and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof 1 Thes 4.3 6. This is the will of God That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such 2. Remission of injuries suffered by him and hearty reconciliation Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Chap. 18.33 Shouldst thou not also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on thee Mark 11. When ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses But if you do not forgive neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses Joh. 13.35 By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples that ye love one another Acts 4.32 The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the body of Christ and members in particular Col. 3.12 13. Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness longsuffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any Even as Christ forgave you so also do ye 3 Almesgiving if of ability Deut. 15.7 8 10 11. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy Brethren thou shalt not harden thy heart nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother But thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth Thou shalt surely give him and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto For the poor shall never cease out of the land therefore I command thee saying thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy Brother to thy poor and to thy needy in the land Psal 41. Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble The Lord preserve him and keep him alive that he may be blessed upon earth and deliver thou not him into the will of his enemies The Lord comfort him when he lyeth sick upon his bed make thou all his bed in his sickness Prov. 3.27 Withold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it Chap. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth and there is that withholdeth more then is meet and it tendeth to poverty Eccl. 11.1 Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt find it after many days Mat. 25.37 to 41. Then shall the righteous answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee And the King shall answer and say unto them verily I say unto you in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me Acts 10.4 Thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memorial before God 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to stribute willing to communicate Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life 4. Vnfeigned Repentance for the Errours of his life past Psal 51.1 c. Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledg my faults and my sin is ever before me Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Fourthly If the sick person be troubled from the occasion or by reason of some circumstances relating to his sickness the Scriptures proper for that condition are such as set forth 1. The duty of reflecting on his former course of life 2 Chron. 21.12 to the 16. And there came a writing to Jehoram from Elijah the Prophet saying thus saith the Lord God of David thy Father Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy Father nor in the ways of Asa King of Judah But hast walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel and hast made Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab and also hast slain thy brethren of thy fathers house which were better than thy self Behold with a great plague will the Lord smite thy People and thy Children and thy Wives and all thy Goods And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy Bowels until thy Bowels fall out by reason of thy sickness day by day And it came to pass that in process of time after the end of two years his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness so he died of sore diseases Chap. 26.19 And whil'st Vzziah was wroth with the Priests the Leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from besides the incense-Altar Psal 25.6 O remember not the sins and offences of my youth But according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Psal 25.6 O remember not our old sins but have mercy upon us and that soon for we are come to great misery Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy Name O deliver us and be merciful to our sins for thy Names sake Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth 2. The promiscuous dispensing out these things both to good and bad in this life Gen. 35.16 18 19. And Rachel travelled and she had hard labour And the midwife said unto her fear not thou shalt have thy son also And as her soul was in departing she called his name Benoni and Rachel died Lev. 10.1 2. And Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded not And there went out a fire from the Lord and devoured them Numb 20.12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron because ye believe me not to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel
it came to pass on the third day in the Morning that there were Thunderings and Lightnings and a thick Cloud upon the Mount and the voice of the Trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the Camp trembled Vers 18. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak because the Lord descended upon it in fire And the smoak thereof ascended as the smoak of a furnace and the whole Mount quaked greatly Chapt 20.18 And all the People saw the Thunderings and the Lightnings and the noise of the Trumpet and the Mountain smoaking And when the peope saw it they remov'd and stood afar off And so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake Heb. 12.21 Chap. 33.20 Thou Moses canst not see my face for there shall no Man see me and live Vers 21. Behold there is a place by me and thou shalt stand upon a Rock Vers 22. And it shall come to pass whil'st my glory passeth by that I will put thee in a clift of the Rock and will cover thee with my hand whil'st I pass by Vers 23. And I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my back parts but my face shall not be seen Isa 40.22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers That stretcheth out the Heavens as a Curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in Vers 23. That bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Judges of the Earth as vanity Heb. 12.28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly ear Vers 29. For our God is a consuming fire Secondly The Divine Attributes especially of his 1. Holiness 2. Justice 3. Power Holiness Gen. 28.16 17. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep and he said surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not And he was afraid and said how dreadful is this place This is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven Exod. 3.5 Draw not nigh hither put off thy Shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Chap. 19.12 Take heed to your solves that ye go not up into the Mount or touch the border of it Whosoever toucheth the Mount shall be surely put to death 13. There shall not a hand touch it but he shall surely be stoned or shot through whether it be beast or man it shall not live 1 Sam. 6.19 And he the Lord smote the men of Bethshemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord even he smote of the People Fifty thousand and threescore and ten men vers 20. And the men of Bethshemesh said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 2 Sam. 6.6 Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it Vers 7. And God smote him there for his errour and there he dyed by the Ark of God vers 9. And David was afraid of the Lord that day and said how shall the Ark of the Lord come to me 1 Pet. 1.15 As he who hath called you is Holy so be ye Holy in all manner of conversation 16. Because it is written be ye holy for I am holy Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 2. Justice Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judg of all the Earth do right Exod. 20.5 I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me vers 26. And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandments Psal 89.15 Righteousness and equity are the habitation of thy seat And 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and true are thy judgments Rom. 2.2 We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things vers 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds vers 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life vers 8. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath vers 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil vers 10. But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be 3. Power Gen. 18.14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord Jer. 5.22 Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for a bound of the sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass and though the waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail though they roar yet can they not pass over it And Chap. 10.7 Who would not fear thee O King of Nations For to thee doth it appertain Dan. 2.20 Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever for wisdom and might are his vers 21. He changeth the times and the seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings Rev. 15.4 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorisie thy Name for thou only art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Acknowledged and fear'd by the enemies of Religion themselves Exod. 9.27 The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Dan. 3.29 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake and said Blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his Angel and delivered his Servants that trusted in him and have chang'd the Kings word and yielded their bodies that they might not serve nor worship any God except their own God vers 29. Therefore I make a Decree that every People Nation and Language which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghil because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Chap. 6.25 Then Darius wrote unto all People Nations and Languages that dwelt in all the earth vers 26. I make a decree that in every Dominion of my Kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel for he is the living God and stedfast for ever and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his Dominion shall be even unto the end Vers 27. He delivereth and rescueth and he worketh signs and wonders in Heaven and in Earth Who hath delivered Daniel from the Power of the Lions Acts 24.25 And as Paul reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled Rev. 6.15 And the Kings of the Earth and the great men and the Rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the
Mountains Verse 16. And said to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Verse 17. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Thirdly The State of an Impenitent Sinner 1. In respect of original corruption Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Not one Chap. 15.14 What is man that he should be clean and he that is born of a Woman that he should be righteous Verse 15. The Heavens are not clean in his sight verse 16. How much more abominable and filthy is Man that drinketh iniquity like water Chap. 25.4 How then can Man be justified with God Or how can he be clean that is born of a Woman Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my Mother conceived me John 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Verse 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Rom. 5.18 By the offence of one judgment came upon all men unto condemnation 2. In respect of actual sin Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinn'd against me him will I blot out of my Book 2 Kings 17.18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight there was none left but the Tribe of Judah only Verse 19 Also Judah kept not the Commandments of the Lord their God but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made Verse 20. And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers till he had cast them out of his sight Job 4.8 They that plow iniquity and sow wickedness reap the same Verse 9. By the blast of God they perish and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed Chap. 8.11 Can the Rush grow up without mire can the Flag grow without water Verse 12. Whilst it is yet in its greenness and not cut down it withereth before any other herb Verse 13. So are the paths of all that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish Jer. 22.24 As I live saith the Lord though Coniah the Son of Jehoiakim King of Judah were the signet upon my right hand yet would I pluck thee thence Verse 25. And I will give thee into the hand of them who seek thy life Verse 26. And I will cast thee out and thy Mother that bare thee into another Country where ye were not born and there shall ye dye Mat. 7.26 Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish Man which built his house upon the sand Verse 27. And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it Gal. 5.19 The works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witcheraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders drunkenness revellings and such like they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 2 Thes 1.7 The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Rev. 14.9 10 11. If any man worship the Beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoak of their torment ascended up for ever and ever Secondly When the Minister finds not in the sick person a total hardness and impenitency he must wisely mingle Threatnings and Comforts together To which purpose such-like passages of Scripture will be useful Deut. 7.9 10. Know therefore that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandements to a Thousand generations And repayeth them that hate him to their face to destroy them He will not be slack to him that hateth him he will repay him to his face Jer. 32.18 19. Thou shewest loving kindness unto thousands and recompensest the iniquity of the Fathers into the bosom of their Children after them the great the mighty God the Lord of Hosts is his Name Great in Counsel and mighty in works for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings Psal 89.31 32 33. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandements I will visit their offence with rods and their sin with scourges Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my truth to fail Rev. 2.4 5. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come against thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Thirdly When the Sick Person is fallen into the other extream and is sensible of little or no comfort the passages of Scripture relating to such a condition are those which set forth 1. The excellency and goodness of the Divine Nature Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed The LORD the LORD GOD merciful and gracious longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Psalm 86.15 16. Thou O Lord God art full of compassion and mercy longsuffering plenteous in goodness and truth O turn thee then unto me and have mercy upon me Give thy strength unto thy servant and help the son of thine handmaid Psalm 103.8 9 c. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy Longsuffering and of great goodness He will not alway be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for ever He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our wickedness For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth So great is his mercy also toward them that fear him Look how wide also the East is from the West So far hath he set our sins from us Yea like as a Father pittieth his own Children Even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him For he knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust Hos 11.3 4. I taught
of but the sorrow of the world worketh death For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge In all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter Tenthly If the sick person needs or desires instruction how to demean himself in his sickness such Scriptures will be useful as direct us to 1. Contrition for sin Job 42.2 5 6. I know that thou canst do any thing and that no thought can be withheld from thee I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Psal 19.12 Who can tell how oft he offends O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal 32.1 c. Blessed is the man whose unrighteousness is forgiven and whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose spirit there is no guile I will acknowledg my sin unto thee and mine unrighteousnes have I not hid Psal 34.17 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart and will save such as be of an humble spirit Psal 38.1 c. Put me not to rebuke O Lord in thine anger neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure For thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sin For my wickednesses are gone over my head and are like a sore burden too heavy for me to bear I truly am set in the plague and my heaviness is ever in my sight For I will confess my wickedness and be sorry for my sin Hos 7.2 They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all 2. Humility and Patience in affliction 2 Sam. 15.25 26. And the King David said unto Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the City if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Job 2.10 What shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil In all this did not Job sin with his lips Chap. 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me If I have done iniquity I will do no more Psal 27.16 O tarry thou the Lords leasure be strong and he shall comfort thy heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Mic. 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Luke 21.19 In your patience possess your souls Heb. 12.7 If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons Jam. 1.2 3 4. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 3. Reliance upon God Deut. 33.26 There is none like unto the God of Jesurun Vers 27. The Eternal God is thy refuge Vers 29. Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his People for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Psal 5.13 Thou Lord wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous and with thy favourable kindness wilt thou defend him as with a shield Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast never failed them that seek thee Psal 22.10 I have been left unto thee ever since I was born thou art my God even from my mothers womb Psal 23.4 Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psal 33.17 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and upon them that put their trust in his mercy Psal 37.40 The salvation of the righteous cometh of the Lord which is also their strength in the time of trouble Psal 62.1 My soul truly waiteth still upon God for of him cometh my salvation Isa 30.15 Thus saith the Lord God the Holy One of Israel In returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietness and confidence shall be your strength Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 4. The Benefit and Comfort of Prayer Isa 26.8 9. In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early for when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness Job 42.10 The Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble So will I hear thee and thou shalt praise me Psal 55.17 18. As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me In the evening and morning and at noon day I will pray and that instantly and he shall hear my voice Psal 65.2 3. Thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come My misdeeds prevail against me O be thou merciful unto our sins Psal 69.13 c. Lord I make my prayer to thee in an acceptable time Hear me O God in the multitude of thy mercy even in the truth of thy salvation Take me out of the mire that I sink not Oh let me be delivered from them that hate me and out of the deep waters Let not the deep flood drown me neither let the deep swallow me up and let not the Pit shut her mouth upon me Hear me O Lord for thy loving kindness is comfortable turn thee unto me according to
the multitude of thy mercies And hide not thy face from thy servant for I am in trouble Oh haste thee and hear me Draw nigh unto my soul and save it Oh deliver me because of mine enemies Psal 86.1 to 8. Bow down thine ear O Lord and hear me for I am poor and in misery Preserve thou my soul for I am holy save thy servant that putteth his trust in thee Be merciful to me O Lord for I will call dayly upon thee Comfort the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul For thou Lord art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee Give ear Lord unto my prayer and ponder the voice of my humble desires In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou hearest me Jer. 17.13 14. O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth because they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed save me and I shall be saved for thou art my praise Luke 18.1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Joh. 16.24 Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full 1 Thes 5.17 Pray without ceasing 5. Meditation upon spiritual and heavenly things Deut. 22.