you haue receiued them and to
Law to doe them Quest 4. Good Lord if this bee true then what a miserable case are all wee in beeing wicked and cursed creatures Answ Truely our state indeede is wretched and damnable and but that God of his infinite goodnes hath prouided a salue for this sore we should vtterly perish and then were 1. Cor. 15. 19. we of all men most miserable Quest 5. Do you beleeue then that there is a salue for so grieuous a wound and a remedy for so great a mischiefe Answ Yea verily I firmely beleeue and know it or else I could not with so cheerefull and patient a minde beare this crosse which God hath now laid vpon me Quest 6. I pray you what remedy is there against the sting of sinne and the curse of the Law Is there any thing in the world that can pacifie Gods wrath and mooue him to such mercy as may cause him to take away this deadly curse and giue vs a blessing Answ Yea God bee thanked that there is I can tell you so much though I be not Booke-learned yet I haue heard it and I doe vndoubtedly beleeue it because Gods Word doth teach it That when there was no means to be found for man to be saued neither in heauen nor earth it pleased our heauenly Father of his meere mercy to send his only begotten Sonne Rom. 8. 3. into the world to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting So that that which was impossible to the Law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh I doe therefore beleeue that this Sonne of God Iesus Christ hath quite taken away the curse of the Law Col. 2. 14. and nayled it vpō the Crosse Quest 7. These are good words indeed and generally spoken to all sinners but how can you apply this to your selfe Answ Because I know assuredly that I am Christs and haue the testimonie of the Holy Ghost in mee comforting mee and bearing witnes to my Spirit that I am the child of God and therefore may boldly cry Abba Father Gal 4. 6. c. Quest 8. Then I perceiue if you bee thus faithfully minded as you do professe that you are not afraid to dy neither is death so dread full vnto you as it is to many in these sinfull dayes Answ Although indeed death seemeth detestable to the most part of men especially to impenitent sinners and such as haue the wealth of the world at will Yet notwithstanding I see no reason why any wise man should feare that which cannot be auoided but rather all things considered aright they haue cause to couet it with the holy Apostle Saint Paul who desireth to be loosed and Phil. 1. 23. to be with Christ which is best of all because death is the doore to eternall life for we connot liue for euer but first we must dye And therefore the godly man after he is mortified heere by crosses and griefe of sicknes may cheerefully sing and say with the same Apostle Christ is to mee Phil. 1. 21. both in life and death aduantage And most comfortable to a good conscience is that sentence of Ecclesiastes A good name is better then a Eccl. 7. 3. good oyntment and the day of death then the day that one is borne The Preacher spake not this without booke nor without reason for then we change sicknes for health woe for wealth transitorie vanities for perpetuall ioyes and earthly trash for heauenly treasure c. Quest 9. You are in the right of it and haue hit the naile on the head in this point keepe you there and my life for yours But because I finde you in answering both wise and willing it incourageth mee to bee bold in questioning Doe you beleeue all the Articles of the Christian Faith which the true and Catholike Church doth hold at this day and all other Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the very and liuely Word of God the foode of your soule and the perfect way to eternall life and that there is sufficient matter contained in them to establish your minde and conscience to saluation according to the consent of Christs Apostles in the Primitiue Church Answ I constantly and vnfainedly beleeue all this you haue said to bee true and grounded vpon the Word of God as vpon a sure foundation which shal neuer faile nor fall And therefore it is called the Word of Life the Word of Rom. 3. 16. Grace the Word of Truth and the power of God to Saluation to euery one that beleeueth Quest. 10. Doe you detest and abhor all Idolatry Heresies errors schismes innouations and opinions which in any point do dissent or disagree from this liuely Word of GOD and the ancient Catholike and Primitiue Church Answ As these enormities of themselues are detestable and damnable euen so I do from my very heart detest and abhorre them all and most ardently I imbrace the Truth of Gods Word with all due reuerence to the same as to the heauenly will of GOD therein specified and reuealed to vs by his Seruants the Patriarks and Apostles of God and his Sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour the Head of the Church And I am desirous to die a member of the same Church beeing the bodie and Spouse of Christ Quest 11. And do you euen in heart reioyce to liue and die in this Christian Faith and in the vnitie of this true ancient Catholique and Apostolique Church militant heere on earth which is and shall be the Communion of Saints the triumphant Church of God in Heauen Ans I reioyce in nothing so much for I know that out of the Church there is no saluation or safetie Those in old time that were found out of Noahs Arke being a Type of the Church perished by water but they which are not of the Catholike Church of Christ shall be tormented in Hell fire which shall neuer bee quenched Quest 12. Good Lord mee thinke it is a fearefull thing that the wicked should enter into euerlasting paine and vnquenchable fire And the words which are vsuall in the Scriptures are able to make any man tremble euen at the heart as Hell Mat. 8. 12. fire the bottomelesse pit vtter darknes vnquenchable fire perpetuall paine c. where shall bee weeping and Mar. 9. 44. gnashing of teeth where their worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out Mee thinks this word neuer is a long one for if there were any hope that euer the wicked might feele any release or easement of their paine or that the damned might haue any end of their torment yea if it were but after a thousand or a thousand thousands of yeeres there were some comfort to be expected in time to come though it were long first yet time would once make an end and weare
