Mountains Verse 16. And said to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Verse 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Thirdly The State of an Impenitent Sinner 1. In respect of original corruption Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Chap. 15.14 What is man that he should be clean and he that is born of a Woman that he should be righteous Verse 15. The Heavens are not clean in his sight verse 16. How much more abominable and filthy is Man that drinketh iniquity like water Chap. 25.4 How then can Man be justified with God Or how can he be clean that is born of a Woman Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me John 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Verse 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Rom. 5.18 By the offence of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation 2. In respect of actual sin Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinn'd against me him will I blot out of my Book 2 Kings 17.18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight there was none left but the Tribe of Judah only Verse 19 Also Judah kept not the Commandments of the Lord their God but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made Verse 20. And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers till he had cast them out of his sight Job 4.8 They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same Verse 9. By the blast of God they perish and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed Chap. 8.11 Can the Rush grow up without mire can the Flag grow without water Verse 12. Whilst it is yet in its greenness and not cut down it withereth before any other herb Verse 13. So are the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish Jer. 22.24 As I live saith the Lord though Coniah the Son of Jehoiakim King of Judah were the signet upon my right hand yet would I pluck thee thence Verse 25. And I will give thee into the hand of them who seek thy life Verse 26. And I will cast thee out and thy Mother that bare thee into another Country where ye were not born and there shall ye dye Mat. 7.26 Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish Man which built his house upon the sand Verse 27. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it Gal. 5.19 The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witcheraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 2 Thes 1.7 The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Rev. 14.9 10 11. If any man worship the Beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoak of their torment ascended up for ever and ever Secondly When the Minister finds not in the sick person a total hardness and impenitency he must wisely mingle Threatnings and Comforts together To which purpose such-like passages of Scripture will be useful Deut. 7.9 10. Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements to a Thousand generations And repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them He will not be slack to him that hateth him he will repay him to his face Jer. 32.18 19. Thou shewest loving kindness unto thousands and recompensest the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosom of their Children after them the great the mighty God the Lord of Hosts is his Name Great in Counsel and mighty in works for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Psal 89.31 32 33. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandements I will visit their offence with rods and their sin with scourges Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my truth to fail Rev. 2.4 5. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come against thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Thirdly When the Sick Person is fallen into the other extream and is sensible of little or no comfort the passages of Scripture relating to such a condition are those which set forth 1. The excellency and goodness of the Divine Nature Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed The LORD the LORD GOD merciful and gracious longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Psalm 86.15 16. Thou O Lord God art full of compassion and mercy longsuffering plenteous in goodness and truth O turn thee then unto me and have mercy upon me Give thy strength unto thy servant and help the son of thine handmaid Psalm 103.8 9 c. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy Longsuffering and of great goodness He will not alway be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our wickedness For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth So great is his mercy also toward them that fear him Look how wide also the East is from the West So far hath he set our sins from us Yea like as a Father pittieth his own Children Even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him For he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust Hos 11.3 4. I taught
the God of your Father spake unto me yesternight saying take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad Chap. 50.20 Joseph said unto them ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much People alive Exod. 1.12 The more they afflicted them the more they grew and they were grieved because of the Children of Israel 1 King 17.3 4 6. Hide thy self by the brook Cherith that is before Jordan and I have commanded the Ravens to feed thee there And the Ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening and he drunk of the brook Vers 13.14 15. Elijah said unto her Thus saith the Lord God of Israel the barrel of meal shall not wast neither shall the cruse of oyl fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth And she and he and her house did eat many days 2 King 4.1 to 8. Now there cryed a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the Prophets unto Elisha saying Thy servant my husband is dead and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord And the Creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen And Elisha said unto her what shall I do for thee tell me what hast thou in the house and she said thy handmaid hath not any thing in the house but a pot of oyl Then he said go borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours even empty vessels borrow not a few And when thou art come in thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons and shalt pour out into all those vessels and thou shalt set aside that which is full So she went from him and did shut the door upon her and upon her sons who brought the vessels to her and she poured out And it came to pass when the vessels were full that she said unto her son bring me yet a vessel And he said unto her there is not a vessel more And the oyl staid And she came and told the man of God and he said go sell the oyl and pay thy debt and live thou and thy children of the rest So Dan. 3.17 Chap. 6.21 22. Joh. 6.5 7 c. When Jesus saw a great company come unto him he saith unto Philip whence shall we buy bread that these may eat Philip answered him Two hundred peny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one of them may take a little Andrew saith unto him There is a lad here that hath five barley loaves and two small fishes but what are they among so many Jesus said make the men sit down So the men sate down in number about five thousand And when Jesus had given thanks he distributed to the Disciples and the Disciples to them that were set down and likewise of the fishes as much as they would See Acts 5.19 20. Ch. 12.6 7 8. Chap. 16.25 26. Deut. 8.4 Psal 78.14 to 30. 