servitude but ledd by the spirit of feare and true filiall love Remove from my understanding all darknesse of error and ignorance make me know thy works cause mee to see in the mirrour of nature the excellent works which thou madest in six dayes and thine admirable providence in the upholding and preservation of all thy creatures there appeares before our eys both thine eternal power and Godhead and there is not the least of the world which is not a faithfull witnesse of the glory which is due to thee by reason of thy wisdome power and infinite goodnesse but Lord give me eyes to looke into the mirrour of thy Word in which are represented most clearely unto us the mysteries of our redemption that in it I may see thy Sonne that in thy Sonne I may behold thee For O good God as we beseech thee that thou wouldest not looke upon us but in thy Sonne for that in him onely thou findest us righteous and unblameable so can we not behold thee but in him because in him onely thou manifestest thy selfe unto us not as a rigorous Iudge as thou doest to the reprobate but a gracious and mercifull Father to thy children Moreover Lord in such sort inspire mee that having beene soundly and faithfully instructed in the knowledge of thy Truth I may judge uprightly of all thy counsells of thy whole Word of all thy actions for seeing it hath pleased thee to lodge me in the midst of all thy creatures and to put as it were into my hands the quiers of all thy Actions namely thy holy Word ought I not to avouch that thou art just wise good mightie and mercifull and that glory is due unto thee upon occasion of every one of thy works and wherefore hast thou brought me up in the Schoole of thy Church but to the end to forme in me a jâ—dgement and to teach me to speake against all the reasons of men be it that the Lord spareth be it that he afflicteth be it that he blesseth be it that he punisheth or what ere he doth it is every way justice equitie and wisedome and his sole will is the most perfect rule of all righteousnesse But O my God graunt that I may not know thee unto my condemnation with science give me conscience illuminate my understanding rectifie also my will accompanie it with a franke affection to thy service Graunt my heart may burn within me let it be inflamed with the desire of thy glory let my soule be continually ravisht with admiration above all seeing that to save us thou hast turned our darknesse into light our evils into good our death into life and us that were thine enemies thou hast made not onely thy friends and servants but of thy household but even thy children without any desert of ours notwithstanding our contrary demerits even of thy meere free grace and mercy and without sparing of thine owne Sonne O Lord our God let thy Name be magnified thorough out all the earth but as thy works be admirable but as thou art mercifull in thy Church thou hast done great things for us thou hast wrought powerfully by thine arme and in such sort above my capacitie that I cannot but crie out ô the depth of the riches of thy wisdome and of the knowledge of God! Grant Lord that I may not be stupid nor insensible in these things but care that my soule may be affected with gladnesse my heart with joy and solid contentment If the Devills and all thine enemies wonder at thy works it is but in despight of themselves it is but in their murmuring against thee but have not I wherein to rejoyce have not I cause to put farre away from me all sorrow every vaine apprehension seeing that I assuredly know that thou art not onely wise and mighty in thy selfe nor good to others but wise mighty and good unto me and unto my salvation and redemption Yet O my God that I may keepe measure in my mirth beget in my heart true humilitie which may serve to counterpoise it so that whilst I rejoyce in thee I may be humbled in my selfe that I may adore in all reverence thy divine Majestie that I may be exempt from all pride acknowledging how lamentable the poverty and weaknesse of my condition should be were it not that I wholly depend on thy grace and on thy good pleasure For it is thou that resistest the proud and that givest grace to the lowly it is thou that abhorrest every man of an haughty heart he shall not from hand to hand abide scotfree and unpunished In stead whereof thy favours flow downe upon them which come unto thee in humilitie and reverence Forme Lord forthwith in my foule a true feare of thy Name which may withold me and keepe me from offending thee for thou seest thou understandest all things thou art he that wilt judge all the thoughts words works of men But why should I not feare infinitely to offend thee to provoke thee by mine iniquities thou that hast alwaies bin a most gracious and mercifull Father unto me suffer not my heart to be hardened for then should I fall into all calamity but make me happie in fearing continually Let me feare Lord not to out-passe the traditions of men but the rules and instructions of thy Word Let me apprehend not some imaginary punishments but the rigour of thy just judgments Let me have not the feare of the damned and of Devils which tremble with horrour but the feare of thy children To this end O my God give me thy love to season my feare and to warrant me from despaire The wicked feare thee onely for the apprehension of thy punishments but as for me I wil feare thee Lord because in my heart shall lodge thy love Also good God whâ—refore shall I not love thee when I consider what heretofore thou hast done for me that which now thou doest in me and that which hereafter thou wilt do with me thou hast elected me before all eternity thou hast justified me in calling me unto thy selfe in the fulnesse of time daily thou sanctifiest me by thy Spirit and hereafter thou wilt glorifie me in everlasting life I will love thee then with all hearty affection and wholly accursed shall I account him that shall practice the contrary For my Saviours sake I will deprive my selfe of all things I will account them all as dung for thou hast loved me not simply the first or before I knew thee but Alas Even then when I was of the number of thine enemies And to sum up all art not thou Lord the Soveraigne Good Without thee and out of thee is there any thing amiable Let the world love it selfe let men be Idolaters of their concupiscences of their goods of their lives and of their reputations on earth As for me Lord if I hate not all things for thy sake and in case thou so requirest and that it be expedient for thy glory I am
thou hast so graciously preserved us unto this present houre by reason of our sinnes our life is exposed to an infinitnes of inconveniences and in the mean time we still subsist and are filled with thy good things Our being and our welbeing Lord we should hold it of thee we ow it to thy free grace and meere mercy to thee alone for the same be all glory for evermore But O our most gracious God it is most necessary for us that thou continue thy gracious favours unto us otherwise what thou hast hitherto done for us would turn to our confusion Leave us not then for then we shall perish thou hast created and redeemed us not to destroy us but that we might have eternall life Shed forth then upon us thy more especiall favours and above all the grace of thy holy Spirit Thou that hast washt us from our sins in the precious bloud of thy Sonne Sanctifie also our soules by thy Word and according to thy promise For Lord shall we enjoy Iesus Christ and his benefits without our serving of thee without magnifying of thee And what honour shall we render unto thee or what acknowledgment unlesse thou thy self confer upon us both the will and hability of performance The will and desire to honour thee We already have of thy free grace give us also the power of performance Give it us Lord with efficacy and according to thy good pleasure graunt it unto us and at the most humble and fervent request which we make unto thee for the same Give us not over neither to the malice of our enemies nor to our own perversnes let neither of them hinder us in thy service nor let us not give them any subject of dishonoring thee let our example serve for our conversion That they seeing the holines of our lives may lose their wils to hurt us and may gain an affection to know thee aright to acknowledg thee O God according to thy Truth according to their duty Let us not O Lord abuse our health and present prosperity Grant we may imploy them to the glorifying of thee and to the advancement of thy work with faithfulnes and every one according to his vocation whereunto thou hast called us above all that in the midst of our greatest repose we may prepare our selves for afflictions to the houre of death and for the fruition of our eternall rest When thou shalt visit vs with thy rods that it may be in thy mercy and for our amendment when thou shalt call us that it may be in thy grace and for our salvation whether in prosperity or in adversity whether sound or sick whether living or dying we may evermore confesse thy truth and do nothing which may be unworthy of our profession nothing which not seriously testifies our repentance for our sinnes our desire of thy grace our seeking of thy glory the peace of our soules the comfort of our consciences and the assurance of our salvation in thy welbeloved Sonne IESVS CHRIST In his Name we further pray thee to conferre the same good things on all our kinsfolks and friends call unto thee those that know thee not and strengthen those that already have thy feare Establish maintaine every where and make effectuall the Ministerie of thy Word for the conversion consolation of al thine Elect and for the enlarging of thy glory of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ Keep our King and all His grant Him a long Raigne in thy feare and for the good of of thy Church Let his subjects O Lord and above all we who are instructed by thy Gospell render unto him and unto all our Superiours all obedience unto which thy Word obligeth us Make thine own sensible of the bitternes of thine afflictions rejoyce them also in the sweetnesse of thy comforts so moderate and terminate thy corrections that they may be wholsome unto them Above all we beseech thee for them which have need of thy succours in this Church deny them not thine assistance heare their prayers and ours comfort them and deliver them that they and we may praise thee solacing our selves in thy goodnes And because O God it is onely our sins which are able to hinder us from hoping to receive from thee that which we ask of thee as thou pardonest us our sins in thy Son graunt us grace voluntarily to renounce all iniquitie so shal not the course of thy grace be interrupted so shall we have experience both in our prayers of the Truth of thy promises and in our whole life Yea even unto the last gasp therof the continuance of thy fatherly mercy in the same thy welbeloved Sonne in whose Name c. A Prayer for him who after he hath beene worthily prepared to receive the holy Communion approcheth to the Lords Table 9. O My God O my Father I have had experience of thy mercy in the whole course of my life especially since thou gavest me the knowledge of thy Truth and of my salvation and at this present time Lord thou openest before me the treasure of all thy riches thou presentest and offer'st unto me whole Iesus Christ with all his benefits Seeing then O God of my salvation seeing thou wilt that I should obey thy Word that I should draw neare unto thy Table Alas suffer not nor permit that it shal be to my condemnation But O good God far be it from me that I should admit any such feare For thou hast touched my heart with serious repentance I am right sensible that thou strengthenest my faith and reachest forth unto me thy hand thy selfe to receive me this day thou that art the Authour of my salvation O happy day wherein I protest before thee to detest my sinnes to renounce mine iniquity to be admitted unto the participation of the Sacrament of the New Testament Good God give me now the grace to shew forth the death of my Saviour grant that in his sufferings I may discern how great was thy wrath how exact thy justice against our sinnes seeing that to blot them out thou hast not spared thine owne Sonne Graunt also I may acknowledg thankfully thy infinite mercy towards us in that for us thine enemies thou hast given unto death the just thine onely Sonne But Lord give me to admire the never to be paralel'd love which thy Sonne beareth me in that he hath undergone both my sins and thy wrath to affoord unto me the food of eternall life O how wonderfull art thou in thy bounties Seeing that this day thou wilt by visible and sacred signes augment my joy and present to the view of mine eyes thy celestiall and invisible graces At this instant thou wilt give me an assured pledge of my conjunction with Iesus Christ And by him with thee O my Father as also with thy holy Spirit Now shall I be assured that Christ is in me and I in him O excellent Vnion sith it bringeth to passe that I have peace with thee