the enemy haue none aduantage of him Nor the wicked once approch to hurt him Be vnto him O Lord a strong tower From the face of his enemy Grant that hee may dye the death of the righteous And be made partaker of thine inheritance Receiue his soule O Lord into thy holy hands And place it with thy Saints in heauen Lord heare our prayers And let our cry come vnto thee A pithy Prayer for a Patient being pained with Sicknes IT is thou O Lord onely to whom all power and praise belongeth It is thou that raignest in heauen in glorie in earth in mercy in hel in iudgment It is thy voice O Lord whereunto both the seas and windes are obedient It is thy name O Lord God of Hosts that maketh all the Diuels in hell to tremble and quake and they can doe nothing without thy permission Thou bringest downe to hell and raisest vp againe Thou pluckest downe the mighty from their Throne and exaltest the humble and meeke Thou makest both poore and rich strong weake Thou sendest sicknes and restorest health againe in thy good time Thou giuest life and takest it away at thy pleasure O Lord whose maiestie and might no creature is able to withstand neither in heauen earth or vnder the earth Thou that hast made the Sea and the dry land and all things therein contained Thou that knowest our weaknesse and what metall wee bee made of haue regard vnto the workmanship of thy hands Pierce the heauens O Lord and giue eare vnto our prayers which with sorrowfull hearts trickling teares bowed knees and vnfained lips we powre out before thy presence We acknowledge O Lord our owne frailetie and vnworthinesse and how that all men liuing are but vanitie euen as the grasse in the field which to day flourisheth and to morrow withereth away as the smoke in the furnace the bubble in the water or the could that swiftly passeth away and is no more seene So soone also fedeth away our time and our yeeres come to an end Thou onely O Lord knowest the number of our dayes and appointest vs our bounds which we cannot passe We confesse O most mercifull God that wee haue sinned against heauen and against thee and are no more worthy to be called thy children no nor to tread vpon the earth or to haue the light of the Sunne to shine vpon vs but rather to bee burned with fire drowned in the waters swallowed vp of the earth ouerwhelmed with mountaines or deuoured with wilde beasts fowles of the ayre Our transgressions and sinnes are so great so grieuous and many in number wherewithall wee haue and doe dayly offend thy Maiestie both in thought word and deed that our weake consciences being loden and burthened with the remembrance of them are afraid to approch into thy presence for feare of thy wrath and iust iudgement Yet O Lord forsomuch as thy mercy is aboue all thy workes and because thou art a gentle pitifull God long-suffering and full of compassion and wouldest not the death of a sinner but rather that hee conuert and liue We are therefore the bolder not of our selues but in the name of thy deare Son Iesus Christ with whom thou art well pleased to call vpon thee for mercy and comfort That it would please thee of thy gracious goodnes to forgiue and blot out of thy remembrance all our sinnes and wickednes and neuer hereafter to impute them vnto vs. Regard not good Lord our deserts which is death and damnation but be mindfull of thy louing promises in Iesus Christ our Sauiour who in all temptations of the Diuell the World and the Flesh is our onely Rocke and sure stay and defence and neuer shrinketh from those which be wrapped in woe and misery Comfort O Lord this thy Seruant vpon whom thou hast laid the scourge of sicknes and rod of visitation as a sure token and pledge of thy loue and fatherly good wil towards him for whom thou louest those thou correctest not to destruction but to amendment and saluation Thou hast promised that wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in thy name thou wilt grant their requests We therefore thy humble seruants here assembled according to thy blessed commandement doe cry and call vpon thee with feruant hearts to be mercifull to this thine afflicted creature that it would please thee eyther to release his smart and pain in thy good time and so to restore him to his former health or else to grant him aboundantly the graces of thy holy Spirit that with patience and meeke mind he may abide such tryall as it shall please thy godly Maiestie to lay vpon him That neither the tyrannie of Satan griefe of sicknes loue of the world terrour of hell infirmitie of the flesh remembrance of sinne or feare of death withdraw him from thee and thy sweet promises in his Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who came not for the iust but to call sinners to repentance So guide him good Lord by thy blessed Spirit in his great and last iourney that passing quietly all troubles of this transitorie world and this painefull pilgrimage once ended he may safely by thy mighty power bee conducted to the Hauen of continuall quietnes and rest which is the Kingdom of Heauen there reigne with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the holy company of Angels and Saints in perpetuall ioy and safety which