Assurance We should be diligent to get assurance both of Gods favour and of our own calling and election for hereby will an entrance be given into the heavenly Kingdom Simeon could willingly die when his eyes had seen his salvation the full assurance of faith doth wonderfully establish the heart and guard it from the fear of death and also doth breed a longing desire to come to Christ St. Paul can be confident when he is able to say I know whom I have believed and I am assured that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him 4. The fourth Medicine is setting our house in Order A great part of the fear and trouble of mens mindes on their sick beds is over when with good deliberation and advice they have settled their Estates and disposed of their worldly affairs This is a matter not to be put off to a time of languishing sickness when the trouble of it breeds disquiet to their mindes when their memory and understanding is disabled when this necessary duty of preparing for death is thereby hindered if not wholly neglected 5. The fifth Medicine is 1. A frequent meditation of Death We must learn to die daily for this will lessen yea it will remove the fear of dying Oh this remembrance of our latter end and learning to number our days is an admirable rule for to practise 2. We should begin this exercise betimes In this lay the commendation of those wise Virgins and so of Job who resolved to be alwayes waiting till his change should come 6. The sixth Medicine against the fear of death is holy and hearty Prayer Because our natures are extreamly deceitful there is a necessity of frequent and faithful prayer to be used which will never fail us in whatsoever is fit for us It is that which God will not deny to those that ask it in sincerity in the Name of the Lord Jesus and that because it is a thing which Christ our blessed Saviour did especially aim at in his own death namely to deliver us from the power yea from the fear of death VIII Rules to make our Calling and Election sure 1. WE must be diligent hearers of Gods holy Word for faith cometh by hearing what is the reason that so many do waver and wander out of the way that is called Holy Is it not because they are idle hearers is it not because they will not be at the pains to hear so carefully as to finde what their case and condition is and what it doth require 2. Rule We must frequently receive the Lords Supper even every experienced Christian is able to tell us That this holy Ordinance hath by the mercy and blessing of God a very notable confirming and establishing power in it 3. Rule If we would have our Calling and our Election to be made sure then must we sue to God as the Apostles did that the Lord would increase our faith for unless Gods Spirit do testifie together with our spirit we can never come to any assurance of faith nor to any certainty of salvation Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God alone that must give the increase 4. Rule If we desire to make our Calling and Election sure we must be frequent in meditating of Gods promises as they are set forth in his holy Word and accordingly we must try our estate by the particular marks which are peculiar to Gods elect 5. Rule If we would make our Calling and Election sure we must be plentiful in good works for who are they which lay up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come and so laying hold upon eternal life but such as are rich in good works We are not only to repent and to turn to God but to do works meet for repentance 6. Rule That we may make our Calling and our Election sure Let us always be making our desires known to the Lord in our humble supplications that he will establish us in the most holy faith that believing in him we may remain immoveable neither in prosperity to forget him or in adversity to despair of him And thus we see the way to a comfortable departure out of this life The Lord give us grace to chufe this way that so by our death we may both glorifie God bring comfort and good example to our friends and everlasting benefit to our own souls Amen IX Against doubtings of Gods mercy 1. LEt us confess even all our sins to God 2. Let us be careful to make satisfaction to whomsoever in this life we have wronged be it in goods or in good name without which there can be no true repentance and so no salvation 3. Call upon God for mercy and pardon in the Lord Jesus and labour for faith in him and then in the midst of pain and doubting remember that the way to Heaven is by the gates of Hell 4. Get a lively faith in Christ Jesus and so tarry the Lords leisure be strong and he shall comfort our hearts 5. In the sence of our greatest sins let us remember that Gods mercies do shine more in pardoning great offenders then small transgressors for where sin aboundeth there doth grace rejoyce to abound much more 6. God did never forsake any till they did first forsake him 7. God calleth all even sinners that are heavy laden to be refreshed the least drop of Christs blood is of more merit to procure Gods mercy for our salvation then all our sins whatsoever can be of force to procure his wrath to our condemnation 8. Let our sins be of never so long continuance or of never so heavy a weight let us but repent and believe and then the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all sins 9. Though our vows and promises of new obedience have not been exactly performed yet upon our tears of true repentance through faith in the Lord Jesus we shall be recovered as oft as we are wounded to death by sin for our salvation is grounded not upon the constancy of our obedience but upon the firmness of Gods gracious Covenant with us in Christ Jesus 10. No sin though never so great ought to drive any Christian into despair seeing if he believe and repent he hath the pardon of all his sins confirmed to him and that 1. By the Word of God At what time soever a sinner repenteth and turneth to the Lord he will blot out all his offences c. 2. By the Oath of God As I live saith he I desire not the death of the wicked No sin doth debar a man from God but only incredulity and impenitency Believe it O thou drooping soul our unfeigned desire to repent is as pleasing and as acceptable to God as our perfectest repentance can be X. Reading of Chapters or portions of Scripture REad carefully and considerately these Chapters following or part of them Mat. 26 27 and 28 Chapters being he History of our Saviours Passion
my sins but thou O Lord besides the dictates of thy heavenly Word and boly Spirit dost now visit me in mercy giving me by this sickness not only warning to consider and time to repent me of all my manifold transgressions but also opportunity to sue to the throne of grace for pardon so as I do not apprehend this visitation as a sign of thy heavy displeasure against me but rather as an assured pledge and token of thy fatherly kindness by this temporal chastisement to draw me to the judging of my self to be humbled for all my offendings to abhor my self in dust and ashes so as not to be condemned with the world for thy holy Word hath taught us That thou scourgest every son that thou receivest and that if I do patiently and believingly endure thy chastising hand thou dost offer thy self as a tender father to relieve me O Lord how full of mercy and compassion is thy nature that hast dealt so graciously with me in affording to me a long time of health and prosperity such as few have received more I do confess O Lord that thou most justly dost afflict my body with sickness for my soul before was sick of long prosperity and even surfeited with health ease peace and plenty and fulness of bread A wretched sinner I have been void of all goodness by nature and full of evil works by custom but seeing thy mercy is above all I beseech thee heavenly father in Jesus Christ for his sake and for his meritorious suffering and according to the multitude of thy mercies cast me not out of thy gracious presence neither reward me after my iniquities As thou art the helper of the helpless and the God of all consolation to such as trust in thee as thou art pleased to lay this sickness upon me so let it work that good effect which thou in thy great mercy dost intend And good Lord send thy holy Spirit into my heart by which this and all other thy dispensations may be sanctified to me that I may use the same as a lesson in thy School whereby to be taught both the greatness of my misery and wants and also the fulness of thy riches and mercy in the Lord Christ to be so humbled at the one as not to despair of the other Grant that I may renounce all confidence in my self and in every other creature or means so as only to put the whole trust of my preservation and salvation in thy boundless mercy And for as much O Lord as thou knowest how weak a vessel I am full of frailty impotence and imperfection and how by nature I am froward and impatient under the least cross and under the lightest affliction Do thou O Lord who art the giver of all good gifts indue me with heavenly grace with holy patience and with godly fortitude so as quietly to resign up my self even body and soul to what thou shalt appoint for me And of thy tender mercy lay no more upon me then thou shalt please to enable me comfortably to bear Strengthen me by thy healy grace that during this sickness and in all other times of affliction I may behave my self in all humility and meekness and faith and quiet repose in the sight and presence of those friends or assistants that shall come or be about me and also that I may both thankfully receive and readily improve all such seasonable counsel and heavenly consolation and holy direction as shall proceed from them And likewise that I may shew such Christianly example of childe-like patience and withal may give forth such godly lessons of heavenly comfort as may be both apparent arguments and sure testimonies of my holy profession and also of use and instruction to them how they are to behave themselves in the day of their visitation I do confess O Lord that in regard of my great provocations I have deserved both sickness and death it self and I do now desire no longer to live then to reform my evil life and in some better measure to set forth thy glory but if thou hast according to thy eternal decree appointed by this sickness to call for me out of this transitory life Lord help me willingly to resign my self into thy hands saying Thy blessed will be done only I do most humbly beseech thee even for Jesus Christ his sake who is the Son of thy love to pardon all my sins and in him to be reconciled to me and so to prepare my poor soul that by a lively faith and unfeigned repentance she may be ready to yield up her self when thou shalt be pleased to call for her O holy Father thou art the hearer of prayers hear thou in heaven these my weak supplications and in this my sickness which is like to increase upon me be pleased to shew thy Almighty power and goodness Teach my heart in holy believing to say Whether I live or whether I die I am Christs and Christ is mine and he shall be advantage to me both here and hereafter and for ever To him with the