that Iesus Christ taketh upon him all my evill and bestoweth on me all his benefits that he quickneth me by his Holy Spirit that I am united unto all the faithfull that nothing shall separate me from thy love that none shall pluck me neither out of the hands of my Saviour nor out of the bosome of his Church I feare neither my sins for behold here the bloud of my Saviour which blotteth them out nor thy wrath for loe here the seale of my reconciliation with thee nor the Devill for behold here Christ who hath overcome Nor death for this day I receive the Sacrament of life everlasting this day is promise made unto me and the scale of it is given me that the heavens are opened unto me that my habitation shal be in the house of God for ever Lord increase my faith Lord raise up my heart unto thee graunt that unto thy glory graunt that unto salvation I may comprehend the excellency and the benefit of these things and that thence I may take up a firm resolution to renounce the world to walk therein as a pilgrim as keeping on my way towards my Saviour to draw unto him my neighbours to edifie them by mine example to adhere to thy Truth to continue their profession thereof against the rage and against the subtilties of all the enemies of thy Truth to my singular comfort even unto the last gasp of my life Amen A Thanksgiving to be rendred unto God after we have been partakers of the holy Communion 10. LOrd my God how is my soule ravisht in contemplation of the good things which thou commest to give me thy poore servant Alas Lord I am farr lesse then the least of thy mercies and then all the truth thou usest towards me it is thou that assurest me that thy Sonne that thine onely Sonne died for me It is thou that hast given me the seales of thine inviolable Covenant But what say I the seales O God thou knowest what ardor I feele at this present within me an assured testimonie that Iesus Christ is come to dwell in my heart by the precious faith thou hast given me Yea Lord I feele that he dwelleth in me I feele he engraveth in my heart the efficacie of his death and passion he died once upon the Crosse for my sinnes But he liveth for ever in my heart for my salvation I know it I beleeve it with as much certainty as with truth I have been partaker of the outward signes of thy grace O let my soule enjoy so great repose against her enemies O let it have an unspeakeable contentment in thy mercy As Iesus Christ died for me let Iesus Christ live in me O God it is so for thou wilt have it so for I am sensible of it and my faith is greatly strengthened Surely Lord thou wilt be my God for ever for thou art with me thou givest me the bread of life thou cloathest me with the innocency and righteousnes of thy Son O good God finish in me thine own work thou hast rescued me out of the dangers of eternall death thou hast assured me of most happy rest graunt me Lord yet this period unto my prayer that I may not repay thee with ingratitude that I may not die in sin but may live to righteousnes that I may deny my selfe may edifie my neighbours may consecrate my self to thy glory that in the sobriety righteousnes and religion of my life I may affect nothing so heartily have nothing so often before mine eyes as my leaving of this world And whilst thou preservest me therein O God as long as thou keepest me in the same I may expect with all thine Elect the most blessed hope and appearance of the glory of the great God which is our Saviour Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory from this time and for evermore Amen A Confession 11. O Lord God Eternall and Almighty Father we confesse and acknowledge unfainedly before thy sacred Majestie we are poore miserable sinners conceived and born in iniquity and corruption inclined unto evill doing unprofitable unto every good work and that by our sins we transgresse continually and without ceasing all thy holy Commandements In doing wherof we purchase to our selves by thy just judgment destruction and utter ruine Yet Lord we are displeased with our selves for having displeased offended thee we condēn ourselves our sins with true repentance humbly praying thy grace may relieve our misery and calamity Have mercy then upon us O God and most gracious Father and full of mercy for Iesus Christs sake thy Sonne our Lord. And blotting out our sins and blemishes inlarge in us and increase daily the graces of thy Holy Spirit that we acknowledging heartily all our unrighteousnes may bee toucht with true displeasure which may beget in us sound repentance which mortifying us unto all sinne may bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse and innocency which may be acceptable and wel pleasing unto thee thorough the same Iesus Christ thy welbeloved Sonne our Saviour Amen A Morning Prayer 12. O Lord God Eternall Father seeing it hath pleased thee to bring us safely unto this present day be pleased also to give us grace we may passe the same without offending thee and what ere we shall do say or think may be to the glory and praise of thy Name and edification of our neighbours And look not Lord upon our infirmities upon our sinnes and on our unthankfulnesse But looke upon thine accustomed goodnes and according to the same turn not away thy face from us but ever hold us up by thy hand that we fall not from thee at all and let not those threatnings which thou hast pronounced against them that have knowne thee and have not glorified thee as they ought fall upon us But Lord hold us ever in thy feare and forsake us not teach us to do thy will and give us the will and the power to do it for without thee we can do nothing Above all Lord make us alwayes with our whole hearts imbrace the memory and the merit of the death of thy Sonne And especially when the houre of our owne death shall come graunt that in the same we may have such faith recourse and assurance that we may be in the ranke of those which die in the Lord. And even then also graunt us that we may leave this world without all discontent thereat and that all our desire may be to be with thee Also Lord thou hast taught us to pray that thy Kingdome may come be pleased to advance forward the same and in so doing touch our Kings heart and the hearts of his Councill and illuminate them with thy brightnesse that thou maist be King and rule every where And that thine enemies may be made thy footstoole looke downe Lord in mercy upon all the poore afflicted ones persecuted and oppressed especially for thy Word Deliver them O good God as
you ask it fervently with a true and lively faith in the name of his welbeloved Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord doubt not but that according to his promises he heares you yea from this very time forward he is neare unto you and fils your soule with holy consolations strengthening you with patience and even solacing you as much as he shall know it to bee necessary for you and by that meanes by so much the more will he oblige you to rejoyce and solace your selfe in his goodnes and to glorifie his holy Name by thanksgiving And this is it which he saith himself unto you and unto whomsoever is afflicted as you are call upon me when thou shalt be oppressed and then will I helpe thee and thou shalt honour me for the same Would you not then have us now addresse our prayers altogether joyntly with you that it would please him to assist you with his grace Yes A Prayer for the sicke in whom there shal be no appearance or signe of death LORD our good God and mercifull Father we prostrate our selves in all humilitie at the feet of thy Divine Majestie to acknowledg that which is but too true that we are utterly unworthy of any grace or mercy from thee and are worthy of the lower-most hell if thou shouldst deale with us in the rigour of thy justice by reason of the numberlesse number of our sinnes and offences wherewith we feele and confesse our selves tainted and guilty before thee But we beseech thee that having regard to thy great and infinite goodnes thou wilt be mercifull unto us poore sinners and be mercifull unto us for thy deare Sonne Christ Iesus sake our Lord looking upon us not in our selves but rather in the person of that Sonne of thy love as members of his body reconciled unto thy Majestie thorow the benefit of his death And as thou art the Father of Mercy and God of all consolation rich in compassion and free grace towards all them that call upon thee and put their trust in thee We beseech thee be graciously pleased to shew unto us thy plenteous mercy both towards us and generally upon us all that now call upon thee for thy grace and particularly towards the person of this thy child and servant lying on this his bed of infirmity Give him to acknowledge in the first place that he is not strucke by any other hand but by thine that he may learne to submit himselfe unto and under the same in all humility and obedience And to this end let him remember that it is a fatherly and a sweet hand which strikes not to destroy but rather to save and who after he hath wounded healeth and quickeneth by the same wounds which he hath made Make him to seele that he is a poore and miserable sinner not onely to be issued forth of that masse of corruption out of which we are all sprung in Adam but also and chiefly because that after it pleased thee to give him the grace to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ in whom abideth eternall life manifesting unto him by that meanes thy free adoption in thy welbeloved reconciling him to thy self and so having done him the honor to hold the rank and place to be one of the number of thy children and servants in the midst of thy Church he hath not duly acknowledged these abundant riches of thy mercy to love and serve thee with his whole heart as he ought to have done in renouncing the world and in denying himself even as our ingratitudes are infinite by which we fight ordinarily against thy bountifulnes and grace O God and Father touch him then in his heart with a lively sense of all his infirmities and offences that without any way flattering of himself he may escape and be freed from condemnation before thy sacred Majestie may acknowledge that unto thee belongeth justice and to himselfe confusion of face may be altogether displeased at and wholly deny himselfe and may confesse that justly and by good right thou dost lay upon him thy chastisements and that if thou shouldst deale with him according to his deserts thou shouldest utterly overwhelme him under the unsupportable waight of thy justice and shouldst cast him into the bottomlesse depth of eternall death But withall make Lord this acknowledgment to serve onely to humble him and not to precipitate him into the gulfe of despaire and that he being on the one side beaten downe and dejected to the earth by thy mighty hand not so much by the sense of this sicknes as in the sense and feeling of his sins he may on the other side by the same hand of thine be succoured relieved and raised up againe in firm hope thorow the consideration of this thy incomprehensible mercy out of which thou hast given us so precious so rich a pledge as thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord whom thou hast not spared but rather hast given him up unto death yea unto the ignominious and accursed death of the crosse to redeeme us from the ignominy and curse of sin Graunt Lord that this thy poore servant may have his whole refuge there excite and strengthen his faith by the which he may seek and find in that death and entire obedience of thy Sonne the expiation of all his sinnes and disobediences and may firmely imbrace and lay hold on his perfect righteousnes with the which being prepared and cloathed he may find peace with thee and boast himselfe in and of the hope of thy glory even in the very midst of his troubles And that thus the sorrowes of the curse wherewith thou visitest him in his body may be sweetened thorow the rest and contentment of his soule that if it be thy good pleasure to raise him up againe from this sicknes and to prolong his dayes as thou doest not thereof as yet bereave him of good hope give him grace to use them aright to thy glory and that perpetually nourishing the memory of this gracious favour received from thee it may serve to consecrate the remainder of his life to serve and honour thee with so much the greater affection and zeale And to this end give him to receive this sicknes as a fatherly chastisement comming from thy hand to awaken and to withdraw him from his sinnes and to make him take up an holy resolution by thy grace all the dayes of his life thorowly to make a deep impression in his memory of his duty and of that obedience whereunto hereby he stands obliged unto thee to walk in thy feare more purely and more affectionately for the time to come then he hitherto hath done Blesse unto him the remedies which thou permittest him to use whereby to receive ease in his disease moderate the sharpnes of his griefs and shorten the course of them if thou knowest it to be expedient for him that thereby he may have a subject of glorifying thee and of rendring