thou hast prepared and promised for all thine elect children and faithfull seruants from the beginning of the world Grant this O heauenly Father which wee haue prayed for in the behalfe of this thy poore and pensiue prisoner and all other things necessarie for our saluation and thy glory through our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ In whose holy name wee beseech thee from the bottome of our hearts saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. A comfortable Prayer against desperation O God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ continue thy goodnes towards vs vnworthy wretches which do heere with contrite hearts and bowed knees appeale vnto the height of thy mercy Beseeching thee O Father â—o to remember the contempt and iniury thou hast receiued at our hands but pardon our passed faults and accept the pitifull Passion of thy deare Sonne in full satisfaction of our transgression Let his precious bloud wipe away and wash all our filthines Let his wounds heale the sores of our sinnes and let the holy oblation of himselfe present our prayers acceptable and blamelesse before thy Maiestie Let no sinne bee so great and grieuous in our eyes that it plucke away hope of pardon No offence so ponderous that it may be â—â—le to ouercome thy goodnes All haue sinned and haue neede of thy mercy which thou offerest aboundantly to euery one that faithfully asketh the same of thee Our wickednes O Lord cannot exceed thy merits The greater the sinner is on whom thou bestowest thy compassion so much the greater is thy glory And therefore
whose then shal thy goods bee that thou hast prouided It is wisedome therefore for man to prouide for God then God will prouide for him Therefore good brother I beseech you in the bowels of Iesus Christ repent and correct your selfe betime reforme your manners and behauiour by the rule of Gods Law that you may auoid the curse thereof and bee preserued and saued that when Iesus Christ shall come to his Iudgement from the highest heauens in power and Maiesty accompanied with his holy Angels and Saints you may meete him with a ioyfull heart and obtaine the crowne of glory and victory which is the reward of Gods children and so reigne with that righteous Iudge in perpetuall peace continuall comfort and endlesse ioy which God grant to you and mee and all that loue his comming Amen And that wee may the better performe the Premises let vs in all our actions set these foure things before our eyes that is the Day of Death the Day of Doome that Condemnation of the wicked and the Saluation of the godly To the wicked and damned sort death is miserable Gods Iudgements terrible and their paine intolerable To the godly and such as shal be saued death is pleasant iudgement comfortable and their ioy perpetuall therefore it is better betime to repent reforme our selues with the godly then to driue off from day to day with the wicked which neither by Gods mercy nor iudgement will bee drawne to amendment but neglect all meanes and occasions and there is no better time nor fitter occasion to prepare our selues to our end then when we feele Gods heauy hand laid vpon vs by any kinde of crosse sicknesse or other visitation for therby God giueth vs friendly warning to make our selues in a readinesse and to giue ouer the world and happy man is hee whosoeuer hee bee which forsaketh sinne before sinne forsake him and that giueth ouer the world before the world giue him ouer for when wee haue discharged our selues of this world and this world shall be discharged of vs then we haue the greatest account of all to reckon for Therefore my deare brother that fearest God and beleeuest in him while thou art now chastised with sicknes and paine and perceiuest death to approach bestur your selfe betime follow Christ at foote prostrate your selfe before him fall downe flat on the earth deny your selfe acknowledge your sin trust in him neuer giue ouer cry and call aloud Miserere mei Domine miserere mei i. Haue mercy on me O Lord haue mercy on mee Cry with the Cananite O sonne of Dauid haue Mat. 15. 22 mercy on me and at length he will looke back take pitty vpon you forgiue you your sinnes and receiue you to his mercy Let the innocent Lamb of God be an example vnto you herein for Christ himselfe in his extreme agony when his sweat was like drops of bloud trick ling downe to the ground yet hee prayed earnestly to haue his Fathers Will fulfilled So must you do that is now weake and feeble in body bee feruent in spirit renounce the wicked world with all the vanities therein tread them vnder your feete Sursum cor Lift vp Col. 3. 1 2 your heart to God meditate vpon heauenly things for it is high time Behold the Sonne of GOD your mercifull Redeemer that sweat water and bloud for your sinnes behold him sitting on the right hand of his Father making intercession for you ioyne your selfe to him pray vnto God feruently in his name and say as he himselfe did in the anguish of his Spirit heere on earth Father into thy Luk. 23. 