my voice and hee shall hearken vnto me When I am in heauines I will thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I wil complaine Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer and will he bee no more intreated Is his mercy cleane gone for euer and his promise come vtterly to an end for euermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will hee shut vp his louing kindnes in displeasure Heare me O Lord hide Psal 102. not thy face from me in the time of my trouble Incline thine eares vnto mee when I call O heare mee and that right soone For my dayes are consumed away like smoke and my bones are burnt vp as it were a fire-brand My heart is smitten down and withered like grasse so that I forget to eate my bread For the voice of my groning my bones will scarce cleaue to my flesh But they that sow in Psal 126. teares shall reape in ioy Hee that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him For the Lord is full of Psal 103. compassion and mercy long suffering and of great goodnes Hee will not alwayes be childing neither keepeth he his anger for euer Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our wickednes For looke how high the heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also toward them that feare him Looke how wide also the East is from the West so farre hath hee set our sinnes from vs. Yea like as a father pitieth his own children euen so is the Lord mercifull vnto them that feare him For he knoweth whereof wee be made hee remembreth that we are but dust The dayes of man are but as grasse he flourisheth as a flower of the field For as soone as the winde goeth ouer it it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more But the mercifull goodnes of the Lord endureth for euer euer vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon childrens children Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the c. The third Psalme BLessed is he that considereth Psal 41. the poore and needy the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble The Lord comfort him when hee lyeth sicke vpon his bed make thou all his bed in his sicknes I said Lord be mercifull vnto mee heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee O hide not thou thy face Psal 27. from me nor cast thy seruant away in displeasure Thou hast beene my succour leaue me not neither forsake me O God of my saluation Heare me therefore O Psal 69. God in the multitude of thy mercy euen in the truth of thy saluation In thee O Lord haue I Psal 31. put my trust let me neuer be put to confusion deliuer me in thy righteousnes Bow downe thine eare to me make haste to deliuer me And be thou my strong Rocke and the house of defence that thou mayst saue me Into thy hands I cōmend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth I will be glad and reioyce in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and hast knowne my soule in aduersitie And therefore like as the Psal 42. Hart desireth the water-brookes so longeth my soule after thee O God Haue mercy vpon mee Psal 51. therefore O God after thy great goodnes according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash mee throughly from my wickednes and clense me from my sinne For I acknowledge my faults and my sinne is euer before me Turne thy face O Lord from my sinnes and put out all my misdeeds Make me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within mee Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O remember not our old Psal 79. sinnes but haue mercy vpon vs and that soone for wee are come to great miserie Heare my prayer O Psal 143. Lord and consider my desire Hearken vnto mee for thy truth and righteousnes sake And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified I stretch forth my hands vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirstie land Heare me O Lord and that soone for my spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from me lest I bee like vnto them that goe downe into the pit O remember how short Psal 89. my time is wherefore hast thou made all men for nought For what man is he that liueth and shall not see death and shall he deliuer his owne soule from hell Lord what is man that Psal 14. 4. thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him Man is like a thing of nought his time passeth away like a shadow For when thou art angry Psal 90. all our dayes are gone we bring our yeeres to an end as it were a tale that is told The dayes of our age are threescore yeeres and ten and though men bee so strong that they come to fourescore yeeres yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow so soone passeth it away and we are gone Teach vs therefore O Lord to number our daies that wee may apply our hearts vnto wisedome Lord let me know mine Psal 39. end and the number of my dayes that I may be certified how long I haue to liue Behold thou hast made my dayes as it were a span long and mine age is euen as nothing in respect of thee and verily euery man liuing is altogether vanity For man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine hee heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them And now Lord what is my hope Truely my hope is euen in thee One thing haue I desired Psal 27. of the Lord which I will require euen that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the faire beauty of the Lord and to visit his holy Temple For I should vtterly haue fainted but that I beleeue verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the Land of the liuing Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the c. When the Minister or any other good Christian that visiteth the Sicke hath read one of these Psalmes Then let him with all dutifull reuerence pray and say as hereafter followeth Let vs pray Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Christ haue mercy vpon vs. Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Our Father which art in heauen c. The mighty God of Iacob bee our defence both now and in the houre of Death And let vs not bee ouercome by any euill temptation O Lord saue this thy Sicke seruant Which putteth his full trust in thee Send him help O Lord from thy holy place And euer more most mightily defend him Let
me O Lord a fit sacrifice for thy selfe by punishing my fleshly body and pardoning my sinfull soule Grant mee perfect remembrance of the houre of my death last gaspe that I may thankefully take this thy fatherly visitation and willingly beare my crosse after thy deare Son Iesus Christ my Sauiour O Lord prepare me for the good houre which thou hast appointed for the deliuerie of my soule out of this wretched world settle my thoughts and fixe my faith on the life to come that I neuer shrinke from thee and thy sauing health what paine or torment soeuer thou inflictest vpon mee here on earth yet deare Father let heauen be my reward in the end Finally so dispose of me good Lord as may be most meete for thy glory and mine own saluation in Christ Iesus my mercifull Redeemer and Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour power and praise world without end Amen A Prayer to be said in the pangs of Death O Infinite Deitie and vnmeasurable goodnes O blessed and glorious Trinitie O perfect loue and charitie haue mercy on mee and open the bowels of compassion vpon mee a wretched sinner wrapped in woe and ouerwhelmed with anguish of soule and vexation of spirit Into thy hands O Lord I wholly commit and resigne my selfe make haste O Lord to deliuer mee for it is high time My flesh trembleth my bones are brused mine eyes wax dimme my strength faileth my heart panteth and my sorrow and paine euery way increaseth O mercifull Creator shew mercy to thy creature In thee O Lord alone is all my trust In my misery and smart I haue no other to make my mone vnto but onely to thee O thou preseruer of men Therefore forsake me not vtterly but stand by me and with comfort relieue me in this my extremitie and last combate Stretch out thine arme O Lord and hold thy hands of pitie ouer me that lyeth here in woe and misery O Iesu O sweet Iesu mercie O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me O Father of Heauen help me O holy Spirit of God confirme comfort me O God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost three persons and one God haue mercie vpon me O Iesus my sweet Sauiour receiue my silly soule into thy holy hands Place it O LORD for thy mercie sake with thine owne selfe in thy heauenly Kingdome among thine holy Angels and Saints O my good God and my heauenly Father pitie my case ease my paine comfort my soule and be mercifull vnto me Lord shew the light of thy louing countenance vpon mee And in the houre of my death strengthen my faith So that my body returning to the earth from whence it came my soule may ascend to thee which gaue it and at the day of doome generall iudgement when they shall both meete againe they may rise to life euerlasting thorow our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Amen Short Petitions collected for the Sicke Partly out of other Authors BEhold O gracious Father the body of thy deare Sonne all to rent and torne and remember I most humbly beseech thee of how small base substance I am Behold O good God the grieuous paine Passion of Christ my Redeemer and forgiue the sinnes of me thine vnworthy and vnprofitable Seruant which am therby redeemed O Lord looke downe from Heauen incline thine eares vnto my prayers confort my sobbing soule cheere my carefull conscience increase my faith forgiue me my sinnes and haue mercy vpon me through Iesus Christ my Sauiour Amen O Lord I beseech thee mercifully heare my prayers and spare mee which doe confesse my sinnes to thee that I whose conscience by sin is accused by thy mercifull pardon may be absolued