Col. 2.15 dispoiled the principalities and powers of hell which hee openly led in show triumphing over them in the same I doubt not but this enemie of our salvation will performe his utmost against you to astonish and trouble our faith For as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 5.8 9. Our adversarie the Devill goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure But Saint Peter addeth That we must resist him being strong in faith Resist you the Devill the same saith S. Iames ch 4.7 and hee will flye from you Now to resist and overcome him you must be furnished with the armour of God whereof S. Paul speaketh to the Ephesians chap. 6. ver 16. Taking above all as he saith the shield of faith by the which you may quench all the fierie darts of the Devill Against the apprehension of the judgement of God THere remaineth the feare you may happily take of the judgement of God before whom you must appeare But wheron now shall this apprehension be founded Seeing your sinnes shall not be imputed unto you seeing you shall not be condemned thereby unto death seeing it shall be to no purpose for Satan there to accuse you you being there absolv'd and justified by the grace of God This is the doctrine which S. Paul affords us Rom. 8.32.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Thus then you must indeed appeare before God but not as before a severe and rigorous judge but rather as before a mercifull and an appeased Father towards us in Iesus Christ By Iesus Christ I say whom you have himselfe for an Advocat and Intercessor with the Father Now he shall not be denied by the Father in his request for you by Iesus Christ whose member you are Now there is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ saith Saint Paul Rom. 8.1 By Iesus Christ in the end in whom you believe Now he that believeth in me saith he hath eternall life and he shall not come into condemnation but rather is passed from death unto life Is not this then Sir your faith and firm beliefe that by the benefit of our Lord Iesus Christ you have the remission of your sins Iohn 5.24 That you are saved from eternall death and set free from the rigor of the judgment of God and that by consequent Satan cannot prejudice or bring you any hurt by his accusations and temptations and that your bodily death cannot but he happy and profitable to you every way One must also draw from the sicke a protestation of his charity towards his neighbour FInally Sir it being so that faith worketh by charity and necessarily produceth it seeing it hath pleased God that you are at peace with him by faith you must also be at one and in peace with all your brethren and neighbours thorow true Christian charity And therefore tell us if you renounce from your heart all hatred rancour and enmity against all men without any exception and do desire the welfare and salvation of all in generall and of every one in particular as your very owne Yes I do Do you not forgive honestly and with a good heart all them who have any way whatsoever it be offended you as also reciprocally you do ask forgivenes of all them whom you have any way offended Yes Now Sir must we herewithall addresse our prayer unto God to the end it would please him to strengthen you in the faith which he hath given you and to make more and more to abound in you all graces it is your part to humble your selfe with us before him and to lift up unto him your heart to implore his mercy from the depth of your soule A Prayer for the sicke in whom there shal be likelihood of death O Lord our good God and mercifull Father we are indeed every way unworthy to lift up our eyes towards thee for the multitude and grievousnesse of our sinnes and transgressions wherewith we are tainted and blemished before thy face But it is not in the confidence of our owne worthinesse that we dare presume to present our selves at the feet of thy sacred Majestie but rather in the assurance of thy great compassions and the perfect obedience which thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord hath performed unto thee in our name with whose righteousnesse we beseech thee to cover and adorne us with thy grace that thorow him and in thy favour we may be reconciled and acceptable But now we beseech thee O good God be pleased particularly to impart this great mercy unto this thy poore child and servant cast downe under thy mighty hand a poore sinner indeed and such a sinner as should for ever remaine overwhelmed under the heavy waight and rigour of thy soveraigne justice if thou affoordest not him thy infinite mercy Graunt him grace more and more to enter into a serious examination and acknowledgment of his sinnes that thereby he may conceive a true detestation of them which may beget in him true repentance and may further him and put him on forward unto an entire and absolute deniall of himselfe to have his whole refuge unto thee and to thy mercy in the meane time receive him graciously Lord shew unto him a fatherly countenance establish him and comfort him say unto his soule I am he that is able to ensafe thee dispose his heart to receive patiently and with thankfulnesse this fatherly correction which thou sendest him and to resigne up wholly himselfe into thy hands to range himselfe peaceably unto whatsoe're it shall please thee out of thy sacred wisdome to ordaine for him Lord thou knowest better then he himself or we either whether is more expedient for him that he should live or die If thy good pleasure be he shall live let it be that he may live wholly unto thee So as that having well profited by these thy chastisements he may learn to love thee to honour and serve thee all the dayes of his life in the midst of thy Church by studying perpetually therein to bring forth the fruits of pietie and holines worthy of thy Gospell and beseeming the child of such a Father and the service of such a Master And so thou mayest be glorified in him and his neighbours edified But if otherwise it be thy will to take him out of this miserable world give him assurance that it shal be to put him in possession of thy heavenly kingdome which thou hast prepared for him before the foundation of the world and which thy Son hath purchased for him by the merit of his death To this end O Father of light from whom descendeth every good and perfect gift be pleased to give unto him a true and a lively faith wherewith he may seeke find and lay hold on
thy mercy for his sins and true righteousnes in the obedience of the same thy deare Son Iesus Christ our Lord who was delivered up unto death for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification Yea ascended into heaven to take possession thereof in our name and by that meanes give us accesse and entrance thither whence sinne had banished us Imprint in his heart by the Power of thy holy Spirit a full certainty of all these thy graces that thereby he may be enabled to repose himself peaceably in thy mercy and to overcome happily all temptations and crosses which Satan and his owne flesh would lay before him to trouble the serenitie and cleerenesse of his faith and the tranquillitie of his conscience Let not his sinnes then plunge him into despaire seeing they have been so fully payed and satisfied unto thy justice not by gold or silver but by the precious bloud of thy Christ as by that Lamb without spot and blemish Let not death affright him seeing that sinne being destroyed and abolisht in him which is the sting of death it may remaine unto him disarmed and without power to hurt him Yea that his soule being separated from his body by corporall death it shal be to go unto thee victorious and freed from the captivity of sin therby to tast thorow the fruition of it that blessed life which he hath not tasted of in this world but by hope leaving indeed his body in the earth but not for ever but rather to be refined transformed and made in due time conformable to the glorious body of his head by the benefit of his resurrection Let not Satan daunt him any more seeing he cannot hurt him but by sinne and death the dominion whereof he hath lost in his behalfe Assure him in the end that in vain that accuser shall lay ought to his charge at the throne of thy justice seeing that he being already absolved and justified by thy grace there is no Iudge that can condemn him Let it be thy good pleasure also O good God to shew thy fatherly mercy unto all other sicke persons comfort and strengthen them according as thou knowest they have need thereof And above all graunt them the grace to embrace evermore with a true and a lively faith thy mercie in Iesus Christ that therein they may find all matter of comfort Graunt also unto us all that grace Lord that by this example we may profit and learne to renounce the world and our selves to imploy those few dayes we have here below to live to meditate on thy wisdome to walk carefully in thy feare to weane our hearts from the vanities of this life to raise them up to the meditation and expectation of the celestiall life And to this end to be alwayes prepared and in a readinesse to appeare before thee in assurance to be entertained and received in thy great mercie even for thy deare Son Iesus Christ our Lord his sake In whose Name we beseech thee O Father of mercie to heare us and in all other which thou knowest better then we our selves to be necessarie for us and this for thy poore servant as we pray unto thee in that forme of prayer which he himselfe hath commanded us to offer up unto thee Our Father which art in heaven c. Lord increase that faith which thou hast planted in the heart of this thy servant and child defend him with it as with a strong shield wherewith he may be inabled to quench all the fierie darts of the evill one And graunt that persevering constantly in the same unto the last gaspe of his life he may evermore at the least in heart make thereof unto thee a pure and Christian confession as we will presently do both with heart and mouth I believe in God the Father Almighty c. Such is his Faith Lord as also ours give the grace to live and die in the same thorough Iesus Christ thy Sonne our Lord who in the unitie of the Holy Ghost liveth and raigneth with thee God eternally Amen If the sicke person continue long time and yet alwayes with appearance of danger of death it shal be good to repeate unto the sicke now and then some of the aforesaid consolations but especially those which serve to assure him and to strengthen him against the temptations and combats of conscience And if happily the sicke person bee troubled with raving and fond imaginations or otherwise be not of perfect memorie and good understanding to heare any long discourse in a continued speech there shal not be used unto him other then short sentences such short questions as these here following also such as these or others the like And but talking to him by respits and some pauses interposed SIr you must take a good heart It is the fatherly hand of God which visits you for your good and welfare For unto them that love God all things do work together for their good Lift up your heart unto God to confesse unto him your sinnes and offences and to imbrace by faith his mercy in Iesus Christ which he hath promised unto all those that repent and believe in him Have you not alwayes a good assurance in the mercie of God and a stedfast faith in Iesus Christ your Saviour Yes Do you not believe that Iesus Christ died for your sinnes and rose againe for your justification Rom. 4.25 Yes Believe you not that he hath been made unto you by the Father wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 I do Do you not believe that you are freely justified by the grace of God thorow the redemption which is in Iesus Christ Yes According to your faith doubt not but God will free you and securely protect you from perdition and give you everlasting life For God gave his Sonne that whosoever shall believe in him shall not perish but rather have everlasting life Iohn 16. Feare not death seeing by faith you imbrace Iesus Christ who is your life I am saith he the resurrection and the life He that believeth in me although he were dead he shall live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me he shall never die Iohn 11.25.26 If your sinnes trouble and disquiet you have recourse ever by faith unto Iesus Christ and you shall find rest for your soule Come unto me saith he Matth. 