46 hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed mee O Lord God of truth Lord haue mercy vpon me and forgiue me my sins Sweet Iesu receiue my soule into thy Kingdome c. I beseech you gentle Brother thinke vpon my words in my absence and continue in this minde hauing a firme faith in Christ Iesus euen to your end And withall take in good part this my friendly admonition Let it worke in your heart true repentance to saluation and if you doubt any thing touching your beliefe life or Religion or any other priuate causes that may in some sort trouble your conscience I pray you let mee resolue you and I will doe my endeuour to satisfie you therein so far forth as may tend to your saluation and comfort which I heartily wish in Christ Iesus And so for this time I leaue you committing you to the tuition of him that is able to saue you The fourth duety of the Pastor THe fourth duety of the Pastour is to comfort the sick in all their distresse danger and feare with sentences examples and perswasions out of the Word of God especially toward their end We feare chiefely two things 1 Death in this life 2. Damnation after death I purpose not to speake much of eyther for if I did I should but make the volume of this book to large and so cause the Printer to waste paper to his further charges and my greater paines and yet say nothing but that which is set downe already by those that are better learned then my self and haue troden the way before mee Therefore hauing partly touched the same in my Questions I wil only adde these few lines following touching both for example sake It is an old rule in Physick Take away the cause and the effect is taken away with it Vnderstand therefore good Brother that the causes why men so much feare death be many according to the multitude of men and their manners The first cause is for that by death they lose many commodities and pleasures which in their life time they did long enioy and haue great delight therein as wife children parents friends lands liuings possessions sumptuous houses buildings worldly honours offices dignities All these and such like be call-backs and dayly coueted while life lasteth and yet dreadfull death dispatcheth vs of all these delights euen at a blow this is the feare of worldlings Secondly we feare death because of weakenesse diseases and bitter torments which are the forerunners warners and messengers of death This is the feare of the flesh The third cause why men feare death is incredulity or lack of faith in Christ This is the feare of conscience and proceedeth of ignorance or lack of knowledge in the Scriptures whereof our faith is grounded The fourth cause why we feare death is the danger of eternall damnation both of body and soule in hell fire This is the inward feare of the spirit But to bee short one comfortable blast of Gods spirit will extinguish and driue all these terrours quite away from vs euen as the winde doth driue away the thick clowds or mists which do separate vs from the light and sight of the Sunne First therefore for the losse of the world and all the drosse therein it is indeede no losse but gaine to those that by death enioy the company of
God his Angels in heauen where they shall be immortall and incorruptible freed from all carnall desires and diseases of the body and deliuered from all sorrow and trouble of minde no losse therefore to the godly that haue gained Christ but to the wicked worldlings that haue lost their riches and pleasures here in stead therof possesse perpetuall paines elsewhere to them it shall bee said Looke how much pleasure they haue had and giue them so much torment Secondly touching the feare of sicknesse the more paine wee suffer heere the more like wee are to our Master Christ the greater shall bee our reward in heauen In the meane time let vs be of good comfort for he that smiteth healeth and hee that sendeth trouble sendeth strength Thirdly against incredulity or distrust wee must desire of God to increase our faith that wee may beleeue the Scriptures and take pleasure therein for ignorance will not excuse vs now that the candle is lighted and not hid vnder a bushell but openly reueiled to the wide world and that to the comfort and saluation of euery one that beleeueth for the knowledge of Gods Law and the Gospell are necessary to our saluation the reasons be diuers The one doth feare vs. The other doth comfort vs. The Law vttereth sinne The Gospell forgiueth it The Law maketh weake The Gospell maketh strong The Law killeth The Gospell quickeneth The Law throweth down to hell The Gospel lifteth vp to heauen Fourthly against the feare of damnation when Satan layeth the Law hard to our charge threatning thereby death and damnation Let vs answere him with the Gospell which bringeth life and saluation Let vs haue a grounded and stedfast faith fixed in Christ Iesus our Sauiour who hath vanquished and destroyed all our deadly enemies as the flesh the world damnation punishment dangers sin death deuill and hell Be at vtter defiance with them all say boldly with the Apostle S. Paul It is Rom. 8. 33. God that iustifieth who then can condemne and againe God shall shortly tread downe Rō 16. 20. Satan vnder your feete c. If you beleeue this and apply it right to your soule you may then cheerefully dye and on your dying day sing and say that merry note to your great comfort and ioy viz. I desire to bee Phil. 1. 23. loosed and to be with Christ This was the marke that the blessed Apostle Saint Paul did ayme at all his life long and therefore reioycing in heart hee saith towards the end of his course I am now ready to be offered 2 Tim. 4. 6 and the time of my departure is at hand I haue fought a good battell I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith from henceforth there remaineth for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord a iust Iudge shall giue me at that day not onely vnto mee but to all those that loue his comming This made Stephen that faithfull witnesse of his Master Christ seeing the glory of God constantly to call vpon him and say in his greatest torment of body Lord Act 7. 59. Iesu receiue my spirit These men and many mo such like haue willingly yeelded their necks to the block their bodies to torment their soules to God and boldly to depart out of the miseries of this world embracing the counsell of the wise man who saith Feare Eccl. 4. 