Father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour and glory and power and dominion for ever and ever Amen The Lord will be a refuge Psa 9.9 in time of trouble Hear me O Lord my God Psal 13.3 5. that I sleep not in death for my trust is in thy mercy and my heart is joyful in thy salvation II. Concerning Prayer CHrist and God and all is laid out for the good of the godly they may go to God with holy boldness and tell him wherein they are troubled pained afflicted oppressed If we ask great things from God he is well pleased with it but if we ask riches and honour and worldly preferment these are the low things of the footstool and they are often in mercy denyed let us therefore of God ask peace of conscience pardon of sin let us crave power to overcome our lusts strength to withstand temptations joy in the holy Ghost and grace to glorifie our dear Redeemer both in doing and in suffering God hath most assuredly all good things lying ready by him only he looks that Prayer should fetch them from him Now observe When our great Master Christ would give us a perfect pattern of Prayer both for matter and for manner he there windes up and wraps up all with a conclusion which consists of certain reasons to perswade our heavenly Father to hear our prayers or at least to assure our souls that he doth and that he will hear them and these reasons have a certain influence into all and every one of the petitions Thine is the Kingdom for this reason we do expect that as a good King thou wilt receive us and answer our petitions It is thy concernment as a King to have thine honour advanced for this reason Hallow thine own Name glorifie it in the Church advance thy Will in it sustain us thy Subjects pardon our Offences keep and defend us from
I would not escape because it gives entrance to my chiefest happiness and I cannot have it unless I go to it Every man would be willing to pass thorow Hell to Heaven but if I march only thorow death I suffer less then I would suffer for God my pains do not dismay me because I travel to bring forth life even eternal life my sins do not afright me because I have Christ the Captain of our salvation for my Redeemer The Judge doth not astonish me because the Son of the Judge is my prevailing advocate the Devil doth not amaze me because the holy Angels do pitch their tents round about me the grave doth not grieve me because it was my Lords bed the Prophets and the Apostles are my forerunners every man is gone before me or else he must come after me if it please the Lord to receive me into his heavenly mansions before others which have served him better the more humble thankfulness do I owe unto him And lest by putting off my repentance till this hour I should be cut off if I should die suddenly Behold how my gracious God in his merciful providence to prevent my ruine and destruction doth call me to himself by a lingring sickness which stayeth me till I be ready and prepareth me for my departure and makes me by these wholsome pains weary of this too-much-beloved world lest I should too unwillingly part with it and so be like them whose death is their damnation Thus the Lord loveth me while he smiteth me so that his stripes become plaisters to me therefore who shall love him if I should despise him who shall praise him if I should dishonour him This is my whole duty now to strengthen my weak body with my believing heart to be contented with whatsoever God hath appointed for me until I can glorifie him or he shall glorifie me If I live I live to sacrifice if I die I shall then die a sacrifice for his mercy is above mine iniquity And now if I should fear death it would be a signe that I had neither faith nor hope as I have professed but that I doubted of Gods truth in his promises whether or no he will forgive his poor dejected penitent but it is my Father let him do with me whatsoever seemeth good in his sight Then come Lord Jesus for thy servant cometh I am willing Lord help my unwillingness I believe Lord help my unbelief make me ready to receive thee Then come then come Lord Jesus come quickly III. Against impatience in sickness LEt us consider 1. That our sins have deserved far greater pains then we do suffer even the pains of Hell 2. That God hath in mercy determined the day of our deliverance The number of our tears shed for the dishonouring of God are registred in his book 3. Let us think on the blessed Apostle St. Stephen who as soon as he saw Christ forgot his wounds and the terror of the grave and sweetly yielded up his soul into the arms of his blessed Saviour so let us do let us forget our pain and meditate on the wounds of Christ Jesus let us be faithful to the death and so receive a crown of life 4. As we have alwayes prayed Our Father thy will be done so now let us yield willingly to whatsoever his holy will is else we dissemble with God and deceive our own souls 5. Remember that the rod be it of sickness or any other affliction is in the hands of a merciful Father 6. Believe that all things though seemingly most sharp shall work together for the best if we love and fear him and that nothing neither life nor death nor any creature shall ever be able to separate between us and our Lord Jesus Christ 7. That God doth use this chastisement of the body but as a Medicine for the curing of our sin-sick souls by drawing us to our great Physician by true repentance godly patience and holy believing 8. The greatest pains that we can feel in our greatest extremity are not to be compared with those grievous dolours which our blessed Saviour did undergo for us how then can we be impatient at any smart that he shall lay upon us 9. Nothing in this our suffering doth befal us but what the holy men of God have felt and most patiently undergone before us and are now in possession of everlasting joys in the highest Heavens 10. God hath not given us over to implacable enemies but as a loving and tender-hearted Father doth please to keep us in his own most gracious hands laying upon us no more then what he shall see and know to be most needful and profitable for us 11. Lastly consider and consider it with comfort How death if it shall follow sickness will deliver us from a weak frail corruptible body which is but a living prison of the soul and a lively instrument of sin and how death doth set us free to enjoy the liberty of the Saints in glory To conclude If we love holiness when it is compassed about with many sufferings and persecutions God will take notice of our patience and other our graces though compassed about with many infirmities the Lord will take notice of a little of his good in a great deal of our evil let us then look unto and long for Christ as our Saviour as our Advocate as our Head as our Surety as our great Physician and as the Bishop of our souls and let us run with patience the race that is set before us and being in likelihood near the end of the race IV. Consolations in the Lord Christ c. HE that hath once seen God in the face of Jesus Christ dares undoubtedly look the grimmest creature in the face even death it self under any shape all kinde of fear doth flee before such a soul it is only a Christian that is fear-free The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ for though the wages of sin be death yet the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord c. Therefore I say Thanks be to God who alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ We see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing of many sons to glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering We see Jesus who himself also took part of the same flesh and blood with us that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage We see Jesus Christ who was made like unto his brethren that he might be made
riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing both now and for ever and ever Amen VIII Short Prayers upon any release of Pain BLessed and praised be thy great and glorious Name O holy Father in Jesus Christ for that thou dost lay no more upon me nor punishest me to my confusion O grant me still a believing heart and a patient minde that I may still love thee and wholly depend upon thee and comfortably bear all thy fatherly corrections as it becometh thy faithful servant and a true souldier of Jesus Christ All is thine and thou art all to thee only do I flie for relief and succour knowing that there is no strength nor support but only in thee Thou wilt not break a bruised reed thou wilt not quench the smoaking flax O thou that delightest not in the death of a sinner receive me release my soul out of trouble for thy great Name sake let the shadow of thy wings be my cover let the holy Ghost be my company let thy power be my portion my rock and my defence against all fear and danger whatsoever and do thou in thine infinite goodness and mercy say at this time to my poor weak soul Be of good cheer I am thy salvation O Lord it is thou alone that hast sent me this sickness be thou pleased to come thy self with it and teach me and enable me to make that sanctified use thereof as becometh thy faithful servant O Lord let thy Word be my rule thy Glory my aim thy Spirit my guide thy Angels my guard thy Promises my support thy People my society thy Ordinances my delight then shall I be happy both now and for ever Grant O Lord God of Heaven and earth that thy holy Angels may pitch their tents round about me in this my low estate to defend me against that evil one and in thine own appointed time to convey my soul to everlasting glory When thou O Lord shalt be finishing my weak and evil dayes of sin be pleased to quiet my tender conscience to pardon my many manifold offences to save my precious soul to receive both my body and my soul into thy heavenly Kingdom so that I may follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth Oh thou that art the Captain of my salvation Oh sweet Jesus that wert made perfect by sufferings look graciously upon thy poor creature and sanctifie unto me all the pains of body and all the troubles of mind which thou shalt permit to fall upon me that I may pass thorow them to everlasting happiness IX Consolations against Pain and fear in Dying THere is pain in the curing of a wound do we therefore suffer it to gangrene and let it alone to the danger of a limb perhaps of life No we are willing to launce and to heal so let us here submit the body that the soul may be safe There be few persons but have indured as great perhaps greater and for a longer time in their life then they have at their death We do make the passage much the more tedious and difficult by our bringing to the thought of death a troubled and an unprepared minde and in the mean time forget that Christ by his death hath taken away the sting of death Be not dismayed death indeed is terrible when it is inflicted by the Law but it is easie being imposed by the Gospel The curse is now taken off we are not now under the Law but under Grace God who blessed us in life will not forsake us he will not neglect us in death for precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints Against all the apprehensions and thoughts of death let this of the holy Spirit be