righteousnesse Bow downe thine eare vnto me make haste to deliuer me Be thou my strong rocke and house of defence that thou maist saue me For thou art my rocke and mâ— fortresse and strength Into thy hand I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me ô Lord God of truth Cry also with Dauid Psal 18.1 Psal 18. Thou euen thou ô Lord art my strength and my fortresse my refuge and my deliuerer my God and my helper In thee will I trust for thou art my shield the â—orn also of my saluation and my refuge vnto thee ô Lord lift I vp my soule ô God in thee doe I trust Psal 25.1 Let me not be ashamed nor confounded Leade me and direct me in thy truth for thou art the God of my saluation Remember ô Lord thy tender mercies and thy louing kindnesse for they haue beene for euer Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my manifold rebellions ô Lord But according to the multitude of thy mercies Look vpon me for thy goodnesse ô Lord. For thy name sake bee mercifull vnto mine iniquitie ô Lord for it is great Turne thy face vnto me and haue mercy vpon me Deliuer me and draw me out of my troubles Pardon and forgiue mee all mine offences Keepe my soule and deliuer me Let me not be confounded for I put my trust in thee If in this maner thou shalt with thy whole heart call vpon God for help God will assuredly relieue thee in due time and will say vnto thee as he did concerning Dauid his seruant Psal 91.14 Because he hath trusted in mee therefore will I deliuer him I will therfore saue and defend him because he hath knowne my name He hath called vpon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and after glorifie him Wherefore deare brother fight now a good fight fight valiantly and couragiously and also constantly and stedfastly as becometh a true Christian and a valiant souldier of Iesus Christ Take heede in any wise that thou lose not nor giue ouer thy standing Turne not backe for behold here is no danger at all Thou dost not fight here alone but Iesus Christ thy Lord and King he is thy guide and Captaine in this fight Him follow who in this sharpe combate hath gone before thee He as he is thy guide and captaine so he will be thy defender and deliuerer to defend and deliuer thee in this fight and conflict from all the enemies of thy soule and from all troubles and dangers whatsoeuer For he is not as a mortall earthly king who sometimes for want of power is frustrate of his wil and purpose But he is of endlesse and infinite power able to performe whatsoeuer he hath purposed or promised Yea and he it is that hath alreadie for thy sake vanquished and foiled Satan death 1 Cor. 15. and hell Death is swallowed vp into victory through Christ who hath died for thee And therefore euerlasting death hath no interest nor power ouer thee Christ for thy sake hath descended into hell that he might free and deliuer thee from that horrible and endlesse darknesse Be strong therefore and of good courage and with an vndaunted heart mind now fight that good fight of faith 1 Tim. 6.12 laying hold of eternall life whereunto thou art called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses shake off all feare for here is no danger There is no cause for thee to feare the strictnesse and seueritie of Gods iudgement For behold Christ Iesus is thy mediator in the sight and presence of God he also is thy aduocate intercessor to pleade thy cause and thine high priest to make attonement vnto God for thee He it is that hath reconciled thee vnto God and that hath recouered vnto thee and for thee the loue and the good will and fauour of his heauenly Father which by meanes of thy sins was vtterly lost alienated from thee God almightie in and through Christ and for his sake is now become thy Father and he entirely loueth thee and hath care of thee as of his child that is most tender and deare vnto him Now then forasmuch as he who is so great and mightie a king is with thee who can go about to do thee hurt who shall impugne or oppose and set himselfe against thee Heare what S. Paul saith Rom. 8.31 If God be with vs who can be against vs who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him vnto death for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ who â—ath died yea rather who is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Seeing then that Christ with all his goodnes and benefits is giuen vnto thee righteousnesse also holinesse iustification and redemption yea euerlasting life and saluation these are all freely giuen and bestowed vpon thee as S. Paul witnesseth 1. Cor. 1. That Christ is made vnto vs of God his Father 1 Cor. 1.30 both wisedome and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption See then that thou haue thy hope and confidence wholly setled and firmely and stedfastly fixed vpon this corner stone Christ Iesus He is a most sound and a most strong and sure foundation whereunto thou mayest safely commit thy selfe and whereupon thou mayest boldly relie No tempest though neuer so blacke and cloudy or neuer so