4. The danger of such solicitude Mat. 13.22 He that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word of God and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and he becometh unfruitful Luke 12.20 God said unto him Thou fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided Chap. 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares 1 Cor. 7.35 This I speak for your own profit that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction And the unprositableness of it Psal 127.1 2 3. Except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it Except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain It is but lost labour that ye hap to rise up early and so late take rest and eat the bread of carefulness Mat. 6.27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature Luke 10.39 c. Martha had a sister called Mary which also sate at Jesus feet and heard his word But Martha was cumbred about much serving and came to him and said Lord dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone bid her therefore that she help me And Jesus answered and said unto her Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things But one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that one good part which shall not be taken away from her 6. Weakness of Faith discovered thereby Mat. 6.30 If God so cloth the grass of the field which to day is and to morrow is cast into the Oven shall he not much more cloath you O ye of little faith Chap. 8.26 Why are ye fearful O ye of little faith Chap. 14.31 Immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said unto him O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God 1 Pet. 5. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you 7. The duty of commanding them we leave behind to serve God faithfully that they may be blessed Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Jos 23.14 This day I am going the way of all the earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to pass unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof Chap. 24. And if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. 1 Chron. 29.10 David blessed the Lord before all the congregation and David said blessed be the Lord God of Israel our Fathers for ever and ever Vers 11. Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in the Heaven and the earth is thine thine is the Kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as a head above all Vers 12. Both riches and honour come of thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all Vers 17. I know also my God that thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness Vers 18. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart of thy People and prepare their heart unto
that plague 2 Tim. 1.12 For which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Heb. 12.11 12. No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous Nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees Ninthly When the sick person doubteth of the Truth or seasonableness of his Repentance these Scriptures are proper that set forth 1. The Nature of true Repentance 2 Sam. 24.10 Davids heart smote him after that he had numbered the People and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly Ezek. 18.21 22. If the wicked man will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not dye All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live Joh. 5.14 Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee 2. Fruits of it Hos 14.1 2. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we offer unto thee the calves of our lips Luke 3.7 c. O generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance And now also the Axe is laid unto the root of the trees Every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire And the People asked him saying what shall we do then He answered and saith unto them He that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat let him do likewise Acts 3.26 God having raised up his son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Chap. 7.4 Wherefore my Brethren ye also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God 3. Gods acceptance and reward of them 2 Chron. 12.7 When the Lord saw they had humbled themselves the word of the Lord came unto Shemajah saying they have humbled themselves therefore I will not destroy them but I will grant them some deliverance and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jernsalem by the hand of Shishak Psal 32.6 I said I will confess my sin unto the Lord and so thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Neh. 1.9 If ye turn unto me and keep my commandements and do them though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the Heaven yet will I gather them from thence and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my Name there Ezek. 33.14 15 16. When I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dye if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right If the wicked restore the pledg give again that he had robbed walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity he shall surely live he shall not dye None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawful and right he shall surely live Mat. 16.27 The son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works Rom. 6.22 Being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your labour and work of love Rev. 14.13 Their works follow them Chap. 20.13 Death and the grave delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to his works 4. Diligent search into our state and the truth and sincerity of our repentance then especially when but a short time is likely to be afforded for the trial thereof 2 Chron. 25.2 Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Job 27.3 to 7. All the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrils My lips shall not speak wickedness nor shall my tongue utter deceit till I dye I will not remove my integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Psal 26.2 Examine me O Lord and prove me try out my reins and my heart Psal 78.34 c. When he slew them they sought him and turned them early and enquired after God And they remembred that God was their strength and the High God was their Redeemer Nevertheless they did but flatter him with their mouth and dissembled with him in their tongues For their heart was not whole with him neither continued they stedfast in his covenant Isa 58.1 2. Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins Yet they seek me dayly and delight to know my ways as a Nation that did righteousness and forsook not the Ordinance of their God they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice and take delight in approaching to God Ezek. 14.3 These men have set up their Idols in their heart and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face should I be enquired of at all by them Mat. 7.21 c. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Luke 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able 2 Cor. 7.9 10 11. I rejoyce not that ye were made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance for ye were made sorry after a godly manner that ye might receive dammage by us in nothing For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented
and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof 1 Thes 4.3 6. This is the will of God That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such 2. Remission of injuries suffered by him and hearty reconciliation Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Chap. 18.33 Shouldst thou not also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on thee Mark 11. When ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses But if you do not forgive neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses Joh. 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples that ye love one another Acts 4.32 The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the body of Christ and members in particular Col. 3.12 13. Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness longsuffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any Even as Christ forgave you so also do ye 3 Almesgiving if of ability Deut. 15.7 8 10 11. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy Brethren thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother But thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth Thou shalt surely give him and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto For the poor shall never cease out of the land therefore I command thee saying thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy Brother to thy poor and to thy needy in the land Psal 41. Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble The Lord preserve him and keep him alive that he may be blessed upon earth and deliver thou not him into the will of his enemies The Lord comfort him when he lyeth sick upon his bed make thou all his bed in his sickness Prov. 3.27 Withold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it Chap. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth and there is that withholdeth more then is meet and it tendeth to poverty Eccl. 11.1 Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many days Mat. 25.37 to 41. Then shall the righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee And the King shall answer and say unto them verily I say unto you in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me Acts 10.4 Thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memorial before God 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to stribute willing to communicate Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life 4. Vnfeigned Repentance for the Errours of his life past Psal 51.1 c. Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledg my faults and my sin is ever before me Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Fourthly If the sick person be troubled from the occasion or by reason of some circumstances relating to his sickness the Scriptures proper for that condition are such as set forth 1. The duty of reflecting on his former course of life 2 Chron. 21.12 to the 16. And there came a writing to Jehoram from Elijah the Prophet saying thus saith the Lord God of David thy Father Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy Father nor in the ways of Asa King of Judah But hast walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel and hast made Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab and also hast slain thy brethren of thy fathers house which were better than thy self Behold with a great plague will the Lord smite thy People and thy Children and thy Wives and all thy Goods And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy Bowels until thy Bowels fall out by reason of thy sickness day by day And it came to pass that in process of time after the end of two years his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness so he died of sore diseases Chap. 26.19 And whil'st Vzziah was wroth with the Priests the Leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from besides the incense-Altar Psal 25.6 O remember not the sins and offences of my youth But according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Psal 25.6 O remember not our old sins but have mercy upon us and that soon for we are come to great misery Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver us and be merciful to our sins for thy Names sake Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth 2. The promiscuous dispensing out these things both to good and bad in this life Gen. 35.16 18 19. And Rachel travelled and she had hard labour And the midwife said unto her fear not thou shalt have thy son also And as her soul was in departing she called his name Benoni and Rachel died Lev. 10.1 2. And Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded not And there went out a fire from the Lord and devoured them Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel
grave in peace neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place and upon the inhabitants of the same Isa 26.20 Come my People enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy doors about thee hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast Chap. 57.1 2. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Rom. 14.8 Whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we dye we dye unto the Lord whether we live therefore or dye we are the Lords Rev. 14.13 I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them 4. The Joys to be revealed hereafter Psal 16.9 12. I have set God always before me for he is on my right hand therefore I shall not fall Thou shalt shew me the path of life in thy presence is the fulness of joy and at thy right hand there is pleasure for evermore Psal 36.8 9. They shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy house and thou shalt give them drink of thy pleasures as out of the river For with thee is the well of life and in thy light shall we see light Isa 51.11 The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Chap. 64.4 Since the beginning of the World men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Dan. 12.1 3. At that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever Mat. 25.23 His Lord said unto him well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Luke 16.25 Abraham said son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Phil. 1.21 23. To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Rev. 7.9 After this I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palmes in their hands And cryed with a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb. 5. The presence of God with his hildren in all conditions Psal 41.3 The Lord comfort him when he lieth sick upon his bed make thou all his bed in his sickness Isa 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Chap. 43.1 2 3. Fear not I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour Rev. 3.10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation Sixthly That such spiritual remedies may do good the Minister must endeavour to understand and consider from whence that unwillingness to die proceeds and to the several causes thereof his applications of Scripture must be suitable If 1. It be from that aversation which every Creature naturally hath to dissolution the best men have not been altogether free from that fear Joh. 21.18 19. When thou wast young thou girdest thy self and walkest whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not This spake he signifying by what death he should glorify God To this must be opposed 1. The conquest of Death by Christ Heb 2.14 15. Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage 1 Cor. 15.56 57. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Vers 58. Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 2. The pattern of a true Christian temper of mind 2 Cor. 5.1 c. We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building with God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who hath also given unto us the earnest of the spirit Therefore we are always confident knowing that whil'st we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord For we walk by faith not by sight we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Secondly If from love of this World The vanity of all earthly things and the danger of such love of the World must be considered Eccl. 2.4 c. I made me great works I builded me houses I planted me vineyards I made me gardens and orchards and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits I made me pools of water to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees I got me servants and maidens and had servants born in my house also I had great possessions of great