our sure consolation Thanks be to God that as death is swallowed up in victory so he hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ blessed for ever We have the Spirit of Christ within us which will secure us search us and refresh us even all the time of the combate yea it will abide with us for the assured comfort of our souls We do see many men and women to depart out of this life without any extremity of pain or trouble at all nay it is sometimes with much tranquillity extraordinary cheerfulness and spiritual joy let not us then create fear to our selves and expect pain but with patience and Christian faith and fortitude wait upon the Lord for a happy issue The body may and sometimes doth seem to be in grievous pangs when as the party feels no pain almost at all unless it be the Cramp or the like while the soul in the mean time is in a sweet repose and preparing it self to come immediately to the presence and blessed enjoyment of his dear Lord and gracious Redeemer praying still with servency of spirit Come Lord Jesus come and receive my soul X. Ejaculations to Father Son and holy Ghost O Heavenly Father who scourgest every son whom thou dost receive help me thy poor creature that I may not be weary of thy corrections but be pleased to give me such a perfect submitting my self to thee who art the Father of spirits that this chastisement of thine may be so much for my present and future profit and advantage that I may be made partaker of thy holiness Oh holy Jesus Son of the everliving God I have I do most humbly confess it by my many and grievous offences crucified thee afresh but thou O blessed Lord who didst pray for thy persecutors Oh be pleased to intercede also for me and suffer not Oh blessed Redeemer suffer not my poor soul the price of thy most precious blood to perish Oh blessed Spirit of Grace I have by my manifold impieties done despight unto thee yet Oh holy Comforter though I have often grieved thee be thou pleased to relieve and succour and sanctifie me and in this my weakness say to my poor soul I am thy salvation We may pray unto the whole Trinity but more properly unto the first person God the Father in the name of God the Son and by the assistance of God the holy Ghost Amen PART IV. Meditations upon certain signes of Death I. Several short Prayers upon any intermission of Pain O Lord thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul doth thirst for thee my flesh also longeth after thee I have looked for thee in holiness that I might behold thee in power and glory for thy loving kindness is better then life it self because thou hast been my helper therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce Or thus O Lord I finde this life to be but a troublesome Pilgrimage few in days but full of evil I am weary of it by reason of my sins It is enough O Lord that I have lived so long in this vale of misery take my soul O Lord into thy gracious hands for I am no better then my Fathers The Law in my members hath
certainly perswaded that there is no salvation in any other nor any other name under Heaven by which thou canst be saved Jesus is the only Saviour of the world therefore let all creatures bow down before him and bless his holy Name Dost thou from thy heart forgive all injuries and offences done unto thee by any person whatsoever And dost thou as freely from thy heart ask forgiveness of all whom thou hast any way wronged in thought word or deed Dost thou cast out of thy heart all rancour and malice against any person so as to appear before the face of Jesus Christ the Prince of peace in perfect love and charity I do humbly pray for such true charity as to forgive all and I do from my heart ask forgiveness of all Doth thy conscience accuse thee of any thing that thou hast unjustly taken still with-holding the same for which without restitution there can be no true repentance and without such repentance there can be no salvation nor shalt thou be able to look Christ in the face when thou shalt appear before his judgement-seat I have been willing to satisfie all whom I have wronged but alas who is able to number all his errors Dost thou firmly believe That thy body shall be raised out of the grave at the sound of the last trumpet and that both thy body and thy soul shall be united together again in the Resurrection-day to appear before the Lord Jesus Christ and thence to go with him into the Kingdom of Heaven there to live in everlasting bliss and glory My faith alas is weak but thy grace O Lord is sufficient for me O Lord let thy holy Spirit assist me and lead me into the way of everlasting glory Amen VI. Short Prayers upon any lessening of Pain O Most blessed Saviour be pleased to place thy precious Passion thy Cross and thy Death between my soul thy displeasure and let the merits of thy obedience stand between thy heavenly Fathers justice and my disobedience and from these bodily pains receive my soul into thine everlasting peace and good Lord give ear unto this my cry O Jesu receive my spirit Or thus O Lord Jesus Christ forsake not him that in great distress doth flie to thee for succour and relief O sound that sweet and comfortable voice into my fainting soul which thou wert pleased to utter to the penitent Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Or thus O Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I know and do believe that whosoever liveth and trusteth in thee who art the resurrection and the life shall never die Oh then vouchsafe favour to thy poor creature that I may hear that blessed voice of thine Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Or thus O most gracious God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive my humble supplications and though I be so much bound with the chains of my sins yet Lord let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose me and set me at liberty for Jesus Christ his sake my only Saviour and Redeemer Or thus O holy Lord fit and prepare me for my last conflict and by the support of thy blessed Spirit and the assistance of thy heavenly Angels vouchsafe to assist and strengthen me against the assaults of Satan that notwithstanding his mortal malice I may still hold me fast and keep my self close to thee in all holy believing so as humbly and stedfastly to resolve that though thou shouldst slay me yet to put my trust in thee and to place my whole confidence in thine everlasting mercies in Christ Jesus VII When weakness and faintness increase let friends help with these short ejaculations O Lord bear me thy poor sick servant in thy gracious arms to the land of the living Or thus Lord bring me I beseech thee by thy power and goodness to thy holy habitation Or thus Plant me O Lord in the mountain of thine inheritance the place which thou hast prepared to dwell in Or thus Lord make me to be one of the joyful Citizens of thy holy Jerusalem which is above Or thus Oh Lord as my weakness shall encrease so let my patience the hope of thy favour and assurance of thy mercy in Christ Jesus still increase more and more Or thus Oh Lord let thy grace and blessing be upon me that I may safely pass thorow this vale of misery and finish my course with joy Or thus O Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and grant me peace in the Lord Jesus Or thus Oh holy Father if it be thy blessed will give an end to my labours and release me of my pains VIII More of Ejaculations when faintness increaseth SWeet Jesu receive my soul sweet Jesu receive my spirit Or thus Come Lord Jesu come for thy servant cometh I am willing Lord help my weakness Or thus O Lord let thy holy Angels stand round about my bed and guard me from that evil one Or thus O Lord lay not my sins to my charge but look upon him that maketh the atonement Thy Christ my Jesus Or thus O Lord to thee belongeth mercy and forgiveness have pity on my soul and pardon my sins Or thus O Lord say to my souls everlasting joy and comfort I am thy salvation Or thus O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon me Or thus O Lord make clean my heart within me and take not thy holy Spirit from me Or thus O Lord Jesus Christ I do commend my spirit into thy hands thou hast redeemed me O God thou God of mercy of truth IX A Prayer by friends at leaving this Life OH most gracious Lord God and loving Father in Jesus Christ who art our portion our strong refuge a sure defence and a very present help in time of trouble Oh lift up thy merciful countenance at this instant upon thy weak servant who now is coming to appear in thy presence Oh thou which art the great preserver of men take pity and compassion upon him wash away all his natural and sinful pollutions by the all-sufficient merits of Christ Jesus his most precious blood that they may never be laid to his charge nor hinder his happy passage to everlasting blessedness O Lord increase his faith preserve his soul from the malice and danger of the devil and all his evil angels comfort him with thy holy Spirit cause him now to feel and finde that thou art his gracious Father and thou art reconciled unto him in thy dearly beloved save him O Lord O Lord Jesus Christ save the price of thine own blood and suffer not him to be lost whom thou hast so dearly purchased Oh receive his poor soul as thou didst the penitent thief into thy heavenly Paradise let thy blessed Angels conduct him thither as they carried the soul of thy beloved Lazarus and vouchsafe unto
and bewailed of all 5. As a Christian and a dutiful Son of the Church wherein he was not only commendable but admirable both in life and in death In the communion of this Church as he had received his Baptism so he often professed he was ready to lay down his life for it As for the other Sacrament he would have every man to be highly and also habitually prepared so as if he should come into a Church where it was to be celebrated he should be ready to joyn in it he and his wife receiving it constantly every month He was devout and frequent in Prayer and sometimes would say If he should want an opportunity he would be praying as he stood behinde his Lord. When he observed that God by this last sickness gave him an effectual call out of this life his zeal and devotion were doubled so as to inflame the holy affections of all that stood about him Having received the Sacrament on the Sunday a pious scruple did seize his thoughts not to signe his Will on that day till by the Minister he was satisfied He propounded the place of his burial which shewed much of humility duty and affection There was at Malden in Bedfordshire a stately Monument erected by his Lord the Earle of Elgin in memory of his deceased Lady At the entrance into this place he said himself and his wife if she dyed presaging her sickness to be also mortal might conveniently be laid together that such as should come to view that Monument might tread upon her servants yet adding That if it were not convenient he was not scrupulous but requested to be interred in the open Church-yard and that to cross the received superstition on the North-side He was in some trouble that he had his accounts in no more readiness for such a surprize till his noble Lord advised him by no means to disorder his thoughts about any business of his Though he was alwayes confident of mercy yet was he ever humble also acknowledging himself the chief of sinners and declaring still that this his boldness sprang not from his own works but from Christs merits When the Minister was to pray with him he desired him not to intreat further continuance in this life his heart was in Heaven Finding himself almost spent with speaking he desired to have matter of devotion to be administred to him thereupon the Minister suggested to him divers seasonable expressions as I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Lord Jesu receive my spirit which with great alacrity he repeated after him So great was his patience as to desire God to lay his hand more heavy upon him He was nothing startled in his assurance of the fruition of Christ but cryed out every moment almost I go to my Christ I go to my God He thought he should have died on Sunday though 't was Munday and pleased himself that he should go from a temporal to an eternal Sabbath When his voice failed him still his hands held up shewed that his heart was aloft and that his God sustained him and so he breathed out his pious soul into the hands of his blessed redeemer He sickned July 24. 