hideous and terrible no showers or stormes whatsoeuer are or shall be able to cast cast downe or ouerthrow this foundation vppon this thy sweete Sauiour Christ I say let all thy hope and happinesse be founded and built Cast thy selfe vppon him and giue thy selfe ouer wholly vnto him put thy confidence in him and cleaue fast vnto him And let no affliction nor temptation plucke thee away froÌ„ him howsoeuer things seeme to come to passe neuer so aukwardly or contrary to reason and sence howsoeuer thine owne reason shall deeme and iudge otherwise or flesh and bloud shall neuer so much perswade and counsell otherwise yea howsoeuer the diuel now and then may suggest vnto thee whisper into thine eares or put into thy mind that thou art quite vndone and art past all hope that God cannot but still be highly displeased with thee and that thou shalt be condemned to be punished in hell fire as thou hast deserued Yet notwithstanding all these and the like suggestions do thou by a stedfast and true faith relie vpon thy sweete Sauiour Christ Iesus and sticke fast vnto him Heb. 11.1 For
of the Epistles of that holy Father which intreate of the like matter CHAP. XV. An Exhortation to all professors of the name of Christ NOw I beseech and intreate all euen as many as are stiled and called by the name of Christians and I charge and require you euen by the mercies of God that once at the length forsaking your former sins and errors and the horrible darknesse and blindnesse in which ye haue liued ye will returne vnto a better course of life with all care and diligence and with sincere heartie deuotion hearing and receiuing the word of God which is able to saue your soules and continually without intermission knocking at the gates of heauen and intreating the heauenly Father through his Sonne Christ Iesus that he will inwardly teach and instruct you and enlighten your hearts and minds with the true knowledge of Christ and of his heauenly will That denying and renouncing all vngodly lusts Tit. 2.12 ye may liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the mighty God of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works That same light of grace and of all comfort and consolation as the day starre frō on high hath visited vs and by the infinite goodnes of God hath in these last times in exceeding great brightnesse shined forth vnto vs. We haue manifold examples both in the holy Scriptures and euery day among our selues which testifie the infinite bountie and mercie long suffering patience and gentlenesse of our God toward vs whereby we may see how God would not that we should be lost but that we should conuert liue how soone his iust wrath waxeth hote against vs and how easily againe he is mooued to succeasse from punishing vs as we deserued so soone as we vnfainedly repent of our sinnes and stedfastly intend purpose an amendmēt of our liues Let these things moue you deare brethren and stirre you vp to seeke the Lord Esay 55.6 while yet he may be found to call vpon him while he is yet neare vnto you that the wicked forsake his owne waies and the vnrighteous his own imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie on him and vnto our God for he is very readie to forgiue Yea let the consideration hereof encourage you in all your troubles and distresses to flie vnto God and vncessantly to pray vnto him that he will mercifully pardon and forgiue you all your sinnes for his deare Sonnes sake Iesus Christ and that he will vouchsafe to preserue and keepe you to sustaine and vphold you to cherish and comfort you and finally to hide and couer you vnder the shadow of his wings and to be present and readie to helpe and succour you in all your need and necessitie Thus did Dauid whē he saw himselfe in great distresse and danger 2 Sam. 24.17 and that for his sin there had fallen by a sore plague in three daies space seauentie thousand men straightway he flieth vnto God confessing his sinne and lamentablie crauing begging for mercy and forgiuenesse crying out Ecce Behold I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly And whē he had built an altar in the threshing floore of Aranna the Iebusite where the Angel had appeared vnto him he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings thereupon And then the Scripture saith verse 25. That the Lord was appeased toward the land and the plague ceassed from Israel By which example of Dauid deare brethren confesse your sinnes pray vnto God for grace and intreate for mercie and pardon offering vp vnto God that acceptable sacrifice of a penitent contrite heart which aboue all things is well pleasing vnto him and behold God will be present and ready to helpe you neither will he at any time faile you or forsake you In like manner Iona 1.3 when God sent Ionas vnto Nineue he threatned to destroy that populous and famous citie But straightway as soone as at the preaching of Ionah the Nineuites had repented God had compassion on them he pardoned their sinnes and remitted their punishment