through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen O GOD the Father which made mee blesse mee O God the Sonne which redeemed me preserue mee O God the holy Ghost which sanctifieth me confirme and strengthen me The blessing defence and sauing health of the Almighty God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost preserue mee from all euill and bring mee to euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Glory be to thee O Father my Maker Glory be to thee O Sonne my Redeemer and glory bee to thee O holy Ghost my Comforter from age to age from posteritie to posteritie both here and in the world to come and let all people say Amen The peace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the power of his Passion the prayers of his Elect the Communion of Saints the sword of the Spirit and the shield of Faith bee betwixt mee and all mine enemies bodily and ghostly publike and priuate visible and inuisible both now and in the very houre of my death Amen O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Thou hast redeemed mee O Lord thou God of Truth Lord Iesu at thy pleasure and at the time which may be acceptable vnto thee receiue my spirit into thy heauenly Kingdome Amen The third Dutie of the Sicke THe third and last duty of the sicke person is to be patient in his sicknes or any other aduersitie willingly to beare the burthen of Christs Crosse so to follow him for the better performance wherof I haue thought good to annex to the premisses this short Treatise of Patience wherein I will obserue this order First I will perswade by Precepts to suffer aduersitie and all kinde of calamitie Secondly I wil produce out of the Scriptures some speciall and particular examples which may prouoke vs both to suffer affliction and to be patient therein Thirdly I will shew some Reasons to allure vs thereunto 1. Precepts perswading FIrst it is an old saying Patience in aduersitie is a goodly vertue and truely so it is and Patience is a rare vertue and so it may well bee because it is so seldome seene and neuer so seldome as in these our dayes wherein wee haue many motions to euill but few or none to that which is good We offer wrong we will take none Wee giue shrewde words to others wee can brooke none towards our selues Wee haue Eagles eyes to espy a mote in our Brothers eye but like blinde buzzards wee see none at all in our owne We complaine of euery griefe in our selues bee it neuer so little wee pitie none in others bee it neuer so great And therefore we had need both of Precepts to perswade and Examples to prouoke but I feare neither the one nor the other will preuaile or take place in vs. And why Mens hearts are steeped in bitter gall their hands are cruell their feete swift to shead bloud their braine busie to inuent mischiefe And to speake the truth without flattery Loue is lost Charitie is cold Faith is not to be found Pietie maketh mone being pinched by aduersitie and patience is gone beeing forced by extremity Wel what is to bee done in this wofull case Wee must comfort our selues with sentences and examples which are written for our
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
accord came down from the seate of his Maiesty in the highest heauens into the vile and stinking bowels of the earth where he for my sake and all his elect did not abhorre to take flesh of the pure Virgin Mary and became man and in the same flesh suffered most bitter paine and torment being condemned by an earthly iudge to the most shamefull death of the Crosse and so was buried and descended into Hell rising againe for our iustification and ascending into heauen for our glorification and to open vs the gate of saluation which before was barred and fast shut vp against vs. And my beliefe is that as before hee came as a Lambe in humilitie and mercie to seeke and saue sinners So hee shall come againe as a Lyon in the end of the world in great glory Maiesty Mat. 25. 31 accompanied with Angels and heauenly Souldiers as a righteous Iudge of the quicke and dead separating the Sheep from the Goates adiudging the one as hirelings of Hell and the other as inheritors of Heauen And this among many others is a singular comfort to me to know assuredly that no other shall bee my iudge but he that is the Sauiour of my soule and suffered for my sinnes So that in all my perplexitie perill and danger I set this Iesus a Sauiour before mine eyes as a shield a buckler and sure wall between me and my spirituall soe the Diuel and all his tyranny assuring my selfe by this confidence that neither he by his cruelty nor all the Armie of hell can euer hurt or harme me or any of Gods Elect. Thirdly I beleeue in God the holy Ghost the third Person in Trinitie who by his grace louingly preserueth and sanctifieth mee and all the Elect people of God who dayly gouerneth and directeth mee in all my wayes and godly