11.28 you that labour and are heavie laden and I will ease you Feare not the rigour of Gods justice For there is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ So saith the Apostle S. Paul Rom. 8.1 And who is he saith he Rom. 8.32.33 who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifies who is he that shall condemne It is Christ which died or rather which is more which is risen againe who also is at the right hand of God and who maketh intercession for us Be not loath to leave this miserable life which as S. Iames saith chap. 4.14
into thy welbeloved Sonne acknowledg Lord the mark of thine adoption in him We know O God of inestimable puritie that our sinnes drive us back far away from thee But thy deare Sonne who is made for us by thee wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption not only washeth us with his bloud to becom acceptable unto thee but withall maketh giveth us entrance into thy Sanctuary boldnes by his death to approch with assurance to the throne of thy grace to be heard in due time Graunt grace unto this sick person to free the point of death with an holy and Christian resolution Redouble his courage at that present houre that his soule is upon the point to behold thy face wherein is fulnesse of joy And amidst the violent dartings of those sighs which accompanie the last acts of his life give him perfect clearâ—esse of judgement accompanied with calmenesse of spirit evermore to acknowledge his true and only God that drawes him out of the desarts of this world to live happy in the Heavenly Ierusalem and who withdrawes him out of the bottomlesse depths of wretchednes to bring him to live in heaven heaped with eternall blessings Command thy holy Angels which thou incampest round about those that feare thee and which watch for the welfare and safety of thy children that they beare the soule of this thy servant up into heaven the sacred Temple of thy glory most gloriously resplendant with happinesse and honour where he shall clearely see that which his spirit adores here below and where he shall injoy that divine and celestiall harmonie which the blessed Spirits make unto thee uncessantly and the eternall joyes which cannot be valued and where he shall live in continuall admiration of those incomprehensible bounties in the presence of his Spouse thy beloved Sonne Iesus Christ To whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory for evermore So be it 4. Another Prayer to bee said when the Sicke is in extremity 37. O Lord our good God and most mercifull Father who being overcome with the bowels of thy tender mercies hast sent down thy beloved Sonne to save sinners and hast been pleased that this thy Sonne was bound to loose us condemned to absolve and free us that he died to give us life yea that he was made a curse to the end that we might be made a blessing of God in him We beseech thee to graunt this grace unto this sick person to repose and relye himselfe on the certainty of faith for the full remission of his sinnes upon that entire and perfect satisfaction which thy deare Sonne whose bloud was once offered up to abolish the sinnes of many hath made unto theâ— upon the Crosse For it is certaine that thou wilt not the death of a sinner but that he be converted and live Thou bruisest not in thy displeasure those that thou hast redeemed by his death thou dost not precipitate into that eternall gulfe those whom thou hast ingrafted and regenerated in that great Mediator and Saviour of the world when as calling upon thy mercy they shal be converted with their whole heart unto thee That when Satan our adversarie who like a roaring Lion goeth about us endeavouring to devoure us maketh himself a party against this sick person in this his last conflict setting before him the checkroule and catologue of his sinnes and thy rigorous judgment to astonish and to precipitate him into despaire give him grace to shield and ward himselfe as with a target and buckler to repell and beat back the fierie darts of that enemie with the truth and assurance that the bloud of thy Sonne Iesus cleanseth from all sinne Fortifie then and animate O God of invincible power and our firme hope this thy child with the strength of thy Holy Spirit at this present houre that his soule being disburdened of the miseries which presse him yea set free from the captivitie of his body is ready to go unto thee And in that houre wherin the earth claimeth in his person what we have borrowed of her have pitie Lord on thine owne image and despise not the works of thy hands Behold Lord the teares the plaints the sighes the groanes and the contrition of the heart of this sicke person and our prayers that we may acknowledge in his person thy clemency the mother of our hope thy succours the source of our life and that indeed thou art our sacred and saving refuge And as for us which remaine in this vale of miserie graunt us this grace that as thy people being captive in Babilon had the comfort to direct and lift up their eyes towards Ierusalem the place wherein thou didst manifest unto them thy glorious and gracious presence that even so amidst the captivitie of this world where we see nothing but confusion and where vice raigneth and thy honour is dis-esteemed we may have our eyes towards thee as on the sole object and subject of our joy and rejoycing seeing in thy face is the fulnes of joy and at thy right hand are perfect pleasures for evermore Even so O thou God of inestimable bounty and goodnes and who hast chosen us out of the world to follow thy holy will we beseech thee that when thou shalt call us out of this world to place our soules in the company of those who by faith have overcome Kingdomes have done righteousnesse and have obtained the promises and who are written in the Booke of Life of the Lamb. In the meane time O Lord arme us with patience and in the midst of our troubles make us sensible by a lively feeling that our light affliction which is transient and soone over produceth in us a waight of glory wonderfully excellent and that leaving by death these visible things which are but of small continuance we shall injoy those that are now invisible to our eyes which are abiding for ever in Iesus Christ and by Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory for ever Amen 5. A Prayer when the sick is in some grievous perplexitie 38. O God and Father of all mercy who art wise in thy counsels true in thy word and admirable in thy works yea who keepest thy deare children as the apple of thine eye In as much as now we see that now it is even at this time that it wil be thy pleasure to withdraw this thy sick child out of this mortall world We beseech thee enter not into account with him to punish him nor reprove him in thy displeasure neither chasten him in thy wrath But remember Lord he hath beene called in thy Church and in the number of thine Elect to be washed and sanctified by thy grace in the name of Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne who took upon him our griefs and hath undergone the burden of our sorrowes that by his wounds we might receive health whereof his baptisme hath beene the badge Wash then Lord who art in
Ap 21 New Ierusalem The prayers of the Saints Reuel 8 4. Prayer breakes through all Act. 12.7 The prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Iam 5.15 Wisedome cryeth in the streetes Proue 1.20 THE RIGHT WAY to Heauen Prayers and Meditations of the Faithfull Soule with the Spirituall morning Sacrifice and Consolations for the Sicke By Peter D. Mâ—â—lin These were strangers and pilgrimes in the earth Act. 1â— 13 London Printed for George Edwardes and are sold in the Old Baily in Greene Arbor at the Angell 1630. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull truly religious and vertuous Lady Mary Crooke wife to the Right Worshipfull Sir George Crooke Knight one of His Majesties reverend and learned Iudges of the Kings Bench. Madame AS Speech is the Character of man that is the image of his heart and mind and be the Image of God so silence whilst it is a seasonable and discreet suspension thereof becomes a man in its time and place unseasonable use of either offensive and obnoxious to censure The excesse is branded for a nullifier of Religion whilst it makes it vaine The seeming defect finds some approbation in moralitie Nam nulli racuisse nocet nocet esse locurum I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it this untun'd not this sweete singer yet made him fall upon a large rest which it served not to impeach but rather to improve his spirituall melodie Often suddaine and unexpected accidents produce semblable effects Zacharias silenc't for his want of faith yet after Ward enabled both with his heart and tongue to praise God and to sing a Benedictus That Saepe taccâ—s vocem verbaque vultuâ— habet Who holds his peace hath yet a voice that bewrayes him and his countenance beares words with it Yea a delinquent in the one or an offendor in the other as farre as either are exempt from the mixture of the leaven of malice deserves an indulgent construction and exemption from all imputation either of surquedrie or sullennesse as different circumstances may accordingly induce dissimilitude as of affect in one so of affection in another Hac ego si compellar imagine This plaine yet true version of these sacred expressions Holy Prayers and Meditations of a faithfull soule so truly stiled by their Author so well knowne to all to be a reverend and worthy Divine of the French reformed Church I present and dedicate to your Ladiship The end herein proposed to my selfe being the same with that of my Authors which none can justly either question or quarrel at to wit the advancement of this part of Gods worship so ' much languishing in the cold if not frozen deuotions of many and opposed by the giddie practice of mothen a good many that so farre nauzeate Prayer publike especially that in their unkindly and misguided zeale they endeavour by one Ordinance of God to shoulder out another Prayer by Preaching God hath stiled his House the House of Prayer Now what my well meant paines herein cals mine I wish may finde acceptance with you as I do humbly tender resigne the same unto you not so much for supply of a supposed want in your own particular of these Spirituall helps to devotion as for a testimony of observance and due respect Where my obligation is so great When I plowed with mine own heifer a smiling autumn failed not to crown those weaker performances with a plenteous lasting crop for after-use But to usher in these Holy Prayers and sacred expressions of a faithfull Soule into the approbation and use of all that know their Author or his works His name as I suppose will suffice And hence is it Madame that I presume of your good allowance for them to beare your name in their Frontispice that thereby others may be excited and induced to the perusall and use of them in the frequent practice both of this sacred duty and of the works of mercy whereunto the other subsequent Tractates annex't do invite The perusall of which as in order they stand rankt with like good affection I commend to those your Olive branches that stand about your table to whom any tie of precedent relation may iustly claime my respect All which I shall not faile to second with continuance of my daily prayers for your Ladiships health and happinesse both in your stemme and branches and will ever rest At your Ladiships service and command RICHARD BAILY A Table of the Matters contained in this present Book in order as they stand A 1. A Prayer and Meditation of the faithfull Soule 2 A Prayer for the Morning 3 A â—raâ—er fâ—â— the Evening 4 A Prayer of Thanksgiving for the accomplâ—shmeâ—t of his Ansâ—er made to Mounsieur the Cardinall of Perroun 5. A â—rayer in â—orme of a Confession 6. Another â—raâ—er 7 A Prayer fâ—r he Communion 8. A Thankâ—giving after the Communion 9 A â—onfession 10. A Prayer fâ—r the Morning 11. A â—rayer for the Evening 12. Another Prayer for the Morning 13. Another Prayer for the Evening 14. A Prayer in the time of the Plague 15 A Prayer touching the Creation 16. A Morning Prayer 17 An Evening Prayer 18. A Prayer for the obtaining of victorie 19. A Prayer for the Preservation of the Church 20. Another Prayer for the Church 21. A Prayer to have our hearts set on Spirituall things and to renounce the world 22. A Thanksgiving and a Prayer on the same Subject 23. A Prayer to be filled with charitie 24. The Kings Prayer 25. Another Prayer of the Kings Chron. 