Set before you my brethren these examples to be imitated followed Distrust not the mercie and goodnesse of God Esay 59.1 Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue he both will and can saue and helpe yea releeue and comfort you so as ye refuse not neither despise his grace and goodnesse so mercifully and abundantly offered but call vpon him for helpe and assistance of his grace Eph. 2.4 who is rich in mercie Ephesians 2.4 euen rich vnto all that call vpon him Rom. 10.12 Romanes 10.12 Now I pray and beseech the Lord Iesus Christ that onely true and approued Physition both of body and soule that these diuine medicines and spirituall directions collected and digested out of the rich store-house of the holy and sacred Scriptures may haue a powerfull and effectuall working in your hearts whereby faith may more more abound and increase and the loue of God and of your brethren more and more feruently bee inflamed in you And that abiding constant and patient in all temptations and tribulations whatsoeuer after the example of the same Christ Iesus ye may euen vnto the last gaspe cleaue and sticke fast vnto him in assured hope of eternall life and saluation through the same Christ Iesus our alone Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all glorie and praise for euermore Amen The second part A Method or order of comforting the Sicke CHAP. I. How to comfort all such as lie vpon the bed of Sicknesse WHereas deare brother thou art so sore vexed grieued with sicknesse know for suretie and make certaine account that thou art thus afflicted and punished not by chance or fortune but by the determinate will purpose and permission of almightie God For whatsoeuer affliction or calamitie befalleth vnto the children of God it is doubtlesse sent of God and it cometh vnto them whollie and altogether at his appointment and by his guidance and direction For as much as in him wee liue Act. 17. and moue and haue our being Psal 100. It is he that hath made vs and not we our selues And doubt not thou but that it is indeed of his good will and of his loue and fatherly affection toward thee that he now sendeth this sicknes whatsoeuer it be not to destroy thee but to call thee to repentance and to exercise and stirre vp thy faith and confidence in him For afflictions are vndoubted signes of Gods vndoubted loue and fauour toward vs. Whom God loueth him saith Salomon he correcteth and chastiseth Prou. 3.12 Heb. 12.6 yea he scourgeth euery one whom he receiueth Heb 12.6 Thy mercifull and heauenly Father most dearely and
Christ thou art now alreadie made partaker of God mercie thou art now alreadie eased of the burthen of thy sinnes thou art now already the heire of God and coheire with Christ for euer and euer Mat. 24 35 For heauen and earth shall passe away but the word of the Lord abideth for euer Beleeue then deare brother and be of good hope and of good comfort neither doubt but that that great God most gracious and most mercifull euen the sonne of God Christ Iesus for thy sake and for thy saluation was made man yea that for thee and for thy sake he was borne into this world for thy sake dyed vpon the crosse for thy sake rose againe from death and ascended into heauen and performed all those things that are promised vnto vs. So that all the promises of God in and through Christ are yea 2 Cor. 1.20 and Amen 2. Corinth 1.20 Pray therefore vnto God and expect and looke for nothing else from God but meere grace and mercie that through Christ and for his sake for as much as without Christ there is no consolation no saluation no hope no helpe In Christ onely and alone is all comfort all manner of refreshing all refuge and succour and in a word all the wholâ— meanes of our saluation In him is all grace goodnesse and mercie infinitely greater and far more abundant then any man can wish or desire or yet comprehend The Lord vouchsafe to giue vnto vs a constant and stedfast faith to beleeue the same Furthermore deare brother I warne and admonish thee to be carefull that with as much diligence as thou canst thou withdraw thy mind from the horrible dreadfull contemplation and view of thy sinnes and of the feare of death and bend all thy cogitation vppon Christ alone Fixe the eyes of thy minde wholly vpon him cleaue and sticke fast vnto him with thy whole heart call vpon him with full confidence and assurance and commit thy selfe wholly vnto him for as much as in him thou shalt find nothing else but absolute and perfect innocency and righteousnesse life and saluation All which being deriued from Christ vnto thee are now become thine if onely thou wilt acknowledge Christ and beleeue him to be thy Redeemer Sauiour and the author and worker of thy saluation I admonish thee therefore againe and againe and I vrge and repeate the same often not without cause that thou renew not in thy mind afresh the remembrance oâ— thy sinnes neither vexe and tormeÌ„t thy selfe by weighing and pondering too exactly the multitude and greatnesse of them But rather hauing