1657. and departed the 3 of Aug. VI. Mrs. Anne Rhodes SHe also was chief servant to the Countess of Oxford and to her husband the Earle of Elgin She was descended of the Glovers even of that pious Glover in Queen Maries days who ennobled his lineage not only in receiving the blood of others but by spending his own for the testimony of the truth She did diligently attend upon her husband in the time of his sickness so long as her strength continued but at the last she was forced to yield to the violence of her own sore distemper where she soon perceived that except some remedy were speedily found out she could not long continue Growing weak she sent several times for the Earl's Chaplen and he as willingly came and spake and prayed oftentimes with her and hath professed to receive no small support and comfort by those holy expressions that came from her Her husband was high in his assurance of enjoying of Christ but it was not so with her she was sadly tormented and brought down almost to the gates of hell with the sence and terror of her sins so much that those precious Cordials administred to her out of the Gospel were sometimes scarce able to keep her from fainting But the Chaplen who was much with her doth affirm that he had good ground and great reason to judge that the Lord did hearken to the voice of her weeping for her deep humiliation her earnest invocation her strong crying for mercy her humble request that her sins might be made known more fully to her her justifying of God in all his dealings with her her full resolution if God shall recover her to walk more strictly her holy resignation to the will of the Lord to do what he pleased with her These are he said infallible evidences that God though he chastised her and that very sore yet he gave her not over to death the second death As she drew nearer to the time of her departure so did she grow better acquainted with the slights of Satan and delusions of her own heart so she complained to a religious Gentlewoman in the Family O the craft and subtilty of the devil to make us believe that this sin is nothing and that sin is nothing but now said she I finde it to be something She was not only contented to live here or to be gone from hence as God should please but ready also to entertain all other occurrences of divine providence with a submissive heart There was care had and some tenderness used about the acquainting her with her husbands death she apprehending them did quickly make the question Is my Husband dead Said the Chaplen I hope if he be you are willing to submit to the will of God Yes said she with all my heart and added That should she hear of the death of her two Sons that then were sent for she could willingly submit to Gods good pleasure When a Gentlewoman a friend did spirt some vinegar out of her mouth to clear the air in the Chamber Spit some upon me said she for I deserve to be spit upon I but said the Chaplen think upon him that for our sakes was spit upon These and such like expressions of hers did argue in her both an humble and a contrite heart which the Lord will not despise and also a quiet submitting to Gods correcting hand and then a holy resignation and a ready acceptation of such punishment as God should think meet to lay upon her Further to shew that God was gracious to her notwithstanding the terrors that had been upon her when the Chaplen wished her to lift up her heart to God she presently replied I do and the Lord hears me which came certainly from the comfortable testimony of the
moritur corpore non moritur morte aeterna quando moritur morte corporis Summum hominis bonum bonus ex hac vita exitus Nasci mori commune est Regi populo diviti paupero fortunato misero Fleres si scires unum tua tempora mensem Rides quum non sit forsitan una dies Ante senectutem curavi 〈◊〉 bene viverem in senectute ut bene moriar In mundo spes nulla boni spes nulla salutis Una salus servire Deo sunt caetera fraudes Pulvis umbra sumus pulvis nihil est nisi fumus Sed nihil est fumus nos nihil ergo sumus Dic homo quid speres qui mundo totus adhaeres Tecum nulla feres licet omnia solus haberes Heu fugiunt fraeno non remorante dies Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor inferni sint meditanda tibi II. A Prayer in health preparing for death Qui orat peccat non orat sed deludit O Most gracious Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh thou which hast the keyes of death and of Hell thou which hast prepared and rulest them both at thy good pleasure I humbly beseech thee be merciful to thy poor creature and preserve me from the terrors which are ready to seize upon me O Lord when I do seriously consider how I dwell in a house of clay the foundation being in the dust and how I must ere long make my bed in the dark my spirit doth seem to fail and my heart to faint especially being told out of thy blessed Word That the sting of death is sin and so mine own sin O raise me up from sad and unquiet thoughts teach me how to overcome all discouragements and help me to call to minde those truths As that the nature of death is to thy servants quite altered that the sting is plucked out and it self swallowed up in victory O help me to consider how by death thy poor servant shall be freed from sickness of body and anguish of minde from sinning against thy heavenly Majesty and from the society of the wicked Teach me truly to confess and humbly to bewail my manifold offences and then effectually to apply thy gracious promises to my everlasting comfort that so all fainting fears proceeding from the sence of my sins may turn to holy rejoycing with a cheerful expecting and even to an earnest longing for the time of my dissolution And yet that I may not beguile mine own soul in laying claim to that spiritual refreshing which belongs not to me make me to labour diligently for those assured evidences and undeceiving fore-runners of a happy departure I have been taught O Lord that if I live here without conscience I shall assuredly die without comfort that holiness here is the safe and certain way to happiness hereafter that I must seek to glorifie thee if I mean to be glorified with thee that I must fight the good fight of faith both against Satan against the world and against mine own corruptions that I must faithfully finish my course and conscionably perform the service to which thou hast appointed me that I must know thy Law and keep the faith in soundness and sincerity to the end otherwise it will be in vain to expect a crown of righteousness that I must come to the first resurrection that is from sin or else I shall never escape the second death O Lord grant me therefore of thy heavenly grace that henceforth I may more carefully serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of my life endeavouring alwayes and in all things to have and to keep a clear conscience towards thee and towards all men Lord kill my corruptions in me that I may be even dead to sin but alive to thee in Jesus Christ affect my soul with a sence and an assurance of those heavenly joyes which may work in my heart both fear and love also to thee the God of all consolation And because if I live after the flesh taking though for it to fulfil it I shall die therefore I beseech thee to mortifie in me the deeds of the body by thy Spirit that so I may have my fruit in holiness and that my end may be everlasting life Teach me and enable me to be alwayes numbring my dayes and to consider the uncertain certainty of my latter end that I may be dying every day still looking and still preparing for my change and making account that each day by one means or other may be the day of my dissolution Strengthen also good Lord my weak and fainting faith make me strong in thee and in the power of thy might seal me with the holy spirit of promise as with the earnest of my heavenly inheritance that so no tribulation in this world may disquiet me no anguish in sickness discourage me no assault of Satan over come me but that come life so long as thou pleasest or come death when or how it shall seem good unto thee I may cheerfully and through Christ commit my soul to thee as to a faithful Creator Grant me O Lord these fatherly blessings and what else thou in thine infinite wisdom knowest better what is needful for me and that for his sake who died to free me from death even Jesus Christ the righteous to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be given all honour praise and glory now and ever Amen III. Meditations of Gods mercies AMong all the infinite treasures wherewith the largeness of the Godhead aboundeth there is nothing that refresheth relieveth us miserable sinners worms of the earth that lye low at his footstool but the consideration of Gods mercy His Majesty astonisheth us his glory beateth us down his greatness striketh us dead we adore his omnipotence admire his wisdom stand in aw of his justice flie from his vengeance In mercy in mercy alone it is that we taste how gracious and how amiable the Lord is of all Gods attributes none is more eminent then his mercy Blessed be her womb that bare us and her paps that gave us suck we live and move and have our being by her she grew up with us from our youth and forsaketh us not when we be grey-headed she giveth us our daily bread and hourly breath she continueth us in life comforteth us in death and crowneth us with salvation O mercy the Lady and Empress of all the attributes of God! what shall we say of thee Heaven and earth are full of thy glory The glorious company of the Prophets praise thee the goodly fellowship of the Apostles praise thee the noble army of the Martyrs praise thee the holy Church throughout the world doth knowledge thee Thy mercy O Lord doth shine upon us every way There is 1. Thy preventing mercy from whence I may say that unless the Lord had preserved me by his grace and power my soul had launched out into the foulest sins 2.