1 3 not the iudgment of death remēber them that haue bin before thee and that come after this is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh And why wouldest thou be against the pleasure of the most Highest whether it be tenne or an hundreth or a thousand yeeres there is no defence for life against the graue No striuing against the streame no resisting against death But alas what meaneth this There is nothing that men so often behold as death and nothing that men so soone forget as death As men ought not to bee carelesse of their finall end so they ought not to feare death especially if they haue liued in the feare of God for seeing all must dye wherefore should the godly be afraid of Bugges what a foole is he that will feare his owne shadow what good will it doe vs either to complaine or lament for that thing which by no meanes wee can escape Tell me if thou canst with all thy skill what man is he aliue that breatheth vpon the earth that shall liue vntill hee bee an hundreth yeeres old or what one canst thou name for thy life with whom thou hast beene acquainted an hundreth yeeres sithens crack me this Nut reade me this Riddle Et eris mihi magnus Apollo that is I wil account thee as a God for thy skill Seeing then that our life is both short and vncertaine and that these things are generall to all and not to thee or to me alone Why should we not in good fellowship taste of the same sawce and drinke of the same cup one after another and that without feare or grudging as all our predecessors haue done Let vs yeeld our pampred bodies to the earth and our sinfull soules to the tryall of iustice for so haue the godly alwayes done they account the world to be but a Race a Vale of miseries and a paineful Pilgrimage and therefore they couet to haue the course of this life finished they waite continually for the good houre looking after death for a ioyfull resurrection And of this hope they haue the sweete and comfortable Testimony of Gods Spirit within them as a gage or pledge of their saluation which will neuer forsake them vntill it haue presented them before the Maiesty of God as heires and coheires with Iesus Christ of his heauenly Kingdome purchased for vs with his owne bloud wherein our soules and filthy bodies are sprinkled and thorowly washed What a comfort is this to a Christian heart What neede a man thus minded to feare death after this life any more then the laboring man after he hath toyled sore al the day long neede to feare sleepe and his quiet rest at night No no hee may rather with a cheerefull conscience wish for death because as Christ saith He shall passe frō death Ion. 5. 24. to life Let vs therefore good Christian Brother so liue with Christ that we may dye in him and let vs so glorifie him in this life by our godly conuersation that wee may bee glorified of him in the life to come to our comfort and saluation The best remedy to auoid this friuolous feare of death is to repent our former sinnes and hereafter to apply our selues to liue in his true seruice and feare So that first wee may finish our life heere and dye well Secondly that wee may receiue at Gods hands in the resurrection of the iust a comfortable and mercifull iudgement Thirdly that we may auoid the horrible paines of hell which are intolerable Fourthly and finally that we may be partakers of the
qui tantum penare potest quantum Deus bonus est that is let that man onely distrust or despayre whose sinne exceedeth Gods goodnes But the Diuell himselfe and all our iniquitie is lesse then Gods mercie and therefore the greatest sinners in the world ought not to despayre if they repent seeing his mercy is aboue all his workes for of his mercie there is neither number nor measure nor end The mercy of the Lord embraceth vs on euery side The sentence of Ezechiel is sure and sealed vp in Heauen That God will not haue the Ezec. 18. 32. death and damnation of a sinner but rather his life and conuersion Wherefore wilt thou perish O Israel And wherefore wilt thou despayre O sinful flesh Come to God Come to his beloued Sonne Christ Iesus the Master calleth thee he offereth thee his mercy hee promiseth thee forgiuenes Come thou early come thou late if thou come at all whether it be at noone day or at night thou shalt haue thy penny as well as hee that came in the morning The thiefe on Christs right hand was called the last houre and came and cryed to Christ that hee Luk. 23. 42 would remember him He knocked so hard at the doore of Gods mercy that Christ promised him that day to haue the doore of Paradise opened vnto him and to enter in with himselfe This gate shall bee open to vs if we doe as hee did For it is shut to no man but of himself neither is it open to any but by Christ Iesus If wee beleeue in this Christ Iesus that he is a Sauiour and that hee dyed for our sinnes and did rise againe for our iustification we need not to dread either death or damnation the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs because Christ is our foundation our corner-stone to leane vnto our buckler shield to defend vs from our enemies our head our good Shepheard the Bishop of our soules our only Master and mercifull Redeemer Let vs therefore be of good cheere Let vs trust in his mercy whose merits haue purchased our saluation with God the Father And so we may with safety of our soules depart from worldly troubles to heauenly rest from death to life from damnation to saluation which God of his goodnes vouchsafe to giue vs in Christ Iesus our Sauiour to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour power and praise world without end Amen THE SECOND PART OF THIS Booke pertaining to the SICKE THe first dutie of the sicke person visited by God is to confesse his Faith and to make open protestation of the same before his Pastor and the rest that stand by at his end that they may be witnesses with him and testifie after God hath receiued his soule into eternall rest that hee liued and dyed the Child of God the true Seruant of Iesus Christ his Sauiour and as becommeth a charitable Christian and one of the houshold of Faith The confession of the Faith I beleeue in God the Father Almightie c. The summe of this Beliefe confessed I Am fully perswaded and vndoubtedly I doe confesse and acknowledge before God and all you heere present that euery point and Article of this my beliefe is true and necessarie vnto saluation for without Faith wee cannot Heb. 11. 