the terrours of Death by filling my heart with Divine comforts by strengthening my Faith in thy mercies through Christ Jesus by representing to my thoughts his victory over Death and those unconceiveable and endless joys which thou hast prepared for them that love thee That neither life nor death hight nor depth things present nor things to come may be able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and only Blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen Prayers to be used in a Family A Morning Prayer O Lord and heavenly Father who renewest thy loving kindness unto us from day to day making the outgoings of the Morning and Evening to praise thee We give thee humble thanks for the dispensation of thy loving providence over us vouchsafed unto us in our preservation this night and the comfortable rest wherewith thou hast refreshed our frail bodies Humbly beseeching thee to pardon unto us whatsoever sins the subtilty and malice of Satan or our own corrupt nature and vain imagination have made us guilty of this night and all the times and days and nights of our lives until this present hour And we most humbly beseech thee to make this and all other thy good mercies bestowed upon us serviceable to the advancement of thy glory and the good of thy Church That we may not by wasting any of thy precious Talents vouchsafed unto us or by abusing and misapplying the comforts thou givest us render our selves accountable to thy dreadful Majesty as well for the good we have received as for the evil we have committed But let all the good things thou hast done unto us vile and miserable sinners increase a love of thy Divine Majesty in our hearts and perfect the practice of true holiness and righteousness in our conversation through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen Almighty God by whose Spirit the whole body of thy Church is governed and sanctified receive the Supplications and Prayers which we humbly offer to thy Divine Majesty for all estates and conditions of Men in thy Holy Congregation Particularly for all Christian Kings Princes and Governours more especially for thy Servant Charles our King That they may be preserved from all Treachery and Violence and that they may use their Power for the encouragement of them that do well and for a terrour unto evil doers For Subjects that they may submit unto the higher Powers for conscience sake as being ordained of God For the Nobility and Gentry that they may give good examples as they are great in Place For the Clergy that their holiness may be according to the Shekel of the Sanctuary and that they may be able to divide the Word of truth aright giving unto every one his portion in due season For the Rich that they may be ready to give and glad to distribute laying up for themselves treasures in Heaven For the Poor that they may be diligent honest and contented and that there be never wanting those who will strengthen the hands of the Poor and Needy For the Fatherless and Widows that thou wouldest be a Father to the one and an Husband to the other For the Labouring-Man that thou wouldest give him an healthful body a patient mind and that thou wouldst prosper unto him the work of his hands For those who are at ease that they may beware of the sins of Sodom Pride abundance of Idleness and fulness of Bread For the Prisoners and Captives that their bread may not fail and that the hearts of their Brethren may not be hardened against them For the sick in Body that they may cheerfully submit to Gods afflicting hand and that their patience may have its perfect work For those who are in health that they may not remove far from them the evil day but may shew themselves wise in considering their latter end For those who are afflicted in mind that thou wouldst help them to put on the Breast-plate of Faith and for an Helmet the hope of Salvation and that thou wouldst make them to see thy faithfulness in not permitting them to be tempted above what they are able to bear For Parents that they may be careful to provide for the welfare of their Childrens Souls and Bodies bringing them up in the nurture of the Lord. For Children that they may love honour and reverence their Parents obeying them in all things For Husbands that they may love their Wives as their own bodies not being bitter against them but giving them honour as to the weaker vessels and being heirs together of the grace of life For Wives that they may reverence and be in subjection to their Husbands labouring to be adorned with a meek and quiet spirit For the Unmarried that they may not spend their precious Talents in the pleasures of sin and vanity of life but that they may be pure and spotless attending upon the Lord without distraction For the Antient that they may be sober grave temperate sound in Faith in Charity in Patience For the Young that they may be sober-minded reverencing the Aged as Fathers being ready to be taught by their wisdom and experience and to follow good counsels and examples For Masters that they may behave themselves prudently justly and gently towards their Servants as considering that they also have a Master in Heaven For Servants that they may be subject to their Masters with all fear not with eye-service as men-pleasers but willingly and from the heart shewing all good fidelity For Teachers that they may watch over the Souls of them who are committed to their charge as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief For Learners that they may esteem highly of their Teachers for their works sake improving all opportunities of being benefited by them For true Converts that they may daily grow in grace being strengthned with might by the spirit in the inner man For bare Professors of Religion that they may leave off to deny him in their works whom they profess with their mouths and that they may have the power as well as the form of godliness For our Friends and Kinsfolks according to the flesh that being graffed together in the same common faith we may together attain unto the perfection of Charity in the World to come For our Enemies that they may not be rewarded themselves as they have dealt with us but that we may melt them into an affection of us by returning to them good for evil For all that have done good unto us that thou wouldest remember them O our God for their good recompensing them with thy Blessings in this life and eternal glory in the world to come And we most humbly beseech thee the infinitely wise and all-seeing God that thou wilt of thy great mercy grant all those things that we have now prayed for and all other things which thou knowest to be needful both for our selves