thy sinnes remoued farre away set before thine eyes only Christ crucified let him be fixed fast in thy hart let thy mind and cogitation be wholly vpon him flee vnto him with full assurance and confidence and with thy whole heart sticke fast vnto him without being separated from him at any time By this meanes thou shalt preuaile and stand fast against the gates of hell though neuer so cruell and terrible Call vnto thy minde with how great humanitie and kindnesse with how great clemencie and gentlenesse with how great meekenesse and mildnesse Christ in the Gospell intreated and also receiued and entertained all sinners that repented them of their sinnes that desired helpe and craued pardon and forgiuenesse There shalt thou find Mary Magdalen out of whom went seuen diuels Thou shall see there one of the theeues that were crucified with him Thou shalt see the Publican thou shalt see Zacheus and diuers others whom our Sauiour Christ entertained with wonderfull meekenesse and kindnesse and afterward pronounced them to be freed and set at liberty froâ— all their sinnes though neuer so haynous and grieuous for Christ is grace â— mercie consolation and comfort ioy and gladnesâ— it selfe and a present refugâ— and succour yea life and saluation it selfe vnto aâ—â— that expect and hope foâ— the same from him and thaâ— set their affiance in him Alâ— these things God hath promised for Christ his sake who is truth it selfe cannot lie and therefore will neuer deceiue vs neuer disappoint vs neuer forsake vs. CHAP. VI. Reconciliation and restitution required in time of sicknesse if not performed before NOW further Reconciliation in time of sicknesse required while thou liest vpon thy bed of sicknesse it will perhaps come into thy mind how thou hast wronged and iniured thy neighbour in his body or goods or estimation and credit or contrariwise how he hath iniured and wronged thee in all or some of these things Here thou must do as Christ did vpon the crosse thou must pray euen for all thine enemies and must from the bottome of thy heart pardon and forgiue all wrongs and iniuries If thou by dâ—â—traction and slander haâ—â— bene wronged in thy gooâ— name and reputation thoâ—â— must euen from thy verâ— heart forgiue the authoâ— thereof and pray for theâ—â— with S. Steuen Act. 7.60 Lord lay not this sinne to theâ— charge Act. 7.60 and with our Sauiour Christ himselfe vpon the crosse Luke 23.24 Father forgiuâ— them they know not what they do If on the contrary thou hast slandered others and wronged theÌ„ in their good name and credit it behooueth thee with all conuenient speede to seeke reconciliation if it be possible at the hands of the parties so offended If any thing of thine haue bene taken away by theÌ„ thou shalt not with â—olence fiercenesse or cruâ—â—tie exact and require the â—â—me againe Restitution in time of sicknesse required And if thou â—aue either by fraude or viâ—lence taken away from oâ—hers if thou canst make â—estitution or cause restituâ—ion to be made and do not â—n any wise hide or conceale any thing but confesse the same and be sorrie for the wrong committed and desire pardon first at the hands of God then of the party or parties wronged and offended If the parties whom thou hast wronged be dead make restitution vnto their children or others their heires executors or administrators If thou hast done wrong or oppression and thou knowest not to whâ— thou hast done it in steaâ— the parties themselues thâ— hast the poore and need vnto whom thou may giue cheerefully and make restitution So 〈◊〉 Zacheus Luke 19.8 Luke 19.8 Aâ—â— the same is the counsell thâ— Daniel gaue vnto Nebâ—chadnezar Dan. 4.24 Dan. 4.24 â— breake off his sins by righteouâ—nesse and his iniquities by meâ—cie toward the poore If it bâ— so that through pouertiâ— and want thou canst noâ— make restitution it shall bâ— sufficient if thou do it in desire and affect when thoâ— canst not do it in deed and effect 2 Cor. 8.12 If onely there be a willing mind it is accepted before God according to that a maâ— â—ath not according to that he â—ath not 2. Cor. 8.12 In case â—f want and pouertie then â— shall be enough for thee 〈◊〉 first thou haue a will and â—esire to make restitution â—or the wrong
torment pardon and forgiue thee thy sinnes For there is no other satisfaction nor other recompence for thy sinnes but onely the death of Christ In this case God regardeth nothing else neither doth he accept of any thing else but of his beloued Sonne He is that Lambe of God which onely taketh away the sinnes of the word Ioh. 1.29 1 Ioh. 2.2 He is a sufficient perfect and absolute sacrifice and oblation for the sinnes of the whole world As for thy paines or sicknesse or whatsoeuer torments or afflictions be the same neuer so great or intollerable they are not able to make satisfaction recompence vnto God for the least of thy sinnes much lesse then can the same deserue saluation as Saint Paul witnesseth I account saith he that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs. Rom. 