6. please God or bee saued And therefore I stedfastly beleeue in my heart that this in very deede is the true ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith which all good Christians ought to hold to the hazard both of liuing and life if cause require Of this our beliefe there be 4. principall parts The first concerneth GOD the Father The second God the Sonne The third God the holy Ghost The fourth the holy Church or congregation of God Of which faith I make protestation as followeth I constantly beleeue in heart that which I now outwardly confesse with my mouth viz. That there is but one true almightie euerlasting liuing iust and mercifull God of incomprehensible glory maiestie and might inuisible infinite and immortall And yet in this Godhead are included three distinct persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost vnited together in Deitie and substance inseparably of like equalitie in will might and glory without beginning without ending frō whom as from a most cleere fountaine all vertue and goodnes proceedeth to man and euery liuing creature By whom we liue mooue and Act. 17. 28. are In whom alone we are blessed and without whom we are accursed miserable and wretched Which incomprehensible and inuisible God hath reueiled himselfe vnto man many waies 1. Miraculously by his workes 2. Outwardly by his Word And 3. Inwardly by his holy Spirit First I will confesse my beliefe touching the Father Then I will proceede to the Sonne and finally to the Holy Ghost not that I preferre one person before another but because naturally man doth best apprehend and conceiue this order namely that the Father should bee set before the Sonne and the Father and the Sonne together before him that proceedeth from them both And yet neuerthelesse all the three persons bee but one God equall and coeternall First therefore I doe beleeue in God the Father the first Person in Trinitie who by his vnsearchable wisedome and infinite power hath mightily made me and all mankind yea heauen earth the Sea and all things therein contained as the light of the Firmament the Sunne Moone and Starres the Fowles of the Ayre the Beasts of the Field the fruits of the Earth and the fishes of the Sea All these of his great goodnes hee hath made blessed and increased for man to doe him seruice and that in most wonderfull and plentifull manner Yea they were all created before man was made to the end that Man at his first entry into the world should come as it were into a house ready furnished and so take full and quiet possession of all Gods creatures and become Lord and Ruler ouer them and they all from time to time to be seruiceable vnto him as to their King Onely he would that man should be obedient and shew himselfe thankefull vnto his God for these his blessings In performing which dutie I for mine own part haue too often failed God graunt that I may hereafter both know his will and by the fruits of Faith shew my selfe more dutifull towards his Maiestie euen to my liues end Secondly I beleeue in God the Son the second Person in Trinitie who of his great goodnes hath mercifully redeemed mee and all mankinde from Gal. 3. 13. Tit. 2. 14. Apoc. 5. 9. the thraldome of Satan Death and Sinne and from the torment of Hell fire due to the same being of my selfe condemned thereunto by Gods iust iudgement through disobedience and transgression Yet I firmely beleeue that I am acquitted discharged and fully ransomed from the same by my sweet Sauior Iesus Christ that did sweat water and bloud for my sinne who willingly of his owne
And I beleeue that they which continue in this Church on earth shall after the Resurrection general Iudgement obtaine euerlasting life and rest from their labors which life and perpetuall peace God grant mee and all his children And from this Church I pray God I neuer at any time swarue or decline either in faith doctrine life or Religion but that I may dye liue therin And I humbly beseech God euen w th al my heart to kindle increase this Faith in me that this hope being stedfastly fixed in my heart I may towards mine end cry and call with the Saints of God and with a good Apoc. 22. 20. conscience Come Lord Iesu come quickly and hasten thy Kingdome that wee may raigne with thee in perpetuall ioy in the life euerlasting Amen The protestation of the Sicke I A wretched sinner redeemed with the precious bloud of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ do protest here before you all that with a free and franke heart I doe pardon and forgiue all people which by any manner of meanes haue spoken thought or wrought mee iniury either in word writing or deed whatsoeuer Desiring that as I know assuredly in my heart and conscience that I am reconciled to God So in like manner I may bee reconciled to the world And therefore I most heartily pray as wel all you that bee heere present before me as others that be absent to forgiue mee wherein soeuer I haue offended you being most willing to part out of this world in the fauour of God and good men I protest and acknowledge that I haue beene a grieuous and horrible sinner all my dayes both in thought word and deede And that I haue not liued so vpright and holy before my Lord God