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end Psal 15.1 2 c. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle or who shall rest upon thy holy Hill Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life and doth the thing which is right and speaketh the truth from his heart He that hath used c. Whoso doth these things shall never fall So Psal 24.3 4 5 6. Psal 90.12 So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Psal 143.4 5. My spirit is vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate Yet do I remember the time past I muse upon all thy works yea I exercise my self in the works of thy hands 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things that are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Col. 3.1 2 3 4. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Rev. 20.11 12. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works 6. Choice of company fit for that time 1 Sam. 21.14 15. Achish said unto his servants Lo you see the man is mad wherefore then have you brought him to me Have I need of madmen that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence shall this fellow come into my house Job 13.4 5. Ye are all Physicians of no value O that you would altogether hold your peace and it should be your wisdom Chap. 15.2 Should he a wise man reason with unprofitable talk or with speeches where with he can do no good Chap. 16.5 I would strengthen you with my mouth and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief Chap. 33.23 24. If there be a messenger with him one of a thousand to shew unto men his uprightness Then he is gracious unto him and saith deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a Ransome Psal 26.4 5. I have not dwelt with vain persons neither have I had fellowship with the deceitful I have hated the Congregation of the wicked neither will I sit amongst the ungodly Psal 101.8 c. Mine eyes look unto such as be faithful in the Land that they may dwell with me Whoso leadeth a godly life he shall be my servant There shall no deceitful person dwell in my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the Living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you And will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and my daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers Jam. 5.14 Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church Vers 16. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much 7. Hearing and Reading the Scriptures Psal 119.92 93. If my delight had not been in thy Law I should have perished in my trouble I will never forget thy commandements for with them hast thou quickned me Trouble and heaviness have taken hold upon me yet is my delight in thy Commandements Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life Acts 8.28 Who the Eunuch returning and sitting in his Chariot read Esaias the Prophet Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 2 Tim. 3.15 From a Child thou hast known the Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie and keep those things that are written therein The Portion of Holy Scripture that may be seasonably read to the sick are the penitential Psalms as they have been commonly called that is to say the 6th 32 38 51 102 130 143. The 15 39 90 103. Job 14. Mit. 26 and 27. Mark 14 and 15. Luke 22 and 23. Joh. from chap. 13 to 20.1 Cor.
that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2. The complaints of holy men Job 3.25 26. The thing which I greatly feared is fallen upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me I was not in safety neither had I rest neither was I quiet yet trouble came Chap. 6.4 The arrows of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God do set themselves in array against me Psal 77.7 8 9. Will the Lord absent himself for ever and will he be no more entreated Is his mercy clean gone for ever and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure Psal 88.6 Thine indignation lieth hard upon me and thou hast vexed me with thy stormes Vers 15. I am in misery and like unto him that is at the point to dye even from my youth up thy terrours have I suffered with a troubled mind Jer. 15.17 18. I sate alone because of thy hand for thou hast filled me with indignation Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed 2 Cor. 12.7 c. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to busset me lest I should be exalted above measure For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness 3. The return of the light of Gods countennance Psal 30.5 His wrath endureth but the twinkling of an eye in his pleasure is life heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Vers 12. Thou hast turned my heaviness into joy thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness Psal 71 18. O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me and yet didst thou turn and refresh me yea and broughtest me from the depth of the earth again Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Micah 7.8 Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Job 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid 4. The practice of Holy men in like Cases Psal 42.6 7. Why art thou so full of heaviness O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me Put thy trust in God for I will yet give him thanks for the help of his countenance Psal 119.52 I remembred thine everlasting judgments O Lord and received comfort Psal 14.3 Hear my Prayer O Lord c. Acts. 12.5 Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him Jam. 5.13 Is any among you afflicted let him pray 5. Promises of deliverance Job 5.17 18 19. Happy is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastning of the Almighty For he maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee Psal 34.18 Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all Jer. 15.11 Verily I will cause the enemy to treat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction Chap. 39.16 18. Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian saying I will surely deliver thee and thou shalt not fall by the sword but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith the Lord. Joel 2.32 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call Zeph. 3.14 17. Sing O daughter of Zion shout O Israel be glad and daughter of Jerusalem The Lord thy God in the middest of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing Vers 19. Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations 5. Endeavours of strengthning our Faith I Sam. 30.6 And David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved every man for his sons and for his daughters but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Psal 56.2 3. Mine enemies are dayly in hand to swallow me up for they be many that fight against me O thou most high Nevertheless though I am sometimes afraid yet put I my trust in thee Psal 146.2 to the end O put not your trust in Princes c. Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy path Isa 12.2 Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Mic. 2.7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob is the spirit of the Lord straitned are these his doings do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by faith Chap. 3.17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vine the labour of the Olive shall fail and the field shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Mark 5.25 27 28 29. A certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years when she heard of Jesus came in the press behind and touched his garment For she said if I may but touch his clothes I shall be whole And straitway the fountain of her blood was dryed up and she felt in her body that she was healed of