1. 26. The Peoples Prayer for the King 27. A Prayer of the faithfull who fervently desireth to be made partaker of the publâ—ke exercises whereof he was deprived 28. Another Prayer out of the 2 Epistle of S John 29. The Holy Spirituall Morning Song 30. A Consolation for the Sicke 31. A Prayer for the Sicke in whom there is no appearance of death 32. A Prayer for the sicke in whom there shal be a likelihood of death 33. Another Prayer for the sicke 34. A singular Prayer for a person greatly afflicted with sicknes which seemeth to approach neaâ—er unto death then to life 35. A Prayer against the apprehension of death 36. A Continued Sequell or an Vnintermitted Course of Comforts and Prayers for the sicke and therein these Prayers 37. A Prayer when the sicke is in perplexitie 38. A Prayer when the sicke is neare unto death 39. Another Prayer in distresse 40. Another Prayer when the sicke iâ— in some grievous perplexitie 41. A Prayer the sicke being in extremitie 42. Another Prayer unto Iesus Christ the Great Soveraigne Shepheard of our Soules for the sicke in his extremitie 43. A Prayer for Divine assistance to the sicke 44. A Prayer after the sicke hath given up the Ghost for the comfort of the by standers Whereunto is added A Morning Prayer An Evening Prayer A short Catechisme to prepare People for the receiving of the Lords Supper THE PRAYER AND MEDITATION of the
drawne dry thy arme is not shortened nor thine eare growne heavie of hearing but our iniquities are they which make this sepation between thee and us which take thou away by thy mercy and by the intercession of our Saviour Iesus Christ It is thou that hast crusht the Dragon and bruised the head of that old Serpent and who by the blood of thy Covenant hast drawne us out of the pit where there was no water having vanquished hell by the death of thy Sonne thou then great God that hast pluckt us from out the talons of the Divell wilt thou not deliver us from the hands of men thou which hast saved us from hell wilt thou not deliver us from the power of the world O Eternall Lord thou wilt do it and wilt not forsake us but rather having chastised us in measure thou wilt make us sensible of thy comforts and wilt cause to shine upon us thy face in ioy and in salvation least wee faint thorow our infirmity and least we be overcome through the length and hardnesse of the temptation for so also Lord hast thou promised and thy promises are certain thy word more firm then heauen and earth thou hast promised us by the mouth of thine own Sonne not to forsake us and to be with us even to the end of the world thou numberest our haires thou receivest our sighes thou puttest up our teares into thy bottles he that toucheth thy children toucheth the apple of thine eye thou causest thine Angels to pitch their camps about them that feare thee deare and precious is their death in thy presence Doe then O God according to thy word and let the Angell of thy face march before us let thy protection be round about us as a wall of fire thou that stillest the waves of the sea and the insurrections of the people and which holdest the hearts of Kings in thine hands as the rivers of waters curbe the furie of the people and give unto our King thoughts of peace estrange farre from him the Counsels of violence frustrate the expectation of our enemies who alreadie have devoured us in hope dissipate their counsels thou that surprisest the wise in their subtilties which knowest the depths of Satan and piercest with thine eyes into the counsels of the sonne of perdition whom thou wilt discomfite with the breath of thy mouth and wilt beate downe all power which opposeth it selfe against thine but if our iniquities beare witnesse against us and make us unworthy to see so excellent a worke do it for thine owne sake for though we be unworthy to be heard thou art worthy to be glorified wherefore suffer not Satan to triumph and reioyce at the dissipation of thy Church and that thy holy Name is without punishment blasphemed Awake then O God thy jealousie and the blustering motions of thy fatherly affections unbare and tucke up the arme of thy holinesse and let the ends of the earth see thy salvation remember thy ancient compassions and thy covenant with thy people Remember the bloud of thy children spilt in abundance which cryeth for vengeance from the earth We confesse indeed that we have need to be humbled and that thy Church hath need to be purged againe and therefore it is that thou takest the fanne into thy hand to repurge thy floore and raisest the wind of persecution which serveth to carry away chaffe and to expell hypocrites But withall O good God amidst this tribulation the weak do faint and the good are oppressed and partake in the affliction and Idolatrie gathereth strength and the night of ignorance groweth thicker and thy holy Name is blasphemed and the doctrine of salvation trampled under foot by thy adversaries Therefore is it that we beseech thee O Father of mercie that if thou wilt afflict us that we may not fall into the hands of men but that we may fall into thine owne hands for thy compassions are great for men hate us not for that we have offended thee but because wee defend thy quarrell and because thy Name is called upon by us and renouned upon us the blood-suckers thirst after our blood not to ease the patient but to satisfie their lust Above all things O God and most gracious Father continue unto us thy word and afflict us rather with all other manner of affliction in this life then to take from us that light sith it is the testimonie of thy favor towards us our priviledge amongst all people and the way to come to thy kingdome that our children may be instructed therein and mâ—y be heires of thy Coveâ—â—nt after us and that our dayes may be finished in thy favour may be followed with an age wherin thy truth may shine forth againe and the kingdome of thy Sonne Iesus Christ may take a great increase and by preserving unto us this preaching of the Gospell in the purity thereof give it efficacie in our hearts and breake not in thy anger the strength of this spirituall bread Rather Lord make the feare of this light incite and rowse us up to make our profit thereof and to redeeme the time and to further and carrie us on forward in this way whilst we have the light and let evils wherewith thou visitest us be wholesome remedies unto us and an instruction for our soules and let them serve to recollect our faith and to draw from out our hearts fervent prayers and that the deliverance which it shal please thee to graunt us may make us know thy fatherly love towards us which shall accompanie us the rest of our dayes till we be retired out of this vale of miserie to put us in possession of thy kingdome that we may leave after us thy Church peaceable the breaches of thy house repaired and thy service purely establisht to the glory of thy great Name and the salvation of many by thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Es c. 26. v. 12. 13. Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our workes in us O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee onely will we make mention of thy name Ver. 20. Come my people enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doores about thee hide thy selfe as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be overpast Morning Prayer 2. O Our good God and gracious Father we thy poore creatures present our selves before thy face acknowledging that we are great sinners who cease not to offend thee in thought word and deed ingratefull for thy benefits full of diffidence and incredulitie more affectioned to the things of this world then unto thy service But there is mercie with thee for thou lovest not the death of a sinner but that he should convert and live and hast given us thine own Sonne that we beleeving in him might not perish but have life everlasting Thou hast commanded us to call upon thee with promise to give us
ended not my labour in thy praise O God that hast strengthened and enabled me It is thou whose strength is perfected in our weakenesse it is thou that choosest the lowly and meane to confound the strong and who in the weaknesse of the instruments thou imployest displayest the greatnesse of thy strength not unto us but to thy Name give the glory and the honour for who are we that we should be able to beare so great a burthen and what is our strength to sustaine so great a combat But that very Truth it self which we defend giveth strength to them that defend it and thou deniest not them thy succours that in defending thy cause have no other end but the glory of thy holy Name It 's thou my God who having been favourable to me from the beginning of my dayes wilt not forsake me in my old age and wilt make it yet profitable to the edification of thy Church being beaten with sundrie afflictions plucked from my flock bewailing the pressure of thy People disfurnisht with all necessarie aydes for so great a worke travelled of a sicknesse almost this two yeares which hath brought me within two inches of the graue and having in my ordinary vocation a sufficient taske to take up a whole man yet even against all appearance I have taken in hand this great labour and against my expectation am come to the end thereof through thy assistance I also hope O my God that thou wilt make fruitfull thy servants labor to the end to draw into the right way the minds of those who wilfully go not out of the way and who err but thorow want of instruction Against mine inclination I have imployed a multitude of humane testimonies in this worke for I know that thy Word alone is the rule of our faith and receiueth not men for judges in thy cause and I know well that a word which commeth forth of thy mouth is more worth then all the writings of all men But we are hurried away with the streame and are constrained to give place to the maladie of this age which holding thy word suspected as a dangerous booke searcheth into the writings of men wherwith to arme themselves against divine rules Wee shew unto the advocats of errour that they lose their cause even before the Arbitrators whom they have chosen but O God thou art mighty good to bring forth an age wherein thy Word alone shal be listened unto and whereunto for the sole unfolding and deciding of doubts thy Sonnes mouth shall onely be consulted withall Grant it O God and Father of all mercy and author of all consolation pittie the people that stoupe and stand still in so profound darknes cause to shine forth the brightnesse of thy Word before the eyes of all Nations as for me having traverst