and the world as I ought to haue done I acknowledge my offences to be mo in number then the Starres of Heauen or the sands in the Sea for my negligence in not doing that which is good and my dayly transgressions in committing the things which are euill are infinite I acknowledge that all my life hath been such as looking my selfe now at last in the glasse of my conscience I find daily confusion and my minde and body so blemished with spots of vncleannes and filthinesse that I may be ashamed to looke God in the face or once to lift vp mine eyes towards Heauen Therefore I fall downe to the earth with the poore Publican and with lowly spirit and humble minde I aske mercie and forgiuenes of my Lord God being sorry in my heart that euer I offended this my deare Father and beeing fully purposed with my selfe if God restore my former health neuer so grieuously to offend him againe but to auoid Vice embrace Vertue yea to hate and abhorre the sinne which before I loued and wholly to conforme my selfe to the will of God in his Word I doe protest that albeit 3 I haue thus grieuously and many wayes offended God yet I doe not despayre nor distrust the louing mercy of my sweet Sauiour and Redeemer Iesus Christ But I hope by the merit of his death and Passion and not mine own merits which are nothing but a loathsome life to be partaker of the heauenly inheritance I protest furthermore that I do beleeue that this holy Passion of Iesus Christ is a sure Rocke Refuge and defence wherevnto I may boldly trust and stay my selfe And therefore in all aduersitie and trouble I set the same against my inuisible enemies as a strong Tower bulwarke or spirituall harnesse wherewithall the faithfull Souldiour and Seruant of Christ ought to bee armed Assuring my selfe that the punishment of all my sinnes is thereby fully discharged the ransome paid and the obligation whereby I was tyed to the Law cancelled and that the vertue of this Passion of Christ pertaineth not onely to others but also to me I protest before the omnipotent God and before all his holy Angels and Saints that I couet desire to end my life in that faith which becommeth a true Christian and the Child of God That is I beleeue all the Canonicall Scriptures mentioned in the Old and New Testament and set downe by the holy Prophets of God and the Apostles of his Sonne Christ as the Pen-men and writers but instinct and prompted by the holy Ghost the finger of God as the Author and Inditer which haue been from time to time and in all ages receiued and beleeued of the true Catholike Church and Congregation of Iesus Christ So that if through the tentation or suggestion of the Diuell or being oppressed with the violence or smart of sicknesse I should thinke speake or doe any thing contrarie to this my confession and protestation made I doe now beforehand vtterly debarre and reuoke the same and doe witnesse and confesse before God and you that by no means I will willingly consent or yeeld my selfe in the knowledge and vnderstanding of my heart to any such thoughts words or workes Finally I protest that I reioyce in Spirit for the sweet mercy and merits which I feele inwardly to bee offered mee by the death of Christ Iesus And I doe giue most hearty thankes vnto God the Father my Creator for his graces offerd vnto me in his deare Sonne my Sauiour by whose vnspeakeable goodnes I trust I shall dye the Seruant of God and into whose holy hands and tuition I commend my body and soule both now and in the houre of my death Amen The second dutie of the sicke Person THe second thing that is requisite in a sicke person is faithfull heartie Prayer to God either for his speedy deliuerance out of all woe and wretchednesse or else for constancie in his conflict and patience in his paine A godly metion or Meditatation before Prayer In which we craue for Grace Faith and Patience O Lord I am very sick my body is weake my strength faileth me my sinnewes shrink my hands and my feete waxe feeble mine eyes dazell and lose their sight all things are vnsauourie to me my flesh putrifyeth my breath stinketh my heart panteth and my life draweth to an end I perceiue there is but one way with me The Lord bee mercifull vnto mee and bee my guide in this my last iourney goe I must death is at doore with his dart readie to strike hee stealeth neerer and neerer towards mee he is euen now at my bed-side ready to worke his feate I cannot preuent him neither can I auoid or flye from him Therefore O Lord I make haste to runne to thee for succour which art the true Physician both of bodie and soule Heale mee O Lord and I shal be whole preserue mee and I shall be safe vnder thy protection for thou beeing my defence and shield I need not to feare the force of any foe But who am I O mercifull God that beggeth so boldly at the doore of thy mercy I am a sinner and in sinne I was begotten of my Father and
our prayers with cleannesse of heart vprightnes of action and in the vnity of thy true Church and Catholike Faith that so they may ascend into thy sight as a sweet sacrifice of incense for our health help and other things necessarie for our bodies and soules for the true mortification of our flesh and the right direction of our whole life that hereafter it may bee pleasing and acceptable vnto thee and so by faith in Iesus Christ bring vs to euerlasting blisse And we offer the same for the health and help of all other persons that thy blessed will is to haue prayed for within the Church and without in speciall and in generall And for whom and whatsoeuer else thy wisedome knoweth necessary and our frailetie cannot aske that may be most conuenient for vs to receiue and best becommeth thee to giue That it may please thee of thy gracious goodnes to grant vnto vs true and vnfained repentance