which is evil as wanton discourse wandring thoughts and wicked company and indeed all the vanities of the world 6. We must be frequent in humble faithful and devout prayer for none is overcome by a temptation till he give over holy constant and zealous praying 7. From the bottom of our hearts let us resolve constantly to embrace and to observe whatsoever is found to be the will of God yea though all the world should repine and persecute us for it so shall our duties and our services be regulated by precept and winged by promises 8. A soveraign remedy it will prove to be meditating at all hours on the hour of death Observe carefully and do what hath been said diligently Et in aeternum non peccabis IX Meditations of death THe highest delights and the greatest confidence that is in man cannot shift off the importunate and the violent troubles of this adversary That example in Dan. 5. may serve for all That Chaldean Tyrant was carousing with his Concubines singing triumphant Carols to the praise of his carved gods yet how was his courage abated when death writ him a letter of summons Now no musick no pleasant moving jest could remove his deep-struck melancholy O death how imperious art thou to carnal mindes Some do fear not so much to be dead as to die and some do fear not so much to die as to be dead whereas the true Christian armed only with humble confidence and holy believing in his future happiness can comfortably encounter him and in triumph can sing as 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting c. Looking chearfully towards Heaven he can unfeignedly say I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ That dissolution is happy which parting the soul from the body doth unite both body and soul to God He that sees the glory of the end cannot but contemn the hardness of the way Of all sleeps death may be said to be the sweetest children begin it to us strong men seek it and Kings themselves fall to this centre The pace of death may be soft but iâ— is sure and every man live he never so long is a dying man till he be dead We should labour to get a particular knowledge and assurance both of our happiness in death and of our salvation after death And here remember that it is of excellent use and comfort to be frequent in receiving of the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper On purpose and in mercy hath the Lord left both our last day and the last day uncertain to us that we might alwayes meditate on them and be every day preparing for them It is the negligent forgetfulness of death that makes our life sinful and our death terrible He that lives holily cannot die unhappily He is most certainly blessed that dyeth in the Lord what kind of death soever it be He only is fearless of death that can say upon good ground Whether I live or die I am the Lords He that is the true child of God will never repine or murmur at his rod though it be accompanied with death We may well fear a storm is coming when the father doth call his children so hastily home Let us then say with Jobs heart Job 14.14 All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come So be it X. Resolutions against the vexations and vanities of the world THe danger of this world is seen in the paucity of such as do pass well thorow it and also in the multitude of them that perish in it All things therein are but extream vanity purchasing to the owner nothing but anguish and vexation of spirit therefore will I bid this vain world adieu and that I may loath it and love God the better I will be continually meditating on what he hath prepared for me in Heaven and especially on the means of attaining it which is 1. The mercy of God who giveth it 2. The merit of Christ that bought it 3. The holy Gospel that offereth it 4. On faith that receiveth it 5. On the blessed Spirit that sealeth it to my poor soul I will with Christ and by his gracious assistance resolve to endure all for him all the contempts and persecutions of the world all the troubles of the body all the tortures of death all the torments of Satan so as I may enjoy my Lord Jesus Christ and his Kingdom I will renounce and contemn all sorts of vanities here below that I may enjoy the presence of the Lamb and with him be singing Hallelujahs everlastingly in the highest Heavens I am weak but this do I resolve in the strength of him who is the Almighty Lord God I will be neither a fool nor a rebel not ignorant from whence my crosses come neither will I be impatient in them knowing that they come from my most gracious God that he hath stinted all my miseries he hath weighed out every dram of my sorrows so as all the powers of hell shall not be able to cast in one scruple more then God hath allotted for me We know that even savage creatures will endure to be smitten by their Masters and yet be ready to tear strangers in pieces shall I then struggle with him that made me and framed and moderated the whole world when he is pleased to smite me No we should learn and remember that our extremities in misery are Gods best oportunities to shew mercy I will have no plot but against hells policy I will have no designe but against sins stratagems I will learn how I am to act in this life to my God fidelity to my Prince loyalty to my friends amity to my self humility so shall I be kept from future falls and also be guarded from present fears for this we are assured of that God hath either the Castle of a providence or the Ark of a promise or the faithfulness of his power or the all-sufficiency of his own grace for a retirement to his people in times of greatest storms and tempests PART II. Meditations at the first Sickning I. A Prayer in time of Sickness In their affliction saith the Lord Hos 54 6. they will seek me early So Egypt's burden made Israel cry to God so David's troubles made him to pray so Hezekiah's sickness caused him to weep so misery drove the Prodigal home and so let me in this my trouble sincerely and believingly hasten to my God in humble supplication OH most righteous Judge and yet in Jesus Christ my gracious Father I a poor wretched sinner do here return unto thee with the Prodigal that was annoyed with want and hunger and do humbly acknowledge that this pain and sickness is none other then the just stroke of thine own hand but though my sins have been many and great yet in wrath thou dost remember mercy for thy corrections have been easie and few I have deserved to be smitten with some fearful death so as to have perished in
favour to minde our own duty and to live by faith V. A Prayer before taking of Physick O Lord give me perfect love to thy heavenly Majesty that I may not delight in any thing at all but thee nor look for any other safety at all but in thee nor seek for any other help but from thee O most holy and most merciful Father in Jesus Christ who art the Lord both of health and of sickness who killest and makest alive who bringest down to the grave and raisest up again I do humbly come unto thee unto thee as to the only Physician of Physicians who canst as easily cure my soul from sin as my body from sickness I do not at this time desire either life or death but do wholly yield up my self to thy blessed will death indeed is the reward of sin for sin when it is finished bringeth forth death yet seeing thy gracious providence while life remaineth hath appointed means for thy distressed children to use and by the lawful and thankful use of it and humble seeking to thee for it to expect thy fatherly blessing for healing of their distempers and restoring them to their health In this my necessity I do apply my self to the Physitian and am entring upon the course which he shall prescribe O Lord help me that I may cast my self wholly upon thee Teach me to call faithfully upon thy great and glorious Name for a blessing upon it It is thou O Lord that didst recover Hezekiah that didst cleanse the Lepers that didst restore the woman with the bloody Issue and it is from thy great mercy Almighty power and gracious providence alone that I expect deliverance out of this malady Oh be pleased of thine infinite goodness to sanctifie to me this Physick that I shall now take and so to prosper the same that if it be thy blessed will and pleasure it may remove this sickness and take away this pain and restore me to my former health and strength but if thou hast appointed this sickness to draw me nearer to thy self in constant obedience and holy dependance upon thy heavenly Majesty or if thou hast sent this sickness as thy messenger to call me out of this mortal life then help me to say with integrity sincerity Thy will be done enable me with cheerfulness to submit to thy divine pleasure And this I do humbly most earnestly beg of thee to assist me with thy holy Spirit for the increase of faith and patience in this my day of trouble O Lord let thy tender and fatherly compassion be never wanting to me but in the midst of all extremities be pleased to support me with thy continual help that I may both willingly and christianly resigne up my soul as the price of thine own blood into thy gracious hands and blessed protection Grant this O Lord to thy poor servant and whatever else in thine infinite wisdom and goodness thou knowest to be necessary for my present weak condition such as may tend to my everlasting comfort and thine eternal glory All this I beg for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit be ascribed all Majesty power and glory now and for ever Amen VI. A Prayer before Physick is on working O Holy Father in Jesus Christ when in my weakness the time shall come that Satan shall maliciously accuse me when my unquiet conscience shall bear witness against me when worldly advantages shall forsake me and when every creature and every thing shall seem to set themselves against me and that for my manifold and my reiterated sins against thy heavenly Majesty then do thou who art the God of all consolation do thou strengthen me in my most holy faith so that If all not at all from thee though every thing doth seem to flee from me But Lord I beseech thee let thy fulness supply my wants let thy mercy do away my offendings let thy holy Spirit prepare my soul for thy heavenly appointment let thy merits O most blessed Saviour enrich my poverty Oh let thy dear and precious blood wash away all the spots and stains of my poor polluted soul And Lord be pleased at this time to vouchsafe a blessing upon the Physick which I have now taken for removing of my pain and recovery of my health and if thou shalt afford this mercy to thy poor creature then Lord I beseech thee grant grace that the same health and ease may be imployed and improved for the glory of thy great Name and for the present comfort and final salvation of my poor soul And all this I beg in and by and through the merits of thee my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ to whom with the heavenly Father and the holy Spirit be given as is most due blessing and honour and glory and power both now and for ever Amen VII Six Medicines to cure the fear of Death 1. THe first Medicine is contempt of the world For 1. It will be an easie thing to die when our hearts are once freed from the love of earthly things therefore should we shun the overmuch care and business of the world and study to be quiet to meddle only with our own matters and to draw them into as narrow a scantling as our calling will permit 2. We should avoid as much as may be the society of the worlds favourites that admire nothing but what this world affords that know no other happiness but that of this life whereby our hearts are too much intangled 3. We should sort our selves with such Christians as do practise as well as praise the contempt of the world and by whose example discourse we may be brought to be in love with Heaven 4. We should daily observe to what things in the world our hearts are most carried out and by fervent supplications to strive with the Lord to suppress them 5. We should be alwayes pondering in our thoughts those things which may shew us the vanity of the world and the vileness and transitoriness of the best things which the world affords 2. The second Medicine or cure of the fear of death is Mortification 1. We must throughly mortifie all our bosom and beloved sins our sins must die before we die otherwise our dying will be dangerous to us it is the love and the delight that men take in sin which makes them so much afraid to die or else it may be the remembrance of some filthy sin committed which doth terrifie the conscience therefore we must make sure of our repentance Now he may be said truly to repent himself of all sin that allows not in himself any sin 2. We must here add the care of an upright and of an unreproveable conversation A marvellous help and encouragement it is to die in peace when a man doth live without offence and upon just ground can plead the integrity of a holy conversation 3. The third Medicine or cure against the fear of death is