and struck through a way ful of thornes and with many infirmities defects which are in me sustained the contradiction of an age contrary to thy Word I am glad perceiving the time to draw nigh of my repose and my task to be so soone finished But thou O God wilt raise up workmen who with better successe shall labour in thy harvest and whom thou wilt cloath with thy Spirit in greater measure to defend thy holy Truth Lord it is thy cause Lord it is for thy sake that we are hated Awake thy jealousie and thine ancient compassions upon the people whom thou hast redeemed that many soules may be saved and thy holy name glorified for Lord though we be worthy to be forsaken and unworthy to be releeved yet ever art thou worthy to be glorified It is indeed a small matter that we are afflicted were it not that amidst our afflictions thy truth is oppressed and thy holy name blasphemed Attend then O God and Father of all consolation and heare and pardon for thine owne sake thou art wise in thy counsels just in thy judgements mighty to execute thy will but withall thou art full of tender compassion and true true in thy words Do then O Lord according to thy promise for thou hast promised not to forsake vs but to bee with us to the end of the world Thou that hast redeemed us from the power of Satan by the death of thy Sonne wilt deliver us also from the hands of those which oppresse us the time commeth and is not long to that out of the ashes of that burning which seeme extinguisht thou wilt cause to come forth a great brightnesse and wilt confound the tongues of Babell and wilt cause to fall outright the seat of the sonne of perdition In the meane time we will possesse our soules in patience whilst the full measure of their iniquitie be heaped up and we expect from heaven our Lord Iesus who will come to examine our cause and to render unto every one according to his workes Amen A Prayer to be said going to the Communion 5. LOrd great God have pitie on me a miserable sinner and grant me grace to lay hold on my Saviour by true faith and that being called to this holy and sacred banquet in the number of thy faithfull and elect and truly repenting of my transgressions and sinnes my soule may receive her spirituall nourishment the true bread of life which giveth salvation to the world looke upon me desiring ever to receive this holy and sacred spirituall meat Amen A thanksgiving after the Communion received 6. O My Saviour and my God I render unto thee humble thanks for the great benefit which thou hast this day bestowed on me as having thy selfe for a ransome for me for having pluckt me out of the pawes of the Divell and out of the depths of hell whither so many enormious sinnes had plunged me guide me by thy Spirit and give me grace that in overcomming the concupiscence of the world and the flesh I may finish the rest of my dayes in thy feare Amen HOLY PRAYERS A Prayer in forme of a Confession 7. LOrd my God and Father Almightie and most gracious to thy children I cast downe my selfe in thy presence acknowledging my selfe a poore and miserable creature guilty of high treason against thy divine Majestie For O my God I came into the world tainted with sinne polluted with iniquitie and through my evill conversation I have thorow the whole course of my life exceedingly augmented the same I have made infinite the number of my transgressions I have beene over unthankfull for so many blessings wherof it hath pleased thy bounty to afford me the fruition too often have I opposed to thy infinite goodnesse extreame ingratitude by my hypocrisie and dissimulation I have made my selfe utterly unworthy of that freedome and faithfulnesse wherewith thou hast entertained me I have beene deafe to thy admonitions have stopped mine eare at thy Word I have estranged my heart from thy instructions the feare of men hath hindred me from making free publike profession of thy Truth I have more feared the world
varietie of formes wherewith thou hast distinguisht them and as thou now bringest upon the earth the brightnes of the day and of the Sun bring also Lord upon my soule the brightnes of thy holy Spirit that according to the mesure that my arms shal be imployed for the maintenance of my body the thoughts of my soule may be engaged in the invocating of thy holy grace thorow the conduct wherof wee may walke so on thorough the wayes of this sensuall and corruptible world that I may not go astray from the celestiall and incorruptible That if my senses deceived by the pleasing baites and delicious objects which offer themselves in the world would seduce my reason hold them back Lord by the hope of pleasures infinitely greater which are proposed to them which live according to thy holy will and by the feare of the paines 〈◊〉 number 〈◊〉 â—â—out measure which 〈◊〉 them that forsake the way of thy commandements to follow that of their flesh And seeing that to lead me to thy mercy thou hast been pleased that the Author of light that eternall wisedome came downe upon earth and there abode for a time that he might converse amongst us to light the lamp of our soules by the fire of thy holy Word Infuse Lord by the same bounty the cleare light which thou hast put therein by the operation of thy holy Spirit that in thy wedding day we finding our selves adorned with the wedding garment of thy grace we may be led into the participation of thy celestiall glory A Prayer for the Evening 19. LOrd in as much as thine unsearchable wisdome hath been pleased to divide our whole life into labour and rest and every one of our dayes into light and darknes and yet appointest them both to serve thy glory Now at this houre that it hath pleased thee to shut in this day and to call me from my labour to sleepe I lift up my hands unto thee and offer unto thee for an Evening Sacrifice my heart and my tongue and revolving and ruminating in my thoughts that favour wherewith thou hast from morning unto this evening sustained my life conducted my actions guided my steps directed my hands governed my thoughts turned away the temptations of the world I forme in my voice in the best manner I am able a thanksgiving and song of praise to thy infinite goodnesse And therefore albeit I know well that in my works there is a great deale more want then good yea not to file upon the account but that which proceedeth from my self the whole must needs be damnable I conjure thy sacred mercy that it will make them acceptable by powring forth on them that infinite grace which thy deare Son hath purchased for the world which alone giveth perfection and sanctification unto all the actions of men Now that I go to yeeld my eyes unto sleepe graunt my body may take rest in bed my soule withall may repose in the bosome of thy Son Iesus Christ And thy Holy Spirit watching over me may remove far away froÌ„ me all unclean concupiscences foolish imaginations and uncouth dreames and deliver me from all feare saving from that of thy sacred and severe judgment and so moderate the course of my sleep that repairing my strength of body it may not lull it asleep in idlenes but let me awake at a fit houre and exercise my self in holy prayer thus all the dayes of my life sliding on one after another untill it shall please thee to change this temporall into an eternall rest thorow the intercession of him that hath purchased as with the price of his bloud our SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST Amen A Prayer for our finall obtaining of victorie by Iesus Christ. 20. O Almighty God sith we are filled with so many concupiscences which must needs pollute the pure and sacred gifts of thy Holy Spirit graunt we may take in good part the chastisements which thou sendest us to tame and bring under the said concupiscences and that as we acknowledg thee to be our shepheard we may yeeld up our selves to be governed by thy shepheards staffe profiting daily under thy chastisements and tasting in thy severitie of thy bounty that we may not be discouraged but walking on forward thorow mis-reports and disgraces yea even thorow the midst of death for thy Names sake that we may rejoyce in thee esteeming all things losse for the price of the knowledge of thy Sonne who giveth the same Spirit that hath sanctified us which also strengtheneth us That being partakers of that unction of the Holy Ghost we may withall be partakers of the victorie of thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST A Prayer for the preservation of the Church 21. ETernall Lord God strong pitifull mercifull slow to anger abundantly plentifull in thy free mercy and truth keeping Covenant to a thousand generations taking away iniquity transgression and sin We beseech thee that we may find favour before thine eyes pardon our iniquities and our sins and possesse us fill us with thy Spirit in wisdome in understanding in knowledge teach us that which we are to do so that we may apply our hearts to thy Word and may not hold on our course of sinning nor follow the multitude to do evill But that we may seriously obey thy voice keep thy covenant may be ranked amongst all people thy most precious jewell although all the earth is thine and we are unto thee a kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation dwell thou in the midst of us and be our God Preserve our houses and when thou shalt passe thorow the countrey â—o strike and to exercise judgement let there be no wound unto destruction among us bedeaw with the bloud of the Lamb our threshold and both our doore-posts look upon that bloud and passe by the doore and suffer not the destroyer to enter into our houses to strike that we may know thou puttest a difference between the Egyptians and the Israelites Graunt thy children may grow and increase into exceeding great abundance may be multiplied and reinforced mightily so that even the earth may be replenished with them and the more it shall afflict them the more they may multiplie in all abundance Be moved with compassion towards them which sigh and crie let their crie come up unto thee looke downe upon their affliction Another Prayer for the Church 22. LOrd thou takest no pleasure in the death of a sinner but hadst rather that he should turne from his way and live Powre not forth thy furie upon us heape not thy wrath upon us judge us not after our wayes but let thine eye spare us and have compassion upon us for we are thy sheep the sheep of thy pasture and thou art our God Hide not then thy face from us but powre forth thy Spirit upon us Graunt we may have all but one heart and put into us a new spirit Take from us our heart of stone give us a heart of flesh that we may walk in