for our former sinfull life patience in all our temptations and tribulations ghostly and bodily protection and defence against our enemies visible and inuisible constancie and perseuerance in all vertue goodnes help and reliefe in all our needs and necessities succour and comfort in all our woe and distresse ease and deliuerie out of all our troubles calamities afflictions that we are in or may any way happen vnto vs. O most tender God deare Father we beseech thee also of thy mercy and forgiuenes of sinnes for our selues and all others and mitigation of thy iustice towards vs now and in the houre of our death and last iudgement particular and generall Open vnto vs O Lord we most humbly beseech thee the plentifull streame and fountaine of the bloud of CHRIST IESVS which for our sake and for our saluation issued most aboundantly out of his grieuous wounds hanging on the Crosse Drowne vs in them hide vs in them wash vs in them write print them deepely in our hearts that all our sinnes may bee so bathed in his bloud buried in his death and hid in his wounds that they neuer more be seene to our confusion in this world or to our condemnation in the world to come But put them al into his most dearly beloued wounds and cast them into the bottomelesse depth of his mercie and merits We call and cry dayly vpon thee for thy fatherly assistance that we may conquer al our enemies Heare vs therefore O Lord in that mercie which hath no measure and looke not vpon vs with the eyes of Iustice neither draw against vs the sword of iudgement for then wee are vtterly lost and perish for euer But subdue all power of Satan and sinne in vs and giue vs strength to resist patience to endure and constancie to perseuer And if men assault or tempt vs to any euill good Lord giue vs wisedom to discern them feare to follow them and zeale to defie them And rule thou euer as Lord and King ouer vs and ouer all that wee haue ouer body and soule ouer heart and minde ouer worke and word for Iesus Christ his sake we heartily craue it euen in fauour at thy Fatherly hands And furthermore wee commend vnto thee O Lord in these our Prayers the whole Catholike Church Renue in it wee beseech thee puritie and sinceritie of life and conuersation from the which in these euill and latter dayes it is vtterly declined and wanting in all sorts of persons as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill And grant vnto euery member therof from the highest to the lowest from the Prince vnto the People that they may correct and amend in themselues that which is amisse Nourish and keep among them vnitie peace mutuall charitie to loue thee aboue all and their neighbours as themselues Make their hearts so meeke and gentle good Lord by thy working power that they may gladly and vnfainedly freely and frankely heartily and wholly forgiue all men that haue hated or hurted them by word or by deede Such as doe erre and goe astray in the path of Perdition call back and bring againe into the way of Saluation and vnderstanding Extinguish all Sects Schismes Innouations Diuisions Opinions Heresies wherby and wherewithall thy Church in these euill and latter dayes hath beene wonderfully molested and troubled and as it were euen rent and shaken in pieces and conuert all those to the knowledge of thy true ancient Catholike Apostolike holy and Christian Faith which as yet goe astray and wander out of the right way O Lord of thy gracious goodnes fetch them home as sheep of thy pasture to thine owne Fold and Family preserue and keepe them euer safe in the lap and vnitie of thy Catholike Church And grant vnto them true vnderstanding to know thee diligence to seeke thee wisedome to finde thee conuersation to please thee and euermore faithfully to serue thee vnto their liues end Comfort and lift vp O Lord all those that are troubled vexed in minde or in body and teach them to see their owne happinesse through tentations and troubles and that the readiest way to Heauen is euen to goe thither by Hell and that euery paine heere is as it were a preuention of the paines of Hell and euery ease in paine a foretaste of the ease and ioyes of Heauen And finally grant that wee may all with quiet mindes and good conscience patiently passe the time of this our painfull pilgrimage heere on earth peaceably spend and end our dayes in thy seruice and so at the last come to thy heauenly Kingdome life euerlasting thorough Iesus Christ the Author of life In whose holy name wee are bold to lift vp our hearts hands and voices praying vnto thee as hee hath taught vs saying Our Father which c. All glory and praise bee onely giuen vnto God A Prayer for Morning MOst gracious God and deare Father we yeeld vnto thee from the bottome of our hearts most humble thankes in that it hath pleased thee not onely to defend and preserue vs this night from all our enemies both ghostly and bodily but also of thy fatherly pitie to giue vnto these our earthly and languishing bodies such sufficient sleepe and rest as hath satisfied the earnest desire of our weake and feeble nature And as thou of thy mercy hast safely brought vs to the beginning of this present day and shewed vs the light thereof so we humbly beseech thee O God grant that our soules may bee spiritually lightened with the brightnes of thy Word and sacred mysteries whereby we may walk in the steps of Christianitie and leade a life agreeable to our vocation in Christ Iesus our Lord. Assist vs also with thy grace and holy Spirit O God that wee may neuer shrinke from thee for any earthly torments but diligently apply our selues to the performance of thy will and giue our selues wholly therevnto hauing a strong and stedfast faith in the truth of thy promises Indue vs with wisedome from aboue that we may dayly