and Resurrection John the 2 Chapter Rom. the 7 and 8 Chapt. Heb. the 11 and 12 Chapt. PART III. Meditations at growing Weak I. A Prayer upon danger of Death OH most glorious and most gracious Lord God thy providence doth extend to the uttermost parts of the earth and thy favourable beams do shine upon the chief of sinners be pleased to cast thy compassionate eye upon me whom thou hast brought to the bed of sickness just it is with thee thus to correct me yea to destroy me body and soul seeing I have so grievously offended thee I will not I dare not I cannot plead against thee it is my duty rather to magnifie thy mercy that hast spared me so long and art now pleased so graciously and so fatherly to chastise me it being free to thy justice to cut me off and to deliver me over to the Prince of darkness Vnworthy I am I do confess of this access to thy gracious presence in that I have formerly been so careless thereof yet seeing thou art ever wont more to respect the truth of thine own promise then the desert of those that pray unto thee seeing thou vouchsafest to stile thy self The hearer of Prayer I beseech thee hearken to the humble suit of thy poor supplicant Lord sanctifie to me this present sickness let it be as thy School in which I may learn more sincerely to honour thee and truly to know my self Make me seriously sensible that all this and whatever else thou shalt now lay upon me are but the fruits of sin and that as sickness makes way for death so death is the fore-runner either of eternal salvation or condemnation Lord bless this meditation so to me that I may make it my chief business to seek assurance of my being reconciled to thy heavenly Majesty To this end Lord give me a deep apprehension and a sensible understanding of my fore-passed transgressions Lord take from me all blindness of mind all deceitfulness of spirit all inclination to flatter or to sooth up my self so as to lessen either the number or the quality of my offences Cause me to break and even to plough up my heart to search and to try my wayes that so out of the truth and the abundance of the sence and feeling of my sins I may pour out a most plentiful and a most sincere confession before thee Help me to consider that it is a vain thing to seek to cover mine iniquities from thine all-seeing eye therefore let me rather lay open my most secret sins before thee with holy and true contrition this being a safe way to finde mercy and pardon at thy gracious hands O then be pleased to strengthen my weak faith that I may from the sight of my sinful condition lay hold upon the infinite merits of my blessed Saviour and with all humility cast all my burden upon him who by his most precious blood hath purged away all sin and all uncleanness And because O Lord I am full of imperfections there being in my nature much weakness to distrust much frowardness to repine and great readiness to rebel against thy holy Ordinances be graciously pleased to furnish me with necessary graces and with such heavenly gifts as thou in thine infinite wisdom and goodness dost know to be fit for my present estate endue me with patience cheerfully to bear whatsoever thou shalt please to lay upon me meekly submitting to thy most holy appointment Assure me that thou who knowest whereof I am made and that I am but poor dust wilt not press me with more then thou wilt enable me to bear Grant good Lord that the hope of the glory which shall be revealed may be more strong in me and more powerful upon me that all things in this world may be vile and worthless in comparison of it make me to be comfortably capable of the counsel and caution which my Christian friends shall in tender affection indeavour to administer to my fainting soul and so likewise make me able willing and ready to speak and deliver something of piety and of profit to such persons as in my sickness shall be about me Lord put into me charitable thoughts and holy affections towards all people and that I may be both willing to satisfie wheresoever I have failed in my duty and also ready to remit wheresoever I have received greatest injury or indignity Oh holy Father in Jesus Christ prepare me I humbly beseech thee and enable me towards my last conflict Oh help and defend me and by thy Almighty power preserve me from and against the assaults and the deceits of Satan who at such a time as this is most busie to destroy thy poor creatures grant that notwithstanding his mortal malice I may keep my self close to thee and constantly and faithfully to resolve that though thou slay me yet to put my whole trust in thee And seeing that sickness so great is thy compassion to poor creatures doth not always exercise its full power upon our weak frail bodies Oh Lord vouchsafe unto me that understanding and spiritual prudence as to make a holy use of every small breathing and of every little time of ease which in mercy thou shalt be pleased to afford unto me so as to gather strength and resolution against the time of greater pain and anguish I beseech thee be still bringing to my remembrance those evidences of thy former favours and those comfortable examples and instructions which I have from time to time found in thy holy Word so as to be thereby quickned and refreshed and so as to know and apprehend the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and so finde spiritual comfort in my greatest need And as the danger of death shall increase upon me so let heavenly rejoycing and holy desires increase in me Oh let me groan earnestly and desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ upon good ground believing that thou hast made him to be sin that knew no sin for me that I might be made the righteousness of God in him Now Lord hear and help and do for me thy poor creature according to thine everlasting love and mercy and compassion in the same my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen II. Consolations concerning Death I Owe to God a death even as his dear Son did die for me Ever since I was born I have been sailing to this Haven and have or should have been gathering resolution strength and patience to sweeten and to comfort this hour therefore I shall not I will not the Lord assisting me now be one of those guests that would not come to the banquet when they were invited What hurt is there in going to Paradise I shall lose nothing but the sence of evil and I shall presently reap greater joys then I now feel pain for my head is in Heaven already to assure me that my body and soul shall follow after O death where is thy sting why should I fear that which
a merciful high-Priest in things pertaining to God to work reconciliation for the sins of the people for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Seeing that we have a great high Priest Jesus the Son of God who is passed into the Heavens let us hold fast our profession for we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are sin only excepted let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and finde grace in time of need Seeing we are taught by faith That whatsoever we have need of and is wanting in us the same is laid up with God for us in Christ it remaineth then that we do seek it of him and be it in sickness or in health by daily prayer beg it of him V. Reading of Scripture or part of Chapters PSalms 62 77 96. Isa 55. 1 Cor. 15. from v. 1. to v. 29. 2 Cor. 5. Rev. 1 5. and the last or part of them VI. A Prayer where friends are to joyn O Most gracious most glorious Lord God we thy poor unworthy servants are here prostrate before thy heavenly Majesty begging pardon at thy compassionate hands for all the evils that we stand guilty of Oh look upon us not as we are miserable sinners but as we are by the precious blood of thy dear Son reconciled unto thee for his sake we beseech thee to hear us and to accept of our prayers not only for our selves but on the behalf of this thy distressed servant our Christian brother whom thou hast here brought low upon the bed of sickness we are taught O Lord that sickness is brought upon the world for sin and that it is inflicted upon thine own people for a tryal and for a blessing that being by thee so fatherly chastised they may return unto thee like obedient children by unfeigned repentance holy believing and humble supplication and not as with the wicked for hardning of their hearts O Lord we beseech thee in the Name of the Lord Jesus give to this thy sick servant grace and spiritual strength to search into his own heart so as to finde out to bewail and to detest all his former sinful actions freely to forgive every injury done unto him duly to make restitution wheresoever there is cause so as to be in charity with all men and to have a clear conscience void of all offence Give him of thy grace O Lord that he may not take this sickness or any other thy visitation either insensibly or impatiently let him be truly humbled under thy mighty hand and yet confidently trust and constantly depend upon thy rich mercy in Christ Jesus so that nothing may be able to separate him from thee who art his only stay and portion yea the only comfort of his precious soul And then good Lord send thy holy Spirit into his heart to support and sanctifie him against all his natural weaknesses passions and infirmities let thy Almighty power and goodness preserve him against all outward cares and troubles let thy heavenly Grace O most blessed Saviour by thy all-sufficient merits purchase for him his needful pardon and let thy most precious blood be to him a happy Medicine to all his maladies and a soveraign help against all his spiritual enemies O grant unto him this blessing that he may quietly repose himself at this time under the shadow of thy wings void of all fear and free from all spiritual darkness dangers and despair