actions who sealeth vp my saluation by the stedfast hope that I haue in Christ Iesus assuring me inwardly that all his benefits are mine and by that meanes maketh me apply the same to the comfort of my soule who also mortifieth sinne in me who openeth and expoundeth vnto mee the diuine mysteries of God and moueth me to leade a godly life This is that blessed wind which bloweth where it listeth euen the Spirit of God which of carnall maketh vs spirituall of cruell meeke of malicious charitable of couetous liberall of dissolute temperate of foolish wise of earthly heauenly of the bondslaues of Satan the deare sonnes of GOD whereby wee may boldly cry Abba Father I beleeue that this holy Ghost is the earnest penny here on earth of my saluation in heauen and that hee will neuer forsake mee no not in the houre of death and my greatest danger but that hee will comfort me continually in all woe and temptations so that although I bee tryed by the touchstone of affliction grieued with extreme paine of bodie or torinented with inward vexation of minde yet I shall not be ouercome neither shall my crosse be greater then I shal be able to beare and endure For I know assuredly that this holy Ghost wil mercifully preserue me both in body and soule vnto the comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to iudgment at the dreadfull day of doome and there present me holy and without blame before his Throne of grace although of my selfe vnworthy yet this sweet Comforter Rom. 8. 15 16. doth of his especiall grace beare witnes with my spirit and conscience and that in most comfortable manner that I am of the number of those which shall be saued and that I shall stand in the last day on the right hand of Christ and heare that cheerefull sentence to my great ioy and comfort Come ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25. 34 possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world You haue beene long Pilgrims on earth but now you shal bee Citizens in heauen you haue mourned a long time but now you shall laugh for euer I will wipe away all teares from your eyes Enter at last now that the heate of the day is past into your Masters ioy All these three persons before rehearsed I beleeue to bee one God in essence whose seate is in the heauens aboue and whose footstoole is the earth beneath Vnto whom all the Powers Angels and Saints in heauen are subiect and doe their dayly seruice in setting forth his praises casting downe their crownes at his foote and ascribing all honour and glory to the crowned King that sitteth vpon the Throne and reigneth for euermore and also to the Lambe his beloued sonne and our Sauiour God grant that wee may doe him like seruice here on earth Fourthly and finally I doe beleeue the holy Catholike Church which is Gods Elect people or the Congregation of the faithfull and is called the Kingdome of Christ Iesus Of this Kingdome Christ Apoc. 21. onely is Prince of this body Christ onely is Head and of this Spouse Christ onely is the Bridegroome This Church is called the Temple of the Holy Ghost a spirituall House a holy Nation a Royall Priesthood the Citizens of Heauen the Pillar of Truth the Arke of Noah the Cōmunion of Saints Agreeing at this day in all points of Scripture Faith and Religion with the Primitiue Church of God Firmely holding and boldly confessing one God one Faith one Baptisme one Lord and Sauiour of all Iesus Christ being the sheepe of Gods pasture to whom belongeth one fould and one Shepheard which here on earth is called the militant Church and in Heauen the triumphant Church of God Out of which Arke all perish and out of which Church there is no saluation but whosoeuer is not found therein he is without all doubt damned Of this Catholike Church of God I beleeue and am fully resolued that I am a member and that GOD hath a care of me and will preserue mee safe vntill I haue the fruition of his heauenly Ierusalem This Church is knit together and vnited by faith through the operation of the Holy Ghost as members of one bodie This Church hath the pure Word of God truely and sincerely preached and the Sacraments duely and faithfully administred among them These sheep heare the voice of the true Shepheard Christ Iesus and hee knoweth them and Ioh. 10. 3. they follow him and hee will giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of his hand nay the gates of Mat. 16. 18 hell shall not preuaile nor ouercome this Church They which bee of this Church shall haue remission of their sinnes continuall peace and ioy They shall shine and glister as the Stars of Heauen they shall bee clad with white garments and follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth they shall haue golden crownes clapped on their heads and shall see God face to face and haue fellowship with his Saints who continually sing praifes to the eternall King which was and is and is to come