gathered unto his People Job 5.26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Chap. 23.46 When Jesus had cried with a loud voice he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And having thus said he gave up the ghost Acts 7.59 They stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Vers 60. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge And when he had said this he fell asleep Rev. 22.20 He that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus THe Minister must not fail to press the sick person to receive the Holy Eucharist and to open to him the comfortable Doctrine the Scripture holds forth in that blessed Ordinance this being the fittest close for the life of him whose constant business it hath been as of all good Christians to labour for pardon and grace the Benefits sealed to Believers in that Sacrament by Him who purchased them for us with his most precious blood as in that Commemorative Sacrifice is most lively represented to us The Institution whereof so nearly preceding the Passion of our Blessed Redeemer doth recommend the use of these Holy Mysteries unto Christians as very seasonable at that time when they are upon putting off their earthly Tabernacles their corruptible Bodies in expectation of a joyful Resurection and Exaltation unto life Eternal whereof this Holy Sacrament was by the Primitive Fathers of the Church esteemed a sure and sacred Pledg A most comfortable Preparative whereunto if heartily desired and cantiously and reverently administred is the Benefit of Absolution Which deserves not to be the less esteemed or the more neglected for whatsoever abuses it hath heretofore been liable unto when both Priest and People believed more of the Sacerdotal Power than was consistent with so great a Trust committed to the one and so strict a disquisition required from the other lest the Minister might be Partaker of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 and the People delude themselves with unsincere and fruitless Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 11. A Prayer to be used in a state of Health O Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift Thou art he who tookest me out of my Mothers womb and by thee have I been holden up ever since I was born The blessings of health and strength that I enjoy are from thy goodness and bounty And for them and all thy other mercies I bless and praise thy ever-great and glorious Name Most humbly beseeching thee to add to these that blessing of blessings the right use of all thy blessings That through the comfort and assistance of that health and strength thou hast given me I may become the more diligent and faithful in the practice of those several duties of piety justice and charity which thou requirest at my hands And suffer me not O Lord to deceive my self by a false account of the time of my Pilgrimage but so teach me to number my days that I may apply my heart unto wisdom that I may readily discern the vast difference between this span of life and the infinite spaces of eternity between the pleasures of sin for a season and the everlasting fulness of joy in thy presence And for this end remove far away from me all those vices to which health and ease are apt to betray me especially all carnal security lust pride anger want of compassion misspending my time forgetfulness of thee and of thy ways and works And implant in my mind the daily remembrance of death and judgment the necessity of working out my salvation with fear and trembling and the misery of being surpriz'd by the coming of our Lord in my sins or fruitless repentance So that the health of my body may through thy blessing promote the health of my Soul and thy augmenting the number of my Talents increase both my labour and reward That passing the time of my sojourning here in fear I may treasure up for my self such spiritual strength and consolation as may stand me in stead when I shall lye down on my bed of sickness and death administring comfort to my soul in the conscience of well doing which thou hast promised us to accept and reward through thy mercies in Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer when one perceives himself to be sick O Lord my God I have learn'd from thy Holy Word and by daily experience in this vale of misery that dust I am and unto dust I shall return that I must put off this earthly Tabernacle and that thou wilt bring me to death and the house appointed for all living And now Lord I feel in my self the usual summons thy good providence doth give us to review our accounts and to sit our selves for death and judgment Blessed be thy Name for this thy mercy that thou hast not taken advantage of me whil'st I was thine enemy to cut me off suddenly in my sins and hurry me hence in mine iniquity but hast given me the time means and I trust grace for repentance and amendment of life And though I have not improved such hath been my negligence and sloth these rich favours to that great advantage I might and should have done yet I beseech thee O Lord for thine infinite mercies in thy son Christ Jesus that thou wilt not be extream to mark what I have done amiss and to lay my sins to my charge but that thou wilt deal mercifully with me thy most unworthy servant blotting out all my sins and transgressions that none of mine iniquities may be mentioned unto me in that great and terrible day of Recompences And forasmuch as thou alone in whose hands our times are dost know what will be the issue of this my present distemper and sickness cause me to reflect on it as proceeding from thy Will and Wisdom and cheerfully and thankfully to submit to this chastisement as a means appointed by thee for the benefit and comfort of my Soul and vouchsafe unto me that grace which may enable me to receive profit thereby and from experience of thy goodness towards me to gain hope and confidence of thy love And if thou hast reserv'd for me the blessing of restoring me to my former health which I beseech thee to do direct me to the use of such means as thou wilt make effectual for that end But if the days of my warfare are accomplished prepare me O Lord for a safe quiet and comfortable departure out of this life and fit me for thy prefence and glory O Lord strengthen me against all the malicious practices and devices of my subtil and implacable enemy against all errours and delusions of my understanding the allurements of this World inordinate love of this miserable Life and