Lord give him a watchful heart willingly disposed and thorowly enabled to abandon all transitory things here below and to depart hence with joy and in the peace of a good conscience Good Lord teach him enable him upon this his sick bed openly earnestly faithfully unfeignedly and incessantly to be confessing his sins and craving pardon of all his iniquities O be graciously pleased to keep under Satan that he may have no power to draw him from submitting to thy divine will and pleasure restore in him the image of thy dear Son Jesus Christ that so long as thou shalt afford him any breath he may live in thy fear trust in thy mercy rely on thy promises believe in thy Word die in thy favour rest in thy peace rise in thy power and remain in thy glory These blessings and what other mercies this thy sick creature or we thy poor servants do stand in need of we do humbly and faithfully implore at thy gracious hands and in the Name and for the sake of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and do conclude all our petitions as he hath taught us to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be all glory power and dominion world without end Amen VII Meditations on the dayes of Death and of Doom DEath was to us by reason of sin a dungeon for reserving the guilty body against the day of Judgement but now by and through the merits of Christ our blessed Saviour death is become as it were a persumed bed for the Elect against the day of the Resurrection Then O my Lord and Saviour why should it molest or trouble me at all to tread in thy steps towards glory The worst piece of the horror of death is the grave that part which is corrupted feels it not the other which is free from corruption feels an abundant recompence foresees a joyful reparation The day of Death and the day of Doom are the two Pole-Stars in which we that are Pilgrims and strangers on earth must at all times be fixing of our eyes Joseph of Arimathea did make his sepulchre in his garden Egyptians had the picture of death alwayes in their Banquetting-houses even so should we in the midst of our worldly pleasures be continually preparing our selves and casting up our accounts and daily numbring our dayes Death to the righteous is ever welcome and for the day of Doom the very name of it to the godly is as honey the mentioning of it is as the sweetest melody and the thoughts of it to every good Christian is as a year of Jubile Be pleased then Oh heavenly Father to lift up my head and my heart in that great and glorious day Lord turn from me those judgements that attend the wicked and crown me with those myriades of blessings which do alwayes accompany thine Elect and so in mercy come Lord Jesus come quickly In that great day we shall see and meet the ancient Patriarks Moses and Aaron Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the old Prophets Elias Jeremiah Daniel Hosea we shall also behold the four and twenty Elders the holy Apostles Matthew Mark James and John and all the holy Martyrs John the Baptist Stephen c. likewise all those harmless Infants that were slain by Herod who with their Olive-branches in their hands do continually sing Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and
caused some of his little Prayer-books to be brought to his bed and appointed to every one of his children one writing therein their several names and adding thereunto his Christianly and Fatherly admonition For his eldest Son Philippus Mauritius upon his German Bible he did write thus MY Son Philippus Mauritius Count of Hanaw Fear God and keep his holy Commandments I have been this night sore troubled and in great anguish I have thought on many things which I wish my Childe that you could know yet thus much I tell you Keep thy self even all thy life-time close unto thy God his gracious help and his blessed assistance will be evermore most necessary for thee I would to God that I could write the great riches of his infinite mercy goodness and faithfulness that have been experimented by me this long time I bless the Lord I have already the foretaste of everlasting glory Therefore will I sing unto the Lord as long as I live Psa 104.33 I will sing praise to my God while I have my being my Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. The Lord help thee unto me in due time Amen In these pangs of death I do desire to be delivered and to be with my Lord Jesus Christ O Lord Jesus Christ thou faithful Saviour how do I love thee Thy promises are true thy love is great thy heart is faithful towards me I do commend my spirit into thy hands thou dear and faithful God Thou hast most graciously delivered and sanctified me Lord I do wait on thy salvation Thy faithful Father Philippus Lodovicus The second Son Willielmus Reynhart received his Book with these words viz. MY dear Son serve thy God with thy whole heart in Sprit and in Truth I have destinated thee thereunto esteem it not to be any shame unto thee to serve God and his Church for God is the greatest God he is thy Creator keep in honour the true service of God Obey and serve thy dear Mother under whose heart thou hast lain honour and serve thy eldest Brother as thy Lord for such is the Ordinance and my will also bear with him if thou be in the right for thou art then more happy then he but if thou dost not walk uprightly in thy words then art not thou happy Love thy Brothers and Sisters from the heart love thy House do good to the Poor according to thy ability then shall the Lord bless thee Beware of drunkenness of dissoluteness and all unclean speeches as thou wouldst do of fire Honour thy State be industrious in all things read and practise and that continually the 119 Psalm let thine Astrologians be the 28 of Deuteronomy So I commit thee to God Thy faithful Father unto death Philippus Lodovicus The eldest Daughter Lady Charlette Loisa received her Book with these words viz. FEar honour and love thy God from thy heart have his Commandments continually before thine eyes take thy whole delight therein Honour with all filial obedience thy loving Mother keep thy mouth close with a lock esteem honesty and modesty above all the goods and treasures of this present world God bless thee my loving Childe Thy loving Father unto death Philippus Lodovicus The second Daughter Lady Emilia Elizabetha received her Book from him with these words viz. HAve God always before thine eyes Honour thy Mother with obedience and with love keep honesty and modesty for these will be thy best riches and thy chiefest jewel Thy faithful Father unto death Philippus Lodovicus The youngest Daughter Lady Catherina Juliana received her Book with these words viz. DEar Childe be vertuous Have thy Creator alwayes before thine eyes fear thy God even all the days of thy life love and honour thy blessed Saviour who did shed his most precious blood for thee break off from thine evil will betimes be humble and obedient Humility honesty and silence do more adorn a Lady then either pearls or other costly jewels Thy faithful Father unto death Philippus Lodovicus These Prayer-books being thus delivered his Excellency caused also the late-born Lord to be brought before the bed sighed sadly over him touched him with his hand and prayed that the Lord would also bless that tender Infant with his grace Lying down again his bed being new made he stretching out both his arms said to one of his Counsellors Ecce divinum miraculum hominem jam mortuum viribus tamen adhuc integrum That is Loe a divine miracle a man already dead and yet having his full strength After this his understanding remaining very good he caused divers things to be read out of a little Song-book and then took it to him and writ in it This Song have I used many years and then commanded it to be laid upon his heart as soon as he should be departed A while after he called before him all the Ministers both of the old and of the new City and also some of the Country-Ministers with whom he did discourse of the true saving faith and of a Christianly departure out of this life telling them That he would not willingly in this his weakness be without a Preacher by him He did often sigh and pray from his heart for a mitigation of his pains and for shortning the pangs of death and also so for an understanding end and did use many comfortable speeches to the joy and admiration of such as were his assistants 7. Aug. Friday his Excellency feeling the time of death approaching his heart was full of godly comfort and of heavenly consolation speaking with singular zeal of the misery of this life of the death of a Christian of eternal salvation Then saying Ah Sirs loving Sirs I have seen the glory of God what do I care for this world I have kissed the hem of the garment of my Lord Jesus Christ I am now climbing on the ladder of Jacob up to heaven toward my God and Saviour And while he was full of these expressions and cast his arms from him he said All things here below do now stink before me Tell this to my children chiefly to my Steward that he nor they seek too much after worldly things but to put their whole trust in God Ah my dear people said he how much trouble have you with me miserable creature Then he called Open all the doors let all my people come in that they may see how joyfully I do die and so be comforted by my example His Physicians warning him not to speak too much Ah said he Should not I speak of my loving and most gracious God He hath given me and he continueth to me a tongue to that end Again when the Physicians spake against opening the windows What said he should not I behold the fair Heavens whither I shall come anon He did oftentimes lift up his hands and his eyes to heaven using these words Oh thou great and strong God thou Almighty God thou holy God thou good and true