8.18 No creature either in heauen or in earth no man nor Angell was able to papacifie or to mitigate and asswage the wrath and indignation of God the Father much lesse then is this sicknesse of thine and this momentanie affliction able to do it Yea that more is hee that must pacifie the wrath and indignation of almightie God and so reconcile God vnto man it was necessarie that hee should be both God and man being to vndertake and deale yea and to make intercession and attonement betweene God offended and displeased and man standing guiltie and condemned Therefore it was necessarie that the Sonne of God should be made man that in his body and in his flesh hee might satisfie the wrath of God his Father by his sufferings for vs and so saue and deliuer vs from the same as the Prophet witnesseth saying Esa 53.4.6.8 Hee hath borne our iniquities and carried our sorrowes And againe The Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquities of vs all And againe For the transgressions of my people was he plagued And Saint Peter telleth vs 1. Pet. 2.24 that his own selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the Crosse and that by his stripes we are healed For thy Lord Christ his sake it is then that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and for no other thing in the whole world for no affliction nor suffering though neuer so hard and sharpe Christ only and alone is our righteousnesse our satisfaction redemption out health and saluation 2. Cor. 5.21 Him God made sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we might be made righteous yea the righteousnesse of God in him Wherefore if thou beleeue stedfastly Iohn 1.12 thou art now alreadie the childe of God and if thou be the child of God then art thou also the heire of God and coheire together with Christ Rom. 8.17 as Saint Paul witnesseth Rom. 8. Now if eternall life be the inheritance of Gods children the gift of God Rom. 6.23 as S. Paul calleth it surely thou canst not deserue it by any suffering of paine or sicknesse But God will therfore haue thee tormented and vexed with this sicknesse that so thy old man might be subdued and ouercome repressed and kept vnder yea mortified and put to death as it were that so at length it may ceasse to offend And that will be finally at the last by the death of the body And for this cause are we to vndergoe this death that our soule may depart out and enter into eternall blisse For this death of ours is the gate vnto eternal life Then and thereby at the length we are and shall be deliuered from all calamities miseries and troubles and from all errors deceits and suggestions of the Diuell Neither shall we any more be defiled with the most lothsome filthinesse of our sinnes neither shall we be seduced any more or misled into heresies and errors nor cast headlong into any despaire or doubting Then shall be an end of all miseries and aduersities and of all troubles and dangers Then resting in the Lord we shall enioy euerlasting life and ioyes without end And therefore death is in no wise to be abhorred nor feared Nay rather the same is earnestly to be wished for and desired forasmuch as thereby wee passe vnto euerlasting ioyes And it is most true which Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.28 That vnto the godly all things worke together for good Sith that death it selfe a thing in the sight of the world of all other most hatefull and most hideous and horrible is become vnto the faithfull most sweete and pleasant and most ioyfull and acceptable Although our old Adam that is this flesh of ours doth abhorre it and by all meanes flye from it yea and trembleth for feare of it yet notwithstanding the inward man is ready chearefull yea glad and willing to vndergo it forasmuch as thereby he seeth knoweth that he is freed and deliuered from the mire and filthinesse of al his sins and corruptions from all paines and griefes and all cares and troubles and also obtaineth a passage entrance into euerlasting blisse and glorie before the throne of God and of the Lamb Christ Iesus In whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy Psal 16.11 and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore Psal 16.11 CHAP. II. How to comfort such as are in apparent danger of Death GOod brother be of good comfort lift vp thy heart and raise vp thy spirit for behold the day of thy redemption and dissolution draweth nigh Thy most gracious and louing Father in great mercy toward thee doth now call for thee out of this wretched and miserable life to translate and conuey thee vnto himselfe vnto the endlesse ioyes of the heauenly life And therefore now giue ouer and wholy commend vnto him both thy selfe and all thine And let thy will and his will be all one Say within thy heart Thy will be done ô God my heauenly Father and not mine Cry out vnto Christ thy Sauiour with the good theefe vpon the Crosse Remember me ô Lord when thou cōmest into thy kingdom Luk. 23.42 or rather now that thou sittest and reignest in