thy statutes may keep thy ordinances may do them and be thy people and thou our God So shalt thou make known the Name of thy holines in the midst of us shalt be sanctified in us in the presence of the Nations and we will consider in our hearts will regard and look on with our eyes will hearken unto with our eares what ere thou speakest unto us concerning all thy ordinances and thy Lawes Save thy flocke that it may not become a prey raise up Pastors thy servants that may feed it with wholsome food And let them whom thou hast set for watchmen in thine house hearken to the words of thy mouth and give warning from thee Give them a mouth opened amongst us that the sheep which are dispersed thorow the want of a shepheard and which are exposed to be devoured and they which err and are strayed out of the way over the whole surface of the earth may be drawn home and gathered in and that thou maiest feed them and give them rest seek out that which is lost bring back that which is driven away bind up that which is broken strengthen that which is sick and those that are afarr off amongst the Nations and those that are scattered upon the earth be thou unto them a safe Sanctuarie in the countries wherein they are Sanctifie thy great Name which hath been prophaned among the Nations let them know that thou art the Lord that thou maist be sanctified among them and that the earth may shine abroad with thy glorie A Prayer to be affected with Spirituall things and to renounce the world 23. LOrd we are rebellious against thy Truth and have not been obedient to thy righteousnes nor have put in practise thy Law whence our condemnation is just Yet Lord saith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes Graunt it may be so also imputed to us and that we may obtaine mercy Seeing Christ died for us and he is the end of the Law righteousnes unto all beleevers and that whosoever beleeveth in him shall not be confounded And for that they that are according to the flesh are affectioned to the things of the flesh but they that are according to the spirit unto the things of the spirit And in as much as the affection of the flesh is death but the affection of the spirit is life and peace Let thy Spirit dwell in us and let us put on the Lord Iesus Christ and let us not be carefull for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Knowing that Christ being risen againe from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him For in that he died he died once for sinne but in that he liveth he liveth unto thee Also we summe up thus our account that we are dead unto sin but live unto thee in Iesus Christ our Lord and that we shall appeare all before his judgment-Seat and that every one of us shall render an account for himself Let then thy feare be before our eyes having in horror all evill cleaving unto that which is good that we lay no stumbling block or occasion of falling before our brother but may walk in charity loving our neighbor as our selves being fervent in spirit serving thee joyfull in hope patient in tribulations persevering in prayer That we may offer up our bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing unto thee which is our reasonable service and let us not fashion our selves unto this present world But let us be transformed by the renewing of our understanding that we may search out what thy good pleasant and perfect wil is And be it that we live we may live unto thee be it wv die we may die unto thee that whether we live or whether we die we may be thine For therefore died Christ and rose againe and returned unto life that he might have dominion both over the dead and over the living We commend unto thee all thy Churches let the weak in faith be strengthened grant there may be the obedience of faith thorow out all nations Let every knee bow before thee and let every tongue give thee praise Let all nations praise thee Lord and let all people celebrate thee Relieve the poore and afflicted and make them partakers of spirituall good things Furnish them with the things of this life assist them in every thing they stand in need of thorow Iesus Christ Grace be with us and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ A Thankesgiving and a Prayer on the same subject 24. O Our God and Father which raisedst from the dead Iesus Christ who gave himselfe for our sinnes to the end that according to thy will he might withdraw us out of this evill world To thee be glory for ever and ever Amen 'T is thou Lord that hast called us by thy grace and hast revealed unto us thy Sonne who hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law when he was made a curse for us that we might receive the promise of the Spirit by faith knowing that man is not justified by the works of the Law but onely by faith in Iesus Christ in whom we have believed that we might be justified by faith Give us to obey thy Truth furnish us with thy Spirit which may produce thy vertues in us And because we are thy children send the Spirit of thy Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father so that being thy children we may be thine heires thorow Christ and that we may walk according to the spirit not fulfil the lusts of the flesh because what a man soweth that shall he reape also For he that soweth to the flesh shall reape of the flesh corruption But he that soweth to the Spirit he shall reape of the Spirit life eternall That we may live by the Spirit and may walk also in the Spirit the fruit whereof is love joy peace patience gentlenes goodnes faithfulnes meeknes temperance And as they which are Christs have crucified the flesh with the Iusts thereof that we may be crucified with Christ and may live not now we but that Christ may live in us and that what we now live in the flesh we may live in the faith of thy Son who hath loved us and gave himselfe for us that it might not happen unto us to glory in any thing save in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world may be crucified unto us and we unto the world And that in him we may be new creatures not growing carelesse of well doing seeing we shall reape in due season if we grow not slacke Wherefore whilst we have time let us do good unto al men but especially unto the houshold of faith And all they that shall walk according to this rule peace be upon them and mercy and upon thy Israel O God Work with efficacie by those unto whom the preaching of the Gospell is committed That they which know thee not and who serve those that
better life makes us see and feele how vaine and deceiveable are the sweet allurements and imaginary prosperities of this mortall life when it pleaseth him to crosse it thus with sicknes and with so many miseries and discomodities which accompanie us therein perpetually from the cradle to the grave This makes us know yea maketh us cry out with Esay ch 47. v. 6. That all flesh is as grasse and the glory thereof as the flower of the field With David Psalm 90.6 That the flower of this short life is such that men are in perpetuall travell and martyrdome And with Iob chap. 14. That man that is borne of a woman is of short life and fraught with sorrow And this is it God putteth us in mind of chiefly when we feele our selves sick or otherwise afflicted to make us contemne the earth and to aspire up unto heaven to cause us to distast this miserable life to make us earnestly and heartily to relish and meditate on the heavenly life to the end that there where our treasure is there also might bee our heart and that our faith and hope might be weaned from the world and from the things of the world to be raised up thither where they have their true objects unto God and to everlasting life For also faith is not of things visible but of invisible And hope is not of good things present but of good to come that is to say of good celestiall and eternall obtained in Iesus Christ good so transcendently great and so incomprehensible that as Saint Paul saith 1. Corinth 1.6 Eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man that which God hath prepared for those that love him There is yet a third excellent fruit which God makes us reape from the sicknesses he sendeth us that is that by this meanes he puts us to triall and to the touch-stone to purifie and to amend our faith to make it eminently to appeare to his glory and to the edification of our neighbour For as by this meanes our faith is stirred up and elevated from the world unto God from the earth unto heaven from this life unto a life most happy and lasting for ever as also is it by such tryalls exercised and examined and as it were refined and made more pure after the manner of gold which is tryed and purified by fire Even as Saint Peter 1 Pet. 1.7 It is also by this meanes drawn forth into evidence and set in the light with patience constancie and other Christian vertues which God hath infused into us and which otherwise without this would not be knowne of any and thereby would remaine without use and without profit in regard of our neighbours And indeed we could not know what was the faith and the patience of Iob of Abraham of David and of such a number of other excellent servants of God if God had not made them passe thorough the fire of sundry temptations and tryals and we should not have at this day the worthy examples which we have to lead us to conforme our selves unto their imitation It fareth with the faith and patience of Christians as with the courage and valour of the souldier which is not well seene but in the midst of the battell As with the light of the Starres which appeares not but in the night As with the odour and sweet smell of frankincense which is not smelt but when it is cast into the fire Even so doth God make knowne unto our brethren the courage which he hath given us when he causeth us to come into the hands of some rough and violent sicknes he maketh to appeare unto them the brightnes of our faith when he spreadeth over us some night of affliction he maketh them smell the good perfume of our patience when he casts us into some fire of adversitie and by this meanes our brethren not onely are instructed edified comforted by our good example but withall led to praise and glorifie God who it is that sustains and strengtheneth us amidst the infirmities of our flesh sheweth forth and perfecteth his great strength in our great weaknes Lo then the principall and more remarkable spirituall fruits which God of his goodnes propounds unto us to be reaped from our bodily sicknesses And for this cause then Sir now that God visits you with this sicknes and layes you on this bed of infirmitie you must acknowledge that it is his fatherly hand that handles you on this fashion as one of his children and that hereby he calls you to the fruition of these excellent fruits and benefits which have been declared unto you for his glory and for your good and salvation Acknowledge then that he would awaken you from out your faults and sinnes that he would have you to have a feeling of them indeed to breed in you a dislike of them that ye might seek for the free pardon of them in his mercy thorow Iesus Christ that you may renounce them with your whole heart to take a sound resolution to serve him from henceforth and to walk in his feare with more zeale and affection then heretofore thorough his grace Is not this that which you promise Yes Acknowledge further that it is his will to make you by this meanes to haue a feeling of the miseries of this life to contemne and trample under foot the world and the vanities thereof to the end to aspire with your whole heart unto the heavenly and everlasting life and thereby to answer unto the dignity of that condition whereunto you are called to be the child of God and not the child of the world to have your conversation as a Citizen of heaven and not of the earth and thereby to have you to seeke as Saint Paul saith Philip. 3.20 The things that are aboue and not those that are here below And is not this also the thing which you protest you will do all the dayes of your life Gods grace thereunto assisting you Yes Acknowledge you lastly that the good pleasure of God is to trie and examine you by this sicknes to the end that your faith and patience might be made more perfect and that they might be seen and known of your brethren and neighbours that they might thereby be edified and comforted and might thereby give glory to God when they shall see that you shall beare patiently and constantly the sorrow and the violence of this affliction and that you shall dispose and apply your selfe to rest with a calme and peaceable mind in all and whatsoever handling it shall please God to impose upon you with his fatherly hand Is not this also moreover the resolution you take Yes I beseech God give you grace thorowly and happily to accomplish your holy promises to his glory and your owne salvation It is your part also to pray unto him for the same with your heart otherwise you can never be able to performe it of your selfe But if