holy Spirit which from a spirit of bondage was now become to her a spirit of adoption The holy frame of her heart and the bent of her soul with a sence of spiritual things may be judged by some letters to her Son which are in print and by the translation of the Psalms and other essays of divine Poetry After some sharp conflicts with death she did patiently and devoutly yield up her spirit into the hands of her gracious Lord Christ Jesus She sickned the 28 of July and dyed the 4 of August and they were both of them buried in the same grave VII Dr. Harris his Life and Death HE was born at broad Campden in Gloucester shire about the year 1578. and lived till 1658. even fourscore years After he had been his time at the Free-schools in the Country being by his Parents designed either for Divinity or the Law he was sent to Oxford where following his studies he took the degree of Batchelor of Arts. Preparing himself for the Pulpit not the Bar he offered his first pains at Chipping Campden where though a great Town a Bible could scarce be found no not at the Vicars house without much search being not seen some months before Upon a fearful plague at Oxford the University was dissolved and few Scholars left behinde he durst not go home lest he should not by his Father be suffered to return thither again and whither else to go he knew not till by a providence he was invited to Mr. Doily's house five miles from Oxford a Family of great piety Mr. Prior the Incumbent there was assisting to Mr. Harris in his studies which he requited in assisting Mr. Prior a godly man but sickly in his preaching for him By the removal of Mr. Dod he was setled at Hanwel not far off where the people were very conformable scarce a family wherein Gods Name was not in some measure called upon nor any that refused to be prepared by him for the Lords Supper Edge-hill-fight was about four miles from him upon the Lords day he took it for a great mercy that he heard not the least noise of it till the publick work of the day was over nor could he believe the report till a souldier besmeared with blood and powder did witness it There happened to be quartered a company of souldiers that were so given over to blaspheming and swearing that he could not forbear using that Text Isa 5.12 which in the handling did so nettle some of them that they damned themselves to Hell if they did not shoot him in case he preached any more upon that Text but he went on the next day when in his eye a souldier took his Carbine and fumbled about the lock as intending some mischief but the Preacher conceiving it was only to disturb him went on with his work without any farther news of the souldier After this by a Scotish Commander with the treachery of some neighbours he was inforced to shift for himself and went to London From London he with four other Divines was by the Parliament commanded to Oxford then under suspension and the Chancellor of Oxford the Earle of Pembrook coming to visit the University he was made Dr. of Divinity which he had refused had it not been the favour of his betters as being not made thereby the better Scholar or the better Preacher In continuance of time when he had setled his affairs and placed his children he left himself almost nothing more to do but to prepare himself and his wife 50 years married for their graves but now the Lord was pleased to exercise him a new His wise that was religiously bred frequent in holy duties that seldom rose from her knees with dry eyes was yet delivered up to Satans buffetting to such horrors of minde to such hellish temptations as grieved every spectator Upon this occasion he often said The receiving of grace the keeping of grace the use of grace is all from the Almighty God She complaining much and often that she could finde no comfort Oh said he what an Idol do some people make of comfort as if their comfort were their Christ But this cheering he had that she was kept 1. From blaspheming the highest so she stiled God 2. From hurting any in word or deed 3. That this affliction did waken him she being most conscientious and innocent 4. It wrought in him a holy despair of all creature-comforts for now he injoyed neither wife nor childe nor friend nor sleep as formerly only instant prayers are continued for her upon all occasions which gives hopes that the Lord may please to make the end comfortable and the conquest glorious So he sometimes said The difference is not great whether comfort do come in death or a while after death seeing comfort will assuredly come to all that wait with faith and patience After a long and laborious life he comes now to a long and a painful sickness In the Summer he began to droop and when two friendly and learned Physicians Dr. Bathurst and Dr. Willis were sent for he professed That he used means meerly in obedience that he could be content to live and durst die He said His Physicians would lose of their known worth having to deal with complicated diseases which were seldom removed and with old age which was never cured His first encounter was with a vehement Pleuretical pain in his left side to that was joyned a Feaver and also a great defluxion of Rheum and oppression of his Lungs with flegme and sometimes not without some fits of his old disease the Stone and Strangury which for some weeks wrought so upon him as he was not able to speak much to those that visited him At his first sickening being desired to admit of some good company he said I am alone in company it is all one to me to be left alone or to have friends about me my work is now to arm my self for death and I do apply my self as I am able for that great encounter And so he spent his whole time in Meditation Prayer and reading especially the Psalms and St. John's Gospel where he took exceeding delight in the 10 14 15 16 17 Chapters And growing weaker got others to read to him Still would he be exhorting his visitants and attendants to get faith above all It is your victory would he say your life your peace your crown and the chiefest piece of your spiritual armour however get on all go forth in the Lords might and stand to the fight and then shall the issue be glorius only be sure not to forget to call in the help of your General do all by him and for his glory On the Lord's day he would not hinder any from publick duty to do any thing about him and when the Sermons were ended he would say Come what have ye now for me meaning of repetition to which he attended so diligently as to sum up all the heads and then say O
what excellent truths are these lay them up charily ye will have need of them Being asked where his comfort lay he said In Christ and in the free-grace of God and then added Work work apace dear friends assure your selves nothing will more trouble you when ye come to die then that ye have done no more for God who hath done so much for you Being again asked what they should do for him he said Do not only pray for me but praise God also for his unspeakable mercy to me especially that in this my weakness he hath kept Satan from me and that I see the worth of a Christ and do taste of the sweetness of Gods love more then ever Again O how good is God! entertain good thoughts of him So he concluded all prayers for him with a loud Amen Upon Saturday-evening he began to set himself to die forbad all Cordials gave his dying-blessing to his Son that was present and calling for the 8th to the Romans he entertained no more disdiscourse with the sons of men Herein God was exceeding good to him as a return of prayer his breathings were easie and even and his soul without the least motion or resistance of the body did enter into rest while we below were entring upon the day of rest for then did he begin a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven when we begin ours on earth that is before one a clock on Sunday morning 12 of Decem. 1658. In all the Wills that he made this Legacy was ever renewed Item I bequeath to all my children and my childrens children to each of them a Bible with this Inscription None but Christ VIII Mrs. Scots Life and Death SHe was Daughter and Heir to Sir Matthew Howland also Heir to her Uncle Sir John Howland She was first married to the Son and Heir of Sir Walter Roberts of Kent when she was not 17 years old and afterwards to Mr. Scot a worthy Justice of Peace in the same County She had Sir Howland Roberts and two other Sons with two Daughters she was one of a choice spirit of a marvellous sweet temper and disposition of an amiable and a winning carriage and of a religious and charitable conversation About 19 years of age as she was riding on Hunting she had a fall from her horse and put her leg out of joynt which was the happy occasion of her conversion after this time she never hunted scarce ever came on horse-back and she writ it down in a book among other experiences of Gods goodness especially to her soul resolving for the time to come to walk constantly in Gods ways which she made good Once going to the Sacrament she had grievous temptations as if she might live without Ordinances and as if there were no necessity of them but her faith fought against it and she found sweet comfort and strength in the Sacrament she received Christ and gave her self up to him She writ in the foresaid book the comforts she found in frequent Fasts and Sacraments concluding with such words as these My God doth give me sweet experiences of the growth of grace in my soul and all from the vertue of Christ's blood Again This day I was at a Fast and God came graciously in and melted my heart and made good his promise to me They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength Again she writ thus This day I did receive Jesus Christ in the Sacrament and so came home rejoycing and fully assured that all my sins are pardoned and that Christ may as well be pulled out of Heaven as I be pulled from Christ Again out of the same book I kept a Fast by my self to seek help from God in a great straight that I was in for no power but his could help me out and deliver me the Lord did in great mercy assist me Afterward I kept a Fast in private with others about the same thing my heart at first was out of frame very heavy and perplexed but God at length came in and melted it and made the duty very sweet to me Now she thought the Ordinances could not be too often enjoyed and when in Winter-time she could not use the Coach to her Country-Church she would usually walk on foot in all the rainy and tempestuous weather that long and tedious up-hill and down-hill way In London she would be often by seven of the clock in the morning at the Lecture at Christ-Church from High-Holborn and there stay till the second Sermon was ended She had the grace as well as the gift of Praying which was both to admiration and to satisfaction Every day she had constantly in the Family morning and evening Prayer with something also of the Word and part of a Psalm sung on the Lords day morning-duties after dinner singing and praying and at evening repeating singing and praying She was indeed a true sanctifier and a spiritual observer of the Lords day even to a thought and would often bewail the liberty which too many Professors did take on those dayes to talk of civil and sometimes of worldly things without any remorse She never went abroad but she first withdrew her self into her Closet for some time to prayer and the like when she returned home Such exceeding in-comes she had at the Table of the Lord the Lord so blessing that Ordinance to her that she would often say She could there fetch from the Lord any mercy that she wanted as direction in straights support in troubles power against sin conquest over self and grace to carry her on in the wayes of God Whilst her Father Sir Matthew Howland and her Uncle Sir John Howland lived she would often say foreseeing the same as being their only Heir She was afraid of too much of the world to come upon her and to be an incumbrance to her As her life so her death was full of grace and comfort The Lord did graciously strengthen her upon her bed of languishing though she was walking thorow the valley of death she feared no evil her God was with her the Lord sustained her Though her pains and tortures were very great there being applied to her Cupping-glasses with lancings yet did the Lord put gladness in her heart so as she would say God hath been very good to me Oh how good is God! there hath not the least cloud interposed between God and my soul all this sickness so as I shall go to my gracious God triumphing She would often say O friends how sweet and precious is Jesus Christ And again O friends get an interest in Christ and try your faith To the servants and keepers that helped to turn her in her bed for in a few dayes from Wednesday to Munday she was by much pain become helpless she said I am very weak but my God is very strong and there is my comfort he will lift me up Oh praise the Lord for his goodness Her eldest Daughter saying Mother I am going to Church and