thy glorious kingdome Cry with the Publican Lord be mercifull vnto me Luk. 18.13 a most miserable and wretched sinner Cry instantly and earnestly with the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.22 O Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me And when thou thus criest doubt not but Christ will heare thee and will haue mercy vpon thee in pardoning and forgiuing thee all thy sinnes And whensoeuer thou shalt depart hence thou shalt assuredly be with him in his kingdome euen in Paradise Lay hold therfore vpon this thy Christ sticke fast vnto him and commit thy soule vnto him as vnto a faithfull Creator 1. Pet. 4.19 With this thy Christ crucified vpon the Crosse cry vnto God the common Father of you both in the words of the Prophet Dauid Psal 31.1 Psal 31. In thee ô Lord I put my trust let me neuer be confounded Deliuer me in thy
wrath and displeasure In stead of death and after death grant vnto him life euen life euerlasting that he may for euer liue with thee in glory And if thou thinke it better more expedient for him that he abide yet longer in this mortalitie either for the benefit of others and for the vse and seruice of the Church or else for his owne behalfe and benefite that he may more nearely be conformed and made like vnto the example and image of thy Sonne Christ Iesus restore vnto him mercifull and gracious Lord his former health strength and with health and strength increase in him euery day more and more the gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit Howbeit thy will be done alwaies in all things which cannot but euermore be for the best All these things grant vnto vs we beseech thee most gracious and merciful Father and to this our feeble and distressed neighbour and brother for thy Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ his sake who is our onely helper and redeemer for his sake who for the comfort of sinners translated by the ministerie of his blessed Angels the theefe on the crosse into Paradise and the soule of Lazarus into Abrahams bosome euen for his sake who sitteth at thy right hand of power and glorie to be our Aduocate and to make intercession for vs who also liueth and reigneth together with thine owne maiestie in the vnitie of the holy Ghost euer one God world without end Amen A Prayer to be said by the Sicke partie LOrd Iesus thou that art the health of al men liuing and the life euerlasting of all that in thy true faith depart out of this wretched transitorie world I submit and wholly giue ouer my selfe vnto thy most blessed will whether it plâ—aâ—e thee that this silly soule of mine shall abide in this house and tabernacle of my bodie yet for some longer time to do thee seruice or whether thy will be that I shall shortly depart hence being certainly assured that the same can in no wise perish which is committed and deliuered ouer into thy mercifull hands O Lord I am most readie and willing to lay downe this fraile and corruptible flesh in certaine hope of the resurrection thereof at the last day when it shall be restored vnto me againe much more glorious and happie In the meane time confirme and strengthen my soule I beseech thee with thy grace holy Spirit against all temptations and against all assaults of Satan Gird compasse me about with the shield of thy mercie as thou diddest in times past thy holy Saints and Martyrs making them thereby strong inuincible against all torments and deaths though neuer so cruell or so fearefull and horrible I see that there is no helpe in my selfe ô Lord but all my helpe and hope my trust confidence is in thine vnspeakeable goodnesse and mercie I haue no deserts nor good works ô Lord that I can bring or alledge before thee But of misdeeds alas I see many and infinite as the sands of the Sea which hauing passed and gone ouer my head are as a grieuous burthen too too heauie for me to beare But yet through thy precious death and bloudshedding I beleeue that they are all quite purged and washed cleane away And through thy most perfect righteousnesse and obedience imputed vnto me I trust and am assured that I shall be yea and am already registred and receiued into the number of thy righteous Saints and seruants It was for me and for my sake that thou wast borne into the world and wast subiect vnto all the miseries and infirmities of this life Thou didst hunger and thirst for my sake thou didst teach and preach and worke many strange wonders and miracles for my sake thou didst fast and pray for me and for my sake For my sake it was that thou didst so many good deeds while thou liuedst and didst conuerse amongst men for my sake didst thou suffer so many bitter paines and torments yea and gauest thy precious bodie and soule vnto death vpon the crosse for my sake Now let all these things sweete sauiour Iesus Christ be auaileable and profitable vnto me thy poore seruant who hast willingly performed all these things for me and hast giuen and bestowed thy selfe wholly vpon me and for me Let thy bloud cleanse and wash away