Father hath given you all things F. S. N. Be strong in Iesus Christ who calls and inuites you by his Prophets Apostles and Evangelists to resort and freely to make towards him saying you that thirst come unto the great fountaine come unto me all you that travell and are heavie laden and I will ease you F. S. N. Believe stedfastly that Iesus Christ hath discharged and set you free from all your sins and hath reconciled you unto God his Father Vnto whom in all humilitie and repentance say from the bottom of your heart LOrd God Almighty have mercy upon me a poore miserable sinner for thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake and by the merit of his death passion be pleased to receive my soule which I commend into thy hands F. S. N Bee of good hope For assuredly he will receive your soule as his for his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lords sake who is the Saviour and Redeemer of all those that believe in him Moyses and all the Prophets have testified that all Nations shall receive salvation and blessednes by Iesus Christ The Apostles and Evangelists do testifie that Iesus Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and to give his life for the redemption of many for he hath shed his bloud for the remission of sinnes Believe then and doubt not in any wise for Iesus Christ hath made you cleane from all your sinnes having promised that all they that shall believe in him and in his Father that sent him shall have eternall life and shall not come into judgement but shall passe from death unto life Well then F. S. N. take a good courage in Iesus Christ For he hath loved you and washed you from your sinnes in his bloud Have then this stedfast faith to fight valiantly against the adversarie use no other buckler to defend your selfe withall but this precious bloud of Iesus Christ which by vertue of his Death and Passion hath reconciled you unto God his Father unto whom in great humility and repentance offer up this Prayer O Lord God Almighty have mercy upon me a poore miserable sinner for thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake and by the merit of his Death and Passion be graciously pleased to receive my soule which I commend into thy hands F. S. N. Let this be your hope stedfast faith that that good God full of all mercy will receive your soule as his into his hands for his Sonne Iesus Christs sake For there is no other Name under heaven given unto men wherby we must be saved nor is there salvation in any other but in Iesus Christ Arme your self then indeed with this gracious Iesus Christ for he hath done all for you he hath fulfilled the Law for you he hath overcome all for you Well then F.S.N. cheer up your self in God be you ever unmooveable in this lively faith follow and imitate you the holy Patriarks Prophets and Apostles who are all saved in this faith who assure you all of them that the adversarie can no wayes hurt you For your suit is won by Iesus Christ who is both your Iudge and Advocat together Wherfore say evermore in this stedfast faith that though I should walke thorow the midst of the shadow of death yet would I feare no manner of evill For thou Lord God art with me F. S. N. Also cease not to say from the bottome of your heart in great humility and repentance LOrd God Almighty have mercy upon me poore miserable sinner for thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Saviour his sake and by the merit of his Death and Passion let it please thee to receive my soule which I commend into thy hands So be it A singular Prayer for a person greatly afflicted with sicknes which seemeth to approach nearer to death then to life With a short Catechisme purposely made to instruct the sicke and to make him contemplate by faith the great mysterie of our redemption Eccles c. 18. v. 19.20 Vse Physicke ere ever thou be sick before judgement examine thy selfe and in the day of visitation thou shalt find mercy NOw the Lord admonisheth us to pray continually especialy when we are touched with his rods wherefore all kinsfolks and faithfull friends that visit the sick person ought not only to visit and be carefull for the body but withall to seek and ask for the spirituall physick for his Soule This must he do by good prayers confession of sinnes and Christian exhortation according to the Word of God without which man cannot live and to this end that all things may be done in good order and with zeale First of all it is meet to cast downe himselfe before the Majestie of God and to call upon him by beginning Our helpe is in the Name of the Lord c. Then to present unto him the generall confession of sinnes and consequently this present prayer as it followeth O Lord God Almighty and Father of mercy we are here assembled together in the Name of thy welbeloved Son our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ thorow whom we are bold to present our selves before thee to call upon thy holy Name having our sole refuge unto thy Soveraigne and transcendent goodnes which we not only desire to be sensible of and to tast in our selves but also in the necessitie of thy poore creature here afflicted with corporall sicknes and with the affliction and calamity of mind We know Lord that justly thou visitest and chastnest him with thyrods to make him to understand thy fatherly affection But thy great mercies which thou hast used towards our fathers are not extinguisht nor exhausted For thou art that great eternall God gracious and mercifull that never changest with whom there is no variablenes nor shadow of change Thy holy Word teacheth us most evidently that the whole earth is full of thy mercies which are farre above thy justice Wheâ—fore Lord mitigate thy rigour towards thy creature have pity and compassion on him for thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lords sake Looke not upon his sins but looke upon the face of thy Christ who hath fully satisfied thee for him by offering up unto thee that great sacrifice of his body upon the Crosse We beseech thee then O most gracious God full of mercy to make him sensible of thy grace which thou hast never denied to thy children And because thou art our eternal Father well knowing whatsoeveâ— is needfull and expedient for our salvation We pray not unto thee to lengthen unto him his life or to abridge it for we repose our selves upon thy holy will whereunto onely we desire to be conformable Thou art wise without counsell to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure That if it shal be thy pleasure to call him hence who is he that shal be able to resist thee But if it be thy good pleasure to send him health againe who is he that shall reprehend
for me As accursed upon the tree of the Crosse to free me from the curse eternall wherunto Adam had obliged me This my Saviour Iesus Christ was truly buried to burie all my sinnes with him to the end they might not be imputed unto me before God It is my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ which went downe into hell suffering extream temporall anguish to deliver me from the eternall The Minister All this that you have now confessed of Iesus Christ was it sufficient to save you The Sicke No According as the holy Scriptures ought in every thing to be fulfilled For what had it profited me that Iesus Christ was borne crucified dead buried and went downe into hell for me only unlesse he had risen againe Wherefore I believe and confesse that my Lord my Head and Saviour Iesus Christ is risen againe from the dead to make me to rise againe with him as one of his meaner members unto life eternall The Minister Consequently it is written that he ascended up into heaven being now set downe at the right hand of God his Father But what doth this his ascention benefit you The Sicke My Lord my Head and Saviour Iesus Christ is ascended up into heaven to cause me to ascend thither after him for where the Head is there are the members also And I believe that being set downe at the right hand of God his Father he is my Advocat intereessor and onely Mediator with him assuring me exceedingly that none can hurt me seeing that Iesus Christ is my Advocate and Iudge both together Wherfore I have no occasion to feare the day of his judgment when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead For I believe and confesse in stedfast faith that there is neither judgment nor condemnation to them that are faithfull members of Iesus Christ The Minister Who hath given you the grace to understand and know all these things The Sicke It is by the grace of the Holy Ghost one only God with the Father and the Sonne by whose means we receive all the goods and gifts which are offered us in Iesus Christ The Minister Seeing you have already confessed that you are a member of Iesus Christ it thence followeth that you are withall incorporated into his Church which you must believe to be Holy Catholique and Vniversall The Sicke I do assuredy believe the Holy Catholique Church washâ— and cleansed with the Precious Bloud of Iesus Christ for the which in the greatest humility I render him thanks that he hath affoorded me the grace to be one of the meanest members of his Church being baptized into his Name he hath made me to live in the communion unity and love of the same by having instructed me in his holy Word and fed me with his true Body steeped in his precious Bloud into the hope of eternall life The Minister Well go to seeing you are so well founded upon the lively Rocke which is Iesus Christ in knowing so well your selfe you must confesse and acknowledge the principall good which you have received from this good Iesus Christ The Sicke It is very reasonable for I would not be ingratefull in not acknowledging the goods and gifts which I have received from God Wherefore I confesse that I poore miserable sinner have offended without end and without ceasing the goodnesse and justice of God having transgressed all thy holy Commandements In the doing wherof I have deserved death and eternall damnation Neverthelesse appealing to Gods mercy I cry him mercy and do believe and confesse without all manner of doubt or wavering that full and perfect forgivenes of all my sinnes is graunted me by the sole merit of the Death and Passion of my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ in the effusion of his precious Bloud wherein I assure my self to be sufficiently and entirely washed and purged which is the most transcendent good and contentment that I could ever have received and such is my faith wherein I will live and die by the helpe of the grace of Gods Holy Spirit The Minister Seeing you have received so great a good from God by the means of his Sonne Iesus Christ it is fitting also that you do his commandement For even as he hath pardonned you and remitted all your sinnes in like manner must you pardon heartily all those which may have offended you Otherwise you walk not according to God Sick In this thing I have knowne the Law of Iesus Christ to be the singular sacred and perfect Law commanding us to love our neighbours friends and enemies as our selves Wherefore I also intreat all those to whom I have done wrong or said wrong to pardon me as heartily as I pardon all them that have offended me desiring to do them all good offices of love and kindnes as to my good brethren and friends The Minister Now sith it is ordained by God that all men shall die we cannot resist his ordinance rather we ought evermore to conforme our selves to his holy will Wherefore my brother you must not think it strange if I declare unto you the same which the good Prophet Esay declared unto King Ezechias saying unto him from the Lord Set thy house in order for thou shalt die not live This good advice ought to stirre you up thorowly to set your selfe in good order spiritually in your conscience And that is first of all to convert and turne you unto God to bewaile your sinnes as that good King did To implore his mercy in begging pardon at his hands and saying alwayes in your heart Lord God be propitious and mercifull unto me poor miserable sinner for thy Sonne Iesus Christ his sake my Lord and Saviour And then you must not forget your house and familie which you ought so well to set in good order and so to dispose of by a good testament and last will that it may remaine in peace and tranquillitie after you But the better to give you to understand how to dispose aright and to set in order your house it is that you give unto every one what belongeth unto him without defrauding of any man that you leave your wife endow'd with what is due to her your children and kinsfolkes in good agreement and charitie that after your decease they may have no occasion to fall to dissention and division This being done you must quite forget all worldly eares and affection to the world which passeth away withall the concupiscence thereof But he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Touching your children you are only their naturall father for a time but God is perpetually their Spirituall Father having them in his holy keeping and protection to preserve and sustaine them to keep and deliver them from all evill whilst they will but walk in his wayes Besides in that you are a Christian regenerate in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme long since you knew that we have not here any Citie of continuance for we looke for a better