the filthinesse of my sinnes let thy righteousnesse hide and couer my vnrighteousnesse and let thy merits stand for me before thy tribunall seate of iudgement And as my sicknesse and paine increaseth so increase ò Lord in me thy good gifts and graces both of faith and of patience and of constancie and perseuerance that my faith confidence may neither wauer nor stagger nor my loue toward thee be abated nor my humane weakenesse be deiected and cast downe by feare of death But after that death hath seized vpon closed vp the eyes of my body the eyes of my mind may not sweâ—ue nor turne aside from thee And when it hath taken away the vse of my tongue yet let my heart without ceassing crie vnto thee Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit or rather thy spirit for thou hast dearely bought it and redeemed it euen with thy most precious bloud Sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ receiue my soule Saue and keepe me protect and defend me vnder the shadow of thy wings that I sleepe not in death Saue and deliuer me euen in death from the power of death In thee ô Lord my God do I put my trust let me not be confounded Thou art my onely Lord Sauiour leaue me not neither forsake me ô God of my saluation But be thou still present with me to sustaine and vphold me to refresh and comfort me and finally at the time which thou hast appointed to conuey my soule into thy heauenly kingdome which thou hast purchased prepared for me before the beginning of the world Euen so come Lord Iesus Amen Amen A prayer for the Sicke being readie to giue vp the Ghost LOrd Iesus Christ thou which art the resurrection and the life in whom whosoeuer beleeueth shall not die for euer looke downe from heauen euen from thy Sanctuarie and holy habitation Behold visite and relieue this thy seruant Correct him not in thine anger neither chasten him in thy displeasure but according to the multitude of thy mercies looke vpon him we beseech thee with a fatherly affection Restore him if it be thy gracious will and pleasure vnto his former health and strength that so he may liue to glorifie thy name Or if it stand with thy will otherwise to deale with him euen by this present sicknesse to call him home vnto thine owne selfe out of this vale of wretchednes and miserie giue vnto him constancie to endure faithfull vnto the end and patience to suffer quietly and meekely thy rod and fatherly correction His flesh ô Lord is weake and fraile assist him with thy grace strengthen his weaknesse by the mightie power of thy holy Spirit His spirituall enemies are many and the craft and malice of Satan neuer wanting especially in the houre of death when the bodie is most weake to daunt affright if it be possible the soules of thy seruants that so he might destroy the soule together with the bodie Couer him therefore deare Father vnder the shadow of thy wings against all the assaults of the flesh the world and the diuell that neither through the infirmitie and weakenesse of the flesh nor through the grieuousnesse and painefulnesse of his sicknes nor the loue desire of this world nor the multitude of his sinnes nor the malice of Satan nor by any other meanes he be drawne away from his loue towards thee and his assured trust and confidence in thee We coÌ„fesse ô Lord that there is in himselfe as in our selues no power nor strength to helpe at all being borne in sinne and conceiued in iniquity whereunto also haue bene added many actuall sinnes and transgressions both in thought word and deede whereby he hath prouoked thy iust wrath indignation In whom then shall he trust and from whom shall he looke for helpe but onely in thee from thee which art the Sauiour of all that put their trust in thee Thou didst vouchsafe for his sake to be borne into the world and to humble thy selfe to the state of a seruant to suffer all the miseries and infirmities of this life for his sake to sustaine beare all manner of reproches iniuries for his sake finally thou gauest thy most precious bodie to die and thy bloud to be shed vpon the crosse for his sake Now let all these things profit him we beseech thee most mercifull Sauiour Let thy most precious bloud wash away the multitude of his sinnes let that pure and vnspotted garmeÌ„t of thine obedience and righteousnesse hide couer his vnrighteousnesse let thy grace and power euermore defend succour him and let the sweet comfort of thy Spirit neuer depart from him vntill thou hast called him out of this vale of miserie into the blessed inheritance purchased for him where he may rest for euer with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Saints of God Heare vs we beseech thee most gracious and mercifull Sauiour saue thy seruant that putteth his whole trust in thee Let thy mightie hand and outstretched arme be still his defence Let thy holy Spirit coÌ„firme strengthen him let thy louing kindnesse and mercte still abide and continue with him and be his stay and comfort alwaies vnto the end and in the end and for euermore Amen FINIS